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Since 1975 nearly a thousand hosts have graced the stage at Studio 8H at Rockefeller Center for “Saturday Night Live.”

Actors, comedians, musicians and even politicians have taken the stage to make America laugh on Saturday night for 50 seasons. Twenty five of these hosts have been inducted into the “Five Timers Club.” The club was first introduced during Tom Hanks’ 1990 monologue, featuring Steve Martin, Elliott Gould and Paul Simon.

During Martin Short’s December 2024 appearance, several Five Timers Club members popped up on the show to welcome him into the club, including Emma Stone, Tina Fey, Paul Rudd, Kristen Wiig and more, to give him the ceremonial robe.

Alec Baldwin has hosted the show 17 times, the most in the series’ history, with Martin, Hanks, Buck Henry and John Goodman following close behind.

As the show celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, we have rounded up every person who has hosted the sketch show.

Joan Plowright, a British acting legend of stage and screen and the widow of Laurence Olivier, has died at the age of 95, Variety reports. A cause of death has not been disclosed.

She was the recipient of a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play (for 1961’s A Taste of Honey) and two Golden Globes — one for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture (for Enchanted April) and the other for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film (for HBO’s Stalin) — both of which she was awarded in 1993. She is one of only four actresses...

Image Source: Sony Pictures Remember those classic romantic comedies that just don’t seem to get made anymore? Well, dust off your Vcr (or find your remote) because we’re taking a trip back to 1980 with Seems Like Old Times! This hilarious gem stars the always radiant Goldie Hawn and comedy legend Chevy Chase, reuniting after their smash hit Foul Play. Sparks fly when Chase’s character, a writer caught in a crazy bank robbery scheme, turns to his ex-wife (Hawn) for help. With the late Charles Grodin as the jealous husband and a supporting cast including the late Robert Guillaume, it’s a comedic dream team! And here’s where the movie magic gets really interesting (via IMDb): Not a play, but a film! Unlike many of Neil Simon’s other movies, this one wasn’t based on a play. He wrote it directly for the screen! Tailor-made...

For decades, Disney and Pixar movies have been delivering some truly heartbreaking moments. Starting in the 1930s and 1940s, when Disney was pioneering western animation, the studio developed a reputation for its power to create emotionally devastating moments. Disney is also known for its humor and its lively animation, but it wouldn't be the same without some heavy moments.

Both Disney and Pixar have enough respect for their young audiences to show them the unhappy side to life. Some of their classic movies show the deaths of beloved characters and other tragic moments. These scenes represent universal human experiences, and for many children, they are their first exposure to such feelings. Disney and Pixar can get away with such depressing topics because they balance them out with hope and personal growth, often teaching their audiences the complexities of grief and sadness.

Related 10 Disney Movies With Very Strange Messaging

Disney movies...

I've lived my life with one all-encompassing mantra: Everything important you need to know in life can be found in The Lion King, Star Wars, or The Simpsons. If you think about it, it's bloody brilliant, if I may so humbly say myself. Beating yourself up about a bad decision you made years ago? "It doesn't matter. It's in the past," as Rafiki (Robert Guillaume) tells Simba (Matthew Broderick), motivating him to stop running and return home. Trying to get something done? To hell with that. As Yoda (Frank Oz) says in his iconic The Empire Strikes Back quote, "Do... or do not. There is no try." Wanting to know how to win friends and influence people? You could spend up to $63.98 on the Dale Carnegie book, or remember this one simple (and free) truth from The Simpsons: "You don't make friends with salad." In fact, the greatest lesson...

Summer blockbusters need crowdpleasing action and unique concepts. A good summer blockbuster can get everybody talking about the same movie. From Jaws to Barbie, big summer blockbusters have become a popular cinematic tradition.

The best summer blockbusters of all time know what it takes to appeal to a huge audience, and they have stood the test of time. Since the 1970s, a few movies have helped define the summer blockbuster as it is known today. The concept has evolved into a mainstay of every film lover's calendar. Summer always means that it's time for big-budget, high-concept action movies hoping to make a splash at the box office.

A good summer blockbuster must be financially successful, and these movies often influence the landscape of cinema. Audiences want to see a combination of creative action, good humor and a bold original concept. This is why sci-fi thrillers and superhero movies tend to do so well.

For thirty years, the kingdom of Pride Rock has entertained and amazed audiences young and old with tales of growth, courage, responsibility, and, of course, family. What began as a small idea has become one of Disney’s most recognizable properties worldwide, with multiple films, television shows, video games, and even stage musicals.

The story famously borrows heavily from Shakespeare, specifically from the tragedy Hamlet, but other biblical stories, such as Joseph and Moses, were also very influential.

The story focuses on Simba (Johnathan Taylor Thomas), a lion cub meant to be the next king of the Pride Lands after his father Mufasa’s (James Earl Jones) reign. Mufasa’s brother Scar (Jeremy Irons) wants the throne for himself and stages Mufasa’s death, making Simba believe he was responsible.

Simba runs away and meets Timon (Nathan Jones) and Pummba (Ernie Sabella), a meerkat and warthog who decide to raise...

Jerry Seinfeld’s sitcom was born out of the comedian’s humiliating exit from another popular sitcom at the time, Benson. He was fired from the series without prior notice due to the creative differences between him and the producer. Seinfeld, the sitcom that he created, continues to entertain the new generation of viewers with its dead-pan humor and striking one-liners.

Michael Richards, Jerry Seinfeld, and Jason Alexander in Seinfeld

Seinfeld, created by Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, ran for nine successful seasons from 1989 to 1998. The show continues to fund the bank accounts of its four main leads – Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, and Michael Richards.

Jerry Seinfeld’s Firing From One Sitcom Inspired Him To Develop Seinfeld Jerry Seinfeld in the sitcom Benson, from which he was fired abruptly

Jerry Seinfeld was fired from the sitcom Benson in 1980. He played the role of a mail-delivery boy, Frankie, in the...

Amazon Prime Video’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” is taking this Emmy race seriously.

With stars Donald Glover and Maya Erskine leading the charge, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” which draws inspiration from the 2005 movie featuring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, is set to compete in the drama categories at this year’s awards ceremony.

Crafted by Glover and Francesca Sloane, the show’s debut season stretches across eight episodes, centering on John and Jane Smith, secret agents who pose as a married couple while working for a shadowy corporation. Its blend of comedy and drama offered the potential to categorize it in either genre for awards consideration.

Read: All Primetime Emmy predictions in every category on Variety’s Awards Circuit.

Glover, already an Emmy favorite for his role in FX’s “Atlanta,” is in contention for five Emmy nods this year: drama series, actor in a drama series, directing in...

1990 was a peak year for Van Damage. The Muscles from Brussels was on the way to the big time after Bloodsport and Kickboxer (which made our list of the Best Fighting Movies) proved to be huge moneymakers at the box office. But, Jean-Claude Van Damme was different from some of his contemporaries because he was a hearthrob and a prime butt-kicker. His 1990 movie Lionheart was bought for distribution by Universal, paving the way to his breaking into mainstream studio work. But, before he could jump on that gravy train, he had one more movie left to make on his Cannon movie deal – but ironically, the company itself would not release the film theatrically due to its waning fortunes, with this being Van Damme’s first major studio release after MGM opted to distribute it. The movie? Death Warrant!

In this one, Jcvd plays a cop named Burke, who, after putting...

Ron Leibman had a long and successful career in both film and TV, working with notable Hollywood creators and appearing in popular series. Leibman's best theater performances earned him a Tony award, though his film and TV roles were still exceptional. Ron Leibman's roles in TV shows like The Sopranos, Friends, and Archer showcased his talent and ability to fit into the dark and comedic tones of these series.

Ron Leibman, best known for his voice work on the hit animated series Archer, had a filmography full of roles in notable and acclaimed productions. An actor from the early age of 19, Leibman first appeared on screens briefly in the 1956 crime/soap opera The Edge of Night but his film debut in 1970 in Where's Poppa as Sidney Hocheiser was what kicked off a long and steady career in both film and TV. Leibman worked with notable Hollywood creators including Paul Schrader,...

Film fans talk about the 1990s as another Golden Age of cinema. Not only is there the jam-packed year of 1999, which gave us classics such as The Matrix, Toy Story 2, and The Talented Mr. Ripley, but the 90s also saw the rise of new auteurs, including Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, David Fincher, and Guillermo del Toro. Hollywood turned its attention to indie and foreign films, enriching a moviegoing experience that still featured fan-favorite blockbusters.

But to really see how good the 90s were, we can’t just look at the hits. Rather, the flops tell us the true tale of the decade’s quality – the movies that audiences skipped at the time but have proven their worth in the years that followed. Here are the best flops of the 1990s; films that couldn’t find a wide enough audience upon release, but still deserve attention today.

Mom and Dad Save the World...

Sports Night's cult status can be attributed to its wonderful characters, with Josh Charles' portrayal of Dan Rydell being particularly special. The series boasted a perfectly balanced ensemble, but Dan was the utility player who could fit into any story, making him a factor in every plotline and a key part of the show's overall success. Charles' performance as Dan was impressive in its balance, seamlessly switching between over-the-top comedic moments and deeper, more dramatic aspects of the character that were ahead of their time.

Sports Night is still a part of the television lexicon, 25 years after its debut on ABC, for a myriad of reasons. The series introduced TV viewers to a then still nascent Aaron Sorkin, who had penned the Academy Award-nominated films A Few Good Men and The American President -- the former based on his successful Broadway play -- but had yet to become a bona fide superstar.

Inga Swenson, who was nominated for three Emmys for her role as German cook Gretchen Kraus on the 1980s ABC sitcom “Benson,” has died at age 90.

The character Gretchen originated on the ’70s series “Soap,” as did Benson, the character played by Robert Guillaume, who headlined the eponymous spin-off.

Swenson died Sunday night of natural causes in Los Angeles at a board and care facility. Her son, Mark, told TMZ on Friday that her husband, Lowell Harris, was with her when she died.

Swenson was also a trained lyric soprano, who was nominated for two Tony Awards for her roles in the musicals “110 in the Shade” and “Baker Street.” Her other Broadway credits included serving as a stand-in for Julie Andrews’ in the 1960 production of “Camelot” and “The First Gentleman” in 1957, for which she won a Theatre World Award.

She had supporting roles in the 1962 films “The Miracle Worker” and...

Actor and singer Inga Swenson, who played Gretchen the cook on the popular ’80s sitcom “Benson,” on Sunday in Los Angeles. Swenson died of natural causes, according to TMZ. She was 90.

She was known for starring as Gretchen Kraus in the ABC series “Benson,” which aired for seven years from 1979 to 1986. The show follows Benson DuBois (Robert Guillaume) who is hired as head of household for a governor; Gretchen was the German cook with whom Benson had a workplace rivalry and friendship. For her role as Gretchen, Swenson was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress. “Benson” was a spin-off of the show “Soap,” in which Swenson also appeared for multiple episodes as the character Ingrid Svenson.

A trained lyric soprano, Swenson also had a successful career on Broadway, performing in lauded starring roles in the 1960s. She starred as Lizzy Curry in “110 in the Shade” and Irene Adler in “Baker Street,...

Inga Swenson, the two-time Tony-nominated singer and actress who as the dictatorial German cook Gretchen Kraus sparred with Robert Guillaume‘s character on the 1980s ABC sitcom Benson, has died. She was 90.

Swenson died Sunday night of natural causes in hospice care in Los Angeles, her son, Mark Harris, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Swenson also sparkled in two critically acclaimed 1962 films released seven weeks apart — as the mother of Helen Keller (Patty Duke) in Arthur Penn’s The Miracle Worker (1962) and as the wife of a U.S. senator with a dark secret (Don Murray) in Otto Preminger’s political thriller Advise & Consent (1962).

On the strength of those performances, the Nebraska native — no, she was not born in Germany — was cast in 1963 as the spinster Lizzy in 110 in the Shade, based on N. Richard Nash’s play The Rainmaker. She received a Tony nomination for best actress in a musical for that performance,...

Inga Swenson, the versatile actress best known for memorable portrayals of combative women on the TV hits Soap and Benson, has died. Her son confirmed the news to TMZ. Swenson was 90.

Swenson’s involvement on the shows began with a multi-episode arc on Soap in 1978 as the conniving revenge-seeking Ingrid Svenson, the Swedish birth mother of Corinne Tate (Diana Canova). That led to a new role on the show’s spinoff, Benson, as Gretchen Kraus, an autocratic and combative German cook.

Over the course of the latter Swenson’s character was frequently at odds with Benson (Robert Guillaume) himself, often trading insults with him as he sought to run household affairs for Governor Eugene X. Gatling (James Noble). Despite their rivalry, Benson and Kraus later became close friends on the show. Swenson was Emmy nominated three times for the role, in 1980, 1982 and 1985.

A year before her first TV credit – an...

Inga Swenson, known for her role as German cook Gretchen Kraus in the sitcom Benson, has died at the age of 90. According to reports, her son Mark says the actress died on July 23 of natural causes. Mark also says her husband, Lowell Harris, was with her at a board and care facility in Los Angeles when she died. Her health reportedly was on the decline for the past six months. Swenson appeared in over 150 episodes, earning three Emmy nominations for her work on the 1980s show over seven years. Swenson had a recurring role as Ingrid Svenson in the TV sitcom Soap, which served as the basis for the spin-off show Benson. In Benson, Kraus serves as a German cook who plays foil against the titular character (Robert Guillaume), the head of household affairs for widowed Governor Euge (James Noble). Apart from her work on Benson, Swenson made a name...

Inga Swenson, best known for playing German cook Gretchen Kraus on 1980s TV sitcom “Benson”, has died at the age of 90.

Swenson’s son confirmed the news to TMZ, revealing that she died of natural causes on Sunday, July 23; he noted that her health had been declining for the past few months, and that her death was not unexpected.

Swenson portrayed the character for more than 150 episodes of the series, throughout its entire seven-season run from 1979-1986; she earned three Emmy nominations for her “Benson” role.

The “Benson” cast (L-r): Caroline McWilliams, Rene Auberjonois, James Noble, Inga Swenson, Ethan Phillips, Missy Gold, Robert Guillaume. Photo: The Everett Collection

Swenson also appeared in numerous TV series, including “The Golden Girls”, “Newhart” and “Hotel; in fact, her TV credits span back to the 1950s, and she appeared in such classic shows as “Bonanza”, “Dr. Kildare” and “The Defenders”.

Read More: Bill Cunningham,...

Inga Swenson, who as Gretchen Kraus on the 1979-1986 sitcom Benson was an incredible comedic foil for Robert Guillaume’s titular butler, died on July 23 in Los Angeles.

Swenson died at a board-and-care facility as a result of natural causes, her son Mark told TMZ, with her husband of 70 years, Lowell Harris, at her side. Her health reportedly was on the decline for the past six months.

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Fire sparked by a lightning strike has destroyed an Alabama prop house used in Tim Burton’s 2003 movie Big Fish.

“We lost a house in the Town of Spectre tonight after a lightning strike,” reads a post on Jackson Lake Island’s Facebook page.

The house was located on Jackson Lake Island in the fictitious town of Spectre, Al, built specifically for the movie.

The fantasy comedy-drama directed by Burton, based on Daniel Wallace’s 1998 novel, starred Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, Alison Lohman, Robert Guillaume, Marion Cotillard and Steve Buscemi. The film’s plotline revolves around the story of a frustrated son who tries to distinguish fact from fiction in the life of his father, a teller of tall tales.

The film was shot on location in Alabama in a series of fairy tale vignettes evoking the tone of a Southern Gothic fantasy.

Since 2021, Giancarlo Esposito has held the distinction of being the most-recognized Black performer in the history of the Best Drama Supporting Actor Emmy category. After coming up short on all of his past nominations for “Breaking Bad” (2012), “Better Call Saul” (2019-2020) and “The Mandalorian” (2021), he now has a shot at finally triumphing on his potential third “Better Call Saul” bid. This would not only finally make the six-season AMC drama an Emmy-winning show, but would also make Esposito his category’s first Black winner.

Esposito’s appearance in the final season of “Better Call Saul” serves as the conclusion of a performance that had begun 13 years earlier on “Breaking Bad.” Although the newer series mainly functioned as a backstory for Jimmy “Saul Goodman” McGill (Bob Odenkirk), it naturally fleshed out many more featured “Breaking Bad” characters, including Esposito’s Gus Fring. In his last moments on screen, the narcotics kingpin...

As soon as the third episode of the current season of “Succession” aired, viewers began speculating about whether certain previously Emmy-nominated cast members would change categories based on their characters’ new levels of prominence. The first to switch was Kieran Culkin, who is officially seeking his first lead notice for playing Roman Roy after competing twice as a featured player. If he does land in the Best Drama Actor lineup, he will be only the sixth man in Emmys history to have reaped lead and supporting bids for a single role on a single series.

Culkin has appeared as a regular on all four seasons of “Succession” and achieved TV academy recognition in both 2020 and 2022. He was respectively bested in those supporting contests by Billy Crudup (“The Morning Show”) and his own “Succession” cast mate, Matthew Macfadyen. Among his strongest challengers in this year’s lead race are his on-screen brother and father,...

Sheryl Lee Ralph and Tyler James Williams are looking to make some Emmy history this year as the current comedy supporting actor/actress category frontrunners for their performances in the ABC comedy hit “Abbott Elementary.” Ralph of course memorably won last year – complete with a powerful singing acceptance speech – and is going for two in a row after also taking the comedy supporting actress trophy at the Critics Choice Awards in January. Williams, who won a Golden Globe earlier this year, is looking to keep Brett Goldstein from pulling off an Emmy three-peat for “Ted Lasso” after being nominated a year ago.

Should both Ralph and Williams triumph, it would be the first time that performers of color won in the comedy supporting categories in the same year. In fact, it would be the first time African Americans took home an Emmy statue in the same year in any supporting series category – drama included.

NBC network dominated the 35th annual Primetime Emmys, with a groundbreaking drama continuing a winning streak, a little-watched sitcom making its name known and another sitcom proving the network might have cancelled it too soon. Eddie Murphy and Joan Rivers hosted the event on September 25, 1983. Rivers claimed she had waited nine years for an invitation to the Emmys, and would be wearing every dress she owed (which ended up being nine), and Murphy was excited about his first nomination. Read on for our Emmys flashback 40 years ago to 1983.

Two years prior, a little police drama had debuted, changing television with its realism and continuing storylines involving the personal lives of the characters. “Hill Street Blues” not only dominated the Nielsen ratings, but it won numerous Emmys throughout its run. This year would mark its third of four consecutive Best Drama Series victories, winning over “Cagney & Lacey,” “Fame,” “Magnum, P.I.” and “St. Elsewhere.

With the amount of press that NBC is putting behind it and the favorable reviews it’s been receiving, the “Night Court” revival is going to be looking to see if it can replicate the same success the original had at the Emmy Awards. Over the course of its nine-season run from 1984 until 1992, the show amassed 31 Emmy nominations and won seven of them.

Most notably, four of those wins were in Best Comedy Supporting Actor for John Larroquette for playing the scummy and perpetual womanizing prosecutor Dan Fielding. He won the category every year from 1985-1988. After his fourth victory, Larroquette did not submit himself for Emmy consideration for the rest of the show’s run. He will be gunning to get back into the race this year, only this time in Best Comedy Actor as Fielding takes on the lead public defender role. In the reboot, India de Beaufort...

John Jakes, the bestselling author of historical novels whose books The Bastard and North And South were adapted into highly rated TV movies and miniseries in the 1970s and ’80s, died Saturday at a hospice facility in Sarasota, Florida. He was 90.

His death was announced by his lawyer and literary agent Frank R. Curtis.

Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story Rolly Crump Dies: Legendary Disneyland Designer Was 93 Related Story Bud Grant Dies: Hall Of Fame Minnesota Vikings Coach Led Team To Four Super Bowls, Was 95

Born on March 31, 1932, in Chicago, Jakes published his first short story at 18, earning $25, and would go on to author more than 80 books in his lifetime that sold more than 120 million copies worldwide.

His breakthrough came in 1974 with the publication of The Bastard, the first in what would become an eight-volume series known as The Kent Family Chronicles. Roughly coinciding with America’s Bicentennial,...

“The Lion King,” a Disney Media Franchise, commemorated its 26th anniversary this past June. It is a genuine archetypal that can captivate audiences of all ages. The first Lion King film in the series was produced in 1994.

According to Environment Weekly, there were more than 600 animators involved in the production of “The Lion King” including animators, technicians, and other crucial figures. In fact, every moment was arduously explored, reorganized, and refined again which cost a lot of money, time, and a lot of headaches. And here’s the result – the great movie “The Lion King.”

The key to its success comes from its skilfully constructed characters who frequently walk and act like their real-life equivalents. The real-life lions were brought to the studio for the animators to study.

Beyond expectations, “The Lion King” movie proved immensely profitable and is the best-selling VHS of all time. The Lion Guard is an...

Tyler James Williams has come a long way since his days as a child actor on “Sesame Street.” After starring on “Everybody Hates Chris” as a teenager and moving on to significant roles on such shows as “The Walking Dead” and “Criminal Minds,” the 29-year-old has now earned his first Emmy nomination for his supporting turn on the ABC sitcom “Abbott Elementary.” This makes him one of the 12 youngest men to ever compete for the Best Comedy Supporting Actor award.

On “Abbott Elementary,” Williams plays Gregory Eddie, a long-term substitute teacher at the titular fictional Philadelphia public school. His episode submission, “Work Family,” involves Gregory seeking help from his veteran colleagues Barbara Howard (Sheryl Lee Ralph) and Melissa Schemmenti (Lisa Ann Walter) after he realizes his first graders are performing below state standards. Later, he is further thrown off by a phone conversation with his father (Orlando Jones), who pressures...

In 2017, Donald Glover made history by bagging Best Comedy Directing and Best Comedy Actor Emmys for “Atlanta” and thus became the respective first and second Black artist to conquer those categories. Having just picked up his third acting Emmy bid for the FX show, he follows Redd Foxx (“Sanford and Son”), Robert Guillaume (“Benson”), Don Cheadle (“House of Lies”) and Anthony Anderson (“Black-ish”) as the fifth Black leading man to earn as many TV academy notices for a single comedy series.

Glover has chosen “Sinterklaas is Coming to Town” as the episode that best represents his work in the third season of “Atlanta.” The installment focuses on Glover’s Earn Marks as he struggles to manage a European concert tour for his cousin, Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles (Brian Tyree Henry). After bailing the rapper out of an Amsterdam jail, Marks becomes increasingly aware of the city’s racially insensitive holiday...

In the seven-decade history of the Primetime Emmys, the only openly gay Black man to win an acting award has been “Pose” star Billy Porter. Until this year, the only such comedic nominee was four-time supporting contender Tituss Burgess (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), but he has now been joined by Best Comedy Guest Actor hopeful Jerrod Carmichael. Carmichael earned this recognition for hosting “Saturday Night Live” just one day after the release of “Rothaniel,” the stand-up special in which he officially came out. Since he is also nominated for penning the special, he is in the momentous position of possibly becoming the first openly gay Black male Emmy winner for writing or comedic acting, or both.

Carmichael’s first “Saturday Night Live” hosting gig took place on April 2, 2022, toward the end of the sketch show’s 47th season. During his six-minute opening monologue, he focused on such topics as being a...

It was a night of record-making firsts and honoring legends from Hollywood’s Golden Era. John Forsythe and Marlo Thomas hosted the 34th Primetime Emmy Awards on ABC on September 19, 1982 — before cable TV and streaming services took over and network TV still ruled the small screen. Read on for our Emmys flashback 40 years ago to 1982.

One of the most celebrated dramas of all time set new records and dominated the acting categories. “Hill Street Blues” received 16 major nominations, breaking the two-decade record of 14 for “Playhouse 90” in 1959. It’s also the first series to receive nine acting noms in one ceremony. It would end the evening tied with “Fame” for the most wins with four, including Best Drama Series, a writing win (it received four out of the five bids in that category) and two acting trophies.

SEEEmmys flashback 20 years ago to 2002, when ‘Friends’ finally won and ‘The West Wing’ dominated...

In the early 1970s, Valerie Harper set a precedent among TV supporting actresses by winning three consecutive Emmys as Rhoda Morgenstern on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Her character’s popularity led to the spinoff series “Rhoda” in 1974, and she ended up taking home a lead acting prize for the show’s inaugural season. This made her the first performer to earn nominations as one character across multiple categories for multiple programs. In the nearly five decades since, 11 more actors have joined the group, including three more double winners.

Harper was first followed by two of her “Mary Tyler Moore Show” castmates: Cloris Leachman (1976) and Ed Asner (1978). Their respective characters, Phyllis Lindstrom and Lou Grant, were promoted to lead placement on spinoffs of their own, which were appropriately titled “Phyllis” and “Lou Grant.” Leachman won as a supporting actress (1974) and a guest performer (1975) for the original series but never for her own show.

The Emmy nominations were announced Tuesday, and the TV Academy provided historic representation across its acting categories, despite a couple of questionable hiccups.

Jonathan Majors and Jurnee Smollett of the now-canceled “Lovecraft Country” made history as the first two Black leads to be nominated from the same drama series. “Pose” also joins for achieving the same feat with Billy Porter and Mj Rodriguez. It’s also the first piece of visual art to have a Black actor nominated in every eligible acting category, with Michael K. Williams and Aunjanue Ellis also picking up mentions.

Disney Plus’ “Hamilton” now has the second most nominations in the limited series/TV movie acting categories with seven. With the nominations for Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr, Daveed Diggs, Anthony Ramos, Jonathan Groff, Renée Elise Goldsberry and Phillipa Soo, it surpasses “And the Band Played On” (1993), “The Glass Menagerie” (1973) and “The Normal Heart” (2014) that all...

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Seeing is believe, but fantasy films are a special genre that will push your imagination to the limit and maybe even open up a part of your mind that you didn’t know existed. The good thing about fantasy movies is that they typically have a deeper subtext that will give you a deeper appreciation for life, and film.

For those who love streaming a variety of movies, signing up for streaming platforms is the easiest way to get access to tons of titles from plenty of different genres. If you’re not already signed up for at least one of the major platforms, it’s quick and easy to join, and you...

“There are some fish that cannot be caught. It’s not that they are faster or stronger than other fish, they’re just touched by something extra.”

Tim Burton’s Big Fish will be available on 4K Ultra HD May 4th. Throughout his life Edward Bloom (Ewan McGregor) has always been a man of big appetites, enormous passions and tall tales. In his later years, portrayed by five-time Best Actor Oscar nominee Albert Finney, he remains a huge mystery to his son, William (Billy Crudup). Now, to get to know the real man, Will begins piecing together a true picture of his father from flashbacks of his amazing adventures in this marvel of a movie.

Disc Details & Bonus Material

4K Ultra HD Disc

Newly Remastered in 4K resolution from the original camera negative, with HDR10All-new Dolby Atmos audio + original theatrical 5.1 audio

Blu-ray Disc

Feature presented in HD, sourced from...

TV writer Marc Wilmore, known for his work on F Is For Family and In Living Color, died on January 30 from complications with Covid. He was 57.

Comedian, producer and talk show host Larry Wilmore confirmed the death of his brother and paid tribute to him on Twitter. “My sweet sweet brother, Marc Edward Wilmore, passed away last night while battling Covid and other conditions that have had him in pain for many years. My brother was the kindest, gentlest, funniest, lion of an angel I’ve ever known. I love you little brother.”

Wilmore launched his career as a sketch comedy writer in the 1990s on the iconic sketch show In Living Color. He went from writer to cast member during the show’s final season. He did uncanny impersonations of cultural icons such as Robert Guillaume, Maya Angelou and James Earl Jones. It was his work on In Living Color...

Even before the final-round voting ballots have been sent out, the 72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards have made history.

The nominees include the most Black performers ever nominated in a single year. Not only is the sheer number a record, but 2020’s nominee class includes some notable firsts: Nicole Byer is the first Black woman to be nominated in the reality host category for Netflix’s “Nailed It”; Maya Rudolph became the first Black performer — man or woman — to be nominated against herself, scoring two noms in the guest comedy actress race for NBC’s “The Good Place” and “Saturday Night Live.” And Dime Davis is the first Black woman to be nominated in the variety series directing category for her work on HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show.”

And while history may be made again come ceremony night on Sept. 20 — for example, if Davis wins, she will be...

Another election year has rolled around, and it’s time again to muck our way through mudslinging to hopefully choose the right candidate to represent our views and our needs.

Throughout history, in our own country as well as the rest of the year, there have been great leaders who have left a mark and are remembered for accomplishments that helped their society to progress. However, there are also leaders who, in an effort to reach their own power-hungry goals, left their people to fend for themselves, often leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. On television, we have seen both types of government heads: President Bartlet, Lieutenant Governor DuBois, Secretary of State (later President) McCord, all of whom are flawed, but are trusted public servants with the best interest of the people at heart.

See‘The West Wing’: 20 greatest episodes ranked worst to best

Then there’s President Grant,...

Another election year has rolled around, and it’s time again to muck our way through mudslinging to hopefully choose the right candidate to represent our views and our needs.

Throughout history, in our own country as well as the rest of the year, there have been great leaders who have left a mark and are remembered for accomplishments that helped their society to progress. However, there are also leaders who, in an effort to reach their own power-hungry goals, left their people to fend for themselves, often leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. On television, we have seen both types of government heads: President Bartlet, Lieutenant Governor DuBois, Secretary of State (later President) McCord, all of whom are flawed, but are trusted public servants with the best interest of the people at heart. Then there’s President Grant, VP then Potus Meyer, Mayor Quimby, Claire Underwood and...

René Auberjonois, best known for his roles on Benson and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, died on Sunday of metastatic lung cancer, his son confirmed to the Associated Press. He was 79.

Auberjonois got his big break in 1970 when he was cast as Father John Mulcahy in the 1970 film Mash. He worked steadily over the next decade before he landed the series-regular role of Clayton Runnymede Endicott III on ABC’s Benson, which earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy in 1984. Then, from 1993 to 1999, Auberjonois portrayed Odo, head of space-station security on the syndicated DS9.

More from TVLineStar Trek's Aron Eisenberg,...

John Wesley, an actor known for parts in such films as Stop, Or My Mom Will Shoot and Martin, has died at age 72. The death was confirmed by his family, who said it stemmed from complications in a long-time battle with multiple myeloma.

Wesley worked with such artists as Denzel Washington, Albert Finney, Robert Guillaume, Barbra Streisand, Tim Burton, James Earl Jones, Michael Apted, James Spader, and Morgan Freeman, among others. A veteran of stage, TV and film, he won an Atlas Awards for Best Supporting Actor in Lillian Hellman’s Toys in the Attic at the Old Globe Theatre.

As the Artistic and Producing Director of The Southern California Black Repertory Company, he mounted a multitude of productions, including Athol Fugard’s Sizwe Banzi Is Dead and The Island, culminating in a three-year tour. Those productions led to an invitation to work with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland.

Mark Harrison Jul 18, 2019

Sequels and spin-offs and remakes, oh my! We examine the many extensions of Disney's classic, from direct-to-video movies to TV spin-offs

This Lion King article comes from Den of Geek UK.

The Lion King was an enormous hit for Disney back in 1994, and 25 years later, it seems likely it will imminently be an enormous hit again. But between Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff’s animated favorite and Jon Favreau’s “live-action” remake, the House of Mouse has not shied away from turning it into a franchise with various sequels and TV shows.

At the time the animated version was originally released, the studio was riding high on the critical and financial success of its 1990s renaissance, which started with The Little Mermaid and arguably peaked here. Having only created one sequel up to this point (1990’s The Rescuers Down Under), the studio’s feature division didn...

Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us”) won Best Drama Actor in 2017, but then lost to Matthew Rhys (“The Americans”) in 2018. Rhys is out of the way this year, though, since “The Americans” has ended, so could Brown come back to win more gold? If he does, it would be a rare feat. Only two black actors in Primetime Emmy history have ever won multiple awards as a lead.

The first to do so was Bill Cosby, whose groundbreaking legacy on television now comes with a big fat asterisk. But long before his crimes were widely known he won Best Drama Actor three years in a row for “I Spy” (1966-68). It would take almost 40 years for another black actor to join that club, and it was a man Brown paid tribute to in his own acceptance speech in 2017: Andre Braugher.

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“Nineteen years ago,...

1980: Edge of Night's Raven finally arrived to see her sick son.

2009: Days of our Lives' Mia met Will's friend, Tad.

2013: The online versions of All My Children and One Life to Live premiered on Hulu."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into d ifferent 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...

1932: Radio soap opera One Man's Family premiered on Los Angeles, Seattle and San Francisco stations. The popular series went nationwide a year later and ran until 1959.

1940: Young Doctor Malone aired for the first time on CBS Radio, having moved from the Blue Network.

Katherine Helmond -- best known for her roles on "Who's the Boss?" and "Soap" -- has died. The Tony-award winning actress died February 23 at her home following complications with Alzheimer's Disease ... according to her talent agency, Apa. Katherine first gained stardom playing the ditzy matriarch, Jessica Tate, on the '70s sitcom "Soap" ... starring alongside Billy Crystal and Robert Guillaume. She earned 4 Emmy nominations for that role. She also earned 2 Emmy nominations for her role...

Katherine Helmond, who played the ditzy Tate matriarch on the groundbreaking 1970s comedy Soap and later starred on Who’s the Boss?, among many other roles, died February 23 of Alzheimer’s complications at her home in Los Angeles. She was 89. Apa announced the news.

Helmond is best known for her roles as the flighty Jessica Tate on ABC’s 1977-81 ensemble primetime soap opera sitcom Soap and as the sexy and wise Mona Robinson — who showed that romance and excitement are not over for older women — opposite Tony Danza, Judith Light and Alyssa Milano on ABC’s 1984-92 series Who’s the Boss?

She received four Best Actress Emmy Award nominations for Soap and back-to-back noms for Who’s the Boss? in 1988-89. Helmond also scored a Best Actress Golden Globe Award for Soap in 1981, another for Supporting Actress in Who’s the Boss in 1989 and a second a Globes...

Each year the Academy Awards pays tribute to those actors and industryites who died during the preceding year with a heartfelt montage sequence. This year’s In Memoriam segment unspooled with John Williams’s theme from “Superman” played by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by Gustavo Dudamel, over photos of actors, filmmakers and many others who died between March 2018 and February 2019. Although the montage usually features the most prominent names getting slightly longer clips at the end, this year’s segment didn’t follow that tradition.

Stanley Donen, the co-director of “Singin’ in the Rain” and director of “Two for the Road,” who died Saturday, was not included.

Those who were recognized included “Big” director Penny Marshall, “Deliverance” star Burt Reynolds and major filmmakers including Bernardo Bertolucci, Milos Forman, Nicolas Roeg, Neil Simon, Marvel legend Stan Lee and “Princess Bride” author William Goldman. Other prominent acting talents remembered in the montage were Albert Finney,...

The Emmys paid their final respects tonight to dozens of industry notables who died over the past year, including 10-time Emmy-winning writer-producer Steven Bochco, who employed half the town on such shows as Hill Street Blues, La Law and NYPD Blue; five-time Emmy-winner Anthony Bourdain, whose suicide shocked his friends and fans; and three-time winning actress and humanitarian Nanette Fabray. Sen. John McCain also was honored, as was Neil Simon and Aretha Franklin, whose moving rendition of “Amazing Grace” was played throughout.

Presented by Tina Fey, the In Memoriam portion of the show also paid tribute to dozens of actors including Burt Reynolds, Rose Marie, Jim Nabors, Della Reese, Jerry Van Dyke, Charlotte Rae, Bill Daily and David Cassidy. Emmy-winning actors Robert Guillaume, Reg E. Cathey and Olivia Cole also were honored.

David Ogden Stiers, who was nominated for three Emmys – twice for his role as Major Charles Emerson Winchester...

The special “In Memoriam” segment on the 2018 Emmy Awards ceremony was tearful as beloved television legends Steven Bochco, Anthony Bourdain, Robert Guillaume, Monty Hall, John Mahoney, Jim Nabors, Charlotte Rae, Burt Reynolds, Neil Simon and Craig Zadan were part of the annual tribute.

SEEEmmy winners 2018: Full list of winners and nominees at the 70th Emmy Awards

But who was missing from the memoriam this time? Some of those surprising omissions included:

Marty Allen (actor/comedian)

Peter Baldwin (director)

Brent Briscoe (actor)

Dushon Monique Brown (actor)

Frank Buxton (writer/director)

Joseph Campanella (actor)

Olivia Cole (actor)

Vic Damone (actor/singer)

Bradford Dillman (actor)

Roy Dotrice (actor)

John Dunsworth (actor)

Harlan Ellison (writer)

Nanette Fabray (actor)

Dominic Frontiere (composer)

Michael Gershman (cinematographer)

Billy Graham (host)

Vanessa Greene (producer)

Doug Grindstaff (sound editor)

John Hillerman (actor)

Rance Howard (actor)

Tab Hunter (actor)

Earle Hyman (actor)

Anne Jeffreys (actor)

Margot Kidder (actor)

Louise Latham...