04/30 Carol Burnett

Carol Burnett started in show business as an occasional stage actress, sometimes nightclub singer, and more often a hatcheck girl. After a few years barely making ends meet, 22-year-old Burnett first appeared on television in 1955, playing the dummy's romantic interest in 13 episodes of The Paul Winchell and Jerry Mahoney Show, a kids' program that aired on Saturday mornings (Winchell was a ventriloquist, Mahoney was his dummy). At 23, she was cast as Buddy Hackett's girlfriend on Stanley, a NBC prime time sitcom set among workers at a hotel's newsstand, and written by Neil Simon and Woody Allen, among others. At 23½, she found herself unemployed when the program was cancelled, and for a time she worked as an usher at a Hollywood movie theater.

Burnett bounced back with a parody pop song, "I Made a Fool of Myself Over John Foster Dulles," confessing her love for the utterly unsexy, 68-year-old Secretary of State who is now best remembered as the namesake for Dulles Airport outside Washington DC. The song became a minor pop hit after Burnett sang it on Jack Paar's Tonight Show in 1957.

After that, she was a frequent panelist on the game show Pantomime Quiz. In 1959, she joined the ensemble cast of The Garry Moore Show, a popular comedy-variety hour, while concurrently starring on Broadway in the musical-comedy Once Upon a Mattress, based on the children's story The Princess and the Pea. In a memorable Twilight Zone, she played a klutzy but contented single woman offered a life of glamour by her guardian angel. She had a recurring role as a tough female Marine in Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C., becoming good friends with its star Jim Nabors, who was later her traditional first guest every season on her variety show. Burnett appeared in several episodes of her friend Lucille Ball's The Lucy Show, and she was a regular on the mid-1960s variety show The Entertainers with Art Buchwald and Bob Newhart. After that show ended, Ball offered to produce a sitcom for her, but Burnett declined, fearing she might feel stifled playing the same character week after week.

Instead, Burnett and her husband, producer Joe Hamilton, crafted a variety hour around her talents.

The Carol Burnett Show premiered in 1967, ran for eleven years and won 22 Emmys. Recurring sketches included the tight-skirted secretary Mrs. Wiggins, the Southern-fried bitch Eunice of Mama's Family (later spun off to its own sitcom), and the bad actress star of the soap opera parody As the Stomach Turns. There were also spoofs of classic movies, most memorably Burnett as Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind, wearing a dress made from the drapes -- complete with curtain rod (the dress was maniacally designed by Bob Mackie). For no particular reason, she would occasionally belt out a Tarzan yell, and at some point in every show Burnett would take questions from the audience, usually coming up with an answer that was either heartwarming or hilarious.

Burnett had perfect chemistry with her supporting cast, Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, and Lyle Waggoner, and through the show's first seven seasons there were no cast changes. When Waggoner left he was replaced with Tim Conway for the eighth and subsequent seasons. The show was always funny but never mean or risqué, and in an era with only three channels, audiences of all ages tuned in to see what wacky skits Burnett would perform each week. On video, The Carol Burnett Show has been repackaged as Carol Burnett & Friends, and unlike some alleged comedy classics, no-one who rents the videos could possibly be disappointed.

She worked occasionally in feature films, including Noises Off with Michael Caine, Robert Altman's A Wedding, and The Four Seasons with Alan Alda. Her best TV films include the Vietnam survivors' drama Friendly Fire,Eunice (the pilot for Mama's Family), and three separate TV adaptations of her Broadway hit Once Upon a Mattress in 1964, 1972, and 2005.

In 1986 she starred in Fresno, a six-hour mini-series spoofing Dallas and Dynasty, with Burnett as Fresno's hard-drinking raisin matriarch Charlotte Kensington. With Charles Grodin, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, and Gregory Harrison, it was funny to the finish, but has never been released on video in America.

In 1990 she starred in Carol & Company with Jeremy Piven and Peter Krause, an anthology series with a half-hour comedy skit each week, but it was quickly cancelled. In 1991 she revived her Carol Burnett Show in name and format but with a new supporting cast. . Later in the 1990s, she played Helen Hunt's mother on Mad About You.

Her second husband, Joe Hamilton, had been a jazz musician, but after marrying Burnett he produced most of her starring projects. Their daughter, Carrie Hamilton became an actress, starring in the TV movie Hostage with Burnett and in touring productions of Rent, before dying of lung cancer in 2002. Another daughter, Erin Hamilton, has had several hits on the dance charts, including covers of "Dream Weaver" and Cheap Trick's "The Flame."

By virtually all accounts, the good-natured wise-cracking Burnett seen on her variety show was the real Carol Burnett. Her beloved grandmother, Mae Eudora Jones White, died in 1967 at the age of 82, but Burnett never stopped tugging her ear at the end of every episode. In the show's third season, Burnett received a résumé from a 10-year-old fan who wanted a career in comedy -- Jim Carrey, who received a long, personal letter of encouragement from Burnett. When she received her star on Hollywood Boulevard, Burnett had it placed in front of the theater where she had been an usher. And in 1989, when Burnett's friend Lucille Ball died suddenly on Burnett's birthday, Burnett received a bouquet from Ball several hours after hearing the sad news -- Ball had ordered the flowers in advance for Burnett's birthday.

Hamilton, her husband, wrote the theme song for The Carol Burnett Show, which she sang at the end of every episode. "I'm so glad we had this time together, just to have a laugh or sing a song, seems we just get started and before you know it, comes the time we have to say, 'So long.'" And then Burnett would wave and shout, "Good night, everybody."

04/23 Carole Wells

Carole started working in television and motion pictures at the age of 12. Her first commercial was Dial Soap, then cast on the "Eddie Fisher Coke Time". She played a young "Lizzy" in her first film by the same name. She continued to co-star in most of the television shows in the late fifties, sixties and seventies. She co-stared in the TV series, "National Velvet" (1960) and "Pistols 'n' Petticoats" (1966). She has appeared in over one hundred television shows, both live and taped. She co-starred in ten motion pictures. Her last was Funny Lady (1975), with Barbra Streisand. Carole is a coloratura soprano, having performed opera and light opera all over the US stages and in many other countries. Carole is a pianist, loves writing music and has written several books and poetry. She taught writing classes at UCLA. Carole has always been interested in medicine and studied metaphysics and healing. Her passion is traveling and meeting people of all cultures and their techniques of healing. Carole went to Hollywood High School and is active in the Hollywood High Alumni Association, where she is the vice-president and curator of the HHS Celebrity Museum. She majored in English and Music, attended USC and UCLA and UCSB. She has been involved with many charities helping children for forty years. She was president of Las Floristas and won, twice, the Humanitatian Award from Los Angeles. She has three sons, one daughter and five grandchildren.

04/16 James Whitmore Jr., Black Sheep Squatdron, NCIS, Blue Bloods

James Allen Whitmore III (born October 24, 1948), better known by the name James Whitmore, Jr., is an American actor best known for his role as Captain Jim Gutterman on the television program Baa Baa Black Sheep (later known as Black Sheep Squadron), and (since the 1980s) a television director. He is the son of actor James Whitmore.

Born in Manhattan, New York, Whitmore has had recurring guest-starring roles on the TV series The Rockford Files and Hunter. He also appeared in two episodes of Magnum, P.I. and an episode of Battlestar Galactica before directing many episodes of series by Donald Bellisario, the creator of Magnum and a writer on Galactica.

Whitmore has a unique distinction of occasionally acting in the episodes he directs, such as three episodes of Quantum Leap ("8 1/2 Months," "Trilogy, Pt. 1" and "Mirror Image"). In that series as well as several others, he played different characters in each appearance, rather than recurring roles.

In addition to directing episodes of shows for Bellisario (Quantum Leap, Tequila and Bonetti, JAG, NCIS, and NCIS: Los Angeles), Whitmore directed episodes of more than one series for Joss Whedon. Whitmore directed the final episodes of two different series (Dawson's Creek and the aforementioned Quantum Leap). After Leap, Whitmore would again direct Scott Bakula in episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. He would also direct David Boreanaz in both Angel and Bones. The Pretender reunited Whitmore with much of the same writing staff as Leap.

04/09 Chef RIck Tarantino, My Rastelli Direct, Rustic Chicken Arrabbiata

Rick Tarantino or Chef Rick as he is know in the media has a diverse back ground that has helped him build a successful career as a celebrity chef. He attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Campus and graduated with a Bachelors' of Science from the School of Food Science and Nutrition. Then began his work experience at the prestigious chain of Sheraton Hotels and Resorts from Los Angles to New York's five star St Regis Hotel, Rick worked his way up the corporate ladder. But that was only the beginning, with years of experience in the family hotel business that he was raised in and now with corporate hospitality business under his belt, he began his entrepreneurial career and started Inn Vision a state of the art in-room movie company in hotels around the country. After successfully selling that venture he went back into his family hotel and restaurant business with his father. Emerald Hotel and Resorts International, owned and operated hotels and restaurants in New England.

Rick then returned to school and received his Masters of Science degree from Johnson & Wales University, the world leading hotel and culinary school. Wanting to give back he began teaching at the school. That lead to an opportunity to develop an alumni and development office for the Chancellor, so when his father retired, they sold the hotel company and Rick began his next career as an educator, author and fundraiser. During the ten year period at Johnson & Wales, Rick met Justin Miller a young inspiring 6 year old who loved to cook. Rick trained Justin to become the Guinness Book of Records Worlds Youngest Chef and the two travelled the world cooking and inspiring others. This launched Rick in to the Television and Media industry.

The pair appeared on almost every national television show venue from Good Morning America, David Letterman, Disney, to the Food Network. Rick also became a research chef for many national brands like Westinghouse, Rival's Crock -Pot, Cattlemen's, BBQ sauce, Kraft Foods, and VacuWare to just name a few. In addition he now appears regularly on HSN ( Home Shopping Channel ) and The Shopping Channel Canada as well as National Infomercials and Tradeshows.

Chef Rick has experience in many media outlets, live appearances, press tours, news shows, morning shows, radio, infomercials, cook books, and currently co-hosts a cable cooking show called You Won't Even Miss it. He worked with Celebrities like the late Julia Child, Emeril Lagasse, Jarred Fogle from Subway and Martin Yen. He is sought after for recipe development by food companies and supermarkets. He develops many of the free recipes you pick up at the grocery store and tours supermarkets regularly teaching customers recipes and how to enhance their meals to get out of the "Food RUT". You can see him at Hannaford's, ACME, Lowes, Sweet Bay and Shaw's. He also endorsees his own line of products called Chef Rick Spices, Chef Rick Seafood , Proware Professional Kitchen Products and Bold Chef. He does product development for companies like All-Clad , Williams Sonoma and Westinghouse.

Rustic Chicken Arrabbiata

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1lb Pancetta or bacon, sliced thin
1 jar (6 oz.) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped Kalamata or oil-cured olives
1 Tbsp. fresh sage
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:
Pre heat your grill on medium to about 400F. Lay chicken thigh on wax paper and gently pound thin, about ½ inch thick works best. Then season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and black pepper. Flip skin side down and place about 1 teaspoon of each onions, artichokes, and olives on to thigh, place a fresh sage leaf down and roll thigh tightly.  (Hold with tooth picks or tie with string is desired.)  Lightly sprinkle with Olive and basil and grill for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 F.  Remove chicken and set aside.

Serve over cooked orzo or rigatoni pasta.

Chef Rick Tip:  Save left over chicken in your refrigerator and serve over a nice salad for a wonderful light lunch or dinner. 

 www.myrastellidirect.com/chefrick

04/02 Loni Anderson, The Hollywood Show

A buxom, be-dimpled, pert-nosed knockout, Loni Anderson took an assured place on one of the television sex symbol pedestals during the late 1970s and early 1980s. A breakout hit in her Emmy-nominated role as Jennifer Marlowe on the sitcom "WKRP in Cincinnati" (1978), she later became a soap-styled fixture in mini-movies. All eyes were peeled on this worthy pin-up who helped to bring back the glossy platinum-blonde allure of Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield and Mamie Van Doren. A stylish, highly appealing actress whose hourglass figure and piled-on, bleached-blonde mane belied an enviable I.Q., Loni strove for much more as she tried to parlay her newly found fame into a viable dramatic career. She met with a measured degree of success as she recreated the lives of such artificial sex sirens as Mansfield and Thelma Todd on television, but got bogged down in television-movie re-tellings of famous movie classics (Three Coins in the Fountain (1954), Sorry, Wrong Number (1948), Leave Her to Heaven (1945)) that could not help but pale in comparison. This attempt at seriousness was further hampered by messy tabloid headlines in her private life.

Loni Kaye Anderson was born with very dark (jet black) hair on August 5, 1945 in St. Paul, Minnesota. An art student at the University of Minnesota, she entered (and won) beauty contests on the sly (including a Miss Minnesota runner-up placing in 1964). Married and divorced before she reached the age of 21, Loni took on a teaching position to support herself and baby daughter (Deidre) while completing college. Developing an interest in acting, she went the route many aspiring thespians do -- apprenticing in local commercials and theater shows. Still dark-haired, she played in several early 1970s productions such as "Born Yesterday" (as Billie Dawn), "Send Me No Flowers", "Can-Can" and "The Star-Spangled Girl". She even played "Tzeitel" in "Fiddler on the Roof" and appeared in a production of "The Threepenny Opera".

Re-married in 1973 (to another actor, Ross Bickell), the couple decided to move away from Minnesota to Los Angeles in 1975 and actively pursue film and television work. Pounding the proverbial pavement, she eventually went blonde and this, plus her gorgeous looks, helped her to secure minor but sexy roles on such series as "S.W.A.T." (1975), "Police Woman" (1974), "Barnaby Jones" (1973), "Three's Company" (1976) and "The Bob Newhart Show" (1972). By the time she nabbed the role of Jennifer Marlowe on "WKRP in Cincinnati" (and, with it, two Emmy nominations), she had grown quite admirably as an actress.

She and Howard Hesseman became the breakaway stars of the sitcom and Loni skyrocketed to sexy status. On the other hand, her instant fame led to the breakup of her second marriage in 1981. Loni found hit-and-miss success outside the parameters of her comedy series. She was front-and-center in a number of television-movies, notably playing tragic Hollywood sex sirens Jayne Mansfield in The Jayne Mansfield Story (1980) (TV), opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger as her muscle-bound husband Mickey Hargitay, and Thelma Todd, in White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd (1991) (TV), whose untimely death in 1935 is still questioned. Loni also appeared lusciously alongside Bob Hope, brightening up several of his classic television specials. On the minus side, she fizzled in her teaming up with equally sexy "The New Adventures of Wonder Woman" (1975) star Lynda Carter in the tepid, short-lived series "Partners in Crime" (1984) and then played a former Las Vegas showgirl who inherits a bundle in the sitcom misfire "Easy Street" (1986). She also was given a chance to work in feature films such as Stroker Ace (1983). While her performance in that film was panned, it did have her meeting and co-starring opposite mega star Burt Reynolds.

Appearing in routine, mini-movie soap operas (via her own production company), if anything, kept Loni in the public eye as a serious-minded actress, but it was an uphill battle to rise above her manufactured image as a fantasy bombshell. Not helping things was her high-profile marriage to Reynolds in 1988, which began blissfully enough (and produced adopted son Quinton), then dissolved quickly into a nasty divorce that damaged the reputations of both stars. In recent years, Loni has shown incredible perseverance. As always, the stalwart beauty continues to play up the glam but has since downplayed the dramatics. She seems more focused these days on having innocuous fun, playing a number of hearty vixens in sitcoms and series guest spots. Over time, she has enjoyed such lightweight sitcoms as "Nurses" (1991), "The Mullets" (2003) and as Tori Spelling's materialistic mother in "So noTORIous" (2006), which did not get the seal of approval from Tori's real-life mother.

Be sure to attend THE HOLLYWOOD SHOW, where Ms. Anderson will be appearing this month!

April 19th - 21st 2013
The Westin Los Angeles Airport
5400 W Century Blvd, Los Angeles, CA, 90045, USA 

Started in 1979, The Hollywood Show is perhaps the best known autograph show in the Hollywood area. It is legendary among autograph shows, not only for the celebrities who appear, but the crowds each event brings.  It's the only celebrity autograph convention held four times per year.  Currently taking place in Burbank, California, The Hollywood Show has earned the reputation of being "THE PLACE" for celebrities to appear, and known worldwide as the perfect place for fans to get "up close and personal" with their favorite stars! 

In addition to the fabulous line-up of celebrities offered at each event, The Hollywood Show has teamed up with hundreds of vendors to offer fans the ultimate selection in show related memorabilia and much, much more.

The staff of The Hollywood Show works around the clock to bring entertainers and fans together for each of our events.  We have a large network of contacts and celebrity relationships that always prove helpful when inviting guests to appear.

The Hollywood Show is owned by entertainment industry veteran David Elkouby. David Elkouby is also the owner of Star World on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. Star World is Hollywood's premier destination for movie memorabilia, posters, photos, autographs, toys, action figures,concert videos, scripts,  and magazines featuring all of your favorite stars: Marilyn Monroe, Madonna, Beatles, Paris, Britney, Michael Jackson, and thousands more.


For Ticket info, or to see a full list of attendees go to: www.hollywoodshow.com
 
www.imdb.com