News

Harvey Laidman, a veteran TV director who helmed multiple episodes of such series as The Waltons, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, the original Matlock and 7th Heaven, has died. He was 82.

Laidman died of cancer on Jan. 3 in a hospice facility in Simi Valley, his son, Dan Laidman, told The Hollywood Reporter.

During his three-decade-plus career, he also directed installments of The Blue Knight, Family, Hawaii Five-o, Hunter, Kojak, Eight Is Enough, The Incredible Hulk, Lou Grant, Knots Landing, Falcon Crest, Airwolf, Knight Rider, Magnum, P.I., Jake and the Fatman, Silk Stalkings and Jag.

Laidman served as assistant director and unit production manager on the second and third seasons of CBS’ The Waltons from 1973-75, then advanced to the director’s chair to call the shots on 11 episodes of the beloved period drama from 1975-81.

He also helmed 10 episodes of CBS’ Scarecrow and Mrs. King from 1985-87; 33 episodes of NBC...

Cult filmmakers Lev Kalman and Whitney Horn have made a career out of genre homages without ever losing touch with their own distinct aesthetic. Their 2015 feature “L for Leisure” directly riffed on the ’90s indie film culture and 2018’s “Two Plains and a Fancy” offered a deconstructed take on the Western genre — but no matter what genre they take on, trademarks like 16mm film and dreamy synth scores mark every project as distinctly theirs.

Their latest feature, “Dream Team,” is no exception. A send-up of basic cable softcore thrillers like “Silk Stalkings,” the film presents six episodes of a fictional TV show that moves with the urgency of an imaginary writers room that knew it had 27 episodes to fill. Storylines seem to come and go at their own leisure as the “show” alternates between solving crimes, alluding to sexiness that we never quite see, and fixating on ambient aquatic imagery.

Nicholas Pryor, whose nearly seven-decade acting career included hundreds of episodes of soap operas, playing Tom Cruise’s dad in Risky Business and Kathleen Robertson’s dad on Beverly Hills, 90210, died October 7. He was 89.

Fellow actor Jon Lindstrom announced the news on social media, saying in part: “Nick was an Actor’s actor, and an exceptional friend. … He was a mentor, a sounding board, a trusted confidant, and even a father-figure beyond, yes, playing my own father on #Gh and #PortCharles.” See his full post below.

Pryor racked up nearly 175 screen credits and half-dozen more on Broadway. After getting his screen start guesting on such 1950s and early ’60s TV series as Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Doctors, he played Tom Baxter in more than 75 episodes of the NBC daytime drama Another World. That led to a starring role on The Nurses, a 1965-67 continuation of CBS’ The Nurses, which...

Born in Philadelphia, James Darren created magic on the screen with his acting prowess and well-acclaimed projects. But out of the lot, the most famous would be his portrayal of eccentric lounge singer Vic Fontaine in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. While the actor entered the show in its last two seasons, he created a name for himself that people would remember for generations to come.

James Dareen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine || Credits: Syndication

The iconic actor recently passed away, and upon this, several of his past interviews are resurfacing, showcasing that more than an actor, he was a kind and emotional human being. He showcased the same compassionate gesture to his Deep Space Nine co-star Nana Visitor that left her in tears.

Nana’s Visitor Was Moved to Tears by James Darren’s Touching Act

The universe of Star Trek is renowned for introducing a host of...

James Darren, who became an instant teen idol as the boyish surfer Moondoggie in the “Gidget” movies and went on to a prolific career in TV and music, has died. He was 88.

Darren went to a Los Angeles hospital for scheduled heart surgery last week but was considered too weak to proceed and was sent home, his son Jim Moret told multiple media outlets. But his failing health forced a return to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he died in his sleep surrounded by family.

Born James Ercolani in Philadelphia, Darren was already using a stage name when he starred in “Gidget” in 1959 and its sequels. His fame was secured instantly by the ’50s surf-culture hit, and he soon parlayed that notoriety with a number three hit single with “Goodbye Cruel World” in 1961.

Darren charted several other pop hits, including “Her Royal Majesty” and “Conscience,” but soon transitioned to TV, starring...

Actor and singer James Darren, known in part for his role in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, has passed away. He was 88 years old.

Per Variety, Darren died on Monday at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California. According to his son, Jim Moret, Darren was being treated in the cardiac unit. While specific details about his hospitalization weren't shared, Darren was said to have expressed his love for his family before he passed.

Of his former teen idol father, Moret said, "He was a good man. He was very talented. He was forever young.

Darren was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 8, 1936. After taking an interest in acting, Darren caught a break when he was noticed by Screen Gems casting director Joyce Selznick. This led to Darren signing a contract with Columbia in 1956, and he made his feature film debut that year with a role in Rumble on the Docks...

James Darren, the former teen idol and pop singer who played the dreamy surfer Moondoggie in three Gidget movies before starring on television on The Time Tunnel and T.J. Hooker, died Monday. He was 88.

Darren died in his sleep at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his son Jim Moret, a correspondent for Inside Edition, told The Hollywood Reporter. He had entered the hospital for an aortic valve replacement but was deemed too weak to have the surgery; he went home but had to return.

“I always thought he would pull through,” Moret said, “because he was so cool. He was always cool.”

Early in his career, the dark-haired Darren received excellent notices for starring in Let No Man Write My Epitaph (1960) — portraying the son of a hoodlum defended by Humphrey Bogart’s character in 1949’s Knock on Any Door — and for playing the Greek soldier Spyros Pappadimos in The Guns of Navarone...

John Aprea, the charismatic character actor who portrayed the young Salvatore Tessio in The Godfather Part II and the father of John Stamos’ character on Full House, has died. He was 83.

Aprea died Aug. 5 of natural causes in Los Angeles, his manager, Will Levine, announced.

The New Jersey native appeared for director Jonathan Demme in Caged Heat (1974), Crazy Mama (1975) and The Manchurian Candidate (2004), played the brother of Ray Sharkey’s up-and-coming music promoter in Taylor Hackford’s The Idolmaker (1980) and was a mob guy in Mario Van Peebles’ New Jack City (1991).

Aprea also played another crook, Lucas Castigliano, as well as a multimillionaire shipping magnate, Alexander Nikos, during two stints on the NBC soap opera Another World over a course of a decade (1989-98). Both characters ended up getting shot to death by women.

He starred as the patriarch of a multi-generational Italian American family on NBC’s The Montefuscos,...

Mitzi McCall, the trailblazing comedian, actress and half of the comedy duo McCall and Brill, died Thursday in Burbank. She was 93.

Born on Sept. 9, 1930, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, her comedic talents were evident early in life, leading to a distinguished career that spanned over seven decades. She emerged as a prominent voice in the male-dominated comedy world, paving the way for future generations of female comedians.

McCall’s legacy is perhaps most enduringly marked by her work with her husband, actor and comedian Charlie Brill, as part of the comedy duo “McCall and Brill.” The pair became television staples, gracing numerous variety shows, including a memorable appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” during The Beatles’ American debut in 1964 — a moment that has since become television history.

Mitzi’s career began in the late 1940s with a stage debut at the Pittsburgh Playhouse in “Strange Bedfellows” in 1948. In the early 1950s, she...

Comedian and actress Mitzi McCall of comedy duo McCall and Brill died Thursday at 93 years old, according to a statement from her representative. She died in Burbank at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, surrounded by loved ones.

McCall began in the 1950s and made a name for herself on the comedy scene. She was best known for her work as a team with her husband, Charlie Brill. They became mainstays on the era’s variety shows, including “The Ed Sullivan Show” — and were even on the episodes where The Beatles made their American debut.

“Mitzi McCall’s life was a testament to the power of laughter, and her influence on the world of comedy will be remembered for years to come,” the statement from her representative reads. “Her legacy will live on through the countless laughs she inspired and the doors she opened for future generations.”

She appeared on “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In...

Mitzi McCall, the delightful actress and sitcom writer who partnered with her husband, Charlie Brill, in a sketch comedy act that famously floundered between sets by The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, has died. She was 93.

McCall died Thursday at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, her family announced.

The pint-sized Pittsburgh native also played the dry cleaner’s wife who wears a fur coat owned by Jerry’s mom on the 1994 Seinfeld episode “The Secretary,” and she was the mother of Carol Leifer’s optometrist character on the 1997-98 WB sitcom Alright Already.

McCall had a thriving career as a voiceover artist; she played Mother Goose on Mother Goose and Grimm and worked on other animated projects including The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show, Paw Paws, Darkwing Duck, Yo Yogi! and Ice Age (2002).

And she wrote for shows including 13 Queens Boulevard, Eight Is Enough, One Day at a Time,...

Mitzi McCall, whose five-decade resume in entertainment included 11 films, 14 TV shows and many animated series voice-overs, died August 8 at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank at age 93. No details on cause were immediately available.

Her husband and comedy partner, Charlie Brill, confirmed her death in a Facebook post. “I lost my Mitzi last night. Rest in peace my one and only love…Rest in peace and laughter.”

McCall and Brill appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964, better known as the U.S. television debut of The Beatles; the pair’s act can be seen on the DVD of the Beatles’ appearance on the show. They were interviewed in 2005 for Public Radio International’s “Big Break” episode of This American Life regarding their Beatles-Sullivan experience, including a dressing room encounter with John Lennon.

McCall started her entertainment career on the Kiddie Castle program on Kdka-tv in Pittsburgh.

This article contains spoilers for Homicide: Los Angeles episode 1.

Phil Spector was a music legend and Los Angeles celebrity royalty. He revolutionized rock and roll with his “Wall of Sound” production, and went on to finalize The Beatles’ Let It Be. This means nothing to investigators on Homicide: Los Angeles. On Feb. 3, 2003, the body of Lana Clarkson, a 40-year-old actress and VIP Hostess of The House of Blues, was found dead in a chair in Spector’s foyer.

Netflix’s five-episode true crime docuseries fully covers the prosecutorial pursuit in one installment. Here’s what was condensed in discovery.

Lana Clarkson Was a Successful Actress

In the June 2003 article “Inside the Undoing of Phil Spector,” Spector told Esquire Clarkson “kissed the gun” before shooting herself. At trial, Spector’s attorneys claimed a depressed Clarkson used the 38-caliber pistol in his foyer. In spite of the Spector PR team’s smear campaign,...

Erich Anderson, who was sometimes also credited as E. Erich Anderson, racked up over 100 credits during a screen acting career that stretched from 1983 into the 2020s, but he may be best known for playing the role of Rob in the 1984 slasher classic Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. A character out for revenge, Rob looked like he had a shot at being able to take down hockey-masked killer Jason Voorhees for good… but when Rob finally caught up with Jason, things did not go well for him at all. Among Friday the 13th fans, Rob has become a favorite due to the fact that he seems so cool and capable at first, but then whiffs his shot at vengeance in a major way. Sadly, the actor who brought Rob to the screen is no longer with us. Erich Anderson’s wife Saxon Trainor has confirmed through social media that he...

What is Lisa Vanderpump’s net worth? That’s a question Vanderpump Rules fans are asking as Lisa gears up to open a new restaurant on the Bravo show.

Lisa has become a household fixture since she helped launch The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

However, she was already plenty wealthy before she began her successful reality television career.

It’s no secret that Lisa and her husband, Ken Todd, made a nice living before she added TV star to her resume.

With a new show, Vanderpump Villa, coming out soon, there’s been a lot of buzz about Lisa and her net worth.

Let’s take a look at what we know.

What is Lisa Vanderpump’s net worth?

According to online sources, Lisa Vanderpump’s net worth is a whopping $90 million. There’s no question that her portfolio has grown a lot thanks to her time in the reality TV spotlight.

Tributes pour in for legendary actor Carl Weathers after his unexpected passing at age 76. Hollywood remembers his immense talent and warm personality. Pedro Pascal, co-star in The Mandalorian, expresses his sorrow over Weathers' death, saying that words fail to capture the loss. Adam Sandler fondly remembers Weathers as a great man, actor, athlete, and father, highlighting the love and fun he brought to everyone's lives.

Legendary actor Carl Weathers receives touching tributes to his life and career from former co-stars and other Hollywood celebrities. Best known for his roles in Rocky, Predator, and in recent years, The Mandalorian, Weathers passed away at age 76. His career spanned over five decades and included not only movie and TV roles in front of the camera but also stints as a director, largely on television projects including Silk Stalkings, Hawaii Five-0, Chicago Med, and The Mandalorian.

Following news of Weathers' unexpected death, remembrances on social media are flooding in.

Sometimes, love happens when you least expect it. Voltage Pictures’ upcoming film See You on Venus is based on the debut young adult novel by author Victoria Vinuesa. The YA romance features Virginia Gardner portraying the role of Mia and Alex Aiono as Kyle.

In this new footage from the film, the pair discusses Mia’s fascination with the planet Venus, while they sit together in front of a crackling fire on a star-drenched beach. Check out MovieWeb's exclusive clip now.

The synopsis reads as follows:

See You On Venus follows Mia (Virginia Gardner) and Kyle (Alex Aiono), two misfit American teens who travel to Spain in search of Mia's birth mother. As the pair road trip through the picturesque cities of Andalusia and fall in love, they discover that the most important question isn't who gave you life but what you decide to do with it.

Gardner also serves...

Gordon T. Dawson, a costume designer-turned-screenwriter who worked on multiple movies with Sam Peckinpah and wrote on TV hits The Rockford Files and Walker, Texas Ranger among other films and series, died March 6 of pulmonary disease in West Hills, CA, his family announced. He was 84.

Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story Stuart Margolin Dies: 'The Rockford Files' Two-Time Emmy Winner Was 82 Related Story Clarence Gilyard Jr Dies: 'Walker, Texas Ranger,' 'Matlock' & 'Die Hard' Actor Was 66

Dawson had worked as a fireman and had moved to working with costumes when Peckinpah used him to age costumes for his 1965 film Major Dundee. He would reteam with the director as wardrobe supervisor on 1969’s The Wild Bunch, then as associate producer (and uncredited writer) on 1970’s The Ballad of Cable Hogue and 1972’s The Getaway, and co-writer with Peckinpah on 1974’s...

Gordon T. Dawson, who parlayed a stint as a costumer for Sam Peckinpah into a career as a writer and producer with credits including The Ballad of Cable Hogue, The Rockford Files, Bret Maverick and Walker, Texas Ranger, has died. He was 84.

Dawson died March 6 in West Hills Hospital of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, his family announced.

A former firefighter, Dawson spent three months in a Columbia Pictures basement using a blowtorch, paraffin and glue to age the principal soldier uniforms for the Peckinpah-directed Major Dundee (1965). When the extras’ costumes did not match the ones Dawson had prepared, Peckinpah shut down production on the first day of shooting.

Dawson was summoned to the set in Mexico to age the other costumes, noting in the 1993 documentary Sam Peckinpah: Man of Iron that he was “terrified” to meet the intimidating director. He needn’t have worried, though; Dawson fixed the other costumes,...

Stella Stevens is the actress known for playing Stella Purdy in The Nutty Professor (1963) and starring alongside Elvis Presley in Girls! Girls! Girls! Sadly, Ms. Steven passed away on Friday in Los Angeles after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Her death was confirmed by her son, actor-producer Andrew Stevens, and her long-time friend John O’Brien.

A former Playboy centerfold from January 1960, Stevens participated in a screen test by 20th Century Fox as a part of launching her Hollywood career. She signed on the dotted line with Paramount and Columbia through the ’60s, appearing opposite Elvis Presley in Girls! Girls! Girls!, a role that sent her star soaring. She played Stella Purdy opposite Jerry Lewis’ Prof. Julius Kelp in The Nutty Professor, then acted in such films as Advance to the Rear, Synanon, The Silencers, Rage, How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life, The Mad Room, and more.

While he is known for playing charming nerd Wyatt Donnelly in the 1985 film Weird Science, Ilan Mitchell-Smith's career has taken a compelling turn. He began acting when he was a child, appearing as younger siblings or pre-teens who wish that they were cooler. After playing a young version of Timothy Hutton's character, Daniel Isaacson, in a flashback in the spy drama Daniel, he appeared in the 1984 TV movie How to Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days as dorky Milo Crimpley, who takes a course on achieving flawlessness. Mitchell-Smith then played Eric Stoltz's Vietnam War-obsessed brother in The Wild Life, a teen comedy written by Cameron Crowe.

Wyatt is one of the most lovable characters in John Hughes's movies, and the story of him and his best friend Gary Wallace (Anthony Michael Hall) making a computer-generated woman named Lisa (Kelly LeBrock) is a classic coming-of-age tale.

Character actor and voice actor Earl Boen had a long list of credits, working on nearly 300 different projects over the course of a career that began in 1974. But for most movie fans, Boen will always be remembered for playing the role of Dr. Peter Silberman in The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, T2 3-D: Battle Across Time, and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Sadly, it has been confirmed by Deadline that Boen passed away in Hawaii yesterday, January 5th, at the age of 81. A friend of Boen’s and his family revealed that Boen had been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in the fall of 2022.

Born on August 4, 1941, Boen made his screen acting debut in a 1974 episode of the PBS series Great Performances. The many credits he racked up after that appearance include the films The Main Event, Battle Beyond the Stars, 9 to 5, Soggy Bottom USA,...

Terrence O’Hara, a television director who most notably worked on series such as “NCIS” and “NCIS: Los Angeles,” died of cancer on Dec. 5. He was 76.

Throughout his career, he directed episodes of shows like “The Blacklist,” “Smallville,” “Nikita,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “The Shield,” “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “The X-Files” and more. It was particularly with “NCIS” and “NCIS: Los Angeles” where O’Hara found his second homes in directing, working on both shows for nearly two decades and establishing long-lasting relationships with the cast, crew and their families.

O’Hara was born in Newark, N.J., on Christmas Day, 1945, and was raised by parents Joseph and Marie. In high school, O’Hara caught the acting bug watching his sister Judy perform on stage during a school production, soon following her footsteps as the lead in Essex’s high school production of “The Boy Friend.” He attended Rutgers University for two...

There’s sad news to report today, as it has been confirmed that NFL player turned actor Brad William Henke has passed away at the age of 56. A cause of death has not been revealed, but Deadline reports that Henke’s family said he died in his sleep on November 29th.

Born in Nebraska on April 10, 1966, Henke played football at the University of Arizona before being drafted by the New York Giants in 1989. He got cut during training camp, but was able to move over to the Denver Broncos, where he ended up facing off with the San Francisco 49ers at Super Bowl Xxiv. Following multiple injuries and six ankle surgeries, Henke retired from professional football in 1994 and got his acting career started the same year. After doing some work in commercials, he earned his first screen acting credit with the 1996 comedy Mr. Wrong. That same year he also appeared...

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Tom Urich, an actor on Broadway and soap operas who also showed up on TV shows opposite his younger brother, the late Robert Urich, has died. He was 87.

Urich died July 17 of complications from a stroke and diabetes at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, his wife of 56 years, Judy, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Urich was a regular on the 1997 ABC miniseries Murder One: Diary of a Serial Killer and guest-starred on shows including Kate & Allie, Jake and the Fatman, Matlock, In Living Color, Silk Stalkings, Beverly Hills, 90210, Jag and The Practice.

He appeared on Broadway in Applause, Seesaw, Musical Chairs and, as Georges, in La Cage Aux Folles and on such soap operas as The Doctors, The Edge of Night, Search for Tomorrow, Another Life and Passions.

Alongside his brother, he worked on two episodes of ABC’s Vega in...

Charles Siebert, the actor who played the pompous Dr. Stanley Riverside II on the CBS medical drama series Trapper John, M.D., died May 1 of Covid-related pneumonia at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. He was 84.

His death was confirmed in a statement on the website of the 6th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, California, where Siebert appeared frequently.

Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery

Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Siebert made his Broadway debut in a 1967 production of Brecht’s Galileo and would return to the Broadway stage five more times through the following decade. He began his TV career in the late 1960s on the soap opera Search for Tomorrow. By the mid-1970s he had appeared in such series as Hawk, N.Y.P.D., Another World, The Adams Chronicles, Kojak, Police Woman and The Rockford Files.

In 1977 he recurred on the Norman Lear soap parody Mary Hartman,...

Very sad news is coming in as it's being reported that actor John Paragon has passed away. The talented performer, who was widely known for playing Jambi the Genie on the 80s children's program Pee-wee's Playhouse, reportedly died in April, though word of his death is just starting to make the press. His passing was confirmed by the Riverside County Coroner, but a cause of death has not been revealed. Paragon was 66 years old.

Many fans of Pee-wee's Playhouse would say Jambi the Genie was just as important to the show as Pee-wee Herman. The character's bedazzled face would frequently appear in a jeweled box every time Herman wished for something, usually with a big smile behind blue makeup. Paragon also provided the voice of Pee-wee's pterodactyl pal Pterri and served as a writer and director for several episodes.

Along with Paul Reubens, Paragon co-write the hit 1988 television special Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special.

John Paragon, an actor, director and writer most familiar from his disembodied, teal-faced role of Jambi the Genie on Paul Reubens’ Pee-wee’s Playhouse, died April 3 in Palm Springs of unknown causes. He was 66.

Paragon’s death, only recently made public, was confirmed to Deadline by the Riverside County Coroner.

In addition to his work with frequent collaborator Reubens — he also voiced Pterri the Pterodactyl on Playhouse — Paragon is remembered by Seinfeld fans as Cedric, half of the couple Bob and Cedric who appeared occasionally to browbeat Michael Richards’ Kramer. In the famous episode “The Soup Nazi,” Paragon and actor Yul Vazquez, as Bob, stole an armoire that Kramer was guarding for Elaine (Julia-Louis Dreyfus).

Paragon was, like Reubens, a member of the Los Angeles comedy troupe the Groundlings, and contributed to the writing of early stage performances featuring the Pee-wee Herman character. The Jambi character carried over from the...

Christopher Pennock, whose long career in daytime drama is best remembered for his portrayal of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde character on ABC’s supernatural soap Dark Shadows, died Feb. 12 following a brief hospitalization in California. Pennock, who was diagnosed with melanoma last summer, was 76.

His death was announced on the Dark Shadows News Facebook page. Pennock’s wife, Lynn Dunn Pennock, told the site that her husband, a lifelong Buddhist, “has transitioned into the pure land of Dewachen with complete enlightenment leaving only a rainbow body behind.”

Dark Shadows actor David Selby, a friend of Pennock’s since their days on the 1960s-’70s show, wrote on his blog, “Chris was the most fun loving, generous and kind man with a great smile. He was the kind of person this world needs more of…His spirit and joy of life will be with me and all those who...

Now that Tanya Roberts‘ death has been confirmed, those who knew and worked with the actress are flooding social media with loving tributes — including Jaclyn Smith, who appeared opposite Roberts in the final season of Charlie’s Angels (ABC, 1980–1981).

Smith posted the following message to Instagram on Tuesday: “Tanya joined #CharliesAngels for the final season, closing it out as it was initially intended with a red head, a brunette and a blonde. She brought joy to so many people and had a career spanning decades. Good bye angel, Rest In Peace.”

More from TVLineTanya Roberts Dead at 65, Following Premature Death AnnouncementKerry Vincent,...

Actress Tanya Roberts, best known for her work on Charlie’s Angels and That ’70s Show, died on Monday night at the age of 65, The New York Times has confirmed.

Roberts was hospitalized at Los Angeles’ Cedars-Sinai Hospital after collapsing on Christmas Eve. Following a discouraging hospital visit on Sunday, Roberts’ domestic partner Lance O’Brien believed that Roberts had passed. Without speaking to medical staff, O’Brien relayed this misinformation to Roberts’ rep, who incorrectly confirmed her death to the media on Sunday. The story took an unexpected turn on Monday when that same rep announced that Roberts was,...

Despite earlier reports to the contrary, actress Tanya Roberts did not die on Sunday, according to a new statement obtained by TMZ. (Update: It has now been confirmed that Roberts died on Monday night.)

Roberts’ rep Mike Pingel explains that Roberts’ domestic partner Lance was contacted by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Monday morning to inform him that she is still alive. Following a discouraging visit to the hospital on Sunday night, Lance incorrectly believed that Roberts had died; he passed this misinformation along to Pingel, who confirmed it to the media. Roberts, 65, was hospitalized in Los Angeles after collapsing on Christmas Eve.

Tanya Roberts, who co-starred on That ’70s Show and Charlie’s Angels, passed away Sunday at 65.

Roberts reportedly collapsed at home following a walk with her dogs on Christmas Eve, a rep for Roberts told TMZ. She was hospitalized and put on a ventilator, but never recovered. The official cause of death is currently unknown. (Update: According to a new statement from Roberts’ rep, the actress is actually still alive.)

More from TVLineTanya Roberts Dead at 65, Following Premature Death AnnouncementTanya Roberts Is Still Alive, Despite Being Declared Dead -- ReportDanny Masterson Formally Charged With Raping 3 Women, Faces 45 Years in Prison if...

A review of this week’s The Mandalorian, “The Siege,” coming up just as soon as I use the Force to steal your macaroons…

Everything old is new again on The Mandalorian, from the use of practical effects like the Baby Yoda puppet to the mission-of-the-week structure. So why not revive the backdoor pilot while you’re at it?

The backdoor pilot, for younglings who don’t know, was an old and common TV practice where an episode of a hit TV show would be transformed into something that could...

Brian Trenchard-Smith, who began making movies in the 1970s as part of the Australian New Wave that also included Peter Weir and George Miller, is not only one of the most talented and entertaining directors of his generation but one of the most versatile; his output includes lyrical children’s films and lowbrow sex comedies, disreputable exploitation flicks and tender romances, documentaries and low-budget disaster movies, and episodic TV episodes ranging from Flipper and Mission: Impossible reboots to the ’90s guilty pleasure Silk Stalkings. A filmmaker who freely admits that he never met a green light he didn’t like, Trenchard-Smith is a craftsman whose best work […]

The post The Quest, Amazon Women on the Moon and Pierrot Le Fou: Jim Hemphill's Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Brian Trenchard-Smith, who began making movies in the 1970s as part of the Australian New Wave that also included Peter Weir and George Miller, is not only one of the most talented and entertaining directors of his generation but one of the most versatile; his output includes lyrical children’s films and lowbrow sex comedies, disreputable exploitation flicks and tender romances, documentaries and low-budget disaster movies, and episodic TV episodes ranging from Flipper and Mission: Impossible reboots to the ’90s guilty pleasure Silk Stalkings. A filmmaker who freely admits that he never met a green light he didn’t like, Trenchard-Smith is a craftsman whose best work […]

The post The Quest, Amazon Women on the Moon and Pierrot Le Fou: Jim Hemphill's Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

There’s a ridiculous amount of TV content out there waiting to be streamed during your downtime — and a lot of it won’t cost you one shiny penny.

TVLine already offers a premium streaming guide, which delivers a rundown of subscription rates, original series and select library content offered by established, new and forthcoming streamers. We also publish a monthly list of TV shows and movies coming and going on Netflix.

More from TVLineThe Blacklist Creator Explains the Midseason Premiere's Glaring Absence, Teases a Major Secret for [Spoiler]American Idol Video: Will Margie Mays and Jonny West Survive the New 'Duets' Round in Hollywood Week?...

Exclusive: Shout! Factory has struck a distribution deal with Stephen J. Cannell Productions Inc that will give Shout! a mix of worldwide, domestic and international broadcast and streaming rights to the prolific TV creator’s catalog of 1970s-1990s shows including 21 Jump Street, Hunter, Wiseguy, The Commish, The Greatest American Hero and Riptide.

With the deal, Shout! will bring the vast library that totals more than 20 TV series and movies and 900 hours of programming to to broadcast and streaming platforms across territories. Terms were not disclosed.

Previously, MeTV owner Weigel Broadcasting had licensed Cannell’s 21 Jump Street, Booker, Hunter, Wiseguy and Commish.

The deal is the latest to fuel Shout!’s strategy of all-rights acquisitions and worldwide distribution of programming across broadcast and multiple digital streaming platforms, with an eye on reinvigorate and create additional long-term value of pop-culture brands. Previous pacts include with Sesame Workshop and ITV Global Entertainment.

Robert Forster, the longtime character actor who experienced a career resurgence after his Oscar-nominated performance in Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown, has died at the age of 78.

The actor’s publicist confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter that Forster died Friday at his Los Angeles home following a battle with brain cancer.

Forster’s death came the same day his final role was released on Netflix: A reprisal of his Breaking Bad role of Ed “the Disappearer” in the spinoff film El Camino.

“With more than 100 film credits spanning six decades,...

Exclusive: After We Collided, the upcoming sequel to Voltage Pictures’ indie Ya hit After, has locked down its final cast as it begins production with Charlie Weber, Louise Lombard, Candice King, Karimah Westbrook and Rob Estes joining.

After, which was released in April making close to $70M WW, is based on the bestselling Anna Todd book series. Todd co-wrote the screenplay for the sequel with Mario Celaya and is producing as well. The pic recently won Best Choice Drama, Choice Drama Movie Actor and Choice Drama Movie Actress at the 2019 Teen Choice Awards. Cruel Intentions’ Roger Kumble is directing After We Collided which stars returning leads Josephine Langford, Hero Fiennes Tiffin and new castmember Dylan Sprouse.

Shane Paul McGhie, Samuel Larsen, Khadijha Red Thunder and Dylan Arnold will also reprise their roles in the sequel that follows Hardin and Tessa as they struggle to come back together, facing obstacles that...

Stars: Jason Gedrick, Paul Sorvino, Erin O’Brien, Kira Reed Lorsch, Treva Etienne, Tim DeZarn, Neraida Bega, Dee Dee Sorvino, Vince Lozano, Chris Coppola, Matthew Alan Brady, Asante Jones, Tomas Johansson, Jackie Falcon | Written by Nathan Illsley | Directed by Richard Friedman

Richard Friedman, whom genre fans will know as the director of Arrow Video titles Doom Asylum and Scared Stiff, helms this cop drama starring Jason Gedrick – an actor who’s probably most well-known for the Iron Eagle franchise of the 80s but whom also starred in one of the most underrated TV cop shows of the 90s, Ez Streets. Friedman is no stranger to cop dramas either, having helmed episodes of Silk Stalkings and Baywatch Nights alongside a myriad of genre television.

With Acts of Desperation Friedman manages to parlay all his experiences into one film; the ridiculousness of films like Doom Asylum and Phantom of the Mall melded...

Barbara Claman, a casting director whose credits included three Albert Brooks films, the TV shows Silk Stalkings and Zorro and the soap opera Santa Barbara, died Jan. 17 in Winsted, Connecticut, her son said. She was 89.

Claman worked with Brooks on Lost in America (1985), Modern Romance (1981) and Defending Your Life (1991) and helped cast other films like Days of Heaven (1978), Boardwalk (1979), The Changeling (1980) and Iron Eagle (1986).

Her TV résumé also included the 1990s series Tour of Duty, Renegade, Sliders and Pensacola: Wings of Gold.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Claman started ...

Barbara Claman, a casting director whose credits included three Albert Brooks films, the TV shows Silk Stalkings and Zorro and the soap opera Santa Barbara, died Jan. 17 in Winsted, Connecticut, her son said. She was 89.

Claman worked with Brooks on Lost in America (1985), Modern Romance (1981) and Defending Your Life (1991) and helped cast other films like Days of Heaven (1978), Boardwalk (1979), The Changeling (1980) and Iron Eagle (1986).

Her TV résumé also included the 1990s series Tour of Duty, Renegade, Sliders and Pensacola: Wings of Gold.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Claman started ...

Lee Unkrich, who won Academy Awards for “Toy Story 3” and “Coco,” is departing Pixar Animation Studios after 25 years to spend more time with his family.

Unkrich joined Pixar in 1994 after working as an assistant editor in television on “Silk Stalkings” and “Renegade.” He served as editor on Pixar’s first feature, 1995’s “Toy Story,” then co-directed “Toy Story 2,” “Monsters Inc.” and “Finding Nemo.” He was the sole director on 2010’s “Toy Story 3” and shared an adapted screenplay Oscar nomination with John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton.

Unkrich informed Pixar employees on Friday of his decision. “I’m not leaving to make films at another studio; instead, I look forward to spending much-needed time with my family and pursuing interests that have long been back-burnered,” he said.

Lasseter, Pixar’s co-founder, departed the company in late 2017 amid accusations of sexual harrassment and was hired earlier this month at Skydance Animation.

Welcome back to our ongoing From VHS to VOD column – our guide through the strange and obscure – the odd, unseen and unreleased (well unreleased on disc formats) films available on streaming and on-demand services.

in the intro to our last installment I mentioned the explosion of obscure movies hitting Amazon Prime Video – available for streaming rather than purchase, some of which have been made available in the UK for the first time since VHS and a Lot that have been added to the service in their original uncut form! So with that in mind I thought over the next few columns I’d take you through a few of the films I have lined up in my “To Watch” list… Some of which I still haven’t seen!

So sit back and check out what weird and wonderful films I’ve discovered in this edition of From VHS to VOD...

Christopher Lawford, a veteran actor and activist whose uncles were Ted, Robert and President John Kennedy and was the son of Peter Lawford, has died. He was 63. His cousin Kerry Kennedy announced the news on social media but gave no details:

We mourn the loss of my cousin Christopher Lawford, Rest in Peace.

Pictured here with our family at the 2004 Democratic Convention and with his wonderful son, David. pic.twitter.com/GLlCvN7xkv

— Kerry Kennedy (@KerryKennedyRFK) September 5, 2018

Lawford had dozens of film and TV credits during a 30-year acting career. He appeared in features ranging from Impulse and The Doors to Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Thirteen Days — a Cuban Missile Crisis tale that featured his uncles JFK and Rfk as characters. He also guested on such popular TV series as Frasier, Silk Stalkings, Chicago Hope and The O.C. He also appeared on the daytime soaps All My Children and General Hospital.

Alright, so according to a new report from Soaps.com,we're about to see Bill plot out a new, big scandal. If this scandal works, it could definitely put him back in the driver's seat at Spencer Publications. This is why Bill is going to needs some very specialized help to pull it off. That's where this new guy Ken will come into play. It's being reported by both Soaps.com and TVinsider.com that Bill is going to hire a tech wiz guy named Ken to hack into the Spencer Publications computer files in an effort to retrieve the incriminating recording that Liam has of Bill confessing to setting the Spectra building on fire. Obviously, if Bill can get his hands on it, Liam would have nothing to continue blackmailing Bill with. That would set the stage for Bill to return and take back his company. The big question...

The Goldbergs are in for a Weird [Science] season premiere.

Ilan Mitchell-Smith, who starred opposite Anthony Michael Hall in the seminal 1985 film, will guest-star as a teacher named Mr. Connelly in the ’80s film-themed Season 5 premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 8/7c, TVLine has learned exclusively.

This will be Mitchell-Smith’s first TV role since 1991, when he guest-starred on Silk Stalkings. He previously portrayed Andy McAlister in the second season of the teenage Superman series Superboy from 1989-1991.

Related The Goldbergs Spinoff: Nia Long to Star

In addition, World Champion pro-wrestler Bill Goldberg (WWE Raw) will guest-star as Coach Mellor’s brother...

Some three months after Season 5’s summer finale aired, TNT’s Major Crimes has been given a return date — and a brand-new time slot.

RelatedMajor Crimes Adds Leonard Roberts as Sharon’s Opponent

The offshoot of The Closer is set to resume its season on Feb. 22, now airing on Wednesday nights at 9/8c — landing it opposite CBS’ Criminal Minds, Fox freshman Star, NBC’s Svu and Season 4 of The CW’s The 100.

RelatedMajor Crimes Casts Camryn Manheim to Potentially Succeed Taylor

Guest stars on tap for the back half of Major Crimes‘ Season 5 run include The Practice Emmy...

Is Pitch hurler due for a slump? Will things heat up for Once Upon a Time‘s “Snowing”? How soon into the future will Timeless spill its big secret? Read on for answers to those questions plus teases from other shows.

Related2017 Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Getting Cancelled? What’s on the Bubble?

I’m really loving the dynamic between Pitch‘s Mike and Ginny. Any scoop on this relationship? —Stephanie

Well, somewhat related to your inquiry, I am hearing that Mike’s nascent relationship with Amelia will grow quite complicated once it becomes clear that...