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Alan Hale, Jr. became a performer as part of his family's legacy. His mother was actress Gretchen Hartman who appeared in dozens of films in the 1910s, while his father, Alan Hale (real name: Rufus Edward MacKahan) racked up hundreds of credits in the silent era, typically as a reliable sidekick to Errol Flynn. Hartman retired from acting in 1929, and Hale, Sr. continued to work until his death in 1950. Alan Hale, Jr. first appeared on the screen as an infant, "starring" opposite his mother. Hale made his Broadway debut in 1931, when he was only 10, appearing in a very, very short-lived show called "Caught Wet" (it opened and closed in the same month). In 1933, Hale played uncredited role in William Wellman's Depression-era drama "Wild Boys of the Road," and it may be the first movie a casual observer would recognize him in. 

Staring in 1941, Hale began his acting career in earnest,...

This can be written with great confidence: You know a Paul Anka song. Right now, you’re either thinking, “Well, yes, of course I do,” or you’re thinking, “I do not.” If you are in the latter group, you are wrong. There are, of course, his big hits like “Put Your Head on My Shoulder.” But then there are the songs he’s written for others, most notably “My Way,” which he wrote for Frank Sinatra and has been covered by Elvis, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Sid Vicious, and countless others. It’s in the conversation for one of the most famous songs ever written.

That’s kind of the remarkable think about Paul Anka — who is at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, returning to his Canadian roots for the premiere of John Maggio’s documentary “Paul Anka: His Way” — that he’s written so many famous songs for others.

As unexpected choices go, few in recent TV memory approach the opening title sequence to The Perfect Couple.

Netflix’s six-part adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand’s Nantucket-set novel kicks off with a suspicious death on the eve of a wedding — casting doubt on every have and have-not in the deceased’s orbit. But before they get to the bottom of their murder mystery, they gotta dance! The entire ensemble, including star Nicole Kidman and the victim, spend the 45-second opener of every episode partaking in some rough and ready choreography to Meghan Trainor’s “Criminals.”

If you’ve yet to see it — and this is no spoiler — imagine one of those numbers from an Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon surf movie from the 1960s, only everybody looks like they belong to a country club with deeply problematic membership requirements. (Or just watch the embed below.) The choice is very intentional.

Two of the credited screenwriters on Leonard Nimoy's "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" were Steve Meerson and Peter Krikes, the screenwriters behind the Frankie Avalon/Annette Funicello flick "Back to the Beach," the two-Van-Dammes-for-the-price-of-one movie "Double Impact," and the 1999 would-be Oscar darling "Anna and the King." "Star Trek IV" was one of their first major screenwriting gigs, and it was a dizzying experience. The screenwriters remembered meeting with Nimoy and with producer Harve Bennett for a brainstorming session, and it seems that no one could come to any kind of solid conclusions. Bennett mentioned that he wanted the next movie to be a throwback to "The City on the Edge of Forever," one of the most celebrated episodes of the series. Nimoy was in a weird headspace, talking about environmentalism and biodiversity. Meerson recalls: "Leonard started talking about plankton, cells, that cells become plankton, that things eat plankton...

Before Michael Jackson was a pop star in his own right, millions of Americans knew him as the lead vocalist on The Jackson 5’s “ABC.” The tune made history because of its title. Jackson released two other songs that made history for the exact same reason.

The Jackson 5’s ‘ABC’ is tied for the No. 1 single with the shortest title

Many companies measure the success of popular songs but Billboard is the most famous. When people say a song is “a No. 1 hit,” they are likely saying that the song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. With The Jackson 5 and as a solo artist, Jackson was no stranger to success on the Billboard Hot 100.

Several songs are tied for having the shortest title on the Billboard Hot 100. They all have three characters in their names. Those songs include The Jackson 5’s “ABC,” Frankie Avalon’s “Why,” Edwin Starr’s “War,...

Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley manage to inspire celebrities to this day. For several different reasons, some fans see Lana Del Rey as Priscilla’s modern equivalent. Here’s why that’s the case — and why Del Rey didn’t write a tune for the soundtrack of Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla.

Lana Del Rey wasn’t able to pen a song for ‘Priscilla’

Del Rey’s haircuts and outfits from her early career are very reminiscent of Priscilla’s style from the 1960s. On top of that, Del Rey has referenced the “Blue Suede Shoes” singer throughout her career. For example, her songs “Million Dollar Man,” “American,” and “Body Electric” all allude to Elvis or his songs, while Elvis is a character in Del Rey’s Tropico alongside Adam, Eve, Jesus Christ, and the Virgin Mary. Del Rey’s “The Greatest” also has some instrumental similarities with “Can’t Help Falling in Love.

"Gee, Pee-wee, do you think you asked for enough?" There's not many new updates at this time of the year (the grey zone between Christmas & New Years) but this is a fun video to feature. Actor / comedian Paul Reubens passed away earlier in 2023 at the age of 70. In remembrance of his work, the Pee-wee Herman Yt channel uploaded a pristine, 4K quality copy of his iconic Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special that aired on CBS in 1988. If you're not familiar with this X-Mas special, wondering why it's being brought up again, there's an entire Vulture article discussing its legacy within entertainment. "One of the strangest, most glorious, most improbable, most confident pieces of entertainment to appear on [TV]." Special guests include Frankie Avalon, Charo, The Del Rubio Triplets, Annette Funicello, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Whoopi Goldberg, Magic Johnson, Grace Jones, Little Richard, Joan Rivers, Dinah Shore, & Oprah Winfrey. Enjoy the laughs. // Continue...

Elvis Presley‘s “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” was originally in an emotional scene in Sofia Coppola’s film Priscilla. Coppola discussed her intended use of the track in the film. She also explained what she was trying to accomplish with the movie as a whole and how it compared to the recent Hollywood film Elvis.

Sofia Coppola put an instrumental ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight?’ in the movie

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Coppola asked Elvis Presley Enterprises if she could use recordings of Elvis in her movie. They turned her down. She said this was because Elvis Presley Enterprises protects their brand and doesn’t like projects they didn’t originate. There’s still nods to Elvis’ music in the finished film, such as a cover of “Guitar Man” and instrumental versions of “Aura Lee” ( the folk song that inspired the melody of “Love Me Tender”). However, the movie mostly...

Tl;Dr:

A classic Frankie Avalon song played when Elvis Presley met Priscilla Presley during his time in the army. A famous indie rock band is planning on covering Avalon’s song. Avalon described the track as “Muzak.”

Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley met in Germany when a Frankie Avalon song was playing. Subsequently, a director announced Avalon’s song will play a major role in an upcoming movie about Elvis and Priscilla. Notably, Avalon said he’s not a big fan of the song in question.

Frankie Avalon’s song will be a theme song in a film about Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley

The Hollywood Reporter says Elvis and Priscilla met when the former was stationed in Germany during his time in the U.S. Army. Avalon’s song “Venus” was playing when the two first crossed paths. Notably, Priscilla had the discernment not to tell anybody about their meeting after it happened.

Tl;Dr:

Arthouse director Sofia Coppola is making a film about Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley. Coppola explained why Elvis Presley Enterprises wasn’t very supportive. The film will feature songs by Frankie Avalon and the Ramones.

Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley were one of the most famous married couples in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. Despite this, the upcoming biopic Priscilla will feature none of the “Can’t Help Falling in Love” singer‘s music. During an interview, director Sofia Coppola explained why this is the case.

The song Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley heard when they 1st met is in the film

The film Priscilla will be directed by Coppola, who is already known for arthouse offerings such as The Virgin Suicides and Marie Antoinette. During a 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she revealed she asked Elvis Presley Enterprises for permission to use the rocker’s music. The company turned her down.

As we approach another anniversary of August 9, those who participated in “the decision” are all but gone.

But the reminders are with us, thanks to a new book by Evan Thomas, “Road to Surrender,” the forward for which reads “To save lives, it was necessary to take lives — possibly hundreds of thousands of them.” And, of course, Christopher Nolan’s epic portrait of the man who was never allowed to forget, Robert Oppenheimer.

We can’t hide under our desks anymore, but we can view ten other works that scared the hell out of us.

“On the Beach” (United Artists)

“On the Beach” (1959)

As a little girl in 1959, I found my parents watching this black and white film on TV. Excited, I asked if it was the latest with Annette and Frankie Avalon. Uh, no. They allowed me to stay, and two hours later, I was shaken to the core.

Pat Cooper, the famously fast-talking and angry stand-up comedian who often appeared on Ed Sullivan and Howard Stern’s shows, died Tuesday in Las Vegas. He was 93.

Cooper appeared on “Seinfeld” in the Friars Club episode, playing himself. He also appeared with Robert DeNiro in the 1999 film “Analyze This” as Salvatore Masiello and reprised his role in “Analyze That.”

He was a frequent guest host on the Mike Douglas Show in the 1970s, and appeared many times on the Howard Stern show throughout the 1990s and 2000s, where he was known for his cranky persona.

Born Pasquale Caputo to an Italian family in Brooklyn, he started out playing local New York clubs. In 1963, he landed a spot on “The Jackie Gleason Show,” and then began performing at the Copacabana, where he opened for acts including the Four Seasons and Jimmy Roselli.

Cooper went on to perform at clubs across the country,...

One of the very, very few topics that virtually every film and TV fan can agree on is that “Grease” is fantastic. The 1978 musical — which stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as two high schoolers who find their summer romance tested by the social dynamics at Rydell High School — is the kind of timeless, feel-good entertainment that’s virtually impossible to dislike.

The film rode the wave of 1950s nostalgia that swept the nation in the ’70s (see: “Happy Days” and “American Grafitti”) to become one of the most recognizable films ever made. An incredible songbook that includes all-timers, from the “Summer Nights” solo and “You’re the One That I Want” duet to Frankie Avalon’s dreamy “Beauty School Dropout,” make it the sort of film that you can rewatch any time, anywhere and almost always enjoy yourself.

How do you put your own spin on a property that’s so beloved?...

Hollywood stars and filmmakers joined for a weekend of celebrating film legacies and the impact they have had on cinema at the 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival.

To kick off the festival at the Los Angeles’ Tcl Chinese Theatre, The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and Hollywood Legion Theater at Post 43, Angie Dickinson chatted with TCM host Ben Mankiewicz on opening night Thursday about Rio Bravo, her role as Feathers and starring opposite John Wayne and Dean Martin.

When talking about what it was like working with director Howard Hawks, Dickinson said, “He was a man of few words,” and while filming, he told her and the crew to “just relax, and he and I sat there, talking about nothing. It was just to relax me and get me to the point that he wanted me to be for the scene.”

Directors Steven Spielberg and Paul Thomas Anderson also took part in a...

When John Farrar turned up to a movie set at dawn clutching a demo of his hastily written “emergency song”, he didn’t have high hopes. The call had only come in the previous day, crying out for a last-minute number to plug a hole in the musical score for when the greaser with heart gets the good girl turned bad. Farrar hadn’t exactly been inspired in scratching it together – “desperate is probably the word”, he says. The director took one listen and hated it, but the last-day-of-school shot was already set up and they were all out of options. A choreographer threw together a dance routine on the spot. The scene went in the can inside seven hours, and so wrapped this hokey teen musical presumably bound for oblivion.

Or not. The movie was the 1978 musical smash Grease. The track, “You’re the One That I Want”. A...

When John Farrar turned up to a movie set at dawn clutching a demo of his hastily written “emergency song”, he didn’t have high hopes. The call had only come in the previous day, crying out for a last-minute number to plug a hole in the musical score for when the greaser with heart gets the good girl turned bad. Farrar hadn’t exactly been inspired in scratching it together – “desperate is probably the word”, he says. The director took one listen and hated it, but the last-day-of-school shot was already set up and they were all out of options. A choreographer threw together a dance routine on the spot. The scene went in the can inside seven hours, and so wrapped this hokey teen musical presumably bound for oblivion.

Or not. The movie was the 1978 musical smash Grease. The track, “You’re the One That I Want”. A...

The James Bond franchise is known for including over-the-top action sequences with effects to match 007’s epic displays of derring-do. Still, there’s a chance for mediocrity in all things, even when the world’s most famous fictional spy is a part of the equation. Speaking with Yahoo! Movies, Bond film director Lee Tamahori says he regrets decisions made about filming the infamous kitesurfing sequence for Die Another Day. According to Tamahori, he wishes he didn’t use CGI for the scene. CGI is standard in film today, but Die Another Day hit theaters in 2002 when VFX methods were still rough around the edges. Watching the clip online, I can see why Tamahori cringes at the sight of Bond’s all-too-fake tsunami surfing.

“The only thing I’d do differently [with Die Another Day] would be the kitesurfing sequence,” Tamahori told Yahoo! Movies. “I don’t know how you’d do it differently.

Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on Eddie Volkman Show with Hannah B on Star 96.7 Wssr-fm reviewing the new Blu-Ray edition of “Back to the Beach,” the 1987 parody of Frankie and Annette beach movies from the 1960s, featuring of course Frankie and Annette.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello portray offbeat fictional versions of themselves, married and stuck in Ohio after Frankie (nicknamed the Big Kahuna) wiped out on a monster wave called the Cowabunga from Down Unda, and left the California Beach to raise rebellious Bobby (Demian Slide) and grown daughter Sandi. When Frankie and Annette go back in California to visit Sandi, the old wave meets the new wave.

Extras: Watch anywhere Digital Movie Code, Special Feature “Filmmaker Focus” spotlighting Director Lyndall Hobbs.

’Back to the Beach’ on Blu-Ray

Photo credit: Paramount Pictures

Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com reviewed “Back to the Beach” during the Eddie Volkman...

Bobby Rydell, the pop singer and actor best known for his role as Hugo Peabody in the 1963 film “Bye Bye Birdie,” died Tuesday, a spokesperson confirmed to Philadelphia’s Wpvi-tv. He was 79.

According to a statement posted to Rydell’s official Facebook page, the Philadelphia native died at Jefferson Hospital in his hometown from pneumonia complications unrelated to Covid. He was days away from celebrating his 80th birthday. Rydell remained active up until his death, and was scheduled to perform at The Golden Nugget in Atlantic City in June.

Typifying the “teen idol” sensation of the 1950s and pre-British invasion the early ’60s, Rydell made a name for himself with his first hit song, 1959’s “Kissin’ Time.” That year, he signed with Cameo/Parkway Records. Other popular tunes from this era of his career included “We Got Love, “Little Bitty Girl,” “Swingin’ School,” and “Ding-a-Ling.” Hit song “Wild One” reached the No.

Bobby Rydell, one of the first music idols to spur teen fandom in the Fifties and Sixties, has died at age 79. His death was caused by complications from pneumonia, a rep for the artist confirmed in a statement.

“He had the best pipes,” his good friend and radio legend Jerry Blavat told the Inquirer. “He could do Sinatra, he could do anything… He could do comedy. He played the drums. He was a great mimic… He could have been as big as Bobby Darin, but he didn’t want to leave Philadelphia.

Bobby Rydell, the Philly-born teen idol of the early 1960s whose hits included “Volare” and “Wild One” and who took part in a scene-stealing dance number with Ann-Margret in the 1963 film Bye Bye Birdie, died today. He was 79.

His death was reported by Philadelphia’s CBS affiliate. Additional details were not immediately available.

So engrained in the early ’60s pop milieu that the musical Grease named its Rydell High School after him, Bobby Rydell recorded a few local hit songs before scoring with his first Top 20 in 1959 with “Kissin’ Time.” That song earned him a spot on an Australian concert tour with The Everly Brothers, The Crickets and others.

His next hit was even bigger: “We Got Love” went gold, and was followed up by “Wild One”, a 1960 million-seller that remains a staple of Golden Oldies radio. Later that year came “Volare,” which went to #4 on U.S. charts.

His...

Bobby Rydell, the epitome of the early ’60s “teen idol,” who parlayed that fame into a starring role opposite Ann-Margret in the 1963 film “Bye Bye Birdie,” died today at age 79. The cause of death was pneumonia.

His death just days away from his 80th birthday was confirmed by radio legend Jerry Blavat, Rydell’s longtime friend from the singer’s South Philadelphia stomping grounds. “Out of all the kids” from that era, Blavat said, “he had the best pipes and was the greatest entertainer. He told the best stories, did the best impersonations and was the nicest guy.”

Rydell’s fame as the epitome of an American teen pop star in the days just prior to rock’s British Invasion was such that Rydell High School in the Broadway musical and subsequent film “Grease” was named after him. An actor also portrayed him in a performance scene in the film “Green Book.

Dwayne Hickman, whose turn as eternal romantic Dobie Gillis made him a teen idol in the 1960s, has died this morning at age 87 in his Los Angeles home of complications from Parkinson’s Disease.

An actor, producer, director and artist, Hickman starred in the hit TV series The Bob Cummings Show and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. He died on the birthday of his dearest friend and former “Dobie …” cast member Bob Denver, whom he again costarred opposite in the CBS, movie of the week, Surviving Gilligan’s Island, playing a CBS network executive.

Born Dwayne Bernard Hickman on May 18, 1934 in Los Angeles, Hickma’s earliest screen appearances included began at age six, making his film debut, as an extra in The Grapes of Wrath.

As a teen he starred in his first television series opposite Bob Cummings, where he honed his comedic skills under the watchful eyes of...

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By Hank Reineke

On the very month that Roger Corman’s The Raven was to hit theaters in January 1963, Aip announced that they had just signed a four year eight-film contract with that film’s co-star Peter Lorre. The contract was an interesting one as it wasn’t exclusive: the actor wasn’t necessarily barred from accepting acting offers from other studios. But the contract stipulated Lorre could not accept any roles offered of “the horror, science-fiction, macabre type,” and certainly not in any competing non-aip Edgar Allan Poe film adaptation. Such movies would remain the domain of Aip, which had recently been on a hot streak with their churning of Gothic horrors. Arkoff and Nicholson triumphantly announced they had already readied two new projects for Lorre, one titled It’s Alive (reported to co-star Elsa (The Bride of Frankenstein) Lanchester and a second,...

"Life's A Beach"

By Lee Pfeiffer

When it comes to defining cinematic guilty pleasures, one need not look any further than the lame-brained beach movies that were marketed to teenagers in the mid-1960s. The formula started in 1963 with "Beach Party", teaming Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon for the first time as loved-starved teens who are addicted to fun and sun in the surf. The film was such a hit that it spawned numerous sequels, delighting producers Samuel Z. Arkoff and James H. Nicholson and American International, which was mining gold by making big profits from low-budget productions. The beach series didn't vary much in terms of content and many of the most popular actors were utilized in each successive film. There were also simlarly-themed films starring Avalon in different geographical settings. But if the beach series burned brightly, its flame was short-lived. By 1965, the young audiences that initially craved...

Monday’s episode of Dancing With the Stars can only be described as systematic, hydromatic, and y’know what, while we’re at it? Ultramatic, too.

The ABC competition traded in Mickey Mouse ears for Pink Ladies jackets on Week 5, in celebration of the movie musical Grease. And since we’re about halfway through the competition, it seems about time for a shocking elimination, which went down at the end of the broadcast.

More from TVLineDancing With the Stars Recap: Disney Week Wraps With a Double EliminationTom Bergeron Unpacks DWTS Firing ('I Wasn't Surprised'), Admits Season 28 'Was Not the Show...

Grease is the word this week on Dancing With the Stars, which will feature a fan-favorite guest of honor! Actress and singer Olivia Newton-John, who played the female lead, Sandy Olsson, in the hit 1978 musical film, will make her return to the show and appear on the themed episode on Monday, Oct. 18, a rep for the show told E! News exclusively. "Olivia Newton-John will be making a surprise guest appearance on Monday's show, in support of the competing couples who will dance to the music from her iconic film role," the rep said. ABC had announced last week that its upcoming Grease Night episode will feature fellow movie alum and crooner Frankie Avalon, 81,...

It’s no longer “Summer Nights,” but that’s not going to stop “Dancing with the Stars” from doing a “Grease” Night. The remaining 11 couples will perform to tunes from the iconic musical on Monday because the show is hopelessly devoted to theme nights.

You’ve got all the usual suspects from “Grease” and will be treated to a double dose of one song: Melora Hardin and Artem Chigvintsev will perform their Viennese waltz to “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee” while JoJo Siwa and Jenna Johnson will foxtrot to the reprise. For the first time this season, the Charleston will be performed — Suni Lee and Sasha Farber will do one to “Born to Hand Jive.” The other dance styles are foxtrot, jive, Viennese waltz, rumba and quickstep.

See the full list of dances below.

Jimmie Allen and Emma Slater: foxtrot (“Sandy”)

Melanie C and Gleb Savchenko:...

In “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” Andrew Garfield and Jessica Chastain play Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, the self-styled Christian TV personalities who did more than anyone else to mold televangelism into a game-changing, culture-shaking, credit-card-maxing industry/cult/diversion. The movie, which is a ticklishly fascinating rise-and-fall saga, was directed by Michael Showalter, who almost always makes comedies, so you might expect him to treat the Bakker saga as a delicious slice of kitsch — which, in a sense, it was.

There’s a bit of that, but Showalter is up to something more sly, and maybe more artful. In “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” he gives Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker the full dignity — and scandal — of their humanity. He knows that a lot of people think of the Bakkers as walking caricatures, and that in the case of Tammy Faye, with her infamous troweled-on ’60s-raccoon-from-Maybelline clown-freak makeup, she verged on self-parody.

Michael Nader, an actor who appeared on “Dynasty” and “All My Children,” has died. He was 76.

Nader’s manager confirmed his passing to TheWrap. Nader died on Monday from an untreatable form of cancer.

Michael’s wife, Jodi Lister, released a statement to soap opera writer Michael Fairman: “With heavy heart, I’m sharing the news of the passing of my beloved, Michael. We had 18 wonderful years together with the many dogs we fostered and adopted. Recently, Michael was so thrilled to reconnect with his friends from the cast of ‘Dynasty’ during Emma Samms virtual event to help raise funds for Long-Covid research. Michael was working on a book about his life and addiction at the time of his death. He was a beautiful and fascinating man with many talents and skills. I will miss him forever.”

Nader was best known for playing Farnsworth “Dex” Dexter on the 1980s primetime soap opera “Dynasty.

Two attractive teenage boys, one of whom is shirtless, energetically dance to “Skechers” by DripReport, their sun-streaked curls bouncing, palm trees and stucco pseudo-Renaissance architecture in the background.

It’s a snapshot from an idyllic teenage dream, the 2020s version of the Frankie Avalon/Annette Funicello beach party movies. One would be forgiven for not immediately realizing that it was posted amidst the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The boys, Jack and James Wright, are 16-year-old twins and members of the L.A. Hype House, a creator collective comprised of about 20 young,...

As controversy builds around “Richard Jewell” and its depiction of female journalists, it’s nothing new for women music writers on the silver screen.

Although “Crazy Heart,” which premiered 10 years ago this month, was basically 2009’s equivalent of Bradley Cooper’s remake of “A Star Is Born,” it hasn’t had quite the staying power of some other archetypal music-based films. Jeff Bridges won his first Oscar for his portrayal of a washed-up, alcoholic country singer, and Maggie Gyllenhaal was nominated for her performance as the much younger love interest who tries to save him from self-destruction. The main difference in this film written and directed by Scott Cooper (no relation to Bradley) is that Gyllenhaal’s character is not a fellow singer-songwriter ripe for mentoring, but rather an aspiring journalist in search of a story.

Before long, however, business and pleasure intermingle and Bridges and Gyllenhaal wake up in...

A celebration of the life of Jack Gilardi, an ICM agent for 68 years, will take place this Monday, December 9, at 7:00 Pm at Paramount Studios.

Industry friends are welcome to attend, but must RSVP to obtain a drive-on to the Paramount lot. The RSVP email is  Gilardimemorial@icmpartners.com.

Gilardi passed away September 19. During his long career, he represented major stars, directors, music artists, and athletes, including Sylvester Stallone, Joe Mantegna, Jerry Lewis, Shirley MacLain, Ann Margaret, Charlton Heston, Frankie Avalon, Walter Hill, Walter Becker, Frankie Valli, Howie Long and Annette Funicello, whom he married and had three children with. The children will speak at the memorial, along with many of the stars that Gilardi represented.

The official invitation is below:...

Jack Gilardi, a longtime ICM Partners agent whose license plate read “ICM Jg,” died on Thursday at his home in Los Angeles at age 88, the agency announced.

During his seven-decade career, Gilardi represented Hollywood legends such as Burt Reynolds, Sylvester Stallone, Jerry Lewis, Shirley MacLaine and Charlton Heston. Longstanding clients who have remained with him until the end include Ann-Margret, Joe Mantegna, Walter Hill, Frankie Avalon and Jaclyn Smith, among many others.

He was also married to actress and former Mouseketeer Annette Funicello from 1965 to 1981; the couple had three children together.

Also Read: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2019 (Photos)

The Chicago native got his start in talent representation while serving in the U.S. Army, where he was placed in charge of bringing entertainment to the soldiers stationed at Fort Knox. In October 1954, following his completion of service, he began working as an agent with General Artists Corporation, which later joined Creative Management Associates,...

Jack L. Gilardi, a longtime ICM Partners agent whose client roster over the years included Burt Reynolds, Sylvester Stallone, Jerry Lewis, Shirley MacLaine, and Charlton Heston, died this morning at age 88.

His death was announced by ICM Partners. No cause of death was given, but the company notes that Gilardi passed away peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by family.

Gilardi would have celebrated his 65th anniversary at the company next month. Longstanding clients who remained with Gilardi until the end include Ann-Margret, Joe Mantegna, Walter Hill, Frankie Avalon, and Jaclyn Smith, among others.

Among his early clients was former Mouseketeer and star of American-International’s “Beach Party” film franchise Annette Funicello, who he would marry in 1965. The couple had three children before divorcing in 1983. (Funicello died at 70 in 2013 of complications due to multiple sclerosis).

Born on October 5th, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois, Gilardi would go on to join the Us Army and,...

Jack Gilardi, a longtime ICM Partners agent who represented such stars as Burt Reynolds, Sylvester Stallone, Jerry Lewis, Charlton Heston and Shirley MacLaine, died Thursday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 88.

Gilardi was known for his gentlemanly style, love of the Los Angeles Dodgers and his skill at representing top actors. He would have marked his 65th anniversary at ICM (and its predecessor Creative Management Associates) next month. Gilardi remained active as a talent rep on behalf of longtime clients including Ann-Margret, Joe Mantegna, Walter Hill, Frankie Valli, Frankie Avalon and Jaclyn Smith. He was married to one-time client Annette Funicello for 17 years in the 1960s and ’70s.

A native of Chicago, Gilardi served in the U.S. Army at Fort Knox in Kentucky, where he was in charge of arranging entertainment for the soldiers. That led him to pursue a career as a talent agency after his discharge...

Jack Gilardi, the dapper agent who spent the past 64-plus years with ICM Partners and its predecessor companies, has died. He was 88.

Gilardi died Thursday morning in his sleep at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by his family, a spokesperson for ICM announced.

He was married to the late actress Annette Funicello — he first met her on the set of her 1961 film Babes in Toyland and served as her agent and manager — from 1965 until their divorce in 1981.

Gilardi's roster of current clients included Funicello's frequent co-star Frankie Avalon as well as ...

Jack Gilardi, the dapper agent who spent the past 64-plus years with ICM Partners and its predecessor companies, has died. He was 88.

Gilardi died Thursday morning in his sleep at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by his family, a spokesperson for ICM announced.

He was married to the late actress Annette Funicello — he first met her on the set of her 1961 film Babes in Toyland and served as her agent and manager — from 1965 until their divorce in 1981.

Gilardi's roster of current clients included Funicello's frequent co-star Frankie Avalon as well as ...

How to Stuff a Wild Bikini

Blu ray

Olive Films

1965 / 2.35 : 1 / 93 Min.

Starring Annette Funicello, Dwayne Hickman, Mickey Rooney

Cinematography by Floyd Crosby

Directed by William Asher

Sam Arkoff and James Nicholson, the men behind such teen-friendly drive-in fare as Reform School Girl and High School Hellcats, caught a monster wave with 1963’s Beach Party and hung on for three long years before sinking into the sunset with Ghost in the Invisible Bikini, a haunted house spoof starring Tommy Kirk and a frail Boris Karloff.

It was a wild ride sustained by Annette Funicello, Frankie Avalon and a rotating cast of fun-loving deadbeats who would become as familiar to 60’s audiences as Eugene Pallette and Hugh Herbert were to depression era movie fans. As weighty as a cherry popsicle in July, the movies were aimed at high schoolers but the gags were older than dirt – vaudeville humor with that Coppertone tan.

Kids from the "swinging ’60s" beware, "you're in for a scare!" British classic The Haunted House of Horror (1969) has been restored and will be released on Blu-ray for the first time on April 15th. Also in today's Horror Highlights: Orlando Jones will star in Dark Forces, Guess I'm a Ghost premiere and episode details, info on the Travel Channel's newly announced Ghost Nation series, and a Q&A with Happy! composer Guillaume Roussel.

The Haunted House of Horror (1969) 2K Restoration Blu-ray Release Details: "A Tigon British classic. Once, in a now-deserted

mansion, a man went mad and sliced up his entire family. Now, a group of jaded boys and girls from Swinging Sixties London decide to go out to the house on a dare.

Cast

Frankie Avalon... Chris

Jill Haworth... Sheila

Dennis Price... Inspector Bill Bradley

Mark Wynter... Gary Scott

George Sewell... Bob Kellett

Gina Warwick... Sylvia Fuller

Crew

Director:...

Need to catch up? Check out the previous This Is Us recap here.

Kate and Toby finally get to hold their prematurely born son in this week’s This Is Us, but they might want to cover the little guy’s ears: The yelling that’s soon to come from Randall and Beth’s house in New Jersey probably will be audible clear across the country.

As Tess, Annie and Deja’s parents learn in the hour, it turns out that you need more than a heavily filled-in whiteboard schedule in order to make the Pearsons’ new normal work. And...

Dick Dale, whose jangly, reverb-heavy surf guitar style was the soundtrack on numerous film and TV productions, died on Saturday. No cause was given, but Dale had been in ill health for a number of years, even as he kept up a crowded touring schedule.

Dale’s music was a featured attraction in such films as Pulp Fiction, Escape From L.A., Space Jam, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle and Garfield 2, among many others. He was equally prolific in TV music, and even had a few acting stints, including an uncredited role in Elvis Presley’s Let’s Make Love in 1960.

But it was as a musician that Dale made an indelible mark. His versions of “Pipeline” and “Misirlou“ (the theme from Pulp Fiction) are considered rock ‘n roll classics, and Dale branded the unique surf sound on several generations of fans. He continued to tour despite a host of health problems,...

Written by Misty Schwartz

Growing up in Central New Jersey, not far from Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base, Suzanne DeLaurentiis, a thirty-five-year veteran Hollywood producer, has always had a significant military presence in her life.

When she volunteered for the U.S.O. during the late seventies, her heart went out to the plights of United States Veterans and their families.

“The end of the Vietnam war was so eye-opening. I witnessed many families endure the pain of missing loved ones held as prisoners-of-war or were still missing in action. I also saw the many young soldiers that did come back have substantial injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder. Some didn’t come back at all. I felt completely overwhelmed with gratitude for the sacrifices and the services they made for our country. But what could I possibly do?” she asks. “I was just one person, but I knew...

“The Mickey Mouse Club” first premiered in October 1955 under the leadership of the one and only Walt Disney. The long-lasting variety show served as incubator for more than a few major future stars throughout its run, and during its second iteration in the 1990s, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Gosling, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera all shared airtime as Mousketeers. Here’s a look back at the biggest stars who made appearances on the show.

Annette Funicello

Funicello joined the Mousketeers in 1955 at the age of 12 after being personally discovered at a ballet performance by none other than Walt Disney. She quickly became one of the show’s most popular performers, receiving 6,000 fan letters a week, along with wristwatches and a few engagement rings. Funicello went on to star in several Disney-produced serials and movies, including “The Shaggy Dog” and “Babes in Toyland,” and then switched gears to costar in a...

Rock stars wanting to be actors and vice versa are a common phenomenon in Hollywood. No one quite managed to pull off the transition with the success of Cher, who remains the only rock icon to manage to not only make a successful transition to acting but also to win an Oscar for acting and not composing.

It wasn’t an easy transition though. Cher paired with husband Sonny Bono in her teens to become the duo simply known as Sonny and Cher. After a string of hit records, the duo launched a successful television variety show where Cher was able to hone her acting and comedic skills as she appeared in various sketches. Her marriage to Sonny would end in divorce, and Cher struggled to transition in to acting. Upon receipt of a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for “Silkwood,” Cher thanked all the Hollywood moguls who would never give her a job.

Actress Deanna Lund died on June 22 at her home in Century City of pancreatic cancer. She was 81.

Lund played one of the seven castaways trying to survive in a world of large, unfriendly people on the 1960s ABC series Land of the Giants. Her Valerie Scott was a selfish party girl on the Irwin Allen-created series, which aired for two seasons, from September 1968 until March 1970.

Set in the year 1983, 20th Century Fox's Land of the Giants revolved around the crew and passengers of the spaceship Spindrift, which on the way to London crashed on a planet whose humanoid inhabitants were hostile and unbelievably huge. The show was extremely expensive to make, costing a reported $250,000 an episode.

The sexy Lund had appeared as a redheaded lesbian stripper opposite Frank Sinatra in Tony Rome (1967) and as Anna Gram, a moll working for The Riddler (John Astin), on ABC's Batman, leading...

Grease is a timeless classic, a musical ditty to the summer of our youths that appeals to all generations. So it comes as no surprise, on its 40th Anniversary, the John Travolta’s T-Birds and Stockard Channing’s Pink Ladies with the original Sandra Dee, Olivia Newton-John are making a return to the big screen with an all-new 4K restoration thanks to Park Circus.

Originally released in 1978, Grease made an indelible impact on popular culture. Forty years later, the film remains an enduring favourite as legions of new fans discover the memorable moments, a sensational soundtrack and classic love story. Boasting unforgettable songs including “Greased Lightnin,” “Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” “Summer Nights,” “Hopelessly Devoted To You,” and, of course, “Grease,” the film is a timeless feel-good celebration.

Related: Clint Eastwood’s A Fistful of Dollars gets a new trailer for its 4K restoration release

Following the huge success of Saturday Night Fever,...

Fox has announced a pair of live musicals that will broadcast on the network in 2017: Rent and A Christmas Story.

The live version of Jonathan Larson's Tony-winning musical follows the January 2016 airing of Fox's Grease: Live.

Larson's estate executors, Al and Julie Larson, will serve as executive producing on Fox's Rent; Larson died in January 1996 following the musical's off-Broadway debut. The play went on to win the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Rent was also adapted for the big screen in...

Los Angeles – With the flourish of trumpets in “The Bullfighter’s Song,” a pugnacious man would strut on stage and launch a volley of hilarious insults on some unsuspecting targets. That act was Don Rickles, whose show business nicknames included “The King of Zing,” “The Merchant of Venom” and the magnificently ironic “Mr. Warmth.” Rickles died in Los Angeles on April 6th, 2017. He was 90.

In his early career, Rickles was a throwback to the cocktail and burlesque joints of the 1950s and ‘60s, where a burgeoning stand up comic would do anything to engage the audience and keep a gig. With a quick wit and rat-a-tat delivery, Rickles developed a persona that would keep him working virtually all the way to the end. He went from the “Rat Pack” era, through comedy roasts of the 1970s, to the voice of Mr. Potato Head in the “Toy Story” series, and never...

Jim Knipfel Oct 17, 2018

After all these years, Al Adamson’s cult classic Dracula vs. Frankenstein still doesn’t make a damn lick of sense!

Growing up in Wisconsin in the early '70s, I would get home from school, drop my bag, park myself in front of the TV and tune in The Early Show. Every weekday between three and five-thirty, a local station aired sometimes shockingly uncut films, and it was there my cinematic education began. I don’t know who was programming The Early Show, but I would like to shake his hand. The focus was decidedly on genre films,especially horror and recent drive-in hits. Along with scattered Westerns, war movies and mysteries, there were regular week-long Toho and Hammer fests, without a single stupid musical or romantic comedy tossed in to muck things up.

It was through The Early Show that I was introduced to Roger Corman,...