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Disney’s TV special for Epcot Center's opening may have looked great, but behind the scenes, it was a nightmare!

Looking back at television in the early 1980s is an interesting experience. Cable TV was in its infancy, VCRs were barely used, and the overall tone was more conservative in many ways. It was also pretty old school as networks relied on tried and true stuff like the old variety show aspects and musical specials.

Disney had used that well for years as their TV specials were always unique, mixing in original songs with some fun stars. By the 1980s, they were working with Smith-Hemion, which is well known for some award-winning variety specials featuring stars such as Frank Sinatra, Barbara Streisand, Elvis, Bette Middler, and more. They could be silly and cheesy yet fun to watch. The company was also behind the now-infamous Star Wars Holiday Special.

One of...

Pauly Shore wants to make a movie about the life and times of Richard Simmons. The actor/comedian has been campaigning to make a movie about the fitness guru for some time now. Sadly, Richard Simmons passed away a few weeks back at the age of seventy-six.

Simmons, an energetic personality who starred on his syndicated TV exercise show in the 1980s, died at his home in Los Angeles. He had not been seen in public for a long time, so much so that TMZ made a documentary about the very private Simmons. Richard Simmons has helped thousands of people through their journey of losing weight.

After hearing of Simmons’s passing, Shore posted on Instagram: “I just got word like everyone else that the beautiful Richard Simmons has passed. I hope you’re at peace and twinkling up in the heavens. Please give my mother, Mitzi, and my father,...

Pauly Shore is questioning whether remarks attributed to Richard Simmons about not wanting a biopic were written by the fitness guru.

Shore, who plans to star and executive produce a biopic about Simmons, told “Entertainment Tonight” that pre-death social media posts from Simmons critical of Shore taking on the role could have been fake.

“I know he wanted me to do it,” he said of the biopic. “I don’t even know if that was him tweeting the whole time. I don’t know who that was,” Shore told Et.

But Simmons’ staff hit back at the comments on social media.

“Pauly Shore has recently made comments to Entertainment Tonight concerning his attempts to proceed with an unauthorized movie about Richard. You’ve seen here on Richard’s account what he had to say about the biopic,” his staff wrote on Simmons’s official X account.

They wrote that Simmons’s brother,...

Who would have thought a Richard Simmons biopic would be so rife with controversy? Pauly Shore has been developing an unauthorized biopic of Richard Simmons despite the fitness guru having expressed his displeasure on several occasions. Now, less than a month after Simmons’ death, Shore told Entertainment Tonight that he knows Simmons wanted him to do the movie, which has prompted Simmons’ family to respond.

“I know he wanted me to do it,” Shore told Et. “I don’t even know if that was him tweeting [disapproval] the whole time, to be quite honest. I don’t know who that was.“

In response, Simmons’ staff and brother, Lenny, stated that no such blessing ever took place. “Pauly Shore has recently made comments to Entertainment Tonight concerning his attempts to proceed with an unauthorized movie about Richard. You’ve seen here on Richard’s account what he had to say about the biopic,...

Days after fitness icon Richard Simmons’ death at age 76, comedian Pauly Shore shared a heartfelt tribute on social media.

Simmons, renowned for his popular series of aerobic videos, Sweatin’ to the Oldies, died at his Los Angeles home just one day after his birthday.

The reclusive fitness legend was very active on social media in the weeks leading up to his death.

In a July 14 Instagram post, Shore expressed his condolences: “I just got word like everyone else that the beautiful Richard Simmons has passed. I hope you’re at peace and twinkling up in the heavens.”

He also sent warm regards to his late parents, asking Simmons to “give my mother Mitzi and my father Sammy a big hug and a kiss for me.”

Shore concluded his message by acknowledging Simmons’ unique personality and remarkable life.

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A post shared by Pauly Shore (@paulyshore)

Pauly...

Pauly Shore has paid tribute to Richard Simmons ahead of starring as the late fitness guru in an upcoming biopic.The TV personality - who found fame for his popular aerobatic video series ‘Sweatin’ to the Oldies’ – was found dead at his Los Angeles home on Saturday (13.07.24), the day after his 76th birthday.Following the sad news, the 56-year-old comedian hailed him “one of a kind”.He wrote on Instagram: “I just got word like everyone else that the beautiful Richard Simmons has passed. I hope you’re at peace and twinkling up in the heavens. “Please give my mother Mitzi and my father Sammy a big hug and a kiss for me. You’re one of a kind, Richard. An amazing life. An amazing story. They broke the dolphin shorts when they made you. Rest in peace, my friend. Rest in peace.”Shore had originally played Simmons in the...

Pauly Shore is paying tribute to Richard Simmons, the celebrity fitness guru, who died Saturday at 76 years old.

Simmons, an energetic personality who starred on his own syndicated TV exercise show in the 1980s, died at his home in Los Angeles, his rep told The Hollywood Reporter.

Shore, who is set to star in a biopic about Simmons that the fitness icon had previously blasted, wrote on Instagram, “I just got word like everyone else that the beautiful Richard Simmons has passed. I hope you’re at peace and twinkling up in the heavens.”

“Please give my mother Mitzi and my father Sammy a big hug and a kiss for me,” the comedian and actor continued. “You’re one of a kind, Richard. An amazing life. An amazing story. They broke the dolphin shorts when they made you. Rest in peace, my friend. Rest in peace.”

Simmons had continued to distance himself from the biopic,...

Pauly Shore has paid tribute to Richard Simmons, the energetic, frizzy-haired TV personality and fitness coach, who died Saturday at age 76.

Shore, the comedian and actor who is starring in an unauthorized biopic about the late fitness legend, took to Instagram to write, “I just got word like everyone else that the beautiful Richard Simmons has passed. I hope you’re at peace and twinkling up in the heavens. Please give my mother Mitzi and my father Sammy a big hug and a kiss for me.”

He continued, “You’re one of a kind, Richard. An amazing life. An amazing story. They broke the dolphin shorts when they made you. Rest in peace, my friend. Rest in peace.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pauly Shore (@paulyshore)

News of a Richard Simmons biopic starring Shore broke in January of this year; the feature is still in the works from The Wolper Organization,...

Following the death of Richard Simmons, Hollywood is mourning the loss of a positive figure who impacted many lives.

One such tribute came from Pauly Shore, who previously developed an unauthorized biopic of the late fitness legend months before he died at age 76, which Simmons objected to at the time.

“I just got word like everyone else that the beautiful Richard Simmons has passed,” he began in an Instagram post on Friday. “I hope you’re at peace and twinkling up in the heavens.

“Please give my mother Mitzi and my father Sammy a big hug and a kiss for me,” added Shore. “You’re one of a kind, Richard. An amazing life. An amazing story. They broke the dolphin shorts when they made you. Rest in peace, my friend. Rest in peace.”

Simmons’ death was reported Friday by TMZ after his housekeeper called the Los Angeles Police Department to his Hollywood Hills home,...

What happens when someone isn’t happy that you’re going to play them in a biopic exploring their own life? You do it anyway, with or without their blessing. At least that’s what Pauly Shore is planning on doing. Who’s going to stop him? Richard Simmons? Please…

Pauly Shore – Insists He’ll Play Richard Simmons Despite the Latter’s Disapproval

Have you seen Pauly Shore playing Richard Simmons? Yes, you’re going to see him as the popular fitness guru soon because he is not hearing anything said fitness guru has to say.

The ‘Encino Man’ star, 56, has once again addressed the controversies surrounding his planned appearance on a Simmons biopic.

He reportedly touched on the subject during his appearance at his ‘Netflix is a Joke’ show at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles on Friday, May 3.

“I’m also gonna be starring in the Richard Simmons...

Pauly Shore once again addressed his in-development Richard Simmons biopic that has become a hot topic.

“I’m also gonna be starring in the Richard Simmons biopic…whether he likes it or not, Richard,” Shore said at his Netflix Is a Joke show at the Comedy Store Friday night in Los Angeles. “Just another fucking bump in my fucking road.”

Shore’s hour-and-a-half comedy set recounted his life story with a particular focus on growing up in Los Angeles with parents Sammy Shore and Mitzi Shore who co-founded the Comedy Store.

While the bulk of the set detailed his childhood through to the time he spent on MTV and even at the Playboy Mansion, at the very end he jumped to the present to talk about his current life stage and achievements and to briefly address the ongoing biopic situation.

The comment comes after a string of social media back-and-forths...

The upcoming biopic of Richard Simmons starring Pauly Shore took a big step forward earlier this week when it was announced that Jordan Allen-Dutton (Robot Chicken) had signed on to write the script, but the subject of the film isn’t having it.

“I just read that a man that I don’t know is writing my bio pic starring Pauly Shore,” Richard Simmons wrote on social media. “I do not approve this movie. I am in talks with major studios to create my own bio pic with some help. Wait for this movie.” Shore, who is still holding out hope that Simmons will embrace the project, wrote on Instagram that these words brought him to tears.

I was up all night crying regarding Richard Simmons’ tweet. Richard, how do you not approve of this movie? I mean, really, who’s better to play you in a movie than Me?...

Pauly Shore wrote on Instagram that he was “up all night crying” after Richard Simmons continued to publicly distance himself from the biopic on his life that Shore is attached to star in. Furthermore, Simmons revealed on his social media platforms that he’s talking to film studios about making his own biopic.

“I just read that a man that I don’t know is writing my bio pic starring Pauly Shore,” Simmons posted earlier this week. “I do not approve this movie. I am in talks with major studios to create my own biopic with some help. Wait for this movie.”

Shore’s Simmons biopic, which the fitness icon is not involved with, is now in development at Warner Bros. subsidiary The Wolper Organization from writer Jordan Allen-Dutton.

“I was up all night crying regarding Richard Simmons’ tweet,” Shore responded. “Richard, how do you not approve of this movie?...

Like a sweaty workout routine, Pauly Shore‘s Richard Simmons biopic continues to gain momentum. The Wolper Organization says it’s hiring Jordan Allen-Dutton (Robot Chicken) to pen the screenplay. The biopic comes after the success of The Court Jester, a short film starring Shore as the fitness guru and sunny cheerleader for people struggling with weight control and self-esteem issues. The Court Jester sold out multiple screenings in Park City, Utah, earlier this year and gained over one million views on YouTube in 24 hours. While the project has some unfortunate vibes, the team continues to press on with development.

While details about the Richard Simmons biopic remain as scarce as a neon pink leotard up someone’s rear end at the climax of an aerobics routine, producer Mark Wolper says the project will be “a dramatic and heartfelt feature in the tone of Little Miss Sunshine.”

Unfortunately, a dark...

Exclusive: The Wolper Organization has tapped Jordan Allen-Dutton (Robot Chicken) to pen the script for its recently announced Richard Simmons biopic produced by and starring Pauly Shore, Deadline has learned.

While the title of the film hasn’t yet been disclosed, nor specifics to the approach it’ll take in depicting the life of the famed fitness guru, producer Mark Wolper has shared that it will be “a dramatic and heartfelt feature in the tone of Little Miss Sunshine.” Shore came to the project after campaigning for years to play Simmons in a feature, given popular online opinion that no one resembles the fitness icon more than him. Previously, he portrayed Simmons in The Court Jester, a short film written and directed by Jake Lewis that sold out multiple screenings in Park City, Ut earlier this year and garnered over a million views on YouTube in 24 hours.

While Simmons has...

For a reclusive figure, Richard Simmons sure has had a public 2024 so far. First it was blasting Pauly Shore’s portrayal of him in the short film The Court Jester – apparently some sort of dream project for The Weasel – and now he is trying to convince people that he is in fact not lunging towards death’s door.

Richard Simmons drew concern from his social media followers when he wrote, in part, “I have some news to tell you. Please don’t be sad. I am ….dying. Oh I can see your faces now. The truth is we all are dying. Every day we live we are getting closer to our death.” We say “in part” because Simmons would go on to write, “Why am I telling you this?…Because I want you to enjoy your life to the fullest every single day. Get up in the morning and look at the sky…...

After footage of Pauly Shore playing fitness guru Richard Simmons in his new short film, The Court Jester, Simmons blasted the project in a Facebook post.

In addition to the short film, there have also been rumors flying about a possible full-length feature about the fitness icon.

“You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore,” Simmons said. “I have never given my permission for this movie. So don’t believe everything you read.”

Later in the post, he explained that he no longer has a publicist or a manager and intends to lead a quiet life away from the public eye.

The movie idea has been in development with the Wolper Organization, a subsidiary of Warner Brothers, which has released a statement about the film.

“While we would love to have [Simmons] involved, we respect his desire to privacy and plan to produce a movie that honors him,...

Pauly Shore is responding to Richard Simmons after the fitness icon disavowed the upcoming biopic in which Shore is set to play him. Shore stopped by the Variety Studio presented by Audible while at the Sundance Film Festival and said his Simmons movie is “all about love,” with or without the real Simmons’ blessing.

“My come from has always been love,” Shore said. “It’s never been vindictive. I’m not Borat. I’m not ‘let’s make fun of someone.’ It’s the opposite. At this point, it’s an unauthorized biopic and they’re made every day. Yes, I want him to put his pixie dust on this and say, ‘Go for it, Pauly.’ It’s Richard being Richard. It’s sensitive. We don’t want to bug him. We want him to be left alone and we don’t want to bug him. We want to pay...

"Mary Poppins" has been a beloved children's film since its release in 1964. The musical comedy was a veritable hit among British and American audiences alike and launched the career of the incomparable Julie Andrews, who became one of the brightest stars of the late 20th century.

The Disney classic swept the 1965 Oscars, earning Andrews an Academy Award for her performance and snagging additional awards for visual effects, editing, and music. The film was a great triumph for the studio as well as the stars. It was immediately recognized as the masterpiece that it is and has only retained and strengthened its legendary status with age.

Sadly, as the picture ages, so too do the actors that made it such an unforgettable romp. Very few members of the main cast are still alive today and the ones that haven't made it might surprise you. Glynis Johns, who played suffragette and mother...

Pauly Shore’s performance as Richard Simmons is seeing the light of day, less than a week after plans for a feature film biopic were announced. A 10-minute short film starring Shore, titled “The Court Jester,” premiered at the Cabin in Park City on Friday. The event wasn’t an official Sundance Film Festival screening, but was certainly positioned to draw in festivalgoers.

“The Court Jester” is now available to watch online through the Lewis Brothers’ YouTube channel. A second screening at the Cabin is set for Jan. 22. The director, Jake Lewis, went viral with his Robin Williams impersonation. It stars Jesse Heiman, best known as a conspicuous extra who has appeared in films like “Spider-Man,” “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “The Social Network.” Heiman plays a segment producer who partners with Simmons amid backstage drama at a talk show.

“I’m really excited about sharing Richard Simmons’s life with the world.

Pauly Shore is speaking out after Richard Simmons slammed his new movie.

Earlier this week, new photos and a teaser trailer for the upcoming short film The Court Jester were released in which Pauly, 55, plays the 75-year-old fitness guru.

After the press material was released, Richard released a statement saying that he does not endorse the project.

Keep reading to find out more…

“Hi Everybody! You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore,” Richard wrote on Facebook on Wednesday (Jan. 17). “I have never given my permission for this movie. So don’t believe everything you read.”

He continued, “I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support.”

While arriving in Salt Lake City on Thursday (Jan. 18) to promote the new...

Richard Simmons issued a rare statement Wednesday disavowing a planned biopic about the former fitness guru starring Pauly Shore.

In a message posted to his official Facebook account, Simmons said of the apparently unauthorized biopic, “You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie. So don’t believe everything you read.”

Simmons, whose sudden turn to a reclusive lifestyle prompted a podcast investigating his well-being, added, “I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful.

Hours after it was announced that Pauly Shore would play him in an upcoming biopic, fitness guru Richard Simmons revealed that he did not give his blessing for the film to be made.

“Hi Everybody! You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie. So don’t believe everything you read,” Simmons wrote on Facebook.

Simmons became known for his aerobics classes at his Beverly Hills fitness studio in the 1970s that catered to overweight people, a niche he sought to fill as he himself had lost over 100 pounds through fitness programs without the help of gyms that favored already fit people. In recent years, Simmons has stepped away from public life, something he noted in his Facebook post.

“I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try...

Update: It doesn’t seem as though Richard Simmons is a fan of Pauly Shore playing him in The Court Jester. The reclusive fitness guru surfaced on Facebook to disavow the movie. “Hi Everybody! You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie. So don’t believe everything you read.” Simmons wrote. “I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support.“

—

Comedian Pauly Shore is ready to show the world a different side of himself. As his fans on social media and YouTube have pointed out to him, he bears a resemblance to fitness guru Richard Simmons. Simmons himself resides with Pauly in a certain sect of pop culture in the 90s...

Updated, 2:11 p.m.: Less than 12 hours after news broke that Pauly Shore would portray fitness guru Richard Simmons in a biopic in development at The Wolper Organization, Simmons has surfaced on Facebook to distance himself from the project.

“Hi Everybody! You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie. So don’t believe everything you read,” Simmons wrote. “I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support.”

Shore came to star in the forthcoming feature on Simmons’ life after campaigning for such a project to be made, when memes went viral online noting that if any actor should be cast in a Simmons biopic given physical resemblance alone, it should be him.

Just hours after it was announced that Pauly Shore would play Richard Simmons in an upcoming biopic, the reclusive fitness guru has spoken out against the film.

“Hi Everybody! You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie. So don’t believe everything you read,” Simmons wrote on Facebook. “I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support.”

A short film titled “The Court Jester,” which also stars Shore as Simmons, will premiere at Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 19 and then on YouTube. The short film, directed by Jake Lewis, is unrelated to the biopic, which is produced by Warner Bros. subsidiary The Wolper Organization.

In a statement to Variety, The Wolper Organization said,...

Pauly Shore is playing Richard Simmons in an upcoming short film, and later a full feature film, but the 75-year-old fitness guru isn’t in support.

New photos and a teaser trailer were released on Wednesday (January 17) for The Court Jester, which is set to premiere during the Sundance Film Festival later this month.

An unrelated movie is also in the works with Pauly playing the same role.

Keep reading to find out more…

Richard‘s rep told Et in a statement on Wednesday, “Richard and I are not endorsing this project. It is unauthorized. I spoke to Pauly last year and told him [Richard] is not ready to tell his story.”

“Hi Everybody! You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie. So don’t believe everything you read. I no longer have a manager,...

Pauly Shore is absolutely committed to the idea that he is 1980s fitness icon Richard Simmons — the “Son in Law” star is portraying Simmons in two separate projects.

First, Shore will be seen in “The Court Jester,” a short film directed and written by Jake Lewis that premieres January 19 at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. A teaser trailer with Simmons (Shore) sharing words of wisdom to an overweight production assistant hit YouTube on Wednesday; the full short film will be made available on the same platform following its Sundance premiere.

Watch the teaser here:

And now, Shore will star as Simmons in a feature-length biopic currently in development at The Wolper Organization, a subsidiary of Warner Bros.; the two projects are unrelated. Additional casting is underway for that film, which was also announced this morning.

Shore has been set on the idea of portraying Simmons for a long time now.

Pauly Shore is set to take advantage of his uncanny resemblance to Richard Simmons by playing the popular fitness instructor in a new biopic, reports Variety.

Currently in development at Warner Bros. subsidiary The Wolper Organization, the movie is in the process of filling out the additional cast.

In a statement, Shore praised Simmons’ contributions to the fitness world and overall well-being. “I’m really excited about sharing Richard Simmons’ life with the world,” the actor and comedian said. “We all need this biopic now more than ever. Simmons represented mental health, getting people in shape and being his authentic silly self! Whenever he was on TV you could never take your eyes off of him and he brought such a joy to his appearances that represented nothing but a good time.”

However, Simmons later distanced himself from the biopic on his official Facebook page. “Hi Everybody! You may have...

Pauly Shore is taking on the role of Richard Simmons in a new biopic.

The 55-year-old actor and comedian will appear in the film is currently in development at Warner Bros. subsidiary The Wolper Organization, with additional casting underway, Variety report.

The biopic follows an unrelated short film about the fitness legend from director and writer Jake Lewis, called The Court Jester, which will premiere at Sundance this week, and also stars Pauly as Richard, as well as Tamra Brown as Ellen DeGeneres and Jesse Heiman as David, a television producer who lost 160 pounds thanks to Richard, and who tracked his weight-loss journey on the blog “Keep It Up David!” The short will be available worldwide on YouTube.

Keep reading to find out more…

“I’m really excited about sharing Richard Simmons’s life with the world,” Pauly said in a statement.

“We all need this biopic now more than ever.

Pauly Shore is getting ready to sweat to the oldies, as the actor and comedian will play fitness icon Richard Simmons in a new biopic.

The film is currently in development at Warner Bros. subsidiary The Wolper Organization, with additional casting underway.

Responding to the news, the reclusive Simmons disavowed the project, posting on social media that he has never “given my permission for this movie.”

The biopic follows an unrelated short film about Simmons from director and writer Jake Lewis. That film, titled “The Court Jester,” will premiere at Sundance on Jan. 19 and also stars Shore as Simmons, as well as Tamra Brown as Ellen DeGeneres and Jesse Heiman as David, a television producer who lost 160 pounds thanks to Simmons, and who tracked his weight-loss journey on the blog “Keep It Up David!” After premiering in Park City, “The Court Jester” will immediately be available worldwide on YouTube.

“I...

Pauly Shore is set to play fitness media mogul Richard Simmons in a feature film. The project is set up at the Wolper Organization.

Prior to the film, which the announcement notes is currently casting, Shore will be seen as Simmons in a short film, The Court Jester, which will be screening in Park City during the Sundance Film Festival but not in the fest’s lineup.

Jake Lewis, who was behind the internet video “Robin Williams Test Footage,” directed Shore in the short, which is unrelated to the feature film.

The Court Jester will premiere at The Cabin in Park City on Jan. 19 prior to being made available on YouTube later that night.

Last year, a meme noting Simmons and Shore’s similar appearance went viral, with Shore taking to social media to say he was actively trying to contact Simmons about the possibility of a film. “I’ve...

Glynis Johns in Mary Poppins Photo: The Walt Disney Company/Buena Vista Veteran star Glynis Johns, whose vast acting career included roles in everything from The Court Jester to Mary Poppins, has died at the age of 100.

Her manager Mitch Clem said in a statement that she had passed away in Los Angeles.

He said: "My heart is heavy today with the passing of my beloved client Glynis Johns. Glynis powered her way through life with intelligence, wit, and a love for performance, affecting millions of lives.

"She entered my life early in my career and set a very high bar on how to navigate this industry with grace, class, and truth. Your own truth. Her light shined very brightly for 100 years.

"She had a wit that could stop you in your tracks powered by a heart that loved deeply and purely.

"Today is a sombre day for Hollywood. Not...

British actor Glynis Johns, best known for playing the “Sister Suffragette”-singing mother Winifred Banks in the 1964 classic Mary Poppins, has died at 100.

According to Johns’ manager Mitch Clem, the actor passed away on Thursday (January 4th) from natural causes in a West Hollywood assisted living facility.

“Glynis powered her way through life with intelligence, wit, and a love for performance, affecting millions of lives,” Clem said in a statement. “She entered my life early in my career and set a very high bar on how to navigate this industry with grace, class, and truth. Your own truth. Her light shined very brightly for 100 years. She had a wit that could stop you in your tracks powered by a heart that loved deeply and purely.”

Born on October 5th, 1923, in Pretoria, South Africa to actor Mevyn Johns and concert pianist Alyce Steele-Wareham, Johns was raised in London, where she first...

English actor Glynis Johns, who played the daffy suffragette mother Mrs. Banks in the classic film “Mary Poppins,” died Thursday at an assisted living home in Los Angeles, her manager Mitch Clem confirmed to Variety. She was 100.

“Glynis powered her way through life with intelligence, wit, and a love for performance, affecting millions of lives,” Clem said in a statement. “She entered my life early in my career and set a very high bar on how to navigate this industry with grace, class, and truth. Your own truth. Her light shined very brightly for 100 years. She had a wit that could stop you in your tracks powered by a heart that loved deeply and purely. Today is a somber day for Hollywood. Not only do we mourn the passing of our dear Glynis, but we mourn the end of the golden age of Hollywood.”

Johns won a Tony for her...

Glynis Johns, the upbeat leading lady with the British charm who starred as the spirited feminist mother Winifred Banks in Mary Poppins, has died. She was 100.

Johns lived in West Hollywood and died Thursday of natural causes at an assisted living facility in the area, her manager, Mitch Clem, told The Hollywood Reporter.

A multitalented actress, dancer, pianist and singer, Johns earned a best supporting actress Oscar nomination for playing the widowed saloon and hotel owner Mrs. Firth in Fred Zinnemann’s Australia-set The Sundowners (1960).

Plus, she memorably sang “Send in the Clowns,” which Stephen Sondheim wrote just for her, in her Tony Award-winning performance as Desiree Armfeldt in the original 1973 production of A Little Night Music.

The husky voiced Johns was nominated for a Golden Globe for portraying a daffy older socialite who is stirred by the young stud she meets on the beach in a then-controversial film about sex,...

No director in Hollywood has a weirder résumé than Alan Smithee. Between 1969 and 2015, his credits included the Richard Widmark western "Death of a Gunfighter"; the horror comedies "Student Bodies" and "Ghost Fever"; the Jodie Foster thriller "Catchfire"; the franchise sequels "The Birds II: Land's End" and "Hellraiser: Bloodline"; episodes of hit TV series like "MacGyver" and "Tiny Toon Adventures"; and music videos for artists like Metallica, Destiny's Child, Wu-Tang Clan, Whitney Houston, and Jennifer Lopez.

But there's a reason for that: "Alan Smithee" is not a real person. It's a pseudonym invented by the Director's Guild of America for filmmakers to use when they no longer want to be credited for their work. This usually happens when they're replaced on a project, or believe that studio interference has altered the film so much that it no longer reflects their vision. That's why you'll sometimes see "Alan Smithee" credited on TV...

Broadway’s legendary Angela Lansbury will receive the 2022 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, the Tony Awards Administration Committee announced today.

“Angela Lansbury’s contributions to the stage are insurmountable,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League and Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing. “From her groundbreaking role in Mame to her iconic performances in Deuce and Sweeney Todd, and most recently, in the revival of A Little Night Music, Ms. Lansbury has given us a lifetime of unforgettable performances, and it is a great honor to present her with the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Lansbury made her Broadway debut in 1957 in Hotel Paradiso, followed by A Taste of Honey (1960), Anyone Can Whistle (1964), and, winning her first Tony, Mame (1966). She also won Tonys for Dear World (1969), Gypsy (1974) and Sweeney Todd (1979).

After a 24-year hiatus, she returned to Broadway in Deuce (2007), followed by...

Angela Lansbury will be honored for her lifetime achievements at the 2022 Tony Awards.

The actress, who has won five Tonys over her 75-year career, will be receiving the 2022 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.

“Angela Lansbury’s contributions to the stage are insurmountable,” said Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League and Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing. “From her groundbreaking role in ‘Mame; to her iconic performances in ‘Deuce’ and ‘Sweeney Todd,’ and most recently, in the revival of ‘A Little Night Music,’ Ms. Lansbury has given us a lifetime of unforgettable performances, and it is a great honor to present her with the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Lansbury made her Broadway debut in 1957, when she starred in “Hotel Paradiso.” She won her first Tony less than a decade later for her 1966 performance in “Mame.” She also won Tonys for “Dear World...

Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

First 4K Ultra HD in the Paramount Presents Line Debuts May 17, 2022

with New and Legacy Bonus Content

One of the greatest Westerns in cinematic history arrives for the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD with High Dynamic Range (Hdr) as part of the Paramount Presents line when The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance debuts May 17, 2022 from Paramount Home Entertainment.

Four-time Academy Award®-winning* director John Ford brought together an all-star cast for what is considered by many critics to be a quintessential—and yet pioneering—Western late in his storied career. Starring James Stewart and John Wayne (together for the first time), alongside Vera Miles, Lee Marvin, John Carradine and Lee Van Cleef, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance tells the engrossing story of a senator (Stewart), his old friend (Wayne), and a despicable outlaw called Liberty Valance (Marvin).

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance...

Horror icon Barbara Crampton discusses a few of her favorite movies with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.

Show Notes:

Movies Referenced In This Episode

Re-Animator (1985)

Body Double (1984)

Jakob’s Wife (2021)

The Court Jester (1955) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings

The Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938)

The Three Musketeers (1974) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary

The Matrix (1999)

Bound (1996)

Eyes Without A Face (1962) – Sam Hamm’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s review, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Halloween (1978) Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing, Alex Kirschenbaum’s film power rankings, Alex Kirschenbaum’s timeline power rankings

All About Eve (1950)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Alien (1979) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings

Relic (2020)

Anything For Jackson (2020)

The Haunting (1963) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary

Strait-Jacket (1964) – David DeCoteau’s trailer commentary

The Silence Of The Lambs (1991) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary,...

In a lively and wide-ranging conversation, one of the most revered actors of his generation talks Hollywood rivalries, Scottish independence – and the future of the hit TV show

Over the years, I have crossed paths several times with the Dundonian actor Brian Cox. In 2002, I interviewed him for the BBC about the controversial US indie film L.I.E., of which he remains particularly proud. We met again in Shetland, where I co-curate the annual Screenplay film festival, when he was campaigning for Scottish independence. More recently we did a podcast together in which he enthused about his love of Danny Kaye in the 1955 comedy The Court Jester, a film he rewatches every year. No wonder, then, that reading his hugely entertaining autobiography, Putting the Rabbit in the Hat, feels like catching up with an old friend.

In his book he recounts being at the Golden Globes in 2020, where he...

Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

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Latest Addition to the Paramount Presents Line Debuts June 1, 2021 with New Special Features

The endlessly quotable and unforgettable drama Mommie Dearest celebrates its 40th anniversary with a brand-new Blu-ray in the Paramount Presents line, debuting June 1, 2021 from Paramount Home Entertainment.

Newly restored from a 4K film transfer, Mommie Dearest is presented in a limited-edition Blu-ray Disc™ with collectible packaging featuring a foldout image of the film’s theatrical poster and an interior spread with key movie moments. The Blu-ray includes a new Filmmaker Focus with biographer Justin Bozung on the film and its director Frank Perry, a new audio commentary with American drag queen Hedda Lettuce, access to a Digital copy of the film, as well as previously released bonus content. Special features are detailed below:

· Commentary by American drag queen Hedda Lettuce –New!

· Filmmaker...

Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

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Latest Title in the Paramount Presents Line Debuts March 30, 2021

Legendary director Cecil B. DeMille’s grand spectacle The Greatest Show On Earth arrives for the first time on Blu-ray as part of the Paramount Presents line on March 30, 2021 from Paramount Home Entertainment.

A two-time Academy Award-winner*–including Best Picture and Best Writing, Motion Picture Story–The Greatest Show On Earth captures the thrills, chills and exhilaration of the circus. Featuring three intertwining plotlines filled with romance and rivalry, DeMille's film includes spectacular action sequences, including a show-stopping train wreck. The Greatest Show On Earth also boasts a sensational cast, including Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde, Charlton Heston, Dorothy Lamour, Gloria Grahame, and James Stewart.

Newly restored from a 4K scan of the original negative, this essential movie of the Golden Age of Hollywood packs action, romance,...

Kenneth Branagh was only 29 when he wrote, directed, and starred in his debut feature, a rousing adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry V that garnered massive critical acclaim upon its release in 1989. As a result, the young filmmaker was offered every costume drama and literary adaptation on the studios’ development slates, but he turned them all down in favor of an original screenplay by future Queen’s Gambit auteur Scott Frank that had been kicking around for years. Dead Again was Frank’s throwback to the gothic melodramas and film noir pictures of the 1930s and ’40s, a gloriously theatrical combination of […]

The post Dead Again, After the Thin Man, The Court Jester: Jim Hemphill's Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Kenneth Branagh was only 29 when he wrote, directed, and starred in his debut feature, a rousing adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry V that garnered massive critical acclaim upon its release in 1989. As a result, the young filmmaker was offered every costume drama and literary adaptation on the studios’ development slates, but he turned them all down in favor of an original screenplay by future Queen’s Gambit auteur Scott Frank that had been kicking around for years. Dead Again was Frank’s throwback to the gothic melodramas and film noir pictures of the 1930s and ’40s, a gloriously theatrical combination of […]

The post Dead Again, After the Thin Man, The Court Jester: Jim Hemphill's Home Video Recommendations first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

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“The Pellet With The Poison”

By Raymond Benson

Danny Kaye was not only a brilliant triple-threat (actor/singer/dancer), but he was a stand-up comic, an expert chef, a writer, a pilot, a baseball enthusiast, a notable philanthropist, a Unicef ambassador, and an honorary member of the American College of Surgeons and American Academy of Pediatrics (!). His decades-long career on stage, in film, and on television speaks for itself, but one of his most beloved screen vehicles was The Court Jester, a 1956 picture that was shockingly ignored at the Oscars that year.

Even more disturbing is the fact that it was allegedly the most expensive comedy film ever produced up to that time and was a box office failure (perhaps that’s the reason there was no Oscar love). Nevertheless, time has been extremely kind to the movie through revivals and television broadcasts.

Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of One of the Most Romantic Films of All Time

with a Newly Restored Presentation of the Classic Love Story

Limited-Edition Blu-ray™ Arrives February 9, 2021, Just in Time for Valentine’s Day

The timeless classic Love Story celebrates its 50th anniversary with a brand-new Blu-ray in the Paramount Presents line, debuting February 9, 2021 from Paramount Home Entertainment.

Newly restored from a 4K film transfer, this new presentation beautifully captures the highs and lows of young love in a film that remains as impactful as ever. Based on Erich Segal’s best-selling novel, Love Story was nominated for seven* Academy Awards®, including Best Picture, and became a cultural phenomenon, earning over $100 million at the domestic box office. In 2002, the AFI named it as #9 on its list of the 100 greatest love stories of all time.

The limited-edition Paramount Presents Love Story Blu-ray includes the newly restored film,...

The saga continues, featuring Adam Rifkin, Robert D. Krzykowski, John Sayles, Maggie Renzi, Mick Garris and Larry Wilmore with special guest star Blaire Bercy from the Hollywood Food Coalition.

Please support the Hollywood Food Coalition. Text “Give” to 323.402.5704 or visit https://hofoco.org/donate!

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Key Largo (1948)

I Don’t Want to Talk About It (1993)

Camila (1984)

I, the Worst of All (1990)

The Wages of Fear (1953)

Le Corbeau (1943)

Diabolique (1955)

Red Beard (1965)

Seven Samurai (1954)

Ikiru (1952)

General Della Rovere (1959)

The Gold of Naples (1959)

Bitter Rice (1949)

Pickup On South Street (1953)

My Darling Clementine (1946)

Viva Zapata! (1952)

Panic In The Streets (1950)

Yellow Sky (1948)

Ace In The Hole (1951)

Wall Street (1987)

Women’s Prison (1955)

True Love (1989)

Mean Streets (1973)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

The Abyss (1989)

The China Syndrome (1979)

Big (1988)

Splash (1984)

The ’Burbs (1989)

Long Strange Trip (2017)

Little Women (2019)

Learning To Skateboard In A War Zone (If You’re A Girl) (2019)

The Guns of Navarone...

Glenda Jackson in A Touch Of Class is currently available on Blu-ray from Warner Archives

They thought it would be a simple fling. Instead, they got flung. Being free and easy proves neither free nor easy for already-married Steve and divorced Vickie when they fall in love.

George Segal and Glenda Jackson bring the right touch to A Touch of Class, a glossy, grown-up romantic comedy directed and cowritten by Hollywood veteran Melvin Frank. At his harried best teetering between two households, Segal plays sometimes sly, sometimes fumbling Steve. As Vickie, Jackson slings verbal jabs and hotel furnishings with equal glee – and won the second of her two Best Actress Academy Awards®.* The honors for this classiest of romantic romps don’t stop there. The two leads each won Golden Globes®. And the film earned five Oscar® nominations in all, including Best Picture. All in all, it’s entertainment touched by magic.