HELLO EVERBODY! IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK ONLINE AFTER HACKERS SABOTAGED OUR WEB.
WHAT'S THE BUZZ?
Film Noir
![[IMAGE]](/kingspud/images/fireplac.gif)
HAIL TO THE ACADEMY!
WHY THE LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING HAS TO WIN THE BEST PICTURE OSCAR
Another is Security Tape(s). Must they use such sticky, hard-to-remove tape on the DVD cases? In many cases I’ve destroyed the packaging trying to get the tape off. I’m not alone in this. I’ve taken a poll and many DVD buyers are just as fed up as I am. On older DVDs many times the tape is so old it won’t come off without scrubbing with Goo Gone (orange oil). The worst to remove is the top label. Sometimes it tears the film label under the plastic covering. I’m getting better at opening these DVDs but it takes about 15 mins. minimum to do and it still drives me crazy! And all because of thieves.
Now let’s talk about the 2 basic types of DVD packaging. Keep Cases and Snap Cases are the most common. I order a lot of DVDs and I find that about 1 out of 3 Snap Cases (those with cardboard covers and plastic edging) arrive with a broken hub. You can hear the pieces rattling in the case before you open the package. This means a month or more wait for a return copy. The tape on Snap Cases, however, is easily removed. Occasionally Keep Cases (all plastic snap shut cases) will arrive with broken hubs and a scratched DVD; another long wait for a return copy. The newest thing is multiple stacked DVD cases with 4 or more DVDs piled one on top another. I worry about scratches on this type case. Some are very difficult to get off the hub and you need to be extremely careful and patient in removing them.
The MOST WANTED FILMS on DVD
FOOTNOTE: I have to admit that I am such a movie lover that when one of the GEMS on either this List (above) or the TV List (below) turns up on the Upcoming DVD lists on the many Websites I search, I get an adrenaline rush the likes of winning a Billion Dollar Sweepstakes. It's a real HIGH for me and I add the Date of release to the Lists immediately.
A WORD ON L&H FILMS:
TV SERIES:
ALSO NEEDED are Remastered [CLEANED] Versions of:
Here's some good news from Meadowlane Productions, Steve Allen & family's Production Company. They are seriously considering release of Steve's masterpiece "Meeting of Minds" on DVD. Also, beware of an Amos 'n' Andy Collection of 70 episodes of the TV series and a bonus feature that includes an Intro to the TV series and most of the radio shows {audio only). The episodes are there and the extras are fun but the quality of the transfer runs from fair to very poor with some episodes. The films are a bit dirty, some cut up a bit and the transfer ranges from fuzzy and flickering to a few fairly good episodes. Some episodes contain Blatz beer commercials. The episodes stand on their own as quality comedy with fun plots and plot twists and some really excellent endings. The set costs about $127 including shipping and it's a 4 DVD set with lots of stuff on each one. Let's hope some day someone does a decent transfer of this controversial but fabulously entertaining series.
WHO CREATED WINKY DINK?
WINKY DINK - CLARIFICATION
FROM King Spud's Website
OSCARS 2002 - WRONG AGAIN
As for the show itself, it was very, very long and not as enjoyable as some recent telecasts. Whoopi was a bit off. I did laugh at a few of her lines though and I do like her a lot. My favorite parts of the show are clips of films and tributes to film history. I really liked the New York tribute and what a kick to have Woody Allen introduce it. I enjoyed the illustrated explanations of some of the categories and as always the In Memoriam segment. I usually enjoy the Special Oscars but there were one or two too many this time around. It was great to see Randy Newman finally win. It's so shocking to realize that his score for "The Natural", one of the best film scores ever, lost out to another. I can't comment too much on all the awards until I see some more of those nominated. I will say I'm happy for Denzel but I wish he would have deserved it. As for Mr. Crowe, congratulations, we know you were truly the Best Actor!
1st ANNUAL AFI AWARDS
So now they'll try their hand at selecting the Best of each year's films. This ought to be good. This group, AFI, is as 'image concerned' as AMPAS, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. They should give the Televison Academy, who dole out the Emmy Awards annually, a run for the money as the worst Awards givers in history. This group should stick to the preservation of film and not dabble in such folly.
GOLDEN GLOBES 2002 - NOMINATIONS
As for TV Shows, I'm no longer a good judge, as the current sitcoms with a few exceptions, no longer satisfy me. I watch "Everybody Loves Raymond", "Frasier" and "Enterprise" pretty religiously. I like reality shows like "Amazing Race" and "Survivor" and I do enjoy "The Weakest Link." I know "X-Files", "The Practice", "Law and Order", "NYPD Blue" and others are good but they don't "call out" to me. I will say that "Everybody Love Raymond" should have garnered a Best Comedy Series nomination, as well as nominations for Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, Brad Garrett, Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts. The Golden Globes will be awarded on Jan. 20, 2002 on NBC. I'll be there watching!
A.F.I.'s 100 YEARS - 100 THRILLS
If you want to see the List it is posted on the A.F.I.'s Website at:
http://www.afionline.org
On seeing the preview for the upcoming AFI 100 Comedies Special, I found my predictions to be 100% accurate. Most comedies in the preview are recent, dating from 1960 on. Most are not funny, but in some cases (i.e. Chaplin) merely clever or innovative. Some are merely romantic films. And some are shockingly bad!
My criteria for such a List would be: 75% = laughs; 15% = cleverness and 10% = warmth/a feel good atmosphere. Comedies are supposed to be funny. It is extremely difficult to film a successful comedy and most attempts to date are failures. I would not rule out stupid or dumb comedies if they deliver fun and laughs. This means films like 'Dumb and Dumber', 'Airplane' and the 'Naked Gun' series would fit the criteria. In viewing the previews of the upcoming Special I saw films that would not even make my List of 300 Best Comedies. In order for this list to have credibility and validity it must include: Laurel & Hardy films, Bob Hope's early movies including the 'Road to..' pictures with Crosby & Lamour, classics like 'Bringing Up Baby', which should rank in the Top 3, newer classics like 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' and 'What About Bob.' Seeing tripe like 'Caddyshack', 'Mel Brooks films' which are ALL uneven and garbage like 'Animal House', Adam Sandler, Chris Farley and David Spade films really tells me that this List will be ludicrous. We'll rip it apart soon after we view it! See: ISSUES & OPINIONS
I very much enjoyed the BBC production of "A Walk with the Dinosaurs" on Discovery Channel this weekend and its followup, equally as entertaining, "The Making of A Walk with the Dinosaurs." The only negatives were Discovery Channel's incessant interruptions to visit their On-line site for further information, the long and multiple commercial breaks and their ever present dizzying Logo on the screen. This is as distracting as having someone poking you in the ribs and waving their hands in front of your face while trying to watch something. Extremely annoying! Why must networks continue these irritating practices. Does anyone agree with me on what a nuisance they are?
Oscar Buzz: This bit about racial discrimination within the Academy is pure "hogwash." Based on the fact that Denzel Washington was not awarded the Best Actor Oscar some groups are yelling, "Discrimination!" Does that mean that Haley Joel Osment lost because of youth discrimination? Did Richard Farnsworth lose because of old-age discrimination? Maybe so, but who tells the board of an Awards Committee who they can or cannot choose? Only the Committee/Academy itself defines the criteria. You can't tell people who to vote for. If there were racial discrimination against the Academy, Hattie McDaniel, Sidney Poitier, Louis Gossett, Whoopi Goldberg, Cuba Gooding and others would not have won! It simply boils down to the fact that the Academy liked Kevin Spacey's performance more than it liked Denzel's. Sure many of us don't agree, but to yell, "Discrimination!" is ludicrous. Cut it out!
Is there anyone better than Billy Crystal as Oscar host...I don't think so!
Thank God for E! channel's very fun coverage of Oscar arrivals and post Oscar parties and to Entertainment Tonight's always terrific Oscar coverage...no one does it better than ET.
How about Cameron Diaz, Hilary Swank, Angelina Jolie, Minnie Driver and Selma Hayak for Hollywood glamour.
Did you notice Hollywood's young actors out in force last night? But where were the old Hollywood veterans? I miss them. Saw Karl Malden and James Coburn but where were the rest?
If you're really a movie fan though, the clips of old actors and Hollywood history are your favorite part of the show. My only complaint is the pacing. Please no clips under 3 seconds long. No multiple, montage clips onscreen at one time...we can't see any of them and its confusing. And please, more clips!
And how about passing out rotten tomatoes to the audience and if any acceptance speech goes over 2 minutes...yell "FIRE!" Let 'em have it whether they are a holocaust survivor, a nun, in a wheelchair, the Pope, a little kid or an old lady. FIRE!
Here's a little tip on film reviewers. Two guys who are even more in tune with the general public in the films they like are: Jay Leno & David Letterman. When they go out of their way to recommend a film I've found that quite often they are "right on the money." Most recently Leno recommended "Straight Story" very highly and he is correct in saying it's a heart-warming, very moving film.
It does look like American Beauty will now sweep the Oscars and win the Big 5 Awards (Picture; Actor; Actress, Director; Screenplay) unless Hilary Swank and maybe Richard Farnsworth, my favorites, can upset the apple cart.
Since Roger Ebert, who I admire along with his late partner Gene Siskel, recently picked his Top 10 Films of the 1990s, I will list mine. You'll notice that although I enjoy hearing Roger's reviews of films we very much differ in the types of films we enjoy the most. Roger, and Gene too, seem to like bloody, violent type films and their directors (Tarantino, Scorsese, DePalma, etc.) as well as very serious film themes, and realism. I tend to shy away from such things...in fact, I want to escape from such negativity and serious drama. Yes some of my films are violent but not gratuitous violence...save for maybe the one film we agree on "Fargo." My Top 10 Films of the 1990s reflect that and they are:
Honorable Mention:
One of the sad aspects of "getting up there in years" is watching all of one's heroes and heroines pass on...some to immortality. In the past few years people of my generation have lost Buffalo Bob Smith; Roy Rogers; Gene Autry; Gail "Annie Oakley" Davis; Clayton "Lone Ranger" Moore and so many others. Today we learned of the passing of one not well-known but who had an influence on early kids television. He was Harold W. Prichett who created Winky Dink, a TV character who kids actually aided in his quests. It was a neat gimmick. You sent in a few boxtops and a dollar and were sent, via U.S. mail, a Winky Dink set which consisted of four crayons, a sheet of see-through plastic the size of your TV screen and a soft rag for erasing. When "Winky Dink and You" aired on Saturday mornings kids would fight over the crayons, as the black crayon was used most often. There would be an adventure or quest in which the animated Winky Dink would eventually need help in crossing a river or mountain gap and the kid with the black crayon would be asked to draw a bridge or a boat to aid Winky Dink across...then after he'd crossed you'd erase the bridge or boat so those pursuing him could not follow. Oh how we fought over that black crayon. Such ingenuity. Thank you Mr. Prichett for such wonderful memories of many a Saturday morning for kids of the 1950s!
A few notes on Character Actors: #1. I hope those of you who visit those Pages will notice the convenient INDEX at the top of each Page. Many folks miss it. #2. I do hear from the families and relatives of a few of these great actors (Albert Salmi, Robert Middleton, Tim Scott, Sid Tomack, John Ireland and others) and this is very rewarding to me, and for them also apparently. I've yet to hear from any of the surviving actors but am still very hopeful. I hope that they would feel it an absolute honor to be included on such a fabulous list of great thespians. #3. I'm actually learning a lot by doing the Character Actors Pages. I discover "new" character actors quite often. They've been around a while but I never identified the names with the faces. The latest is a charming actress whom I've seen numerous times but never connected with her name or her numerous roles: Norma Varden is her name and she was a gem of an actress. Her very nostalgic voice invokes her image if you hear it and she had a very kindly aristocratic face. This is my reward for creating Great Character Actors.
Hedy Lamarr really was a timeless beauty, even though she considered it a "curse."
Jester Hairston, who played the Kingfish's brother-in-law Leroy on "Amos "n" Andy" on TV, was a real trouper! He appeared on 2 other series: "That's My Mama" and "Amen!" as well as composed many choral works. He must've fought the Amos 'n' Andy stereotyping all his life, except that, arguably, the Amos 'n' Andy image was not as negative as some of those you see today!
Some comments on Music in the 90's and 1999: Best artist of 1999 = None; Best Song of 1999 = None; Best Pop/Rock Group of 1999 = None. Best Pop/Rock Group of the 90's = R.E.M. ( a dubious distinction); Best Artist of the 90's = Madonna (again a dubious distinction); Best Song of 90's = None. Pop/Rock Music died in the 1990s.
How could the Hollywood Foreign Press ignore Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace and The Green Mile in their Golden Globe nominations?
Was just browsing through a back issue of Entertainment Weekly magazine which listed the Top 100 Scenes from Movies. The list was so ludicrous I won't comment too much but to say that any such List that has The Godfather's Wedding Scene as No. 1 and the Chariot Race from Ben Hur as No. 49 (it should be 1st) is mere drivel. Also, this List and other Lists in the magazine steer clear of any films made before 1950, meaning it was conducted by either Baby Boomers and/or Generation Xers and they actually believe the world was created in the year they were born!
Great News! There won't be any of those dopey dance numbers on this year's Oscar telecast. Did anyone like those?
Best movies of 2000 to me were: Gladiator; Dinosaur; Castaway; The Patriot
Did we need another remake of 'A Christmas Carol'? Who's next PeeWee Herman?
Am I the only one irritated by shrinking of credits in movies and TV programming? or: Showing promos and gabbing over the music score? or: Logos on the corner of the TV screen through an entire movie or program?
The fabulous mini-series "Masada" with Peter O'Toole in arguably his greatest role is now available in its 6 hour entirety on video at a bargain price of $39.99 and worth every penny.
Wouldn't it be great to see reruns of the old TV series: Andy's Gang; Topper; Barney Miller; My Little Margie; Captain Midnight; Fury; Sky King; Crusader Rabbit; Rawhide; Yancy Derringer; The Invaders; mini-series such as Masada; Backstairs at the White House and others?
VIDEO of the MONTH
(Winter 2007)
BEST MOVIES I'VE SEEN ON VIDEO OR CABLE OF LATE = Helen of Troy (TVM); Rhapsody in Bloom; Warrior Queen (TVM); Path to War(TVM); Sleeper Cell; Our Fathers; Silent Night; The Kingdom; Bernard and Doris; Rome [Mini-series]; The Tudors [Mini-series]; Island on Bird Street; Comanche Moon;
TELEVISION: tie - E! [Entertainment Channel]; E.T. [Entertainment Tonight]
INTERNET: IMdb (Internet Media Database) and E! Online
BEST DISCOVERY WATCHING SUMMER RERUNS = Dancing with the Stars; Kid Nation
BEST REALITY SHOW = Amazing Race
BEST CURRENT TV SHOW (Drama) = Amazing Race; 24; Sleeper Cell; Enterprise; Smallville; Heroes (Honorable Mention: Inside the Actors Studio
BEST CURRENT TV SHOW (Comedy) = Amazing Race
BEST CURRENT TV SHOW (Miscellaneous) = Ebert and Roeper;
BEST TV SHOW OF ALL TIME (Drama) = Combat (Honorable Mention: Gunsmoke)
BEST TV SHOW OF ALL TIME (Comedy) = Amos 'n' Andy (Honorable Mention = The Bob Newhart Show)
BEST TV SHOW OF ALL TIME (Variety) = The Steve Allen Show (1960s)
BEST TV TALK SHOW OF ALL TIME = Home and Family
FAVORITE TV ACTORS/PERSONALITIES = Harry R. "Tim" Moore (see: Character Actors); Bob Newhart; Vic Morrow; Steve Allen; Jeff Smith; Ebert & Roeper; "Buffalo Bob" Smith; George Reeves; James Nusser; Leo G. Carroll (see: Character Actors); David Letterman; Jay Leno; Craig Ferguson; Jimmy Kimmel; Kiefer Sutherland; Dennis Haysbert; David Attenborough
FAVORITE TV ACTRESSES/PERSONALITIES = Marion Lorne; Elizabeth Montgomery; Mary Tyler Moore; Frances Horwich; Jesslyn Fax; Suzanne Pleshette; Patricia
Heaton; Doris Roberts;
BEST RECENT SONG = Bad Day (Daniel Powter)
FAVORITE SINGER (Female) = Karen Carpenter (Honorable Mention: Celine Dion; Barbra Streisand; Betty Buckley; Madonna; Cyndi Lauper)
FAVORITE MOVIE ACTORS = Oliver Hardy; Cary Grant; Humphrey Bogart; James Cagney; James Mason; William Holden; Steve McQueen; Jimmy Stewart; Danny Glover; Jack Nicholson; Morgan Freeman; Peter O'Toole; Sean Connery; Richard Harris; James Earl Jones; Anthony Hopkins; Harrison Ford; Robert Duvall; Robert Mitchum; Dustin Hoffman; James Coburn; Tom Hanks; Liam Neeson; Gabriel Byrne; Daniel Day-Lewis; Michael Douglas; Gene Hackman
FAVORITE MOVIE ACTRESSES = Jane Darwell; Patricia Neal; Audrey Hepburn; Katharine Hepburn; Jessica Lange; Kathy Bates; Emma Thompson; Sara Allgood; Angela Lansbury; Kate Reid; Susan Hayward; Cameron Diaz; Ann Haney; Frances Sternhagen; Bonnie Bartlett; Hilary Swank; Judi Dench;
RECOMMENDED BOOKS ON MOVIES & TELEVISION
Video Movie Guide 2007 by Mick Martin & Marsha Porter
Roger Ebert's Video Companion 2007 by Roger Ebert
The Complete Directory to Primetime Network TV shows 1948-Present (Current Ed.)
Total Television (Current Ed.) by Alex McNeil
On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio by John Dunning
Inside Oscar: Unofficial History of the Academy Awards by Mason Wiley & Damien Bona
People Entertainment Almanac 2007 by Cader Books (Issued annually)
The Film Encyclopedia by Ephraim Katz
The Filmgoer's Companion Latest ed. by Leslie Halliwell
Illustrated Encyclopedia of Movie Character Actors by David Quinlan
Who Is That? by Warren B. Meyers [out of print but worth searching rare books shops for]
Character People by Ken D. Jones; Arthur F. McClure & Alfred E. Twomey
Reel Heroes to Real Heroes and Real Heroes to Reel Heroes by Richard Williams [Trafford Publishing]
O.K. You Mugs: Writers on Movie Actors edited by Luc Sante
Reel Characters by Jordan R. Young
Feature Players Vol. 2 by Tom & Jim Goldrup
Feature Players Vol. 3 by Tom & Jim Goldrup
B Western Actors Encyclopedia by Ken Holland
CowPokes 'n' CowBelles by Donn J. Moyer available from Wild West Publishing
RECOMMENDED MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACKS on CD
Dances With Wolves by John Barry
Music For A Darkened Theatre by Danny Elfman
Braveheart by James Horner
Rob Roy by Carter Burwell
Last of the Mohicans by Randy Edelman
Dragonheart by Randy Edelman
How the West Was Won by Alfred Newman
James Bond 30th Anniversary Limited Ed. by Various artists
The Science Fiction Album (multiple disks) by City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Sci-Fi's Greatest Hits Vols. 1 thru 4 Various artists
Titanic by James Horner
Bernard Herrmann Film Scores by Royal Philharmonic
Bernard Herrmann Fantasy Scores
Barry Lyndon Soundtrack by Various Artists
Alive Soundtrack by James Newton Howard
Ice Age & Ice Age 2
Shrek Soundtrack by Harry Gregson-Williams & John Powell
Transformers
I am thrilled by the recent (2004) Oscar honors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences [AMPAS]. Never have the recipients been so deserving nor has the Academy agreed so with critics, fans and the media upon the honorees. In fact they were more than kind to the magnificent trilogy The Lord of the Rings. With this and recent inclusion of Independent films the Academy has "come of age." It is reflecting the tastes of the rest of the world. I know I am not alone in my feelings on the outcome of this year's Academy Awards. I thank the Academy and its members for restoring their credibility and integrity.
The number one answer to this question is that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) desperately needs to restore credibility and integrity to its goals. The Academy blew it with Citizen Kane, E.T. and Fargo as well as the first two installments of this cinematic masterpiece. In the mid 21st century how many people will remember the films Gandhi, The English Patient and even A Beautiful Mind? I guarantee you they WILL remember E.T., Fargo and Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring as film classics. And, is Chicago really a better film than Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers? Is Forest Gump better than The Shawshank Redemption? Watch them all and then dare to say yes. Rarely does a trilogy like Lord of the Rings come along and take you on a journey so involving, so magnificent and so rewarding. This is not a sword and sorcery drama nor is it frivolous in any way. It contains strong messages and life affirming values and lessons. Such heart and work has gone into the creation of this marvel as to boggle the mind. The art of the cinema has been raised to levels not yet imagined by Peter Jackson and his crews. Even if it was up against The Passion of Christ with the original cast I would still say it must be properly hailed and honored. It proves that filmmaking is indeed art!
MORE ON DVDs
Thanks to this Website I’m able to vent my frustrations on things that bother me. Not that it does any good, but my list of Films Wanted on DVD has dwindled quite substantially as one after another are released; many of them quite obscure. Somebody out there IS listening. I have a lot of DVD related pet peeves, chief among them being poor video quality and dirty (uncleaned, pitted and scratched) prints of films being produced quickly just to “cash in.”
Here is MY List of the most wanted Films on DVD. I feel it is near complete although there may be a few titles I missed. These are my favorites and I emphasize MY. Some are already available but at very high prices e.g. Criterion Collection films; these I have marked [affordable] meaning a lower priced version is needed. Others are available thru Goodtimes a company with a poor track record of DVDs. Most are grainy, scratched, dirty, some scenes are missing, dialog is interrupted and they are of extremely poor quality. Alpha Video DVDs can be "iffy" too as they deal in older films. I have received some poor quality DVDs from the big companies also. Films to stay away from:
Black Stallion;
Escape from Fort Bravo [very grainy, filmed in washed-out Ansco Color
Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Rev. Jim Jones;
Indictment: The McMartin Trial;
Maid in America:
Mrs. Brown;
Patterns; [Critics Choice]
Predator;
Pride of Jesse Hallem [TVM];
Story Lady, The;
as all were either scratched and/or dirty and I was also uhappy with the quality of the release of:
The Desperate Hours [1955];
with lots of flickering on the video and more recently:
For Whom the Bell Tolls;
which had some out-of-focus scenes and Family Plot with too many dirt specks and scratches.
The Miami Vice TV Series Season 1
should have been cleaned before printing to DVD. Most of these are dirty, bad quality DVDs. Dirt, scratches, hair and nicks are intolerable on DVDs. Some companies are in such a hurry to make money they distribute a poor product. All films transferred to DVD should at the very least be thoroughly cleaned as is best possible. Dirt grains and particles on films are inexcusable. The battle of Pan & Scan/Full Screen vs. Letterbox/Widescreen is still on but more and more people are choosing Widescreen and rightly so. The picture, besides being full and complete, is sharper, the colors richer and eventually we will all have rectangular screens. Obviously, all films on my list would preferably be in WS. Getting back to my List, films with more than one version include the year of release.
I have removed quite a few titles (at least 75) from this list as they are now available on DVD. Is somebody actually listening? If so, take special note of "Missing Link" (1988) and "Abe Lincoln in Illinois" (with Raymond Massey),"The African Queen", "AMAZING STORIES", "Back from Eternity", "The Big Sky", "The Best Man", "Conspiracy of Hearts", "Counterpoint", "Crusoe", "The Comic" with Dick Van Dyke, "1492: Conquest of Paradise", "Delta Heat", "Downhill Racer" with Redford, "Dreamer of Oz" a great TVM of L. Frank Baum's creation of the "Wizard of Oz", "Young Tom Edison" and "Edison the Man", "84 Charlie Mopic", "The Emigrants" and "The New Land", Jan Troell's Masterpiece, "Escape from Fort Bravo", "Far North" with Jessica Lange, "Florence Nightingale" an excellent TV Movie with Jaclyn Smith, "Guns of Fort Petticoat", "The Green Years", "The Green Journey" aka "The Love She Sought", "The Happy Years", "Rasputin" (HBO -PLEASE CLEAN THE FILM), Sands of the Kalahari", "The Savage Innocents", "Seven Cities of Gold", "Sign of the Cross", "The Spikes Gang", "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", "The 27TH Day" and "Westward the Women." Paramount Pictures seems to be the slowest in releaasing their films on DVD. Aren't they losing more than we?
Here is my FULL List:
1492: Conquest of Paradise
Abandon Ship
Abe Lincoln in Illinois
A.D. [Anno Domino - 1985 TV mini-series]
African Queen, The
All Mine to Give [COMING on NOVEMBER 11, 2008]
All My Sons [1948]
Amahl and the Night Visitors [Worldvision – 1978]
Ambulance, The
America in the 40s [Reader's Digest Prod. avail. only on VHS]
Apartment for Peggy, An
At Play in the Fields of the Lord
Back from Eternity
Best Man, The [1964]
Big Sky, The
Black Stallion [a re-mastered - CLEAN print]
Bonnie Prince Charlie [1948 - David Niven]
Boomerang [1947 film noir]
Borgia Stick, The [1967 - TVM]
Call of the Wild [TVM - Rick Schroder - 1993]
Catered Affair, A [1956]
Charlemagne [1996 - mini-series]
Christmas Toys, The [1986 - TVM]
Comic, The [1969 - Dick Van Dyke]
Conspiracy of Hearts [1960]
Corsican Brothers, The [1941]
Counterpoint [1968 – Charlton Heston] (Did this film disappear off the face of the Earth?)
Crack in the World [1965]
Crowded Sky, The
Crusoe [1988 – Aidan Quinn]
Delta Heat [1992]
Desperate Hours, The (1955) [a re-mastered - CLEAN print]
Destination Gobi
Destroyer [1943]
Down to the Sea in Ships [1949]
Downhill Racer
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet
Dragonwyck
Dreamchild
Dreamer of Oz, The [TV Movie]
Dreamhouse [TV Movie – 1981 – John Schneider]
Edison the Man
84 Charlie Mopic
El Norte [1983]
Emigrants, The [1971 - see also: New Land, The]
Far North [1988]
Farmer's Daughter, The [1947]
55 Days at Peking
Florence Nightingale [1985 - Excellent TVM - Jaclyn Smith]
Fooling Around
Frisco Kid [1935 w/J. Cagney]
Goodbye, Miss 4th of July [1988 - TVM]
Great Waltz, The [1938]
Green Journey [TVM - 1990 - Angela Lansbury - see: Love She Sought]
Green Years, The
Guns of Fort Petticoat, The
Happy Years, The [1950 w/ Dean Stockwell]
Hawaiians, The [1970]
High Barbaree [1947]
Homeward Bound [TVM – 1980]
House of Numbers
Indictment: The McMartin Trial [a re-mastered - CLEAN print]
Isadora
Island, The [1980]
Ivanhoe [1982 - TVM w/James Mason]
K-2 [1992 - Not Goodtimes]
King of the Hill [1993 – S. Soderbergh dir.]
King of the Khyber Rifles
Lassiter
Last Angry Man, The [Paul Muni and Pat Hingle versions]
Last Days of Pompeii [mini-series 1984]
Laurel Avenue [TV Mini-Series – 1993]
Laurel & Hardy [all sound shorts – Features: Pardon Us; Pack Up Your Troubles; A Chump at Oxford; Swiss Miss; Bohemian Girl; Our Relations; Saps at Sea; Flying Deuces SEE: A word on L&H films below]
Left Hand of God, The
Little Lord Fauntleroy [1980 – TV Movie – A. Guinness, R. Schroder]
Little Riders, The [EXCELLENT family film - Made for Cable 1996]
Love with the Proper Stranger [1963]
Love She Sought, The aka Green Journey [TVM - 1990 - Angela Lansbury - Excellent]
Magic of Ordinary Days, The [2005 Hallmark Hall of Fame MTV]
Magnificent Obsession
Maid in America [a re-mastered - CLEAN print]
Main Street After Dark
Man on a Tightrope [1953]
Mass Appeal
Master of Ballantrae [TVM – 1984 – Michael York]
Masterminds
Meeting of Minds aka Steve Allen’s Meeting of Minds [1980s – all episodes]
Men Don't Leave
Missing Link [Excellent family film-directed by Carol & David Hughes] [1988 -MCA Home Video]
Mrs. Brown [a re-mastered - CLEAN print]
Mountain, The [1956 - Spencer Tracy & Robert Wagner]
Mudlark, The
Murder, He Says [1945 - Hilarious Comedy w/Fred MacMurray & Marjorie Main]
New Land, The [1972 – sequel to The Emigrants]
Night and the City - film noir
North Star
Northwest Mounted Police
Northwest Passage
Oklahoma Kid, The (1939)
Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss [1988 – Jean Shepherd auth.]
Operation Daybreak [1976]
Oxford Blues
Patterns [1956] BEWARE: Critics Choice copy which is pitiful quality
Personals, The [1982]
Phase IV [1974]
Photographing Fairies [1997]
Pride and Prejudice [1940]
Purple Haze
Quo Vadis [COMING ON NOVEMBER 11, 2008]
Rasputin [HBO Made for Cable – 1996 – A. Rickman - HBO: please clean the print before production]
Retreat, Hell! [1952]
Rhapsody in Bloom
Rob Roy: Highland Rogue [Disney]
Run [1991 - Patrick Dempsey]
Sahara [TV Movie – 1995 – James Belushi]
St. Louis Kid, The
Sally and Saint Anne
Salome
Salute to the Marines
Samson and Delilah [1949 - New Remastered Print]
Sands of the Kalahari
Savage Innocents, The [Anthony Quinn]
Sea Wolf, The
Secret of the Incas
Secrets of the U.S. Mint [NOVA Documentary]
Seven Cities of Gold [1955]
Siege of Firebase Gloria [1989]
Sophisticated Gents [1981 - TVM]
Spikes Gang, The
Story Lady, The [a remastered - clean print]
Story of Mankind, The
Studs Lonigan [1979 - TV mini-series]
Summer Holiday [1948]
Sunrise at Campobello
Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill...
10 North Frederick
Tennessee Johnson [Van Heflin & Lionel Barrymore - 1942]
Tenth Man, The [TVM – 1992 – A. Hopkins & D. Jacobi]
They Live By Night
That's Life
This Land is Mine
Three Came Home [1950 – C. Colbert]
To Each His Own [1946]
Tortilla Flat [1942]
Tree Grows in Brooklyn, A [1945] [WHEN? WHEN? WHEN?]
27th Day (1957)
Tycoon [John Wayne]
Vestige of Honor [TV Movie - 1990]
War Paint [1953 - western]
Washington-Behind Closed Doors [TVM]
Watch on the Rhine
War Lord, The [1965]
Westward the Women [1951]
White Cliffs of Dover
Who's Minding the Mint
Wuthering Heights [1939]
Young Bess
Young Love, First Love [TVM - 1979]
Young Tom Edison
Laurel and Hardy were the Greatest Comedy team ever! Like all actors, they made a few "bad films" primarily in the 1940s with MGM where Stan Laurel, the genius behind their chemistry and comedy, had little to NO control over the quality of the films, thus the comedy is very weak and sadly they were both getting older and in poor health. Utopia, for example, their final film together is hard to watch as they were both deteriorating, Stan was ill and Ollie later had a serious stroke. Some of their Silent films, too, are not up to par. So, in conclusion, the Boys best work remains their excellent short films and the feature length films prior to the MGM films. Flying Deuces is evidence of what was to follow, as it has great moments and weak ones. So please do not judge Laurel & Hardy on their MGM 1940s films, or most of their silents!. See them in their prime!
AFI Tributes to... [All from John Ford to Sean Connery]
AMAZING RACE [ALL EPISODES - We want Amazing Races 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10]
American Chronicles
Anything and Everything with David Attenborough
Bob Newhart Show, The [ALL SEASONS - 1 thru 4 now available]
Coach [Seasons 4 thru 9] [Come on Universal! More Episodes PLEASE!]
Earth: The Final Conflict Seasons 1 $ 2 [Hey Universal! The Fans want the early Episodes] GOOD NEWS COMING IN MAY 2008
Frasier [ALL Seasons - 1 thru 10 now available]
Get a Life [More Episodes]
Mary Tyler Moore Show [Seasons 5 thru 7 - 1 thru 4 now available]
Meeting of Minds [ALL EPISODES]
Science Fiction Theatre
BLACK STALLION,THE;
CHRISTMAS WITHOUT SNOW, A
CURE, THE;
DESPERATE HOURS, THE [1955] (serious video transfer problems)
FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS;
GUYANA TRAGEDY - THE REV. JIM JONES STORY (serious video transfer problems)
INDICTMENT: THE McMARTIN TRIAL;
MAID IN AMERICA;
MRS. BROWN;
PRIDE OF JESSE HALLEM, THE;
STORY LADY, THE;
all of which were released without a good cleaning and most in horrific condition. They contained dirt and hair specks, scratches, video (horizontal) fluttering, bad splices, missing dialog, washed out/faded color and other flaws. They were atrociously dirty and I feel the producers of these DVDs owe me my money back and an apology for selling such...crap! When I buy a DVD I expect ONLY the highest quality print available and in most cases the distributors deliver. Be warned the above DVDs are not worth a nickel!
And here's a good question for ADV Video, why can't we get Earth: Final Conflict Seasons 1 & 2 which were the best? Only Seasons 3, 4 & 5 are available.
HAPPY 100th BOB HOPE
Best Wishes to the great American comic Bob Hope on his 100th birthday! Here is a man who has entertained his fellow human beings for over 80 years. Not only is he an American Icon but he is one of the funniest humans on this planet. I can honestly say that I've never laughed harder at any single comic than Mr. Hope. His films of the early years (1930s-1960s) are classics of comedy. Some of my favorites: "Casanova's Big Night", "Paleface" and "Son of Paleface", "The Lemon Drop Kid" and the "My Favorite...." series. His teaming with his buddy Bing Crosby created the second greatest comedy team in film history (next to the great "Laurel & Hardy"). His visits to our troops over the years meant so much to them and their families that they revere Mr. Hope. His TV specials were quite clever and fun too. That sloped nose, that Hope stride, that quick mind and neat smile will be forever burned in to the minds of all who knew or remember him. God, Thank You for giving us Bob Hope!
Sorry! But...
I just can’t believe how out of touch the critics and the Hollywood community are with the general public. Seeing the films the critics picked as so called Best and now the Hollywood Foreign Press via their Golden Globes. The People’s Choice Awards, which I quite often debase because I most often do not agree with them, were much more on target this year in their choices. People do not particularly care for these depressing, slow-moving films that the critics lean towards. People like to be entertained and none of the winning films this year or in many years past are NOT entertaining. Which films are classics Gandhi or Close Encounters, Chariots of Fire or Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Last Emperor or Star Wars, Out of Africa or Fargo? Which films will people watch over and over again American Beauty or The Lion King, The English Patient or The Shawshank Redemption, An American in Paris or Executive Decision?
The Best films of 2002 were not Chicago or The Hours or Adaptation or About Schmidt. The Best films of 2002 were: Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones, Spider-Man, Ice Age, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Behind Enemy Lines, Stuart Little 2 and Signs, to name just a few. When will these stuffed shirts honor the entertainment films? We don’t want to be depressed at the movies…we want to be entertained!
TRULY AN AMAZING RACE
Some people really look down on you if you admit to enjoying a “reality TV series.” It’s much like buying/reading the National Enquirer. Even those at TV Guide who endorse certain 'reality shows' call them ‘Guilty Pleasures.’ Yet some of them are very entertaining, albeit voyeuristic. I guess shows such as “Jerry Springer”, “Rikki Lake” and “Sally Jesse Raphael” are considered reality shows as are “The Bachelor”, “Anna Nicole Smith” and those awful, but entertaining, dating series: “Shipmates”, The 5th Wheel”, “Elimidate” and others. Some of the better reality series are: “The Mole”, “Survivor”, “Meet the Folks”, The Real World” and yes, even “The Osbournes.” But the Best by far is “The Amazing Race.” Even the host Phil Keoghan and the theme music are better than most other reality shows. What makes this one stand above the others is the way it is conceived. It’s basically a race around the world by two person teams, stopping in exotic locations as well as some third world countries, the performance of some tricky and often dangerous tasks just to get information on the next leg of the journey. There is strategy involved, allegiances, luck: both good and bad, turmoil amongst and between the teams, lots of laughs and much, much more. It is so fast-paced that I’m sometimes on the edge of my chair. I tape the show while I’m at work and watch it when I get home. I’m usually having my supper during the show and I end up scarfing it down as the pace of the show quickens. This show is quite involving. The sad thing is that it’s usually rated among the 70 bottom shows in the Nielsen ratings and the best it’s done is 43rd place. It deserves better. Most people are unaware of how involving the show is. Watch two episodes and you WILL be hooked. You will have a team to root for and you may find one or more to hate! The critics love the show, TV Guide ranked it the Best Reality series on TV and CBS knows it is good and promises a 4th season next year. Give this show a try, especially if you love travel, but even if you don’t. I think you’ll agree with me, the critics and TV Guide.
STAR WARS II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES DELIVERS!
I've always felt, since first seeing Star Wars, that George Lucas is a genius much like Charles Dickens or Mark Twain. He's taken us on an exciting voyage to new places to see fascinating characters, awesome inventions and wonderful stories. Proof of this comes in viewing his latest film in the Star Wars series, Attack of the Clones. Anyone who says this film is boring, slow moving or not up to par is way out of line. The film is action packed, well paced and the visuals are mind blowing. Those who are disappointed are people who saw the first film series as kids. They expect the films to change as they do. Well, wake up kiddies! The films have always been the same, it's you who are different. Those of us who saw the films as adults have realized these are family films, not The X-Files or American Beauty. They have always had the same elements. You will find a few "cutesy" characters that you don't particularly like. Not that this happens in everyday life. Wake up! Lower your expectations and enjoy these fantastic masterpieces. If your expectations remain too high you will always be disappointed.
WHAT'S WITH ROGER EBERT?
It seemed to begin last year with his review of "Gladiator." His complaints about the film were so ridiculous: it's too dark, the dialog wasn't sharp, it was historically inaccurate, the casting was bad, and so on he went. What's weird about this is that he was wrong in most every area. Check out the film yourself! Of late he has nixed via his Thumbs Down some very good films. I realize he prefers social dramas, foreign films, independently produced films and the like; what I usually refer to as Cinema Snobbery. This is OK but don't give a bad review to a good film just because it's in the mainstream. I value his opinions and sometimes agree with him but lately he's been way off and way out! The most recent examples were "Spiderman" and "Star Wars III: Attack of the Clones." I have always opposed Siskel & Ebert & Roeper's THUMBS UP or DOWN approach. I recall both of them reviewing the film "Grumpier Old Men" saying how great Burgess Meredith was and how beautiful Sofia Loren was and how very
good she was in this film but because they felt Walter Matthau was sluggish and Lemmon also they gave it Thumbs Down. I remember them giving other films they liked Thumbs Down for some other ridiculous reason. Why use this system? Why not the 4 star **** system? If it's got some value for someone it deserves to be seen. At any rate, keep your eyes and ears on Roger Ebert these days and see what I mean about his reviews. He's never been so far off before!
WHAT A SUMMER (2002) FOR MOVIES!
Having seen the first real Blockbuster for the summer of 2002, "Spiderman", I can say that this could be one of the biggest summers ever. Just as fun as the movie, which was absolutely terrific, were the previews of coming attractions. Such films as "Stuart Little 2", "The Hulk", "Men in Black 2", Austin Powers in "Goldmember" and of course "Star Wars 2: Attack of the Clones" will get me shelling out my $5.50 (bargain matinee prices only) on many coming summer days. These are just a few of the films coming up but boy do they look promising...at least from the previews. "Spiderman" really delivered. It was awesome in all areas: casting, acting, cinematography, music score, pacing, stunts, special effects, directing, script and all. This was by far the best comic book tranferred to the screen. It made the Batman and Superman films look cheesy and pale in comparison. As for "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones", if you're expectations aren't so damned high you should enjoy it as well. I loved "SW: Phantom Menace" because I didn't expect it to be the greatest film ever made as most SW fans seemed to. At any rate, you can't say they don't make good films anymore.
Back in 2000 I wrote a tribute to the recently departed Harold W. Prichett, a man who supposedly created the popular 1950s game show in which kids would purchase a Winky Dink set (which included four crayons of different colors, a sheet of plastic and other membership kit items) in order to play along with the show at home. The plastic sheet would adhere to your TV and following instructions from host, Jack Barry or Winky Dink himself you could rescue him by drawing a bridge for crossing water, or a tree he could hide behind, etc using the crayons. Any child of the 1950s remembers this show with a great fondness and nostalgia. Now, another so called Winky Dink creator has passed on to eternal rest. Did both he and Mr. Prichett co-create Winky Dink? And why does everyone seem to want credit for this series? I researched my books and could find no actual written credits for the series. Most books claim that host, the late Jack Barry co-created the show with producers Dan Enright and Ed Friendly. The IMDb lists Mr. Prichett and a Mr. Edwin Brit Wyckoff as creators. One source mentions two men presented the idea to Barry and Enright early on. Could this be Mssrs. Prichett and Wyckoff or is Mr. Louis Heyward who died in March 2002 at age 81 also involved? Curious that so many people want credit for this show.
Here is an E-mail that should clarify the Winky Dink Question:
Subj: From Website - UTTM
Date: 4/23/02 11:19:32 AM Central Daylight Time
From: King.Spud's.Website.-.UTTM@mail.modwest.com
Reply-to: wyckoff@aol.com
To: DJohn48946@aol.com
Sender's Name: edwin brit wyckoff
Sender's E-Mail: wyckoff@aol.com
Message: Harry W. Prichett and Edwin Brit Wyckoff created Winky Dink and You, 1952. Barry Enright & Friendly produced. CBS aired for 3 1/2 years. Louis 'Deke' Heyward was a wonderful writer for BEF, the first of many. Winky was historic breakthrough including audience in a physical,personal way never done before or since. Everyone wants to have been there and done that. They didn't. We did. Please help keep the record straight.
I should allow my self to cool down before making these comments but the Academy frustrates me to no end! Granted the Academy Awards is their "baby" and they can do whatever they want and award Oscars to anyone they want, but then don't call them the BEST! Everything was going smooth on Sunday night. Halle Berry made history being awarded an Oscar she really deserved. It was a great moment, but it was lessened by what followed. The Best Actor did not get his award, instead they gave it to the third, or arguably the fourth best performance on their list. Why? They wanted to make a statement. They wanted to stop the incessant whining of the black community. Maybe Russell Crowe's personality turned them off, but they claim they're honoring the Best Actor. Not since John Wayne won for True Grit has such an undeserved award been given. Well, I hope this will stop the whining now and let's get back to awarding the BEST. Lest someone label me a racist for stating what I believe to be the truth, let me say that I truly believe the best American actors today are blacks: Danny Glover (who should have won for "Grand Canyon" but was not even nominated); Morgan Freeman (who should have two Oscars in his pocket by now: "Driving Miss Daisy" Best Supporting Actor and "The Shawshank Redemption" Best Actor; James Earl Jones (he should have an Oscar for his work in "Field of Dreams" and "A Family Thing"). Many white, Hispanic and oriental actors have also been overlooked by the Academy too. This is bound to happen.
On January 5, 2002 the American Film Institute will initiate its first annual film awards. This should be really good. This is an organization whose 'seemingly' annual Lists are so ludicrous and questionable. Any organization who ranks Laurel & Hardy behind the Marx Brothers, Fields, Chaplin, Keaton, Abbott & Costello, Mel Brooks and Woody Allen is not playing with a full deck. Every one of their Lists omits film classics and places questionable films and some good ones out of rank. Their List of comedies excluded completely my number one choice...Planes, Trains and Automobiles. It listed only one Laurel & Hardy comedy and at 96th place. The Court Jester at 98th. Other Lists were equally questionable.
Just a few comments on the recent Golden Globe 2002 Nominations; and it's hard to comment when you haven't seen all the films and TV Shows. Based on all the buzz I've been hearing I was surprised at some inclusions and some omissions. First off, the most obvious omissions for Best Actor in a Movie Drama were Kevin Kline in "My Life as a House"; Tom Cruise in "Vanilla Sky" Jim Carrey in "The Majestic" and Tom Wilkinson "In the Bedroom." These actors were originally considered frontrunners with Wilkinson considered a shoo-in. Missing for Best Picture Drama were: "The Majestic", "Black Hawk Down" and "My Life as a House." Granted this wasn't a great year for movies...or TV, but we'll always have someone or something left out. In the actress category there are no blatant omissions that I can detect nor in the supporting categories. As for "Ali", I just can't buy Wil Smith (who I really like a lot) as Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali and even harder to swallow is Jon Voight as Howard Cosell. I had a tough time buying Voight as FDR in "Pearl Harbor." In the Musical/Comedy category I still don't know if, or how much, I liked "Moulin Rouge." It was a very odd movie, at times ultra confusing but it had great music and dance numbers and some fine animation effects and brilliant art direction. My favorite movie of the year was "Shrek" and some others I really enjoyed were: "Jurassic Park III", "Planet of the Apes", "A Knight's Tale" and "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring." There may be a few I'm forgetting.
FEEL GOOD MOVIES AND ENTERTAINMENT
At no time in our history has there been a stronger need for movies and entertainment to come into our lives to calm us, soothe us, make us feel better and even give us a good laugh! For that reason I'd like to recommend some films and mini-series, cartoons and entertainments that can do just that. First off, most of the films you see listed below on mine and the A.F.I.'s Lists of great movies, comedies and adventure films will fit the bill. If you want a good laugh, you just can't do better than to watch one of Laurel & Hardy's shorts or feature films of the 1930s. Avoid their later films of the 1940s. Some other perfect comedies would be Bringing Up Baby, Arthur, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Airplane, Galaxy Quest, the Naked Gun series, Dumb and Dumber if you enjoy stupid humor as I do. A nice romantic comedy or drama would also help a lot. As Good as it Gets, The African Queen, Marty, Avalon, any Cary Grant movie, Jerry Maguire, Gone With the Wind, The Horse Whisperer, The Bridges of Madison County, Untamed Heart, When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, Big, The Enchanted Cottage all will do the trick. You can also forget your troubles by getting into a good historical drama like: Valmont, Barry Lyndon, Rob Roy, Braveheart, Gladiator, Ben Hur, Spartacus, The Bible, Gettysburg, The Fall of the Roman Empire, the mini-series: Masada, Roots, Lonesome Dove, Merlin, The Odyssey and others. Others I would highly recommend are: Toy Story 1 & 2, A Bug's Life, Star Wars, Back to the Future, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Missing Link (1988 version, very hard to find but great!), Black Beauty (1994 vers.), Pinocchio, Dumbo, any other Disney film, Shrek (due out soon!), Dinosaur, Wayne's World, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, What About Bob?, Little Big Man, Spaceballs, The Culpepper Cattle Co., Summer of '42, E.T.: the Extra Terrestrial, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Battleground, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, any Bogart or Cagney movie and one of the best "feel good" movies ever, the 1980 TVM version of Little Lord Fauntleroy with Alec Guinness and Rick Schroder. You can't lose with these choices. Some of my favorite films are action-adventure films but maybe we need to stay away from these for a while. Laughing is always great therapy so visit your video/DVD store now!
The A.F.I. (The American Film Institute) has created its own franchise of listing the Top 100 actors, actresses, film genres, etc. These Lists are better known for their omissions than the films listed. The most recent list of theirs is 100 Years - 100 Thrills, a list of heart pounding, thrill inducing, edge-of-your-seat films. Many of those listed do not seem to meet the criteria, e.g. The China Syndrome (a real snoozer); Body Heat and Blue Velvet (erotic, but thrilling?); Rebecca, 12 Angry Men, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The Maltese Falcon, All the President's Men and others (great films but pulse pounding? Heart stopping?) and then there are personal choices which for me would be no 2001: A Space Odyssey, Taxi Driver, Dial M for Murder, A Clockwork Orange, Raging Bull and many others. Also important and quite debatable is positioning. Many would be higher on MY own List and many would be further back, some as far back as in the 300's or 400's.
You can also view the nominee List of over 400 titles which was narrowed down to the 100 choices. Of course no one will argue the Top 3 choices which were: Psycho, Jaws and The Exorcist; and on one will argue the number of Hitchcock and Spielberg films on the List. The positioning is another issue. So, we can agree the List has merit and is fun to discuss and dispute the choices. So here are some films that I cannot believe were not included [and some did not even make the List of 400 nominees]: Charade (one of the best films Hitch didn't make); Frenzy, The Man Who Knew Too Much (two of Hitch's best); Back to the Future; Robocop; The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms; Them!; The Creature from the Black Lagoon; Predator; Enemy Mine; Enemy of the State; Breakdown; Outbreak; Mighty Joe Young; The Empire Strikes Back; Return of the Jedi; Jason and the Argonauts; Seventh Voyage of Sinbad; Mysterious Island; From the Earth to the Moon; Clash of the Titans; Journey to the Centre of the Earth; Fantastic Voyage; Basic Instinct; Executive Decision; Air Force One; Mercury Rising; The Towering Inferno; The Incredible Shrinking Man; In the Line of Fire; Lethal Weapon; Lethal Weapon 2; The Odessa File; The Boys from Brazil; Misery; The Parallax View; Three Days of the Condor; Shoot to Kill; Midnight Run; Papillon; War of the Worlds; White Heat; Tarzan the Ape Man; Superman; Superman 2; The Saboteur and Foreign Correspondent (two more great Hitchcock films); The Man Who Never Was and so many more deserving films. Did these voters not see these films? Or did they just forget them, which is quite possible. I will match any film on the above list of omissions with Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, 2001: A Space Odyssey and other inclusions for overall suspense. What do you think?
So I related this to Steve in a letter I wrote praising Meeting of Minds. It touched Steve's heart so that he sent me a warm letter, two autographed copies of the Meeting of Minds books, a portfolio of copies of fan letters on Meeting of Minds plus another folder of promo flyers and other Meeting info. It came months after I'd written him and I was flabbergasted to say the least. Steve Allen had a heart, he was a humanitarian and I think we all knew that much about him. He was a great husband devoted to Jayne, a great father very proud of his kids, he was ultra creative and astoundingly funny and a concerned citizen and his death will make the world a bit emptier. I never thought I'd ever tear up at seeing the 'Big Bill Allen' skit, but I did today. We will miss you Steve.
I am absolutely thrilled with them. I already have 43 DVDs in only a little over a month's time. There are so many more I want. I actually created a Wish List at Amazon.com where you send copies of the List to friends and relatives. Sounds a little crass but you become eligible for a drawing held on your birthday and may win some of those on your list. You have to use your e-mail address to register. I only did it to have a chance at the drawing and I'm hoping I win and will get every DVD on my Wish List. I sent a copy to my brother and a friend (with explanation). Tomorrow is my birthday so I'm crossing my fingers. Among my favorite DVDs so far are: Toy Story 1 & 2 The Toy Box Ed. (Includes both films and tons of 'extras' on both discs plus an additional disc of only 'extras'); Terminator 2 The Ultimate Ed. (fabulous extras of over 6 hours and one disc.); Independence Day Special Ed.; Amadeus (very few features but the quality of this masterpiece is awesome.); Braveheart; Jurassic Park & Jurassic Park: The Lost World (excellent features will make you admire Spielberg even more, if that's possible); Men in Black (superb) to mention just a few. Another thing that's fun is to see how each DVD designs its Menus. Some are fabulous others are pretty neat. All I can say is that the VHS-Video is now as obsolete as the 33-1/3 vinyl record and the 8-track tape. I highly recommend purchasing a DVD player while they are still pretty reasonably priced.
1. Braveheart
2. Dances With Wolves
3. Fargo
4. Shawshank Redemption
5. Rob Roy
6. Men in Black
7. Toy Story & Toy Story 2 (Roger listed 3 films: Red, White & Blue as one)
8. Gettysburg
9. Amistad
10.Saving Private Ryan
Europa, Europa
Schindler's List
Terminator 2
Black Beauty (1995)
Chosen Top Stars of 20th Century by AFI
(see: Issues & Opinions for details and other top stars)
ZATHURA
113 mins. - 2005
BEST ENTERTAINMENT SOURCES:
PRINT MEDIA: Entertainment Weekly; Rolling Stone; USA Today
(Honorable Mention): Steve Allen's Meeting of Minds; Latenight with David Letterman; The Steve Allen Show (syndicated 1960s)
FAVORITE MUSICAL GROUP = BeeGees (Honorable Mention: INXS; Simple Minds; Beatles; Queen; ABBA)
FAVORITE SINGER (Male) = a 4-way Tie - Johnny Cash; Josh Groban; Leonard Cohen and I cannot forget my fellow Minnesotan, of whom I am extremely proud and a huge fan: Prince (Honorable Mention: Michael Hutchence; Freddie Mercury; Enrique Eglesias) ![[IMAGE]](/kingspud/images/book1.gif)
Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide 2007
Television Guest Stars: An Illustrated Career Chronicle of 678 Performers of the Sixties & Seventies by Jack Ward
Cowboy Cliffhangers by Donn J. Moyer available from Wild West Publishing![[IMAGE]](/kingspud/images/cdanim.gif)
SAD GOODBYES to:
Iron Eyes Cody [native-American actor; see: Great Character Actors];
Susan Strasberg [actress; daughter of Lee Strasberg];
Della Lind [actress; appeared with Laurel & Hardy in "Swiss Miss"];
Robert Shaw [Choral & Orchestra Leader; recording artist];
Buzz Kulik [director "Brian's Song", "Hunter", etc.];
Herman Wedemeyer [actor, 'Duke' Lukela on "Hawaii 5-0"];
Huntz Hall [actor in Dead End Kids, Bowery Boys];
Ed Herlihy [TV & radio announcer, actor]; Lili St. Cyr [stripper, actress];
Bobby Troup [songwriter "Route 66", actor "Emergency" TV series];
Danny Dayton [actor "Sgt. Bilko" & "All in the Family"];
Gene Siskel [film critic: Sneak Previews; At the Movies and Siskel & Ebert];
Noam Pitlik [actor, director; played Mr. Gianelli on "The Bob Newhart Show"];
Dusty Springfield [singer];
Richard Kiley [actor on stage, screen and television; narrator];
Stanley Kubrick [director, "Barry Lyndon"; "Spartacus"];
Peggy Cass [actress; TV panelist "To Tell the Truth"];
Lee Philips [actor "Marty", "12 Angry Men"; TV director];
Garson Kanin [screenwriter; director "Pat and Mike", "Born Yesterday"];
Kirk Alyn (actor in Superman serials of 40s];
Stefan Schnabel [actor; "Houdini", "Counterfeit Traitor"];
David Strickland [actor; on TV's "Suddenly Susan"];
Billye Ree Wallace [actress; Nana on "Seinfeld"];
Joe Williams [Jazz singer, actor; Grandpa Al on "The Cosby Show"];
Bob Peck [actor; starred in "Jurassic Park"];
Lecil Martin aka Boxcar Willie [singer; entertainer];
Jean Vander Pyl [actress; voice of TV's "Wilma Flintstone"];
Anthony Newley [actor; singer];
Bill Wendell [TV announcer, Latenight with David Letterman];
Ellen Corby [actress; Grandma Walton on TV's "The Waltons"];
Faith Domergue [actress; "It Came From Beneath the Sea", "This Island Earth"];
Wenceslao Moreño aka Senor Wences [ventriloquist];
Charles "Buddy" Rogers [actor; "Wings"];
Bert Remsen [character actor of movies & TV];
Al Hirt [Jazz trumpeter; musician];
Rory Calhoun [film actor; star of TV's "The Texan"];
Oliver Reed [actor; "The Three Musketeers" (1974),
"Crossed Swords/The Prince and the Pauper" (1976)];
Dirk Bogarde [actor; "Doctor in the House", "Darling"];
Dana Plato [actress; "Diff'rent Strokes"];
Shel Silverstein [children's author; songwriter "A Boy Named Sue", "Sylvia's Mother"];
Shirley Dinsdale Layburn [ventriloquist; First ever recipient of an Emmy Award];
Henry Jones [character actor; "Bad Seed", "Vertigo" and "Phyllis" TV series];
Vanessa Brown [actress; "Tarzan and the Slave Girl", "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir."];
Hillary Brooke [actress; "My Little Margie" TV series; "Road to Utopia", "The Enchanted Cottage"];
Mel Torme [Jazz singer; composer; actor];
DeForest Kelley [actor; 'Bones' the Doctor on Star Trek];
Sylvia Sidney [actress; "Mars Attacks!"; "Damien: Omen II"; "Beetlejuice"];
Edward Dmytryk [director; "The Caine Mutiny"; "The Left Hand of God"; "The Mountain"];
Mario Puzo [author; "The Godfather"];
Guy Mitchell [singer, "Sparrow in the Treetops", "My Heart Cries for You"; actor, "Those Redheads from Seattle"];
John Stears [special effects inventor; created Jedi lightsaber; James Bond's Aston-Martin; R2D2 & C3PO];
Ronny Graham [actor; comedy writer, M*A*S*H];
Roberta Sherwood [singer, "You Don't Have to Be a Baby to Cry", "Up A Lazy River"];
Donal McCann [actor, "The Dead"];
Sandra Gould [actress; 2nd Gladys Kravitz on "Bewitched"];
Anita Carter [singer; soprano member of the famed Carter Family];
Kathryn Murray [dancer; TV's "Arthur Murray Dance Party"];
Victor Mature [actor; star of 40s & 50s; "The Robe", "Kiss of Death", "My Darling Clementine'];
Jennifer Patterson [Chef, co-star of TV's "Two Fat Ladies"];
Ross Elliott [character actor; Sheriff Abbott on TV's "The Virginian"];
James Macaulay [character actor; prosecuting attorney in "Perry Mason" TV movies];
Brion James [character actor; villain in many films including "Blade Runner"];
Mary Jane Croft [whiny voiced character actress; neighbor on "Ozzie & Harriet" and "I Love Lucy"];
Marguerite Chapman [actress; "Relentless, "Seven Year Itch"];
Laurette Luez [actress; "Kim", "D.O.A."];
Bobs Watson [former child actor; PeeWee in "Boys Town"];
Allen Funt [creator & host of TV's "Candid Camera];
Ruth Roman [actress; star of 1940s & 50s, in Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train"];
George C. Scott [actor; Oscar winner for "Patton"; TV star of East Side/West Side];
Bernadette O'Farrell [actress; Maid Marian on TV's "Adventures of Robin Hood" of 1950s];
Dick Patterson [actor; "Bye, Bye Birdie", TV's "Carol Burnett Show" & "Here's Lucy"];
Robert "Gorilla Monsoon" Marella [pro wrestler; TV commentator];
Lee Richardson [actor; "Prizzi's Honor", "Q & A"; known for perfect diction];
Richard B. Shull [character actor; TV's "Holmes & Yoyo"];
Jean Shepherd [humorist; writer; radio performer; author of "A Christmas Story", "The Greatest 4th of July"; "Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss"];
Hoyt Axton [singer; actor "Gremlins"];
Frank De Vol [movie & TV composer; actor; composed Family Affair, The Brady Bunch, My Three Sons themes];
Ian Bannen [actor; "Braveheart", "Flight of the Phoenix"];
Donald Mills [singer; last surviving member of the groundbreaking music group "The Mills Brothers"];
Mabel King [actress; 'Mama' on "What's Happening?"; starred in "The Wiz", "The Jerk", "Scrooged"];
Billy Benedict [character actor; 'Whitey' of the Bowery Boys; see: Great Character Actors Page 5];
Bethel Leslie [actress; star of stage, movies and television];
Hazel Fredrick [unwitting actor; lady gawking at Mary as she throws hat in the air on credits of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show"];
Gene Rayburn [Game show host and panelist; star of TV's "The Match Game"];
Madeline Kahn [actress; "Young Frankenstein"];
Harold Wertz [child star of 'Our Gang' shorts; known as "Bouncy"];
Shirley Hemphill [actress; Shirley the waitress of "What's Happening?" TV series];
Rex Allen [actor; star of Westerns and Disney narrator];
Desmond Llewelyn [actor; 'Q' in James Bond films];
Hank Snow [country singer];
Clayton Moore [actor; Television's "The Lone Ranger"; also appeared in serials of the 1940s];
Dick Peabody [actor; 'Littlejohn' on "Combat" TV series];
Marguerite Churchill [actress; "The Big Trail"];
Arthur Batanides [character actor; starred in "Police Academy" series];
John Newland [actor; TV host of "Alcoa Presents" & "One Step Beyond"];
Hedy Lamarr [actress of 30s & 40s; "Tortilla Flat", "Samson and Delilah"];
Jester Hairston [actor; composer; starred as 'Leroy' on "Amos 'n' Andy" and 'Rolly' on "Amen" TV series];
Frances Drake [actress of 30s & 40s; starred in "Les Miserables", "The Invisible Ray"];
Maxine Hicks [actress in Silent films; starred in TV's "Just the 10 of Us"];
Fran Ryan [actress; appeared on "Gunsmoke", TV commercials; see Great Character Actors];
Ralph Manza [character actor; starred on TV in "Banacek" and General Hospital"];
Alan North [character actor; best known as Leslie Nielsen's sidekick on TV's "Police Squad", appeared in movies "Serpico"; "Plaza Suite"];
Doris Kenner-Jackson [singer; member of the "Shirelles" singing group.."Soldier Boy", "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow"];
Todd Karns [actor; played Harry Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life"; son of Roscoe Karns];
Doug Henning [magician; illusionist];
Jim Varney [actor; played 'Ernest' in commercials and movie series; starred in "Toy Story 2" as voice of Slinky Dog];
Roger Vadim [film director; "Barbarella"];
Charles Schulz [creator of 'Peanuts'];
Harold W. Prichett [creator of TV's "Winky Dink and You" series];
George Duning [film composer; scored "From Here to Eternity", "Picnic", "Bell, Book and Candle", Houseboat" and others];
John Colicos [actor; movies & TV; 'Baltar' on TV's "Battlestar Galactica", appeared on "General Hospital"];
Charles Gray [actor; played Ernst Blofeld in James Bond films];
Alex Dreier [announcer; newsman; actor];
Durward Kirby [radio & TV announcer; actor; starred on TV's "The Garry Moore Show"];
Helen Martin [actress; appeared on TV's "227" and in films "Momma Doll" & "Bulworth"];
Christopher Cary [actor; on TV's "Garrison's Gorillas" TV series];
Claire Trevor [actress; won Oscar for "Key Largo"];
Larry Linville [actor; Frank Burns on TV's "M*A*S*H"];
Lila Kedrova [actress; won Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "Zorba the Greek"];
Arthur Morton [film composer; composed music for "Patton"; "Chinatown"; TV's "The Waltons" and "Peyton Place'];
Richard Collier [character actor; appeared in "Blazing Saddles", many TV series];
Steve Reeves [actor; played Hercules in film series];
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. [actor; raconteur; played swashbuckler roles like his father];
Robinson Stone [actor; played the shell-shocked 'Joey' in the film classic "Stalag 17"];
Craig Stevens [actor; played 'Peter Gunn' on TV series];
Sir John Gielgud [actor; Shakespearean actor; Oscar winner for "Arthur"];
Francis Lederer [actor; movies & TV];
Tex Beneke [singer; orchestra leader, took over Glenn Miller's orchestra];
Tito Puente [band leader; percussionist];
Sybil Trent [actress; legendary radio voice of "Let's Pretend"];
Robert Homme [actor; played "The Friendly Giant" on TV in the 1950s];
Elinor Nathan [radio actress; played Amos' wife Ruby on "Amos 'n' Andy"];
Nancy Marchand [actress; starred on TV's "Lou Grant" as Mrs. Pynchon and "The Sporanos"];
Lew Gallo [actor; TV producer];
David Tomlinson [actor; played father in "Mary Poppins"];
Nicholas Clay [actor; appeared in films "Excalibur" and "Lionheart"];
Logan Ramsey [character actor of movies & TV; husband of Anne Ramsey; appeared in "Walking Tall" film series];
Vittorio Gassman [Italian film actor; appeared in "Bitter Rice" and "Sleepers"];
Walter Matthau [actor; half of one of the screen's most successful comedy duos with Jack Lemmon; appeared in "Charade"; "The Odd Couple"; "The Sunshine Boys"; "Hopscotch" and "Grumpy Old Men"];
Ray Scherer [veteran NBC TV news reporter];
Terry Forrestal [stuntman; worked on "Braveheart"; "Titanic"; "Goldeneye" and others];
Harold Nicholas [dancer extraordinaire; youngest of the two Nicholas Brothers and, with brother Fayard, half of one of the world's greatest dance duos];
Meredith MacRae [actress; appeared on TV's "My Three Sons" and "Petticoat Junction" as Billie Jo; daughter of Gordon & Sheila MacRae];
G. Wood [character actor; appeared in the films "M*A*S*H", "Brewster McCloud" and "Harold and Maude"];
Claude Sautet [French film director];
Max Showalter [character actor of movies & TV; appeared in "Music Man"; "Sixteen Candles"; "Racing With the Moon"];
Sir Alec Guinness [actor, legend; starred in "Bridge on the River Kwai"; "Star Wars"];
Loretta Young [actress; star of movies & television; won Oscar for "The Farmer's Daughter"];
Val Dufour [actor; appeared on many soap operas "Search for Tomorrow"; "Edge of Night", etc.];
Mary K. Wells [actress-writer; appeared in soap operas "Edge of Night" and was writer for "All My Children"];
Joan Marsh [actress; worked as a child in silents and in fims of 1930s & 40s];
Jacques Rupp [artist, animator; created "Lady and the Tramp"];
Carl Barks [artist, animator; creator of Donald Duck and Scrooge McDuck];
Jean Speegle Howard [actress; mother of Ron and Clint Howard; appeared in "Apollo 13"];
David Haskell [actor; appeared on TV's "Santa Barbara" and in the stage & film versions of "Godspell"];
Joseph H. Lewis [director of acclaimed B-movies; "Bombs Over Burma", "Retreat, Hell!" and "Gun Crazy"];
Beah Richards [actress; starred in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?", "Beloved"; won an Emmy in 2000 for appearance in "The Practice"];
Ruth Lewis [actress, appeared in "30 Seconds Over Tokyo", "The Lady Takes a Sailor"; gossip columnist];
Richard Mulligan [actor; starred in and won Emmys for "Soap" as Bert Campbell and "Empty Nest"];
Carmencita Johnson aka Carmen Robertson [child actress of 1920's & 1930's, appeared in Our Gang shorts];
Peter Gennaro [choreographer for Television and stage; worked on "Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall";
Ann Doran [veteran character actress; starred in "National Velvet" on TV and films "Rebel Without A Cause" and "The High and the Mighty"];
Carl Sigman [songwriter; wrote "All in the Game"; "Pennsylvania 6-5000"; "Bongo, Bongo, Bongo"; "Enjoy Yourself"; "What Now My Love"; "Theme from Love Story" and many others];
Miriam Wolfe [actress; starred on radio in "Let's Pretend", on TV in its early years on "Studio One" and on stage];
Richard Farnsworth [character actor; twice nominated for Oscars for "Comes A Horseman" and "Straight Story"];
David Dukes [actor of stage, screen and television; starred on TV in "Winds of War", "War and Remembrance" and in the film "Gods and Monsters"];
Peter Turgeon [actor; starred in films "Airport" as a whiny, obnoxious passenger and "Dear Heart"];
Vincent Canby [film & theatre critic];
Rick Jason [actor; starred as Lt. Hanley on the popular TV series "Combat"];
Gwen Verdon [actress/dancer; Broadway star; appeared in the film "Cocoon"];
Julie London [actress; star of the 1950s; appeared in "Voice in the Mirror"];
Jean Peters [actress; starred in films of 1950s including "Captain from Castille" and "Niagara"; was married to Howard Hughes];
Zeke Manners [radio personality; known as radio's Hillbilly; composed "Pennsylvania Polka"];
Marie "Mother Snyder" [mother of talk host Tom Snyder; whose exploits were followed on her son's talk shows];
Muriel Evans [actress; star of 1930s and 40s; appeared with Laurel & Hardy, Hopalong Cassidy and others];
Steve Allen [comedian; actor; author; composer; pianist; American original; starred as first mainstream host of "Tonight Show"; composed many songs including "This Could Be the Start of Something Big"; created the Emmy winning series "Meeting of Minds"; hosted many of his own talk shows; guest starred as game show panelist; Member of Television Hall of Fame];
Ring Lardner Jr. [screenwriter; was blacklisted in 1950s; scripted "Woman of the Year" and "M*A*S*H"];
Bea Marcus [actress; best known for her performance in the TV commercial "I've fallen and can't get up"];
Frances Mercer [actress of the 1930s & 40s; starred in "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle"];
Robert Trout [CBS newsman; reporter];
Werner Klemperer [actor; son of conductor Otto Klemperer; appeared on "Hogan's Heroes" TV series as Colonel Klink];
Hoyt Curtin [composer; composed theme music for Hanna-Barbera cartoons];
Marie Windsor [actress; starred in film noir classics of the 1940s & 50s];
George Montgomery [actor; starred in films and on TV; appeared in many westerns];
Nick Stewart [actor; played Lightnin' on the "Amos 'n' Andy" TV series, was last surviving cast member];
Victor Borge [musician; actor; Danish pianist performed mixing comedy with music];
Pauline Curley [actress; starred opposite Douglas Fairbanks and others in silent films];
Billy Barty [actor; 3' 10" tall who founded Little People of America; starred in films from age 3 and worked in television and on stage];
Jose Gonzalez Gonzalez [actor; starred in many westerns on TV and in movies];
Jason Robards Jr. [actor; star of stage, screen and television; won Oscars for appearances in films "All the President's Men"; "Julia"];
Leo Gordon [character actor; adept at playing bad guys and tough guys in movies and on TV];
Julius Epstein [screenwriter; wrote "Casablanca" script];
Ray Walston - 86 [character actor; played Uncle Martin on TV's "My Favorite Martian"; Judge Bone on "Picket Fences"; starred in films including: "Damn Yankees" and "Fast Times at Ridgemont High"];
Jose Greco - 82 [dancer; choreographer; world famous Flamenco dancer];
Doris Leader Charge - 69 [Native American linguist; was adviser in Lakota Sioux language for the film “Dances With Wolves” also played Pretty Shield in the film];
Jack McVea - 86 [singer; had hit in 1940s with "Open the Door Richard"];
Les Brown - 88 [Big Bandleader; known by the monnicker "Les Brown and his Band of Renown"; had big hit with "Sentimental Journey" sung by Doris Day];
Nancy Parsons - 58 [character actress; appeared in films "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden' and "Porky's" as the waitress];
Joan Robinson - 72 [actress; starred on TV in its early days; appeared on "Edge of Night", "Hallmark Hall of Fame"];
Michael Williams - 65 [actor; husband of actress Dame Judi Dench; appeared in films "Marat/Sade" (1966), Kenneth Branagh's version of "Henry V" and "Educating Rita"];
Al Waxman - 65 [actor; starred in TV series "Twice in a Lifetime" and "Cagney and Lacey"];
Michael Cuccione - 16 [actor; singer; starred in MTV's series "2gether" and appeared on "Baywatch"];
Virginia O'Brien - 81 [actress; starred in films of the 1940s including "The Harvey Girls" and "Till the Clouds Roll By"];
Sandy Baron - 64 [standup comic; actor; appeared on TV's "Seinfeld" as Jack Klompus and in the films "If It's Tuesday This Must Be Belgium" and "Leprechaun II"];
Scott Marlowe - 68 [actor; starred as troubled youth in films of the 1950s including "The Restless Breed" and on TV in character roles in 1960s, 70s & 80s];
Jean-Pierre Aumont - 90 [French actor; starred in "Lili" with Leslie Caron, "Day For Night"];
David Byrd - 68 [character actor; starred in films including "The Hudsucker Proxy" and on TV as Harry Stipe in "Everybody Loves Raymond"];
Dale Evans - 88 [actress; starred with husband Roy Rogers in many popular westerns and on their own TV series];
Lewis Arquette - 65 [character actor; son of actor, raconteur Cliff "Charley Weaver" Arquette; father of the acting Arquettes including Rosanna, Patricia and David Arquette; he starred on TV's "The Waltons" as J.D. Pickett and as the Narrator in the mockumentary comedy film "Waiting for Guffman"];
Burt Kennedy - 78 [director; directed mostly western films and TV series including the films "The War Wagon" and "Dirty Dingus Magee"];
Roger Karas - 72 [animal advocate; best known as announcer at "Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show"; also President of A.S.P.C.A.];
Howard Koch - 84 [producer; produced "Maverick" and "The Untouchables" TV series and films including: "The Manchurian Candidate" and "Airplane!"];
Stanley Kramer - 87 [director; directed many great films including: "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", "High Noon"; "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"];
Gail Fisher - 65 [actress; played secretary Peggy on "Mannix" TV series with Mike Connors];
Len Wayland - 80 [character actor; extremely prolific character actor guested on many series from TV's infancy];
Rosemary DeCamp - 90 [actress; played motherly roles; starred in "Yankee Doodle Dandy"; on TV in "The Bob Cummings Show", "Life of Riley" and "That Girl"; see: Great Character Actors Page 3];
Edward Winter - 63 [character actor; starred as Col. Flagg on TV's "M*A*S*H; in films "The Buddy System" and "From the Hip"];
Portia Nelson - 80 [actress; played Mrs. Gurney on "All My Children" and Sister Berthe in the film "The Sound of Music"];
Morton Downey Jr. - 67 [acerbic talk show host; star of "The Morton Downey Jr. Show"; parttime actor who appeared in the films "Predator II" and "Meet Wally Sparks"];
Louis Edmonds - 77 [actor; starred on soap operas "Dark Shadows" and "All My Children"];
Glenn Hughes - 50 [singer; performed as biker dude with the Village People];
Ann Sothern - 92 [actress; starred as Maisie in the film series "Maisie" and on TV as star of the "Private Secretary" series];
John Phillips - 65 [singer and songwriter; founder and member of singing group "The Mamas and the Papas"; father of actresses Mackenzie & Chynna Phillips];
Peggy Converse - 95 [actress; appeared on stage and in films including: "Father is a Bachelor", "Miss Sadie Thompson" and "The Accidental Tourist"];
Norma MacMillan - 79 [actress and voice-over artist; was voice of Casper the Friendly Ghost in cartoons and Gumby; mother of Stefan and Alison "Nellie Olson" Arngrim];
William Hanna - 90 [cartoonist; who, along with his partner Joseph Barbera, created such characters as Tom & Jerry, Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, The Flintsones and The Jetsons];
Elena Del Rubio - in her mid 70s [singer; member of the singing Del Rubio Triplets with her 2 sisters; group performed from the 1950s thru the 1990s];
Toby Wing - 85 [actress; was pinup girl in 1930s; appeared in films "True Confession", "42nd Street"];
Jackie Kahane - 79 [stand-up comic; along with Bill Cosby was chosen by Time magazine as Top Comedian of 1961];
Anthony Steel - 80 [actor; starred in British films including: "Malta Story" and "The Mudlark"; also appeared in "Master of Ballantrae" with Errol Flynn; was married to Anita Ekberg];
Walter Craig - 88 [actor; aka Anthony Dexter; appeared in the film biography of "Valentino", "Captain John Smith and Pocahantas", "Captain Kidd and the Slave Girl" ];
Brother Theodore Gottlieb - 94 [comedian; billed as Brother Theodore, his bizarre but entertaining humor was a staple of such TV talk shows as "The Steve Allen Show" and "Latenight with David Letterman" ];
David Graf- 50 [actor; starred in the "Police Academy" comedy film series; also appeared in the films "Guarding Tess" and "The Brady Bunch Movie"];
Beatrice Straight - 86 [actress; won Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "Network"; was star of stage, screen and television; appeared as Queen Mother on the TV series "Wonder Woman"];
Harry Secombe - 79 [comedian and actor; starred in Britain's famed comedy series "The Goon Show"; played Mr. Bumble in the Oscar winning film "Oliver"];
Nyree Dawn Porter - 61 [actress; star of stage, screen and television; appeared on TV's "The Forsyte Saga" and "Madame Bovary" and the 1970s series "The Protectors" with Robert Vaughn];
Joey Ramone - 49 [singer; was lead singer of The Ramones rock group; sang with The Clash and The Sex Pistols];
Michael Ritchie - 62 [film director; directed such classic films as: "Downhill Racer", "The Candidate" and "The Bad News Bears"];
Jack Haley Jr. - 67 [director and producer; directed films and TV specials including: "That's Entertainment" and "That's Dancing"; son of actor Jack Haley; was married to Liza Minnelli];
Perry Como - 87 [singer; actor; Television star; American National Treasure; some of his song hits were: "Round and Round", "Hot Diggity", "Catch A Falling Star", "Impossible"; "Magic Moments"];
Deborah Walley - 57 [actress; starred in "Gidget" and "Beach Blanket" movies of the 1960s and in "Benji"; on TV she was a regular on the series "The Mothers-in-Law"];
Jason Miller - 62 [playwright; actor; wrote "That Championship Season"; starred in the film "The Exorcist"];
Ralph Tabakin- 79 [actor; discovered late in life, he starred on the TV series "Homicide: Life on the Street" as Dr. Scheiner the Medical Examiner; also appeared in the film "Diner"];
Joe Baker - 73 [English comedian; actor; impressionist; appeared in the films "Dumb and Dumber", "Robin Hood: Men in Tights"; did a crackerjack impression of Lou Costello];
Whitman Mayo - 70 [actor; starred as 'Grady' on TV series "Sanford and Son"; also appeared in the films "Boyz N the Hood" and "Of Mice and Men"];
Harry Townes - 80 [actor; veteran character actor appeared on many TV series including "Gunsmoke", "Bonanza", "Perry Mason", "Star Trek"];
Anne Haney - 67 [actress; chiefly character roles see: Great Character Actors Page 8; starred in the films "Hopscotch"; "Liar, Liar", "Mrs. Doubtfire"; on such TV series as "Ally McBeal", "Cheers" and "Coach"];
Arlene Francis - 93 [actress; TV Panelist; best known for her appearances on TV's "What's My Line?"; starred in the films: "Murders in the Rue Morgue", "Stage Door Canteen", "All My Sons" and "The Thrill of It All"];
Ramon Bieri - 71 [veteran character actor; appeared on "Bret Maverick" TV series as Elijah Crow; "Sarge" TV series as Barney Verick; appeared in such movies as: "The Andromeda Strain"; "Badlands" and "Ghosts of Mississippi"]
Hank Ketcham - 81 [cartoonist; creator of "Dennis the Menace" which was adapted for film and TV];
Imogene Coca - 92 [actress; comedienne; pioneer TV actress starred with Sid Caesar on "Your Show of Shows" in the 1950s; more recently starred in films including "National Lampoon's Vacation"];
Anthony Quinn - 86 [actor; painter; sculptor; raconteur; Hollywood legend; starred in such films as: "Road to Morocco", "Back to Bataan", "Zorba the Greek", "Lust for Life", "Guns of Navarone", "Jesus of Nazareth"];
John Hartford - 63 [singer; songwriter; star of 60's TV; wrote the song "Gentle on My Mind"];
Leonard Tepper - 61 [actor; rotund bald man who appeared as a regular in skits and pranks on "Late Show with David Letterman" from 1996-2001; also appeared in the films: "Home Alone 2"; "Class of Nuke 'Em High" and "Awakenings"];
Bert Kramer - 66 [character actor; appeared on the TV series "The Fitzpatricks" as Mike Fitzpatrick and "The Young and the Restless" as Brent Davis; appeared in the films: "Lady Sings the Blues", "Moment by Moment" and "Volcano"];
Carroll O'Connor - 76 [actor; TV legend who portrayed Archie Bunker on "All in the Family"; also appeared on TV's "In the Heat of the Night" and in films including: "Cleopatra" and "Hawaii"];
John Lee Hooker - 80 [legendary blues singer];
Bill Matney - 76 [NBC newsman and reporter];
Jack Lemmon - 76 [Oscar winning actor; starred in many films including: "Mister Roberts"; "Some Like It Hot"; "Days of Wine and Roses"; "The Out-of-Towners"; and with his good friend Walter Matthau in "The Odd Couple" and "Grumpy Old Men"];
William Bryant - 76 [character actor; starred on TV series: "Combat", "Branded", "Switch" and "General Hospital"; also appeared in the films "Chisum", "Gray Lady Down" and "Two Minute Warning"];
Corinne Calvet - 75 [actress; starred in sultry film roles in the 1940s & 50s; appeared in films including "Rope of Sand", "What Price Glory?" and "On the Riviera"];
Chet Atkins - 77 [guitarist; composer; country music legend];
Joan Sims - 71 [actress; starred in the British "Carry On..." movie series];
Ted Berman - 81 [animator; worked on Disney's "Bambi" and "Fantasia"];
James Bernard - 75 [film composer; composed scores for many of Britain's Hammer horror films];
Gunther Gebel-Williams - 66 [Circus performer; TV celebrity; was the modern day Clyde Beatty...one of the finest animal trainers and performers in circus history];
Dr. Frances Horwich - 94 [educator; pioneer of children's television programming; best known as 'Miss Frances' the host of 1950's TV series "Ding Dong School"; she used the same methods as most schoolteachers long before "Sesame Street" and "Mister Rogers"];
Alex Nicol - 85 [character actor; starred in films including "Strategic Air Command", "Tomahawk" as well as spaghetti westerns; was a regular on the TV series "Return to Peyton Place"];
Dame Dorothy Tutin - 70 [stage actress; appeared on Masterpiece Theatre's TV production of "Six Wives of Henry VIII"];
Larry Adler - 87 [musician; world class harmonica virtuoso];
Lorenzo Music - 64 [comedy writer; actor; did the voices of Carlton the Doorman on the TV series "Rhoda" and Garfield the Cat in cartoons];
Alan Rafkin - 73 [director; one of the top TV sitcom directors and multiple Emmy winner; he directed such sitcoms as "M*A*S*H"; "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "The Andy Griffith Show"];
A.D. Flowers - 84 [special effects man; specialized in explosions, gun battles, fires, floods, etc.; worked on "Apocalypse Now", "The Godfather" and "The Poseidon Adventure"];
Kim Stanley - 76 [actress; twice Oscar nominated for "Frances" with Jessica Lange and "Seance on a Wet Afternoon"; was primarily a stage actress];
Walter Reed - 85 [character actor; appeared in the films "Young Man with a Horn", "Superman and the Mole Men", "War Paint" and "The Horse Soldiers"; appeared on many TV series in the 1950s and 1960s ];
Betty Everett - 61 [singer; best known for her hit 1964 song "The Shoop Shoop Song"];
Walter Reed - 85 [character actor; appeared in many westerns; his films include: "Tora, Tora Tora", "The High and the Mighty"; also appeared on TV western series];
Kathleen Freeman - 78 [veteran character actress; appeared in many Jerry Lewis films; on many TV series as a regular; was currently starring on Broadway in "The Full Monty"; see: Great Character Actors Page 1];
Aaliyah - 22 [singer; actress; best known as R&B singer but she had sung on the soundtracks for films including "Anastasia" and "Dr. Doolittle 2"];
Jane Greer - 76 [actress; starred in "Out of the Past"; "The Prisoner of Zenda" and "Against All Odds"; also appeared in the TV series "Twin Peaks"];
John Nelson - 85 [jazz musician; played piano with the Prince Rogers Trio; was father of rock star Prince and co-wrote "Computer Blue" and "Scandalous" with his son];
Troy Donahue - 65 [actor; was teen idol in 1950s & 1960s; often paired with Sandra Dee; starred in "A Summer Place"; "Parrish" and "Rome Adventure"];
Pauline Kael - 82 [legendary film critic and author; worked for the New York Times];
Heywood Hale Broun - 83 [journalist; reporter; appeared often on CBS Television as commentator, analyst];
Justin Wilson - 87 [chef; humorist; hosted TV series as the "Cajun Cook"];
Julie Bishop - 87 [actress; was former child star under her birth name Jaqueline Wells; appeared in the films "Action in the North Atlantic", "Sands of Iwo Jima", "Westward the Women" as Julie Bishop; also starred in the TV series "My Hero" with Bob Cummings];
Raymond Johnson - 90 [radio actor, personality; was host of the legendary "Inner Sanctum" radio series; portrayed "Mandrake the Magician" and "Don Winslow of the Navy" on radio];
Dorothy McGuire - 85 [actress; appeared in many classic films including: "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"; "Old Yeller"; "The Enchanted Cottage" and "Friendly Persuasion"; also starred on TV's "Peyton Place"];
Fred de Cordova - 90 [producer; director; best known as producer of "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson"; also produced and directed "Burns and Allen", "The Jack Benny Show" and "My Three Sons" on TV; he had directed over 50 films including: "Bedtime for Bonzo"];
Samuel Z. Arkoff - 83 [producer; formed AIP (American International Pictures); he produced films aimed at the 'teen age Drive-In' market including: "I Was a Teenage Werewolf"; "Machine Gun Kelly"; Beach Blanket Bingo"];
Isaac Stern - 81 [musician, violinist extraordinaire];
Victor Keung Wong - 74 [actor; appeared in the films "The Joy Luck Club"; "The Golden Child" and "The Last Emperor"];
Lani O'Grady - 46 [actress; appeared on TV's "Eight is Enough" as daughter Mary;];
Gloria Foster - 64 [stage actress; African-American actress appeared in guest roles on Television series and often in films; last seen as 'The Oracle' in "The Matrix"];
Judith Jordan - 61 [actress; although primarily a stage actress she appeared in guest roles on many TV series including: "Roseanne", "Quincy", "L.A. Law" and "Highway to Heaven"];
Dagmar (nee Virginia Ruth Egnor) - 79 [actress; model; raconteur; talk show guest; appeared in early television on the forerunner of the "Tonight Show", "Broadway Open House"];
Herbert Ross - 91 [choreographer; film director; directed films: "The Turning Point", "The Goodbye Girl" and "Footloose"];
Jay Livingston - 86 [composer; co-wrote with Ray Evans many popular and Oscar winning songs for movies including: "Buttons & Bows" from "Paleface", "Que Sera, Sera" from "The Man Who Knew Too Much" and "Mona Lisa" from "Captain Carey, U.S.A.", also wrote "Silver Bells", "Dear Heart" and "Tammy" all for various movies];
Polly Rowles - 87 [actress; star of stage, films and TV; appeared in the films "Springtime in the Rockies" and "Sweet Liberty"; appeared on such TV series as "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", "Naked City" and "The Defenders"; her best known role was in a Hanes underwear commercial as Inspector No. 12];
Otis Young - 69 [actor; starred in the western series "The Outcasts" (1968-69); starred in the film "The Last Detail" with Jack Nicholson; later became acting teacher and playwright];
Janet Shaw (Ellen Clancy) - 82 [actress; blonde starred in over 50 films in the 1930s & 40s; appeared with Bette Davis in "Jezebel"];
Pat Ast - 59 [actress; starred in Andy Warhol films and 'B' movies; appeared in "Reform School Girls" and "The Incredible Shrinking Woman"];
Diana van der Vlis - 66 [actress; blue-eyed blonde was a star of stage, screen and television; appeared on such series as "The Fugitive", "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." and "Ryan's Hope"; in such films as "The Incident" and "The Man With the X-Ray Eyes" ];
Eugene 'Pineapple' Jackson - 84 [actor; musician; singer; starred in the early "Our Gang" film shorts as 'Pineapple', Farina's brother; in later years he guested on such TV series as "The Rockford Files", "Julia" and "Sanford and Son"; he worked in silent films with Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks and later with Gene Autry, Judy Garland, Gene Kelly and others];
Kathleen Ankers - 81 [scenic designer for TV programs including: "Latenight with David Letterman", "Rosie O'Donnell Show' and others; participated in skits on Latenight portraying various characters: Bookmobile Lady, Foul-Mouthed Elderly Lady, etc.];
Albert Hague - 81 [actor; played Mr. Shorofsky on the "Fame" TV series and movie];
Peggy Mount - 85 [British actress; appeared in the films: "Sailor Beware!", "Finders Keepers" and "Hotel Paradiso"];
Gardner McKay - 69 [actor; starred on TV's "Adventures in Paradise"];
O. C. Smith - 65 [singer; wrote and sang "Little Green Apples"];
John Mitchum - 81 [actor; brother of Robert Mitchum];
George Harrison - 58 [singer; member of the legendary group "The Beatles"; known as 'the Silent Beatle'; sang and wrote solo tunes "My Sweet Lord", Here Comes the Sun" and others; appeared in the films "Help", "A Hard Days Night" and "Yellow Submarine"; also was a member of the "Travelin' Wilburys"];
Foster Brooks - 89 [comedian; portrayed a drunk in most of his comedy routines; frequent TV talk show guest];
Dick Schaap - 67 [popular sports announcer; journalist];
Sir Nigel Hawthorne - 72 [British actor; Oscar nominated for his role in "The Madness of King George"; also appeared in "Demolition Man", "Amistad", "Madeline" and on TV in "Victoria and Albert"];
Eileen Heckart - 82 [actress; starred in the films "The Bad Seed", "Butterflies Are Free"; on TV in the mini-series "Backstairs at the White House" as Eleanor Roosevelt; on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" as Mary's Aunt Flo];
Meg Wylie - 84 [actress; star of movies & TV; appeared on TV's "General Hospital"];
Bibi Osterwald - 83 [actress; appeared in movies "Caddyshack", "Glimmer Man" and "As Good As It Gets"];
Avery Schreiber - 66 [comedian; actor; was half of the "Burns and Schreiber" comedy team with Jack Burns; starred in movies & TV; recently appeared in a series of Doritos commercials];
Bill McCutcheon - 77 [character actor; appeared in many TV commercials in the 1960s & 70s; movies included "Viva Max!", "Steel Magnolias" and "Mr. Destiny"];
Ted Demme - 38 [director; brother of film director Jonathon Demme; films include: "Beautiful Girls", "The Ref" and "Blow"];
Carrie Hamilton - 38 [actress; daughter of Carol Burnett; appeared in TV series "Fame"; films included: "Shag" and "Cool World"];
Peggy Lee - 81 [Legendary Jazz singer; actress; sang "Fever"; "Is That All There Is?"; appeared in the films "Stage Door Canteen", "Pete Kelly's Blues" and "Lady and the Tramp"];
Harold Russell - 88 [actor; was disabled; won Oscar for his first role in "The Best Years of Our Lives" playing a double amputee; also appeared in the films "Inside Moves" and "Dogtown"];
Evelyn Scott - 86 [actress; best known for her role as Ada Jacks on TV's "Peyton Place"; appeared in the films "Wicked Woman" and "The Green-Eyed Blonde"];
Irish McCalla - 82 [actress; best known for her role as TV's Sheena, Queen of the Jungle; films included "River Goddess" and "She Demons"];
Hildegard Knef - 76 [German actress; films included "Decision Before Dawn", "Diplomatic Courier", "Svengali" and "Mozambique"];
George Nader - 90 [actor; star of B movies; films include "Robot Monster", Sins of Jezebel" and "Carnival Story"];
Guy Stockwell - 67 [actor; brother of Dean Stockwell; starred in the films "The Beat Generation", "The War Lord" and "Tobruk"];
Barry Foster - 70 [British character actor; appeared in the films "Dunkirk", "Ryan's Daughter", "The Wild Geese" and in Hitchcock's classic "Frenzy" as the villain Rusk];
Waylon Jennings - 64 [Country singer; actor; best known as "The Outlaw"; sang themes to "The Dukes of Hazzard" and film "The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper"];
Howard K. Smith - 87 [newscaster; journalist; worked with ABC News division; appeared in many films as Himself including "The Best Man", "The Candidate" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"];
Mattie Shaw - 68 [mother of Rock star Prince; was in the film "First Steps" (1985)];
Chuck Jones - 89 [animator; worked for Warner Brothers Cartoons; he created Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, Pepe Le Pew and Marvin the Martian; animated Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig cartoons also];
Mel Stewart - 72 [black character actor; known for comical roles; films included "Steelyard Blues", "Let's Do It Again", "Whose Life Is It Anyway?"; starred in many TV series];
Lawrence Tierney - 82 [character actor; had long career in films; films included "The Falcon Out West", "Dillinger", "Back to Bataan", "Prizzi's Honor" and "Reservoir Dogs"; was a regular on TV series including "Hill Street Blues"];
Spike Milligan - 83 [British comedian; mostly on TV; appeared in films such as "Yellowbeard", "Monty Python's Life of Brian"];
Mary Stuart - 75 [actress; star of soap operas including "One Life to Live", "The Guiding Light" and "Search for Tomorrow"; appeared in films including: "Triple Threat", "June Bride" and "Adventures of Don Juan"];
Irene Worth - 85 [actress; films included "One Night with You", "The Scapegoat", "Rich Kids" and "Lost in Yonkers"];
Sylvester L. "Pat" Weaver - 93 [Legendary TV producer; created "The Today Show", "The Tonight Show" and others; was father of Sigourney Weaver; brother of actor Doodles Weaver; Member of Television Hall of Fame];
Rosetta LeNoire - 90 [veteran black character actress; starred in many TV series including "Gimme a Break", "Amen", "Family Matters"; her films include "Anna Lucasta", "The Sunshine Boys" and "Moscow on the Hudson"];
Eileen Farrell - 82 [Opera singer; gifted Soprano who appeared on many TV talk shows as a raconteur; appeared in the film Interrupted Melody"];
Dudley Moore - 66 [Oscar winning actor; comedian; piano player; he starred in many films but the film "10" made him a star; other films included "Bedazzled", "Foul Play", "Micki and Maude" and "Arthur"];
Milton Berle - 93 [comedian; actor; starred in every aspect of show business: vaudeville, theatre, films, radio, television, music videos; was a Member of Television Hall of Fame; was first Superstar of Television; starred on Texaco Star Theatre; was a brilliant comic who never lost his comic touch; made an excellent transition to drama; films include: "Who's Minding the Mint?" and "The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World];
Billy Wilder - 95 [legendary director; his films include "Ninotchka", "Double Indemnity", "Sunset Boulevard", "Stalag 17", "Sabrina", "Witness for the Prosecution" and "Some Like It Hot"];
Jack Kruschen - 80 [character actor; best known for his role in "The Apartment"; other films were "The Unsinkable Molly Brown", "Harlow" and "Freebie and the Bean"; was a regular on the "Webster" TV series as Papa Papadapolis];
Nobu McCarthy - 67 [Asian actress; starred in films "The Geisha Boy", "Wake Me When It's Over" and "The Karate Kid, Part II"];
John Agar - 81 [actor; played leading man and buddy roles; films included "Sands of Iwo Jima", "Revenge of the Creature", "Waco" and "The Undefeated"];
Rusty Burrell - 76 [bailiff; appeared on the popular TV show "The People's Court"];
Robert Urich - 55 [actor; starred on many TV series including "Spenser: For Hire", "Vega$", "Crossroads" and the mini-series "Lonesome Dove"];
Reginald Rose - 81 [producer; produced such TV projects as "Studio One", "The Defenders", "Studs Lonigan", "Escape from Sobibor"];
Linda Lovelace - 52 [actress; starred in the notorious film "Deep Throat"];
Ron Soble - 70 [veteran character actor; best known as Jim on the TV series "The Monroes"; appeared in the films "The Cincinnati Kid", "True Grit", "Chisum", "Papillon" and "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo"];
Darwood Kaye - 72 [ex-child actor; starred in the "Our Gang"/"Little Rascals" series as Waldo];
Joe Cobb - 85 [ex-child actor; starred in the "Our Gang"/"Little Rascals" series as Joe; appeared mostly in the silent films];
Dee Dee Ramone - 50 [singer; member of the rock group The Ramones; appeared in the film "Rock 'n' Roll High School"];
Signe Hasso - 91 [Swedish actress; appeared as sultry blondes; films included "The Story of Dr. Wassell", "The Seventh Cross", "The House on 92nd Street" and "A Double Life"];
James Luisi - 73 [character actor; best known f