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James Houghton, who starred as Seaview Circle resident Kenny Ward on the first four seasons of Knots Landing and received four Daytime Emmys as a writer on The Young and the Restless, has died. He was 75.

Houghton died Aug. 27 at his home in Encino of peritoneal mesothelioma, his wife, Karen Houghton, told The Hollywood Reporter. She did not want to discuss his death until now.

Houghton also portrayed the fiancé of Nancy Allen’s character in Robert Zemeckis’ I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978), and he played U.S. senator Cash Cassidy — a bitter rival of Charlton Heston’s oil mogul Jason Colby, on the second season (1986-87) of the ABC primetime soap The Colbys, a spinoff of Dynasty.

Houghton starred as Kenny, a record producer who often fooled around on his wife, Ginger (Kim Lankford), before they had a baby on 66 episodes of CBS’ Knots Landing from 1979-83.

The young...

Halloween is creeping up, and as October 31st approaches, it’s prime time to start crafting the perfect playlist for a hauntingly good Halloween bash. We all know classics like “Monster Mash” by Bobby “Boris” Pickett – the perennial king of Halloween tunes – but let’s dig a bit deeper into the Halloween crypt. Today, we’re uncovering some old-school gems which you might not have heard before. Each is guaranteed to bring spooky, fun, and downright weird vibes to the party.

These tracks might not always get top billing, but each brings a unique spin on classic Halloween themes like ghouls, goblins, and mysterious creatures. So, let’s drop the needle and dive into these vintage Halloween jams!

10 Old-School Halloween Tracks to Bring Some Retro Spook to Your Party 1. “The Wobblin’ Goblin” – Rosemary Clooney (1950)

Why It’s Great: This whimsical tune captures the mischievous spirit of Halloween night, telling the...

Ex-x-Men '97 showrunner Beau DeMayo recently shared an unused song from "Remember It." Prior to this, DeMayo shared both a piece of fan art of himself and a series goal with X-Men '97 before his sudden firing.

Over on X, DeMayo posted a link to a video for Ennio Morricone and Joan Baez's "Here's to You." Above the video, DeMayo professed that he toyed with the idea of "having the Wild Sentinel blasting this song during Genosha's fall to mock mutants," concluding, "An angle on Bastion was that he would be obsessed with oldies. Obviously, some lived with 'Purple People Eater.'"

Related 'I'm Here for It': X-Men '97's Gambit Voice Actor Loves the Crop Top Look

In X-Men '97, Gambit rocks a crop top. Voice actor A.J. Locascio "loves the '90s look" and fans are embracing the bold new style.

Fun fact. Originally, I toyed...

The following contains major spoilers from Doctor Who Series 14, Episode 6, "Dot and Bubble," now streaming on Disney+.

Doctor Who Series 14, Episode 6, "Dot and Bubble" is emblematic of the genius of Russell T Davies. The reason why fans were so excited to have Davies back as showrunner is that he always knows what he's doing. Not just in the sense that he created the new Doctor Who that they all know and love, but that every story choice he makes is deliberate -- and usually designed to shock the audience. Even though viewers are aware that something's coming, Davies is always able to get one over on them.

"Dot and Bubble" is classic Davies in that sense. Audiences know that what starts out as a vapid, upbeat adventure for the guest character of Lindy Pepper-Bean (played by Wedding Season's Callie Cooke) won't stay that way. There's something menacing right around the corner.

Weeks after he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, Saved by the Bell star Dustin Diamond has passed away. According to a rep for the actor, Diamond died on Monday morning after his condition had greatly declined over the past week. With his girlfriend by his side, Diamond reportedly died after he was taken off of breathing machines in an attempt to get him to hospice care. He was 44 years old.

Last month, it was reported that Diamond has been hospitalized with an illness suspected to be cancer. Doctors confirmed those fears with a diagnosis of stage 4 small cell carcinoma, otherwise referred to as advanced lung cancer. He had since started chemotherapy treatments with plans to battle the disease. Days ago, Diamond theorized that staying in cheap motels as a traveling comedian may have contributed to his illness, but it was also in his family as his mother died of breast cancer.

Tony Sokol Feb 15, 2020

Prog will rock the future in a film adaptation of Emerson, Lake and Palmer's "Karn Evil 9" from the producers of Jumanji.

"Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends. We're so glad you could attend, come inside, come inside," Greg Lake opened side 2 of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's 1973 album Brain Salad Surgery. The song it comes from, "Karn Evil 9," is being adapted into a science-fiction movie, according to Deadline.

Developed with the full cooperation of Elp and its management, Karn Evil 9 will be executive produced by Radar Pictures, who made the Jumanji film series.

“The visionary world that Elp created with their recording 'Karn Evil 9' is much closer to reality today,” Radar's Ted Field said in a statement. “Our team at Radar looks forward to bringing this vision of where things may be headed to the big screen and beyond.”

The screenplay will be...

Dani Dennison is all grown up — and married!

Hocus Pocus alum Thora Birch, who portrayed the lovable 8-year-old protagonist in the Disney classic, announced she tied the knot on Twitter Friday.

“It’s done! I’m a married woman now… This is not the official photo but it’s my thank you to all my fans for their positive energy! I felt it every second!! party time. Hehe,” the actress, 36, wrote along with a photo of her and her new husband.

In the photo, Birch, who was dressed in a black dress with a white veil, showed off her engagement...

The month of October is an exciting time of year for kids—and also those of us who still consider ourselves “kids at heart”—and with that in mind, I wanted to put together a collection of fun and festive cocktails that you can serve up at your Halloween gatherings, or just mix up anytime you want to get into the “spirit” of the season over the next few weeks.

Halloween Blood Orange Martini

When Blood Oranges season begins, it’s a big moment in our house, as we’re huge fans of the crisp tartness of this fruit (especially when paired with cranberries), particularly in the fall. With that in mind, I thought these Halloween Blood Orange Martinis (via Culinary Ginger) would be a great drink to serve this month, and while the recipe doesn’t call for it, I feel like adding a few cranberries to this martini...

Meet Spoon (full name: Spoonie Luv). She’s my new puppy, conveniently adopted from Muddy Paws Rescue on Oct. 6, just in time to dress her up for Halloween! Or so I thought.

If the photo above looks like an adorable, impromptu moment of Halloween pet fun, well, the trick is on you. Actually, the trick was on me — and all the treats went to Spoonie as I tried to convince her to let me put her in one of the Eight costumes I got her.

First there was the purple monster (or Purple People Eater), which was my no. 1 choice.

Every Halloween, Robert George Pickett rises from the grave. (Figuratively.)

The song that made Pickett famous (three times over), “Monster Mash,” spikes to 40 times its regular view and search volume on YouTube every Halloween, and with good reason. It is a uniquely ripe piece of American cheese, a novelty hit that stands among the best of a decade packed with them, and Pickett’s life — and dogged attempts to keep grabbing the brass ring he glimpsed with the song — represent a uniquely American story.

Pickett was in born in Somerville, Massachusetts, in 1938, right in the middle of Universal Studios’ reign atop the horror movie industry.

Halloween and pop music don’t tend to traditionally go together.

When pressed to come up with musical Halloween classics, the usual stale list comes to mind: “Monster Mash”, “The Purple People Eater” … maybe “Thriller”. Yet some of the more clever macabre cinematic fare has found a way to make music frightening and, at the best of times, repurposing pop songs for truly twisted on-screen effect.

As Halloween approaches, why not celebrate a few of the best singular uses of pop for a good scare or a morbid twist?

With its sequel having hit screens last month, Insidious seems an appropriate place to start for its creepy use of the Tiny Tim novelty classic “Tiptoe Through the Tulips.”...

It is as much a part of Halloween as pumpkins, trick or treating and stuffing your face with candy. Halloween just wouldn't be Halloween without an annual viewing of the Disney spook-fest that is Hocus Pocus.

Firmly established as a cult classic, the 1993 movie was a surprise hit, taking 8 years to get made and originally being planned as a straight-to-tv project titled Disney's Haunted House.

21 years on from its release, we look back at the film's stars and find out where they are now.

1. Bette Midler as Winnie

What did Better Midler do after Hocus Pocus? She spent the next 21 years being Bette bloody Midler, isn't that enough for you? If you want more specifics, she's been nominated for three Grammys, produced a stage show, starred in her own self-titled sitcom, been on 7 tours, released 7 albums and starred in movies such as Parental Guidance, The Women and The Stepford Wives.

We know we sound like a broken record, but Lupita Nyong'o looks perfect again.  This is starting to get ridiculous! The SAG Award winner (among a now long list of accolades) appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Wednesday evening in another flawless fashion choice. This time, we're pretty sure she's the only celeb who could pull off this crazy grape combo. Imagine it on a less perfectly built beauty. It would either look like a weird '70s suit or a Giant Purple People Eater costume. But is the solid jewel-tone trend getting a little bit overdone? Yes, Luipta rocked a gorgeous beaded neckline for the SAG Awards. But before...

Atlanta -- Singer-songwriter Joe South, who performed hits in the late 1960s and early 1970s such as "Games People Play" and "Walk A Mile In My Shoes" and also penned songs including "Down in the Boondocks" for other artists, died Wednesday, his music publisher said. South was 72.

South, whose real name was Joseph Souter, died at his home in Buford, Ga., northeast of Atlanta, according to Marion Merck of the Hall County Coroner's office. Merck said South died after having a heart attack.

"He's one of the greatest songwriters of all time," said Butch Lowery, president of the Lowery Group, which published South's music. "His songs have touched so many lives. He's such a wonderful guy and loved by many."

South worked as a session guitar player on recordings of some of the biggest names of the 1960s – Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel, among others. But he had...

First, let me thank Heather Hogan for taking the bullet for me last week when I wasn't able to do the recap. I did finally watch the episode, and was able to fast-forward through the matador scene and thus avoid hospitalization, all thanks to her timely intervention. Much appreciated. So much so that this week, I arranged for Santana and Brittany to kiss. No need to thank me.

Now, on to "Heart," my new favorite Valentine's Day episode of any show. (Although to be honest, I don't think my fave shows West Wing, Xena, or Queer as Folk ever did a Valentine's Day episode. And you know, Cupid was an actual character on Xena. Played by a young, blond Karl Urban. But I digress.)

The Greatest Valentine's Day teevee show ever opens with a little lovin' in the choir room, as all the couples cuddle and kiss… including Santana and Brittany,...

Note: Do not read on if you have not seen Season 3, Episode 13 of Fox's Glee, entitled, "Heart."

After a few weeks of painful misses, I wasn't sure if I was ever going to restore my love for Glee again, but then the series showed my its "Heart," and I was immediately sucked back in to the McKinley high drama. Of course, it may have had something to do with it being Valentine's Day and all. There's just too much love in my heart!

This was a standout episode of the season for a few reasons. Sue and her ridiculous baby subplot were M.I.A., and Will? Well, he only had a few lines, which gave more screen time to the adults that I actually care about! Not only did we finally meet Rachel's dads -- who added some much needed adult humor to the mix -- but we also...

Love (and possibly lunacy) was in the air for a special Valentine’s Day edition of Glee. Rachel’s dads (LeRoy and Hiram) returned from the City of Lost Parents and tried to use reverse psychology to overturn their daughter’s engagement to Finn. Artie and Rory battled for Sugar’s affections. Glee Project co-winner Samuel Larsen made his debut as a Christian student adjusting to the non-home-schooled life. And the show’s writers hastily erected a papier-mâché wall to keep apart Mercedes and Sam. (Plus, Karofsky returned! Yay!)

If you were too busy shouting “Tinnnnn Roof! Rusted.” to follow the entire hour,...

Do you like monsters? Do you like drawing but never had the chance to learn how? Then have we got a book for you!

That’s right folks, Randy Martinez’s Creature Features is a must have guide for anyone interested in drawing their favorite monsters, aliens and mythical beasts.

The cover boasts “Odd Space Creatures!” “Shocking Legends!” “Terrifying Monsters!” and “Astonishing Mythology!” and you certainly won’t be disappointed.

Starting with a beginner friendly starter’s guide, Martinez discusses the materials and tools needed as well as the best environments to keep you free of distractions while you sketch the hours away. He then moves on to give you some tips on the basics involved in drawing and art in general i.e. Basic Shapes, The Human Head, Lights and Shadows, Shading Techniques, Texture and Color.

Being an aspiring artist myself, I know how daunting the blank page can be.

Over the weekend, the surviving members of Boyzone announced they plan to record and release a new album in trubute to the recently deceased Stephen Gately who died unexpectedly last month while on vacation in Majorca, Spain with his civil partner Andew Coles.

Ronan Keating told Sky News that:

We have decided that what we do now is we're going to make the next album for Stephen, we want to stick together because we find comfort in being together at the moment. We have a couple of songs with Stephen's vocal on it so that's a saving grace. Thank God we have that, that's very important to all of us and we know the fans would really appreciate that too.

Keating also added the band will try to "...keep his memory alive when the four of us perform, if we can do that. We don't know that we can but we'll try.

You’ve heard it. You might not think that you’ve heard it, but you have, countless times in fact. A piercing, despair-ridden wail so aurally disturbing that you instinctively glance up, even if you weren’t watching, to try to glimpse what unspeakable horror just befall the character whose demise it was assigned to signify.

Though named for its first on screen use, the 1953 film Charge at Feather River where a character named Private Wilhelm takes an arrow to the leg and screams in agony, the origin of the scream dates back two years previously. The scream was originally recorded for the 1951 film Distant Drums with Gary Cooper and slated as “man being bitten by alligator” but was never used. A post-production sound effects actor, who some believe to be none other than Sheb Wooley of “Purple People Eater” fame, made several attempts that the supervisor deemed unsatisfactory. The...