50 years after its original run, the Norman Lear-produced sitcom "Good Times" is more than just "Dy-no-mite!" It's a spinoff within a spinoff and a classic Black family sitcom that inspired controversy as well as laughter. Like many beloved shows from the '70s, "Good Times" made headlines for behind-the-scenes drama and cast disagreements, but it also captivated audiences.
Originally formulated as a spinoff of "Maude" (which was itself a spinoff of unlikely hit "All in the Family"), "Good Times" retconned its central characters and setting in favor of a new premise. Henry (John Amos) became James, the family got poorer, and the setting switched from New York to Chicago, where it took inspiration from the Cabrini-Green housing projects. Audiences still dug the new show, though by the time it signed off five years later, it had changed entirely: Amos and original star Esther Rolle had left, and the show's most one-dimensional character,...
Originally formulated as a spinoff of "Maude" (which was itself a spinoff of unlikely hit "All in the Family"), "Good Times" retconned its central characters and setting in favor of a new premise. Henry (John Amos) became James, the family got poorer, and the setting switched from New York to Chicago, where it took inspiration from the Cabrini-Green housing projects. Audiences still dug the new show, though by the time it signed off five years later, it had changed entirely: Amos and original star Esther Rolle had left, and the show's most one-dimensional character,...
- 9/2/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Cicely Tyson is an Emmy Award-winning actress for “The Oldest Confederate Widow Tells All” in 1994 and 20 years earlier for “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.”
Tyson has worked steadily in film and television since the 1960s. Her Emmy nominations have come in a variety of categories and for some highly acclaimed television shows such as “Roots” and “King”.
Tyson has also had an acclaimed career on the Broadway stage. She appeared in a number of productions both on and off-Broadway throughout her life. In 2013 and at age 88, Tyson won the Tony as Best Actress in a Play for a revival of the Horton Foote play “The Trip to Bountiful.” (That was the same role that won Geraldine Page the Best Actress Oscar in 1985.)
She received an honorary Oscar for life achievement, induction into the Television Academy Hall of Fame and the Kennedy Center Honors. But its her film career that...
Tyson has worked steadily in film and television since the 1960s. Her Emmy nominations have come in a variety of categories and for some highly acclaimed television shows such as “Roots” and “King”.
Tyson has also had an acclaimed career on the Broadway stage. She appeared in a number of productions both on and off-Broadway throughout her life. In 2013 and at age 88, Tyson won the Tony as Best Actress in a Play for a revival of the Horton Foote play “The Trip to Bountiful.” (That was the same role that won Geraldine Page the Best Actress Oscar in 1985.)
She received an honorary Oscar for life achievement, induction into the Television Academy Hall of Fame and the Kennedy Center Honors. But its her film career that...
- 12/15/2023
- by Misty Holland, Robert Pius and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
S.S. Rajamouli, the writer/director of the Hugely successful Rrr (on Netflix), joins hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante to discuss some of his favorite films.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Rrr (2022)
City Lights (1931)
Ben-Hur (1959) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Braveheart (1995)
Apocalypto (2006)
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
A Fistful of Dollars (1964) – John Badham’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review and 4K Blu-ray review
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966) – Ernest Dickerson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review and 4K Blu-ray review
Once Upon The Time In The West (1968) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
The Terminator (1984) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Conan The Barbarian (1982)
Commando (1985) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Predator (1987) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
The Abyss (1989)
Kung Fu Panda (2008)
The Lion King (1994)
Aladdin (1992)
Star Wars (1977)
Mad Max (1979) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Pinocchio (1940)
Sherlock Holmes...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Rrr (2022)
City Lights (1931)
Ben-Hur (1959) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Braveheart (1995)
Apocalypto (2006)
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
A Fistful of Dollars (1964) – John Badham’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review and 4K Blu-ray review
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966) – Ernest Dickerson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review and 4K Blu-ray review
Once Upon The Time In The West (1968) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
The Terminator (1984) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Conan The Barbarian (1982)
Commando (1985) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Predator (1987) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
The Abyss (1989)
Kung Fu Panda (2008)
The Lion King (1994)
Aladdin (1992)
Star Wars (1977)
Mad Max (1979) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Pinocchio (1940)
Sherlock Holmes...
- 8/16/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
When Village Roadshow CEO Steve Mosko first met with Kevin Garnett to discuss the basketball star’s pivot to the world of entertainment, the longtime film executive says it was immediately clear that the NBA champion’s Content Cartel production company wasn’t merely a vanity label.
“He just laid out how passionate he was about the business and building his company, and was beyond impressive,” Mosko tells Variety in a phone interview, recounting the lunch meeting. “I knew he just wasn’t another athlete who wanted a production shingle so he could tell his friends he has a production shingle.”
Beyond passion, Garnett came to the table with ideas. As the duo, who were introduced by Garnett’s “Uncut Gems” co-star Adam Sandler, discussed what they loved about cinema, the topic of Blaxploitation films came up.
“[Kevin] looked at me and — it was very heartfelt — he said, ‘Growing up as a kid,...
“He just laid out how passionate he was about the business and building his company, and was beyond impressive,” Mosko tells Variety in a phone interview, recounting the lunch meeting. “I knew he just wasn’t another athlete who wanted a production shingle so he could tell his friends he has a production shingle.”
Beyond passion, Garnett came to the table with ideas. As the duo, who were introduced by Garnett’s “Uncut Gems” co-star Adam Sandler, discussed what they loved about cinema, the topic of Blaxploitation films came up.
“[Kevin] looked at me and — it was very heartfelt — he said, ‘Growing up as a kid,...
- 12/14/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
October’s here and it’s time to get spooked. After last year’s superb “’70s Horror” lineup, the Criterion Channel commemorates October with a couple series: “Universal Horror,” which does what it says on the tin (with special notice to the Spanish-language Dracula), and “Home Invasion,” which runs the gamut from Romero to Oshima with Polanski and Haneke in the mix. Lest we disregard the programming of Cindy Sherman’s one feature, Office Killer, and Jennifer’s Body, whose lifespan has gone from gimmick to forgotten to Criterion Channel. And if you want to stretch ideas of genre just a hair, their “True Crime” selection gets at darker shades of human nature.
It’s not all chills and thrills, mind. October also boasts a Kirk Douglas repertoire, movies by Doris Wishman and Wayne Wang, plus Manoel de Oliveira’s rarely screened Porto of My Childhood. And Edgar Wright gets the “Adventures in Moviegoing” treatment,...
It’s not all chills and thrills, mind. October also boasts a Kirk Douglas repertoire, movies by Doris Wishman and Wayne Wang, plus Manoel de Oliveira’s rarely screened Porto of My Childhood. And Edgar Wright gets the “Adventures in Moviegoing” treatment,...
- 9/24/2021
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Paul Mooney, the comedian, writer and actor known for his close collaborations with Richard Pryor and Dave Chappelle, has died at the age of 79. Mooney died Wednesday at 5:30 a.m. at his home in Oakland, California, his representative confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter. No cause of death was provided.
Mooney’s official Twitter wrote to fans following news of the comedian’s death, “Thank you all from the bottom of all of our hearts …you’re all are the best!…… Mooney World .. The Godfather of Comedy – One Moon Many Stars!
Mooney’s official Twitter wrote to fans following news of the comedian’s death, “Thank you all from the bottom of all of our hearts …you’re all are the best!…… Mooney World .. The Godfather of Comedy – One Moon Many Stars!
- 5/19/2021
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Paul Mooney, the comedian, actor and writer for Richard Pryor, died on Wednesday morning, his representative Cassandra Williams confirmed to Variety. He was 79.
He died at his home in Oakland, Calif., after suffering a heart attack.
Mooney’s Twitter account also shared the news on Wednesday morning, posting “Thank you all from the bottom of all of our hearts…To all in love with this great man.”
Thank you all from the bottom of all of our hearts …you’re all are the best!…… Mooney World .. The Godfather of Comedy – One Moon Many Stars! .. To all in love with this great man.. many thanks...
He died at his home in Oakland, Calif., after suffering a heart attack.
Mooney’s Twitter account also shared the news on Wednesday morning, posting “Thank you all from the bottom of all of our hearts…To all in love with this great man.”
Thank you all from the bottom of all of our hearts …you’re all are the best!…… Mooney World .. The Godfather of Comedy – One Moon Many Stars! .. To all in love with this great man.. many thanks...
- 5/19/2021
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is collaborating with Harlem Film House, the organizers of the Hip Hop Film Festival, to present a curated series of culturally significant Black films.
Labeled the Vanguard Collection, the crafted slate will include important films about the Black experience and feature perspectives from voices of hip-hop culture. “Get Out,” “Straight Outta Compton,” “Do the Right Thing” and “Bustin’ Loose” are some of the titles that will kick off the partnership. All of the films will be available on Alamo on Demand, the cinema chain’s digital platform.
Harlem Film House founder Cr Capers curated the Vanguard Collection in response to the lack of diversity offered in prominent film collections. The New York Times reported last year that the prestigious Criterion Collection has only four films by African American directors. The video distribution platform houses more than 1,000 movies in total.
Alamo’s partnership with Harlem Film House will...
Labeled the Vanguard Collection, the crafted slate will include important films about the Black experience and feature perspectives from voices of hip-hop culture. “Get Out,” “Straight Outta Compton,” “Do the Right Thing” and “Bustin’ Loose” are some of the titles that will kick off the partnership. All of the films will be available on Alamo on Demand, the cinema chain’s digital platform.
Harlem Film House founder Cr Capers curated the Vanguard Collection in response to the lack of diversity offered in prominent film collections. The New York Times reported last year that the prestigious Criterion Collection has only four films by African American directors. The video distribution platform houses more than 1,000 movies in total.
Alamo’s partnership with Harlem Film House will...
- 3/10/2021
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Honorary Oscar winner Cicely Tyson passed today at the age of 96. During a career that spanned seven decades, Tyson appeared in dozens of films, TV series, telefilms and on Broadway, winning a Tony Award for The Trip to Bountiful in 2013. She might be best known to younger audiences for her role in the hit ABC drama How to Get Away with Murder, on which she recurred as Ophelia Harkness, mother of lead character Annalise Harkness (Viola Davis).
Tyson made her silver-screen debut in 1957’s Carib Gold and went on to appear in such films as The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1967), George Cukor’s The Blue Bird (1976) — which also featured Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Fonda and Ava Gardner — A Hero Ain’t Nothin’ But a Sandwich (1978) and 1981 Richard Pryor comedy Bustin’ Loose, Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), Tyler Perry’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005) and Madea’s Family Reunion (2006) and Best Picture...
Tyson made her silver-screen debut in 1957’s Carib Gold and went on to appear in such films as The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1967), George Cukor’s The Blue Bird (1976) — which also featured Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Fonda and Ava Gardner — A Hero Ain’t Nothin’ But a Sandwich (1978) and 1981 Richard Pryor comedy Bustin’ Loose, Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), Tyler Perry’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005) and Madea’s Family Reunion (2006) and Best Picture...
- 1/29/2021
- by Brandon Choe
- Deadline Film + TV
Emmy- and Tony-winning actress Cicely Tyson, who distinguished herself in theater, film and television, died on Thursday afternoon. She was 96.
“I have managed Miss Tyson’s career for over 40 years, and each year was a privilege and blessing,” her manager, Larry Thompson, said in a statement. “Cicely thought of her new memoir as a Christmas tree decorated with all the ornaments of her personal and professional life. Today she placed the last ornament, a Star, on top of the tree.”
Her memoir “Just As I Am” was published on Tuesday.
Tyson broke into movies with the 1959 Harry Belafonte film “Odds Against Tomorrow,” followed by “The Comedians,” “The Last Angry Man,” “A Man Called Adam” and “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.” Refusing to participate in the blaxploitation movies that became popular in the late ’60s, she waited until 1972 to return to the screen in the drama “Sounder,” which captured several...
“I have managed Miss Tyson’s career for over 40 years, and each year was a privilege and blessing,” her manager, Larry Thompson, said in a statement. “Cicely thought of her new memoir as a Christmas tree decorated with all the ornaments of her personal and professional life. Today she placed the last ornament, a Star, on top of the tree.”
Her memoir “Just As I Am” was published on Tuesday.
Tyson broke into movies with the 1959 Harry Belafonte film “Odds Against Tomorrow,” followed by “The Comedians,” “The Last Angry Man,” “A Man Called Adam” and “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter.” Refusing to participate in the blaxploitation movies that became popular in the late ’60s, she waited until 1972 to return to the screen in the drama “Sounder,” which captured several...
- 1/29/2021
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
Acclaimed stuntman and action director extraordinaire Jesse V. Johnson joins us to discuss the U.S. based action films and filmmakers that have influenced him the most.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
On The Waterfront (1954)
Fultah Fisher’s Boarding House (1922)
Undisputed (2002)
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing (2006)
Undisputed III: Redemption (2010)
Boyka: Undisputed (2016)
The Killer Elite (1975)
Convoy (1978)
The Osterman Weekend (1983)
Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia (1974)
Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
Straw Dogs (1971)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Birdcage (1996)
Cross of Iron (1977)
Electra Glide in Blue (1973)
Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974)
Easy Rider (1969)
Fail Safe (1964)
The Cincinnati Kid (1965)
Ride The High Country (1962)
Major Dundee (1965)
Jinxed! (1982)
Beowulf (2007)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
The Girl Hunters (1963)
Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)
Point Blank (1967)
Falling Down (1993)
M (1951)
M (1931)
The Black Vampire (1953)
The Roaring Twenties (1939)
Scum (1979)
Elephant (1989)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), possibly Joe’s favorite John Ford...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
On The Waterfront (1954)
Fultah Fisher’s Boarding House (1922)
Undisputed (2002)
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing (2006)
Undisputed III: Redemption (2010)
Boyka: Undisputed (2016)
The Killer Elite (1975)
Convoy (1978)
The Osterman Weekend (1983)
Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia (1974)
Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
Straw Dogs (1971)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Birdcage (1996)
Cross of Iron (1977)
Electra Glide in Blue (1973)
Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974)
Easy Rider (1969)
Fail Safe (1964)
The Cincinnati Kid (1965)
Ride The High Country (1962)
Major Dundee (1965)
Jinxed! (1982)
Beowulf (2007)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
The Girl Hunters (1963)
Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)
Point Blank (1967)
Falling Down (1993)
M (1951)
M (1931)
The Black Vampire (1953)
The Roaring Twenties (1939)
Scum (1979)
Elephant (1989)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), possibly Joe’s favorite John Ford...
- 3/24/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
While I'd argue I have a fairly deep knowledge of '80s films, having survived the era the first time through, it seems I somehow missed "The Last Dragon," directed by Michael Schultz. Schultz works non-stop in television these days, and I'd wager that most of the people watching his episodes of "Arrow" or "Hart of Dixie" or "Black-ish" or "Chuck" or "The Mysteries Of Laura" have no idea this is the same guy who made movies like "Car Wash," "Cooley High," "Greased Lightning," "Bustin' Loose," or "Scavenger Hunt." He was one of the few directors to work with Richard Pryor repeatedly, which automatically makes him somewhat of a superhero. It's always strange when you watch a movie for the first time removed completely from the context in which it premiered, especially one that provokes such an enthusiastic cult response from so many people when you mention it. A mere...
- 9/4/2015
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
Foo Fighters' HBO series Sonic Highways visited Washington D.C. Friday night, which marked a homecoming of sorts for Dave Grohl: The rocker was raised in the Virginia suburbs outside of D.C. – his mother still lives there – and he started out drumming for area acts like Mission Impossible, Dain Bramage and "his favorite band ever," Scream.
In addition to recording the Sonic Highways track "The Feast and the Famine," Grohl also provides an extensive look at a pair of homegrown genres that became the backbone of the D.
In addition to recording the Sonic Highways track "The Feast and the Famine," Grohl also provides an extensive look at a pair of homegrown genres that became the backbone of the D.
- 10/25/2014
- Rollingstone.com
He plays a zany waterpark manager in The Way, Way Back, but the actor isn't quite the joker his on-screen personas often suggest
• Interview with The Way, Way Back's writer-directors
• First look review: The Way, Way Back
As the best thing in the occasionally appealing, frequently cheesy summer schmaltzfest that is The Way Way Back, Sam Rockwell also delivers the movie's greatest moment. Faced with two kids stuck halfway down a waterslide, Rockwell, in gravelly mock-heroic mode as waterpark manager Owen, stands up to address to the waiting line of gormless boys. "I need a hero," he appeals to the crowd. Then, with impeccable timing, he adds, "I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night."
But Rockwell doesn't even need to borrow the words of Bonnie Tyler to be hilarious. As always, he crackles with comic energy, but with something wild and potentially dangerous flowing underneath.
• Interview with The Way, Way Back's writer-directors
• First look review: The Way, Way Back
As the best thing in the occasionally appealing, frequently cheesy summer schmaltzfest that is The Way Way Back, Sam Rockwell also delivers the movie's greatest moment. Faced with two kids stuck halfway down a waterslide, Rockwell, in gravelly mock-heroic mode as waterpark manager Owen, stands up to address to the waiting line of gormless boys. "I need a hero," he appeals to the crowd. Then, with impeccable timing, he adds, "I'm holding out for a hero till the end of the night."
But Rockwell doesn't even need to borrow the words of Bonnie Tyler to be hilarious. As always, he crackles with comic energy, but with something wild and potentially dangerous flowing underneath.
- 8/24/2013
- by Hermione Hoby
- The Guardian - Film News
It's generated some classics and more than a few stinkers, but too many buddy-cop films are simply boring
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2 Guns shows that the cop buddy movie has flatlined. It only took 24 hours for the film to vanish from my mind – and I took notes. Yes, it's the umpteenth buddy-cop retread, where two wily but likable antagonists are forced to team up to fulfil their competing agendas. Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington play undercover operatives posing as drug traffickers in order to snag Edward James Olmos's Latin drug lord. Their chemistry and fast-talking effervescence are instantly appealing: Washington the swaggeringly confident dandy, and Wahlberg all nerves, jitters and querulousness.
But as usual, the problem is the formula, not the duo. Diverting as the banter is, there's no dodging the fact that Walter Hill's 48 Hrs has officially now been remade for the bazillionth time in 31 years.
Reading this on mobile? Click here to view
2 Guns shows that the cop buddy movie has flatlined. It only took 24 hours for the film to vanish from my mind – and I took notes. Yes, it's the umpteenth buddy-cop retread, where two wily but likable antagonists are forced to team up to fulfil their competing agendas. Mark Wahlberg and Denzel Washington play undercover operatives posing as drug traffickers in order to snag Edward James Olmos's Latin drug lord. Their chemistry and fast-talking effervescence are instantly appealing: Washington the swaggeringly confident dandy, and Wahlberg all nerves, jitters and querulousness.
But as usual, the problem is the formula, not the duo. Diverting as the banter is, there's no dodging the fact that Walter Hill's 48 Hrs has officially now been remade for the bazillionth time in 31 years.
- 8/12/2013
- by John Patterson
- The Guardian - Film News
Sam Rockwell has revealed that his character in The Way, Way Back was inspired by Bill Murray's performance in Meatballs.
The Way, Way Back stars Liam James as a young boy who is helped to cope with his troubling home life by an outgoing waterpark manager (Rockwell).
Discussing the film with Vulture, Rockwell spoke about the influence of the 1979 summer camp comedy Meatballs on The Way, Way Back.
"It was pretty self-explanatory in the script," Rockwell recalled. "It was pretty obvious that this character was kind of an homage to [Murray's Meatballs] character, and some others: Walter Matthau from Bad News Bears, Richard Pryor in Bustin' Loose."
He continued: "Those characters influenced me quite a bit, and Michael Keaton in Mr Mum, and a little Night Shift. Those archetypes, the misanthrope, the grouchy adult that treats kids like adults.
"Bill Murray was the main go-to reference, and I think we talked about it a little bit,...
The Way, Way Back stars Liam James as a young boy who is helped to cope with his troubling home life by an outgoing waterpark manager (Rockwell).
Discussing the film with Vulture, Rockwell spoke about the influence of the 1979 summer camp comedy Meatballs on The Way, Way Back.
"It was pretty self-explanatory in the script," Rockwell recalled. "It was pretty obvious that this character was kind of an homage to [Murray's Meatballs] character, and some others: Walter Matthau from Bad News Bears, Richard Pryor in Bustin' Loose."
He continued: "Those characters influenced me quite a bit, and Michael Keaton in Mr Mum, and a little Night Shift. Those archetypes, the misanthrope, the grouchy adult that treats kids like adults.
"Bill Murray was the main go-to reference, and I think we talked about it a little bit,...
- 7/10/2013
- Digital Spy
New York — Cicely Tyson, who returned to Broadway this season for the first time in 30 years, has taken home the Tony Award for best leading actress in a play.
In Horton Foote's "The Trip to Bountiful," Tyson plays a widow in 1953 whose only desire is to revisit her old home in Bountiful and recapture purpose she lost when she left for Houston.
Tyson, 88, beat out Laurie Metcalf, Amy Morton, Kristine Nielsen and Holland Taylor.
Tyson was nominated for an Oscar for her role in "Sounder" in 1972. Other film credits include "Fried Green Tomatoes," "Bustin' Loose" and "Jefferson in Paris."
She won Emmys for "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" and "Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All." She was also nominated for her role in the miniseries "Roots."...
In Horton Foote's "The Trip to Bountiful," Tyson plays a widow in 1953 whose only desire is to revisit her old home in Bountiful and recapture purpose she lost when she left for Houston.
Tyson, 88, beat out Laurie Metcalf, Amy Morton, Kristine Nielsen and Holland Taylor.
Tyson was nominated for an Oscar for her role in "Sounder" in 1972. Other film credits include "Fried Green Tomatoes," "Bustin' Loose" and "Jefferson in Paris."
She won Emmys for "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" and "Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All." She was also nominated for her role in the miniseries "Roots."...
- 6/10/2013
- by AP
- Huffington Post
When you hear the name Richard Pryor, you know you're in for laughter on a legendary scale. This month, Xfinity On Demand™ features the work of this late comedic genius, as well as films featuring fellow stand-ups Chris Rock, Bernie Mac, Steve Harvey and more. Check out the synopses below. "Bustin' Loose" - After violating his probation, unskilled burglar Joe Braxton (Richard Pryor) is given a second chance when schoolteacher Vivian Perry (Cicely Tyson) hires him to drive a bus for special needs kids. "The Original Kings of Comedy"/"The Queens of Comedy" - The two films feature performances from some of the best Black comedians working today, including Cedric the Entertainer,...
- 4/12/2013
- by Shadow And Act
- ShadowAndAct
Family and fans will say goodbye to musician Chuck Brown, the legendary "Godfather of Go-Go," at a public viewing and service next week.
The viewing will be held at D.C.'s Howard Theatre on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Walter E. Washington Convention Center will host a public memorial service on Thursday from noon to 3 p.m.
D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray and Brown's family announced together the family's request that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Chuck Brown Foundation. According to its website, the Chuck Brown Foundation was "Envisioned by the Godfather of Go Go, Chuck Brown, as a way to give back to the causes he felt so passionately about....Education, Homelessness, and Re-entry Into Society After Incarceration," and is the process of applying for nonprofit status.
The local D.C. musical giant, born in Gaston, N.C. and known outside...
The viewing will be held at D.C.'s Howard Theatre on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Walter E. Washington Convention Center will host a public memorial service on Thursday from noon to 3 p.m.
D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray and Brown's family announced together the family's request that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Chuck Brown Foundation. According to its website, the Chuck Brown Foundation was "Envisioned by the Godfather of Go Go, Chuck Brown, as a way to give back to the causes he felt so passionately about....Education, Homelessness, and Re-entry Into Society After Incarceration," and is the process of applying for nonprofit status.
The local D.C. musical giant, born in Gaston, N.C. and known outside...
- 5/25/2012
- by Arin Greenwood
- Huffington Post
Washington -- Chuck Brown, the legendary "Godfather of Go-Go," has died, according to Washington City Paper and other media reports.
The local D.C. musical giant, born in Gaston, N.C., and known for his group's 1979 chart-topping hit "Bustin' Loose," was 75.
Earlier this month, Brown's family revealed that he had pneumonia. He had canceled a planned performance at the newly reopened Howard Theatre in April due to health concerns.
According to the Associated Press, Brown died at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore.
From The Washington Post's obituary:Known as the “Godfather of Go-Go,” the performer, singer, guitarist and songwriter developed his commanding brand of funk in the mid-1970s to compete with the dominance of disco.
Like a DJ blending records, Mr. Brown used nonstop percussion to stitch songs together and keep the crowd on the dance floor, resulting in marathon performances that went deep into the night. Mr. Brown...
The local D.C. musical giant, born in Gaston, N.C., and known for his group's 1979 chart-topping hit "Bustin' Loose," was 75.
Earlier this month, Brown's family revealed that he had pneumonia. He had canceled a planned performance at the newly reopened Howard Theatre in April due to health concerns.
According to the Associated Press, Brown died at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore.
From The Washington Post's obituary:Known as the “Godfather of Go-Go,” the performer, singer, guitarist and songwriter developed his commanding brand of funk in the mid-1970s to compete with the dominance of disco.
Like a DJ blending records, Mr. Brown used nonstop percussion to stitch songs together and keep the crowd on the dance floor, resulting in marathon performances that went deep into the night. Mr. Brown...
- 5/17/2012
- by Michael Grass
- Huffington Post
Washington (AP) — Chuck Brown, who styled a unique mix of funk, soul and Latin party sounds to create go-go music in the nation's capital, has died after suffering from pneumonia. He was 75. Brown died Wednesday at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore. Hospital spokesman Gary Stephenson confirmed Brown had died after a hospital stay that began April 18. Thanks to Brown and his deep, gravelly voice, go-go music was uniquely identified with Washington. That's where he continued to play the city's club circuit late in life. Brown's hit "Bustin' Loose" with his group, the Soul Searchers, helped define go-go's...
- 5/16/2012
- by AP Staff
- Hitfix
"Yeah, they had go-go clubs and go-go girls, but they didn't have go-go music, so I decided to call it go-go music, because trust me it's the only music that can keep going and going and going," says guitarist and singer Chuck Brown, the "Godfather of Go-Go." Brown created the sound that is synonymous with the Maryland/D.C./Virginia area -- and has put it on the map for music lovers across the world. He is most famous for his 1978 #1 Billboard hit "Bustin' Loose," but is ready to put a new generation of listeners onto the infectious go-go beats...
- 9/17/2010
- Essence
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