In the second and final season of Showtime series Your Honor, Bryan Cranston reprises the role of disgraced judge Michael Desiato. At the end of Season 1, Desiato’s son was murdered by the Baxter crime family, and fresh out of prison himself, Desiato not only seeks to avenge his son’s death but to rediscover his own moral compass and find some kind of redemption. It’s another nuanced performance in a storied career that includes such roles as the inimitable Walter White in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, the titular character in Trumbo, Hal in Malcolm in the Middle and Stan in Little Miss Sunshine. Here, Cranston muses on his French country retirement plans, explains the glaring absence of karaoke in his life, and reveals his dreams of making a Broadway musical and why his desert island TV picks definitely won’t include Breaking Bad.
My First Film Lesson
Don’t be late.
My First Film Lesson
Don’t be late.
- 6/19/2023
- by Antonia Blyth
- Deadline Film + TV
James Caan, whose remarkable performances in The Godfather, Elf and Misery made him a screen icon, has had his cause of death revealed by the Los Angeles County Coroner.
The 82-year-old Caan died earlier this month of a heart attack and coronary artery disease, according to the county report.
His family announced his death earlier in July on the actor’s official Twitter account.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6,” the tweet reads. “The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
After a decade in the business, Caan shot to fame in the early 1970s with back-to-back signature roles. He earned an Emmy nom as the real-life cancer-stricken Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo in ABC’s Brian’s Song, alongside Billy Dee Williams...
The 82-year-old Caan died earlier this month of a heart attack and coronary artery disease, according to the county report.
His family announced his death earlier in July on the actor’s official Twitter account.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6,” the tweet reads. “The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
After a decade in the business, Caan shot to fame in the early 1970s with back-to-back signature roles. He earned an Emmy nom as the real-life cancer-stricken Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo in ABC’s Brian’s Song, alongside Billy Dee Williams...
- 7/23/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
It in no way shortchanges the brilliance of James Caan, who died Wednesday at 82, to point out that he had a special gift for playing insensitive men. He was a gruff, tough, raging, muscular actor, with a ramrod physicality and an imposing look: the wiry curls of brownish-blond hair, the handsome planed face that seemed carved out of granite, the mouth set in a scowl that was a challenge and often a threat. (You got the feeling that even his brain knew how to bench-press.) In “The Godfather,” the movie that not only established him as a great actor but marked him as a mythological presence, Caan played Santino “Sonny” Corleone, the lone hothead in a family of very cool criminals. Don Vito was a courtly, soft-spoken manipulator, Michael a moody intellectual, Fredo a black-sheep nebbish, and Tom Hagen the adoptive sibling as passive bureaucrat.
But Sonny? He glared and shouted and busted balls.
But Sonny? He glared and shouted and busted balls.
- 7/7/2022
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
He was tough, he was sexy, and he was one of the most charismatic movies stars of the 1970s — he was James Caan, your go-to guy when you wanted someone who could be flinty yet charming, smooth yet volatile. A Bronx-born, Queens-raised actor who claimed he was the “only New York Jewish cowboy,” the former Michigan State football player got bit by the acting bug when he transferred to Hofstra University, and was already making the bit-player rounds on TV shows (Dr. Kildare, Combat!, Route 66, The Alfred Hitchcock Show) in the early ’60s.
- 7/7/2022
- by David Fear and Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
From The Associated Press:
(AP) — James Caan, the curly-haired tough guy known to movie fans as the hotheaded Sonny Corleone of “The Godfather” and to television audiences as both the dying football player in the classic weeper “Brian’s Song” and the casino boss in “Las Vegas,” has died. He was 82.
His manager Matt DelPiano said he died on Wednesday. No cause was given and Caan’s family, who requests privacy, said that no further details would be released at this time.
Read The Academy’s post on this great actor here: https://aframe.oscars.org/news/post/james-caan-the-godfather-actor-dead-at-82
Many of his collaborators wrote condolences on Twitter Thursday.
So sorry to hear the news. I loved working with him. And the only Jew I knew who could calf rope with the best of them. Love to the family.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) July 7, 2022
Adam Sandler, who acted with him in “Bulletproof...
(AP) — James Caan, the curly-haired tough guy known to movie fans as the hotheaded Sonny Corleone of “The Godfather” and to television audiences as both the dying football player in the classic weeper “Brian’s Song” and the casino boss in “Las Vegas,” has died. He was 82.
His manager Matt DelPiano said he died on Wednesday. No cause was given and Caan’s family, who requests privacy, said that no further details would be released at this time.
Read The Academy’s post on this great actor here: https://aframe.oscars.org/news/post/james-caan-the-godfather-actor-dead-at-82
Many of his collaborators wrote condolences on Twitter Thursday.
So sorry to hear the news. I loved working with him. And the only Jew I knew who could calf rope with the best of them. Love to the family.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) July 7, 2022
Adam Sandler, who acted with him in “Bulletproof...
- 7/7/2022
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
James Caan is dead at the age of 82, his family confirmed on Thursday. No cause of death has been released at this time. “The Godfather” actor shot to superstardom after playing the doomed Sonny Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 adaptation of the Mario Puzo novel, but he gained fans across decades. Not many actors could simulate being shot with dozens of bullets in one of the most bloody dramatic scenes from “The Godfather” and also star opposite Barbra Streisand in the musical sequel “Funny Lady” — or be tormented by Kathy Bates in the Stephen King adaptation “Misery.” Or play the curmudgeonly book publisher who finds he’s the father of one of Santa’s workers in “Elf.”
Born in 1940 in the Bronx, Caan entered Hollywood on the strength of his good looks before it became clear he was a serious actor. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Germany, and...
Born in 1940 in the Bronx, Caan entered Hollywood on the strength of his good looks before it became clear he was a serious actor. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Germany, and...
- 7/7/2022
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Click here to read the full article.
James Caan, the self-assured star who played Sonny Corleone in The Godfather and a rough-and-tumble athlete in Rollerball but had the self-assurance to showcase a sensitive side during his long career, has died. He was 82.
Caan died Wednesday night in Los Angeles, his rep Arnold Robinson told The Hollywood Reporter, confirming a post on the actor’s Twitter account. Neither he nor the family would reveal a cause of death.
Caan will best be remembered for his explosive performance as Sonny in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather (1972). Mesmerizing as the volatile and confrontational eldest son and heir apparent to his family’s criminal empire, he earned an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor.
Caan almost didn’t get to play the part that would become his signature role. Paramount originally cast him as younger brother Michael and Carmine Caridi as Sonny. But Coppola,...
James Caan, the self-assured star who played Sonny Corleone in The Godfather and a rough-and-tumble athlete in Rollerball but had the self-assurance to showcase a sensitive side during his long career, has died. He was 82.
Caan died Wednesday night in Los Angeles, his rep Arnold Robinson told The Hollywood Reporter, confirming a post on the actor’s Twitter account. Neither he nor the family would reveal a cause of death.
Caan will best be remembered for his explosive performance as Sonny in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather (1972). Mesmerizing as the volatile and confrontational eldest son and heir apparent to his family’s criminal empire, he earned an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor.
Caan almost didn’t get to play the part that would become his signature role. Paramount originally cast him as younger brother Michael and Carmine Caridi as Sonny. But Coppola,...
- 7/7/2022
- by Chris Koseluk
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
James Caan, whose indelible, Oscar-nominated performance as Sonny Corleone, the recklessly hotheaded son of Marlon Brando’s Mafia don in “The Godfather,” is sure to be remembered as long as there are gangster movies, died on Wednesday, his family announced on Twitter. He was 82.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6,” the tweet reads. “The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6.
The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.
End of tweet
— James Caan (@James_Caan) July 7, 2022
Caan also had notable roles in films including “Misery,” “Elf,” “Thief,...
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6,” the tweet reads. “The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6.
The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.
End of tweet
— James Caan (@James_Caan) July 7, 2022
Caan also had notable roles in films including “Misery,” “Elf,” “Thief,...
- 7/7/2022
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
James Caan, who scored an Oscar nom as mafioso Sonny Corleone in The Godfather and an Emmy nom for playing NFL running back Brian Piccolo in Brian’s Song among a host of big film and TV roles including Elf and Las Vegas, died Wednesday night. He was 82. His family confirmed the news on Caan’s Twitter page.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6,” the tweet reads. “The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
After a decade in the business, Caan shot to fame in the early 1970s with back-to-back signature roles. He earned an Emmy nom as the real-life cancer-stricken Chicago Bears back Brian Piccolo in ABC’s Brian’s Song, alongside Billy Dee Williams as fellow Bears running back Gale Sayers.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6,” the tweet reads. “The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
After a decade in the business, Caan shot to fame in the early 1970s with back-to-back signature roles. He earned an Emmy nom as the real-life cancer-stricken Chicago Bears back Brian Piccolo in ABC’s Brian’s Song, alongside Billy Dee Williams as fellow Bears running back Gale Sayers.
- 7/7/2022
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
James Caan, best known for playing tough-guy roles like Sonny Corleone in “The Godfather” and Frank in “Thief,” has died, according to a tweet from Caan’s family. Caan was 82.
The Oscar-nominated performer’s other memorable roles include “Misery,” “Brian’s Song” and “Elf.”
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time,” the actor’s Twitter page said.
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6.
The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.
End of tweet
— James Caan (@James_Caan) July 7, 2022 Also Read:
James Caan’s Legacy: The Intense...
The Oscar-nominated performer’s other memorable roles include “Misery,” “Brian’s Song” and “Elf.”
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time,” the actor’s Twitter page said.
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6.
The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.
End of tweet
— James Caan (@James_Caan) July 7, 2022 Also Read:
James Caan’s Legacy: The Intense...
- 7/7/2022
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
William Blinn, the two-time Emmy-winning screenwriter of “Brian’s Song” and “Roots,” died on Thursday, his daughter Anneliese Johnson confirmed to Variety. He was 83.
Blinn died of natural causes at an assisted living community in Burbank, according to his daughter.
Blinn penned two landmark TV productions of the 1970s, both for ABC. The 1971 TV movie “Brian’s Song” was a commercial and creative triumph that garnered five Emmys and other accolades.
The film revolved around the true story of two Chicago Bears pro football players — one white, one Black — who forge a deep bond as one of them dies of cancer. Sayers died last month at the age of 77. It was viewed by 55 million people when it premiered on Nov. 30, 1971. At the time it ranked as the fourth most-watched film ever to air on television.
Born in Toledo, Ohio, Blinn moved to Los Angeles for college, where he launched his career as...
Blinn died of natural causes at an assisted living community in Burbank, according to his daughter.
Blinn penned two landmark TV productions of the 1970s, both for ABC. The 1971 TV movie “Brian’s Song” was a commercial and creative triumph that garnered five Emmys and other accolades.
The film revolved around the true story of two Chicago Bears pro football players — one white, one Black — who forge a deep bond as one of them dies of cancer. Sayers died last month at the age of 77. It was viewed by 55 million people when it premiered on Nov. 30, 1971. At the time it ranked as the fourth most-watched film ever to air on television.
Born in Toledo, Ohio, Blinn moved to Los Angeles for college, where he launched his career as...
- 10/24/2020
- by Janet W. Lee
- Variety Film + TV
William Blinn, the screenwriter for Prince’s Purple Rain and creator of Starsky & Hutch, has died at age 83. He passed Thursday of natural causes at an assisted living community in Burbank, according to his daughter, Anneliese Johnson.
“If you were an aspiring writer in the 70’s & 80’s, like I was, Bill’s work defined what it was to write powerful, impactful, game-changing drama,” said friend and fellow screenwriter Robbie Fox.
During a four-decade career as a writer, producer and drama specialist, Blinn wrote for Bonanza, developed Eight Is Enough, and created The Interns, The Rookies and Pensacola: Wings of Gold.
Blinn co-wrote Purple Rain with director Albert Magnoli. He was offered the 1984 film thanks to his work as a writer and executive producer on Fame, which extensively integrated music into the show.
Blinn was working as a staff writer for Screen Gems when he was tabbed to adapt a chapter...
“If you were an aspiring writer in the 70’s & 80’s, like I was, Bill’s work defined what it was to write powerful, impactful, game-changing drama,” said friend and fellow screenwriter Robbie Fox.
During a four-decade career as a writer, producer and drama specialist, Blinn wrote for Bonanza, developed Eight Is Enough, and created The Interns, The Rookies and Pensacola: Wings of Gold.
Blinn co-wrote Purple Rain with director Albert Magnoli. He was offered the 1984 film thanks to his work as a writer and executive producer on Fame, which extensively integrated music into the show.
Blinn was working as a staff writer for Screen Gems when he was tabbed to adapt a chapter...
- 10/24/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Gale Sayers, the Hall of Fame NFL runningback whose friendship with Chicago Bears teammate Brian Piccolo was memorialized in the 1971 TV movie “Brian’s Song,” has died at the age of 77.
According to the Associated Press, which confirmed his death through the Pro Football Hall of Fame, relatives of Sayers confirmed that he suffered from dementia in recent years.
Sayers played seven seasons for the Bears from 1965 to 1971, and was widely regarded as the best rusher of his era. “His days at the top of his game were numbered, but there was a magic about him that still sets him apart from the other great runningbacks in pro football,” wrote Red Smith, the Pulitzer Prize-winning sports journalist. “He wasn’t a bruiser like Jimmy Brown, but he could slice through the middle like a warm knife through butter, and when he took a pitchout and peeled around the corner, he was...
According to the Associated Press, which confirmed his death through the Pro Football Hall of Fame, relatives of Sayers confirmed that he suffered from dementia in recent years.
Sayers played seven seasons for the Bears from 1965 to 1971, and was widely regarded as the best rusher of his era. “His days at the top of his game were numbered, but there was a magic about him that still sets him apart from the other great runningbacks in pro football,” wrote Red Smith, the Pulitzer Prize-winning sports journalist. “He wasn’t a bruiser like Jimmy Brown, but he could slice through the middle like a warm knife through butter, and when he took a pitchout and peeled around the corner, he was...
- 9/23/2020
- by Daniel Holloway
- Variety Film + TV
Gale Sayers, the Hall of Fame tailback for the Chicago Bears, has died at age 77. For sports fans of a certain age, simply hearing the theme song for the 1971 ABC telepic Brian’s Song is enough to make one misty. That film was based on Sayers’ memoir I Am Third, and it covered his friendship with Brian Piccolo. Arriving as rookies at the same time, they competed at the running back position and were the first Black and White players to share a room together. Sayers was fast as lightning out of Kansas, and was considered a can’t miss prospect who was nicknamed The Kansas Comet. Piccolo came from Wake Forest, an overachiever who rushed for more yards than any other college back, but whose diminutive stature at 6′ 205 pounds made him a longshot to even make the Bears team. He did make it and they became a one-two punch backfield,...
- 9/23/2020
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Gale Sayers, the legendary all-purpose running back whose friendship with cancer-stricken Chicago Bears teammate Brian Piccolo was recounted in the fabled telefilm Brian’s Song, has died. He was 77.
Nicknamed “The Kansas Comet” and considered among the best open-field runners the game has ever seen, Sayers died Wednesday, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Relatives of Sayers had said that he was diagnosed with dementia. In March 2017, his wife, Ardythe, said she partly blamed his football career.
In Brian’s Song, a 1971 ABC Movie of the Week, Billy Dee Williams played Sayers and James Caan was ...
Nicknamed “The Kansas Comet” and considered among the best open-field runners the game has ever seen, Sayers died Wednesday, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Relatives of Sayers had said that he was diagnosed with dementia. In March 2017, his wife, Ardythe, said she partly blamed his football career.
In Brian’s Song, a 1971 ABC Movie of the Week, Billy Dee Williams played Sayers and James Caan was ...
- 9/23/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Gale Sayers, the legendary all-purpose running back whose friendship with cancer-stricken Chicago Bears teammate Brian Piccolo was recounted in the fabled telefilm Brian’s Song, has died. He was 77.
Nicknamed “The Kansas Comet” and considered among the best open-field runners the game has ever seen, Sayers died Wednesday, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Relatives of Sayers had said that he was diagnosed with dementia. In March 2017, his wife, Ardythe, said she partly blamed his football career.
In Brian’s Song, a 1971 ABC Movie of the Week, Billy Dee Williams played Sayers and James Caan was ...
Nicknamed “The Kansas Comet” and considered among the best open-field runners the game has ever seen, Sayers died Wednesday, according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Relatives of Sayers had said that he was diagnosed with dementia. In March 2017, his wife, Ardythe, said she partly blamed his football career.
In Brian’s Song, a 1971 ABC Movie of the Week, Billy Dee Williams played Sayers and James Caan was ...
- 9/23/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Billy Dee Williams, who is best known for playing Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars films, shared in a recent interview with Esquire that he sees himself “as feminine as well as masculine.”
“I never tried to be anything except myself. I think of myself as a relatively colorful character who doesn’t take himself or herself too seriously,” Williams, 82, said.
“And you see I say ‘himself’ and ‘herself,’ because I also see myself as feminine as well as masculine. I’m a very soft person. I’m not afraid to show that side of myself,“ he added.
Later this month,...
“I never tried to be anything except myself. I think of myself as a relatively colorful character who doesn’t take himself or herself too seriously,” Williams, 82, said.
“And you see I say ‘himself’ and ‘herself,’ because I also see myself as feminine as well as masculine. I’m a very soft person. I’m not afraid to show that side of myself,“ he added.
Later this month,...
- 12/1/2019
- by Eric Todisco
- PEOPLE.com
Haven't cried yet today? Here's something that'll change that ... Gale Sayers -- who's battling dementia and is struggling daily to remember who he is -- showed up to the Bears100 celebration on Friday ... and got an ovation from the crowd that brought a tear to his eye. The 76-year-old legend is struggling in his fight with dementia ... his wife, Ardie Sayers, says the former Rb is having hard time speaking and moving. In fact, she...
- 6/10/2019
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
NFL Hall of Famer Gale Sayers will travel to Chicago for a special Bears100 Celebration -- despite suffering from "severe dementia," this according to his wife. The 76-year-old legend was diagnosed over 5 years ago, Ardie Sayers told The Athletic ... but his condition has gotten drastically worse over time. Sayers had spent time living in an assisted living facility -- but that didn't work out ... so now he's back at home with his 83-year-old wife. Ardie...
- 6/6/2019
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Chicago – It’s the opening Sunday of the NFL, and what better time to celebrate the films that celebrate the sport that celebrate the ballers. Film history has a steroid-free stack of pro football films in all categories. Patrick McDonald, Jon Lennon Espino and Spike Walters of HollywoodChicago.com take on three prime examples.
Da Boyz! James Caan and Billy Dee Williams Bear Down in ‘Brian’s Song’
Photo credit: Columbia TriStar Home Video
The earliest known footage of a football game was a 1903 match-up between powerhouses Princeton and Yale, filmed by Thomas Edison. The earliest narrative films dealt with the college game, from Harold Lloyd’s “The Freshman” (1925) to the Marx Brothers in “Horse Feathers” (1932). An early example of a pro football movie is “The Cowboy Quarterback” (1939), which involves a scout for the “Chicago Packers” (gee, even in olden days screenwriters were lazy as shit).
The backfield in motion and HollywoodChicago.
Da Boyz! James Caan and Billy Dee Williams Bear Down in ‘Brian’s Song’
Photo credit: Columbia TriStar Home Video
The earliest known footage of a football game was a 1903 match-up between powerhouses Princeton and Yale, filmed by Thomas Edison. The earliest narrative films dealt with the college game, from Harold Lloyd’s “The Freshman” (1925) to the Marx Brothers in “Horse Feathers” (1932). An early example of a pro football movie is “The Cowboy Quarterback” (1939), which involves a scout for the “Chicago Packers” (gee, even in olden days screenwriters were lazy as shit).
The backfield in motion and HollywoodChicago.
- 9/11/2017
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
In honor of Billy Dee Williams’ 80th birthday Thursday, we take a look back at his 10 best roles. “Brian’s Song” In his Emmy-nominated role, Williams plays Chicago Bears running back Gale Sayers. The movie documents Sayers relationship with Brian Piccolo (James Caan), a teammate dealing with cancer. The 1971 film was nominated for several Emmy awards and a Golden Globe for best television film. “Lady Sings the Blues” Williams plays opposite Diana Ross as the love interest of Billie Holiday, Louis McKay. The 1972 film was nominated for five Academy Awards. “Mahogany” Williams and Ross are back as love interests in the 1975 romantic drama.
- 4/6/2017
- by Ashley Boucher
- The Wrap
NFL legend Gale Sayers has been diagnosed with dementia ... and his wife says football is to blame. Ardythe Sayers told the Kansas City Star the 73-year-old Hall of Famer was diagnosed 4 years ago -- but still remains in excellent physical condition. Ardythe says Gale has been treated at the Mayo Clinic and the doctors agree football is a factor. "It wasn’t so much getting hit in the head," Ardythe said ... "It’s just the...
- 3/21/2017
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
StreamFix has gotten your latest updates on new Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and Crackle streams. Check out these titles before they inevitably go back into the endless interweb secret vault. Netflix "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" (Season 9) I'd hate to burden you with a reminder about injustice during this Election Day, but it must be noted: It is insane that Kaitlin Olson has gone eight seasons without garnering an Emmy nomination for this show. Have you heard this woman dry-heave? It is sensational. "Total Recall" Did you know? Arnold Schwarzenegger > Colin Farrell, at least in terms of dystopian thriller heroism. I wouldn't want to see Arnold attempt Farrell's role in "Saving Mr. Banks" or anything like that though. "Altman" This documentary gives an incisive, insightful look at Robert Altman, whose best movie is not "Nashville" or "Gosford Park" or "Mash" or even "The Player." Nope. It is "McCabe and Mrs. Miller,...
- 11/4/2014
- by Louis Virtel
- Hitfix
A quarter-century ago, Kevin Costner hit a double-play, following up "Bull Durham" with "Field of Dreams" and becoming king of the sports movie. Twenty-five years later, as "Field of Dreams" marks its 25th anniversary (it was released on April 21, 1989), Costner is back with "Draft Day." The movie's about football, not baseball, and Costner's character plays in the executive suite, not on the field, but his mere presence still offers a reminder of great sports movies past.
And after all, isn't nostalgia a key element of sports movies? "Field of Dreams" makes this explicit -- we long for the sports heroes of our childhood, for a supposed long-gone golden age of our preferred sport, as a way of connecting with our past and bridging the generational divide that separates us as adults from our parents. Sports movies offer more than just the drama of winners and losers, or the journey from dream to achievement,...
And after all, isn't nostalgia a key element of sports movies? "Field of Dreams" makes this explicit -- we long for the sports heroes of our childhood, for a supposed long-gone golden age of our preferred sport, as a way of connecting with our past and bridging the generational divide that separates us as adults from our parents. Sports movies offer more than just the drama of winners and losers, or the journey from dream to achievement,...
- 4/20/2014
- by Gary Susman
- Moviefone
Gale Sayers’ life rights and his memoirs, I Am Third and Sayers: My Life And Times, have been optioned by Nicholas Sparks' production company with the goal being to produce a feature film that will, not strictly tell Sayers' story, but instead one that will focus primarily on the friendship between Sayers and his friend and Chicago Bears teammate Brian Piccolo. You might recall the 1971 made-for-television movie, Brian's Song, which told the story of that friendship - one that shattered racial boundaries (Sayers is black and Piccolo, white, in case it's not obvious) - and Piccolo's final days. Gale Sayers was played by Billy Dee...
- 3/14/2014
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Exclusive: Nicholas Sparks and Theresa Park have acquired Gale Sayers‘ life rights and his memoirs I Am Third and Sayers: My Life And Times and have partnered with Michael Costigan to produce a feature film that focuses primarily on the friendship between the NFL Hall of Famer and teammate Brian Piccolo when both started out in the backfield of the Chicago Bears. Although Piccolo led the nation in rushing at Wake Forest in 1964, he was considered undersized and didn’t get drafted but made the Bears as a free agent. Sayers came out of the University of Kansas considered the most talented running back in the draft crop and the Bears made him a first-round draft pick. His career took off immediately and he scored 22 touchdowns as a rookie, while Piccolo struggled just to hang on. In an atmosphere where white players and black players didn’t congregate much, the...
- 3/13/2014
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline
To celebrate the DVD and Blu-ray release of Rush this week, we’ve taken a look back at sports in the movies to bring you the Ten Best Sports Biopics…
Brian’s Song (1971)
A weepie isn’t something you always associate with a sports biopic, but Brian’s Song does such an extraordinary job in portraying two teammates and friends. American football players Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers butt heads when they both compete for a starting spot on the Chicago Bears. They ultimately become buddies, yet their friendship is cut short when Brian is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Try to hold back the tears at the end of the film … just try.
Raging Bull (1980)
The argument continues to rage amongst scholars and everyday moviegoers as to what director Martin Scorsese’s best film actually is, but any conversation about it has to include his knockout boxing biopic Raging Bull.
Brian’s Song (1971)
A weepie isn’t something you always associate with a sports biopic, but Brian’s Song does such an extraordinary job in portraying two teammates and friends. American football players Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers butt heads when they both compete for a starting spot on the Chicago Bears. They ultimately become buddies, yet their friendship is cut short when Brian is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Try to hold back the tears at the end of the film … just try.
Raging Bull (1980)
The argument continues to rage amongst scholars and everyday moviegoers as to what director Martin Scorsese’s best film actually is, but any conversation about it has to include his knockout boxing biopic Raging Bull.
- 1/29/2014
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Ex-Chicago Bears player Gale Sayers is feeling the repercussions of his long career in the National Football League. The football legend is suing both the NFL and the helmet manufacturer Riddell for allegedly being intentionally misleading about the dangers of head injuries.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame running back says in his lawsuit that he suffers from memory loss, headaches and other "cognitive deficits" from chronic traumatic encephalopathy. That disease becomes significantly more likely when a patient is subjected to head injuries, like concussions, repeatedly.
Sayers filed his lawsuit on Sept. 20 at the U.S. District Court in Chicago. His argument is that the NFL never warned him that playing football while still suffering from a head injury could lead to permanent brain damage. He's also including Riddell on the lawsuit because the company "provide adequate safety instructions or information about which models provide the best protection."
Sayers played...
The Pro Football Hall of Fame running back says in his lawsuit that he suffers from memory loss, headaches and other "cognitive deficits" from chronic traumatic encephalopathy. That disease becomes significantly more likely when a patient is subjected to head injuries, like concussions, repeatedly.
Sayers filed his lawsuit on Sept. 20 at the U.S. District Court in Chicago. His argument is that the NFL never warned him that playing football while still suffering from a head injury could lead to permanent brain damage. He's also including Riddell on the lawsuit because the company "provide adequate safety instructions or information about which models provide the best protection."
Sayers played...
- 9/21/2013
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
This year’s Super Bowl pits brother against brother (49ers coach Jim Harbaugh vs. Ravens coach John Harbaugh). When this story inevitably becomes a movie (or, probably, made-for-tv-movie), we’re betting there will be a scene of mutual acceptance where one brother says he’s sorry he underestimated the other and the other responds “having you for a brother is greater than any Super Bowl ring.” And we predict we will need tissues.
There’s something about football (and football movies) that heightens emotions. Maybe it’s the competition, the agony of defeat, the glory of victory, the metaphors of...
There’s something about football (and football movies) that heightens emotions. Maybe it’s the competition, the agony of defeat, the glory of victory, the metaphors of...
- 2/3/2013
- by Sarah Caldwell
- EW.com - PopWatch
Tonight at Radio City Music Hall in New York, the NFL will welcome its next class of millionaires as the league’s worst teams get the first shot at college football’s biggest stars. Stanford’s Andrew Luck and Baylor’s Heisman-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III are the sure-thing first two picks, as Indianapolis and Washington have made their intentions clear. In fact, the NFL Draft has been so obsessed over by the likes of Espn’s Mel Kiper Jr. that it makes Academy Awards handicapping seem restrained.
So rather than pretend to offer any fresh insight about tonight’s event,...
So rather than pretend to offer any fresh insight about tonight’s event,...
- 4/26/2012
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW.com - PopWatch
Such a success on television that it was then released in theaters, Budd Kulik’s sports drama stars Caan as Brian Piccolo, a pro football player fighting cancer. Based on the autobiography of Hall-of-Famer Gale Sayers, the film garnered Caan an Emmy for his performance. The movie was remade to little effect in 2001 with Mekhi Phifer and Sean Maher.
Choice Quotation:
Brian Piccolo: I think I know what’s wrong with me.
Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams): Yeah, what’s that?
Brian Piccolo: I’m pregnant.
Photo courtesy Ronald Grant Archive
12 Best James Caan Movies: #7 >>
<< 12 Best James Caan Movies: #9...
Choice Quotation:
Brian Piccolo: I think I know what’s wrong with me.
Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams): Yeah, what’s that?
Brian Piccolo: I’m pregnant.
Photo courtesy Ronald Grant Archive
12 Best James Caan Movies: #7 >>
<< 12 Best James Caan Movies: #9...
- 4/14/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
Such a success on television that it was then released in theaters, Budd Kulik’s sports drama stars Caan as Brian Piccolo, a pro football player fighting cancer. Based on the autobiography of Hall-of-Famer Gale Sayers, the film garnered Caan an Emmy for his performance. The movie was remade to little effect in 2001 with Mekhi Phifer and Sean Maher.
Choice Quotation:
Brian Piccolo: I think I know what’s wrong with me.
Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams): Yeah, what’s that?
Brian Piccolo: I’m pregnant.
Photo courtesy Ronald Grant Archive
12 Best James Caan Movies: #7 >>
<< 12 Best James Caan Movies: #9...
Choice Quotation:
Brian Piccolo: I think I know what’s wrong with me.
Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams): Yeah, what’s that?
Brian Piccolo: I’m pregnant.
Photo courtesy Ronald Grant Archive
12 Best James Caan Movies: #7 >>
<< 12 Best James Caan Movies: #9...
- 4/14/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
Break out the chips, the dips and hot wings. Amass large quantities of beer. Gather your friends around a big-screen TV. It's football season! Counting down, here are the 12 best football movies.
Top 12 Football Movies12. 'All the Right Moves' (1983)
This football favorite sees a hotshot quarterback (Tom Cruise), desperate for a scholarship, clash with his headstrong coach (Craig T. Nelson)in a dying Pennsylvania steel town.
11. 'Jerry Maguire' (1996)
Movies about sports agents count,...
Top 12 Football Movies12. 'All the Right Moves' (1983)
This football favorite sees a hotshot quarterback (Tom Cruise), desperate for a scholarship, clash with his headstrong coach (Craig T. Nelson)in a dying Pennsylvania steel town.
11. 'Jerry Maguire' (1996)
Movies about sports agents count,...
- 9/19/2010
- Extra
As most of you know football season has begun, and everyone seems to be talking about football now. Personally, I don’t find a lot of time to watch sports these days. It’s not really my thing, but I love watching movies about sports! I thought it would be appropriate to share with you my top ten favorite football movies in honor of football season.
Now, I’m not saying these are the best football movies made, but then again some of them are. These are just ten of my favorite films that revolve around the sport football. Check out my list below, and then share with me your favorite football films in the rant back section below!
The Program
This is definitely one of the best football movies of all time. This movie has it all, including Kristy Swanson in her prime!
Coach Winters (James Caan) has some...
Now, I’m not saying these are the best football movies made, but then again some of them are. These are just ten of my favorite films that revolve around the sport football. Check out my list below, and then share with me your favorite football films in the rant back section below!
The Program
This is definitely one of the best football movies of all time. This movie has it all, including Kristy Swanson in her prime!
Coach Winters (James Caan) has some...
- 9/12/2010
- by Venkman
- GeekTyrant
Was Billy Dee Williams ever true leading man material, and was his an opportunity missed?
It’s his birthday today, and in posting my daily entry on birthdays, earlier this morning, I browsed over his IMDb resume to learn that he’s been working since the late 1950s, when he would have been a little over 20 years old. He was born 10 years after Sidney Poitier, and, maybe one could have assumed that he would’ve been Poitier’s successor, especially after films like Lady Sings The Blues & Mahogany, in which, we could say, Williams’ trademark suave was welded into his public persona (”You want my arm to fall off“). He was just under 40 years old when he made both films, and, by many accounts, he was considered a good looking man, in his prime, and one could say he had a similar kind of George Clooney appeal.
Prior to the films I mentioned,...
It’s his birthday today, and in posting my daily entry on birthdays, earlier this morning, I browsed over his IMDb resume to learn that he’s been working since the late 1950s, when he would have been a little over 20 years old. He was born 10 years after Sidney Poitier, and, maybe one could have assumed that he would’ve been Poitier’s successor, especially after films like Lady Sings The Blues & Mahogany, in which, we could say, Williams’ trademark suave was welded into his public persona (”You want my arm to fall off“). He was just under 40 years old when he made both films, and, by many accounts, he was considered a good looking man, in his prime, and one could say he had a similar kind of George Clooney appeal.
Prior to the films I mentioned,...
- 4/6/2010
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
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