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Donald Pippin, a celebrated and prolific musical director for Broadway and New York’s Radio City Music Hall and the last living recipient of the long-discontinued Tony Award for Best Conductor and Musical Director — which he won for 1963’s Oliver! — died June 9 at the age of 95.

His death was confirmed by friends on Facebook, including Broadway director and choreographer Marcia Milgrom Dodge, who wrote, “I met Don when I was the choreographer on The Music Man @ NY City Opera in 1988. He was our Maestro and he was a generous gentleman in the theatre, taking me under his wing with such mastery and kindness…Journey On, dear Don, in beautiful music.”

Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery

An arranger and songwriter as well as conductor and musical director, Pippin, born in Macon, Georgia, and a longtime resident of Brewster, New York, began his Broadway career by composing dance music for...

Back in 1955, Jackie Gleason turned his popular "The Honeymooners" sketch, which originated on his variety show, into a regular 30-minute sitcom called, you guessed it, The Honeymooners. The idea was that he and co-stars Art Carney, Audrey Meadows and Joyce Randolph would shoot 78 episodes in the first two seasons, with an option for a third season of 39 more. But following that first year, Jackie took the unexpected — and pretty much unprecedented at the time — move to cancel his own show. Believing that those episodes, collectively known now as "The Classic 39," was as good as the show could be, he decided to return to his variety show format, folding Ralph Kramden, Ed Norton and their wives back into it. "Jackie really marched to his own beat," offers his stepson, Craig Horwich, who serves as the head of Jackie Gleason Enterprises in an exclusive interview. "Not in any sense of ignorance or...

Just over one year after he signed on to co-write the script for the Pete's Dragon remake, David Lowery is now in negotiations to direct the live-action feature.

The original Pete's Dragon, which debuted in 1977, was a live-action/animated hybrid that followed a young boy and his pet dragon, as they run away to escape his abusive adoptive parents. This new version, written by David Lowery and Toby Halbrooks, will reinvent the core of the original, removing all of the musical elements.

David Lowery made his feature debut with 2009's St. Nick, about a group of runaway children who learn to fend for themselves in the wild. Last year, his indie Ain't Them Bodies Saints debuted at Sundance before it was picked up by IFC Films and released in August. The filmmaker also produced Listen Up Philip, which debuted at Sundance this year and stars Jason Schwartzman, Krysten Ritter and Elisabeth Moss.

Sheila MacRae starred on the Broadway stage and in films, yet it was her small-screen role as the tolerant and brassy wife of a Brooklyn bus driver for which she is most remembered. MacRae, best known for playing Alice Kramden to Jackie Gleason's Ralph in the 1960s recreation of The Honeymooners, died Thursday. She was 92. The actress died at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, N.J., MacRae's granddaughter Allison Mullavey told the Associated Press on Friday. In the 1950s version of The Honeymooners, Audrey Meadows starred with Gleason as the lovebirds and sparring partners Ralph and Alice.

The Hollywood legend, best known for playing Ralph Monroe on the hit TV show ‘Green Actres’ passed away on Feb. 15 after a battle with lung cancer.

Mary Grace Canfield died in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Feb. 15, according to her daughter Phoebe Alexiades. The actress starred on shows like: General Hospital, The Hathaways, and Bewitched.

Mary Grace Canfield Dead — Actress Dies Of Lung Cancer

The actress was best known for starring on the hit show Green Acres from 1965 to 1971. On the show she played Ralph Monroe, who was working with her brother Alf, on their newly acquired farm.

But that’s truly not what she wanted to be remembered for.

“To be remembered for Ralph kind of upsets me,” she told the Bangor Daily News. “Only in the sense that it was so easy and undemanding. It’s being known for something easy to do instead of something you worked hard to achieve.

Comedian Sid Caesar, star of the 1950s television classic ‘Your Show of Shows’, died on Feb. 12 at age 91.

Sid Caesar, who has been hailed as a pioneer of live television sketch comedy, has died at the age of 91 at his home in Los Angeles, according to his friend and former comedy partner Carl Reiner.

Sid Caesar Dead — Comedy Legend Dies At 91

Sid died at his home in Beverly Hills, Calif. after a brief illness, according to his biographer and friend Eddy Friedfeld, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Jerry Lewis On Sid Caesar’s Death Sid Caesar Dies At 91

The two-time Emmy Award-winning actor was featured in dozens of television and film roles over six decades, but he was best known for his work with comedienne Imogene Coca on the classic comedy-variety series Your Show of Shows, which aired on NBC from February, 1950 to June, 1954.

Sid will also be remembered for...

The child star who warmed the hearts of audiences all over the world, died Feb. 10 at her home near San Francisco.

Shirley Temple Black, one of the most famous child actresses, died on Feb. 10, surrounded by her family and friends. The actress, famous for her adorable smile and strawberry curls, began acting at the age of three. She starred in films during the Great Depression and made almost 30 between 1932 and 1939.

Shirley Temple Black Dead — Actress Dies

The actress carried a nation during a time when they needed laughter the most. President Franklin D. Roosevelt once famously said: “As long as our country has Shirley Temple, we will be all right.”

Shirley, who starred in films like Heidi, The Little Princess, and Curly Top, didn’t just stick to acting. Although she was even awarded her own mini-Oscar when she was just seven, she stopped acting at the age of 22.

Shirley Temple...

So sad. The iconic ‘Judgment at Nuremburg’ actor who rubbed shoulders with Jane Fonda and Marlon Brando died on Jan. 31 in Innsbruck, Austria after a sudden and serious illness.

On Jan. 31, we said goodbye to yet another iconic actor. Maximilian Schell, who won an Academy Award in 1961 for his performance in Judgment at Nuremburg, died in a hospital in Innsbruck, Austria after coming down with a sudden illness. He was 83 years old.

Maximilian Schell Dies At 83

The actor’s sad death was confirmed by his agent, Patricia Baumbauer, according to the Associated Press. Maximilian leaves an illustrious life behind him, and not just because of his acting achievements.

The son of a Swiss playwright and an Austrian stage actress, Maximilian grew up in Vienna and lived there until his family was forced to flee when Hitler’s German army wrestled control of the country. After that, he followed in his...

So sad. The man who is best known for playing Will Smith’s Uncle Phil on ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’ died on Dec. 31 after suffering complications from a heart surgery.

Rest in peace, Uncle Phil. James Avery passed away on Dec. 31 in a Los Angeles hospital. Unfortunately, after undergoing open heart surgery, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air actor suffered complications, according to TMZ. He was 65 years old.

James Avery Dies At 65

Alfonso Ribeiro, who played James’ son on Fresh Prince, confirmed the actor’s death in a sad tweet:

I’m deeply saddened to say that James Avery has passed away. He was a second father to me. I will miss him greatly. pic.twitter.com/UrW0EeBFbO

— Alfonso Ribeiro (@alfonso_ribeiro) January 1, 2014

James’ wife had reportedly been with him throughout the surgery and in recovery. However, she stepped away from his hospital bed for a brief moment,...

From Cory to Paul to Nelson Mandela, we lost many great, talented people in the year 2013. They may be gone, but they will not be forgotten.

The world lost a fair share of legends in 2013, in the entertainment industry and outside of it. But with every star, like Nelson Mandela and Paul Walker, the amazing outpouring of support and love that followed their deaths proved how much they meant to the world. As we turn the page on 2013, let’s remember the stars we lost this year.

2013 In Memoriam

Nelson Mandela

The South African president and anti-apartheid revolutionary leader — a ubiquitous sign of hope and freedom — passed away from a lung infection on Dec. 5.

Paul Walker

The Fast & Furious lead man tragically died in a fiery car accident on Nov. 30. at the age of 40.

Paul Walker Video Shows Actor Burned To Death

Cory Monteith

Glee fans were crushed when the actor,...

The year now ending marks another 12-month period of losing talents who have given television viewers entertainment or information ... and some of those passings, even more sadly, came as major and untimely shocks. Zap2it remembers:

Paul Walker: The actor best-known for the "Fast & Furious" movies had career roots in such TV shows as "Who's the Boss?" "Highway to Heaven" and "Touched by an Angel."

James Gandolfini: He projected so much older as mobster Tony Soprano, many were surprised to learn the three-time Emmy winner only was in his 30s and 40s when he played the part.

Cory Monteith: As Finn Hudson on "Glee," the Canadian-born performer touched fans of all ages both in life and afterward.

Jean Stapleton: Forever TV's top "dingbat," the "All in the Family" actress earned three Emmys as lovably daffy Edith Bunker.

Jonathan Winters: The improvisation genius who inspired his...

Actress, singer and comedienne, Jane Kean, died on Tuesday, one of her representatives from Sbv Talent told TheWrap. Se died at the Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank where she was taken to the hospital after a fall led to a hemorrhagic stroke. The actress is best remembered for starring with Jackie Gleason in his 1970s revival of “The Honeymooners” and later TV movies. She played Trixie Norton, wife to Art Carney’s Ed Norton. Also read: Tony Musante, ‘Oz’ Star, Dead at 77 An accomplished singer, Kean first met Gleason while performing Vaudeville in the 1940s. Her television credits also include several guest-starring roles.

So sad. The iconic actress who played Trixie on ‘The Honeymooners’ passed away on Nov. 26 in Burbank, Calif. She was 90 years old.

Jane Kean, who gained notoriety in the 1960s for starring in the revival TV series The Honeymooners alongside Jackie Gleeson and Art Carney, died on Nov. 26 at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, Calif.

Jane Kean: Actress Dies At 90

The 90-year-old actress passed away after suffering complications from a fall, according to the Los Angeles Times. Her niece, Deidre Wolpert, confirmed her death.

Jane Kean Interview

Most will remember Jane as Trixie, the long-suffering wife of Ed Norton on The Honeymooners. “There’s something about the show — people relate to it,” she told the Los Angeles Times in 1991. “People believed the show was real, and that we really were the characters we played.”

But Jane was not a one-role actress. She played many different characters over the span of four decades,...

Jane Kean, who was best known for playing Ed Norton's wife on The Honeymooners has died. The 90-year-old died of complications from a fall, according to her niece, Deidre Wolpert, the Los Angeles Times reports. Kean, who had a four-decade-long career that included performing on Broadway and singing with her sister, Betty, in a nightclub act, played Art Carney's wife in the 1960s TV revival of the Jackie Gleason hit. (The role of Trixie was originally played by Joyce Randolph.) Born in Hartford, Conn., Kean's career began on stage in the 1940s, and she first started working with...

The honeymoon is over. Jane Kean, who played Trixie on the 1960s revival of The Honeymooners, has died, the Los Angeles Times reports. She was 90 years old. Kean passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 26, at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, the paper notes. The cause of death, per the Times, was complications from a recent fall. Born April 10, 1923, in Hartford, Conn., Kean had several starring roles on Broadway in the 1950s. She also performed with her sister, Betty Kean, on The Ed Sullivan [...]...

Jane Kean, who starred in a 1960s revival of The Honeymooners, has died. She was 90. Kean had a diverse career that dated back to Vaudeville and continued through this year. She passed away on Tuesday in Burbank after a fall that led to a hemorrhagic stroke, her niece told The Associated Press. Kean first worked with Honeymooners star Jackie Gleason on the Vaudeville circuit and reunited with him in 1966 when she played Trixie Norton on the CBS revival that ran from 1966-1970. She guested on numerous other TV series including Love, American Style, The Love Boat, Dallas and Growing Pains. Her film credits included 1941 muiscal Sailors On Leave and 1977′s Pete’s Dragon. Kean was also known for her voice work, notably as Belle in Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol, a perennial holiday TV movie. According to the AP, Kean recently performed a one-woman retrospective of her life at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood.

The Wizard of Oz, featuring some of movie music's most unforgettable standards, along with new music written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber a book adapted by Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Sams... and everything else that is good made its way successfully to Hollywood's Pantages Theatre last week September 18 for a high flying opening night celebration which drew a full house of young and old alike. Among those involved with the festivities were Bww TV's own Los Angeles correspondents Michael Sterling and Jerry Evans on the red carpet walk of fame. Among the celebrities in attendance were Rico Rodriquez ABC's Modern Family and his sister Raini Rodriguez Disney's Austin and Ally, Fox TV's Lauren Potter Glee, Academy Award winner George Chakiris West Side Story, Kate Linder The Young and The Restless, Jane Kean The Honeymooners, Ann Jeffrey's General Hospital, Topper, Corbin Bleu One Life to Live, Rj Mitte AMC's Breaking Bad,...

Ain't Them Bodies Saints' writer-director David Lowery and producer Toby Halbrooks are teaming up to write the screenplay for a remake of the Disney classic Pete's Dragon.

The original 1977 movie, which featured a mixture of live-action and animation, followed a young boy and his pet dragon who run away to a new town to escape Pete's abusive adoptive parents. While it isn't known if this remake will feature the same blend of live-action and animation, the story is being completely reinvented, discarding the musical elements of the plot. No production schedule was given at this time.

David Lowery made his feature directorial debut with Ain't Them Bodies Saints, which IFC Films picked up at Sundance this year, which is set for release on August 16. The gritty drama starring Rooney Mara, Ben Foster, and Casey Affleck, centers on an outlaw who escapes from prison and goes on a quest across...

DVD Playhouse—May 2010

By

Allen Gardner

Avatar (20th Century Fox) James Cameron beat his own title as box office champ, set with Titanic over a decade ago, with this eye-popping sci-fi epic about a paraplegic Marine name Sully (Sam Worthington), who takes the form of an “avatar,” or virtual being, to go undercover on the planet Pandora, attempting to infiltrate the native Na’vi to gather intelligence that will aid a joint corporate and military operation to rape the planet of its natural resources, destroying its indigenous population in the process. When Sully suddenly “goes native,” he locks horns with the company CEO (Giovanni Ribisi) and his gung-ho commanding officer (Stephen Lang, in a wonderful, scenery-chewing turn from a long-underrated actor). Thought of by many scholars and film buffs as a “game-changer” as much as the first Star Wars film was—and they may be right. While Cameron’s politically-correct...

If there has ever been a likeable bus driver in New York, it’s Ralph Kramden of The Honeymooners. I’m a little young to remember this show (okay, a lot young – my parents were kids when it originally aired), but it’s definitely an agreeable oldies sitcom, even if it is in black and white.

In the 1970s, Jackie Gleason, Audrey Meadows, Art Carney and Jane Kean came together again to reprise their roles in The Honeymooners and film four specials for the show, each an hour long and in Color! Crazy, right? Two of the four specials are being released this week.

The first special is “Second Honeymoon.” In this episode, Ralph Kramden (Gleason) decides to do something really special for his 25th wedding anniversary and remarry his wife, Alice (Meadows). Hijinks ensue when Ralph believes he’s discovered that Alice is pregnant and neighbor/close pal Ed Norton...

If there has ever been a likeable bus driver in New York, it’s Ralph Kramden of The Honeymooners. I’m a little young to remember this show (okay, a lot young – my parents were kids when it originally aired), but it’s definitely an agreeable oldies sitcom, even if it is in black and white.

In the 1970s, Jackie Gleason, Audrey Meadows, Art Carney and Jane Kean came together again to reprise their roles in The Honeymooners and film four specials for the show, each an hour long and in Color! Crazy, right? Two of the four specials are being released this week.

The first special is “Second Honeymoon.” In this episode, Ralph Kramden (Gleason) decides to do something really special for his 25th wedding anniversary and remarry his wife, Alice (Meadows). Hijinks ensue when Ralph believes he’s discovered that Alice is pregnant and neighbor/close pal Ed Norton...