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Even casual fans have a good idea of how the James Bond actors changed over the years. Sean Connery was the original 007, then George Lazenby took over for 1969's "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" before Connery returned for one final (official) outing in 1971's "Diamonds Are Forever." After that, a new Bond arrived in the form of Roger Moore, who debuted in the role in 1973's "Live and Let Die."

His first outing as James Bond didn't start off on the best note, however. In fact, day one of being James Bond was a dangerous mess for Moore, who injured himself filming an action sequence for "Live and Let Die." Thankfully, it didn't stop him from taking on the mantle of 007, with Moore going on to play the character across seven films between 1973 and 1983. Today, he still holds the record for the most appearances as Bond in the official...

Frasier (1993-2003) is a cerebral sitcom starring Kelsey Grammer as popular Seattle radio psychiatrist, Dr. Frasier Crane, and it has several great season finales. When Frasier returns to his hometown in Washington state, his father, Martin Crane (John Mahoney), moves in with him, creating endless tension between the two. To top things off, Frasier’s brother, Niles (David Hyde Pierce), promptly falls hopelessly in love with their disabled father’s caregiver, Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves).

The Crane family antics have been a beloved mainstay of the sitcom genre for the past 32 years. This 90s comedy show was recently resurrected in the 2023 Frasier reboot, although the remake was greeted with less critical acclaim. Over the course of 10 years on the air, the original Frasier show created big shoes to fill with its interplay of screwball comedy and universally relatable themes. Many of the most memorable episodes of the show were its season finales,...

British actor Kenneth Cope, a popular TV and film star in the 1960s and ’70s thanks to leading appearances in Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and Coronation Street, has died. He was 93.

Cope’s former agent Sandra Chalmers, of The Artists Partnership, announced that he died at his home in the northern seaside town of Southport in Sefton, Liverpool, the area where he was born in 1931.

Renny Lister, Cope’s wife of 63 years, and family members, including actor daughter Martha Cope, were by his side. He is also survived by children Nick and Mark.

Chalmers said Cope was an “incredible icon of British TV & film.” Cope and Lister met in 1961 when they both joined the cast of long-running ITV soap Coronation Street. He played petty crook Jed Stone as a semi-regular through the early and mid-1960s. He later returned to the role after an absence of 42 years.

He honed his...

Millicent Martin and Denholm Elliott also star in Clive Donner’s 1964 satire on class, filled with macabre twists

There is some addictive raffishness and raciness in this 1964 British black-comedy satire for which screenwriter Frederic Raphael adapts a short story by American mystery writer Stanley Ellin; Clive Donner directs with cinematography by Nicolas Roeg. Alan Bates plays a pushy, plausible young fellow called James Brewster, employed in an upmarket “auctioneer” house – ie estate agent’s – in London’s West End, a firm greedily taking advantage of the construction boom.

Brewster is competent and hardworking but deeply ashamed of his lower-class background and his poor old mum and dad, and suspects he would do much better in the company if he had some patrician polish; his boss Mr Horton (Harry Andrews) is at present more enamoured of his airily entitled colleague Hugh (James Villiers) who is dating Horton’s daughter Ann, played...

Frasier star Kelsey Grammer has a potential Succession plan in place for his reboot series as he hopes to bring in the satirical black comedy-drama's Logan Roy at some point.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Grammer posited the idea of bringing in Succession's Brian Cox for the Frasier reboot after the acclaimed actor previously appeared in the original sitcom. Grammer recalled recently running into Cox during the Primetime Emmy Awards and believes he would be a fitting addition to the revival. "I ran into Brian Cox the other night at the Emmys. Brian Cox is his [Keith's character David Crane] grandfather in 'Story Land.' And I think it would be great to have him back and take you on a bender," he said. "He's gonna shake some old Moon character into this kid."

Related Kelsey Grammer Reveals Why Cheers Star Opted Against Emmys Reunion Kelsey Grammer states why one Cheers actor he...

The supporting characters in Frasier, such as Eddie the dog and Gertrude Moon, added depth and relatability to the show's world. Characters like Sherry Dempsey and Kenny Daly brought unique personalities and contributed to the growth of the main cast. Memorable characters like Julia Wilcox, Noel Shempsky, and Gil Chesterton brought compelling dynamics and added an element of comedy to the show.

The best supporting characters in Frasier are still greatly beloved by those who fondly remember the original '90s sitcom. From 1993 to 2004, the show revolved around the lives of Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), Niles (David Hyde Pierce), Martin (John Mahoney), Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin), and Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves). These mainstays were joined by some of the best supporting characters in American sitcom history.

Alongside the original Frasier main cast, each of the show's supporting characters brought something special to the mix. From Martin's dog, Eddie, to Daphne's mom,...

The Jonas Brothers have established themselves as pop-culture icons with their albums "A Little Bit Longer," "Lines, Vines, and Trying Times," "Happiness Begins," and their most recent release, "The Album," all having climbed to number one on the US Charts. The brothers have also won multiple awards, including two American Music Awards, and have received nominations, including for the Grammy's and the MTV Video Music Awards.

The JoBros have also seen their share of success on the screen and TV independently and as a trio. Notably, their Camp Rock movies proved to be extremely popular on the Disney Channel, with the first movie becoming a cultural phenomenon reaching over eight million viewers on its debut, placing it as the third most popular Disney Channel TV movie behind High School Musical 2 and Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie.

Camp Rock has since been usurped and now sits as the 8th...

Although Roger Moore’s first appearance as James Bond was in the film Live and Let Die, he already donned the 007 suit years before he even debuted as the iconic spy. Created by British writer Ian Fleming in 1953, James Bond became one of the most popular characters in literature, spawning a multi-billion-dollar franchise of novels, films, and video games and paving the way for the modern action genre. Over the last six decades, seven actors portrayed the secret agent on the big screen, the most recent being Daniel Craig. However, long before Craig’s 15-year tenure, another James Bond actor made history by portraying the role even prior to being officially cast.

The third actor to play James Bond in the Eon Productions film series, Moore was cast in 1973. Interestingly, nine years earlier, he appeared as the fictional spy on television. In the sketch show Mainly Millicent, Roger Moore’s...

HBO Max dropped the official trailer for Season 2 of “Hacks,” which premieres on the streamer May 12 with two episodes, followed by two more each week until June 2. Picking up after stand-up legend Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) lost her Vegas residency, she and young comedian Ava (Hannah Einbinder) travel across the country to workshop her new act.

Additional cast includes Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Jane Adams, Christopher McDonald, Kaitlin Olson, Paul W. Downs, Poppy Liu, Rose Abdoo, Mark Indelicato, Meg Stalter, Angela E. Gibbs, Luenell, Johnny Sibilly, Joe Mande, Ally Maki and Lorenza Izzo. New recurring guest stars for Season 2 include Laurie Metcalf, Martha Kelly, Ming-Na Wen and Susie Essman, as well as guest stars Margaret Cho and Devon Sawa.

“Hacks” is created and showrun by Emmy winners Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello and Jen Statsky. Michael Schur executive produces via Fremulon, David Miner for 3 Arts Entertainment and Morgan Sackett. The studio is Universal Television,...

When “Grace and Frankie” debuted in May of 2015, it’s doubtful even creators Marta Kauffman and Howard J. Morris or stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin would have expected the show to have such long-lasting sucess. But the Netflix comedy was a juggernaut hit for the streaming platform, and kind of a unicorn in terms of its longevity. Upon its final season, which arrives this month, “Grace and Frankie” is the longest-running Netflix original series in the history of the service. But as the old adage says, all good things must come to an end.

On Thursday, the official trailer for the seventh and final season of “Grace and Frankie” was released by Netflix and the marketing materials tease an emotional farewell to the long-running comedy series.

The synopsis for the season reads as follows:

“Seven years ago, Grace and Frankie’s lives turned upside down when their longtime husbands left them for…...

The end is approaching for Grace and Frankie, and we are not ready to say goodbye.

Netflix on Thursday dropped a full-length trailer for the final 12 episodes of the heartwarming comedy series.

The trailer is essentially a celebration of our titular leads' relationship, which has taken many forms throughout the seven seasons.

Whatever anyone says about their friendship, it cannot be denied that they love each other deeply, and their lives were forever changed when they were bonded forever.

"Seven years ago, Grace and Frankie’s lives turned upside down when their longtime husbands left them for… each other," the logline teases.

"Both sparring partners and partners-in-crime, Grace and Frankie formed an unlikely and unbreakable bond as they faced uncertain futures head-on, and hand-in-hand."

"They’ve laughed together, cried together, did shrooms together, and twice-over became successful entrepreneurs together," it continues.

"A history-making 94 episodes later, Grace and Frankie continue to show themselves,...

“Grace and Frankie” are contemplating the end in the trailer for the final run of episodes for the Netflix series.

In the trailer, which dropped Thursday morning, Frankie (Lily Tomlin) offers up the suggestion of the two of them doing a “‘Thelma & Louise’ thing,’ which I’m open to,” she tells Grace (Jane Fonda).

“I’m not,” Grace replies.

The show is quickly coming to an end with the second and final set of Season 7 episodes dropping April 29 on Netflix.

“It was a crazy ride, but I’d rather take a crazy ride with you than a normal ride with anyone else,” Grace tells Frankie at one moment.

As Netflix dropped the trailer, the streamer also shared a variety of fun and memorable facts about the show, including that by its end, “Grace and Frankie” will become the longest-running Netflix original series to date, spanning 94 episodes.

Frankie has had...

Showbiz in Soho is artificial, gaudy and vulgar, but Laurence Harvey’s slick promoter-con man thinks he can cheat at the pop music game. Cliff Richard is his new discovery, a teen crooner who digs the bongo drums. Wolf Mankowitz’s portrait of talent, glitz, and double-dealing in music and TV showbiz also stars Sylvia Syms as a Soho stripper and Yolande Donlan as a singing star trying to make a comeback. The disc contains director Val Guest’s uncut original version.

Expresso Bongo

Blu-ray

Cohen / Kino Lorber

1959 / B&w / 2:35 widescreen / 111 106 min. / Street Date January 18, 2022 / Available from Kino Lorber / 29.95

Starring: Laurence Harvey, Sylvia Syms, Yolande Donlan, Cliff Richard, Meier Tzelniker, Ambrosine Phillpotts, Eric Pohlmann, Gilbert Harding, Hermione Baddeley, Reginald Beckwith, Avis Bunnage, Sally Geeson, Kenneth Griffith, Burt Kwouk, Wilfrid Lawson, Patricia Lewis, Barry Lowe, Martin Miller, Susan Hampshire, Peter Myers, Lisa Peake, The Shadows.

Cinematography: John Wilcox

Art Director:...

Move over, Angry Young Men: Alfie Elkins leverages class resentment and killer good looks to become a ladies’ man extraordinaire… in his own eyes. Michael Caine was born to play Bill Naughton’s smooth-talking, responsibility-dodging cad’s cad. Alfie mistreats a glorious lineup of actresses — Julia Foster, Jane Asher, Vivien Merchant — and Shelley Winters is hilarious as the widow who has his number. Will Alfie maybe develop a conscience? The two-disc special edition shares a double bill with My Generation, a highly entertaining Swinging London documentary hosted by Michael Caine. Being kind doesn’t make one a fool, Alfie.

Alfie + My Generation

Blu-ray (Region-Free)

Viavision [Imprint] 41

1965 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 112 min. / Street Date June 2, 2021 / Available from Viavision / au 64.98

Starring: Michael Caine, Shelley Winters, Julia Foster, Jane Asher, Vivien Merchant, Millicent Martin, Denholm Elliott, Alfie Bass, Graham Stark, Eleanor Bron, Shirley Anne Field, Murray Melvin, Sydney Tafler.

Cinematography: Otto Heller

Art Direction:...

NetflixIn the process of trying to keep things lively and quick paced, several parts of this season feel very rushed.Saraswati DatarThere is something oddly poetic about a show that deals with ageing, second chances and female friendships being the longest running original series on Netflix. Grace and Frankie is a show that no one really had great expectations from, including the makers. But with Season 6, all 13 episodes now streaming on Netflix, creators Marta Kauffman and Howard J. Morris have proven that when it comes to great stories, age is truly no limit. It’s especially important given how inherently ageist the entertainment industry is around the world, especially with women. For those who have (sadly) never watched the show, Grace and Frankie is the story of Grace (Jane Fonda) and Frankie (Lily Tomlin) who find themselves forced to live together after their husbands, Robert (Martin Sheen) and Sol (Sam Waterston...

1981: Another World's Zachary confessed to murder.

1984: All My Children's Ross told Palmer about his father.

1989: Guiding Light's Josh and Reva finally tied the knot.

2003: One Life to Live's Natalie and Christian dreamed about getting married"History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1939: CBS Radio soap opera Woman of Courage premiered. Selena Royle starred as Martha Jackson, whose small-town life allegedly proved that "if ye have faith, nothing shall be impossible." The series, written by Carl Buss, ran until July 10, 1942.

1946: On syndicated radio soap opera Hearts in Harmony,...

Nick Redman, Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker, award-winning soundtrack producer and co-founder of the Twilight Time video label, died Thursday afternoon, Jan. 17, at a Santa Monica Hospital, after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 63.

He was nominated for an Academy Award as producer of the 1996 documentary “The Wild Bunch: An Album in Montage,” a look back at Sam Peckinpah’s controversial film. He also produced and directed the 1998 “A Turning of the Earth: John Ford, John Wayne and The Searchers,” about the making of the Western classic, a prizewinner at multiple film festivals.

In 2007 he produced and directed the feature documentary “Becoming John Ford,” which debuted at the Venice International Film Festival and detailed the long and complex relationship between the famous director and 20th Century-Fox studio chief Darryl F. Zanuck.

He made numerous other short films including profiles of actress Stella Stevens and film composers Basil Poledouris and Jerry Fielding.

1981: Another World's Zachary confessed to murder.

1984: All My Children's Ross told Palmer about his father.

1989: Guiding Light's Josh and Reva tied the knot.

2003: Oltl's Natalie and Christian dreamed about getting married"All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."

― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1939: CBS Radio soap opera Woman of Courage premiered. Selena Royle starred as Martha Jackson, whose small-town life allegedly proved that "if ye have faith, nothing shall be impossible.

1981: Another World's Mac wanted to know if Sandy was his son.

1988: Santa Barbara's Tori was rushed into surgery after a car crash.

1999: All My Children's Adam knocked off Erica's mask.

2006: Guiding Light's Olivia made love with Frank."All true histories contain instruction; though, in some, the treasure may be hard to find, and when found, so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut."

― Anne Brontë in "Agnes Grey"

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1942: Clara, Lu and Em, one of radio's earliest network soap operas in 1930 (first on Wgn then NBC Blue), was brought back by CBS Radio.

We change things up by focusing on a boutique label, Twilight Time, that has found success through a unique business model. Mark and Aaron happen to be big fans, and feel that we have directly contributed towards some of their profits. We talk about the company, their business model, why they have succeeded, and we address some common critiques. We also review a few discs each, and finally count down our favorite Twilight Time titles.

About Nick Redman:

London-born Nick Redman, one of Hollywood’s leading producers of movie music, is also an award-winning documentary filmmaker. An Academy Award nominee as producer of the 1996 Warner Brothers documentary, The Wild Bunch: An Album in Montage, he went on to write, produce, and direct A Turning of the Earth: John Ford, John Wayne and The Searchers (1998), which became a prize-winner at multiple film festivals.

As a consultant to the Fox Music...

Everyone flies down to Florida to be with Phil after his mom’s passing. Claire helps Phil with his mom’s last wish for Phil’s dad, Mitch helps Gloria contend with an outstanding arrest warrant in Florida, Cam finds himself fitting right into an elderly women’s group, and Jay runs into his first.

Favorite Moments:

“It’s Florida. If I want to sweat more, I’ll just move my arms.” “Oh no, she’s going to ask me to throw her ashes in the Pope’s face!” Mitchell Pritchett – Man of The People. It takes Cam about five minutes to become one of the gossiping old biddies. The cornucopia of faboo older actresses, including Anita Gillette, Millicent Martin, Mary Jo Catlett, and an almost unrecognizable Ann Magnuson. The final scene with the funeral and the fireworks was very sweet, and a nice way to cap the season.

What were your favorite moments?...

Graceful stage actor who stood out in Doctor Who on TV and the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

In a long and distinguished career, the actor Aubrey Woods, who has died aged 85, covered the waterfront, from West End revues and musicals to TV series and films, most notably, perhaps, singing The Candy Man in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), starring Gene Wilder, and playing the Controller in the Day of the Daleks storyline in Doctor Who (1972).

Tall and well-favoured in grace and authority on the stage, he played Fagin in the musical Oliver! for three years, succeeding Ron Moody in the original 1960 production. He was equally in demand on BBC radio, writing and appearing in many plays, including his own adaptations of the Mapp and Lucia novels by Ef Benson (he was a vice-president of the Ef Benson society).

In the early part of his career he...

Today we are talking to a terrifically talented triple-threat who has made appearances on Broadway in entities as diverse as David Merricks original Gower Champion-directed production of 42nd Street, her debut, to roles in Susan Stromans Crazy For You, Hal Princes landmark revival of Show Boat and the Mark Bramble revival of 42nd Street to The Civil War, Mamma Mia, Young Frankenstein, Elf, and, most recently, as the star of Baby, Its You - to say nothing of her Tony Award-winning turn in The Drowsy Chaperone - the thoroughly delightful and dynamic dame herself, Beth Leavel. Discussing some of her career highlights thus far - such as the night of her Tony Award win - while generously sharing her caustic wit and giving us a glimpse into the life of a modern-day leading lady, Leavel also offers us some insights into her newest role - one originally essayed by...

It's getting hot in here! The heat is rising and so are the laughs whenever I tune in to an episode of Hot In Cleveland. This TV Land gem has smitten viewers since day one with the phenomenal and effervescent cast, the side splittingly funny writing and dialogue, and the undeniable chemistry that this show exudes no matter what situation these manic ladies find themselves in!

Wendie Malick, Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, and Betty White have struck gold in Hot In Cleveland. The show has proven to be a vehicle that gives each one an extraordinary moment to shine in every episode be it storyline, dialogue or expression. Plus, with four strong standout women, there is absolutely one character that you can relate to or find a relatable quality in. It's no surprise these high quality females are burning up, each one comes from a glorious acting and sitcom background.

"Chuck" had a whole lot to pack into 41 minutes or so of story this week -- a pair of pre-wedding parties, a heart-to-heart between Chuck and Ellie and a big development in this season's ongoing spy story. "Chuck vs. Agent X" felt slightly overstuffed at times, but the good far outweighed the bad in an episode that deftly set the stage for the final two episodes of the season.

Even if you had your suspicions about the identity of Agent X, the revelation at the end worked. Ellie's introduction to Castle and the spy world, which followed her and Chuck finally coming clean with one another, also played well. And comically stoned Jeff is pretty much always good.

If anything, the episode maybe could have used a little bit less time on the bachelor-party prep and the trip to Las Vecas (as opposed to Las Vegas) before Ray Wise (Ok,...

This biography of Sean Connery by an adoring fan just misses the mark, says Simon Callow

Regardless of what you may think of his acting, Sean Connery has been a highly prominent figure in the celluloid landscape of the past 40 years in two particular manifestations. First, and most potently, as James Bond; second, as the embodiment of a certain kind of grizzled wisdom, of which perhaps the most notable is Indiana Jones's father. To have created two universally recognised archetypes in the course of a career is no mean feat, and one well worth investigating. Christopher Bray's book is just such an investigation, but it comes from an unexpected angle: that of unabashed adulation. Not, as Bray is at pains to point out, for the man Sean Connery, but for what his image as an actor embodies.

"I like watching Sean Connery. I like watching him move through a room.