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Nicky Katt, who played teacher Harry Senate on “Boston Public” after starting as a child actor and going on to play an assortment of tough guys in movies including “Dazed and Confused” and “Boiler Room,” died April 8 in Burbank. He was 54.

The Los Angeles medical examiner’s office reported that the cause of death was suicide.

His death was reported by his friends and by attorney John Sloss.

Often playing heavies and villains, Katt worked with Richard Linklater, appearing in “Waking Life,” “SubUrbia” and “School of Rock.” For director Steven Soderbergh, he appeared in “The Limey” as Stacy the Hitman, as Hitler in “Full Frontal,” and had one of his final roles in “Behind the Candelabra.” Christopher Nolan cast him in “Insomnia” and “The Dark Knight,” in which he played a S.W.A.T. team member.

On “Boston Public,” Katt played the popular geology teacher Harry Senate, who taught troublemaker kinds in “the dungeon.

Lynne Marie Stewart, who was best known as Miss Yvonne on Pee-wee’s Playhouse and Charlie’s mom on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, has passed away at the age of 78.

News of Lynne Marie Stewart’s death was shared by longtime friend Cassandra Peterson (aka Elvira), who wrote on Instagram, “My heart is breaking upon hearing the news of my dear friend @lynnestewart78 Lynne Stewart’s passing. One of the kindest, sweetest, funniest women who ever lived. The iconic Miss Yvonne of Pee-wee’s Playhouse: She’ll always be “the most beautiful woman in Puppetland”.

Lynne Marie Stewart got her start with the famed Los Angeles-based sketch troupe The Groundlings. It was here that she fell in with both Paul Reubens and Phil Hartman, with the former casting both in his stage show The Pee-wee Herman Show. Stewart would play Miss Yvonne, The Most Beautiful Woman in Puppetland. She...

Alice Hirson, a veteran character actress whose TV credits included more than a half dozen daytime and primetime soaps, and who played mom to Ellen on the 1990s ABC sitcom, died Feb. 14 of natural causes, her son David told THR.com.

Hirson was 95.

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After beginning her acting career in the 1950s with appearances on a few anthology series, Hirson joined ABC’s daytime serial The Edge of Night in the series regular role...

She gained fame as a “scream queen” over 40 years ago, but in the four decades since has proven her versatility in a range of genres. Award-winning activist, author and daughter of two film icons, Jamie Lee Curtis has built an impressive resume over several mediums. And 2022 was an especially wonderful year for her with an acclaimed performance in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” that brought her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Curtis was born in Santa Monica on November 22, 1958 to actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. After finishing school, she briefly pursued an education in law, but decided to follow in her parents’ footsteps instead. In 1977, she was given a small role in an episode of “Quincy M.E.,” followed by several more small parts and a role in the short-lived “Operation Petticoat,” based on the film which had starred her father. Then she received a part in a low-budget...

Tom Bower, the veteran character actor best known for prominent turns on The Waltons and in Die Hard 2, has died. A family member confirmed the news to Deadline’s sister publication The Hollywood Reporter. He was 86.

Bower never had what one might call a “breakout” part, but he was an actor one recognized from, well, everywhere. His more than 180 screen credits include appearances on The Rockford Files, Lou Grant, Quincy M.E., Miami Vice, Hill Street Blues, NYPD Blue, The X-Files, Law & Order and many other TV staples of the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s.

And he kept on working. In the past 15 years, Bower was on Ray Donovan, Bosch, Grey’s Anatomy, Criminal Minds, The Office and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He also played the father of Bob Odenkirk’s character on Lucky Hank and had a part in Vince Gilligan’s El Camino, A Breaking Bad Movie.

Rod Holcomb, an Emmy-winning TV director of “ER,” “Lost” and other series, died Wednesday in Los Angeles. He was 80.

Holcomb was best known for directing both the pilot and the series finale of “ER,” winning an Emmy for that farewell episode in 2009. He was nominated four four Primetime Emmys over his career, and also nominated for three DGA awards — winning one in 1995 for the “ER” pilot. Holcomb directed 21 pilots over his career, with the remarkable track record of 15 going to series.

“Every good director will elevate the material on the page. His job is to elevate it visually, to give it the weight of an art form,” Holcomb told Variety in 2011. “In a way, it’s easier to determine with a show that you know very well as a viewer, and if you know the contours and the voice of the show, then you can more easily answer some key questions.

Harry Johnson, an actor who appeared on dozens of shows throughout his 40-year career, including Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Law & Order, has died. He was 81.

Johnson died Tuesday, his rep Jonathan Erickson confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. The cause of death is unknown at this time.

“It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Atb Talent client Harry Johnson,” Atb Talent Agency shared in a statement. “With a career spanning over 40 years, Harry was a true talent and cherished member of the community. His impact on the entertainment industry will be remembered and celebrated. Our hearts go out to his friends and family, including Christiane, his wife of 15 years and stepchildren, Oliver and Penelope. May his memory be a blessing to all.”

Born on Dec. 27, 1942, in Plainfield, New Jersey, Johnson began his acting career in 1978, when he appeared in the pilot episode of Battlestar Galactica,...

Harry Johnson, an actor who starred in hit series such as Battlestar Galactica, Law & Order, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has died after a long illness. He was 81. Johnson’s passing was confirmed by his wife, Christiane, who told Deadline he died on Tuesday, January 2, in Los Angeles, just six days after his 81st birthday. Born on December 27, 1942, in Plainfield, New Jersey, Johnson (often credited as Chip Johnson in the 1970s and 80s) got his start on the multi-part pilot episode of Battlestar Galactica in 1978. From there, he appeared in several classic TV series, including B.J. and the Bear, Quincy M.E., The Incredible Hulk, Days of Our Lives, Simon & Simon, M*A*S*H, The A-Team, and many more. Johnson continued to pop up across various TV shows throughout the 1990s and 2000s, including the likes of Jake and the Fatman, Party of Five, Melrose Place, Roswell, The Guardian, Judging Amy,...

Harry Johnson, an actor with scores of credits spanning 40 years that ranged from the original Battlestar Galactica to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, several Dick Wolf series and the famous “Harry & Louise” commercials, died January 2 of in Los Angeles after a long illness. He was 81.

His wife, Christiane, confirmed his passing to Deadline.

Born on December 27, 1942, in Plainfield, NJ, he often credited as Chip Johnson in the 1970s and ’80s and was among the last contract players for Universal Studios. Johnson began his screen career with the multi-part pilot episode of Battlestar Galactica in 1978 and went on to guest-star on dozens of TV series including M*A*S*H, Quincy M.E., The Incredible Hulk, Simon & Simon, The Greatest American Hero, Highway to Heaven, The A-Team, L.A. Law, Dynasty, Who’s the Boss?, Thirtysomething, Melrose Place, Party of Five, Roswell, Resurrection Blvd., Judging Amy, Days of Our Lives and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

He was...

Doug Ibold, who edited episodes of “Law & Order,” “Magnum, P.I.” and “Miami Vice,” died on Nov. 8 after a battle with cancer, his family announced. He was 83.

Ibold edited the 1990 pilot for Dick Wolf’s seminal “Law & Order,” as well as the 1999 pilot for “Law & Order: Svu”; he cut dozens of “Svu” episodes through 2005. Prior to “Law & Order,” Ibold collaborated with Wolf on “Miami Vice” between 1985 and 1987.

Ibold worked on the first six seasons of the original “Magnum, P.I.” series from 1980 to 1985, and handled other Donald P. Bellisario productions including “Quincy M.E.,” “Quantum Leap,” “Tequila and Bonetti” and the 1995 pilot for the drama series “Crowfoot.” Additional TV credits include “B.L. Stryker,” “Texas Ranger,” “Walker,” “Xena: Warrior Princess” and “Tour of Duty.”

Born Edward Douglas Ibold on Jan. 23, 1940, in Cincinnati, Ohio, he was raised in St. Petersburg, Fla., and graduated from Florida State University. Early in his career,...

She unashamedly owned her "nepo baby" status at the 2023 Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony, but even though she's the daughter of Hollywood power couple Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, Jamie Lee Curtis didn't exactly walk easily through the doors of fame and fortune. At age 18, she made her small screen debut in an episode of the Jack Klugman medical series Quincy M.E. as "girl in dressing room," followed by an appearance in the Peter Falk detective classic Columbo playing "waitress." In 1977, she landed a recurring role in TV's Operation Petticoat, a sitcom based on the 1959 film starring her father, but was dropped from the series after just one season. One year later, she snagged the lead in a horror movie with the rather innocuous title of Halloween. It had a budget of just $325,000 and was helmed by a relatively unknown writer-director named John Carpenter. Curtis was paid $8,000 for her role...

Judy Farrell, who portrayed Nurse Able on M*A*S*H opposite her then-husband Mike Farrell and later served as a writer on the ABC soap opera Port Charles, has died. She was 84.

Farrell died Sunday at West Hills Hospital and Medical Center of complications from a recent stroke, her son, Michael, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Farrell also appeared on such other shows as Judd for the Defense, Get Smart, Medical Center, Quincy M.E., Emergency!, Room 222, The Partridge Family, Benson and Fame, for which she also wrote an episode.

From 1976-83, the Oklahoma native showed up on eight installments of M*A*S*H. Her first one was 1976’s “Out of Sight, Out of Mind,” where Hawkeye (Alan Alda) attempts to fix a gas stove in the nurses’ tent and it blows up, rendering him temporarily blind.

“Alan decided to make it so he really couldn’t see,” she told...

Judy Farrell, known for her role as Nurse Able in “M*A*S*H,” died on Sunday. She was 84.

Her “M*A*S*H” co-star Loretta Swit told Entertainment Weekly, “Judy was a most beautiful woman — inside and out. We grew up together. She was family. This has been a painful loss, but we will always have the beauty of her memory. Rest in peace, Nurse Able.”

She had suffered a stroke eight days prior to her death, TMZ reported.

Farrell was featured on eight episodes of “M*A*S*H,” the television series based on the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital that cared for patients during the Korean War. The TV series aired from 1972 to 1983. She played Nurse Able alongside Alan Alda as Captain Benjamin “Hawkeye” Piece.” Farrell also held roles in popular TV shows such as “Fame” and “Quincy M.E.” while making guest appearances on “Get Smart” and “The Partridge Family.”

Aside from her career as an actress,...

Actress Judy Farrell, best known for playing Nurse Able on hit 1970s-’80s sitcom “M*A*S*H”, has died at age 84.

The actress’ son, Michael Farrell, told TMZ that she died Sunday in hospital, having suffered a stroke nine days earlier.

Farrell appeared in eight episodes of “M*A*S*H”, and at the time was married to series star Mike Farrell, who joined the cast in 1975 as surgeon B.J. Hunnicutt.

Mike Farrell and then-wife Judy. (Photo by Tony Korody/Sygma/Sygma via Getty Images)

In addition to “M*A*S*H”, Farrell’s acting career also included guest-starring appearances on such TV series as “Get Smart”, “The Partridge Family” and “Quincy, M.E.”. On the big screen, she was featured in the movies “J.W. Coop” (1971), “Chapter Two” (1979) and “Long-Term Relationship” (2006).

Read More: Alan Alda Commemorates 50 Years Of ‘M*A*S*H’, Recalls Emotional Episode That ‘Shocked’ Viewers

Following the Farrells’ divorce in 1983, she subsequently married actor/producer Joe Bratcher.

Jamie Lee Curtis received her first Oscar nomination for her role as Deirdre Beaubeirdre in Everything Everywhere All At Once. Her acting career began in 1977 as part of the TV show Quincy M.E. Since then, she has been part of 83 different projects, bringing to life some of the most iconic on screen, from annoyed IRS employees to the iconic Laurie Strode of Halloween.

Jamie Lee Curtis is getting candid about what it’s like getting older in Hollywood, saying, “I’m pro-aging! I feel more alive today than I ever have, even with Covid.”

On Saturday, Curtis was recognized with the AARP Career Achievement Award at the Movies for Grownups Awards. In an interview with the magazine, she expressed how lucky she is to “continually have had an opportunity to expand.”

“I’m talking about expanding intellectually,” she added. “I’m an autodidact and an opsimath — a late-in-life learner. I feel very fortunate that I’m having more creative opportunities — I’m getting to do what I’ve wanted to do since I was a teen. I’m starting to produce and direct things.”

The actress, who received her first Oscar nomination for her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once, recently took to Instagram to reflect on her 2008 cover for AARP: The Magazine.

When Jamie Lee Curtis was just 19, she appeared in an episode of the NBC drama “Quincy M.E,” and lead her first feature film a year later with 1978’s “Halloween.” Part of the reason for her early rise was her name — Curtis is the daughter of Oscar nominees Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. But that doesn’t mean she hasn’t worked hard throughout her career, as she put it in a Thursday Instagram post.

This week, New York Magazine published an extensive series of articles exploring “nepo babies,” a slang term for celebrities or public figures with famous or influential parents or relatives in the Hollywood industry. Curtis herself was mentioned in one story. The series went viral on social media, and prompted some blowback from celebrities like O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Lily Allen. Now, Curtis has weighed in on the conversation, although she did not explicitly mention the New York story by name,...

Click here to read the full article.

Jamie Lee Curtis has joined the chorus of celebrities who are weighing in on the so-called “nepo baby” debate.

Curtis, the daughter of actors Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, made her professional acting debut at age 19 in a 1977 episode of the TV series Quincy, M.E.

Earlier this week, New York Magazine published a feature titled “The Year of the Nepo Baby” that detailed the lineages of numerous Hollywood folks who have famous parents and other relatives working in the entertainment industry. The story’s various charts — including this one, which featured Curtis and other celebrities — explored how nepotism has given them some industry advantage or played a part in each of their successes.

Curtis on Friday weighed in with a post on Instagram, noting that she’s been acting since age 19 (she’s now 64), starting with that episode of Quincy, so that makes her an “Og Nepo Baby.

Character actor Ron Masak, best known for a recurring role in Murder, She Wrote has passed away aged 86.

He passed away yesterday of natural causes, surrounded family, according to Facebook post from his daughter posted to his page.

Known as ‘The King of Commercials,’ Masak had a long career in entertainment and played the popular recurring character Sheriff Mort Metzger in Murder, She Wrote, as well as appearing twice as other characters.

His passing comes only nine days after Murder, She Wrote lead Angela Lansbury died aged 96.

Masak’s other roles included appearances on The Twilight Zone, Webster, The Rockford Files, The Flying Nun, Bewitched and Quincy M.E among many others.

During the 1980s and 1990s, he developed the nickname ‘The King of Commercials’ thanks to work on many commercials and and voice-over work. Notably, he was the frontman for Vlasic pickles for 15 years.

He was born in Chicago in...

Ron Masak, a prolific character actor best known to television audiences as Sheriff Mort Metzger on “Murder, She Wrote,” died Thursday of natural causes, his family announced. He was 86.

Masak’s death comes just nine days after “Murder, She Wrote” star Angela Lansbury, who died Oct. 10 at age 96.

Born in Chicago in 1936, Masak began his entertainment career while serving in the U.S. Army before moving to Los Angeles. He made his screen debut on an episode of “The Twilight Zone” in 1960. He went on to appear in numerous notable productions of the era, including “The Monkees,” “Ice Station Zebra,” “Bewitched,” and “The Flying Nun,” among others.

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He worked consistently during the 1970s and ’80s, racking up appearances on shows like “Diff’rent Strokes” and “Quincy, M.E.” But it was his regular recurring role on “Murder, She Wrote,...

The Beverly Hills, 90210 family has lost another beloved cast member. Joe E. Tata, who played Peach Pit owner Nat Bussichio, has died at the age of 85.

“In the last few months we’ve lost Jessica Klein, one of 90210‘s most prolific writers and producers, Denise Dowse, who played Mrs. Teasley, and now I’m very sad to say Joe E. Tata has passed away,” Ian Ziering wrote on Instagram. “Joey was truly an Og. I remember seeing him on The Rockford Files with James Garner years before we worked together on 90210. He was often one of the...

Philip Baker Hall, the prolific actor with credits in some of TV's biggest hits, has died.

He was 90 years old.

A cause of death has not been revealed, but the star suffered from emphysema.

“My neighbor, friend, and one of the wisest, most talented and kindest people I’ve ever met, Philip Baker Hall, died peacefully last night. He was surrounded by loved ones,” Hall’s friend and Los Angeles Times reporter Sam Farmer wrote on Twitter.

“The world has an empty space in it.”

Hall got his start in acting at age 30, with guest starring roles on series such as Good Times, Man From Atlantis, M*A*S*H, and Quincy Me.

The star had a series regular role on the short-lived ABC drama series Mariah, where he played James Malone.

The series aired from April-May 1987.

The actor also had roles on Family Ties, Falcon Crescent, and The Practice.

He also starred on the NYPD Blue sequel,...

Veteran character actor Philip Baker Hall, whose TV credits includes The Loop, Modern Family and Falcon Crest, died on Sunday. He was 90.

“My neighbor, friend, and one of the wisest, most talented and kindest people I’ve ever met, Philip Baker Hall, died peacefully last night. He was surrounded by loved ones,” Hall’s friend and Los Angeles Times reporter Sam Farmer shared on Twitter. “The world has an empty space in it.”

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Emilio Delgado, the actor best known for his beloved role as “Fix-It-Shop” owner Luis Rodriguez on “Sesame Street,” has died, his representative confirmed to Variety. He was 81.

“We are saddened by the news of Emilio’s passing,” Robert Attermann, CEO of A3 Artists Agency, said in a statement. “Emilio was an immense talent who brought so much joy and smiles to his fans. He will be missed by many and we know his legacy will live on. Our thoughts are with his loved ones, including his wife, Carole.”

A Mexican American born in California and raised in Mexico, Delgado got his start as an actor in the late 60s working in summer stock theater. His first ever screen credit was in the Mexican soap opera “Canción de la Raza.” In 1970, he enrolled as a student in the California Institute of the Arts. The summer before his second year at the school,...

Today Apple TV+ announced a series order for “Sunny,” a new, 10-episode darkly comedic half-hour drama from A24 created by Katie Robbins that will star Emmy Award nominee, multi-hyphenate Rashida Jones, who also serves as executive producer. “Sunny” is a darkly comedic drama […]

The post Rashida Jones To Star In New Comedy Series For Apple TV+ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.

Rolling Stone interview series Unknown Legends features long-form conversations between senior writer Andy Greene and veteran musicians who have toured and recorded alongside icons for years, if not decades. All are renowned in the business, but some are less well known to the general public. Here, these artists tell their complete stories, giving an up-close look at life on music’s A list. This edition features singer-songwriter Siedah Garrett.

Siedah Garrett will go down in pop-music history as the woman who co-wrote “Man in the Mirror” for Michael Jackson and...

Steve Restivo, an actor and former co-owner of Vitello’s Restaurant in Studio City, Calif., died on Nov. 5 at West Hills Hospital after a year-long battle with lung cancer and complications from Covid-19, his son Roy confirmed. He was 81.

Restivo was an actor for over 50 years. He was known for frequent roles as one of Garry Marshall’s acting troupe alongside Hector Elizondo and Larry Miller, appearing in films including “Nothing in Common” (1986), “Beaches” (1988), “Pretty Woman” (1990), “Frankie and Johnny” (1991), “Exit to Eden” (1994), “The Other Sister” (1999), “The Princess Diaries” (2001), “Raising Helen” (2004) and “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement” (2004). He also guest-starred in television shows such as “Quincy M.E.,” “Cover Up,” “Remington Steele,” “Nowhere Man” and “The New Adam-12.”

He and his brother Joe Restivo had owned Vitello’s for nearly 30 years before the murder of Bonny Lee Bakley, the wife of Emmy-winning actor Robert Blake, outside the restaurant in 2001. Blake was...

Steve Restivo, an actor seen in Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries and more, who also formerly co-owned Vitello’s Restaurant in Studio City, CA, died at West Hills Hospital on November 5, after a year-long battle with lung cancer and complications from Covid-19. He was 81.

Confirming Restivo’s passing to Deadline was his son Roy, a former 20-year senior television executive at NBCUniversal.

Restivo enjoyed a screen career of more than 50 years, finding frequent roles alongside the likes of Hector Elizondo and Larry Miller in the films of Garry Marshall, including Beaches (1988), Nothing in Common (1986), Pretty Woman (1990), Frankie and Johnny (1991), Exit to Eden (1994), The Other Sister (1999), The Princess Diaries (2001), Raising Helen (2004) and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004).

The actor also appeared in films including The Skateboard Kid 2, Inner Sanctum II, Hard Bounty and Sammy-Gate, finding guest-starring roles on the TV side in Quincy M.E., Cover Up, Remington Steele, The New Adam-12 and Nowhere Man.

We’ve got questions, and you’ve (maybe) got answers! With another week of TV gone by, we’re lobbing queries left and right about dozens of shows including Seal Team, The Flash, Psych 3: This Is Gus and Star Trek: Discovery!

1 | What could S.W.A.T.‘s fake cable news network letters possibly stand for? Also, now that Sanchez is gone, can we agree that he was a total cartoon character?

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Jerry Douglas, the actor best known for playing patriarch John Abbott on the long-running soap opera “The Young and the Restless,” died Nov. 9 in Los Angeles after a brief illness. He was 88.

Douglas was a mainstay of CBS’ top-rated daytime serial for more than 30 years in the role of the square-jawed cosmetics magnate and pillar of “Y&r’s” fictional Genoa City. He also racked up dozens of TV guests shots and supporting roles in movies over his long career, ranging from “The Bionic Woman,” “Barnaby Jones” and “The Streets of San Francisco” to “Arrested Development,” “Cold Case” and “Melrose Place.”

Douglas was a regular on “Y&r” from 1982 to 2006. Even after his character died, Abbott appeared in flashbacks from time to time, most recently in 2006 when he returned as a ghost to guide his children from the afterlife.. “Y&r” has been a mainstay of CBS’ daytime lineup since 1973. The serial topped the 20,000-episode mark last year.

Val Bisoglio, a character actor who played John Travolta’s father in Saturday Night Fever, appeared opposite Jack Klugman on all eight seasons of Quincy, M.E. and had an arc on The Sopranos has died. He was 95.

His wife Bonnie Bisoglio said the actor died October 18 of Lewy body dementia at his home near San Olivos, CA.

Born on May 7, 1926, in Manhattan, Bisoglio began his screen career with guest roles on series including Bonanza and Mayberry R.F.D. By the early 1970s, he appeared on such popular TV fare as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, All in the Family, The Partridge Family, Mannix and Love, American Style. He landed his first series-regular role on the short-lived CBS sitcom Roll Out in 1973.

He scored a second series-regular gig on a CBS sitcom, Working Stiffs, playing the owner of a Chicago office building where his sons — played by Michael Keaton and Jim Belushi — worked as janitors.

ViacomCBS Wednesday announced the launch of BET Studios led by Aisha Summers-Burke with partners including Kenya Barris, Rashida Jones and Aaron Rahsaan Thomas. The studio venture provides equity ownership to Black creators across premium TV and film content.

Deadline had reported in March that the longtime Warner Bros. Television development executive Summers was leaving the studio to join the ViacomCBS venture.

Propelled by the infrastructure and financing of BET and ViacomCBS, BET Studios will create premium television series and films for an array of internal buyers, including Paramount+, Showtime, CBS, Nickelodeon, BET+ and BET in addition to select third-party platforms that it said “seek best-in-class content from both leading and rising Black creatives.”

Burke will be responsible for working collaboratively with the Studio’s creative partners and key internal constituencies. She will overseeing day-to-day creative affairs, oversee the BET Studios content slate and focus on growing its production output...

Sunni Welles, an actress, singer and one of the woman who accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault, has died. She was 72.

Welles’ passing was announced Tuesday by her son Shaun O’Banion, who referred to her as an “extraordinary woman.” She died Monday in a hospice care center in Downey, California.

Welles first got her start as a child actress, appearing on shows such as “Leave It to Beaver” and “My Three Sons,” taking her stage name from the word “Sunshine” and her surrogate father, screenwriter Halsted Welles.

Welles said in a statement through Gloria Allred in 2015 that she had met Cosby on set of “I Spy” when she was just 17 in the mid 1960s when her mother was working as a story editor at Paramount Studios. In meeting him she described her love of jazz and that she could do a good Nancy Wilson impression for him. She claimed she...

Zac Hanson is officially a father of five, and we officially feel old. The youngest member of '90s pop rock group Hanson recently welcomed a baby boy with wife Kate Hanson. Zac, 35, shared the news to Instagram on Tuesday, March 9. "I am a little late, but I celebrated #internationalwomensday the best way I know how," he captioned black and white snapshots of the pair holding their newborn. "Marveling at the superpower women are uniquely gifted... as well as freaking out over the fact that I am now responsible to help raise another person." So what did Zac and Kate name their fifth little one? Quincy Joseph Thoreau Hanson—no doubt quite a title to live up...

Rashida Jones has more than a few strings to her bow. Between roles in a slew of cult TV hits like The Office, Parks and Recreation and Angie Tribeca, writing skills that span everything from poignant indie film Celeste & Jesse Forever to Toy Story 4 and Black Mirror, her Grammy-winning documentary Quincy, and a singing career to boot, Jones is a true multi-hyphenate. Lately, she’s been back in the comedy series realm as the larger-than-life Joya in Kenya Barris’ show #BlackAF. And now there’s her lead role in Sofia Coppola’s feature On the Rocks. Jones plays Laura, a Manhattan novelist and mother of two, who finds herself second-guessing her husband (Marlon Wayans)’s commitment. Joining forces with her errant bon vivant father (Bill Murray), hijinks ensue. Jones cites this as the role closest to her real self, as she muses over some career highlights and favorite memories.

Christopher Wallace packed a lot of living into 24 years, and “Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell” goes a long way toward capturing his personal story alongside the legacy of his relatively brief but deeply influential career as hip-hop paradigm-shifter Notorious B.I.G.

Unlike 2009’s docudrama biopic “Notorious” (also made under the auspices of the rapper’s estate) which seemed determine to sand down the music legend’s rougher edges, this new Netflix documentary takes a more clear-eyed approach — to Wallace’s childhood, his teenage years on the street absorbed in hip-hop and making a living selling drugs, the adults who taught and protected him, and the musical influences that made his work unique and important.

Producer Sean Combs notes early on that Biggie was the first rapper whose style couldn’t be traced to the roots of hip-hop, and that’s not just hyperbole. Director Emmett Malloy digs...

The unity of purpose and human resilience created by the pandemic’s requirements will be on display during the Super Bowl in Bigger Picture, a film segment produced by Budweiser in place of its usual in-game ads and narrated by Rashida Jones.

The clip marks the first time in 37 years Budweiser, a major in-game sponsor known for such iconic ads as a puppy returning home and the use of Stevie Nicks’s song Landslide as a horse comes back to its former owner, will not air an ad during the game.

Jones has a long resume in film and television, including appearances on TV’s The Office and Parks and Recreation. She’s also been in such films as I Love You, Man and The Social Network, and cowrote the story of Toy Story 4. She also directed Quincy, a documentary on her father, Quincy Jones, that won the Grammy...

John Reilly, a veteran soap star whose daytime credits included a long stint on General Hospital, died Saturday evening, his daughter confirmed. He was 84 and no cause of death was revealed.

Caitlin Reilly shared the news on Instagram. “John Henry Matthew Reilly Aka Jack. The brightest light in the world has gone out. Imagine the best person in the world. Now imagine that person being your dad. I’m so grateful he was mine. I’m so grateful I got to love him. I’m so grateful I made it in time to hold him and say goodbye. I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do, but I know he’ll be with me. I love you forever Daddy.”

Born in Chicago, Reilly appeared on soap As the World Turns as Dr. Dan Stewart. He then had parts on television shows How the West Was Won, Quincy M.E. and Dallas.

She gained fame as a “scream queen” over 40 years ago, but in the four decades since has proven her versatility in a range of genres. Award-winning comedienne, activist, author and daughter of two film icons, Jamie Lee Curtis has built an impressive resume over several mediums.

Curtis was born in Santa Monica on November 22, 1958 to actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. After finishing school, she briefly pursued an education in law, but decided to follow in her parents’ footsteps instead. In 1977, she was given a small role in an episode of “Quincy M.E.,” followed by several more small parts and a role in the short-lived “Operation Petticoat,” based on the film which had starred her father. Then she received a part in a low-budget horror film that would change her life forever.

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In 1978, Curtis made her movie debut in John Carpenter‘s now-iconic “Halloween,...

Director, actress and producer Rashida Jones recalls the first movie that evoked emotion for her: 1982’s “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.”

“I remember very vividly being so emotionally overwhelmed,” Jones tells Variety‘s “Awards Circuit” podcast. “Especially the scene when he is sick and he’s dying. I remember being completely knocked over by how much I could feel.”

It wasn’t necessarily a movie that made Jones want to get into filmmaking and follow in the footsteps of her famous parents — legendary music producer Quincy Jones and late actress Peggy Lipton. But that film clearly struck a chord.

Jones has added several hyphens to her career in recent years: Acting in series such as “Parks and Recreation” and “Angie Tribeca,” executive producing others like “Claws” and “Black Af” (which she also stars in), writing projects like an episode of “Black Mirror,” and directing films such as “Quincy,” the music documentary about her father.

A music documentary on the life and career of pop star Shawn Mendes is coming to Netflix. Titled “In Wonder,” the film will drop on the streaming service on November 23 ahead of his fourth studio album, Netflix announced Tuesday.

Mendes recently released the title track to his new album “Wonder,” and the album itself is available December 4.

“In Wonder” was directed by veteran music video director Grant Singer, and is a portrait of Mendes’ life, chronicling the past few years of his rise and journey to fame.

The documentary is executive produced by Andrew Gertler, Shawn Mendes, & Ben Winston; produced by Saul Germaine, p.g.a and James Haygood.

“In Wonder” joins Netflix’s growing slate of music-centered documentaries which include “Miss Americana,” “Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé,” “The Black Godfather,” “Gaga: Five Foot Two,” “Quincy” and most recently “Blackpink: Light Up the Sky.”

Mendes, in partnership with his Shawn...

“In Wonder,” a new documentary about singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes, is coming to Netflix on November 23, just days ahead of his fourth studio album, “Wonder,” which arrives on Dec. 4. Mendes released the album’s title track as an advance single on Oct. 2.

The feature-length documentary, helmed by veteran music video director Grant Singer, is an intimate look at Mendes’ life and journey, filmed over the last few years. “In Wonder” will likely feature footage of Mendes from his 2019 self-titled world tour that took him across the North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. It was a special event selection at the Toronto Film Festival.

Andrew Gertler, Shawn Mendes and Ben Winston serve as the documentary’s executive producers with Saul Germaine, p.g.a and James Haygood credited as producers.

Mendes, in partnership with his Shawn Mendes Foundation (Smf), also recently announced an official new annual TIFF award at the festival,...

Exclusive: Luisa Leschin, who is currently co-exec producer of Netflix’s Mr. Iglesias, has signed with APA.

Leschin is an industry vet having worked on shows such as as George Lopez, Everybody Hates Chris and East Los High.

She began her career as a ballet dancer then turned to acting, having appeared in many iconic TV series including Beverly Hills 90210, Love Boat, ER, Quincy, Falcon Crest and Hill St. Blues. On the feature side, she has appeared in Saturday Night Fever and True Confessions.

Last year, she was the recipient of Norman Lear Writer’s Award at the 34th Annual Imagen Awards. She also co-founded theater group, Latins Anonymous, to give Latinx more opportunities.

Leschin (left) is the latest writer-producer to ink with APA since the agency signed the WGA’s franchise agreement earlier this year. Other recent signings include Spinning Out showrunner Lara Olsen, American Gods executive producer Anne Kenney,...

Michael Keenan, who portrayed Mayor Bill Pugen on the 1990s CBS series Picket Fences and taught acting and directing at USC for more than 25 years, has died. He was 80.

Keenan died Thursday at the Motion Picture & Television Fund Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, his family announced. 

Keenan also appeared in 1999-2000 as Baron van Swieten in Peter Hall's Tony-nominated revival of Amadeus on Broadway and showed up on episodes of Quincy M.E., Wkrp in Cincinnati, Hill Street Blues, Cheers, Dallas and the Star Trek series The Next Generation, Voyager and Deep ...

Gonzalo “Chalo” Gonzalez-Rubio died March 20 at Verdugo Hospital in Glendale of complications from a bacterial infection. He was 95.

The close associate of Sam Peckinpah worked as a prop master and graduated to film roles, including in 2006’s Sundance award-winning “Quinceanera.”

Producer Katy Haber, a Peckinpah associate from 1970 to 1977 used a military term to say: “Wherever Sam was, so was Chalo. Chalo had Sam’s 6 as they say.”

David Weddle, author of “If They Move… Kill ‘Em! The Life and Times of Sam Peckinpah,” writes: “Chalo Gonzalez played a pivotal role in the making of an American masterpiece, ‘The Wild Bunch.’ He was involved in all aspects of the production and was trusted implicitly by the film’s director, Sam Peckinpah. It was Chalo who advocated that the movie should be shot in Parras, Mexico, near the sites of several pivotal battles of the Mexican Revolution. This was one of the...

Anyone familiar with this column knows my deep-rooted affection for Ms. Kate Jackson; I espoused her many virtues when I covered Satan’s School for Girls (you can ponder my musings here), and I promise (warn?) you I will do so again as I discuss the couple-in-a-house-is-met-with-animosity-from-a-possible-ghost telefilm, Death at Love House (1976), aka How Much Is That Dead Actress In the Window?

Originally broadcast as The ABC Friday Night Movie on Friday, September 3rd, Love House was up against The CBS Friday Night Movies and NBC trotted out The Rockford Files/Quincy M.E. for folks like mine. So who won out? We all did! I loved Rockford and Quincy. Okay, CBS probably lost. But if you were looking for some charming stars doing charming things in a charming manor with a hint of danger, look no further than ABC.

Let’s open up our battered faux TV Guide and see...

Steven Hilliard Stern, a writer, director and producer whose work included the Elliott Gould-Bill Cosby comedy The Devil and Max Devlin, died Wednesday in Encino, his daughter Melanie Stern announced. He was 80.

Stern helmed episodes of shows like Serpico, McCloud, Quincy M.E. and Hawaii Five-o and directed more than three dozen telefilms, including Miracle on Ice, about the 1980 gold-winning U.S. hockey team, and 1983's Still the Beaver, which reunited the cast of the sitcom Leave It to Beaver.

Stern also wrote and directed Running (1979), a drama starring Michael Douglas and Susan Anspach (she co-starred in The Devil and Max Devlin, which he produced, as ...

Steven Hilliard Stern, a writer, director and producer whose work included the Elliott Gould-Bill Cosby comedy The Devil and Max Devlin, died Wednesday in Encino, his daughter Melanie Stern announced. He was 80.

Stern helmed episodes of shows like Serpico, McCloud, Quincy M.E. and Hawaii Five-O and directed more than three dozen telefilms, including Miracle on Ice, about the 1980 gold-winning U.S. hockey team, and 1983's Still the Beaver, which reunited the cast of the sitcom Leave It to Beaver.

Stern also wrote and directed Running (1979), a drama starring Michael Douglas and Susan Anspach (she co-starred in The Devil and Max Devlin, which he produced, as ...

Jud Kinberg, the father of “X-Men” co-writer/producer and “Deadpool” producer Simon Kinberg, has died. He was 91. Jud Kinberg was best known for his own producing work on the 1956 Vincent van Gogh biopic “Lust for Life” starring Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn, and “Executive Suite” in 1954. In 1978, he was nominated for an Emmy for producing “Quincy M.E.,” the NBC drama starring Jack Klugman as a coroner who investigates suspicious deaths. Kinberg Sr. died Nov. 2 of natural causes at his home in New York City, his son told The Hollywood Reporter.

Cecilia Hart, the wife of James Earl Jones, died Sunday, Oct. 16, after a battle with ovarian cancer, WestportNow reports. She was 68.

Hart and Jones, 85, met on the set of the 1979-80 Steven Bochco series Paris.

They married in 1982, after playing opposite one another in a revival of William Shakespeare’s Othello that same year. They have one son together â€. Flynn Earl Jones.

Her Broadway credits include the revivals of The Heiress (1976) and Design for Living (1984) â€. and the premiere production Tom Stoppard’s 1977 play Dirty Linen & New-Found-Land, for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award.