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Roy Christopher, the 10-time Emmy-winning production designer and art director known for his work on Academy Award telecasts and series including Welcome Back, Kotter, Murphy Brown, Wings and Frasier, has died. He was 85.

Christopher died Tuesday in his sleep at his home in West Hollywood, his wife of more than 50 years, Dorothy, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Christopher received Emmys for his design work for the Oscar shows in 1981, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1999, 2003, 2006 and 2008 — and was nominated 10 other times for the telecast — and also won trophies for NBC’s The Richard Pryor Show in 1978 and for NBC’...

Roy Christopher, the 10-time Emmy-winning production designer and art director known for his work on Academy Award telecasts and series including Welcome Back, Kotter, Murphy Brown, Wings and Frasier, has died. He was 85.

Christopher died Tuesday in his sleep at his home in West Hollywood, his wife of more than 50 years, Dorothy, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Christopher received Emmys for his design work for the Oscar shows in 1981, 1984, 1986, 1990, 1999, 2003, 2006 and 2008 — and was nominated 10 other times for the telecast — and also won trophies for NBC’s The Richard Pryor Show in 1978 and for NBC’...

Jeremy Stevens, a three-time Emmy Award winner – including two as a writer and executive producer on Everybody Loves Raymond – died of renal failure on October 27 at his home in Northridge, California, surrounded by his family. He was 83,

A Brooklyn native, Stevens earned a degree in theater at Brooklyn College before studying at New York’s Hb Studio under Uta Hagen and Herbert Berghof. Roles Off Brodway led to his hiring in the replacement cast of the original Broadway production of Neil Simon’s The Sunshine Boys.

While working at the Fourth Wall Improvisational Theatre Group, Stevens was offered his first opportunity to write for television, penning sketches for Valerie Harper and Richard Schaal on The Skitch Henderson Show. This led to more jobs, including a stint as headwriter for the talk and variety show, Playboy After Dark.

His next job led to his first Emmy Award in 1972, when he was...

Kenya Barris will write, product and direct a biopic about legendary comedian Richard Pryor at MGM, the studio announced on Monday.

The film lands at MGM following a competitive bidding war with multiple studios involved. Jennifer Lee Pryor and her Tarnished Angel and Tory Metzger for Levantine Films will produce alongside Barris and his Khalabo Ink Society. Adam Rosenberg will serve as executive producer.

“The way Pryor did what he did — with truth and specificity that was somehow self-aware and self-deprecating, and said with an unmatched level of vulnerability – that was the power and impact of his work,” Barris said. “Pryor had a voice that was distinctly his and, in many ways, comedy since then has been derivative of what he created. To me, this is a film about that voice, the journey that shaped it, and what it took for it to come to be.”

Jennifer Lee Pryor, Richard’s widow,...

Kenya Barris, the creator of “Black-ish” and its spinoffs “Grown-ish” and “Mixed-ish,” is directing a feature film about famed comedian Richard Pryor. MGM nabbed worldwide rights to the movie following a highly competitive sale.

Barris will write, produce and direct the yet-to-be-titled project, marking his feature film directorial debut. The movie is centering on the life and times of Pryor, one of the most influential comedians of all time. Over the course of his career, Pryor appeared in over 50 movies, headlined the series “The Richard Pryor Show” and “Pryor’s Place,” and wrote for TV shows including “Sanford and Sons.” Among his numerous accolades, Pryor was the first-ever recipient of the annual Mark Twain Humor Prize.

“The way Pryor did what he did — with truth and specificity that was somehow self-aware and self-deprecating, and said with an unmatched level of vulnerability — that was the power and impact of his work,...

MGM won a heated film rights auction and will partner with black-ish creator Kenya Barris for a movie on iconic comedian Richard Pryor. Barris will make his directorial debut on a film he will write. The producers are Barris and his Khalabo Ink Society, Jennifer Lee Pryor and her Tarnished Angel and Tory Metzger for Levantine Films. Adam Rosenberg and Levantine’s Renee Witt will serve as executive producers.

This comes after the studio acquired rights for a biopic on Sammy Davis Jr.

Hollywood has long been fixated in turning Pryor’s life into a narrative film, which the comic kind of did after lighting himself on fire in a freebasing accident. He includes that in Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling back in 1986. The most serious attempt to mount a movie came in 2016, when The Weinstein Company and Pryor’s widow Jennifer teamed with director Lee Daniels on...

A biopic of boundary-breaking comedian Richard Pryor is in the works with Kenya Baris set to write and direct.

Pryor’s work spanned television, film and stand-up with credits that include Blazing Saddles, The Richard Pryor Show and Pryor’s Place. He was the first recipient of the Mark Twain Humor Prize for humor and earned numerous Emmys, WGA Awards and Grammys.

MGM landed the project in a competitive situation.

Barris will also produce the movie via his Khalabo Ink Society, along with Pryor’s widow Jennifer Lee Pryor and her Tarnished Angel and Tory Metzger for Levantine Films. Adam Rosenberg and Levantine’s Renee ...

A biopic of boundary-breaking comedian Richard Pryor is in the works with Kenya Baris set to write and direct.

Pryor’s work spanned television, film and stand-up with credits that include Blazing Saddles, The Richard Pryor Show and Pryor’s Place. He was the first recipient of the Mark Twain Humor Prize for humor and earned numerous Emmys, WGA Awards and Grammys.

MGM landed the project in a competitive situation.

Barris will also produce the movie via his Khalabo Ink Society, along with Pryor’s widow Jennifer Lee Pryor and her Tarnished Angel and Tory Metzger for Levantine Films. Adam Rosenberg and Levantine’s Renee ...

Paula Kelly, an actress who earned Emmy nominations for roles on NBC’s 1980s sitcom Night Court and 1989 ABC miniseries The Women of Brewster Place, died February 8 in Whittier, CA, from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She was 77.

Her death was announced by her family and Los Angeles’ Ebony Repertory Theatre.

Kelly, who was also a dancer, choreographer and singer, had her breakthrough role of Helene in Bob Fosse’s 1969 film Sweet Charity, sharing the screen with star Shirley MacLaine and Chita Rivera in such musical numbers as “There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This” and the showstopper “Hey, Big Spender.” She’d already played the role in a West End stage production.

Other film credits include The Andromeda Strain (1971), Uptown Saturday Night (1974) and Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored (1995).

Kelly appeared in numerous TV series from the 1970s through the ’90s, including Sanford & Son, Medical Center, The Streets of San Francisco,...

Tributes are flooding in for “Hollywood Shuffle” and “Friday” actor John Witherspoon following news of his death on Tuesday at age 77.

“It is with deep sadness we have to tweet this, but our husband & father John Witherspoon has passed away. He was a Legend in the entertainment industry, and a father figure to all who watched him over the years. We love you “Pops” always & forever,” Witherspoon’s family said in a statement announcing his passing at his Sherman Oaks, Calif., home.

Friends, co-stars and famous fans were quick to share their fondest memories of the legendary actor and comedian, expressing sadness over the loss.

Also Read: John Witherspoon, Prolific Character Actor and 'Friday' Star, Dies at 77

“I’m devastated over the passing of John Witherspoon,” Ice Cube wrote. “Life won’t be as funny without him.”

The actor’s son, J.D. Witherspoon tweeted his favorite photos of his father:...

John Witherspoon — the versatile actor and comedian known for his turns in movies like Friday and House Party and The Wayans Bros. sitcom — died Tuesday. He was 77.

Witherspoon’s family confirmed the actor’s death on his Twitter account, writing, “It is with deep sadness we have to tweet this, but our husband & father John Witherspoon has passed away. He was a Legend in the entertainment industry, and a father figure to all who watched him over the years. We love you ‘Pops’ always & forever.” A cause of death was not given.

John Witherspoon, a prolific character actor best known for a run of comedic turns in acclaimed films and cult classics like “Hollywood Shuffle” and the “Friday” franchise, died Tuesday in his Sherman Oaks, California, home. He was 77.

“It is with deep sadness we have to tweet this, but our husband & father John Witherspoon has passed away. He was a Legend in the entertainment industry, and a father figure to all who watched him over the years. We love you “Pops” always & forever,” Witherspoon’s family said in a statement posted to his Twitter account.

Born John Weatherspoon in Detroit (he changed his name to Witherspoon later) in 1942, he began his career in the 1960s, performing as an actor, comedian and occasional model. He made his television debut in 1970 on an episode of “Barnaby Jones,” and later in the decade appeared on episodes of “Good Times,” “What’s Happening!!” and “The Incredible Hulk,...

Robin Williams made his big screen debut in little-seen 1977 comedy “Can I Do It ‘Till I Need Glasses?”

Williams made several appearances doing sketches on 1977’s “The Richard Pryor Show”

Quirky comedy series “Mork and Mindy” premiered in 1978 and put Williams on the map.

Christopher Reeve presented Williams with a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Male Performer for “Mork and Mindy” in 1979.

Robin Williams was received his first Oscar nomination for his role in 1987’s “Good Morning, Vietnam.”

O Captain! My captain! Robin Williams captivated a young audience by playing an unorthodox professor in 1989’s “Dead Poets Society.”

“Mrs Doubtfire” was released in 1993 and remains one of Williams’ most iconic roles.

“There you are, Peter.” Robin Williams played a grown up Peter Pan returning to Neverland in 1991’s “Hook.”

Williams memorably voiced the Genie in Disney’s animated classic “Aladdin,” which came out in 1992.

Williams went dark and twisted...

“I Am Richard Pryor,” a look at a comedy legend who reinvented stand-up with his confessional style of humor, is being produced for Paramount Network. The film follows Richard Pryor as he rises from his impoverished childhood, growing up in a brothel run by his grandmother, to become the highest-paid performer in the entertainment industry. In addition to being a stand-up legend and a keen social critic of race in America, Pryor starred in “Stir Crazy,” “Silver Streak,” and other Hollywood blockbusters.

The film will be executive produced by Jennifer Lee Pryor, the late comic’s wife. It is being backed by filmmaker Derik Murray’s Network Entertainment and is part of the company’s “I Am” series. The documentaries look at celebrities such as Paul Walker, Heath Ledger, and Steve McQueen.

The Pryor film features interviews with comedians, filmmakers, writers, and collaborators including Lily Tomlin, Tiffany Haddish, Michael Epps,...

Alan Thicke, the actor, talk show host and composer known for his turn as the Seaver family patriarch on the sitcom Growing Pains, died of a heart attack Tuesday, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He was 69.

Thicke reportedly suffered a heart attack while playing hockey with one of his sons. He was taken to a Los Angeles area hospital where he was pronounced dead. He is survived by his wife Tanya and sons Brennan, Carter and the pop star Robin Thicke.

Growing Pains ran for seven seasons on ABC between...

Robin Williams made his big screen debut in little-seen 1977 comedy “Can I Do It ‘Till I Need Glasses?” Williams made several appearances doing sketches on 1977’s “The Richard Pryor Show” Quirky comedy series “Mork and Mindy” premiered in 1978 and put Williams on the map. Christopher Reeve presented Williams with a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Male Performer for “Mork and Mindy” in 1979. Robin Williams was received his first Oscar nomination for his role in 1987’s “Good Morning, Vietnam.” O Captain! My captain! Robin Williams captivated a young audience by playing an unorthodox professor in 1989’s “Dead Poets Society.” “Mrs Doubtfire” was released.

Plus: Nancy Meyers in Ace honour; Sony promotes Pam Kunath; and more…

Oscilloscope Laboratories has acquired Us rights to L’Attesa (The Wait), the feature directorial debut from Paolo Sorrentino’s assistant director on The Great Beauty, Piero Messina. Juliette Binoche stars and the film premiered in Venice. Oscilloscope plans a spring 2016 theatrical release.

What Women Want, Something’s Gotta Give and The Intern director Nancy Meyers will collect the American Cinema Editors’ Ace Golden Eddie Filmmaker of the Year Award in Los Angeles on January 29, 2016.Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group has promoted veteran Screen Gems executive Pam Kunath to the newly created position of evp, content strategy. Kunath will be responsible for coordinating and leveraging the studio’s branded content across all distribution channels. Rachel Nichols, Laura Dreyfuss, Sean Kleier, Scout Taylor Compton and Steve Guttenberg have joined Monolith Pictures’ dark comedy After Party. Amos Posner directs and the film is shooting in New York state...

In the summer of 1989, while Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing" was sounding a thunderclap in cinemas, a troupe of largely black actors and comedians came together on a Fox sound stage in Century City to produce a sketch comedy show aimed at servicing a minority point of view that had been underrepresented by the medium. With producer Keenen Ivory Wayans at the helm, fresh off the success of his 1988 Blaxploitation parody film "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka," eight individuals — a then-unknown Jim Carrey along with Kelly Coffield, Kim Coles, Tommy Davidson, David Alan Grier, T'Keyah "Crystal" Keymáh and Wayans' siblings Damon and Kim — filmed the first episodes of "In Living Color." The show debuted on April 15, 1990, and 25 years later, Damon Wayans can't help but remember first and foremost that he had hair back then. "I remember the pain of getting fired from 'Saturday Night Live' and feeling that I needed redemption,...

John Witherspoon has thrown cold water on the homages to Robin Williams ... saying he was a hardcore junkie.Witherspoon -- who played the father in "Friday" -- worked with Robin back in 1977 on the set of "The Richard Pryor Show" ... and tells us not only was Robin an addict, but that he even stole his coke right out from under him.John actually cracked a cocaine joke describing Robin's prior penchant for coke. Read more...

Much has been said since Robin Williams' death on Monday of his contribution to movies. Certainly, his performances in such films as "Aladdin," "Mrs. Doubtfire," and "Good Will Hunting" are likely to endear him to new fans among moviegoers for generations to come. But it's easy to forget that he also made indelible contributions to the world of TV throughout his four-decade career. Older viewers remember his starmaking turn as a lovable alien on "Mork and Mindy," but that was only one instance of many where he changed the medium in ways large and small that will continue to be felt for a long time to come. Here are some of those ways.

"The Richard Pryor Show." Imagine an era when you could have seen Richard Pryor and Robin Williams doing sketch comedy together every week in primetime. That era really happened; it lasted just four weeks in 1977. That's...

Oscar-winning actor and comedian Robin Williams (1951-2014) has left behind a legacy of memorable entertainment in stand-up comedy, television and film following in the aftermath of his tragic passing on Monday, August 11, 2014. Indeed, Williams will be remembered for his versatile presence in show business running the course of over four decades.

In a rather unconventional tribute of recognizing the late and gifted actor/comedian Robin Williams let us engage in The Top 10 Trivial Tidbits About Robin Williams (1951-2014) highlighting the performer’ s arcane facts and revelations pertaining to his film and television work.

So just how well do you know Robin Williams and his esteemed Hollywood career throughout the years in the media? Just sit back and enjoy this brain-teasing trivia-minded column about the dearly departed manic artist whose devotion to his craft of off-kilter comedic and shockingly dramatic showmanship on the small and big screen has and will always...

San Francisco – He blazed bright as lightning at his peak, but also had struggles with addiction and depression. The cosmic and comic Robin Williams died on August 11th, apparently of suicide due to asphyxia, according to authorities, although complete details are still pending. The Academy Award winner was 63 years old.

Williams was known for his whiplash speed as a stand up comic, often shifting several times and doing different characters in minutes. His improvisation was legendary, on stage, TV and film, and he portrayed a wide range of characters both comic and dramatic. He began his career on television in the mid-1970s, and soon found superstardom in that medium as Mork, a space alien living with a earthbound girl in “Mork & Mindy.” He made a natural transition to films, and continued to thrive on the stand-up stage – with several one man shows – and was a prime mover for the charity “Comic Relief,...

The Richard Pryor Show was a short-lived variety series that aired on NBC in the late 1970s, originally conceived as a special for Pryor, but became a primetime regular, thanks to the immense critical and commercial success of the single. Although Pryor would only film 4 episodes of it. Like Pryor's stand-up routine, the show was a mix of satire, social commentary, straight comedy, and the occasional dramatic bit. The main cast consisted of Pryor playing various characters, but it also included guest-starring appearances like this skit featuring the late Maya Angelou, in a rare bit of acting, performing a soliloquy that she also wrote specifically for this special. In it, she plays the...

Who needs new TV shows? In this week’s issue of the magazine, our critics show us what’s in their personal collections of old culture, much of it you might’ve missed. All of it is available online, somewhere. Herewith, Matt Zoller Seitz on the eight great TV series you probably haven’t seen and seven great single episodes (or TV movies) you can find online. Series 1. The Comeback (2005) This HBO faux-reality program from Sex and the City showrunner Michael Patrick King follows washed-up sitcom actress Valerie Cherish (Lisa Kudrow) as she struggles to reignite her career. It’s one of the greatest one-season wonders in TV history, as corrosively funny and honest as early Albert Brooks: It’s hide-under-the-couch humor. 2. The Richard Pryor Show (1977) You know Pryor as the foulmouthed storytelling genius of standup comedy and the mostly watered-down clown of scripted features, but you might not...

Here's tonight's TV lineup (all times are Eastern). All shows mentioned are new, unless otherwise noted.

It's a boring one tonight, folks. If you have some stuff on the DVR, you may want to catch up this evening..

Starting at 7:00

Fox: Nascar's Sprint Cup Subway Fresh Fit 600 starts at 7:00 Starting at 8:00 TCM: 'Judgment at Nuremberg' -- 1961 drama starring Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Marlene Dietrich, and William Shatner BBC America: 'Doctor Who' -- Rebroadcast of 'End of Time,' David Tennant's final episodes TVOne: Three episodes of 'The Richard Pryor Show' 8:00 to 9:00 G4: 'Ninja Warrior' -- Two 30-minute episodes Hgtv: 'Sarah's House' -- Starts at 8:30 The Weather Channel: 'Storm Stories' -- Two new half-hour shows 9:00 to 10:00 Diy: 'Renovation Realities' Golf Channel: 'Donald J. Trump's Wonderful World of Golf' Ion: 'The Guard' 10:00 to 11:...