Tuesday, May 26, 2015

05/26 SUSAN LUCCI, LIFETIME'S DEVIOUS MAIDS

SUSAN LUCCI - LIFETIME'S DEVIOUS MAIDS PREMIERES ON MONDAY JUNE 1ST 

As the most famous face in daytime television history, Susan Lucci has held audiences spellbound for years as the sexy, sassy, beautiful "woman you love to hate," Erica Kane on ABC-TV's "All My Children." In May 1999 she won the Emmy Award for "Best Actress," which was a historic moment not only for Lucci, but for all of television. Lucci currently stars in the hit Lifetime series, "Devious Maids" as the wealthy and effervescent socialite, Genevieve Delatour. She is also the host and narrator of Investigation Discovery's highly rated series, "Deadly Affairs." She received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 28, 2005 and was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2006. She is the second woman in the history of the Columbus Day parade to serve as Grand Marshal – the first was Sophia Loren. Lucci was named one of E! Entertainment's "Top Entertainers of the Year" as well as one of Barbara Walters' "Ten Most Fascinating People." VH-1 has also named Lucci one of its"200 Top Icons of all Time."

In 2011, Lucci appeared in the highly rated season finale of TV Land's "Hot in Cleveland" and returned for another episode in February 2012 entitled, "I Love Lucci." She also guest starred in a recurring role on Lifetime's "Army Wives" in 2012. Lucci competed on ABC's primetime reality show, "Dancing with the Stars," hosted "Saturday Night Live," and guest-starred in many successful television series and numerous movies for television throughout her career. In March 2011 Lucci released her New York Times bestselling autobiography, "All My Life" with Harper Collins. The paperback edition of All My Life was released on September 13th.

Lucci's artistic excellence afforded her the opportunity to expand to luminous careers in theater and cabaret with solo concerts across the country and nightclub performances opening for Regis Philbin. In her 1999 Broadway debut, Lucci starred as Annie Oakley in the revival of Irving Berlin's "Annie Get Your Gun," to amazing review. Michael Logan of TV Guide said, "Susan Lucci didn't just take Great White Way by storm: she took it by tornado, hurricane and tsunami, too."

Acting and singing are only two of Lucci's many passions. Within the past 10 years she became a successful entrepreneur launching a Susan Lucci Collection of hair care products, two fragrances, jewelry, shoes, and accessory lines, and a lingerie line for "beauty of all ages." Her head-to-toe collection was a constant sell-out on the Home Shopping Network (HSN). In 2002, Lucci introduced a personal microdermabrasion system with Guthy-Renker, Youthful Essence® by Susan Lucci that has sold over 8 million kits worldwide since its debut. Lucci expanded her expertise with Guthy-Renker by also presenting "Malibu Pilates," the widely popular Pilates chair fitness program.

Lucci's commitment to her work with children has taken her to Africa in support of Feed The Children, appearing in an Emmy-award winning documentary. She and her husband have been ongoing champions of Littler Flower Children and Family Services of New York and have been the spokespersons for the National AFib Campaign. She currently hosts United Cerebral Palsy of NYC Women Who Care Luncheon. She has served as the March of Dimes' National Ambassador in 2000 and as a celebrity spokesperson for AMDeC (Academic Medicine Development Company) and The New York Cancer Project. She has also been involved with Broadway Cares Equity Fights Aids and is the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the prestigious New York City Gracie Award and the Muse Award for Women in Film & Television. She was inducted into the American Academy of Achievement Awards and presented with the Italian Board of Guardians Lifetime Achievement Award.

Lucci's accomplishments and contributions to the world of television and the performing arts have truly made her an icon to millions.

About Devious Maids

Lifetime’s critically-acclaimed hit series "Devious Maids" (#DeviousMaids, #DeviousArmy), returns for a third season on a new night, Mondays at 9PM ET/PT, beginning June 1st leading into the series premiere of "UnREAL" at 10PM ET/PT. Executive produced by Marc Cherry and Eva Longoria, Devious Maids follows five maids with ambition and dreams of their own while working for the rich and famous in Beverly Hills.

"Devious Maids" is set in a world where murder and mayhem collide in the mansions of Beverly Hills’ wealthiest and most powerful families. Class warfare has never been as fun and dirty as it is in the tony enclave where the staff is as clever, witty and downright as devilish as their employers. The series has centered on a close-knit group of maids, Marisol (Ana Ortiz), Rosie (Dania Ramírez), Carmen (Roselyn Sánchez), Valentina (Edy Ganem) and Zoila (Judy Reyes), who are bonded together by their jobs, life struggles and the melodramatic universe that engulfs their employers. "Devious Maids" also stars Susan Lucci ("All My Children"), Grant Show ("Melrose Place"),
Rebecca Wisocky ("The Mentalist"), Tom Irwin ("Grey’s Anatomy") and Drew Van Acker ("Pretty Little Liars"). Brianna Brown ("Graceland") and Brett Cullen ("The Dark Knight Rises") make a return to the series this season, joining new cast members Naya Rivera ("Glee"), Gilles Marini ("Sex and the City"), Cristián de la Fuente ("Valiant Love"), John O’Hurley ("General Hospital"), Justina Machado ("Six Feet Under"), Nathan Owens ("Days of Our Lives") and Julie Claire ("Web Therapy").

Season three picks up at the height of last year’s shocking cliffhanger where a deranged gunman takes aim at the maids during Rosie and Spence’s wedding, leaving everyone to wonder who will survive. In the wake of this tragedy, the women lean on each other like never before, even as they face complex problems in their own lives. Zoila ponders her next steps after discovering that she is pregnant and uncertain who the father may be. Carmen realizes there is more than meets the eye to the charming Sebastien (Gilles Marini). Meanwhile, Valentina and Remi struggle to connect in the aftermath of the shooting; Marisol’s aspirations lead her to a surprising career change; and Blanca (Naya Rivera), a new maid in the neighborhood, lands a job with a seemingly picture-perfect family, but soon discovers a terrible secret that could change her life forever.

Inspired by the hit telenovela, "Ellas son... la alegría del hogar," "Devious Maids" is produced by ABC Studios. The series was created by Marc Cherry ("Desperate Housewives") and is executive produced by Cherry, Sabrina Wind ("Desperate Housewives"), Eva Longoria ("Desperate Housewives"), Brian Tanen ("Desperate Housewives"), Larry Shuman ("Kissing Miranda"), David Lonner, John Mass, Ric Swartzlander and Televisa USA’s Paul Presburger and Michael Garcia.

WWW.SUSANLUCCI.COM

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

05/19 MIKE CONNORS, MANNIX


Connors was born Krekor Ohanian in Fresno, California, of Armenian descent. He was an avid basketball player in high school who was nicknamed "Touch" by his teammates. During World War II he served in the United States Army Air Forces.

After the war he attended the University of California at Los Angeles on a basketball scholarship, where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. William A. Wellman got him into acting after noticing his expressive face while Connors was playing basketball. He appeared on the Los Angeles CBS station as "Touch" Connors in an episode of Jukebox Jury before the program went national via ABC in 1953. Connors is credited in his early films, such as Island in the Sky (1953), Swamp Women, a.k.a. Swamp Diamonds, Five Guns West (1955), and Flesh and the Spur (1957) as "Touch Connors".

He played basketball for Coach John Wooden at UCLA.

Connors recalled in an interview that he was renamed by Henry Willson saying that "Ohanian" was too close to the actor George O'Hanlonand came up with "Touch Connors".

In 1956, still billed as Touch Connors, he played an Amalekite herder in Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments starring Charlton Heston.

He appeared in numerous television series, including the co-starring role in the 1955 episode "Tomas and the Widow" of the NBC westernanthology series Frontier. He guest starred on Jeannie Carson's unsuccessful 1956-1957 situation comedy Hey, Jeannie!. He appeared in two Rod Cameron syndicated crime dramas, City Detective and the western-themed State Trooper, and played the villain in the first episode filmed (but second one aired) of ABC-TV's smash hit Maverick opposite James Garner in 1957. He also appeared on two other syndicated series, The Silent Service, based on true stories of the submarine section of the United States Navy, and Sheriff of Cochise, set aboutBisbee, Arizona.

In 1965, he co-starred in one of Robert Redford's earliest film roles, a WWII black comedy, Situation Hopeless... But Not Serious alongside Sir Alec Guinness. Connors thereafter launched his own series: CBS's Tightrope (September 8, 1959–September 13, 1960), CBS's Mannix (September 16, 1967–August 27, 1975) and ABC's Today's F.B.I. (October 25, 1981–August 14, 1982).

His Tightrope series was very popular in Mexico during the early 1960s, so the local recording company Discos Orfeon released a 45 rpm single of Connors singing in Spanish. Conners also appeared in the episode of the TV Series Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond called "The Aerialist."

Connors' long history of police and military roles very possibly was the reason he was chosen to play Air Force Colonel Harrison "Hack" Peters in Herman Wouk's 1988 World War II-based miniseries War and Remembrance.

Connors lives in Encino, California.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

05/12 JOE MANTEGNA, NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT

THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CONCERT LIVE FROM THE NATIONS CAPITAL – SUNDAY, MAY 24TH, 2015 AT 8PM EASTERN TIME

Joe has been involved in the National Memorial Day Concert since 2002. Initially as a performer, but after the great Ossie Davis passed away in 2005 he was asked to take over the hosting duties. He now gladly shares that honor with fellow Chicago actor and dear friend Gary Sinise.

BIOGRAPHY:
During his career Joe has portrayed several real people, such as George Raft in Bugsy, Fidel Castro in My Little Assassin, and most notably, as Dean Martin in The Rat Pack. His role as Josh Waitzkin’s father in Searching for Bobby Fischer was based on Fred Waitzkin, who wrote the book upon which the film was based. Joe’s TV-movie debut was as Joe Esposito, Elvis’ road manager and close friend in the 1979 miniseries Elvis starring Kurt Russell.

In 2000, Joe completed production on his feature film directorial debut, Lakeboat, written for the screen by David Mamet from his original play. Starring Charles Durning, Peter Falk, Robert Forster, Andy Garcia, Denis Leary and George Wendt. The film opened the L.A. Film Festival to critical acclaim last fall and made its theatrical release in June 2001.

Joe spent the summer of 2000 in Spain and France filming the feature Off Key with Danny Aiello and George Hamilton. The comedy is about a trio of famed opera singers who unwittingly find themselves reunited at a wedding ten years after their tempestuous breakup.  Joe headlined a series of original films for the A&E Network, based on Robert Parker's popular Spenser detective novels. The first, Small Vices, premiered in summer of 1999 with the second, Thin Air, following in fall 2000.  His last entry to the Spenser series, Walking Shadow, continues to play on A&E. Due to budget cuts A&E has no future plans for more in this series.

Spring of 2001 found Joe in Venice, Italy for several weeks filming the feature, LAGOON.  2001 was a busy year for Joe. He finished production on the SHOWTIME film, Men Vs. Women! that co-starred Paul Reiser, Christine Lahti and Glenn Headly, directed by Chazz Palmenteri.

He also starred as Justice Joseph Novelli in the CBS series First Monday.The series co-starred James Garner and Charles Durning.

Summer 2002 found Joe and his daughter Gina in his home town of Chicago, filming the wonderful slice of life film, Uncle Nino with Anne Archer. Released in 2003, this gem played at selected theaters, including a record breaking run of 43 weeks in Grand Rapids Michigan.

In 2002, Joe starred in the Italian film Pontormo, playing the role of Jacopo Pontormo, an Italian Renaissance painter (b. 1494, d. 1557, Firenze).  Joe also co-starred in Stateside, a drama based on a true story starring Johnathan Tucker and co-starring Val Kilmer, Carrie Fisher, Penny Marshall and Diane Venora.

Joe starred as police chief Will Girardi in the popular and critically acclaimed CBS series, Joan of Arcadia.  Joan received several Emmy and Golden Globe nominations during its two season run from 2003-2005.

In 2005 Joe co-starred in Nine Lives, a film by Rodrigo Garcia that made both Ebert’s and Roeper’s Top 10 List for that year. Captives of the very relationships that define and sustain them, nine women resiliently meet the travails and disappointments of life. Accepted at Sundance, the film also stars Glenn Close, Amy Brenneman, Holly Hunter, Dakota Fanning, Sissy Spacek and Kathy Baker.
In 2006 Joe was involved in several independent film projects including Elvis and Annabelle, West of Brooklyn and Lonely Street. He also costarred with Debora Messing in The Starter Wife by Gigi Levangie Grazer for the USA network.  For this, Joe was nominated for an Emmy in the category of Best  Supporting Actor.  Since 2007 Joe has been back on CBS  as the star of Criminal Minds. On April the 29th 2011 Joe received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, next to his boyhood hero Errol Flynn.  Looking ahead, Joe 's company has it's eyes set on producing. With several  projects in the works including, Memories are Made of This, Tis it the Season, a web-series called Quick Bites and an original  family feature called, The King and Me Joe is a busy guy. 2011 Joe lent his voice to the character of GREM in DisneyPixar's CARS2.  In 2012 Joe completed the feature films The Bronx Bull, Ten Cent Pistol and Compulsion. He also is co-producing a documentary on the late Science Fiction Icon Ray Bradbury that’s due out in 2013.

He currently stars as David Rossi in Criminal Minds as well as hosting and producing duties on “Gun Stories” for the Outdoor Channel.

WWW.JOEMANTEGNA.COM

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

05/05 BOBBY HART, PSYCHEDELIC BUBBLE GUM: BOYCE & HART, THE MONKEES, AND TURNING MAYHEM INTO MIRACLES

BOBBY HART – SONGWRITER/PRODUCER AND AUTHOR CHATS ABOUT HIS CAREER AND BOOK: PSYCHEDELIC BUBBLE GUM: BOYCE & HART, THE MONKEES, AND TURNING MAYHEM INTO MIRACLES 

BIOGRAPHY:
Bobby Hart was one-half of the prolific '60s songwriting duo Boyce & Hart, best known for their heavy involvement with the Monkees' early records. Hart was born in Phoenix, AZ, on February 18, 1939, to a minister father, and served a stint in the Army after high school. After his discharge, he went to Los Angeles to try and make it as a singer; when he failed to pique anyone's interest, he moved into songwriting. In the early '60s, he met Tommy Boyce, who was already on his way to being a successful songwriter. Hart placed an original composition, "Dr. Heartache," with teen idol Tommy Sands. Not long after, he and Boyce were involved in a near-fatal car crash returning home from aBobby Vee concert. Boyce soon moved to New York, and Hart followed when he had fully recovered. Their partnership had its first success with "Lazy Elsie Molly," recorded by Chubby Checker in 1964; that same year, Jay & the Americans took "Come a Little Bit Closer" into the Top Five, giving the duo a breakout success. Hart broke away from Boyce briefly to co-write Little Anthony & the Imperials' 1965 smash "Hurt So Bad" with Teddy Randazzo and Bobby Whiting, but the two then signed an exclusive deal with the Screen Gems publishing firm together, and returned to Los Angeles. Early efforts like "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" and "Words" were recorded by Paul Revere & the Raiders and the Leaves, respectively, but the duo initially found it difficult to duplicate its hitmaking success; they did, however, team up with Charles Albertine to write the theme song for the long-running TV soap opera Days of Our Lives.

In 1966, Hart and Boyce were tapped to write songs for the Monkees television series, and with such an immediate demand for a large quantity of material, the duo managed to place quite a few compositions with the group (they were even originally considered for membership). Their "Last Train to Clarksville" became the Monkees' first hit, going all the way to number one later in 1966. In addition to the show's classic theme song, Boyce & Hart songs in the Monkees' repertoire included "I Wanna Be Free," "She," "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone," "Words" (these latter two both hits the second time around), and "Valleri." Boyce & Hart also produced most of the group's early work, and sometimes played or sang backup on the recordings. With the Monkees demanding more control over their music,Boyce & Hart explored a recording career of their own, in much the same vein as their work with the Monkees -- sweet, hooky bubblegum pop. In 1968, they scored a Top Ten hit with "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite," but their recording partnership proved short-lived. They returned to production work for the Monkees over 1969-1970, then went their separate ways.

Hart composed music for the 1972 film Unholy Rollers, but with bubblegum pop on the way out, he was largely inactive in the musical arena. In 1975, he and Boyce reunited with their supporters in the Monkees, Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones, for an international tour as Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart(billed as "The Guys Who Sang 'Em and the Guys Who Wrote 'Em"). The foursome recorded an album for Capitol in 1976, but broke up the following year. Boyce & Hart reteamed for a while to work on music for the cartoon shows Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? and Josie and the Pussycats; meanwhile,the Sex Pistols turned "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" into an unlikely punk anthem. Separated fromBoyce again, Hart worked on the soundtrack of the 1983 film Tender Mercies, earning a Best Song Oscar nomination for "Over You" (co-written with Austin Roberts). He subsequently worked as a producer and/or writer with New Edition, LaToya Jackson, and Robbie Nevil, among others.

BOOK INFO:
Psychedelic Bubble Gum: Boyce & Hart, The Monkees, and Turning Mayhem into Miracles
From the man who wrote the songs that outsold the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in 1967-1968, comes the story of the first decades of his life in Hollywood and New York.

Immerse yourself in Grammy, Golden Globe, and Academy Award nominated songwriter Bobby Hart’s world as he shares the story behind his success; from humble beginnings comes a musical goliath.

Psychedelic Bubble Gum is an exclusive glimpse into Hart’s personal journey as he moves on the fast track to fame. This vivid narrative follows Hart’s gradual rise in the music industry as half of the duo Boyce and Hart, as he and his friend and partner Tommy Boyce wrote the songs that launched the Monkees to stardom, and eventually reaching over a hundred million in sales. Along the way is all the heartbreak and drama that accompanies fame and fortune—an uprooted life, conflicted morals, and the sacrifice of his wholesome high school sweetheart Becky.

With unbending sincerity, Hart details a life of extravagance, betrayal, loss, disillusionment, and an unstoppable personal struggle to find spiritual balance, peace, and love. Psychedelic Bubble Gum is a rollercoaster ride through the 1960s and 1970s during America’s whirlwind era of free speech, mysticism, and psychedelic pop culture, and, of course, rock ‘n’ roll. Packed with intimate behind-the-scenes encounters with pop star royalty,Psychedelic Bubble Gum is tempered by humor, honesty, and a singular understanding of the industry.