The Cycle of Television

A reader from nearby Oz, Nick has a question. In American the TV seasons seem to be set in stone (September - April; is that right?). Two questions to ask - when was this decided, who decided and why and - secondly if the summer season is the non-ratings period because it's off season then how to networks determine how much to charge for advertising during shows that run during summer? Or is...

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Some thoughts on rewriting

Got one of those Friday Questions that is worthy of an entire post. It’s from SeanK.Ken,You’ve mentioned a couple of times doing an un-credited re-write for Jewel of the Nile. I’m curious about that, mainly as it pertains to the ability to add it to your resume. Assuming only known writers would be asked to do a re-write, I suspect there’s enough Kevin Bacon-esque connections that it would be...

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The night the last CHEERS aired

Hello from an ocean (I think).  I've been tweeting about the trip should you care.   Speaking on our cruise ship about my ersatz career I was asked about the last CHEERS. The night is best remembered for the cast being smashed on the TONIGHT SHOW that followed the finale’s airing. May 20, 1993. Here are my recollections of that night in Boston.The CHEERS bar you see on television (now...

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Best Actor 2011: Results

5. George Clooney in The Descendants- Clooney as usual for him fails to find conviction in his performance. He has a strange lack of consistency and has some very bad moments that are suppose to be his money scenes.4. Brad Pitt in Moneyball- Brad Pitt gives a fine leading performance here that is effectively charming and entertaining.3. Demian Bichir in A Better...

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Best Actor 2011: Demian Bichir in A Better Life

Demian Bichir received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Carlos Galindo in A Better Life.A Better Life is a descent although far from perfect film about an illegal immigrant from Mexico who attempts to make a better life for his son.Demian Bichir portrays an illegal immigrant from Mexico who lives in American earning a living through working on trees. Bichir...

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My mentors

Great expression in Hollywood: Mentors get eaten by their young.While there is certainly no shortage of that “All About Eve” type behavior, I must say that for myself, I would never be where I am today were it not for some exceptional mentors. It’s like I learned pitching from a staff of Sandy Koufaxes. (And by the way, happy New Year, Sandy) One reason I started this blog was to be...

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Best Actor 2011: Jean Dujardin in The Artist

Jean Dujardin won his Oscar from his first Oscar nomination for portraying George Valentine in The Artist.The Artist depicts the fall of a silent star and the rise of a talkie star.Jean Dujardin is the first actor since Lewis Stone in the Patriot to be nominated for a silent film, and if he were to win he would be the first winner of that sort since Emil Jannings' two...

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Answering questions and dispelling myths

Hello from somewhere between Australia and New Zealand.  You can follow my progress on Twitter if you're bored enough.   Just go here.   Never standing down from my blog watch, even from the end of the earth, here are Friday Questions: RockGolf is up first: According to EW.com, there are plans underway for a TV series based on Romancing the Stone. Since you & your partner largely re-wrote ...

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Best Actor 2011: Gary Oldman in Tinker Tailor Solider Spy

Gary Oldman received his first Oscar nomination for portraying George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.Tinker Tailor Soldier is an effective thriller about the search for a Soviet double agent at the very top of the British intelligence agency.Until just a few days ago Gary Oldman was often regarded as one of the most notable actors never nominated for an Oscar....

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Writing advice you might not want to hear

Since I can't think of an appropriate photo...This is one of those Friday Questions that deserves a separate post. It’s from Chad (even though he admits that that is not his real name).   My question is about crafting and selling scripts. You mention that story credit goes to the person who submits the episode outline. I realize this is a necessary part of the process in getting each story...

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Best Actor 2011: Brad Pitt in Moneyball

Brad Pitt received his third Oscar nomination for portraying Billy Beane in Moneyball.Moneyball is a descent enough film which depicts Billy Beane general manager of the Oakland A's attempt to use only statistics to create a winning baseball team.Brad Pitt portrays Billy Beane the general manager who use to be a baseball player himself who never reached...

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Is anybody really listening?

When network ratings are low we always joke that “no one is watching”. And by nobody we mean probably a million. And yes, when that number was more like fifteen million for even low rated shows, one million seems paltry. On a smaller scale is radio. Even when you’re a small station playing informercials for colon cleanser you always assume there is somebody listening. This theory has...

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Best Actor 2011: George Clooney in The Descendants

George Clooney received his fourth Oscar nomination for portraying Matt King in The Descendants.The Descendants deals with Matt King who owns a great deal of real estate in Hawaii due to inheritance. He deals with his wife being in a coma she will not awaken from, a big money land deal, his rebellious daughters, and learning that his wife was having an affair.The...

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Best Actor 2011

And the Nominees Are:Brad Pitt in MoneyballJean Dujardin in The ArtistGeorge Clooney in The DescendantsGary Oldman in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy  Demian Bichir in A Better LifeI break my scheduled reviews of supporting 95 to return once again to Best Actor. I actually did not except to do this yet, and would have held off since I thought Michael Fassbender was going to...

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R.I.P. Dick Tufeld

One of the great all-time voices has been silenced. Dick Tufeld passed away. For many years in the 50’s & 60’s he was the voice of Disney, a gazillion movie trailers, two gazillion variety shows, and the Academy Awards. He would always finish the closing announcements and say, “This is Dick Tufeld speaking.” I’m sure many people thought “Speaking” was his last name and “Tufeld” his midd...

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Best Supporting Actor 1995: Ed Harris in Apollo 13

Ed Harris received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Gene Kranz in Apollo 13.Apollo 13 details the troubles of the apollo 13 spacecrafts during its unsuccessful attempt to reach the moon.Ed Harris portrays the NASA flight director who must deal with the situation of the men in space. As I said in my review of Tommy Lee Jones in the Fugitive, Ed Harris here is merely...

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Short-sighted casting

In a follow up to a Friday Question from ChicagoJohn (who wondered if we had ever passed on an actor who later became a big star and did we have any regrets?), a few more names have come to mind.And one rather unusual incident.   Especially in light of my post on how difficult it is to land a part in a TV series.  Like I had said, when you pass on good actors it’s generally because they’re...

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Great letter from Eric Stonestreet

A post I wrote a couple of years ago about how tough it is for actors to get cast in TV series has suddenly gone viral.   Here's the post entitled Guys are not going to want to f**k her.   Among the comments I received a fabulous one from Eric Stonestreet -- Cam on MODERN FAMILY, so I thought I'd share it.    Thanks, Eric.  Continued success to you and every actor trying to realize their dre...

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Best Supporting Actor 1995

And the Nominees Were:Ed Harris in Apollo 13James Cromwell in Babe Kevin Spacey in The Usual SuspectsBrad Pitt in 12 Monkeys Tim Roth in Rob ...

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The No-Frills Airline

After flying fourteen hours to Sydney, this seemed very appropriate. Talk about being ahead of their time -- this is a sketch from THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW from either the late '60s or early '70s. It stars Carol, Harvey Korman, and the incomparable Tim Conway. And they thought they were exaggerati...

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Best Supporting Actor 1982: Results

5. Charles Durning in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas- Durning although may be the best part of the film, still does not make a particularly substantial impact with his small amount of screentime, that is mostly made up of a very unspectacular musical number.4. Robert Preston in Victor Victoria- Preston gives a standard Preston performance which most certainly is...

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Best Supporting Actor 1982: John Lithgow in The World According to Garp

John Lithgow received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Roberta Muldoon in The World According to Garp.The World According to Garp is a very unique film about the life of a writer T.S. Garp (Robin Williams), and his feminist mother (Glenn Close).John Lithgow portrays a transsexual former football player Roberta Muldoon. In playing a transsexual Lithgow actually tries...

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Friday Questions from down under

Hello from Sydney, where I think it’s Friday Question Day. I am so jet lagged. I have no idea what day it is.  Hopefully these answers make sense.   Anonymous starts us off (please leave your name):Hi Ken! I have a "Cheers" question I'm hoping you can answer. Were the writers the ones who first came up with Diane's "Norman!" after everybody else says "Norm!" or did Shelley improv it? Tha...

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Best Supporting Actor 1982: Lou Gossett Jr. in An Officer and a Gentleman

Lou Gossett Jr. won his Oscar from his only nomination so far for portraying Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman.An Officer and a Gentleman depicts Zack Mayo(Richard Gere)'s attempt to get through a naval training program.One of Zack's seemingly largest obstacles, although in actuality is trying to get him through the course, is his drill Sergeant...

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Why I love LA!

There are maps to the stars homes (even though most of the stars have long since moved or died, or both), tours of Hollywood studios, tours of Hollywood, tours of “old Hollywood”, tours of Beverly Hills, even tours of Hollywood cemeteries. But now comes the best! And this is not a joke. This is REAL.You can now tour LA’s slums. That’s right. See the street gangs, crime, squalor, graffi...

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Best Supporting Actor 1982: Robert Preston in Victor Victoria

Robert Preston received his only Oscar nomination for portraying Carole "Toddy" Todd in Victor Victoria.Victor Victoria tells of the "comedic" problems that arise after a struggling female soprano Victoria Grant (Julie Andrews) pretends to be a man who performs drag.When it comes to portraying a gay character many actors use certain mannerisms sometimes very effectively William...

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Bon voyage, dear readers

Heading off tonight to Australia. I feel very safe seeing that Olivia Newton-John is flying the plane.  My wife and I will be spending the weekend in Sydney. Then boarding a cruise ship for a two week jaunt to Melbourne, Tasmania, and various stops in New Zealand. I’m guessing harbor towns. Fortunately, the ship is not going anywhere near Giglio so we should be relatively okay. Still...

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Comedy sluts on parade

This is what happens when all the networks chase the same idea.This year’s sitcom notion de jour is the crude girl – a female lead who is crass and edgy and hateful (within the bounds of network acceptability so adorably hateful). They’re jumping on the feature bandwagon. BAD TEACHER, YOUNG ADULT, and whatever that goofy thing was with Julia Roberts showing her tart and cynical side (that...

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Best Supporting Actor 1982: James Mason in The Verdict

James Mason received his third and final Oscar nomination for portraying Ed Concannon in The Verdict.In the supporting actor category Mason was not the first actor to be nominated for portraying an the adversary attorney in a court room drama as George C. Scott was also nominated for a similar role in 1959 for Anatomy of a Murder a performance that earned...

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Best Supporting Actor 1982: Charles Durning in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

Charles Durning received his first Oscar nomination for portraying the Governor in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.The Best Little Whorehouse is a rather hard to sit through musical about a long standing Whorehouse's problems with people who are against it.Charles Durning portrays the governor of Texas who aside from a few very short and quite unremarkable  reaction...

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From Golden Globes to Giant Breasts

Ken Levine wants you to stop staring at Elizabeth’s breastsThis was a headline I saw recently. It seems the other Ken Levine (the successful one) who created BioShock Infinite, has a character in his very cool new video game named Elizabeth who has a boffo rack. This apparently has caused quite a stir among fanboys. Really guys? You’ve never seen large animated breasts before? The...

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My review of the Golden Globes

So that was the big deal? Eddie Murphy jokes? Thirty-year-old Madonna “Like a Virgin” jabs? Mel Gibson shots? Justin Bieber zingers? Wow! No sacred cow was spared. Not James Cameron, Adam Sandler, not even Kim Kardashian! After staging a full-on media blitz to proclaim how daring and offensive he planned to be, Ricky Gervais was a giant bust. MODERN FAMILY’s Steve Levitan was funnier...

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Best Supporting Actor 1982

And the Nominees Were:James Mason in The VerdictRobert Preston in Victor Victoria Lou Gossett Jr. in An Officer and A GentlemanCharles Durning in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas John Lithgow in The World According to G...

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Getting you ready for the Golden Globes

The Golden Globes are tonight.  I will be reviewing them.  I consider it a warm-up for when I review a real awards show -- the Oscars.   But to get you in the mood, here's my review from several years ago.It’s okay that you didn’t see the show, remember the show or the movies involved. The really famous targets are ageless. It's the lid lifter to the 2004 Awards season, beginning with the...

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Best Supporting Actor 2004: Results

5. Jamie Foxx in Collateral- Foxx gives a functional performance some of the time, but he also fails to capitalize any scene that requires more from him.4. Morgan Freeman in Million Dollar Baby- Freeman gives a painfully standard performance, that although it is not bad it always feels uninspired.3. Alan Alda in The Aviator- Alda has very little to do but still...

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Best Supporting Actor 2004: Clive Owen in Closer

Clive Owen recieved his first Oscar nomination for portraying Larry Gray in Closer.Closer details the intertwined relationships of four miserable people.Clive Owen portrays one of these four miserable people a dermatologist who is rather cheeky to say the least. He is not supporting of the other three and really all four actors are lead in this film. This is a performance that...

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Anyone know anything about Australia or New Zealand?

G’day, mate. For all you Australia & New Zealand readers, I’ll be heading your way later this week. I’m speaking on a cruise ship that goes from Sydney to Auckland. I’m very excited. Never been to that part of the world before. The Outback Steakhouse doesn’t count. So today as I gear up for reviewing tomorrow night’s Golden Globes (making snarky comments about everything as a warm-up...

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Best Supporting Actor 2004: Thomas Haden Church in Sideways

Thomas Haden Church received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Jack Lopate in Sideways.Sideways details the trip of two men through wine country just before one is going to be married.Thomas Haden Church portrays Jack who is in many ways the exact opposite of his friend Miles (Paul Giamatti). Jack is almost always happy, even when he gets mad or sad...

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Best Supporting Actor 2004: Morgan Freeman in Million Dollar Baby

Morgan Freeman won his Oscar from his fourth nomination for portraying Eddie 'Scrap Iron' Dupris in Million Dollar Baby.Morgan Freeman although would have been a deserving winner for all of his previous nomination, especially for Street Smart, he did not win until here in the best picture winner Million Dollar Baby, which is film that just gets worse and worse every...

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Best Supporting Actor 2004: Jamie Foxx in Collateral

Jamie Foxx received one of his two nominations for portraying Max Durocher in Collateral.Collateral tells of a hitman Vincent (Tom Cruise) who takes a cab driver hostage to bring him to his five marks on one night.Jamie Foxx actually is not at all supporting in this film as the cab driver Vincent uses for the ride is the lead, since he even has more screen time than...

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