Daytime Soap Operas
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Talk Show Appearances

Monday, Jan. 29: Bryan Cranston

Wednesday, Jan. 31: Demi Moore

AARP Movies For Grownups Award Winner

Peter Crombie Dies: ‘Seinfeld’ Cast Favorite As ‘Crazy Joe Davola’ Was 71

Crombie’s “Crazy Joe Davola” appeared in 5 episodes in season 4. His arc included stalking Jerry and dating Elaine at one point.

The actor had 35 credits, including the films My Dog Skip, Natural Born Killers, The Blob, Se7en, Rising Sun, and Born on the Fourth of July.

His TV resume included the TV miniseries House of Frankenstein, NYPD Blue, Walker, Texas Ranger, Diagnosis Murder, Law & Order, Perfect Strangers, Spenser: For Hire, L.A. Law, L.A. Firefighters” and others.

No details on survivors or memorial plans was immediately available.

AARP Movies For Grownups Nominations

Best Actor (TV): Brian Cox (Succession), Bryan Cranston (Your Honor), Oliver Platt (The Bear), Rufus Sewell (The Diplomat), Henry Winkler (Barry)

Roger Howarth Discharged From ‘General Hospital’

Roger Howarth has officially said goodbye to General Hospital, his on-and-off home since 2012. His character was fatally shot in the Nov. 17 installment of the ABC sudser.

Howarth let fans know via Instagram that his days in Port Charles are over. Fans had been speculating for weeks that his character may be written off the show.

“Three things that I know for sure,” writes Howarth. “1, Daytime fans are lovely and amazing and supportive and dedicated and I am deeply grateful to each sparkly one of them. 2, I enjoyed my time at general hospital and wish the cast and crew the best and continued success. It was a pleasure working with you all. 3, Life is amazing. We just don’t ever know what’s gonna happen. How great! Turn toward the light. Always. Huge thank you to you all.”

In an interview with Soap Opera Digest, Howarth said his contract was up and he was not offered a new one. “Several weeks ago, I got a phone call from somebody I’ve known for a very long time who I love very dearly [Executive Producer Frank Valentini] telling me that when my contract was up at ABC, I would not be offered a new contract and that the character of Austin would be killed, and that this was something that both wanted and needed to do to move story. And it took me a minute to kind of adjust, to kind of hear the news; it took a second for me to let that settle in. And then, immediately, I realized how lucky I was to have been able to do something I really love doing for more than a decade with people who I really enjoyed working with. I’m a lucky guy. I had a great run and this was a decision made by people who make these kinds of decisions for a living.”

Howarth has long been a fixture in daytime. Before joining GH, Howarth played Todd Manning on One Life to Live. Before that, he appeared on As the World Turns, Guiding Light and Loving.

His primetime credits included stints on Californication, The Flash, and Dawson’s Creek.

Soap Opera Digest Is Ending Its Weekly Print Edition

Staffers were informed of the decision Friday, according to sources. A spokesperson for a360Media, the company that owns the brand, confirmed that the weekly edition is being discontinued. The company plans to continue publishing special print issues of Soap Opera Digest four times per year.

“Soap Opera Digest, like many other brands, is adjusting its print frequency and shifting more resources to digital to better accommodate its audience,” the a360Media rep said in a statement to Variety.

Soap Opera Digest was first launched in 1975. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp bought the publication in 1989 for $70 million before selling it two years later, per the New York Times, and it has had a succession of different owners ever since.

In its heyday, the magazine had a circulation of 1.5 million in 1991, according to the Times. But the reach of its print edition, as with many magazines, has sharply fallen off in the decades since.

According to its website, Soap Opera Digest is “the leading magazine reporting on the soap opera industry for over 40 years,” serving up “behind-the-scenes scoops and breaking news to passionate soap fans every week.” The mag also has included special editorial features on beauty, fashion, parenting, and health and fitness.

Soap Opera Digest has been available in print and digital subscription plans, priced at $45.97 for six months (26 issues at $1.77 apiece) or $69.97 for one year (52 issues at $1.34 apiece).

A360media houses a media portfolio of celebrity, entertainment and women’s lifestyle brands including Us Weekly, Star, InTouch and Life & Style. The company claims that it is the largest print publisher in the U.S., both in retail sales and units sold, with its titles representing about one-third of all magazines sold at retail.

A360media was formerly known as American Media Inc., which had been the owner of the National Enquirer (involved in the “catch and kill” scandal involving Donald Trump and which Jeff Bezos accused of an extortion attempt). In 2020, AMI was acquired by Atlanta-based logistics firm accelerate360, which sold off the National Enquirer, Globe and National Examiner tabloids earlier this year.

Dishing with Digest - 10/20/23 - Rena Sofer

‘The Santa Clauses’ Season 2 Trailer: Tim Allen Meets Eric Stonestreet’s “Mad Santa”

“I am Santa, the rightful Santa,” Stonestreet exclaims in the trailer. “The Santa who occupies the North Pole now is a fraud!” He adds, “Revenge will be swift — and sweet. I am Santa, after all.”

In Season 2, Scott continues his role as Santa Claus after his retirement plans were thwarted when he failed to fine a worthy successor in Season 1. Now that Scott and his family have successfully saved Christmas, Scott turns his focus towards training his son Calvin to eventually take over the “family business” as Santa Claus.

In addition to Allen, who also executive produces, and new cast member Stonestreet, Season 2 stars Elizabeth Mitchell as Mrs. Claus/Carol, Austin Kane as Cal Calvin Claus, Elizabeth Allen-Dick as Sandra Calvin Claus, Devin Bright as Noel and Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias as Kris Kringle.

Alongside Allen, Jack Burditt will continue as executive producer and showrunner. Kevin Hench, Richard Baker and Rick Messina will serve as executive producers along with Jason Winer and Jon Radler for Small Dog Picture Company.

Season 2 of The Santa Clauses premieres on Disney+ November 8 with two episodes, followed by new episodes weekly.

Check out the trailer above.

Rena Sofer returns to ‘General Hospital’ as fan favorite Lois after more than 25 years

“She said, ‘Happy birthday, Mrs. Ned Ashton, from me, the other Mrs. Ned Ashton!’ And then she turns and she goes, ‘Help me out, boys,’” Sofer recalled in a recent interview.

The scene was memorable (and even parodied in the 1996 movie “ The Great White Hype ”), but Sofer’s portrayal of Lois Cerullo — a fast-talking Brooklyn girl, with long nails and a thick accent, who wears her heart on her sleeve — made her a fan favorite. Sofer reprises the role for a limited run on Wednesday. The episode was originally slated to air Tuesday.

“My husband and I are planning a move to the East Coast and, you know, I just thought, when I moved here, one of my first big jobs was ‘General Hospital,’ and it just felt very full circle for one of my last jobs in Los Angeles while I live here to be ‘General Hospital’ and doing this character that I love so much.”

Sofer recognizes how special it is for an actor’s work to resonate with people.

“I played Lois for just under three years and I still have people walking up to me saying, ‘Lois is my favorite.’ I’m proud of who she is. I’m proud to have played her. I just love Lois,” she said of the character she began playing in 1993. “If Lois were a real human being, I would hope she’d want to be my friend.”

Returning to set after more than 25 years away was “really weird,” an odd mix of familiarity with essentially being new.

“Just walking around the halls, I’m looking at the names on the dressing rooms and so many I remembered and so many I had no idea. I felt like a fish out of water. But it was also the same building. So it was a little discomforting, but it was also a little deja vu,” she recounted.

One name she obviously is very familiar with is Wally Kurth, who still plays Ned on the show. Sofer and Kurth were married for a short time after meeting on “General Hospital.”

There was this moment of, ‘Is it going to be OK? Am I treading on his space?’ Because this is his home. This is not my home. I’m being allowed to be here as a guest,” Sofer said.

“But, you know, Wally is so open-hearted and so kind and decent and I think he’s so excited to have Lois be part of his storyline in the same way that I’m so excited to be part of the show again,” she added.

Their daughter Rosabel even wants to come home from college to see her parents on set together (as of last week, Sofer was still filming).

“Any children of divorce who get to see their parents actually enjoy being in the same space with each other, I think it’s like a celebration, you know?” Sofer said. “I’m like, ‘If that’s what it takes for you to come home — because she never comes home — then we are both in for it. We will both pay for your flight to come home.’”

All it took to slip into the character was to pick out Lois’ signature nails: “I put the nails on, I was done. The nails are such a part of who she is.”

Executive producer Frank Valentini brought in a nail artist to work with Sofer to create nail designs to match Lois’ outfits.

“We sat for like three-and-a-half hours and we designed nails and it was a blast. And then you put on the outfit with the matching nails and it was like, ‘Oh my God, here she is,’” Sofer said. “It was perfect.”

‘The Santa Clauses’: Disney+ Reveals Return Date For Tim Allen Comedy

In the series’ sophomore season, the Calvin family is back at the North Pole, as Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) continues his role as Santa Claus after his retirement plans were thwarted when he failed to find a worthy successor in season one. Now that Scott and his family have successfully saved Christmas, Scott turns his focus towards training his son Cal (Austin Kane) to eventually take over the “family business” as Santa Claus.

In addition to Allen, who will also executive produce, season two stars Elizabeth Mitchell as Mrs. Claus/Carol, Austin Kane as Cal Calvin Claus, Elizabeth Allen-Dick as Sandra Calvin Claus, Devin Bright as Noel, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias as Kris Kringle, and Eric Stonestreet as Magnus Antas, aka The Mad Santa. Matilda Lawler will also reprise her role of Santa’s chief of staff, Betty, as a recurring guest star along with Marta Kessler as Olga, Liam Kyle as Gary, Isabella Bennett as Edie, Sasha Knight as Crouton, Ruby Jay as Riley, Mia Lynn Bangunan as Pontoon, and Laura San Giacomo as La Befana, the Christmas Witch.

Jack Burditt (30 Rock, Modern Family, Frasier) will continue as executive producer and showrunner. Kevin Hench, Richard Baker and Rick Messina will serve as executive producers along with Jason Winer and Jon Radler for Small Dog Picture Company.

Season one of The Santa Clauses was a top 5 most-watched original series on Disney+ by hours streamed (Nov. 3-Dec. 31, 2022).

Rena Sofer Returning to 'General Hospital' as Lois Cerullo After Leaving Soap 26-Years Ago

Rena Sofer — the 54-year-old actress who won an Daytime Emmy for playing Lois Cerullo, the effervescent, fast-talking, long fingernail wearing, Italian bella donna with the thick Brooklyn accent — is returning to the beloved ABC soap opera after a 26 year absence, the network has confirmed exclusively to PEOPLE.

It's a big treat for viewers, who will remember Lois as one-half of one of the soap world's most popular supercouples of the '90s, alongside Wally Kurth's Ned Ashton. The character was played by Daytime Emmy winner Lesli Kay from 2005 to 2005.

Sofer, who taped her first scenes this week, will be on-air come October.

Lois' reappearance comes at a time when Ned, her ex-husband, is suffering from amnesia — which is nothing but bad news for his current wife, Olivia (Lisa LoCicero), especially since he thinks he's Eddie Maine, Ned's alter ego who was a leather-loving rock star (literally) 30 years ago. Back in 1993, Lois immediately took a liking to Eddie after seeing him perform with his band, The Idle Rich. She went on to work as his manager, not knowing at the time that Eddie was actually the wealthy Ned Ashton by day and Eddie by night.

The two eventually fell in love and got married. But being a soap opera and all, the happily ever after was just a blip on the screen because he was also forced to wed Katherine Bell (Mary Beth Evans), who was blackmailing Ned's family, the Quartermaines.

After finding out that her Eddie was a bigamist, Lois popped out of Katherine's giant birthday cake and greeted her with "Happy Birthday to Mrs. Ned Ashton, from the other Mrs. Ned Ashton!" And that was the end of Lois and Ned's marriage, at least for a little while.

Ned did everything in his power to win Lois back, and he eventually succeeded. He proposed, she said yes, and they got married. But they hit a rough patch when she gave him an ultimatum — their marriage or his loyalty to his family and its business, ELQ — and he chose the family business.

Lois left town in 1997with a broken heart and headed back to her hometown of Bensonhurst, New York, where she gave birth to their daughter, Brook Lynn (currently played by Amanda Setton).

Fast forwarding to show's recent storyline, Ned — who now goes by the surname Quartermaine — is married to Olivia but that marriage isn't doing well because of Ned's amnesia. Although they have agreed that they're better off as friends, Olivia is truly falling in love with him.

Needless to say, this is the perfect time for Lois to pop into the picture.

Soap fans began to speculate — or maybe it was just wishful thinking — that Sofer would return to GH when she left her role as Quinn Fuller on The Bold and the Beautiful after nine years. The actress — who off-camera, shares a daughter with Kurth, whom she was married to from 1995 to 1997 — has also had memorable roles on Melrose Place, Seinfeld and Two and a Half Men.

Lois' presence could turn both Olivia and the Quatermaine family's worlds upside-down depending on how Ned/Eddie reacts when he sees her.

Will Lois just pop into town to check on her daughter and then pop right out? Or is there more to her stay? Will the amnesiac Ned think that he is still married to — and therefore, still in love with — Lois, leaving Olivia outta luck? ABC is remaining tight-lipped about the upcoming storyline.

Sofer's return isn't the only big news coming out of General Hospital. John J. York (Mac), 64, announced Wednesday in a video posted to his social media accounts that he is in treatment for two blood and bone marrow disorders, which he was diagnosed with in December 2022.

“Over the past many months, I’ve had three bone marrow biopsies, many chemo treatments, I have another one coming up in a couple of weeks, and I’m closing in on a blood stem cell transplant,” York said.

He added that he will be out at GH for at least three or four months as treatment continues.

The Locher Room Welcomes Jennifer Ashe

Jennifer is a proud member of Theatre Unleashed, 2Cents Theatre Group, and The Foundry Theatre Works. Some of her favorite credits include Dean Productions’ King Lear, HFF 2Cents’ award winning immersive Unreal City and Vote for Murder. Recent films include, Coming to Terms, honored in the NY International Film Festival, Silhouette of a Ghost and CSI Murder Most Foul. She just completed the film Nowhere Pie and her web series, Struggling will finally air later this year.

Today, Jennifer spends anytime she can on the picket lines and hopes the SAG/AFTRA and WGA strike will prevail in getting fair compensation for all.

Pamela Blair Dies: ‘A Chorus Line’ Star, ‘All My Children’ Daytime Emmy Nominee Was 73

Her death was reported by friends on social media, including her A Chorus Line co-star Baayork Lee. “I am very sad to say my Sagittarian sister Pam Blair has gone to play with her [A Chorus Line] colleagues among the clouds,” wrote Lee in a Facebook post. Sharing a Dec. 5 birthday, the two actors “always wrote to one another no matter where we were on that day,” Lee said, recalling how Blair ” brought the house down every night” with the showstopping performance of “Dance: Ten, Looks: Three.”

“You are free now Pammie so dance, dance, dance among the stars,” Lee wrote.

Blair’s signature song, a paean to the show-biz benefits of plastic surgery, is perhaps more commonly known as “T&A,” due to its repeated reference to the body parts – explicitly stated – so enhanced.

The actual title of the comic song referred to the scores given to the Val character by a Broadway casting director after an audition. “I was ugly, homely, skinny, unattractive and flat as a pancake,” Blair-as-Val said in the song’s introduction. “Get the picture?” The character was loosely based on Blair’s own story, minus the plastic surgery.

She “was a part of the musical from the very first workshop,” tweeted the official account of the late Chorus Line composer Marvin Hamlisch. “Our thoughts are with her loved ones and fans.”

Blair had already appeared on Broadway in Promises, Promises, Wild and Wonderful, Sugar and Seesaw when she was cast as “Curly’s Wife” in an Of Mice and Men revival starring James Earl Jones. Michael Bennett, who had choreographed Promises, Promises, then invited Blair to participate in the creation of A Chorus Line.

Following that show’s success, Blair went on to originate the stage role of “Amber/Angel” in 1978’s The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. She later appeared on Broadway in King of Hearts, The Nerd and A Few Good Men, directed by her then-husband Don Scardino.

On television, Blair appeared in, among other shows, Ryan’s Hope, Loving, Another World, Sabrina The Teenage Witch and, in a guest role that earned her a 1987 Daytime Emmy nomination, All My Children. Film credits include Woody Allen’s Mighty Aphrodite, Annie, and 21 Grams.

Primetime Emmy Awards Nominations - Soap Stars

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie

Welcome To Chippendales • Hulu • 20th Television
Murray Bartlett as Nick De Noia

Black Bird • Apple TV+ • Apple Studios
Paul Walter Hauser as Larry Hall

Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story • Netflix • Ryan Murphy Productions for Netflix
Richard Jenkins as Lionel Dahmer

Beef • Netflix • A Netflix Series / An A24 Production
Joseph Lee as George Nakai

Black Bird • Apple TV+ • Apple StudiosRay Liotta as Big Jim Keene

Beef • Netflix • A Netflix Series / An A24 Production
Young Mazino as Paul Cho

Love & Death • HBO Max • HBO Max in association with David E. Kelley Productions, Blossom Films, Whatever Lola Wants Productions, and LionsgateJesse Plemons as Allan Gore

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series

The Last Of Us • Long, Long Time • HBO Max • HBO in association with Sony Pictures Television Studios, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog
Murray Bartlett as Frank

Succession • Church And State • HBO Max • HBO in association with Project Zeus, Hyberobject Industries, Gary Sanchez Productions and Hot Seat Productions
James Cromwell as Ewan Roy

The Last Of Us • Endure And Survive • HBO Max • HBO in association with Sony Pictures Television Studios, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog
Lamar Johnson as Henry Burrell

Succession • Honeymoon States • HBO Max • HBO in association with Project Zeus, Hyberobject Industries, Gary Sanchez Productions and Hot Seat Productions
Arian Moayed as Stewy Hosseini

The Last Of Us • Long, Long Time • HBO Max • HBO in association with Sony Pictures Television Studios, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog
Nick Offerman as Bill

The Last Of Us • Endure And Survive • HBO Max • HBO in association with Sony Pictures Television Studios, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog
Keivonn Montreal Woodard as Sam Burrell

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series

Ted Lasso • Mom City • Apple TV+ • Apple presents a Doozer Production in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television
Becky Ann Baker as Dottie Lasso

Saturday Night Live • Host: Quinta Brunson • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video
Quinta Brunson as Host

Abbott Elementary • Mom • ABC • Delicious Non-Sequitur Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and 20th Television
Taraji P. Henson as Vanetta

Poker Face • Time Of The Monkey • Peacock • T-Street, MRC Television, Animal Pictures
Judith Light as Irene Smothers

Ted Lasso • Smells Like Mean Spirit • Apple TV+ • Apple presents a Doozer Production in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television
Sarah Niles as Dr. Sharon Fieldstone

Ted Lasso • So Long, Farewell • Apple TV+ • Apple presents a Doozer Production in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television
Harriet Walter as Deborah

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series

Succession • Honeymoon States • HBO Max • HBO in association with Project Zeus, Hyberobject Industries, Gary Sanchez Productions and Hot Seat Productions
Hiam Abbass as Marcia

Succession • The Munsters • HBO Max • HBO in association with Project Zeus, Hyberobject Industries, Gary Sanchez Productions and Hot Seat Productions
Cherry Jones as Nan Pierce

The Last Of Us • Endure And Survive • HBO Max • HBO in association with Sony Pictures Television Studios, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog
Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen

The Last Of Us • Left Behind • HBO Max • HBO in association with Sony Pictures Television Studios, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog
Storm Reid as Riley Abel

The Last Of Us • Infected • HBO Max • HBO in association with Sony Pictures Television Studios, PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog
Anna Torv as Theresa “Tess” Servopoulos

Succession • Church And State • HBO Max • HBO in association with Project Zeus, Hyberobject Industries, Gary Sanchez Productions and Hot Seat Productions
Harriet Walter as Lady Caroline Collingwood

Tyler Perry Sets Meagan Good, Debbi Morgan & Five Others To Star In Prime Video Pic ‘Divorce In The Black’

The film follows Ava, a young bank professional who is devastated when her husband Dallas abandons a marriage she is determined to fight for. But then fate intervenes, revealing Dallas’ wicked deeds that have trashed their marriage, and once upon a time sabotaged Ava’s destiny to be loved by her true soulmate. Deadline understands that Hardrict will be playing Dallas, though no further character details have been disclosed.

In addition to Perry via Tyler Perry Studios, producers include Tyler Perry Studios’ Angi Bones and Will Areu, as well as Dianne Ashford.

Most recently reprising her DC role of Super Hero Darla in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Good is also known for turns in films like Day Shift, Think Like a Man and its sequel, Don Jon and Stomp the Yard, among others. The actress toplines Prime Video’s comedy series Harlem and has also been seen on shows like Prodigal Son, Star and Californication, to name just a few.

Currently starring as Coach Marcus Turner on The CW’s All American: Homecoming, which has been renewed for a third season, Hardrict also has on his resume shows like The Chi, S.W.A.T. and The Oath. He appears in the Sundance 2023 films To Live and Die and Live and Young. Wild. Free. and also boasts big-screen credits like City of Lies, All Eyes on Me, American Sniper and Warm Bodies.

Anderson played Rocky, the father of a young Dwayne Johnson, on NBC’s Young Rock, appearing prior to that on MacGruber and other series, as well as in films like Harriet.

Polidore has also been seen on All American: Homecoming, as well as on series like Snowfall, Black Lightning and Wicked City.

Most recently appearing on shows like Blue Bloods and City on a Hill, Wallace has also been part of American Soul and other series. Among his other upcoming projects is the indie drama Shelter Me with Nick Nolte and Jacqueline Bisset.

Appearing in films like For Colored Girls, How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Wag the Dog, Lawson counts amongst his recent TV credits shows like The Ms. Pat Show and Grey’s Anatomy.

Seen on shows like Power, Power Book II: Ghost and The Defenders, Morgan’s film credits include Coach Carter, Love & Basketball and Eve’s Bayou.

In addition to Black, White, & Blue, which tells the story of a woman who loses her husband at the hands of a police officer, Perry has coming up the Netflix films Six Triple Eight and Mea Culpa, having released such recent efforts as A Jazzman’s Blues, Tyler Perry’s A Madea Homecoming and A Fall from Grace to that platform.

Good is repped by Gersh, Atlas Artists and Yorn, Levine, Barnes; Hardict by Buchwald and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Anderson by Gersh and Silver Mass Entertainment; Polidore by AEFH and Elevate Entertainment; Wallace by Stewart Talent and Artist International Group; Lawson by AMT Artists, Alta Global Media and attorney Larry Turner; Morgan by PH Entertainment Group; and Perry by WME and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.

Gravitas Ventures Acquires Comedy ‘Fourth Grade’ Starring William Baldwin, Teri Polo, Mena Suvari & More

Written and directed by Brazil’s Marcelo Galvão, Fourth Grade takes place at a prestigious, private, Catholic elementary school, where a principal and a drama teacher gather the parents of the 4th grade students to discuss an alarming situation: a brick of marijuana found in the theater class. To protect the school’s reputation, they need to expel the kid responsible for the weed.

10 wealthy parents from Pacific Palisades, CA and Eddie (Ben Begley), an outsider whose daughter just won a scholarship, arrive at the meeting. And after an aggressive discussion, the principal and the drama teacher leave the room. Eddie promises to find a solution within one hour and save the day, though accusations, intrigue and insults ensue as the parents try and protect their own children. In an effort to calm the hostility and think more calmly, one of the parents proposes that they try a little of the weed themselves. In the process, fragile and obscure secrets are revealed, and perspectives begin to shift. The weed problem is exposed as hypocrisy, and heartfelt truths and camaraderie blossom.

Also starring Boti Bliss, Challen Cates, Keli Daniels, Pamela Dunlap, Jamison Jones and Roland Kickinger, the film is produced by Galvão, Gabriela Kulaif, Giordano Biagi and Caio Vecchia.

Said Galvão, “Fourth Grade is a hilarious comedy, featuring brilliant actors, that explores human relationships and provokes us to contemplate our own attitudes.”

Added Gravitas’ VP of Acquisitions and International Sales, Danielle Gasher, “Gravitas is pleased to be the North American partner for Fourth Grade. The film is both funny and charming, and we look forward to audiences seeing the film in July.”

Gasher negotiated the deal on behalf of Gravitas, with Francesca Delise of Illmatic Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers.

Bryan Cranston Talking Temporary Retirement From Acting In 2026, Plans To Drink Wine By The Fireplace

Cranston told British GQ that he plans to temporarily retire from acting and his business ventures in 2026 for at least six months. The goal: to spend more time with his wife, Robin Dearden.

“I want to change the paradigm once again,” he said. “For the last 24 years, Robin has led her life holding onto my tail. She’s been the plus one, she’s been the wife of a celebrity. She’s had to pivot and adjust her life based on mine. She has tremendous benefit from it, but we’re uneven. I want to level that out. She deserves it.”

Cranston and Dearden became a couple in 1987, and married in 1989. They have a daughter, Taylor Dearden.

When the time comes for his temporary retirement, Cranston will shutter his production company, Moonshot Entertainment, and sell his portion of his mezcal company, Dos Hombres, which he cofounded with his Breaking Bad costar, Aaron Paul.

The plan is to move to a foreign country and spend time relaxing with gardening and cooking, he said.

“I want to have that experience,” he said. “I want to go for day trips and have the fire in the fireplace and drink wine with new friends and not read scripts.”

Cranston will be 70 in 2026. “It’s not going to be like, ‘Oh, I’ll read and see what I’m going to do.’ No, it’s a pause. It’s a stop,” he claimed. “I won’t be thinking about [work]. I’m not going to be taking phone calls.”

Dishing with Digest - 5/26/23 - Linden Ashby

Bryan Cranston, Allison Janney, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth & Jack Champion Set For Jon S. Baird Film ‘Everything’s Going To Be Great’ From eOne, Astute Films

The film penned by I, Tonya‘s Steven Rogers is billed as a valentine to big dreamers whose dreams won’t necessarily come true. It’s about individuality vs. conformity, fantasy vs. reality — but mostly, it’s about family. As the Smart family moves from one state to the next, they cope with loss and struggle with identity, all while performing in regional theater.

eOne is co-financing, with Jillian Share, Jen Gorton and Courtney L. Cunniff overseeing production, alongside Astute Films’ Fred Bernstein and Rick Jackson. Rogers is also producing alongside Clubhouse Pictures’ Bryan Unkeless and exec producer Scott Morgan, in the trio’s third collaboration following I, Tonya and Hulu’s Mike Tyson miniseries Mike. Also producing is Alex Lalonde. Additional EPs include Michael Souther and Teza Lawrence from Amaze.

An Oscar nominee and six-time Emmy winner, Cranston can currently be seen in the second season of Showtime’s crime drama Your Honor. He’s part of the sprawling A-list ensemble of Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, which will first hit theaters June 16th after bowing at Cannes, and will also appear in Matthew Vaughn’s Apple spy pic Argylle.

Most recently appearing in films including The People We Hate at the Wedding, Lou and To Leslie, as well as the CBS sitcom Mom which she led with Anna Faris, Janney is an Oscar and seven-time Emmy winner who stars in Gareth Edwards’ forthcoming 20th/New Regency film True Love, and will also soon be seen starring in the Apple series Mrs. American Pie.

Ainsworth voiced Pinocchio in Robert Zemeckis’ take on the classic character for Disney+ and has also been seen on series like The Sandman and The Haunting of Bly Manor.

Champion stars in James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, also recently appeared in Scream VI, and will also soon be seen in the films Freaky Tales and Retribution, as well as further installments in the Avatar franchise.

A BAFTA nominee who most recently directed Taron Egerton starrer Tetris for Apple TV+’s , Baird has in addition to Stan & Ollie, directed titles like Filth, also helming episodes of such series as Stonehouse, I’m Dying Up Here and Vinyl.

In addition to the 3x Academy Award-nominated I, Tonya, Rogers has written films like Love the Coopers, P.S. I Love You and Kate & Leopold, also creating and writing Hulu’s Mike.

Baird is represented by CAA, Independent Talent Group and Yorn, Levine, Barnes; Rogers by Gersh and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller; Cranston by UTA and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole; Janney by CAA, Thruline Entertainment and Nelson Davis; Ainsworth by CAA, Curtis Brown Group and Alan Siegel Entertainment; and Champion by CAA, Industry Entertainment and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman.y

One-on-One with David Andrew Macdonald 4/5/23

David originated the role of Edmund Winslow in June of 1999 and played the role through 2005. He returned to the canvas in October of 2007 and remained with the show until 2009. In addition to his role on Guiding Light, David played Father Matchet on ABC’s Loving and Jordan Stark on NBC’s Another World.

In addition to his roles in daytime, David has appeared on Broadway in Skylight, Rocky, Mamma Mia!, Coram Boy, and Two Shakespearean Actors. On primetime, he has been seen in numerous hit series including, The Deuce, Elementary, Person of Interest, The Blacklist and The Big C to name a few.

David is currently training to be a volunteer firefighter.

Talk Show Appearance

Tuesday, March 14: Guests include Bryan Cranston

Bryan Cranston: MAGA Slogan Can “Be Construed As A Racist Remark”; Says It’s “Imperative” That Critical Race Theory Is Taught In Schools

“The ‘Make America Great Again’ – my comment is: Do you accept that that could possibly be construed as a racist remark? And most people, a lot of people go, ‘How could that be racist? Make America Great Again?’ ” said Cranston setting up his thought process on the topic.

“I said, ‘So just ask yourself from, from an African-American experience, when was it ever great in America for the African-American? When was it great?’ “

Given that, Cranston posited, “So if you’re making it great again, it’s not including them.”

Watch here.

On critical race theory itself and its place in schools, the Emmy-winning Breaking Bad star said, “I think it’s imperative that it’s taught…that we look at our history — much the same I think that Germany has looked at their history [and] involvement in [WWI and WWII] and embrace it and say, ‘This is where we went wrong. This is how it went wrong. This is why it can’t go wrong again.’ ”

He said Germany has “done a very commendable job” in facing that past. “But the United States really hasn’t.

In their conversation on Club Random, Maher and Cranston didn’t disagree that America has a racist past. They disagreed about to what extent it is currently relevant and how much American history should be taught in schools from that context.

You can see an excerpt from that conversation here.

“You present it and say, well, 400 years of slavery, yeah, but we’re moving on. And it’s like, no, let’s really discuss it,” Cranston told Wallace of his stance. “How did that happen? How did we get to a point where we treated other human beings as slaves?”

Cranston continued on critical race theory: “So it’s to teach us in the woke world to open up and, and accept the possibilities that our privilege has created blind spots for us. And maybe I haven’t seen what is really happening yet in all my years.” o

Talk Show Appearance

Feb 23, 2023

Elizabeth Mitchell talks about Season 3 of "Outer Banks" and her new movie

Bryan Cranston Says He Doesn’t Need A Job But Would Do A ‘Malcolm In The Middle’ Movie “If It Was A Great Idea”

“It’s a possibility,” Cranston told The Independent about a film based on the Fox comedy saying that he had recently talked to the show’s creator Linwood Boomer. “He said he would think about it, and he got his writers together. If they can come up with a great idea, a legitimate idea, then he’ll pursue it. But if not, then nah.”

Cranston continued, “I don’t need a job. I’ve got plenty of jobs. I don’t need it, but I’d want it if it was a great idea.”

The actor spent seven seasons on the show playing Hal and shared the screen with Frankie Muniz who played Malcolm and Jane Kaczmarek was his wife Lois.

“It was seven years of glory,” Cranston said on his time on Malcolm in the Middle. “Going to work every day and making yourself and others laugh. That was my job.”

This is not the first time that Cranston has addressed rumors of a Malcolm in the Middle reboot. In January the actor talked to E! News about the possibility of reprising his role of Hal saying, “There was some talk about the possibility of doing, like, a reunion movie of Malcolm in the Middle. We had such a great family on that, and I certainly would be open to that if there was a good idea that came up — like, ‘Oh, that would be fantastic to explore what happened to this family 20 years later.’ I can’t believe it’s already that, but that would be fun to do.”

Breaking Bad's Walt and Jesse Ditch Meth for PopCorners in Super Bowl Ad

PopCorners’ Super Bowl commercial reunites Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul for a quasi-Breaking Bad revival. In it, Jesse gets a taste of Walt’s latest batch — only instead of Blue Sky, it’s a blue bag of white cheddar-flavored PopCorners.

“Yo! These are the bomb!” Jesse opines. “Everyone is going to want a taste… and I know just the guy to talk to.”

We then cut to a meeting between Walt, Jesse and Raymond Cruz’s Tuco Salamanca. Before they proceed, Walt has one demand for the high-ranking distributor: “Say. Their. Name.” He’s referring, of course, to PopCorners.

He and Jesse ultimately guarantee Tuco six signature flavors, but that isn’t good enough. “Seven!” Tuco demands. “You make seven!”

Cranston and Paul previously reprised Walt and Jesse for the 2019 movie El Camino, and more recently in the sixth and final season of Better Call Saul. Cruz also reprised Tuco during Season 1 of Saul.

Prior to Cranston and Paul’s myriad reunions, Cranston revived Walt (well, sorta) in a 2015 Super Bowl spot for Esurance.

The PopCorners ad will air during Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. The big game — which will feature a Halftime Show performance by Rihanna — is set to air Sunday, Feb. 12 at 6:30/5:30c on Fox.

‘Acapulco’ Renewed For Season 3 At Apple

In Season 3 of the series inspired by the 3Pas Studios and Pantelion Films’ feature How to Be A Latin Lover, it’s a time of reconciling past mistakes and exciting new beginnings. In the present story, older Maximo (Eugenio Derbez) finds himself returning to a Las Colinas he no longer recognizes. While in 1985, younger Maximo continues his climb up the ladder of success while potentially jeopardizing all the relationships he’s worked so hard to build…

“We at 3Pas Studios are thankful to Apple TV+, the perfect home for Acapulco, along with our production partner Lionsgate, filmmakers, and cast and crew,” said star and executive producer Eugenio Derbez. “We have always believed that the stories we tell about our communities and cultures can resonate with global audiences, so crank up the AC, it’s about to get a lot hotter at Las Colinas Resort.”

The upcoming third season will be showrun by Sam Laybourne. In addition to Derbez, the Acapulco ensemble cast returning includes Enrique Arrizon, Fernando Carsa, Damián Alcázar, Camila Perez, Chord Overstreet, Vanessa Bauche, Regina Reynoso, Raphael Alejandro, Jessica Collins, Rafael Cebrián, Carlos Corona, and Regina Orozco.

Seasons 1 and 2 are now streaming globally on Apple TV+.

“We’ve seen an overwhelming response from audiences all over the world who have fallen in love with Acapulco,” said Morgan Wandell, head of international programming for Apple TV+. “Eugenio, Austin, Ben, Eric, Kim, and the talented cast and crew behind ‘Acapulco’ have created a feel-good show that has a lot of heart, emotion, and laughs, and we can’t wait to bring even more of that into season three.”

Acapulco is created by Austin Winsberg, Eduardo Cisneros, and Jason Shuman. Winsberg also serves as executive producer alongside Derbez, Ben Odell, and co-executive producer Sonia Almanza Gambaro for 3Pas Studios; director Jay Karas; Eric and Kim Tannenbaum along with Jason Wang for The Tannenbaum Company.

The project is produced for Apple by Lionsgate Television, 3Pas Studios, Zihuatanejo Productions, and The Tannenbaum Company.

‘Malcolm In The Middle’ Movie A Possibility, Bryan Cranston Says

Speaking to E! News, Cranston revealed that “There was some talk about the possibility of doing, like, a reunion movie of Malcolm in the Middle. We had such a great family on that, and I certainly would be open to that if there was a good idea that came up — like, ‘Oh, that would be fantastic to explore what happened to this family 20 years later.’ I can’t believe it’s already that, but that would be fun to do.”

The Fox series ran from 2000 to 2006, spotlighting the Wilkerson family of Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek as the parents of five Francis (Christopher Masterson), Reese (Justin Berfield), Malcolm (Frankie Muniz), Dewey (Erik Per Sullivan) and Jamie (James and Lukas Rodriguez).

Muniz, who recently revealed he’ll be a full-time driver on the ARCA NASCAR circuit this coming year, has also talked of a reboot, saying that Cranston was mulling ideas for the script.

Talk Show Appearance

Wednesday, Jan. 11

Bryan Cranston (“Your Honor”)

Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart spark reconciliation rumors 5 years after split

The “Grey’s Anatomy” alum and “Jawbreaker” star took a trip to Cabo with their kids and stayed close as they disembarked from a boat.

As the pair made their way back to the dock, Dane could be seen either keeping his arm around Gayheart or holding her hand.

The “Marley & Me” actor, 50, and Gayheart, 51, also grabbed lunch aboard the vessel, where Dane opted to dine shirtless while his maybe-estranged wife wore a T-shirt over her bathing suit.

The duo have been sparking “Are they or aren’t they?” questions since the summer when they enjoyed a family vacation to Europe.

The actress shared an Instagram photo in August with a silly shot of Dane with daughters Billie, 12, and Georgia, 11.

“This is us, family vacay 2022. #familia #travel #goodtimes #moretocome #eurodanes,” Gayheart captioned the post.

Gayheart and Dane married in October 2004 and started their family six years later. The former model filed for divorce from the “Burlesque” actor in February 2018.

She cited irreconcilable differences for the split, asking for spousal support as well as joint legal and physical custody of their daughters.

“After 14 years together we have decided that ending our marriage is the best decision for our family,” she and the actor wrote in a joint statement at the time.

“We will continue our friendship and work as a team to co-parent our two beautiful girls as they are the most important thing in the world to us.”

In July of the following year, Gayheart spoke to People about her family of four’s “new normal.”

“We are doing our best to co-parent and maintain a family even though we’re not married,” she explained. “Legally we’re still married, but separated. And I think we’re doing a pretty good job of it.”

Bryan Cranston’s Walter White Cooks Up Super Bowl Ad For Snack Food

“It” is a snack food called PopCorners, and Bryan Cranston is reviving his classic Breaking Bad character for its Super Bowl ad next month.

The promo photo shows Cranston in character holding a bag of PopCorners’ white cheddar flavor, because of course that’s what Heisenberg — er, Walter White — would nosh on. The Frito-Lay product’s description says it’s “never fried,” which apparently means WW won’t have to cook this time.

Cranston won four Emmys for playing the cancer-riddled high school chem teacher-turned-meth masterchef in Breaking Bad, which aired from 2008-13 on AMC. It was a 62-episode acting tour de force that helped make the series among the most lauded dramas in TV history. He revived the character last year, alongside his BB co-star Aaron Paul’s Jesse Pinkman, for a couple final-season episodes of its prequel series Better Call Saul, starring Bob Odenkirk.

PopCorners didn’t reveal any other details about the commercial, which it lauds as having “a flavor-packed crunch and wholesome ingredients.” Of course, ingredients and their proper deployment was what Walter White was all about after he broke bad. And we’re assuming the blue bag is merely a coincidence, but Breaking Bad fans would recognize the potential, if coincidental, significance of that particular color.

Frito-Lay didn’t let on when the ad will run during the Big Game, which airs Sunday, February 12, of Fox. But it did hint obliquely that other characters from the Breaking Bad universe might show up. As advertisers tend to do.

‘The Santa Clauses’ Renewed For Season 2 By Disney+

In Season 1, Scott Calvin (Allen) returns after being Santa Claus for nearly thirty years, and he’s as jolly as ever. But as Christmas declines in popularity, so does his Santa magic. Scott struggles to keep up with the demands of the job, as well as being there for his family. Upon discovering there is a way to retire from his post, Scott considers stepping down as Santa Claus and finding a worthy successor so that he can become a better father and husband.

Allen also executive produces the series alongside Jack Burditt, who serves as showrunner. Kevin Hench, Richard Baker and Rick Messina will serve as executive producers along with Jason Winer and Jon Radler for Small Dog Picture Company.

Season one, which premiered on November 16, is currently streaming on Disney+.

“This franchise has had a lasting impact for so many families, truly becoming part of their annual holiday traditions,” said Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television. “Bringing it back as a series has been a true gift, and I’m grateful to our producing partners at 20th Television and, of course, Tim Allen and team, that we have yet another reason to celebrate this holiday season.”

Allen first portrayed Santa/Scott Calvin in the 1994 film The Santa Clause. Mitchell is introduced as Carol in the 2002 sequel The Santa Clause 2 when Allen’s character must find a Mrs. Claus in order to continue being Santa.

The Disney Branded Television series is a production of 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios.

Your Honor: A Grieving Bryan Cranston Is Still in Danger in Season 2 Trailer

Showtime has released the official trailer for Season 2 of the Bryan Cranston-led crime thriller, and in it, we see Cranston’s Michael still reeling from the shocking death of his son Adam, as evidenced by his unkempt grief beard. But he doesn’t have time to mourn in private: He’s still enmeshed with mob boss Jimmy Baxter (Michael Stuhlbarg) and his family after last season’s tragedies, and he has a new problem in the form of Rosie Perez’s Olivia Delmont, a U.S. attorney who wants to use Michael to bring down Jimmy’s crime empire.

“I am offering you a chance to atone for what you have done,” Olivia tells him as Michael contemplates playing a role in Jimmy’s downfall. Jimmy isn’t going down without a fight, though: “Tread very carefully right now,” he warns. (He’s sounding like Walter White!)

In Season 2 — which premieres Sunday, Jan. 15 at 9/8c — “some will seek salvation in response to the tremendous loss they suffered, while others will seek revenge and they will all be pursued by their enemies at every turn,” per the official description. “Ultimately, the question remains: How far are you willing to go to protect what matters most to you?”

Bryan Cranston’s Showtime Drama ‘Your Honor’ Pushes Season 2 Premiere Date To 2023

As for the reasoning behind the move, Showtime pushed the show because of its serialized nature that is best watched week after week and wanted it to air without the interruption of the Christmas holidays.

The first season of Your Honor ranks as the top debut season ever on Showtime, according to the network.

This is one of the first major scheduling decisions since David Nevins announced his departure as Chairman and CEO of Showtime Networks, and Chris McCarthy would be taking over at the helm of the premium cabler.

Your Honor is based on the Israeli series Kvodo created by Ron Ninio and Shlomo Mashiach. It stars Cranston as Michael Desiato, a respected New Orleans judge whose upstanding life is derailed when his teenage son’s accidental hit-and-run killing of the son of notorious crime boss Jimmy Baxter (Michael Stuhlbarg) led to a high-stakes game of lies, deceit and impossible choices. Hope Davis stars as Jimmy’s wife, Gina, who is at times more dangerous and driven than her husband, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. stars as Charlie, a local politician and Michael’s best friend. Andrene Ward Hammond stars as Big Mo, the formidable leader of the Desire Gang, with Keith Machekanyanga as Little Mo, her right-hand-man. Lilli Kay stars as Fia Baxter, Jimmy’s daughter who is forced to reckon with the true nature of her family as she deals with the aftermath of her boyfriend’s shooting (by a bullet that was intended for her brother). Jimi Stanton is Carlo Baxter, Jimmy’s only surviving son who wants to follow in his father’s criminal footsteps; and Benjamin Flores Jr. is Eugene, whose attempt to avenge his brother’s death has created a new chain of events that threaten to start a war on the streets of New Orleans. Season two guest stars include Rosie Perez, Margo Martindale and Amy Landecker.

The series is executive produced by Emmy nominees Robert and Michelle King (The Good Fight, The Good Wife, Evil) and Liz Glotzer (Evil, The Good Fight), with Joey Hartstone (The Good Fight) serving as showrunner and executive producer for season two. Cranston and James Degus (All the Way) executive produce the series for Moonshot Entertainment. Your Honor is produced by CBS Studios in association with King Size Productions. Rob Golenberg, Alon Aranya, Ninio, Mashiach, Ram Landes, Ron Eilon and Danna Stern also serve as executive producers.

The Santa Clauses: Charlie and Bernard Return in New Sequel Series Trailer

Disney+ on Thursday dropped the full-length trailer for the highly anticipated Santa Clause sequel series The Santa Clauses, and it reveals our first look at the return of two fan-favorite characters: Eric Lloyd as Scott’s son Charlie, and David Krumholtz as trusty elf Bernard (see photos below).

The six-episode limited series finds Tim Allen’s Scott “on the brink of his 65th birthday and realizing that he can’t be Santa forever,” according to the official logline. “He’s starting to lose a step in his Santa duties, and more importantly, he’s got a family who could benefit from a life in the normal world, especially his two kids who have grown up at the Pole. With a lot of elves, children, and family to please, Scott sets out to find a suitable replacement Santa while preparing his family for a new adventure in a life south of the pole.”

The above trailer reveals the precise moment Scott realizes that he’s starting to lose his Christmas magic: He falls off a roof, just like his predecessor did in the original 1994 film. Of course, Scott doesn’t fall to his death. He returns home to the North Pole and tells his family that he’s ready to hang up his jolly red hat — a decision that Charlie, who now appears to be married, didn’t realize his father could make.

What follows is a glimpse of Scott in retirement — including a very complicated coffee order! — and the problems that arise once he returns to civilian life.

In addition to Allen and Elizabeth Mitchell, who are returning as Scott and Carol Calvin, the Santa Clauses ensemble includes franchise newcomer Kal Penn.

The sequel series will launch with its first two episodes on Wednesday, Nov. 16. The remaining episodes will unspool over four weeks, with the finale landing on Dec. 14.

John O’Hurley guests on NCIS: Los Angeles 11/13/22

GUEST CAST includes: Duncan Campbell (NCIS Special Agent Castor), John O’Hurley (Navy Rear Admiral Ted Gordon), Bryan Lillis (Jessie Fiore).

Laura Wright and Cameron Mathison on Entertainment Tonight

Elizabeth Gillies, Harvey Keitel, Teri Polo, Bryan Craig Among Cast For Tubi’s ‘Spread’

Spread follows an ambitious aspiring journalist (Gillies) who lands a temp job at an adult magazine run by an aging industry king (Keitel) and must reconcile her idealism as she strives to help the company succeed.

Directed by Ellie Kanner (Authors Anonymous), the film is written and co-produced by Buffy Charlet (Holy Ghost People). Dia Frampton (Candy Coated Christmas), Jonah Platt (Uncoupled), and Diora Baird (Cobra Kai) also star.

The movie is inspired by Charlet’s real-life experience as a temp at Hustler magazine who rose to be an editor. Gillies also executive produces. Spread is produced by Stan Spry (Creepshow), Eric Scott Woods (Harland Manor), and Graem Luis (Day of the Dead). Tubi’s Lewinson shepherded the project.

Your Honor's Second and Final Season to Air on Showtime in December

Season 2 will make its linear debut on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 9/8c, TVLine has learned. The premiere episode, however, will be available two days earlier (on Friday, Dec. 9) on streaming and on demand for all Showtime subscribers.

Originally conceived as a limited series, Your Honor stars Cranston as Michael Desiato, a respected New Orleans judge whose teenage son, Adam (Truth Be Told‘s Hunter Doohan), is involved in a hit-and-run that leads to a high-stakes game of lies, deceit and impossible choices. In July, Cranston told Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast that Season 2 would be Your Honor‘s last; Showtime has not formally confirmed Cranston’s comments.

As previously reported, Rosie Perez (The Flight Attendant) has joined the sophomore run in a guest-starring capacity, playing Olivia Delmont, a charismatic assistant U.S. Attorney who must manipulate and motivate an unwilling asset in order to bring down a crime organization in New Orleans. She joins returning cast members Cranston, Hope Davis, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Margo Martindale, Amy Landecker and newly minted series regulars Lilli Kay, Keith Machekanyanga, Andrene Ward-Hammond, Jimi Stanton and Benjamin Flores Jr.

Your Honor‘s second season, spanning 10 episodes, is currently in production.

Teri Polo guests on NCIS 9/19/22

The NCIS-verse unites NCIS and NCIS: HAWAI’I in a special crossover event for the respective season 20 and season two premieres of the two hit CBS Original series on Monday, Sept. 19 starting with NCIS at 9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT and concluding on NCIS: HAWAI’I at 10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT. During a suspenseful two hours, the hunt for a dangerous suspect unveils a complex network and a larger sinister plan that will take the D.C. team to Hawai’i in a race to thwart the next large-scale attack.

GUEST CAST includes: Joe Spano (Tobias “T.C.” Fornell), Teri Polo (Vivian Kolchak), Erik Passoja (Wayne Sweeny).

Bob LuPone Dies: Off-Broadway MCC Theatre Founder Was 76

“The MCC Theater community mourns the loss of our much loved and uniquely inspiring partner, colleague, and dear friend, Bob LuPone, who lived fearlessly and with great curiosity, good humor, a boundless passion for connection, and a whole lot of heart. We will miss him deeply and always,” read a statement from MCC.

LuPone was born on July 29th, 1946 in Brooklyn, New York to Angela Louise (known as Pat), a housewife, and Orlando Joseph LuPone, a school principal.

His passion for the arts began at an early age. In the sixth grade at his North Port, Long Island elementary school, he saw his younger sister Patti dance at a PTA Dance Concert in a colorful hula skirt. After he told his mother how badly he wanted to wear the skirt, she told him that if that’s what he wanted then he’d have to enroll in dance class, which he did the following year. He started by taking tap lessons after school before enrolling in the Martha Graham Studio, where he studied under Antony Tudor, José Limon and Graham herself, from ages 15 to 18.

LuPone got accepted to Juilliard after a friend suggested he audition, an audition that he improvised. He would graduate with a BFA in Dance in 1968.

In 1966, he landed his first job as part of the ensemble of The Pajama Game starring Liza Minnelli. His Broadway debut would happen in 1968 in Noel Coward’s Sweet Potato and would later on appear in Minnie’s Boys, The Rothschilds, and The Magic Show.

LuPone was cast as Al in A Chorus Line but when one of the actors departed the production, he asked to audition for the part of Zach, which he would land. This role led LuPone to score a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. A Chorus Line opened at the Public Theater, before swiftly transferring to Broadway. The production was nominated for 12 Tony Awards at the 1976 ceremony.

While teaching an acting class at New York University, one of his students was Bernie Telsey, who together would form the Manhattan Class Company — known today as MCC Theatre.

LuPone, Telsey and Will Cantler successfully led MCC for nearly 40 years producing shows like Frozen, Hand to God, School Girls; or the African Mean Girls Play and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Wit.

While serving as a co-artistic director of MCC Theater, LuPone continued acting appearing in Broadway productions like A View from the Bridge, True West, and A Thousand Clowns. He was also in the Chicago premiere of Sam Shepard’s The Tooth of Crime and made television appearances on shows like The Sopranos, Sex & the City, Guiding Light, Ryan's Hope, Search For Tomorrow, Another world, Loving and All My Children, for which he received a Daytime Emmy nomination.

LuPone is survived by his wife Virginia, his son Orlando, sister Patti, brother William.

Dishing with Digest - 8/26/22 - Rena Sofer

‘Ally McBeal’ Sequel With New Lead In Works At ABC From Karin Gist; Calista Flockhart Eyed To Return

Written and executive produced by Karin Gist (Mike), I hear the new show will follow a young Black woman who joins the law firm from the original series (or its current incarnation) straight out of law school. The young woman is believed to be the daughter of Ally McBeal’s (Flockhart) D.A. roommate Renée Raddick, who was played by Lisa Nicole Carson on the mothership series.

I hear Flockhart has been approached to reprise her title role from the original in some capacity and to executive produce the follow-up. A decision on her potential involvement likely won’t be made until a script has been written.

Kelley created and executive produced Ally McBeal through his overall deal at 20th Television that had his David E. Kelley Productions function as a mini studio, giving the prolific producer a bigger say in exploiting existing IP. I hear Kelley has been looped in on the idea and has given his blessing for the follow-up. Given the new show’s focus on a new character who is a Black woman, I hear Kelley felt he was not needed and graciously stepped aside out of respect for Gist being able to tell that character’s story. There are no current plans for Kelley to be involved in the sequel, which Ally McBeal studio 20th Television, part of Disney TV Studios, is producing. Gist serves as showrunner and executive produces through her production banner, The Gist of It, alongside the company’s EVP Claire Brown.

Reps for ABC and 20th TV declined comment.

Executives at 20th TV had been looking to bring back Ally McBeal in some shape or form for years; the efforts were stepped up after the 2019 Disney acquisition of Fox assets, including 20th TV, fueled by how well the series’ DNA fits into ABC’s core brand of female-driven character dramas with levity. I hear Gist’s take was very well received across the board, leading to the pitch’s sale to ABC for development.

The setup of the Ally McBeal follow-up is reminiscent of NBC’s upcoming Night Court sequel series, which also features a new lead character (Melissa Rauch) who is the daughter of a character from the original series and has the original lead, John Larroquette, reprising his role alongside her.

Ally McBeal, which aired on Fox from 1997-2002, starred Flockhart as Ally, a lawyer working in the Boston law firm Cage and Fish along with her ex-lover and his wife, and followed Ally’s trials and tribulations through life as she looked for love and fulfillment. The main focus of the dramedy was the romantic and personal lives of the main characters, often using legal proceedings as plot device.

The series won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1999, one of seven Emmys and a slew of other major awards for its run. Ally McBeal was known for its strong ensemble cast, led by Flockhart and featuring Courtney Thorne-Smith, Greg Germann, Carson, Jane Krakowski, Peter MacNicol, Gil Bellows, Lucy Liu, Portia de Rossi as well as musician Vonda Shepard who rose to fame on the show. Additionally, the series gave Robert Downey Jr. one of his first big roles following his 1990s legal troubles en route to his blockbuster career comeback in Iron Man.

Ally McBeal transcended television to become a pop culture phenom and generate memes before memes existed with its infamous dancing baby. It remains influential two decades after its end, with She-Hulk‘s creative team recently listing the dramedy as an inspiration for their Marvel series.

Gist is among the top creators/showrunners on 20th TV’s roster of overall deals. Under the pact, she is executive producer and showrunner on the new Mike Tyson limited series Mike for Hulu. She co-created, executive produced and showran the Fox series Our Kind of People and served as executive producer and showrunner on the ABC comedy mixed-ish.

Previously, Gist served as executive producer and showrunner of Fox’s Star for Seasons 2 and 3. Before that, she was a co-executive producer on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy from 2015-17. Additional writing and producing credits include WB/CW’s One Tree Hill, Showtime’s House of Lies and ABC’s Revenge. Her film writing credits include Disney’s Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2, Jump In and VH1’s Drumline: A New Beat. She is repped by Adventure Media, Joel McKuin and ID PR.

Rena Sofer Leaves B&B

‘Feud’: Tom Hollander, Calista Flockhart & Diane Lane To Star In Season 2 Of Ryan Murphy’s FX Series

They join previously announced Naomi Watts and Chloë Sevigny. Hollander will star as Truman Capote, Flockhart as Lee Radziwill and Lane as Slim Keith. As previously announced, Watts stars as Babe Paley, wife of CBS head Bill Paley, and Sevigny portrays C.Z. Guest.

An adaptation of Laurence Leamer’s bestselling book Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era, the miniseries is set in the 1970s and ends with Truman Capote’s death in 1984. It chronicles the tale of the famous wunderkind author as he stabs several of his female friends — whom he called his “swans” — in the back by publishing a roman à clef short story called “La Côte Basque 1965” in Esquire in 1975. The piece was intended to be a chapter in Capote’s infamous unfinished novel Answered Prayers, his follow-up to the blockbuster In Cold Blood.

Two-time Oscar nominee Gus Van Sant is set to direct all eight episodes, with Tony- and Pulitzer-nominated Jon Robin Baitz writing all episodes and serving as showrunner.

Baitz, Van Sant and Watts are executive producing Feud: Capote’s Women alongside Murphy, Plan B’s Dede Gardner, Tim Minear and Alexis Martin Woodall — who all executive produced/produced Season 1, titled Feud: Bette and Joan. 20th Television is the studio, producing with Plan B Entertainment and Ryan Murphy Productions. Filming is slated to begin in New York this fall.

Hollander is known for his roles in The Night Manager and Gosford Park, as well as films Pride & Prejudice and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Flockhart, best known for her starring role in Ally McBeal, most recently played Cal Grant on the CW’s Supergirl.

Lane next will be seen opposite Jeff Daniels in Netflix limited series A Man in Full. She most recently starred in FX’s adaptation of Y: The Last Man.

Variety was first to report the castings.

Talk Show Appearance

AIRING Jul 25, 2022

Bryan Cranston.

Bryan Cranston Takes A Line Drive To Shoulder At All-Star Softball, But Rubs Some Dirt On It And Plays On

On Saturday at Dodger Stadium, Cranston was indeed the one knocked, getting hit by a line drive during the All-Star Celebrity Softball game warmups. The event was part of Major League Baseball’s festivities leading up to Tuesday night’s All-Star game at the stadium.

Cranston was struck in the right shoulder by a line drive off the bat of Grammy Award-winner Anthony Ramos as they took batting practice in side-by-side makeshift cages outside the ballpark.

Cranston, 66-years-old, doubled over for a couple minutes, then headed to his nearby trailer.

“It’s definitely going to bruise,” Cranston said later. “I might be more of a cheerleader in this game.”

But showing the grit that has made him a star, Cranston later felt well enough to play on the field at Dodger Stadium. He took a called third strike and feigned an argument with the umpire.

Cranston played for the Los Angeles team, which lost to Brooklyn 15-13. Former San Francisco Giants star Hunter Pence hit two home runs for Brooklyn and was repeatedly booed by the LA crowd.

Baseball is a passion for Cranston. He has appeared at several games for the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, He and Breaking Bad costar Aaron Paul plan to throw a ceremonial first pitch there July 30.

‘Your Honor’ To End After Season 2, Bryan Cranston Says

Your Honor originated as a limited series but, following its breakout ratings success, it was renewed for a 10-episode second season last year. Peter Moffat, who served as writer, executive producer and showrunner of the first season, opted not to return because he lives in the UK and wanted to stay close to family. David Manson was then brought on as showrunner, he subsequently also left and was succeeded by Hartstone this past spring.

“I am [currently] preparing for the second and last season of Your Honor, which is a limited series that I did for Showtime,” Cranston said. “As they tell me, it got higher ratings than any other series they’ve ever had — and so, one more season of that.”

Showtime had no comment on Cranston’s comments.

In the series, Cranston stars as Michael Desiato, a respected New Orleans judge whose teenage son is involved in a hit-and-run that leads to a high-stakes game of lies, deceit and impossible choices.

Season 1, which was based on the Israeli series Kvodo created by Ron Ninio and Shlomo Mashiach, became the most-watched debut season on Showtime ever with 6.6 million weekly viewers.

Your Honor is produced by CBS Studios in association with KingSize Productions. The series is executive produced by Moffat, Robert and Michelle King and Liz Glotzer. Cranston and James Degus executive produce for Moonshot Entertainment. Rob Golenberg, Alon Aranya, Ninio, Mashiach, Ram Landes, Ron Eilon and Danna Stern also serve as executive producers.

Machekanyanga recently guest starred in the two-episode backdoor pilot of The Rookie: Fed and recurred in season 3 of Netflix’s Dear White People. He is repped by Principal Entertainment LA and A3.

Hartstone also served as a writer-produced on another KingSize/CBS Studios series, The Good Fight.

Former Soap Stars To Appear On The Tony Awards

The evening will commemorate Tony Awards history and celebrate 75 years of Broadway excellence. The talented lineup of stars includes Utkarsh Ambudkar, Skylar Astin, Zach Braff, Danielle Brooks, Danny Burstein, Len Cariou, RuPaul Charles, Jessica Chastain, Lilli Cooper, Bryan Cranston, Wilson Cruz, Colman Domingo, Anthony Edwards, Cynthia Erivo, Raúl Esparza, Laurence Fishburne, Andrew Garfield, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Tony Goldwyn, David Alan Grier, Vanessa Hudgens, Jennifer Hudson, Paris Jackson, Prince Jackson, Samuel L Jackson, Nathan Lane, Telly Leung, Judith Light, Josh Lucas, Gaten Matarazzo, Ruthie Ann Miles, Patina Miller, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bebe Neuwirth, Kelli O’Hara, Sarah Paulson, Bernadette Peters, Jeremy Pope, Billy Porter, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Chita Rivera, Tony Shalhoub, Phillipa Soo, Sarah Silverman, George Takei, Aaron Tveit, Adrienne Warren, Patrick Wilson and Bowen Yang.

Emmy Award winners Darren Criss and Julianne Hough will co-host THE TONY AWARDS: ACT ONE, an hour of exclusive content streaming live only on Paramount+*, Sunday, June 12 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/4:00-5:00 PM, PT), prior to the live broadcast of the Tony Awards on CBS. Criss and Hough will kick off the evening celebrating the 2022 Tony Awards, which includes exciting performances and bestowing multiple honors throughout the hour.

Immediately following, Academy Award winner and Tony nominee Ariana DeBose will host THE 75TH ANNUAL TONY AWARDS, airing live coast-to-coast (8:00-11:00 PM, LIVE ET/5:00-8:00 PM, LIVE PT) on the CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+*.

Cynthia Watros & Laura Wright Interview 6/8/22

Talk Show Appearance

Tu 6/14: Bryan Cranston

Elizabeth Mitchell guests on FBI: International 5/24/22

Teri Polo guests on NCIS 5/23/22

GUEST CAST: Teri Polo (Vivian Kolchak), Erik Passoja (FBI Deputy Director Wayne Sweeney), Jene Bush (Frank Ressler AKA Birdwatcher), Jessica Gardner (Olivia Kahn), Francis X. McCarthy (Roman Parker).

Robin Givens Mockumentary ‘The Nana Project’ Adds Sierra McCormick, Morgan Fairchild, Katie Sarife & More

Set primarily at Timeless Acres Retirement Home, the film follows a documentary crew who develop an interest in one of its star residents—feisty chess master Helen “Nana” Lewis (Ruehl). With the help of her friends Jennifer (Whelan), Francesca (Fairchild), Jack (Todd), Esther (Tilton), Kitty (Beth Broderick), Gladys (Margaret Avery) and Lisa (Hiraizumi), Nana begins training for an upcoming chess tournament. She plans on dominating the competition but her real plan involves reuniting her estranged grandsons, Andrew (Gould), a dedicated veterinary student, and Cody (Peltz), a flashy male model and influencer. Olivia d’Abo (The Wonder Years), Eddie Steeples (My Name is Earl), and Mike Manning (This Is Us) will round out the cast.

Eric Ulloa (Jekyll and Hyde), Anthony Del Negro (The Girl in the Window) and 12-time Tony Award winner Carl Moellenberg (Wakefield) wrote the script. The latter is also producing on behalf of Flamingo Films alongside Del Negro, with production set to kick off later this month.

McCormick is represented by Management Production Entertainment and Innovative Artists; Todd by manager Jeff Goldberg and Defining Artists Agency; Sarife by Link Entertainment and Innovative Artists; Hiraizumi by Link Entertainment; Fairchild by Pinnacle Theatrical Talent; Whelan by Luber Roklin Entertainment and Innovative Artists; D’Abo by APA; Steeples by Jackson Entertainment Management and Del Shaw Moonves; Broderick by Mavrick Artists Agency; and Avery by Ideal Talent Agency.

Bryan Cranston Announced Voices New Yosemite Virtual-Reality Experience

The Breaking Bad and Trumbo star will voice the cinematic journey through one of America’s first National Parks.

“I’ve always felt a strong sense of adventure,” said Cranston. “From a young age I wanted to explore and experience all that this world had to offer. I’ve traveled to a lot of incredible places. But when I first saw Yosemite … my mind was blown. I was awestruck by its natural beauty and felt that everyone in the world should experience it. This experience is the next best thing … it majestically captures Yosemite from discovery to sustaining its natural wonder.”

Produced by CityLights, Experience Yosemite ushers in a new multisensory cinematic experience, communicating the ancient art of storytelling through a deeper, more powerful medium, intimately connecting viewers with this awe-inspiring place. The project details the park’s rich history, taking viewers from its native heritage through the groundbreaking work of John Muir and Ansel Adams to the natural beauty that continues to inspire thousands of visitors each year. The experience utilizes cutting-edge photogrammetry that was shot using advanced climbing and hiking techniques, as drones are not allowed within the National Park systems.

Written by Gabriel Gavigan and directed by Joel Newton with VR development led by Louis Silverstein, Experience Yosemite is produced by Garland Hunt Jr., Joel Newton and Greg Downing, alongside executive producers David Ganek, Bart Gavigan, and Jeffrey Travis.

The experience will be open this summer at the Positron VR Theater at Yosemite Cinema in Oakhurst, just south of the park.

‘Jerry And Marge Go Large’ Premiere Date, First-Look Photos: Bryan Cranston & Annette Bening Lead Paramount+ Comedy

Jerry and Marge Go Large is inspired by the remarkable true story of retiree Jerry Selbee (Cranston), who discovers a mathematical loophole in the Massachusetts lottery and, with the help of his wife, Marge (Bening), wins millions, using the money to revive their small Michigan town. The film from Paramount Players and MRC Film’s Landline Pictures, Gil Netter and Levantine Films also stars Larry Wilmore, Rainn Wilson, Anna Camp, Ann Harada, Jake McDorman, Michael McKean and Uly Schlesinger.

Netter, Tory Metzger and Renee Witt from Levantine Films developed and packaged the film based on the original article by Jason Fagone for The Huffington Post. Academy Award winner David Frankel (Marley and Me, The Devil Wears Prada) directed from a script by Emmy nominee Brad Copeland (Arrested Development), with Academy Award nominee Netter (The Blind Side, Life of Pi) and Levantine Films (Hidden Figures) producing alongside Amy Baer via MRC Film’s Landline Pictures. Pic is the latter label’s first production.

Check out the first-look photos from Jerry and Marge Go Large here: Pic1, Pic2, Pic3, Pic4.

‘NCIS’: ‘The Fosters’ Alumna Teri Polo Joins CBS Drama Series

Polo will play Vivian Kolchak, NCIS Special Agent Alden Parker’s (Cole) ex-wife, and a former FBI agent who left the FBI following their divorce and took a Defense Department job as a paranormal investigator.

Polo will guest star in the Season 19 finale and return as recurring in the upcoming 20th season.

NCIS stars Sean Murray, Wilmer Valderrama, Brian Dietzen, Diona Reasonover and Katrina Law, with David McCallum, Rocky Carroll and Cole.

Cole helped fill the void left by the exit of Mark Harmon in Season 19’s fourth episode.

Steven D. Binder, Chas. Floyd Johnson, Mark Horowitz, Mark Harmon, Scott Williams, David North and Donald P. Bellisario serve as executive producers. NCIS is produced by Belisarius Productions in association with CBS Studios.

Polo was most recently a lead in The Big Leap, which aired for one season on Fox. She previously starred in Freeform’s The Fosters and continues to recur on its spinoff Good Trouble. Polo is maybe best known for her role as Robert De Niro’s daughter, Pam Byrnes, in the Meet the Parents film series. Her recent feature work includes JL Ranch and JL Family Ranch 2 opposite Jon Voight, Outlaws and Angels opposite Chad Michael Murray, and Author’s Anonymous with Kaley Cuoco and Chris Klein. Polo is repped by Gersh and manager Bob McGowan.

Bryan Cranston & Aaron Paul Confirmed To Reprise ‘Breaking Bad’ Roles In Final Season Of ‘Better Call Saul’

It’s now official: Cranston and Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman in Better Call Saul predecessor Breaking Bad will be back.

Co-creator Peter Gould unveiled the news at a Paleyfest event and AMC confirmed the news, noting ‘They’re coming back’.

Cranston and Pinkman played White and Pinkman in five seasons of the drug dealing drama as well as Netflix feature film El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, which was released in 2019.

Earlier in the day, Jonathan Banks, who plays Mike Ehrmantruat, when asked whether Cranston would return, deadpanned to Deadline’s Pete Hammond, “Why would you want him to? I mean, talk about a really overrated actor.”

Odenkirk added, “Please make sure he knows John said that.”

The sixth and final season of Better Call Saul is broken into two parts. It kicks off on April 18 and runs until late May, before picking up again in early July.

“Even though I know what happens [in the end], I don’t think it’s hit me,” Odenkirk said about wrapping up as the slippery lawyer Saul Goodman, “I think I’ll have to watch it with everyone else, and that’s when it will hit me.”

“It’s the Rubik’s cube from hell,” added Gould about getting the final season of the drama series right for the fans, “It’s incredibly challenging and intimidating, but starting the show was the same thing.”

Dishing with Digest - 4/1/22 - Susan Walters

Elizabeth Mitchell guests on FBI: International

GUEST CAST includes: Elizabeth Mitchell (Angela Cassidy), Jeremy Xido (Detective Kripo Adler), Gabriel Olds (Michael Vestal).

Elizabeth Mitchell To Return As Mrs. Claus For ‘The Santa Clause’ Disney+ Limited Series

In the The Santa Clause (w/t), Scott Calvin is on the brink of his 65th birthday and realizing that he can’t be Santa forever. He’s starting to lose a step in his Santa duties, and more importantly, he’s got a family who could benefit from a life in the normal world, especially his two kids who have grown up at the Pole. With a lot of elves, children, and family to please, Scott sets out to find a suitable replacement Santa while preparing his family for a new adventure in a life south of the pole.

Mitchell first appeared as Carol in the 2002 film The Santa Clause 2. In the sequel, Allen’s character must find a Mrs. Claus to continue being the jolly, red holiday icon. In 2006 Mitchell returned for The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, where Santa deals with a conniving Jack Frost played by Martin Short.

Burditt and Allen will executive produce alongside, Kevin Hench, Richard Baker and Rick Messina. The Disney Branded Television series is a production of 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios.

Mitchell, known for her roles on ABC’s Lost and Once Upon a Time and NBC’s Revolution, recurs on the second season of Netflix’s Outer Banks and is set as a lead in the streamer’s upcoming vampire drama First Kill produced by Emma Roberts. Mitchell, who recently joined Ellen Burstyn, James Caan, and Ann-Margret in Queen Bees and starred in and produced the SXSW indie feature, Witch Hunt, is repped by Link Entertainment and APA.

Elizabeth Mitchell Joins CBS’ ‘FBI: International’ As Recurring

From executive producer Dick Wolf, FBI: International follows the elite operatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s International Fly Team, led by Scott Forrester (Luke Kleintank). Headquartered in Budapest, they travel the world with the mission of tracking and neutralizing threats against American citizens wherever they may be, relying on intelligence, quick thinking and pure brawn as they put their lives on the line to protect the U.S. and its people.

Mitchell, who will first appear in a February episode, will play Angela Cassidy. She is Scott Forrester’s (Kleintank) long lost mother who worked for the U.S. government before selling information to the Russians.

The series, which has received a full-season order, also stars Heida Reed, Carter Redwood, Vinessa Vidotto and Christiane Paul. Dick Wolf, Derek Haas, Matt Olmstead, Michael Katleman, Arthur Forney and Peter Jankowski are the executive producers. The series is produced by Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with CBS Studios.

Mitchell, probably best known for her roles on ABC’s Lost and Once Upon a Time and NBC’s Revolution, recurs on the second season of Netflix’s popular original series Outer Banks and is set as a lead in Netflix’s upcoming vampire drama First Kill produced by Emma Roberts. Mitchell, who recently joined Ellen Burstyn, James Caan, and Ann-Margret in Queen Bees and starred in and produced the SXSW indie feature, Witch Hunt, is repped by Link Entertainment and APA.

‘Bull’ To End With Season 6 On CBS

The end of Bull was confirmed by CBS.

“For six seasons, Bull has established itself as a ratings winner with its fresh take on the judicial process never before seen on television,” the network said in a statement. “We extend our thanks to the talented cast, Michael Weatherly, Geneva Carr, Yara Martinez, Jaime Lee Kirchner, Christopher Jackson, MacKenzie Meehan, the incredible creative team led by Kathryn Price and Nichole Millard, and our hardworking crew, for bringing to life these innovative stories. We also thank our loyal viewers and look forward to providing them with a final run of compelling episodes filled with the humor, intelligence and twists that have made the drama a fan favorite.”

Bull has had a rollercoaster run. The series, headlined by NCIS fan favorite Weatherly, got off to a hot start, becoming an instant ratings hit. Six seasons in, it has remained a solid performer, drawing audiences in three different time slots, most recently at Thursday 10 PM this season.

But Weatherly early on became the center of a controversy over sexual harassment allegations made by former co-star Eliza Dushku. Showrunner Glenn Gordon Caron and original cast member Freddy Rodriguez left last season following a workplace investigation.

Created by Phil McGraw and Paul Attanasio and inspired by McGraw’s early career, Bull follows the employees at Trial Analysis Corporation, a jury-consulting firm headed by Dr. Jason Bull (Weatherly), a psychologist and trial-science expert.

“It’s been my privilege to play Dr Jason Bull but after 6 Seasons of incredible storylines, I’ve decided it’s time to pursue new creative challenges and bring his story to a close,” Weatherly said on Twitter. “It has been an honor to work with this talented cast, crew, and writing/producing team who helped reinvent the legal drama. Stay tuned for a big series finish.”

Lisa LoCicero is Filming a Movie in Montana!

In making her announcement, LoCicero posted a selfie of her all bundled up in a red knit hat, beige scarf, winter parka, and sunglasses, with a beautiful clear blue sky, a majestic mountain, and a pair of horses behind her. “Shooting a film in Montana,” the soap veteran wrote. “As cold as it is beautiful!”

Unfortunately, LoCicero did not divulge any details about the film that she is working on in the Big Sky Country. But GH fans probably don’t need to worry that the new project will take her away from Port Charles — or the important storyline the soap recently launched with Olivia and Ned’s son, Leo, being diagnosed with autism. In fact, the soap is rather supportive when its cast members want to dabble in other projects, like when Josh Swickard (Chase) filmed the A California Christmas movies for Netflix with his wife, Lauren.

Since joining the GH cast in 2008 as Sonny’s teenage sweetheart, LoCicero herself has worked on several other films and television shows. while continuing to play in Port Charles. She guest-starred in a 2010 episode of BONES, on CHUCK and RIZZOLI & ISLES in 2011, on NCIS in 2019, and appeared in several short films. LoCicero also starred in the upcoming indie film Unto Others, which is currently in post-production

As for the film that has her on location in Montana, LoCicero noted in her hashtags that she was “grateful” for the opportunity as a middle-aged actress. “It’s such a gift to spend some time out of your usual routine,” she concluded. “New challenges, new delights, new people… one of my favorite parts of being an actor.”

Debbi Morgan guests on the season finale on Our Kind of People 1/25/22

Cast: Yaya DaCosta as Angela Vaughn; Morris Chestnut as Raymond Dupont; Joe Morton as Teddy Franklin; Nadine Ellis as Leah Franklin-Dupont; Lance Gross as Tyrique Chapman; Alana Bright as Nikki Vaughn; Rhyon Nicole Brown as Lauren Dupont; Kyle Bary as Quincy Dupont

Guest Cast: Debbi Morgan as Aunt Piggy; L. Scott Caldwell as Olivia Dupont; McKinley Freeman as Nate; Nicole Chanel Williams as Taylor

Debbi Morgan guests on Our Kind of People 1/18/22

Cast: Yaya DaCosta as Angela Vaughn; Morris Chestnut as Raymond Dupont; Joe Morton as Teddy Franklin; Nadine Ellis as Leah Franklin-Dupont; Lance Gross as Tyrique Chapman; Alana Bright as Nikki Vaughn; Rhyon Nicole Brown as Lauren Dupont; Kyle Bary as Quincy Dupont

Guest Cast: Debbi Morgan as Aunt Piggy; L. Scott Caldwell as Olivia Dupont; McKinley Freeman as Nate; Nicole Chanel Williams as Taylor

Debbi Morgan guests on Our Kind Of People 1/11/22

Cast: Yaya DaCosta as Angela Vaughn; Morris Chestnut as Raymond Dupont; Joe Morton as Teddy Franklin; Nadine Ellis as Leah Franklin-Dupont; Lance Gross as Tyrique Chapman; Alana Bright as Nikki Vaughn; Rhyon Nicole Brown as Lauren Dupont; Kyle Bary as Quincy Dupont

Guest Cast: Debbi Morgan as Aunt Piggy; L. Scott Caldwell as Olivia Dupont; McKinley Freeman as Nate; Nicole Chanel Williams as Taylor.

Debbi Morgan guests on Our Kind Of People 12/7/21

Cast: Yaya DaCosta as Angela Vaughn; Morris Chestnut as Raymond Dupont; Joe Morton as Teddy Franklin; Nadine Ellis as Leah Franklin-Dupont; Lance Gross as Tyrique Chapman; Alana Bright as Nikki Vaughn; Rhyon Nicole Brown as Lauren Dupont; Kyle Bary as Quincy Dupont

Guest Cast: Debbi Morgan as Aunt Piggy; L. Scott Caldwell as Olivia Dupont; McKinley Freeman as Nate; Nicole Chanel Williams as Taylor.

Debbi Morgan guests on Our Kind Of People 11/30/21

Cast: Yaya DaCosta as Angela Vaughn; Morris Chestnut as Raymond Dupont; Joe Morton as Teddy Franklin; Nadine Ellis as Leah Franklin-Dupont; Lance Gross as Tyrique Chapman; Alana Bright as Nikki Vaughn; Rhyon Nicole Brown as Lauren Dupont; Kyle Bary as Quincy Dupont

Guest Cast: Debbi Morgan as Aunt Piggy; L. Scott Caldwell as Olivia Dupont; Melissa De Sousa as Alex Rivera; McKinley Freeman as Nate; Nicole Chanel Williams as Taylor

‘Extrapolations’: Edward Norton, Indira Varma, Keri Russell, Cherry Jones & Michael Gandolfini Join Apple TV+ Drama

They will appear alongside Meryl Streep, Sienna Miller, Kit Harington, Tahar Rahim, Matthew Rhys, Daveed Diggs, Gemma Chan, David Schwimmer and Adarsh Gourav. Forest Whitaker, Marion Cotillard, Tobey Maguire and Eiza Gonzalez have also recently joined the Extrapolations cast.

The series, currently in production, tells stories of how the upcoming changes to the planet will affect love, faith, work and family on a personal and human scale. Told over a season of eight interconnected episodes, each story in the scripted series will track the worldwide battle for our mutual survival spanning the 21st century.

It comes from Michael Ellenberg’s Media Res with Burns as writer, director and exec producer. Ellenberg, Greg Jacobs, Dorothy Fortenberry and Lindsey Springer also exec produce.

Norton plays scientist Jonathan Chopin, Varma plays inventor Gita Mishra and Russell plays Olivia Drew, a gun for hire. Jones plays President fo the United States Elizabeth Burdick and Gandolfini plays Rowan Chopin, Jonathan’s son, a computer programmer.

Extrapolations hails from Michael Ellenberg’s Media Res with Scott Z. Burns as writer, director and executive producer. Ellenberg, Greg Jacobs, Dorothy Fortenberry and Lindsey Springer also serve as executive producers.

Norton most recently appeared in the latest Wes Anderson film, The French Dispatch, and is set to star in Knives Out 2. Varma appeared in HBO’s Game of Thrones and ABC’s For Life, she is set to join Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi series.

Russell can be see in Scott Cooper’s horror thriller Antlers and can next be seen in Elizabeth Banks’ Cocaine Bear. Jones recently appeared in Succession and has joined the cast for Five Days At Memorial, also an Apple series. Lastly, Gandolfini starred in The Many Saints of Newark taking a young Tony Soprano, the role originated by late father James Gandolfini. He is set to appear in Cat Person.

Norton is repped by UTA. Varma is repped by Dalzell and Beresford in the UK and The Gersh Agency and Principal Entertainment in the US. Russell is repped by WME, Burstein Company, Sloane, Offer, Weber and Dern and Viewpoint. Jones is repped by Scott Henderson at WME. Gandolfini is repped by WME, Sloane Offer, and Relevant.

Patrick Mulcahey Interview 11/11/21

Patrick has written for Another World (briefly), Texas, Guiding Light (twice), Loving, Santa Barbara, General Hospital and The Bold and the Beautiful, two short-lived primetime series, and two Movies of the Week. Patrick earned his first Emmy win at Guiding Light working where he was working side by side with Douglas Marland until Douglas left the show. 40 years after his start at Search for Tomorrow, Patrick left The Bold and the Beautiful at the end of 2019 and in his post-soap pandemic shutdown life, he’s writing plays nobody’s seen (no eyeballs in shutdown theaters), submitting to contests nobody’s heard of (won three of them, though), and enjoying the wilds of the North Cascade Mountains in Washington state, where he lives quietly and happily with his husband, who’s also named Patrick Mulcahey, to the amusement of everyone but the TSA. (In Patrick's words)

Debbi Morgan guests on Our Kind Of People 11/16/21

Cast: Yaya DaCosta as Angela Vaughn; Morris Chestnut as Raymond Dupont; Joe Morton as Teddy Franklin; Nadine Ellis as Leah Franklin-Dupont; Lance Gross as Tyrique Chapman; Alana Bright as Nikki Vaughn; Rhyon Nicole Brown as Lauren Dupont; Kyle Bary as Quincy Dupont

Guest Cast: Debbi Morgan as Aunt Piggy; L. Scott Caldwell as Olivia Dupont; Melissa De Sousa as Alex Rivera; McKinley Freeman as Nate; Nicole Chanel Williams as Taylor

Rebecca Staab Interview 11/3/21

Debbi Morgan guests on Our Kind Of people 11/9/21

Cast: Yaya DaCosta as Angela Vaughn; Morris Chestnut as Raymond Dupont; Joe Morton as Teddy Franklin; Nadine Ellis as Leah Franklin-Dupont; Lance Gross as Tyrique Chapman; Alana Bright as Nikki Vaughn; Rhyon Nicole Brown as Lauren Dupont; Kyle Bary as Quincy Dupont

Guest Cast: Debbi Morgan as Aunt Piggy; L. Scott Caldwell as Olivia Dupont; Melissa De Sousa as Alex Rivera; McKinley Freeman as Nate; Nicole Chanel Williams as Taylor

Netflix Nature Series ‘Animal’ Gets Release Date; Narrators Include Bryan Cranston, Rashida Jones, Rebel Wilson & Pedro Pascal

The show follows eight families of the natural world, including a mother lioness, a wild dog family, a kangaroo joey and a young giant pacific octopus. Each episode has a high-profile narrator who will bring to life the subjects, said the streamer, they are: Bryan Cranston, Rashida Jones, Rebel Wilson and Pedro Pascal.

The project was almost entirely shot during the pandemic, meaning the team used local camera operators to film in countries that were inaccessible due to travel restrictions.

Series two of the show has already been greenlit by Netflix and will feature narrators including Andy Serkis, Anthony Mackie, David Harbour and Uzo Aduba and will focus on dolphins, bears, birds of prey and apes. That season will premiere in 2022.

The series is produced by Plimsoll’s Anuschka Schofield, Adrian Seymour, Alex Minton and Rob Morgan. Bill Markham is Series Producer, Martha Holmes and Tom Hugh-Jones serve as Executive Producers. Frances Casey serves as Line Producer and Production Managers are Stella Stylianos and Rachel Norman.

Search for Tomorrow Reunion 10/15/21

Maree has been a working actress for over 60+ years and is knowns to daytime audiences for her roles on Search, General Hospital and Port Charles (Charlene Simpson), Passions (Mona) and Days of Our Lives (Marie Horton). She is best known to movie audiences for roles in Beetlejuice, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and The Wedding Singer. As Maree puts it, "In my on-going 60+year career as a working actress, pottery continues to save my sanity. I live in two worlds, Native American and TV! When I am between gigs, I’m in my pottery studio or the garden, grounding myself by putting my hands into the dirt or clay."

Lisa is also known for her other roles on ABC's Loving as Ava Rescott Forbes Alden Masters and as Lila Hart Roberts Cory Winthrop on NBC's Another World. Lisa has transitioned and has made a successful career selling real estate in New Jersey full time since 2002. She prides herself on her ability to listen to her clients and give them the personal attention they deserve.

Debbi Morgan guests on Our Kind of People 10/19/21

Cast: Yaya DaCosta as Angela Vaughn; Morris Chestnut as Raymond Dupont; Joe Morton as Teddy Franklin; Nadine Ellis as Leah Franklin-Dupont; Lance Gross as Tyrique Chapman; Alana Bright as Nikki Vaughn; Rhyon Nicole Brown as Lauren Dupont; Kyle Bary as Quincy Dupont

Guest Cast: Debbi Morgan as Aunt Piggy; L. Scott Caldwell as Olivia Dupont; Nicole Chanel Williams as Taylor

Dishing with Digest - 9/10/21 - Laura Wright

Louise Shaffer Interview Sept 15

Louise has been an actress since the age of 15 and is a graduate of the Yale Drama School. She has appeared on numerous daytime soaps including The Edge of Night, Search for Tomorrow and on Ryan’s Hope playing Rae Woodard, a role that earned her a Daytime Emmy Award.

Louise returned to her first love of writing and began a successful second career when she found herself as an unemployed actress in her mid-forties. She began writing scripts for daytime soaps, but soon followed her dream and wrote her first novel, The Three Miss Margarets published by Random House. It was followed by The Ladies of Garrison Gardens, Family Acts, Serendipity and Looking For A Love Story.

Yaya DaCosta debuts & Debbi Morgan guests in 'Our Kind of People' 9/21/21

Cast: Yaya DaCosta as Angela Vaughn; Morris Chestnut as Raymond Dupont; Joe Morton as Teddy Franklin; Nadine Ellis as Leah Franklin-Dupont; Lance Gross as Tyrique Chapman; Alana Bright as Nikki Vaughn; Rhyon Nicole Brown as Lauren Dupont; Kyle Bary as Quincy Dupont

Guest Cast: Debbi Morgan as Patricia “Aunt Piggy” Williams; L. Scott Caldwell as Olivia Dupont; Nicole Chanel Williams as Taylor Woods; Raven Goodwin as Josephine

Teri Polo debuts in The Big Leap 9/20/21

Cast: Scott Foley as Nick Blackburn; Simone Recasner as Gabby; Teri Polo as Julia; Ser’Darius Blain as Reggie Sadler; Piper Perabo as Paula; Ray Cham as Justin; Kevin Daniels as Wayne; Mallory Jansen as Monica; Jon Rudnitsky as Mike; Anna Grace Barlow as Brittney Lovewell

‘Your Honor’ Renewed For Season 2 By Showtime, Bryan Cranston Set To Return

Showtime brass had been hopeful about a second installment of Your Honor in the wake of the breakout ratings performance for the limited series, which quickly became the most-watched debut season on the network ever (6.6 million weekly viewers) and is currently the network’s most-watched series. But, like with HBO’s Big Little Lies, it was a tricky proposition as the limited series was based on source material, in this case, the Israeli series Kvodocreated by Ron Ninio and Shlomo Mashiach.

“We were blown away by Your Honor … by the power of Peter’s storytelling, by the depth of Bryan’s performance, and by the overwhelming reaction from our subscribers who watched in record numbers,” said Gary Levine, President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks. “Imagine our delight when we learned that Peter believed he had more story to tell and Bryan felt he had more depths to plumb. So, along with its millions of fans, I am gleefully shouting ‘Encore!’”

Your Honor is produced by CBS Studios in association with KingSize Productions. In addition to Moffat, the series is executive produced by Robert and Michelle King and Liz Glotzer. Cranston and James Degus executive produce for Moonshot Entertainment. Rob Golenberg, Alon Aranya, Ninio, Mashiach, Ram Landes, Ron Eilon and Danna Stern also serve as executive producers. Filming on Season 2 is slated to begin next year for a 2022 premiere.

Season one of Your Honor also starred Michael Stuhlbarg as Jimmy Baxter, the much-feared head of a crime family, Hope Davis as his wife, Gina, who might be even more dangerous than her husband, Hunter Doohan, Carmen Ejogo, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and Sofia Black-D’Elia and guest starred Maura Tierney, Amy Landecker, Margo Martindale, Lorraine Toussaint, Benjamin Flores Jr., Chet Hanks, Lamar Johnson and Lilli Kay.

Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart make rare outing with son in Croatia

The couple, who have been summering in the European country, was spotted sightseeing in Dubrovnik with what appeared to be a tour guide. Their youngest son, Liam Flockhart, 20, joined the notoriously private couple for a rare public outing as a family.

One photo shows Ford, 79, receiving a shoulder massage while shirtless on the balcony of the villa where he and his family are staying. Flockhart — who at 56 is 23 years younger than Ford — and Liam were seated at a nearby table.

Ford is currently on hiatus from filming the fifth “Indiana Jones” film due to a shoulder injury. The actor was hurt while rehearsing a fight scene that left production on the film halted for at least three months, as The Post previously reported.

“The film’s bosses have come together to work out the scheduling and it’s chaos,” a production source told The Sun in June. “The earliest they think they can restart the production is September.”

The fifth installment of the “Indiana Jones” franchise is rumored to be Ford’s last time taking on the role.

Liam is Flockhart’s only child. She adopted him one year before she and Ford began dating in 2002, and Ford later formally adopted him as his own. The couple wed in 2010.

Ford has four more adult children from two previous marriages.

Debbi Morgan guests on FANTASY ISLAND 8/24/21

Cast: Roselyn Sanchez as Elena Roarke; Kiara Barnes as Ruby Akuda

Guest Cast: Debbi Morgan as Eileen; Cliff Chamberlain as Charles; Mieko Hillman as Theodora; Rodrigo Rojas as David; Katira Maria as Satnam; Kamori Clark-McGoey as Young Theo; John Gabriel Rodriquez as Javier

‘Fantasy Island’ Adds guest stars Eric Winter, Debbi Morgan & Leslie Jordan

Fox’s follow-up to the classic ABC anthology doesn’t premiere until next month, but we’ve already started getting wind of who has lined up to have their wishes granted on the magical dramedy starring Roselyn Sánchez as Elena Roarke — grand-niece of Ricardo Montalban’s Mr. Roarke. And now, TV Insider can exclusively confirm three more tourists heading for the island.

Call Me Kat‘s Leslie Jordan, a longtime equal-rights advocate who blew up on Instagram in 2020 with his hilarious lockdown posts, will drop in on the eighth episode as the ghost of a shady art dealer named Jasper that gets 24 hours back on Earth to reconnect with the protégé he may have given misguided advice to.

All My Children vet Debbi Morgan (Power and Fox’s upcoming People Like Us) shows up in episode four as Eileen, “a delightful free spirit with elegance, charm and the confidence of someone who has always been the most beautiful and entertaining person in the room.” Unfortunately, Eileen also has a strained relationship with her daughter, which she hopes to mend while vacationing in paradise.

And finally, Roselyn Sánchez’s real-life husband, Eric Winter of The Rookie, is due to have us swooning in episode six as Brian, an athletic and competitive survivalist who dares the island to put him through the “ultimate mental and physical challenge.” Fans of the couple will be aware that Winter was in Puerto Rico with the family while Roselyn began filming, so ya had to know this one was coming. Sánchez even told TV Guide Magazine that she was going to make sure he showed up, which is proof positive that she really is a boss!

The three actors join a number of already-announced guest stars on the reboot. Fantasy Island will be welcoming Prodigal Son‘s Bellamy Young and Bold and the Beautiful‘s Kiara Barnes in the premiere, followed by Dave and Odette Annable (he of Yellowstone, she of Walker) and the give-it-to-us-now reunion of Melrose Place alums Daphne Zuniga, Laura Leighton, and Josie Bissett.

Fantasy Island, Series Premiere, Tuesday, August 10, 9/8c, Fox.

Video: Laura Wright Interview - Celebrating 30 Years in Daytime Television

Laura Wright Interview: Celebrating 30 Years in Daytime Television

HCA TV Awards Nominations

Best Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television MovieBryan Cranston – Your Honor (Showtime)Chris Rock – Fargo (FX)Colman Domingo – Euphoria Two-Part Special (HBO)Hugh Grant – The Undoing (HBO)Joel Edgerton – The Underground Railroad (Amazon Prime Video)Leslie Odom Jr. – Hamilton (Disney+)Paul Bettany – WandaVision (Disney+)

Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television MovieJean Smart – Mare of Easttown (HBO)Jessie Buckley – Fargo (FX)Julianne Nicholson – Mare of Easttown (HBO)Kat Dennings – WandaVision (Disney+)Kathryn Hahn – WandaVision (Disney+)Marielle Heller – The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)Teyonah Parris – WandaVision (Disney+)

Best Actress in a Streaming Series, ComedyKaley Cuoco – The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)Jean Smart – Hacks (HBO Max)Hailee Steinfield – Dickinson (Apple TV+)Cristin Milioti – Made for Love (HBO Max)Renée Elise Goldsberry – Girls5eva (Peacock)

Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, ComedyHannah Einbinder – Hacks (HBO Max)Hannah Waddingham – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)Juno Temple – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)Kaitlin Olson – Hacks (HBO Max)Kathleen Turner – The Kominsky Method (Netflix)Paula Pell – Girls5Eva (Peacock)Rosie Perez – The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)

Best Actor in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, DramaBilly Porter – Pose (FX)Christopher Meloni – Law & Order: Organized Crime (NBC)Freddie Highmore – The Good Doctor (ABC)Jonathan Majors – Lovecraft Country (HBO)Matthew Rhys – Perry Mason (HBO)Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC)

Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series, DramaAlexis Bledel – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)Ann Dowd – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)Gillian Anderson – The Crown (Netflix)Ming-Na Wen – The Mandalorian (Disney+)Samira Wiley – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu)Yvette Nicole Brown – Big Shot (Disney+)Yvonne Strahovski – The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu).

Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Bryan Cranston, Dua Lipa, Samuel L. Jackson, John Cena, Catherine O’Hara Set For New Matthew Vaughn Spy Franchise ‘Argylle’

Argylle, which Vaughn will direct and produce via his banner Marv, will star Henry Cavill, Sam Rockwell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O’Hara, John Cena and Samuel L. Jackson.

Pop star Dua Lipa will make her acting debut on the project and will provide original music for the title track and score.

The film, based on the soon to be launched spy novel Argylle from author Ellie Conway, follows “the world’s greatest spy” ‘Argylle’ as he is caught up in a globe-trotting adventure.

The movie will be the first of at least three films in the franchise and is set in America, London and multiple locations across the world.

Conway’s debut thriller is scheduled to be published in a major launch in 2022 by Transworld Publishers Ltd, a division of Penguin Random House.

Kingsman director-producer Vaughn will direct from a script by Jason Fuchs (Wonder Woman). Vaughn’s regular collaborators Adam Bohling and David Reid will also produce, as well as Fuchs. Zygi Kamasa, Carlos Peres, Claudia Vaughn and Adam Fishbach will serve as executive producers.

Matthew Vaughn commented: “When I read this early draft manuscript I felt it was the most incredible and original spy franchise since Ian Fleming’s books of the 50s. This is going to reinvent the spy genre.”

Zygi Kamasa, CEO of Marv added: “We are delighted that we will be starting our fourth, and by far the biggest, feature film production since the start of the global pandemic. It demonstrates both our desire to scale up our production activity and our ambition to continue to launch new franchises beyond the Kingsman series of films.”

Marv is in post on Tetris, starring Taron Egerton, which it is producing for Apple; Silent Night, directed by Camille Griffin and starring Keira Knightley and Lily-Rose Depp,;and action comedy School Fight, directed by stunt director Damien Walters. The King’s Man, the prequel to the Kingsman movies starring Ralph Fiennes, is scheduled to be released theatrically by Disney in December 2021.

Morgan To Recur on 'Our Kind of People'

Bryan Cranston And Annette Bening To Star in New Paramount+ Movie ‘Jerry And Marge Go Large’

The pic is written by Brad Copeland will be produced by Gil Netter, Levantine Films and executive produced by Kevin Halloran. Amy Baer will also produce via MRC Film’s Landline Pictures, the film is the label’s first production. Netter, Tory Metzger and Renee Witt from Levantine Films developed and packaged the film based on the original article by Jason Fagone for The Huffington Post.

The pic is based on the true story of how retiree Jerry Selbee, who discovers a mathematical loophole in the Massachusetts lottery and, with the help of his wife, Marge, wins $27 million dollars and uses the money to revive their small Michigan town.

Cranston most recently starred in Showtime’s limited series Your Honor, for which also served as executive producer. He is also well known for his portrayals of Walter White on Breaking Bad. On film, Cranston most recently appeared in Disney’s The One and Only Ivan reprised his role as Walter White in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, and starred opposite Kevin Hart and Nicole Kidman in The Upside.

Bening most recently, she appeared in William Nicholson’s Hope Gap opposite Bill Nighy, and Scott Z. Burns’ The Report, opposite Adam Driver, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. Upcoming projects include Death On The Nile, directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh, and Nyad, which will be directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin.

Cranston is repped by UTA and Ziffren Brittenham and Bening is repped by CAA.

Ted King Joins B&B

EW can exclusively reveal that Ted King and Naomi Matsuda have been tapped to play the parents of Dr. John "Finn" Finnegan (Tanner Novlan) on The Bold and Beautiful. King plays Jack and Matsuda is Li.

Jack and Li are coming to town to meet their soon-to-be-born grandchild - the son of Tanner and fan favorite Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood). Viewers will soon learn about Finn's very dramatic backstory.

King, a General Hospital vet, and Matsuda (Tori from Days of Our Lives) began taping June 9. King will appear as Jack first, on July 30, and Matsuda will debut as Li on Aug. 2.

Finn's role was created before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all production last March. Since B&B was the very first scripted series to resume work, Novlan was among the first back on set in June. He's now been on the CBS series for a year as the love interest to the character played by Wood, who just earned her fifth Daytime Emmy nomination. She's already won once.

And if you don't watch B&B but think Novlan looks awfully familiar, it's probably because you've seen him as the bad actor in those knee-slapping Liberty Mutual Insurance commercials.

The Bold and the Beautiful airs weekdays on CBS.

John Gabriel, Actor on ‘Ryan’s Hope,’ Dies at 90

Gabriel’s death was announced on Instagram by his daughter, actress Andrea Gabriel (Lost). “It is with an unspeakably heavy heart that I share the news of my father’s passing,” she wrote. “John Gabriel was my hero, my role model, and my champion, but above all, my daddy. … I will love you forever.”

No details of his death were immediately available.

Gabriel appeared in the John Wayne starrer El Dorado (1966) — and co-wrote the film’s title song with Nelson Riddle — and had a recurring role as WJM-TV sportscaster Andy Rivers on CBS’ The Mary Tyler Moore Show.

He played The Professor on the original pilot for CBS’ Gilligan’s Island, filmed on the Hawaiian island of Kauai in November 1963, but Russell Johnson wound up with the part when the show made it to the air the following September. (Two other actors, Nancy McCarthy and Kit Smythe, were dumped as well.)

“It was the first time in my adult life that I remember weeping,” he once said. “And I think part of that has to do with the fact that I built this thing up to such a degree it was going to be my breakthrough.”

Gabriel portrayed Seneca, chief of staff at New York’s Riverside Hospital, on Ryan’s Hope from 1975 through 1985, then returned as the show was wrapping up in 1988-89. He received an Emmy nomination for outstanding actor in a daytime drama series in 1980.

At the start of the show, Seneca had come to New York in pursuit of his wife, Nell (Diana Van der Vlis), who had left him. After he participated in her mercy killing, he married attorney Jill Coleridge (Nancy Addison Altman), who had defended him in the murder trial.

Gabriel was born on May 25, 1931, in Niagara Falls, New York. His parents owned a grocery store. He acted in plays at UCLA and, after a stint in the U.S. Air Force, was signed to a contract at 20th Century Fox, where he was given small roles in the 1958 films The Young Lions and The Hunters.

He appeared on such TV series as Surfside 6, Hawaiian Eye, 77 Sunset Strip and The Flying Nun and worked on Broadway in The Happy Time — as Robert Goulet’s standby — and Applause before landing on Ryan’s Hope.

‘First Kill’: Netflix’s YA Vampire Drama Series Sets Full Cast

Written by Felicia D. Henderson and best-selling author Victoria “V. E.” Schwab, First Kill is based on a short story by Schwab.

In it, when it’s time for teenage vampire Juliette (Hook) to make her first kill so she can take her place among a powerful vampire family, she sets her sights on a new girl in town named Calliope (Lewis). But much to Juliette’s surprise, Calliope is a vampire hunter, from a family of celebrated slayers. Both find that the other won’t be so easy to kill and, unfortunately, way too easy to fall for…

Hook’s Julliette Fairmont was born a vampire but determined to not be a monster; and Lewis’ Calliope Burns is a fearless, headstrong monster hunter.

The Burns’ (Monster Hunters) cast includes Wise as Talia; Moore as Jack; Goodman as Apollo; and Mullings as Theo.

The Fairmont’s (Vampires) include Mitchell as Margot; Swenson as Sebastian; Dzienny as Elinor and McNamara as Oliver.

Also cast in the series are MK xyz as Tess, Jonas Dylan Allen as Ben and Roberto Mendez as Noah.

Mitchell just wrapped the role of lead antagonist on Season 2 of Netflix’s Outer Banks. Mitchell previously recurred on Season 3 of Syfy’s The Expanse and was a series regular on Freeform’s Dead of Summer, NBC’s Revolution, and ABC’s V. She also headlines the recent SXSW feature Witch Hunt.

Henderson, who serves as showrunner, executive produces alongside creator Schwab as well as Emma Roberts and Karah Preiss through Belletrist Productions.

Wise portrayed the roles of Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds in Hamilton on Broadway. On television, Aubin starred in the ABC Studios pilot The Finest and plays Jayde in FX’s Atlanta.

Moore previously starred as Curtis Hoyle for two seasons on Marvel’s The Punisher.

Goodman can be seen in Netflix’s upcoming movie He’s All That set for release later this year. He previously co-starred in FX’s Better Things and will be appearing on TNT’s Animal Kingdom this summer.

Mullings’ recent acting credits include BET’s American Soul, TBS’ Chad, and Tyler Perry’s Bruh.

Swenson’s Broadway credits include the role of Berger in Hair and Inspector Javert in Les Miserables among others. His TV work includes The Bite for Spectrum Originals, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and the upcoming Hit & Run on Netflix.

Dzienny can currently be seen as Ruby Red in the Netflix superhero drama, Jupiter’s Legacy. She was previously a series regular in CBS drama Zoo, and appeared opposite Hailee Steinfeld in the Paramount Pictures Transformers prequel, Bumblebee.

McNamara previously starred in the film Ambition directed by Bob Shaye, and recurred on LA’s Finest. He’ll next be seen in indie feature Survival.

Newcomers Méndez and Allen are making their series acting debuts in First Kill.

MK xyz released singles “Lost” and “Pass It” featuring G-Easy in 2020. This year she released her debut EP and has a featured role in the new Beyoncé x Adidas#ImpossibleIsNothing national campaign spot.

Richard Steinmetz Joins the Cast of DAYS OF OUR LIVES

Steinmetz made his daytime debut back in 1988 playing Jeff Hartman on ABC soap LOVING, but he was probably best known to soap fans for playing Martin Fitzgerald on PASSIONS from 2004-06. In 2012, the actor joined the cast of GENERAL HOSPITAL for a three-month run as the villainous Joe Scully Jr. Viewers might also recognize him from appearances in primetime series like MELROSE PLACE, SILK STALKINGS, CROSSING JORDAN, COLD CASE, MONK, and BETTER THINGS.

Although most soaps tape about a month ahead, DAYS is usually a little further ahead than that, so if Steinmetz is first reporting to the set on May 25, it could be well into July before we see him on screen. But keep checking back at SoapsInDepth.com for further updates as to when his first airdate might be and what character he might be bringing to Salem. (Because until we know that, we have no idea which storyline he’ll be bringing the drama to!)

Teri Polo drama set for fall launch on FOX

THE BIG LEAP is a modern tale about second chances, chasing your dreams and taking back what’s yours. From creator/executive producer Liz Heldens (“The Passage,” “Friday Night Lights”), director/executive producer Jason Winer (“Modern Family”) and executive producer Sue Naegle (“The Plot Against America”), the show revolves around a group of diverse, down-on-their-luck characters attempting to change their lives by participating in a potentially life-ruining reality dance show that builds to a live production of “Swan Lake.” On the heels of his latest show failure and a stressful divorce, producer NICK BLACKBURN (Scott Foley, “Scandal”) reluctantly signs on to produce “The Big Leap,” a brand-new contest series filming in Motor City. The show, which brings together dancers from every age, background and body type, is the brainchild of aging dancer WAYNE FONTAINE (Kevin Daniels, “Modern Family”). With choreographer MONICA SULLIVAN (Mallory Jansen, “Galavant”) on board to help Nick mount the production, he begins his search for not only the best dancers, but also the ones that could stir up the most drama. GABBY LEWIS (newcomer Simone Recasner), once dreamt of becoming a professional dancer, but her dreams were sidelined when she got pregnant right out of high school. In the midst of the monotony that is her 9-to-5 office job, she stumbles upon “The Big Leap,” reigniting her passion for dance. Auditioning alongside Gabby is JUSTIN REYES (Raymond Cham Jr., “Five Points”), Gabby’s former dance partner and high school boyfriend…that is, until he came out of the closet (to the surprise of no one, except Gabby). Their fellow contestants include REGGIE SADLER (Ser’Darius Blain, “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”), a famous pro football champ whom Nick believes could give the show the star power and controversy it needs to break through; BRITTNEY LOVEWELL (Anna Grace Barlow, “The Goldbergs”), a born-and-bred hyper-competitive ballroom dancer paired with her twin brother; unemployed autoworker MIKE DEVRIES (Jon Rudnitsky, “Catch-22”), whose gradual unraveling recently led his wife, to leave him; PAULA CLARK (Piper Perabo, “Covert Affairs,” “Coyote Ugly”), a high-powered corporate executive; and former ballerina JULIA PERKINS (Teri Polo, “Meet the Parents” franchise), now a social-media-obsessed mom who focuses more on her Instagram than on her teenage girls or husband; Inspired by a U.K. reality format, THE BIG LEAP is an innovative show-within-a-show that takes viewers on a journey of self-acceptance, body-positivity and empowerment at any age.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: 20th Television, FOX Entertainment
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/WRITER: Liz Heldens
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Jason Winer
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Sue Naegle
CAST: Scott Foley as Nick Blackburn, Simone Recasner as Gabby Lewis, Ser’Darius Blain as Reggie Sadler, Jon Rudnitsky as Mike Devries, Raymond Cham Jr. as Justin Reyes, Mallory Jansen as Monica Sullivan, Kevin Daniels as Wayne Fontaine, Anna Grace Barlow as Brittney Lovewell, with Piper Perabo as Paula Clark, and Teri Polo as Julia Perkins

‘Five Days At Memorial’: Cherry Jones Joins Apple’s Limited Series From John Ridley & Carlton Cuse

Written by Ridley and Cuse based on the acclaimed nonfiction book by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Sheri Fink, Five Days at Memorial chronicles the first five days in a New Orleans hospital after Hurricane Katrina made landfall. When the floodwaters rose, the power failed and the heat climbed, exhausted caregivers were forced to make life-and-death decisions that haunted them for years to come.

Jones will play Susan Mulderick, a hospital nursing director and head of the emergency preparedness committee, who becomes the designated incident commander for Hurricane Katrina. Farmiga plays Dr. Anna Pou, the doctor on duty at Memorial when the storm hit.

The cast of the limited series also includes Adepero Oduye, Cornelius Smith Jr. and Julie Ann Emery.

Five Days at Memorial is written and executive produced by Ridley and Cuse, and both will serve as directors on the limited series. ABC Signature is the studio. Author Fink will serve as producer.

Jones, a three-time Emmy winner for 24, The Handmaid’s Tale and Succession, recently co-starred in another Apple TV+ limited series, Defending Jacob. She will next be seen in the feature The Sky is Everywhere. Jones is repped by WME.

Guiding Light Chat - Mart Hulswit and Fran Myers 5/13/21

‘The Big Leap’ Ballet Dramedy Starring Scott Foley & Teri Polo Picked Up To Series By Fox

The ballet-themed dramedy, which I hear has received a 10-episode order, had been an internal favorite. The pilot was met with enthusiastic reception by Fox executives which has been compared to the reaction at the network to the Glee pilot more than a decade ago. The pickup completes The Big Leap‘s six-year journey to the screen.

Written by Heldens inspired by the UK reality series Big Ballet, The Big Leap is described as a modern tale about second chances, chasing your dreams and taking back what’s yours. The show revolves around a group of diverse, down-on-their-luck characters attempting to change their lives by participating in a potentially life-ruining reality dance show that builds to a live production of Swan Lake. What this group of underdogs lack in dance training, they make up for with their edge, wit and desire to reimagine an iconic story to fit their own mold.

Winder directed the pilot for The Big Leap, whose cast also includes Simone Recasner, Ser’Darius Blain, Raymond Cham Jr., Jon Rudnitsky, Kevin Daniels and Mallory Jansen.

This marks the second 2020 Fox pilot to go to series, joining comedy This Country.

Delayed by the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020, production of The Big Leap pilot in Chicago was disrupted in mid-December when filming was paused due to positive Covid-19 cases. Because of the pending holidays and the big winter wave of infections that swept the country, production on the pilot did not resume until February.

There was talk after the December shutdown about possibly delivering a partial pilot cut with the existing scenes but the producers and the lead studio, 20th Television, ultimately opted to finance the additional shoot as key scenes, including the pilot’s big dance number, had not been completed.

Heldens executive produces with Naegle and Winer who made his drama pilot debut with The Big Leap after directing 16 comedy pilots for 20th TV, including the pilot for Modern Family. The project is a co-production between 20th Television and Fox Entertainment.

The British reality series, which had a brief run on Channel 4 in 2014 and was carried by Ovation in the U.S., featured 18 plus-size amateur dancers, many of whom were told they were too fat to dance when they were young, as they are recruited to put together over 20 weekends a production of Swan Lake under the tutelage of a former Royal Ballet principal and an artistic director.

Deception and Mercy creator Heldens and Naegle originally teamed to develop a U.S. scripted adaptation of Big Ballet in 2015 through Sony Pictures TV’s TriStar Television label — run at the time by Suzanne Patmore-Gibbs — as part of Heldens’ overall deal at Sony TV. In a competitive situation, the dramedy landed at ABC for the 2015-16 development season. Fox pursued the pitch heavily at the time and remained high on the premise and the auspices.

Sony TV’s option on the underlining IP since had expired and picked up by 20th TV after Heldens signed an overall deal there, with Sony TV retaining small passive participation. Heldens went on to develop and executive produce The Passage, 20th TV’s vampire drama series for Fox, but The Big Leap remained a passion project for her and Naegle, as well as for Fox, leading to the pilot and today’s series order.

CBS Renews 5 Series, Including S.W.A.T., Blue Bloods and Bull

‘Acapulco’: Jessica Collins, Chord Overstreet Among Six Cast In Apple Comedy Series

Enrique Arrizon, Damian Alcázar, Camila Perez and Raphael Alejandro also star.

Created by Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist creator Austin Winsberg, Eduardo Cisneros and Jason Shuman, Acapulco is a half-hour Spanish- and English-language comedy that centers on Maximo (Arrizon), a young Mexican man whose dream comes true when he gets the job of a lifetime at the hottest resort in Acapulco. But soon he realizes that the gig is far more complicated than he ever imagined as all of his beliefs and morals start to be questioned.

The show takes place in 1984, with Derbez narrating and playing the present-day version of the main character. Also reprising his role from the movie is Alejandro, who plays Hugo, Older Maximo’s nephew.

Collins will play Diane, the CEO and the face of the resort. Overstreet is Chad, Diane’s son. Together, Diane and Chad expect nothing short of perfection for their resort guests. Bauche portrays Nora, Maximo’s mother. Cebrián plays Hector, an energetic poolside employee at the resort. Carsa is Memo, Maximo’s loyal and supportive best friend. Reynoso plays Sara, Maximo’s outspoken younger sister.

Lionsgate Television, 3Pas Studios and The Tannenbaum Company produce the series. Winsberg will executive produce and serve as showrunner, and Chris Harris will executive produce and co-showrun alongside Winsberg. Derbez and Ben Odell serve as executive producers on behalf of 3Pas Studios, and Eric and Kim Tannenbaum will executive produce and Jason Wang co-executive produce on behalf of The Tannenbaum Company. Shuman and Cisneros also executive produce.

Collins is repped by Innovative Artists and Power Entertainment Group. Overstreet is repped by Innovative Artists

Bauche is repped by Karem Guedimin at Marka Talent. Cebrián is repped by Chris Prapha and David Unger at AIG (Artist International Group). Carsa is repped by Vision Entertainment. Reynoso is repped by Talent Boutique.

Joseph Siravo Dies: ‘The Sopranos’, ‘Jersey Boys’ & ‘American Crime Story’ Actor Was 66

Siravo died Sunday after a long battle with cancer. The BBC quoted his daughter Allegra Okarmus, who wrote on Instagram: “I was by his side when my dear father passed away this morning, peacefully, in his beloved Treehouse. We are both so lucky to be so intensely loved. I am so immensely grateful to have had him here on earth and I know that he hasn’t gone very far.”

Siravo’s character in HBO smash The Sopranos appeared in flashbacks to the 1960s as Tony’s father, Johnny, with whom he had a difficult relationship.

On stage, he clocked up more than 2,000 performances as character Gyp DeCarlo in the first U.S. tour of hit musical Jersey Boys from 2006 onward. His other work on Broadway included the Tony-winning productions of Oslo and The Light in the Piazza.

His most recent supporting roles included ABC series For Life and Amazon’s well-received feature The Report with Adam Driver.

Siravo’s Sopranos collaborators have been among those to post about the actor’s passing.

“Joe was an excellent actor and a wonderful guy and he will be missed dearly,” Michael Imperioli said on Instagram. “His performance [as] Johnny Boy Soprano was spot on and he also made a perfect John Gotti in Nick Sandow’s The Wannabe. In my opinion, he was the best of all the actors who’ve played the Teflon Don.”

“RIP my dear friend, who fought an incredible fight,” said Garry Pastore. “I will miss you. See you on the other side.”

Maureen Van Zandt shared a picture of the late actor on Twitter, describing him as “a talented and lovely man”. Siravo is survived by his daughter, Allegra Okarmus; son-in-law, Aaron Okarmus; and grandson, Atticus Okarmus; his sister, Maria Siravo; and brothers Mario Siravo, Ernest Siravo and Michael Siravo.

Video: Guiding Light Reunion - John Bolger, Kassie DePaiva and Jamie Goodwin

Video: Agnes Nixon Tribute

Helping to honor Agnes will be her son Robert Nixon along with a list of actors who benefited from the unforgettable characters Agnes created on her shows. Joining Robert will be Daytime Emmy Award-winning actors Susan Lucci (Erica Kane), Erika Slezak (Vicky Lord), Peter Bergman (Dr. Cliff Warner), Debbi Morgan (Angie Baxter-Hubbard) and Darnell Williams (Jesse Hubbard). We will also hear from one of All My Children’s biggest fans, Carol Burnett.

Bob Iger, Disney chairman and CEO, said it best, "“Agnes’ impact on daytime television and pop culture is undeniable. She was the first to champion socially relevant topics, and the towns and characters Agnes brought to life leave an indelible imprint on television that will be remembered forever.”

Throughout her career Agnes Nixon won five Writers’ Guild of America Awards, five Daytime Emmy Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2010 and was inducted into Soap Opera Weekly’s Soap Opera Hall of Fame.

Agnes Nixon - Tribute March 31

Helping to honor Agnes will be her son Robert Nixon along with a list of actors who benefited from the unforgettable characters Agnes created on her shows. Joining Robert will be Daytime Emmy Award-winning actors Susan Lucci (Erica Kane), Erika Slezak (Vicky Lord), Peter Bergman (Dr. Cliff Warner), Debbi Morgan (Angie Baxter-Hubbard) and Darnell Williams (Jesse Hubbard). We will also hear from one of All My Children’s biggest fans, Carol Burnett.

Bob Iger, Disney chairman and CEO, said it best, "“Agnes’ impact on daytime television and pop culture is undeniable. She was the first to champion socially relevant topics, and the towns and characters Agnes brought to life leave an indelible imprint on television that will be remembered forever.”

Throughout her career Agnes Nixon won five Writers’ Guild of America Awards, five Daytime Emmy Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2010 and was inducted into Soap Opera Weekly’s Soap Opera Hall of Fame.

Video Chat: Rebecca Gayheart, Sharon Leal and Yvonna Kopacz Wright

Soap Alums Come Together For Charity

Stargirl Season 2: John Wesley Shipp to Play Golden Age Flash, Jay Garrick

EW.com reports that Shipp is set to guest-star in the ninth episode of Stargirl‘s sophomore run (exclusively on The CW) as the Golden Age version of the scarlet speedster, “in a pivotal flashback episode” that establishes Garrick as a member of Earth-2’s Justice Society of America.

With Shipp’s appearance as The Flash, Stargirl will formally establish itself as a part of the new multiverse that Spectre fka Oliver Queen created at the close of the 2019-20 “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event. As was revealed in that montage (embedded below), Stargirl & Co. exist on Earth-2, the Titans team is on Earth-9, Swamp Thing calls Earth-19 home, and Doom Patrol‘s dysfunctional family resides on Earth-21.

In addition to his recurring run on The CW’s The Flash, where over the years has alternately played Henry Allen and Jay Garrick, Shipp’s TV credits include Teen Wolf, One Life to Live, Dawson’s Creek, Sisters and, of course, the OG, early-1990s The Flash series.

Teri Polo-Eric Dane Drama ‘The Ravine’ Gets Release Date

Based on the bestselling novel by Robert Pascuzzi, the film directed by Keoni Waxman centers on an average suburban couple (Dane and Polo) in Akron, OH, whose lives are torn apart when an their friend Danny (Peter Facinelli) seeming murders his wife and son in cold blood before taking his own life in a ravine. Premeditation, secrets and lies are only the beginning of their challenges to uncover the truth. Bryon Mann and Leslie Uggams also star.

Producers are Phillip Goldfine and Robert and Kelly Pascuzzi.

2021 Golden Globes Nominations

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
GLENN CLOSE - HILLBILLY ELEGY
OLIVIA COLMAN - THE FATHER
JODIE FOSTER - THE MAURITANIAN
AMANDA SEYFRIED - MANK
HELENA ZENGEL - NEWS OF THE WORLD

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
BRYAN CRANSTON - YOUR HONOR
JEFF DANIELS - THE COMEY RULE
HUGH GRANT - THE UNDOING
ETHAN HAWKE - THE GOOD LORD BIRD
MARK RUFFALO - I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE

Talk Show Appearance

Th 2/4: Bryan Cranston

Stars Of ABC’s ‘All My Children’, ‘One Life To Live’ & ‘General Hospital’ Reunite For Streaming Concert Benefit

ABC Daytime: Back on Broadway will gather musical performances by soap stars including Susan Lucci, Anthony Geary and Eva La Rue during the seven annual benefit concerts staged in New York from 2005-11. The daytime actors will revisit the performances in new interviews as part of the special.

The special will stream free of charge on February 11. See viewing options below. The lineup of performers includes Bobbie Eakes, Melissa Claire Egan, Vincent Irizarry, Eva La Rue, Susan Lucci, Cameron Mathison, Eden Riegel, Chrishell Stause and Walt Willey (from All My Children); Kristen Alderson, BethAnn Fuenmayor, Kathy Brier, Kassie DePaiva, David Gregory, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Catherine Hickland, Mark Lawson, Hillary B. Smith, Jason Tam and Brittany Underwood (One Life To Live); and Bradford Anderson, Brandon Barash and Anthony Geary (General Hospital).

“There are no fans like ABC Daytime fans,” said Lucci in a statement. “Their love and support continue to astonish us. We can’t wait to share these special performances with them and help raise money for so many in need during this difficult time.”

The concerts were staged at New York City’s Town Hall, and included production numbers, Broadway show tunes, ballads and comedy skits. The concert series began in 2005 as a one-night-only benefit to mark the 35th anniversary of All My Children, but fan support prompted ABC to stage the annual event for another six years. Over its seven-year run, ABC Daytime Salutes Broadway Cares raised $1.85 million.

Tom Viola, Broadway Cares Executive Director, said, “We are so thankful to the stars from ABC Daytime for joining us again as we relive moments from this delightful tradition, while helping to provide lifesaving medication, healthy meals and emergency support to those struggling during this ongoing pandemic.”

This free streamed event can be viewed beginning Feb. 11, 8 pm ET, here, as well as on Broadway Cares’ YouTube channel, across ABC Owned Television Stations’ 32 connected TV apps on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Roku and each of the eight station’s websites around the country, including abc7ny.com in New York; and on Good Morning America’s Facebook page.

While the stream is free, donations will be accepted for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, with all proceeds to provide people affected by HIV/AIDS, COVID-19 and other critical illnesses with healthy meals, lifesaving medication, emergency financial assistance, housing, counseling and more. The donations also support and champion organizations focused on social justice and anti-racism.

Guiding Light - A Very Special Deck the Zoom

School closures, job disruptions, and health risks are causing millions of Americans to turn to food banks for much-needed support right now. You can help families impacted by COVID-19 in our community by supporting our partner tonight. www.feedingamerica.org/coronavirus.

Joining The Locher Room for this very special holiday show are Grant Aleksander (Phillip), Laura Bell Bundy (Marah), Bryan Buffinton (Bill), Ellen Dolan (Maureen), Jean Carol (Nadine), Beth Chamberlin (Beth), Crystal Chappell (Olivia), Kassie DePaiva (Chelsea), Frank Dicopoulos (Frank), Beth Ehlers (Harley), Judi Evans (Beth), Jamie Goodwin (Johnny), Melissa Hayden (Bridget), Liz Keifer (Blake), Harley Jane Kozak (Annabelle), Jessica Leccia (Natalia), Joy Lenz (Michelle), Rachel Miner (Michelle), Karla Mosley (Christina), Michael O'Leary (Rick), Robert Newman (Josh), Saundra Santiago (Carmen), Peter Simon (Ed), Tina Sloan (Lillian), Nancy St. Alban (Michelle), Paul Anthony Stewart (Danny), Krista Tesreau (Mindy), Jerry verDorn (Ross), Michael Woods (Jim), Yvonna Kopacz-Wright (Mel) and Kim Zimmer (Reva).

www.feedingamerica.org/coronavirus.

Ryan's Hope - Reunion 12/10/20

Tony Winner and Soap Opera Favorite Peg Murray Dies at 96

The performer made her Broadway debut in 1956 as Vlasta Habova in The Great Sebastians before going on to appear in Gypsy opposite Ethel Merman, as well as productions of She Loves Me, Anyone Can Whistle, The Subject Was Roses, and Something More!.

After winning the Tony, Ms. Murray played Golde as a replacement in Fiddler on the Roof for a number of stints in the original Broadway production. She also returned to Cabaret in the 1987 revival to play a replacement Fraulein Schneider, her final performance on the Main Stem.

In addition to her work in theatre, Ms. Murray was well-known for playing Olga Swenson on All My Children for 13 years in the ‘80s and ‘90s. She also served as a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Ms. Murray was born February 14, 1924, in Denver, Colorado, and spent most of her adolescence growing up in New York. The performer was a tried-and-true artist, having started work in the entertainment industry at the age of three when she booked a gig in a local radio station, according to The Suffolk Times.

Attending Mamaroneck High School, Ms. Murray honed her talent in school productions. She attended Case Western Reserve University on a theatre scholarship, and upon graduating, performed in a number of international USO shows after the end of World War II. Upon returning to the States, Ms. Murray joined The Touring Players, bringing performance to communities across the country.

Throughout her life, Ms. Murray devoted herself to creating equitable theatre workspaces. She formed Greenport Summer Players with Amie Sponza in the 1980s, which went on to become Northeast Stage. She also worked with NYC Mayor John Lindsay to create Broadway in the Streets, bringing performance to underprivileged neighborhoods.

Sponza also produced a 2019 documentary Peg Murray: Inspiration, immortalizing the stage and screen star for future generations to discover her work.

Bryan Cranston still can’t fully taste and smell after COVID-19

Cranston, 64, and his wife, Robin Dearden, contracted the virus back in March.

“It was a surprise to us because we heard it was coming over, and then all of a sudden, she got it first. She gave it to me because we share,” he said during his Thursday appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”

“We had a few days of achiness, but not enough to keep you in bed,” Cranston explained. “I had a temperature of 99 for about three hours, and then just exhaustion for a week after that.”

The “Malcolm in the Middle” actor was sick for about 10 days, and while he’s made a full recovery, there are lingering symptoms.

“The only thing that lingered, and still is to this day, is I lost a percentage of my ability to taste and smell,” he said. “I think about 75 percent has come back, but if someone was brewing coffee, and I walk into a kitchen, I cannot … smell it.”

The Emmy-winner previously spoke of his diagnosis, telling fans he felt fortunate to only exhibit mild symptoms.

“I count my blessings and urge you to keep wearing the damn mask,” Cranston pled. “Keep washing your hands, and stay socially distant. We can prevail — but only if we follow the rules together.”

Daytime Cares Plans New Virtual Event On December 5

Video: ONE LIFE TO LIVE Reunion - Thom Christopher and Tonja Walker

Debbi Morgan in MERRY LIDDLE CHRISTMAS WEDDING

PREMISE: Lifetime’s first-ever Christmas sequel to last year’s hit movie, Merry Liddle Christmas, Merry Liddle Christmas Wedding once again follows Jacquie Liddle (Kelly Rowland), as she and Tyler try to plan their perfect destination Christmas wedding. Naturally, Jacquie’s plans go awry when her boisterous family intervenes in her planning and her snooty wedding planner quits in protest. While nothing goes as initially planned, Jacquie and Tyler get a Christmas wedding more memorable than they could have ever dreamed.

PREMIERE DATE: Saturday, Nov. 28 (8/7c) on Lifetime.

Elizabeth Mitchell Joins ‘Outer Banks’

Kevin Hart’s Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon Relaunch Adds To Lineup; Will Stream On LOL Network – Update

The news comes as the event added to its roster of guests who are participating in the live two-hour telethon October 24, with Garcelle Beauvais, Aloe Blacc, Bryan Cranston, Adam Devine, Fat Joe, Liz Gillies, Aldis Hodge, Edwin Hodge, DJ Khaled, Daniel Levy, Loni Love, Leslie Mann, Robin Thicke, Gabrielle Union Wade and John David Washington now aboard. They join host Hart and previously announced Jack Black, Usain Bolt, Josh Gad, Michael B. Jordan, Eva Longoria and Jillian Mercado among others.

The telethon will stream from 8-10 p.m. ET on the LOL Network and across multiple platforms including YouTube and Pluto. Organizers said a “Telethon Showcase” hosted by Nancy O’Dell and Jann Carl and featuring appearances from other celebrity guests will air post-telethon.

The MDA Kevin Hart Kids Telethon will benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Help From the Hart.

Cherry Jones And Jason Segel Join Apple And A24 Pic ‘The Sky Is Everywhere’

The novel follows Lennie (Kaufman), a teen who is working through the loss of her sister Bailey. Her journey includes accidentally falling in love.

Jones will play Gram, the warm and loving grandmother of Lennie and Bailey, who takes them in and raises them in her home where her son, Big (Segel), still lives with her. Segel’s Big is the sisters’ eccentric and compassionate uncle, the town Lothario who runs a local hot air balloon company and tends to fall in love with whichever woman he takes up in the balloon.

Denise Di Novi and Margaret French Isaac will produce for Di Novi Pictures, alongside Decker.

Jones recently took her home her third Emmy after scene-stealing guest-starring role on HBO’s Succession. She was also recently seen in Apple’s Defending Jacob and also has Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale. She is repped by WME.

Segel was most recently seen in the AMC anthology series Dispatches From Everywhere alongside Sally Field. On the film side, he was recently seen in Our Friend opposite Dakota Johnson. He is repped by WME and Sloane, Offer, Weber and Dern.

The film joins Apple and A24’s anticipated and soon-to-premiere On the Rocks, from Sofia Coppola, and starring Rashida Jones and Bill Murray. The pic, which bowed at the New York Film Festival last night, premieres in select theaters October 2 and globally on Apple TV+ on October 23.

Apple TV+’s expanding film slate also includes The Sky is Everywhere and the 2020 Sundance U.S. Grand Jury Prize-winning documentary Boys State. Upcoming films include Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds, a new Werner Herzog Film production; Snow Blind, with Jake Gyllenhaal attached to star; Martin Scorsese’s forthcoming Killers of the Flower Moon, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro; Emancipation, from director Antoine Fuqua and starring and produced by Will Smith; and Sharper, a new film from Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka, starring and produced by Julianne Moore.

Creative Arts Emmy Winners

Succession • Tern Haven • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Project Zeus, Hyperobject Industries and Gary Sanchez Productions

Cherry Jones as Nan Pierce

Your Honor Trailer: It's Bryan Cranston vs. the Mob in Showtime Limited Series From Robert and Michelle King

The 10-episode thriller, from Good Wife and Good Fight creators Robert and Michelle King, stars the Breaking Bad vet as a well-respected New Orleans judge whose teenage son is involved in a hit-and-run. The twist? The victim is the son of a major crime boss (think Tony Soprano only more ruthless).

Michael Stuhlbarg (Boardwalk Empire) co-stars as the much-feared mafioso, with Hope Davis (For the People) playing his far scarier wife. The cast also includes Carmen Ejogo (True Detective), Isiah Whitlock Jr. (The Wire), Sofia Black-D’Elia (The Night Of), Amy Landecker (Transparent), Margo Martindale (The Americans) and Lorraine Toussaint (Orange Is the New Black).

Peter Moffat (The Night Of) serves as showrunner and executive producer of the project, which is slated to premiere on Showtime in December.

Video: The Simon Family

‘Your Honor’: Showtime Unveils First Clip Of Bryan Cranston Limited Legal Drama

The ten-part series is exec produced by The Good Fight duo Robert and Michelle King and The Night Of’s Peter Moffat, who also writes. Cranston stars and exec produces.

The Breaking Bad star plays a respected judge whose son is involved in a hit-and-run in New Orleans that leads to a high-stakes game of lies, deceit and impossible choices.

Truth Be Told’s Hunter Doohan plays Cranston’s son, a high school senior who is involved in the hit-and-run accident. Michael Stuhlbarg plays crime boss Jimmy Baxter, while Sofia Black D’Elia, Carmen Ejogo, Isiah Whitlock Jr. and Hope Davis also star.

The American’s Margo Martindale recurs, playing Senator Elizabeth Guthrie, the mother of the deceased wife of Cranston’s Michael Desiato, while Amy Landecker, Lilli Kay, Tony Curran, Keith Machekanyanga, Lamar Johnson and Benjamin Flores, Jr. also feature.

The series is being adapted from the Israeli series Kvodo, created by Ron Ninio and Shlomo Mashiach, produced by Ram Landes and airing on the country’s Yes TV.

Moffat serves as showrunner, executive producer and will write multiple episodes, including the first episode. The series is produced by CBS TV Studios in association with Robert and Michelle King’s King Size Productions. Liz Glotzer (The Good Fight), Alon Aranya and Rob Golenberg (Hostages) of Scripted World and James Degus will also serve as executive producers. Edward Berger (Patrick Melrose) directs the first three episodes.

Bryan Cranston Reveals Bout With COVID-19: “Keep Wearing The Damn Mask!”

The Breaking Bad and Broadway Network star says in the video (watch it below) that he had COVID-19 “a little while ago” and that he had very mild symptoms (“slight headache, tightness of chest and lost all taste and smell”).

In a message accompanying the video, Cranston writes:

Hi. About now you’re probably feeling a little tied down, restricting your mobility and like me, you’re tired of this!! Well, I just want to encourage you to have a little more patience. I was pretty strict in adhering to the protocols and still… I contracted the virus. Yep. it sounds daunting now that over 150,000 Americans are dead because of it. I was one of the lucky ones. Mild symptoms. I count my blessings and urge you to keep wearing the damn mask, keep washing your hands, and stay socially distant. We can prevail – but ONLY if we follow the rules together. Be well – Stay well. BC

In the serious but very funny video, Cranston documents a recent visit to UCLA Blood and Plasma Donation Center, where he donates the plasma for research into the possible treatment uses of coronavirus antibody-positive blood. The process, he says, takes about an hour, which Cranston passed by watching A Face in the Crowd starring Andy Griffith. “Oh yeah,” he says when the movie starts.

At the end of the video, a message appears that says, in part, “This is something you might be able to do too.” The onscreen message ends: “Don’t forget to wash your hands, social distance and wear a mask!” (Video)

Emmys 2020 Nominations

(former soap stars in bold)

GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Cicely Tyson, How to Get Away With Murder
Laverne Cox, Orange Is the New Black
Harriet Walter, Succession
Cherry Jones, Succession
Alexis Bledel, The Handmaid’s Tale
Phylicia Rashad, This Is Us

LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Anthony Anderson, black-ish
Don Cheadle, Black Monday
Ted Danson, The Good Place
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Ramy Youssef, Ramy

GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Adam Driver, Saturday Night Live
Luke Kirby, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Eddie Murphy, Saturday Night Live
Dev Patel, Modern Love
Brad Pitt, Saturday Night Live
Fred Willard, Modern Family

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Uzo Aduba, Mrs. America
Toni Collette, Unbelievable
Margo Martindale, Mrs. America
Jean Smart, Watchmen
Holland Taylor, Hollywood
Tracey Ullman, Mrs. America.

Video: Loving Soap Opera: "The Men" | Streamed "LIVE" - 7/09/20

Phyllis Somerville Dies: ‘The Big C’, Broadway’s ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ Actress Was 76

Her death was announced by her manager Paul Hilepo.

Born in Iowa City, Iowa, and soon developing a longstanding desire to move to New York City to become a Radio City Rockette, Somerville was cast in her first Equity job after college when she scored a role at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. The job was the first in a long line of stage credits, including roles in Over Here on Broadway, The Spitfire Grill at Playwrights Horizons Off Broadway, Happiness at Lincoln Center, Night Mother national tour, and various other theater productions.

Most recently, Somerville appeared on Broadway in the original cast of Aaron Sorkin’s 2018 adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird. In a relatively brief but fiercely performed and scene-stealing role, Somerville played Atticus Finch’s elderly, cantankerous and racist neighbor Mrs. DuBose.

Somerville’s film credits began with 1981’s Arthur and would reach into the new century with 2006’s Little Children, 2008’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and 2019’s Poms.

Her television roles likely gave Somerville her greatest exposure as an actress, with memorable performances in Showtime’s The Big C, Netflix’s House of Cards and, most recently, CBS’ Madam Secretary, The Good Wife, Blue Bloods and Elementary, and on NBC’s The Blacklist and Night Shift.

Somerville returned to Netflix playing opposite Vincent D’Onofrio in the first season of Daredevil, and opposite Jane Fonda and Robert Redford on Our Souls At Night. She recurred on the WGN network playing Lady Ray on The Outsiders, and featured in Hulu’s Castle Rock.

Other credits include Lateline, NYPD Blue, Life on Mars, Lucky You, Forgetting the Girl, Stoker, The Double, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Mare of Easttown. She also did stints on soaps Guiding Light, Loving and One Life To Live.

Somerville was a member of Off Broadway’s Labyrinth Theatre Company and, according to manager Hilepo, “loved doing the kids’ plays at the 52nd Street Project,” where “she once got to play a New York Yankee.”

“So she’d been a Yankee and she’d been a New Yorker for over 45 years,” he said, “but Ms. Somerville was never a Rockette.”

Download the Emmys App to Watch Past, Present, and Future Shows!

“Television programming and its underlying technology have each gone through immense change over the more than seven decades the Emmys have recognized excellence in both facets of our industry,” said Adam Sharp, NATAS President & CEO. “Our awards have adapted through each of these transitions. Working with Vimeo, we now bring our celebration of this dynamic community of creators to all of the devices the audience uses to watch the television programming they love.”

The platform will allow fans to watch behind the scenes interviews, clips of memorable moments, and past Emmy ceremonies. Plus, you’ll be able to watch the upcoming shows live as they happen, because this year’s Daytime Emmys were split up into multiple shows to separate out the categories. Here’s what’s coming up:

Sunday, July 19, at 9 p.m. ET: The 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards – Digital Dramas
Sunday, July 26, at 8 p.m. ET: The 47th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards – Children’s, Lifestyle, and Animation
Tuesday, August 11, at 8 p.m. ET: The 41st Annual Sports Emmy Awards
September 2020: The 41st Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards

The app is completely free and all you have to do is sign up. Watch The Emmys is available on the web, as well as for iOS, Android, Amazon FireTV, and Roku.

Forrest Compton, ‘Gomer Pyle’ Actor, Dies of Coronavirus Complications at 94

Compton died Sunday, according to a report in the Shelter Island Reporter.

As Col. Gray, Compton regularly chewed out Frank Sutton’s Sgt. Vince Carter on Gomer Pyle, which aired on CBS from 1964-69. This, of course, often came after Sutton had abused his favorite private, Gomer (Jim Nabors).

Compton was the third actor to play former cop and crusading Monticello district attorney Mike Karr on The Edge of Night, starring on the CBS-ABC serial from 1971 until the show’s cancellation in 1984. He later appeared on two other soaps, As the World Turns and All My Children.

Raised in Reading, Pennsylvania, Compton served with the 103rd Infantry Division in France during World War II and studied acting at the Yale Drama School, where one of his classmates was Paul Newman.

He went on to work on such shows as Death Valley Days, Route 66, The Twilight Zone, 77 Sunset Strip, My Three Sons, That Girl, Mannix, The F.B.I. and Ed.

Fox Commits To Film All Six Pilots, Including Melissa Leo’s ‘Blood Relative’

The network has made the decision after its traditional pilot season was impacted by the COVID-19 production shutdown. Fox is the latest network to make its pilot decisions, after NBC and ABC both committed to filming five pilots.

Pilots for comedies Pivoting, starring Eliza Coupe, and This Country, the remake of the BBC series, join dramas The Big Leap, also inspired by a UK format, Argentinean remake The Cleaning Lady, Melissa Leo-fronted crime drama Blood Relative and its Goonies-inspired Untitled Film Re-Enactment Project will all be produced once production can safely resume.

Fox has extended the cast options for all of these pilots, which have all been written by women. All projects will be co-productions with Fox Entertainment and their original studio.

These shows join already ordered series including Call Me Kat, from executive producers Jim Parsons and star Mayim Bialik and animated comedies The Great North, which has already been renewed for a second season, and Housebroken.

In addition, Fox is continuing to ramp up its off-cycle pilot ordering with Our Kind Of People, from writer and exec producer Karin Gist and exec producer Lee Daniels, and the Untitled Country Music Dynasty Drama from writer and exec producer Melissa London Hilfers gaining traction.

Our Kind Of People, which began development last summer, is based on Lawrence Otis Graham’s book and centers on single mom Angela Vaughn, who risks it all and moves her family to Martha’s Vineyard with hopes of taking her natural hair care line to the next level by infiltrating the African American elite in Oak Bluffs.

Hilfers’ project originated under the SideCar banner and Jason Owen’s Sandbox Entertainment. It is a multi-generational musical drama about America’s first family of country music. The Romans divide their time between Austin, where their home is, and Nashville, where the business is.

Fox Entertainment President Michael Thorn told Deadline earlier this year, that its hope is to one day be “completely off-cycle”.

He said, “Entering Fox Entertainment’s first development season as a new company, our methodology was to carefully curate our content more like a start-up; looking for new opportunities, new stories and new voices in ways perhaps others might not be able. As such, narrowing down these projects to only those that met our standards from the beginning, we still believe this crop of pilots – all from some of the finest writers, producers and talent in the business — really represents what Fox is trying to accomplish both in ‘pilot season’ but, more importantly, for our year-round ambitions.”

Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier added, “Fox established its brand – of programming and business – around the notion of boldness, nimble action and the ability to zig when others zag. I always admired Fox’s willingness to invest at times others did not see opportunity. We are not dropping pilots at this time because we entered this process deliberately, believed in these artists and partners before the COVID-19 crisis and we continue to believe in them today.”

PILOTS:

Comedies:

Pivoting (Single-camera)
Studios: Warner Bros. Television, Fox Entertainment, Kapital Entertainment
Team: Liz Astrof (EP/W), Tristram Shapeero (EP/D), Aaron Kaplan (EP), Dana Honor (EP)
Logline: Pivoting follows three women after the death of their childhood best friend. Faced with the reality that life is short, in desperate attempts to find happiness, they make a series of impulsive, ill-advised and self-indulgent decisions, strengthening their bond proving it’s never too late to screw up your life.
Cast: Eliza Coupe, Ginnifer Goodwin, Tommy Dewey

This Country (Single-camera)
Studios: Lionsgate, BBC Studios, Fox Entertainment, Feigco Entertainment
Team: Jenny Bicks (EP/W), Paul Feig (EP/D), Angie Stephenson (EP), Charlie Cooper (EP), Daisy May Cooper (EP), Dan Magnante (Co-EP), Cathy Mason (P), Rachel Mason (P)
Logline: In this half-hour comedy inspired by the BBC format, a documentary crew goes to a small town to study young adults and their current concerns. Their focus is the daily lives of cousins Kelly and Shrub Mallet and their idiosyncratic surroundings. We follow the cousins as they pursue their dreams, confront challenges, and fight each other for frozen pizza. These two don’t have much, but they do have each other.
Cast: Seann William Scott, Chelsea Holmes, Sam Straley, Taylor Ortega, Krystal Smith

Dramas:

The Big Leap
Studios: 20th Century Fox Television, Fox Entertainment
Team: Liz Heldens (EP/W), Jason Winer (EP/D), Sue Naegle (EP)
Logline: Inspired by UK format, Big Ballet, The Big Leap is a funny and contemporary tale about second chances, chasing your dreams and taking back what’s yours. The show centers on a group of diverse underdogs from all different walks of life who compete to be part of a competition reality series that is putting on a modern, hip remake of Swan Lake.
Cast: Teri Polo, Scott Foley, Ser’Darius Blain, Ray Cham, Jon Rudnitsky, Simone Recasner

Blood Relative
Studios: Paramount Television Studios, Anonymous Content, Fox Entertainment
Team: Chris Levinson (EP/W), James Renner (EP/W), Phillip Noyce (EP/D), Liza Chasin (EP)
Logline: Genetic genealogy is the best new tool in crime scene forensics, and nobody knows it like Louise Kelly. Too bad she’s impossible to deal with. Based on James Renner’s article Beyond the Jungle of Bad: The True Story of Two Women from California Who Are Solving All the Mysteries.
Cast: Melissa Leo, Tate Donovan, Tyrone Marshall Brown

The Cleaning Lady
Studios: Warner Bros Television, Fox Entertainment
Team: Miranda Kwok (EP/W), Melissa Carter (EP/Showrunner), Michael Offer (EP/D), Shay Mitchell (EP)
Logline: Based upon Argentine series, The Cleaning Lady is a darkly aspirational character drama about a whip-smart doctor who comes to the U.S. for a medical treatment to save her ailing son. But when the system fails and pushes her into hiding, she refuses to be beaten down and marginalized. Instead, she becomes a cleaning lady for the mob and starts playing the game by her own rules.
Cast: Elodie Yung, Adan Canto, Vincent Piazza, Ginger Gonzaga

Untitled Film Re-Enactment Project
Studios: Warner Bros. Television, Fox Entertainment, Amblin TV
Team: Sarah Watson (EP/W), Greg Mottola (EP/D) Gail Berman (EP), Lauren Shuler Donner (EP), Richard Donner (EP), Justin Falvey (EP), Darryl Frank (EP)
Logline: After failing to make it in New York and carrying a heavy secret with her, Stella Cooper returns to her distressed automotive hometown to substitute teach. She finds inspiration, hope, and ultimately salvation when she agrees to help three students who are pursuing their filmmaking dreams by putting on an impossibly ambitious shot-for-shot remake of one of the student’s favorite movies, The Goonies. Over the course of the season, their passion will inspire a town in desperate need of hope in this love letter to the power of cinema, storytelling, and dreams.
Cast: Ramon Rodriguez.

Guiding Light - General Hospital Reunion 7/10/20

Guiding Light - Loving Reunion 6/17/20

Guiding Light - Loving Reunion 6/17/20

Video: The Ladies of "Loving" Renunion

Video: Daytime Cares Live Event

The Ladies of "Loving" Reunion Chat

Daytime Cares: A Live Event Scheduled

The event can be viewed here and in addition to those mentioned above, will feature:

Lamon Archey (Eli, DAYS), Maurice Benard (Sonny, GH), Ian Buchanan (ex-Duke, GH et al), Crystal Chappell (ex-Carly, DAYS et al), James DePaiva (ex-Max, ONE LIFE TO LIVE et al), Kassie DePaiva (ex-Eve, DAYS et al), William deVry (Julian, GH), Chad Duell (Michael, GH), Andrea Evans (ex-Tina, ONE LIFE TO LIVE et al), Linsey Godfrey (Sarah, DAYS), Stacy Haiduk (Kristen, DAYS), Bill Hayes (Doug, DAYS), Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie, DAYS), Finola Hughes (Anna, GH), Michael E. Knight (Martin, GH), Kyle Lowder (Rex, DAYS), Katelyn MacMullen (Willow, GH), Sofia Mattsson (Sasha, GH), Eric Martsolf (Brady, DAYS), Robert Newman (ex-Josh, GUIDING LIGHT), Wes Ramsey (Peter, GH), James Reynolds (Abe, DAYS), Melissa Reeves (Jennifer, DAYS), Scott Reeves (ex-Steven, GH et al), Emme Rylan (Lulu, GH), Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, Y&R), Paul Telfer (Xander, DAYS), Heather Tom (Katie, B&B), Jordi Vilasuso (Rey, Y&R), Cynthia Watros (Nina, GH), Maura West (Ava, GH), Josh Swickard (Chase, GH), Kim Zimmer (ex-Reva, GUIDING LIGHT)

Bryan Cranston, Sally Field, John Malkovich, Patti LuPone Among Stars Set For Actors Fund Weekly Play Readings

The Spotlight on Plays series will be featured on Broadway’s Best Shows, a new YouTube and Facebook channel for Broadway-related content. The play series kicks off Thursday, May 7 at 8 p.m. ET with November, written and directed by Mamet. The comedy, which opened on Broadway in 2007, follows a fictional U.S. president in the days leading up to his second election.

November is executive produced by Jeffrey Richards and produced by Broadway’s Best Shows, Jim Glaub and Jacob Soroken Porter.

Joshua Harmon’s acclaimed Significant Other, about a young man standing by as his friends pair off and settle down, is set for Thursday, May 14, 8 p.m. ET and will reunite the original Broadway cast of Glick, John Behlman, Sas Goldberg, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Lindsay Mendez, Luke Smith and Barbara Barrie. Trip Cullman directs, with Jeffrey Richards and Rebecca Gold exec producing and Broadway’s Best Shows, Jim Glaub and Jacob Soroken Porter producing.

Significant Other was originally staged Off Broadway by the Roundabout Theatre Company in 2015 and transferred to Broadway in 2017.

A.R. Gurney’s Love Letters, starring Cranston and Field, will be livestreamed Thursday, May 21 at 8 p.m. ET. Directed by Jerry Zaks, the play follows the 50-year correspondence between of two soul mates. Executive Produced by Jeffrey Richards, Love Letters is produced by Broadway’s Best Shows, Jim Glaub and Jacob Soroken Porter.

Each one-night-only event will be livestreamed on The Actors Fund YouTube channel and Broadway’s Best Shows YouTube and Facebook channels. The productions will only be available at the designated streaming time and are free to access, with donations to The Actors Fund COVID-19 Emergency Assistance program encouraged.

Additional productions will be announced shortly.

Promo: The Story of Soaps

Video: Guiding Light / General Hospital Chat April 22

GUIDING LIGHT Santos Family Reunion Planned

Guiding Light / General Hospital Chat 4/22/20

Forrest Compton Dies Of COVID-19: ‘The Edge Of Night’, ‘Gomer Pyle’ Actor Was 94

According to the Shelter Island Reporter, close friends of Compton confirmed his death.

Compton was born on September 15, 1925, in Reading, Pennsylvania. He served with the 103rd Infantry Division in France during World War II and then went on to enroll in Swarthmore College where he studied pre-law and Political Science before shifting gears to English. He then started to act in school theater productions before he graduated and made his way to study acting at the Yale Drama School alongside his classmate, actor Paul Newman.

In addition to portraying district attorney Mike Karr on The Edge of Night, Compton appeared on the CBS series Gomer Pyle: USMC alongside Jim Nabors and Frank Sutton as the no-nonsense Lieutenant Colonel Edward Gray.

He went on to appear in popular soap operas As the World Turns, One Lie to Live and All My Children. He recurred on the NBC series The Troubleshooters and was appeared alongside Christopher Walken in the 1991 film McBain.

His other TV credits include The Twilight Zone, That Girl, My Three Sons, 77 Sunset Strip, Mayberry RFD, Mannix, Hogan’s Heroes among others.

Debbi Morgan Returns for POWER BOOK II: GHOST

This new sequel to the Starz series, POWER, will continue the dramatic stories of some of its most well-known characters, and Morgan will be reprising her role of Estelle, who she played on a recurring basis in the original series. GHOST will pick up the narrative immediately following the POWER finale as it follows Tariq navigating his new life, trying to rid himself of his father’s legacy while struggling to save his family. Check out this tease that Starz released to promote the new series: Video.

Although perhaps best known for her work in daytime, Morgan has an equally-impressive career in film and primetime with roles on shows like WHAT’S HAPPENING!!, BOSTON PUBLIC, CHARMED, and FOR THE PEOPLE as well as movies like Eve’s Bayou, The Hurricane, and Coach Carter. Now you can look forward to seeing the talented actress again in POWER BOOK II: GHOST, and we’ll be sure to let you know just as soon as an official air date for the premiere is announced.

Teri Polo Joins ‘The Big Leap’ Fox Dramedy Pilot, Matt Lucas, Ser’Darius Blain & Ray Cham Also Cast

Written by Heldens, The Big Leap is descried as a funny and contemporary tale about second chances, chasing your dreams and taking back what’s yours. The show centers on a group of diverse underdogs from all different walks of life who compete to be part of a competition reality series that is putting on a modern, hip remake of “Swan Lake.” What they lack in the traditional dancer body type, they make up for with their edge, wit and desire to reimagine an iconic story to fit their own mold. The Big Leap takes us on a journey of self-acceptance, body-positivity and empowerment at any age.

Polo plays Julia Torrence. A beautiful former ballerina, Julia is now a social-media-obsessed mom who focuses more on her Instagram than her moody teenage girls or her distant husband, Kevin. When she sees the chance to audition for The Big Leap, it feels like a chance to fill what feels like a hollow, art-free life.

Cham plays Justin Reyes, Gabby’s adorable high school boyfriend and dance partner, who came out of the closet to nobody’s surprise except Gabby…and his parents, who kicked him out. He works at a big box store to support himself now, but when Gabby shows up and tells him about the dance contest, he catches the spark and gets excited to dance again, too.

Blain is cast as reggie Sadler. A stunning specimen of humanity, Reggie is a gorgeous, famous, athletic, professional football player. He has demonstrated some erratic behavior and needs to take a break from the sport. He decides that some career rehab is in order and finds himself learning to dance so he can audition to be on The Big Leap.

Lucas plays Wayne Sleep, a joyful British fellow who is one of the co-hosts of The Big Leap. He is a former dancer and is entertaining, enthusiastic and encouraging.

Heldens executive produces with Naegle and Peter Dale of UK company Rare Day, which produced the reality series.

Polo, whose recent credits include Freeform’s The Fosters and spinoff Good Trouble and HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, is repped by Gersh and manager Bob McGowan.

Blain, best known for his role as Anthony “Fridge” Johnson in the Dwayne Johnson-Kevin Hart Jumanji franchise, is repped by Paradigm and Grandview

British actor, comedian and writer Lucas is repped by WME. Ray is repped by TalentWorks and Justine Hunt.

Teri Polo, William Baldwin, Mena Suvari, Robert Pine Star In ‘Fourth Grade B’

‘Lost’ Alum Elizabeth Mitchell, ‘Hunger Games’ Actress Willow Shields Star In ‘When Time Got Louder’

Piper Curda (American Pie Presents Girls Rule, Wretched), Ava Capri (Blast Beat) and newcomer Jonathan Michael Simao also co-star in the film which was written by Cocchia.

It follows Abbie (Shields) as she departs for college, leaving her parents Mark (Munro) and Tish (Mitchell), and her brother Kayden (Simao) who has autism and is non-verbal. As she explores her newfound independence with her roommate Jen (Curda) and falls in love with a girl named Karly (Capri), Abbie is torn between her new life and the guilt of leaving her brother as her family struggles to care for him in her absence.

Cocchia, who has a brother impacted by autism, was passionate about casting the role of Kayden authentically with an actor on the autism spectrum and discovered Simao, who will make his feature film debut. She is producing the project through her production company, Cocchia Productions, alongside Ken Frith and Jason Bourque of Gold Star Productions.

Shields is repped by ICM Partners and Authentic Talent and Literary Management, Mitchell by APA and LINK Entertainment; Munro by Northern Exposure Talent Management Group and Alchemy Entertainment; Curda by Hyperion and Curtis Management; Capri by Gersh and More/Medavoy Management; Simao by RED management.

SAG Awards Nominations

MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

BOMBSHELL
CONNIE BRITTON / Beth Ailes
ALLISON JANNEY / Susan Estrich
NICOLE KIDMAN / Gretchen Carlson
JOHN LITHGOW / Roger Ailes
MALCOLM McDOWELL / Rupert Murdoch
KATE McKINNON / Jess Carr
MARGOT ROBBIE / Kayla Pospisil
CHARLIZE THERON / Megyn Kelly

THE IRISHMAN
BOBBY CANNAVALE / Skinny Razor
ROBERT DE NIRO / Frank Sheeran
STEPHEN GRAHAM / Anthony “Tony Pro” Provenzano
HARVEY KEITEL / Angelo Bruno
AL PACINO / Jimmy Hoffa
ANNA PAQUIN / Older Peggy Sheeran
JOE PESCI / Russell Bufalino
RAY ROMANO / Bill Bufalino

JOJO RABBIT
ALFIE ALLEN / Finkel
ROMAN GRIFFIN DAVIS / Jojo
SCARLETT JOHANSSON / Rosie
THOMASIN McKENZIE / Elsa
STEPHEN MERCHANT / Deertz
SAM ROCKWELL / Capt. Klenzendorf
TAIKA WAITITI / Adolf
REBEL WILSON / Fraulein Rahm

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
AUSTIN BUTLER / Tex
JULIA BUTTERS / Trudi
BRUCE DERN / George Spahn
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / Rick Dalton
DAKOTA FANNING / Squeaky Fromme
EMILE HIRSCH / Jay Sebring
DAMIAN LEWIS / Steve McQueen
MIKE MOH / Bruce Lee
TIMOTHY OLYPHANT / James Stacy
AL PACINO / Marvin Schwarz
LUKE PERRY / Wayne Maunder
BRAD PITT / Cliff Booth
MARGARET QUALLEY / Pussycat
MARGOT ROBBIE / Sharon Tate

PARASITE
HYAE JIN CHANG / Chung Sook
YEO JEONG CHO / Yeon Kyo
WOO SHIK CHOI / Ki Woo
HYEON JUN JUNG / Da Song
ZISO JUNG / Da Hye
JUNG EUN LEE / Moon Gwang
SUN KYUN LEE / Dong Ik
MYUNG HOON PARK / Geun Se
SO DAM PARK / Ki Jung
KANG HO SONG / Ki Taek

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

CHRISTIAN BALE / Ken Miles – “FORD v FERRARI”
LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / Rick Dalton — “ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD”
ADAM DRIVER / Charlie Barber – “MARRIAGE STORY”
TARON EGERTON / Elton John – “ROCKETMAN”
JOAQUIN PHOENIX / Arthur Fleck – “JOKER”

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

JAMIE FOXX / Walter McMillian – “JUST MERCY”
TOM HANKS / Fred Rogers – “A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD”
AL PACINO / Jimmy Hoffa – “THE IRISHMAN”
JOE PESCI / Russell Bufalino – “THE IRISHMAN”
BRAD PITT / Cliff Booth – “ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD

Dishing with Digest - 11/22/19 - Amelia Heinle

Peter Facinelli, Teri Polo, Eric Dane Topline ‘The Ravine’ Drama

In the indie drama, a group of friends is blindsided by news that someone they trusted has committed a terrible crime. In their quest for answers they fall on hard times but ultimately must turn toward faith.

The pic is shooting in New Orleans this month. Phil Goldfine, Robert Pascuzzi, and Kelly Pascuzzi are producing.

Facinelli is repped by Mainstay Entertainment and Abrams Artists Agency. Polo is with Gersh and manager Bob McGowan of McGowan Rodriguez Management. Dane is a client of CAA.

Y&R Alum Jessica Collins Stars in Dolly Parton's HEARTSTRINGS

Collins’ episode is titled “Cracker Jack” and also stars Tammy Lynn Michaels (POPULAR) and Parton herself. Collins will be playing the character of Monica. And fellow Y&R alum Scott Reeves (ex-Ryan) will be starring opposite Julianne Hough in the “Jolene” episode.

Each episode will begin with an introduction by Parton as herself talking or singing about the meaning behind each song. She will also appear in some of the stories, each of which will be a stand-alone show with a separate story and cast from the others. The stories, all based on classic Parton songs, will run the gamut from romance to drama to comedy.

Collins got her start in daytime playing Dinah on ABC sudser LOVING from 1991-94 before finding further success in film and primetime. She returned to soaps in 2011 to play Avery Bailey Clark on Y&R, earning a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 2013 and taking home the trophy in 2016. After leaving Y&R in 2015, Collins appeared on shows like 9-1-1 and GREY’S ANATOMY while also giving birth to her daughter, Jemma, in 2016.

Rena Sofer Couldn't Be Prouder of Daughter Avalon

Debate isn’t the only field in which Sofer’s daughter excels. “She’s this incredible over-achiever, whether it be getting black belts or playing on the tennis team or being an honors student. I had nothing to do with it — it’s just who she is, and she amazes me every single day.”

Laura Wright Says She Always Knew Kelly Ripa Would Be a Star

When Kathie Lee Gifford announced that she was leaving what was then LIVE! WITH REGIS & KATHIE LEE, Wright thought her pal would be perfect as Regis Philbin’s new co-host. “I just knew this was Kelly’s job. I had no idea she was even in the running. I was talking with a friend and said Kelly should have the part. There was no one else that quick and funny on the spot.” So when Ripa called to share the big news, Wright could have easily told mutual friends that she’d predicted the casting news. “It’s just so her!”

B&B Rena Sofer Admits She Doesn't Usually Get Recognized By Fans

Since joining B&B, a show with a huge international fan base, one might think Sofer is more likely to be mobbed when she travels abroad, but that’s not necessarily the case. “It’s never really a problem,” she admitted. “I don’t typically wear makeup when I travel, and I’m not one of those people who’s like, ‘Do you know who I am?’” Of course, when the actress is traveling to promote the soap she now calls home, it’s a whole different story. “When I went to Australia and Amsterdam, I did a lot of press for the show,” she said, “but otherwise, I’m really just all about being with my family.”

THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS Alum Jessica Collins Teases a Return to "One of My Favorite Roles"

Collins made her debut on Y&R in July of 2011, playing a high-powered attorney who was later revealed to be the sister of Phyllis Summers. She had a history with Dylan McAvoy, and had a romance with Nick Newman. During her four years on the soap, Collins was nominated twice for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress and took home the trophy in 2016. Dylan's not around, but Nick is, and with Phyllis on the rampage, her sister might be just the person to talk her down!

After getting her big break playing Dinah on the ABC sudser, LOVING, Collins has gone on to appear in numerous television series. However, many of them are no longer on the air. So if she's returning to play one of her "favorite roles" again, it could Y&R, but it might also possibly be something else like IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA, GREY'S ANATOMY or 9-1-1.

Rena Sofer Opens up About Reuniting With Her Ex-Husband

Sofer and Bookstaver had remained friends and co-parents (to daughter Avalon, 13) following their split, but latent sparks were reignited last fall.“He flew in from New York to be at my [December] birthday party for three hours, and then he flew back,” she recalled. “That was a big deal for me, because it kind of answered the question of, ‘Who’s going to have my back for the rest of my life?’ Here’s a guy who [was no longer obligated to] have my back anymore, and he still did!”

Though they had each attempted to move on following their divorce, that task proved easier said than done. “I tried to date, but I ended up just dating dogs more than anything,” joked the pup-loving actress. “I mean literal dogs, although I did date some ‘dogs,’ too!”

Having both come to the conclusion that the most important thing to each of them was still one another, the couple picked up pretty much where they’d left off. “We have not taken it slowly, even though we’ve tried to. That’s what happens when you’ve already been together for 18 years,” she said. “You’re like, ‘I know you! What are we waiting for?’ So we’re back together. He’s not my husband, but it feels too weird to call him my boyfriend, so I still call him my ex-husband, because I think it’s hilarious.”

Getting back to basics and figuring out who (and what) she loves over the past few years has led Sofer to discover something else that brings her great joy: woodworking! “When I got divorced and wasn’t working a lot over the past year and a half, I decided that I needed something for myself,” she explained. “I’ve always been the sort of handy person who can spend hours roaming through Home Depot, and I really liked the idea of working with wood. I just needed to find someone who could teach me.”

The actress signed up for classes at a local workshop, where she continues to drop in frequently to make beautiful artisanal cutting boards and wooden utensils. “It makes me happy to be creative,” she confided. “You’re making it the way people have made these things forever, and that’s interesting and meaningful to me.”

Sofer also found meaning in her life by hosting some houseguests … of the four-legged variety! Already the loving owner of pooches Iggy, Alpha and Mega, Sofer agreed to foster a pregnant dog late last year that was found on the streets. “I thought it would be the coolest thing ever, to watch a dog give birth and play with the puppies and take care of them until they could be given away,” she said.

Though her daughter joked that Sofer would adopt all of the puppies herself, the actress managed to limit herself to keeping just one, whom she named Marceline. The rest of the pups (including the mother) were given happy homes with Sofer’s friends and family members. Though having a house filled with energetic puppies required effort and patience, Sofer is grateful she was able to help. “The world can seem so cruel and unfixable to me,” she said. “It makes me feel powerless sometimes, but I realized all I can do is try to help a small corner of the world — my corner — and hope that light can expand a little bit.” Comic-strip creator Charles M. Schulz may have coined the phrase “Happiness is a warm puppy,” but Sofer’s living proof that it’s actually quite true!

2019 Tony Awards Winners

Best Revival of a Play
The Boys in the Band

Isabelle Stevenson Award
Judith Light

Bryan Cranston on His Early Roles, Dealing With Rejection and His ‘Erasable Mind

Did you have any train-wreck auditions early in your career?

I was 22 years old, and the character was a cocky Southerner. I thought, “I’m just gonna go in character.” The casting director held out his hand, and I pretended I didn’t see it. I crossed my legs and put my boots on top of his desk. At that point he was done with me, and he was right because I was acting like an idiot. He goes, “Get your feet off my desk.” I had a moment of “Are you really this character, or are you going to acquiesce?” I just smirked. He said it again, and I realized we were done. The whole character dropped, and I took my feet off his desk. I said, “It wouldn’t really matter if we read the scene, would it?” He said no, and I left and apologized.

How did you deal with rejection?

I had an epiphany 10 years after that. It changed my life as an actor. I used to think that an audition was a job interview, but I realized I was giving up my power because I was going into an office wanting something from them. Whenever you want something from anyone, you have relinquished your power. Holding on to power in an audition is essential for an actor. You have to be able to do exactly what you want because that’s what’s required of you to impress someone with your uniqueness and what you could bring to a character. I was going in there to present an idea, an option for them. An audition became another opportunity for me to act.

What did you learn from your first major role?

I accepted a role on a soap opera called “Loving” on ABC in 1983. The challenge on a soap opera is how to be authentic with basically no rehearsal. You learn your lines the night before. With that kind of turnover, how do you get to a place that feels honest? That was hard for me. I think soap operas are unfairly judged as less valued acting experiences. They are indeed extremely challenging. It felt like I crossed a threshold from that point on.

Is there a line of dialogue that always sticks with you?

It’s funny; I have an erasable mind. Once I finish something, it pretty much goes. The line from “Breaking Bad” is pretty iconic. “You think you know me. You think that I’m the one who’s in danger. No, I am the danger.” I can’t remember it. Fans quote it back to me, but I don’t know it. They’re shocked. Some have said they’ve watched “Breaking Bad” six times all the way through, and that’s five more than I have.

Kip Niven Dies: ‘Magnum Force’ Rogue Cop & Actor In ‘Alice’, ‘The Waltons’ & Sensurround Films Was 73

Born on May 27, 1945, he got his start with guest roles in such 1970s TV dramas as Night Gallery, Escape and Emergency! before landing a key role in the first Dirty Harry sequel. In 1973’s Magnum Force, Niven played “Red” Astrachan, one of the vigilante rookie cops who terrorize San Francisco’s underworld — and eventually Clint Eastwood, who eventually gets his revenge. Astrachan’s comrades were played by future stars Robert Urich, Tim Matheson and David Soul.

After that, Niven would appear in dozens of TV shows and more than a dozen features including Earthquake (1974) and Midway (1976), the first two movies released in the Sensurround format that made theater seats shake at key moments. He had a key, if brief and ill-fated, role in Earthquake as a scientist who predicts that the Big One will hit Los Angeles within days.

As the “disaster movie” trend swept through Hollywood in the mid-’70s, Niven also would appear in Airport 1975 and The Hindenburg (1977),

He also continued to work on the small screen, appearing in multiple telefilms, miniseries including Blind Ambition and Once an Eagle and such drama series as Marcus Welby, M.D., S.W.A.T. and The Bionic Woman. He also did an arc as Rev. Tom Marshall on The Waltons and returned for the first two post-series telepics.

Niven also did a stint on the long-running CBS sitcom Alice, whose star Linda Lavin he married in 1982. Niven’s character had a key role in the two-part series finale as a country singer who whisks Lavin’s Alice away to Nashville to follow her musical dream.

Niven worked mostly in TV during the 1980s, guesting on shows including Falcon Crest, Hart to Hart, CHiPs, Simon & Simon, T.J. Hooker, Knight Rider, Kate & Allie and Spenser: For Hire and some 1990s series including Law & Order and Walker, Texas Ranger, along with multiple telefilms.

Among his other film credtis are Swashbuckler (1976), Damnation Alley (1977) and playing a masked homicidal maniac in the 1980 slasher pic New Year’s Evil.

He would go on to appear in indie films and shorts through 2018, with his last major as playing legendary University of Kansas basketball coach Forrest “Phog” Allen in Jayhawkers.

Niven also was a regular on the Kansas City theater circuit, where he found the Equity Actors’ Readers’ Theatre.

Luke Perry buried in eco-friendly mushroom 'suit'

The Riverdale star passed away on March 4 at the age of 52 following a massive stroke.

And now Luke’s daughter Sophie has revealed that her father – who was passionate about environmental causes – had seen the biodegradable suit months before his death, and requested that he be buried in it when the time came.

“Any explanation i give will not do justice to the genius that is the mushroom burial suit, but it is essentially an eco friendly burial option via mushrooms,” Sophie, 18, wrote on Instagram.

“My dad discovered it, and was more excited by this than I have ever seen him,” she continued. “He was buried in this suit, one of his final wishes. They are truly a beautiful thing for this beautiful planet, and I want to share it with all of you.”

Mushroom suits cost around US$1,500 each and include a button-up fabric with a hood and face cover, according to Coeio.com, the company that designs the special burial outfit.

The suit uses mushrooms and other microorganisms to speed up the decomposition process, while also neutralizing toxins found in the body and transferring the nutrients to plant life.

Earlier this week, Sophie announced she was officially opening her first preschool in Malawi, Africa, which would be named after her late father.

B&B’s Rena Sofer To Re-Wed

Luke Perry's Life Celebration from Hollywood Set for April

TMZ's obtained the invitation that's been sent to those who worked with Luke during his Hollywood career ... a list boasting hundreds of names. We're told the invitation's gone out to those who worked with him on "Beverly Hills, 90210," "Riverdale" and various other projects.

Our sources say the invite's not limited to stars and execs who run Tinseltown. We're told crew members -- from camera guys and makeup artists to hairstylists and wardrobe folks -- are included on the guest list. The private event is set for April 13 at the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank.

As we first reported ... Luke's ashes were spread around the place he most cherished ... the Tennessee farm where he lived on and off over the last 20-plus years. TMZ broke the story ... Luke died suddenly this month after suffering a massive stroke.

His death sent shock waves across the world. Luke was an adoring father and was revered just as much in Hollywood, which is why it wants to unite one last time in his honor.

Brian Austin Green reveals ‘90210’ cast reunited in honor of Luke Perry

Brian Austin Green revealed on his podcast that the cast of “Beverly Hills, 90210” recently reunited in honor of the late star.

“[I saw] people I hadn’t seen in at least 18 years, at least,” Green shared. “It was very mixed emotions because you were happy to see everybody and you felt like, ‘God, it’s been so long’ … but what a horrible reason to have to see everybody again.”

The bittersweet reunion took place at Gabrielle Carteris’ house. Green, 45, didn’t say which cast members attended Carteris’ gathering.

“It was definitely interesting. It had its fun, funny, like, laugh times and then it had its moments of … I don’t fully know what to say,” he continued. “I totally don’t believe it. I don’t fully believe Luke is gone. Luke has been in my life a long time and we had a really special relationship, and I’m learning now that Luke really had a special relationship with everyone. … He was a great human being.”

Green previously revealed on his podcast that after he heard news of Perry’s passing, he texted the late “Riverdale” star.

“I texted him after he passed, knowing obviously that he can’t text me back but on some level, hoping that he would text me back, or that he was out there somewhere,” Green, who starred as David Silver alongside Perry’s Dylan McKay on the long-running series, explained.

“And I know he is. I know he’s looking down and I know he’s smiling.”

Perry died on March 4 after suffering a massive stroke. He was 52.

Luke Perry Was Cremated and Ashes Scattered On Tennessee Farm

Family sources tell us Luke's ashes now lay in the town of Vanleer, TN, where Luke had 380 acres. The "Beverly Hills, 90210" actor purchased the land in the '90s. He lived there on and off over the past 20-plus years.

TMZ broke the story ... Luke's death certificate lists his official cause of death as "ischemic cerebrovascular accident" -- doc talk for having a stroke. The cert revealed his body had been taken to Dickson, TN to a funeral home, but it was not more specific.

Vanleer is just over 13 miles away from Dickson, so it sounds like his family received Luke's ashes in Dickson and drove them north to the farm.

As for Luke's connection to the farm ... he bought it in 1995 during the '90210' run. He had just starred in the movie "8 Seconds" where he played a young rodeo champ and developed an interest in cattle raising. That's when he purchased the farm.

Our sources say a private ceremony for friends and family will be held for Luke in a few weeks.

Luke was supposed to get married to his fiancee, Wendy Madison Bauer, later this summer. The date had been set for August 17, 2019, in LA.

He was 52.

NBC TO Air Luke Perry's Classic SNL 3/9/19

Dishing with Digest - 3/8/19 - Bryan R. Dattilo

Bryan R. Dattilo looks back on 25 years as DAYS's Lucas, his comings and goings from the show, his recent fitness kick and more with Digest's Stephanie Sloane and Mara Levinsky. Plus, we talk about the late Luke Perry, who got his start on soaps.

Jason Priestley pays tribute to ‘bright light’ Luke Perry

The pair’s former castmates, Ian Ziering, Shannen Doherty, Jennie Garth, and Gabrielle Carteris, all offered up their fond farewells to the late actor hours after his death on Monday, but it has taken Priestley a little longer to find the right words.

“It’s taken me a couple of days to figure out how to write this …,” he wrote on Instagram early on Thursday. “My dear friend of 29 years, Luke Perry, was one of those truly special people who really cared ….

“Luke was not only a star, he was an incredibly bright light that was extinguished far too soon … and that is why I, and so many others, are in so much pain today … If you had the good fortune to know Luke, or to have ever crossed his path, I know you are sad today as well.”

Priestley, who shared two photos of the old friends – one a throwback and the other a more recent picture, added: “The candle that burns twice as bright only burns for half as long … you burned oh, so brightly Luke … Goodnight Sweet Prince.”

Perry died with his fiancee Wendy Madison Bauer, his ex-wife, Rachel Sharp, and their children at his side, five days after suffering a stroke at his home in Sherman Oaks, California.

His 21-year-old son, Jack, paid tribute to his dad via Instagram on Wednesday, writing: “He loved (and) supported me in everything, and inspired me to be the best that I could possibly be. I’ve learned so much from you, and my heart is broken thinking about everything you won’t be here for. I’ll miss you every day that I walk this earth. I’ll do whatever I can to carry on your legacy and make you proud. I love you Dad.”

Meanwhile, Tiffani Thiessen, who also starred opposite Perry on 90201, has offered up her tribute, calling the actor “the definition of a gentleman.”

She took to Instagram on Thursday and wrote: “My heart has been weighing heavy. The loss of a man who started as my co-star but quickly became my friend.”

Thiessen became the love interest for Perry’s bad boy heartthrob Dylan McKay on the show.

“He welcomed me on my very first day of #90210 with open arms. A day that was not an easy one for me,” she added. “I was coming in to a show, a family really, that had been together for over 4 years. But this man took me under his wing and made me feel at home … He was sincere, sweet, warm, kind, professional and funny as all heck.”

She added: “Luke, our world has a hole in it now that you aren’t here. But heaven definitely gained you as an angel.”

DAYS’s Josh Taylor Remembers Luke Perry

Shannen Doherty Says Luke Perry's 'Biggest Accomplishment' Was His Children: 'They Were His Heart'

“I am in shock. Heartbroken. Devastated by the loss of my friend. I have so many memories with Luke that make me smile and that are forever imprinted on my heart and mind,” Doherty, 47, exclusively tells PEOPLE about Perry, who died Monday at age 52 after suffering a massive stroke days earlier.

Doherty starred alongside Perry on Beverly Hills, 90210 for years — the actress as Brenda Walsh and Perry as Dylan McKay (he appeared from 1990-95 and again in 1998 until 2000).

Although the costars drifted apart when the show went off the air, they reconnected after Doherty went public with her breast cancer diagnosis in 2015.Shannen Doherty and Luke Perry

“Luke was a smart, quiet, humble and complex man with a heart of gold and never-ending well of integrity and love. Luke reached out to me during my cancer journey and we picked right back up, albeit older and wiser, but that connection remained in tact,” says Doherty, who opened up about being in remission in September.

Although the duo wasn’t signed on to return for the upcoming Beverly Hills, 90210 reboot alongside their original castmates, both Doherty and Perry hoped to work together again on “something special and meaningful” for fans.

“There is a special kind of love one has for each other when you are experiencing the journey we did on 90210 and of course life in general. Luke and I were working on show ideas for us. We wanted to work with each other again and create something special and meaningful for our fans at this stage in our lives,” shares Doherty. “I will miss him everyday. Every minute. Every second.”

During their time spent together, Doherty remembers how often and fondly Perry spoke of his two children — son Jack, 21, and daughter Sophie, 18 — who he shared with ex Rachel “Minnie” Sharp.

“Luke loved his family. He raved about his kids and how proud he was of them. He showed me videos of the often,” says Doherty. “They were his heart and for him, his biggest accomplishment.”

Just weeks before his death, Doherty met up for lunch with her longtime friend and his dog, Penny, which will stand as one of her lasting memories with Perry.

“A couple of weeks ago in February, Luke and I met up for lunch. He chose the restaurant based on who would allow his dog,” says Doherty.

“I walked in and there he was, smiling, with his dog Penny and her bed under the booth, happy as can be,” she the actress. “I will never forget — and will miss — Luke looking at me with that smile of his saying … Shan.”

On Feb. 27, Perry was hospitalized after suffering a stroke and paramedics were dispatched to his home in Sherman Oaks, California. A source told PEOPLE he never regained consciousness.

The actor remained under observation for five days, but died on Monday, March 4.

“Actor Luke Perry, 52, passed away today after suffering a massive stroke,” read a statement from Perry’s rep.

“He was surrounded by his children Jack and Sophie, fiancé Wendy Madison Bauer, ex-wife Minnie Sharp, mother Ann Bennett, step-father Steve Bennett, brother Tom Perry, sister Amy Coder, and other close family and friends,” continued the statement. “The family appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers that have been extended to Luke from around the world, and respectfully request privacy in this time of great mourning. No further details will be released at this time.”

Following news of his death, numerous 90210 cast members expressed their condolences in statements and on social media.

In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, Tori Spelling wrote, “I’m in utter shock and heartbroken. I’m saddened for his kids whom he adored beyond words. He was so proud of Jack and Sophie. Luke was one of the kindest and most humble human beings I’ve ever known. I’m grateful for the years of friendship we had. He truly was family to me, a protector and a brother. I’m so sorry for the loss that everyone is experiencing.”

Jennie Garth also released an exclusive statement to PEOPLE: “My heart is broken. He meant so much to so many. Such a very special person. I share my deep sadness with his family and all who loved him. Such a terrible loss.”

Ian Ziering, who was the first 90210 star to pay tribute, tweeted, “Dearest Luke, I will forever bask in the loving memories we’ve shared over the last thirty years. May your journey forward be enriched by the magnificent souls who have passed before you, just like you have done here, for those you leave behind.”

In lieu of flowers, the Perry family asks that donations be made to Fight Colorectal Cancerthis link opens in a new tab and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospitalthis link opens in a new tab.

Luke Perry Dies: ‘Riverdale’ & ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ Star Was 52

Perry had been hospitalized since Wednesday.

His children Jack and Sophie, fiancé Wendy Madison Bauer, ex-wife Minnie Sharp, mother Ann Bennett, step-father Steve Bennett, brother Tom Perry, sister Amy Coder, and other close family and friends. The family appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers that have been extended to Luke from around the world, and respectfully request privacy in this time of great mourning. No further details will be released at this time.”

Perry had starred as Archie’s dad, Fred Andrews, on the CW’s Riverdale. He began his career in the early 1980s, including an arc on the soap opera Another World, and would become a household name on Fox’s Beverly Hills, 90210, starring as Dylan McCay from 1990-95 and again from 1998-2000.

He once said of his Dylan role: “I’m going to be linked with him until I die, but that’s actually just fine. I created Dylan McKay. He’s mine.”

The character wasn’t in the Beverly Hills, 90210 pilot. In a 2015 interview with the Television Academy Foundation, series creator Darren Star recalled: “After the first episode, we got together as a writing staff and we were sort of missing a ‘bad boy,’ in a way, so we created Dylan. When [Perry] came in to read for Dylan, we loved him, and [EP Aaron Spelling] loved him. And I think it’s very well known that Aaron went out of pocket to hire him as a series regular, and the network wasn’t necessarily onboard with adding a series regular. … Aaron knew we needed this kind of character on the show, and of course Luke was fantastic.”

While starring on 90210, Perry won a supporting role in the original film version of Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He also starred in the 1992 feature Terminal Bliss and was a series regular on the lottery-themed 2000 NBC drama Windfall.

Born on October 11, 1966, in Mansfield, OH, his other early film credits included 8 Seconds, Normal Life opposite Ashley Judd and the Rodney King drama Riot. His other TV credits included an arc as the ill-fated Reverend Jeremiah Cloutier on HBO prison drama Oz, and the post-apocalyptic 2002-04 Showtime drama Jeremiah.

Perry also worked as a voice actor in such series as The Incredible Hilk, The Legend of Calamity Jane, Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm and Biker Mice from Mars. He also guested as himself in the 1993 The Simposons episode “Krusty Gets Kancelled.”

He played Brad Majors on Broadway in the 2000 revival of The Rocky Horror Show and recently filmed a role in Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

It was just last week that Fox announced it had closed a deal for a reboot of Beverly Hills 90210. Titled 90210, the show from CBS TV Studios received a six-episode order to air this summer. Original cast members Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Brian Austin Green and Tori Spelling had signed to return to the reboot, but Perry had not.

Luke Perry Dead at 52: Riverdale EPs and The CW Salute 'Generous' 'Father Figure and Mentor to Young Cast'

Perry died on March 4, just days after suffering a massive stroke and being hospitalized. At the time of his passing, he was surrounded by fiancee Wendy Madison Bauer, ex-wife Minnie Sharp, and children Jack and Sophie, among other family members and friends.

A joint statement from Riverdale EPs Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Greg berlanti, Sarah Schecther and Jon Goldwater, Warner Bros. TV and The CW reads: “We are deeply saddened to learn today about the passing of Luke Perry. A beloved member of the Riverdale, Warner Bros. and CW family, Luke was everything you would hope he would be: an incredibly caring, consummate professional with a giant heart, and a true friend to all.

“A father figure and mentor to the show’s young cast, Luke was incredibly generous, and he infused the set with love and kindness. Our thoughts are with Luke’s family during this most difficult time.”

Production on Riverdale was shut down for the day, after the news broke.

Perry suffered his stroke on Feb. 27, the same day that Fox announced it was reviving Beverly Hills, 90210 via a six-episode, Curb Your Enthusiasm-esque mockumentary starring original cast members Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Jason Priestly, Brian Austin Green, Tori Spelling and Gabrielle Carteris. Though Perry’s Riverdale gig would have kept him from participating in the project full-time, Spelling had expressed confidence, prior to the revival’s official announcement, that Perry would have done “as many [episodes] as he can do.”

Luke Perry, 'Beverly Hills, 90210' and 'Riverdale' Star, Dead at 52

His rep confirmed his death on Monday.

"Actor Luke Perry, 52, passed away today after suffering a massive stroke," the statement reads. "He was surrounded by his children Jack and Sophie, fiancé Wendy Madison Bauer, ex-wife Minnie Sharp, mother Ann Bennett, step-father Steve Bennett, brother Tom Perry, sister Amy Coder, and other close family and friends. The family appreciates the outpouring of support and prayers that have been extended to Luke from around the world, and respectfully request privacy in this time of great mourning. No further details will be released at this time."

A source tells ET that Perry’s daughter Sophie was in Africa on a humanitarian mission at the time of his stroke. According to the source, she was able to fly back to be by her father’s side during his last days.

Perry was hospitalized on Feb. 27 after suffering a massive stroke at his home in Sherman Oaks, California. His former 90210 cast members, Ian Ziering and Shannen Doherty, took to social media to show their support for Perry, whose health emergency coincided with an announcement about a 90210 reboot that was to feature the original cast members.

At Sunday's The Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation's Compassion Project Gala in Los Angeles, Doherty spoke with ET about Perry. "I can't talk about it here 'cause I will literally start crying but I love him and he knows I love him," she said.

"It's Luke, and he's my Dylan," she continued, referring to their iconic 90210 characters.

In 2017, Perry dished to ET about the possibility of a cast reunion.

“I think everybody’s interested in doing it,” he said at the time. “We know we’d have a lot of fun getting back together. We just want it to be good.”

Perry was born in Mansfield, Ohio, on Oct. 11, 1966, and grew up in nearby Fredericktown.

Not long after graduating from high school, Perry moved to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career but he wasn’t an immediate success. After more than 200 auditions, he finally landed a TV commercial and was cast in the Twisted Sister music video for “Be Chrool to You Scuel” in 1985. He went on to land roles on the soap operas Loving and Another World before scoring his big break as bad boy Dylan McKay on Beverly Hills, 90210.

The hit show turned Perry into a certified ‘90s teen heartthrob, which translated into his first movie role in 1992's Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He also appeared in the films Terminal Bliss and 8 Seconds.

In 1995, Perry announced a short-lived departure from 90210, to take on more serious gigs. After appearing in a few more films, including Normal Life and The Fifth Element, he returned back to the zip code that made him famous. The original installment of 90210 aired for 10 seasons before coming to an end in 2000.

Perry, meanwhile, didn’t want to get typecast as his 90210 character. He starred in multiple projects including the HBO prison drama Oz, as well as Windfall, Jeremiah, The Sandlot: Heading Home and more. He also made several guest appearances on hit shows like Will & Grace, Spin City, What I Like About You, Family Guy, Law & Order: SVU and Criminal Minds.

Perry married Rachel Sharp in 1993. They were together for a decade and welcomed two children, 21-year-old Jack and 18-year-old Sophie, before splitting in 2003.

In 2017, Perry returned to series television landing the role as Fred Andrews (Archie’s father) on Riverdale. He spoke with ET about the “21st century” take on the classic comic book, and the similarities between him and the character.

“I think in some ways this character is the closest thing to me that I’ve ever played because he’s a guy that loves his kid. That’s really all he’s about,” the father of two said before adding. “That’s what I’m about.”

'Riverdale' Star Luke Perry Suffers 'Massive' Stroke, Sedated in Hospital

12:07 PM PT -- Sources connected to Luke tell TMZ doctors have placed him in a medically induced coma. The stroke, we're told, was "massive." When paramedics arrived at his home he was responsive and talking but his condition deteriorated and he was rushed to the hospital.

8:38 AM PT -- A rep for Luke tells TMZ ... he is currently under observation at the hospital.Luke Perry suffered a massive stroke Wednesday, and is currently hospitalized ... TMZ has learned.

Paramedics responded to Luke's home in Sherman Oaks around 9:40 AM. We know the call came into the fire department for someone suffering a stroke, and Luke was transported to a nearby hospital. It's unclear what his condition is right now.

The 52-year-old who stars as Archie's dad, Fred Andrews, on "Riverdale" ... had been shooting episodes recently in L.A. on the Warner Bros. lot.

Luke's medical crisis coincidentally struck on the very same day Fox announced it will reboot "Beverly Hills, 90210" -- the show on which he shot to fame, playing Dylan McKay in the 90s.

While his former costars -- Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Jason Priestly, Brian Austin Green, Tori Spelling and Gabrielle Carteris -- will be on the revived series, Luke has not signed on to the project.

Luke Perry Suffers Stroke — Report

The 52-year-old Beverly Hills, 90210 vet currently portrays Archie’s dad, Fred Andrews, on The CW’s Riverdale.

Perry’s apparent medical crisis occurred the same day Fox announced it was reviving 90210 via a Curb Your Enthusiasm-esque mockumentary starring original cast members Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Jason Priestly, Brian Austin Green, Tori Spelling and Gabrielle Carteris. Although Perry’s series-regular Riverdale gig precluded him participating in the project full-time, Spelling — who serves as one of the quasi-revival’s executive producers — expressed confidence that he would “do as many [episodes] as he can do.”

Additional TV credits for Perry include guest stints on Criminal Minds, Major Crimes, Community, Body of Proof and Will & Grace. He also appeared in the original 1992 film version of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

Rena Sofer Announces Reunion With Ex

Melissa Leo, Jessica Collins, thirtysomething Alums and More Join Netflix's Dolly Parton Anthology

Netflix’s Parton-centric anthology series — which will use music from the country legend’s songbook to inspire the plot of each episode — has recruited more than a dozen actors to appear in newly announced standalone installments.

The roster also includes thirtysomething alumni Patricia Wettig and Timothy Busfield (who will reunite in the episode titled “Sugar Hill”), The Practice‘s Camryn Manheim, The Americans‘ Holly Taylor and Oscar winner Melissa Leo.

Though character details have not been revealed for the new cast members, Netflix has provided episode titles and synopses, which you can view below.

“Cracker Jack”
Cast: Sarah Shahi, Rochelle Aytes, Jessica Collins, Tammy Lynn Michaels
Two stories — one past, one present — about the power of unconditional love between a girl and her dog, and that same girl, now grown, who questions what her life means and who she can truly count on when faced with her greatest fear.

“Sugar Hill”
Cast: Patricia Wettig, Timothy Busfield, Virginia Gardner, Tom Brittney
A married couple in their twilight embarks on a road trip back to the place where they first fell in love, along the way revisiting the history of their love story.

“Down From Dover”
Cast: Holly Taylor, Shane McGhie, Robert Taylor, Bellamy Young, Camryn Manheim, Mary Lane Haskell
After being shunned by her pious widowed father, a pregnant teenager finds support at a home for unwed mothers, where she hopes for the safe return, of the young man she loves, from the Vietnam War.

“Two Doors Down”
Cast: Melissa Leo, Ray McKinnon, Andy Mientus, Katie Stevens, Michael Willett
A family’s lifetime of secrets comes bursting out during a chaotic and comedic New Year’s Eve wedding weekend. Will they make it to witness the “I do’s” without killing one another?

Previously announced stars include Once Upon a Time‘s Ginnifer Goodwin (in an episode based on “These Old Bones”) and Grease: Live‘s Julianne Hough, who will fill the title role in an episode inspired by “Jolene.”

Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings will premiere sometime in 2019.

Bryan Cranston to Star in Showtime Limited Series From Good Wife Creators

Written by The Night Of‘s Peter Moffat (who also serves as showrunner and EP), Your Honor is a New Orleans-set legal thriller that finds Cranston playing a respected judge whose son is involved in a hit-and-run. The crisis leads to “a high-stakes game of lies, deceit and impossible choices,” per the official logline.

“Peter, Michelle and Robert have crafted an original thriller with gut-wrenching suspense, raw emotion and moral complexity,” Gary Levine, Showtime’s President of Entertainment, said in a statement. “And we are simply ecstatic that Bryan Cranston, one of the planet’s finest actors, shares our enthusiasm and has agreed to play the lead.”

Production begins later this year.

A First Look at Rebecca Budig's New Role on L.A.'S FINEST!

Once her arm was healed, Sofer shared a shot of the image that was designed by her daughter, artist Rosabel Rosalind Kurth, and then transformed into skin art by Los Angeles-based tattoo artist Daniel Winter. And each part of the detailed design carries a special meaning for the actress and mother. “I am the queen bee,” she explained. “And the MRA in my scepter are for my girls. The shoes show while I can be a woman in every sense of the word, I’ll also protect my family with everything I have. The crown says what I am: MAMA.”

Sofer has other tattoos that she has gotten over the years, but this one is extra-special and one that took extra planning. “I’ve thought about this for years so it wasn’t a snap decision, and while I’ve had many tattoos in my life, this is my most meaningful,” she expressed. “Thank you, Rosabel, for the amazing art, and Daniel Winter for the amazing work.”

Rosabel really is a very talented artist, and Winter did an incredible job translating it into a tattoo for Sofer. Of course, now we can’t help but wonder what kind of tattoos Quinn might get for herself!

Laura Wright Thanks Fans for Their Love as She Mourns Her Parents

GH fans have been flooding Wright’s social media accounts with heartfelt messages of love and support both when she lost her mother back in October of 2018 and again when her father passed away in December. The actress traveled home to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with boyfriend Wes Ramsey (Peter) to join her family and friends in memorializing both Betty and Rector Sisk.

Our thoughts continue to go out to Wright and her entire family during this difficult time.

Wes Ramsey Expresses His Deep Love for Laura Wright

Ramsey is referring to Wright having lost her beloved mother back in October, followed by the death of her father at the end of December. But throughout any hardships, the actress has remained grateful for the good things in her life, and it’s an attitude he is hoping to emulate himself. “Her unplanned, unprepared stoicism in spite of such loss is revering to my heart and inspiring to my spirit,” Ramsey declared. “She’s a tour de force — paving the road in spite of the path or its forced directions. I know this because I, too, am on that path. Her path. I am here to vouch that the road is smooth and placed with both intention and foundation, no matter the obstacle.

“So as I close out this year — one of the best of my life,” Ramsey concluded, “I’ve never thought less about my worried self and been more honored by this magical angel as her laughter (my distraction) keeps my dreams not just afloat, but out in front. I’m proud of you. I admire you. I thank you for letting me walk with you.”

For her part, Wright is also grateful to have Ramsey by her side. “I’ve had a beautiful January 1,” she shared on her own Instagram. “Reflection, tears, and gratitude for this view. I wrapped myself in love and memories and took deep breaths (and a quick dip in the hot tub), staying quiet with my thoughts on this new day. Thank you, Wes, for being by my side.”

The love these two share is an inspiration to everyone. All the best for a happy 2019 for the both of them!

Laura Wright Mourns the Death of Her Father

Wright, who began her daytime career as Aly on LOVING and THE CITY before playing Cassie on GUIDING LIGHT and then joining the cast of GH, has always enjoyed a warm, loving family. She has two children, Lauren, and John, and a brother, Jeffrey Sisk. Now her parents, Rector and Betty, are reunited in heaven to watch over all of them. Our thoughts are with Wright and her entire family during this difficult time.

Eliza Dushku Fires Back at Bull Co-star Michael Weatherly, Details 'Cruel' and 'Aggressive' Harassment on Set

In an op-ed published in Wednesday’s Boston Globe, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum outlines in great detail the atmosphere on the CBS procedural that led to her lodging a formal complaint — and then being fired not long afterward. Dushku, who says she was brought onto the show to become a series regular, later was awarded a $9.5 million settlement by the network.

News of the settlement broke in a New York Times article earlier in December. Dushku declined to be interviewed for that piece, she writes, “because I wanted to honor the terms of my settlement with the network. I was under the impression that Weatherly and [Bull showrunner Glen Gordon] Caron would also not respond per our settlement. Instead, all commented to the Times in what amounted to more deflection, denial, and spin.”

Last week, Weatherly’s former NCIS colleagues Pauley Perrette and Sasha Alexander jumped to defend him, pledging their support for him on social media. “This man… I love, respect, trust, and I KNOW. TWO decades of friendship and respect,” Perrette tweeted with a photo of her and Weatherly. “The best. I love you @M_Weatherly. Always and forever.”

Per the Times story, Weatherly would say things like, “Here comes legs” when Dushku arrived on set for a scene, that he joked about having a threesome with her and that he once responded to her flubbing a line by saying he’d bend her over his knee and spank her. Dushku adds that her former co-star also routinely mocked previous sexual harassment training and rallied the crew against her, humiliating her publicly during an end-of-season wrap party.

Dushku writes that, after she approached Weatherly directly and asked for his help in de-sexualizing the atmosphere on set, he texted Caron and asked that she be written off the show, adding that she had a “humor deficit.”

About that, she writes:

For the record, I grew up in Boston with three older brothers and have generally been considered a tomboy. I made a name for myself playing a badass vampire slayer turned tough LA cheerleader; I have worked with numerous leading men, including Robert DeNiro, Leonardo DiCaprio, even CBS’s own David Boreanaz. I can handle a locker room. I have been on Howard Stern and was hired by Kevin Smith for a film where I wore a black leather cat suit and played a member of an international diamond-thief-gang-ring. I do not want to hear that I have a “humor deficit” or can’t take a joke. I did not over-react. I took a job and, because I did not want to be harassed, I was fired.

Dushku adds that top CBS executives had no idea that she would be fired and were shocked when they heard about the move from her management team. (Ahead of Season 3, Caron told TVLine: “I think what we all realized was… the only way to have kept her character in the show, because she is a lawyer, was if her law firm bought Bull’s company, and then you’re really changing the DNA of the whole show… There was no way to keep that sort of ‘duet’ working.”)

“I think what we all realized was… the only way to have kept her character in the show, because she is a lawyer, was if her law firm bought Bull’s company, and then you’re really changing the DNA of the whole show,” Caron answered. “There was no way to keep that sort of ‘duet’ working.”

She goes on to say that in addition to the settlement, “I wanted a culture change” at the network. To that end, a condition of her agreement was that CBS assign someone trained in sexual harassment compliance to oversee Weatherly and the show; she also required a meeting with Steven Spielberg, head of Amblin Television, which co-produces the drama.

Michael Weatherly's NCIS Co-Stars Defend Him in Wake of Bull Scandal: His Heart Is 'As Big As They Come'

According to a Dec. 13 report by The New York Times, Dushku was poised to become a series regular on Bull after joining the CBS drama late in Season 1 as defense attorney J.P. Nunnelly. But Dushku said that Weatherly repeatedly made demeaning and crude comments about her during her time on the show, and when she lodged a formal complaint with the network, she was written off the show and later given a $9.5 million settlement by CBS.

Dushku claims that Weatherly made remarks about her appearance, said in front of the cast and crew that he would bend her over his leg and spank her, and suggested she wanted to have a threesome with him and a male crew member.

In separate tweets on Saturday, Pauley Perrette and Sasha Alexander — both of whom co-starred with Weatherly on NCIS — pledged their support for the actor.

“This man… I love, respect, trust, and I KNOW. TWO decades of friendship and respect,” Perrette wrote alongside a photo of her and Weatherly. “The best. I love you @M_Weatherly. Always and forever.”

Alexander echoed the sentiment, writing, “I have been in trenches w/ my friend @M_Weatherly. Always laughs, true friend & [a heart] as big as they come.”

In a statement to the Times, Weatherly apologized for his behavior, acknowledging that “what I said was both not funny and not appropriate, and I am sorry and regret the pain this caused Eliza.” But despite Dushku’s account that she was written off the show shortly after confronting Weatherly about his behavior, Weatherly denied having anything to do with her character being written out.

Bull Bombshell: Eliza Dushku Written Off After Complaining About Co-Star Michael Weatherly's Lewd Comments, Handed Multi-Million Dollar Settlement

According to a report by the New York Times, actress Eliza Dushku, who joined the cast of the CBS legal drama late in Season 1 as defense attorney J.P. Nunnelly, lodged a formal complaint with the network after being on the receiving end of several lewd comments made by series star Michael Weatherly. Dushku was poised to become a series regular, but soon after voicing her concerns, she was written off the show, and later given a $9.5 million settlement by the network as compensation.

CBS confirmed the settlement, which stemmed from a series of on-set incidents alleged by Dushku. She claims that Weatherly made demeaning comments about her appearance, saying “Here comes legs” when she arrived on set, said he would bend her over his leg and spank her in front of the cast and crew, and suggested she wanted to have a threesome with him and a male crew member. Dushku felt “disgusted and violated” following the incidents, according to interview notes from an internal CBS investigation.

Dushku confronted Weatherly about his behavior, and days later, was informed her character was being written out. Dushku entered into mediation with the network, which ultimately led to the $9.5 million settlement — the equivalent of what Dushku would’ve earned had she remained a full-time cast member for four more seasons.

Weatherly apologized in a statement to the Times: “During the course of taping our show, I made some jokes mocking some lines in the script. When Eliza told me that she wasn’t comfortable with my language and attempt at humor, I was mortified to have offended her and immediately apologized. After reflecting on this further, I better understand that what I said was both not funny and not appropriate, and I am sorry and regret the pain this caused Eliza.”

But he denies having anything to do with Dushku being written off the show: “It’s my recollection that I didn’t tell anyone how they should do their job regarding the hiring or firing of anybody.”

Facebook Q&A: Maurice Benard & Laura Wright

GH’s Laura Wright In Lifetime Movie

Dishing with Digest 12/7/18 - Rena Sofer

B&B's Rena Sofer talks about playing B&B's Quinn, her early soap roots on LOVING and GH, her prime-time past, some changes in her personal life and much more with Digest's Stephanie Sloane and Mara Levinsky. We also examine how it plays out when actors reclaim their roles, and discuss soaps' most romantic moments.

First Lady of the United States Drama Produced By Michael Weatherly & Eric Christian Olsen In Works At CBS

Written/executive produced by Jessica Grasl (Designated Survivor), First Lady centers around the beloved First Lady of the United States, who, determined to reclaim her life, does the unthinkable – she divorces her husband while he’s still in office and uses her prominence to become an advocate for truth and justice by revitalizing her career as an investigative journalist.

Weatherly executive produces via his Solar Drive Productions, with the company’s Head of Development Tiffany Grant as co-executive producer. Olsen and Kate Schumaecker executive produce via Olsen’s Cloud Nine Productions. CBS TV Studios, where Weatherly and Olsen are under deals, is the studio.

Friends Weatherly and Olsen used to be cast mates in the NCIS CBS/CBS Studios franchise as Weatherly co-starred on the mothership series for many years. Weatherly also guest starred alongside Olsen in an episode of NCIS: Los Angeles as part of a crossover. The duo’s bromance was on full display when they appeared on CBS’ The Talk together to promote the crossover. (you can watch the clip below)

This development season, Weatherly also re-teamed with fellow NCIS alum Cote de Pablo to produce MIA, a detective drama, which also is in development at CBS.

First Lady is Olsen’s third project as a producer bought by CBS this season. He also has medical drama Nurses, based on the Finnish series, and multi-camera comedy Life Lessons, based on a Canadian digital series.

Grasl’s credits include co-executive producer on Season 2 of Designated Survivor, supervising producer on Shades of Blue, producer on Proof and co-producer on White Collar.

CBS already has a DC drama about a female top government official with Madam Secretary.

Former Pittsburgher, 'Bold and the Beautiful' soap star, Rena Sofer discusses impact of synagogue shooting

“He basically said, ‘Are you OK?’ I said, ‘I’m fine, why?’” recalled Sofer, known for her role as the intense and enigmatic Quinn Fuller Forrester, a jewelry designer, on the CBS soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful.”

The friend broke the horrific news.

Back in Pittsburgh, where Sofer spent many of her formative years as part of the local Jewish community, a gunman stormed into Tree of Life synagogue and murdered 11 people in a hate crime – the worst attack on Jews in American history.

“When we hear about these shootings and we hear about these mass murders going on, we feel humanity,” Sofer said. “When you all of a sudden hear about it in your home, it becomes deeper and a lot more of an intense feeling.”

Sofer – daughter of the late Martin Sofer, a Conservative rabbi - was born in California. When her parents divorced, Rena Sofer moved with her father and brother, David, to Teaneck, N.J., in 1970; when she was 5, they moved to Western Pennsylvania. They lived in Ambridge, Beaver County; there, Rabbi Sofer led Beth Samuels Jewish Center, after the Aliquippa Jewish Center merged into the congregation.

Every day, the rabbi drove his kids into Squirrel Hill, where Rena attended Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh and Yeshiva Achei Tmimim Schools. She lived here through the end of seventh grade, when her family moved back to New Jersey. A New York agent discovered Sofer when she was a teenager, and she worked in modeling before turning to acting.

The daytime TV veteran won a Best Supporting Actress Daytime Emmy in 1995 for her former role as Lois Cerullo on “General Hospital.”

Memories of her long-ago childhood in Pittsburgh may have grown fuzzy, but Sofer maintains a soft spot and strong fondness for the region. Sofer no longer has family here, but she has friends who still have family living in the region. Pittsburgh often has been called one of the safest cities in America, she said, and that makes the Squirrel Hill shooting even more shocking.

“The thing about Pittsburgh is, I got to grow up in a place when I could run outside as a child, go to a park, and go run a few blocks down the street,” said Sofer, who has appeared in many primetime shows, including “NCIS” and “Ghost Whisperer.”

“For that kind of violence to happen in that kind of community is so repelling for the people in Pittsburgh,” said Sofer, who also has acted in movies including “Keeping the Faith” and “Traffic.” “Those people are about safety and about goodness and about community.”

One of the most poignant things about the shooting, many say, is that some Jewish medical professionals treated gunman Robert Bowers at Allegheny General Hospital. Nurse Ari Mahler wrote a public Facebook post about how he treated Bowers like any other patient, even as he yelled “Death to All Jews!” The post went viral and has more than 265,000 likes.

The medical team’s actions show what Judaism is all about, Sofer said.

“Jewish people throughout history have been persecuted … and face constant hatred and attacks,” she said. “Yet, we’ve always strived to be part of society.”

Jewish law is “very, very clear that you do everything you possibly can to save a human life. … The only time you don’t is when your life is in danger,” Sofer said. “The saving of anyone else’s life becomes more important than religion, than politics, than anything else.”

Sofer’s Jewish faith remains a big part of her life; her younger daughter, Avalon, just had her bat mitzvah at their synagogue in the Los Angeles area. Her older daughter, Rosabel, is in Vienna on a Fulbright Scholarship; she is studying anti-Semitic art.

Rabbi Sofer, who died in 2011 at age 86, attended Yeshiva University in New York and earned doctoral degrees in Jewish history and the Hebrew language. He served in the Israeli War of Independence in 1948. Rena Sofer’s father was quiet and private, and not a very political person – but, she said he would have mourned deeply after the shooting if he were alive.

“He gave himself for his community,” she said. “Beyond that … I would hope that maybe (the shooting) would have impassioned him to be more of an activist in his community as opposed to just a spiritual leader.”

One of Sofer’s favorite poems – “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” by John Donne – describes her feelings about the Pittsburgh tragedy. The verses – including “No man is an island, entire of himself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main” - remind us that we are all connected as human beings, she said.

The American gun-violence epidemic is out of control, and elected officials must do something to reduce it, said Sofer, who criticized President Trump for nationalist rhetoric that divides people. Nobody wants to take all guns, but we need more restrictive gun laws to, for instance, make it harder for dangerous people to get weapons, she said.

“I feel like the thing that I’m taking the most from Pittsburgh is … it’s incredibly clear that we in this country are in a place where it’s in our hands,” Sofer said. “We have the power to be able to stand up and say no.”

Hopefully, the Pittsburgh synagogue tragedy teaches us “that we are all Americans, and we have to be there for each other,” she said. “It’s OK to have different ideals … but it’s not OK to destroy each other and kill each other.”

Laura Wright Mourns the Loss of Her Mother

Back in July, Wright shared a lovely photo of her mother who suffered from breathing problems. “I have to post this beautiful picture of my mom just taken,” the proud daughter declared. “My mom has emphysema and struggles every day to breathe — to walk through the house. Just to walk outside to the car is extremely difficult for her and some days it’s emotionally very difficult… and frustrating to say the least for my mom. But when the days are good, and this day looks like a good day, we need to celebrate and share! You look beautiful, Mom! I love you!”

Betty was an absolutely lovely woman and our thoughts are with her friends and family during this difficult time.

Molly Shannon, Glynn Turman, Debbi Morgan Join Marlon Wayans’ Netflix Comedy ‘Sextuplets’

Michael Tiddes (A Haunted House) is at the helm, directing from a script by Mike Glock, Rick Alvarez, and Wayans. The plot centers on Alan (Wayans), a man embarking on a personal journey to meet his birth mother before the arrival of his first child. When Alan meets his brother, Russell, he discovers that he was born a sextuplet and decides to seek out his four other siblings (all played by Wayans).

Wayans and Alvarez are producing the pic, which is shooting in Atlanta, with Nathan Reimann.

Shannon is repped by Framework Entertainment and UTA; Turman by Marni Rosenzweig at The Rosenzweig Group and SMS Talent; Black by UTA and Schachter Entertainment; Morgan by PH Entertainment Group.

Paul Anthony Stewart on FBI 10/30/18

GUEST CAST includes: James Chen (Ian Lim), Ashley Williams (Alexis Moran), Paul Anthony Stewart (Chris Jensen).

Laura Wright Promises Fans: "I'm Not Pregnant"

But by the following day, Wright had gotten wind of the rumors, and quickly shut them down. “Hey guys, I’m not pregnant,” she announced. “I was just craving french toast. That’s all.” And she added a hashtag to say “#stillam.”

Wright married her husband, John, back in October of 1995, and the couple had two children together, Lauren, 19, and John, 17. But in April of 2016, she publicly announced that she and John had been separated for over a year and were officially divorcing. Just over a year later, Wright then went public with her new romance with Ramsey, whom she had originally met many years ago when they were both castmembers on the CBS sudser GUIDING LIGHT.

While Ramsey is now a part of Wright’s family, spending New Year’s with the extended clan and going along with Wright and her kids on vacation to Turks and Caicos, the pair are NOT starting a family of their own together. She just really wants french toast.

And unfortunately, by the end of the weekend, Wright still reported: “Still no french toast.” What does it take to get this woman some french toast?!

Talk Show Appearance

Oct 01, 2018: Michael Weatherly

The CW Developing Suburban Drama ‘Ruthless’ From Michael Weatherly

Written by George Olson, Ruthless centers on an ex-CIA operative, desperate for a normal life after a decade spent as a government killing machine, and a slightly unhinged teenage girl craving an escape from the mundane, who are forced into an unlikely alliance. Together, they begin to expose the dark secrets of their idyllic suburb as the former assassin helps her gleeful protégé survive tenth grade without a body count.

Olson executive produces with Weatherly. CBS Television Studios, where Weatherly and his Solar Drive are under an overall deal, is the studio.

Weatherly currently stars in the title role in the CBS/TV Studios’ Bull, which just launched its third season. Before that he co-starred as Tony DiNozzo on the first 13 seasons of veteran CBS/CBS TV Studios drama NCIS.

This development season, via his Solar Drive Productions, Weatherly also has detective drama MIA set at CBS, which he executive producers alongside fellow NCIS alum Cote de Pablo.

At the CW, Weatherly previously developed a much buzzed-about dystopian Little Women reboot via his CBS TV Studios deal.

Luke Perry's Criminal Encore

Perry, whose Season 4 UnSub has been dead for a while now, is but one of multiple “surprise” guests on tap for the series’ 300th episode, EW.com reports.

Criminal Minds‘ 15-episode season kicks off Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 10/9c.

Michael Weatherly, Cote de Pablo Developing CBS Cop Drama MIA

Series alumni Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo are reuniting to develop the drama series MIA at CBS.

The project centers on a newly minted homicide detective who is assigned to a by-the-book partner in Miami, but she struggles to keep her personal entanglements with her final undercover assignment from jeopardizing her future.

Though Weatherly and de Pablo will not be starring in the potential series, they are attached to executive-produce alongside Shepard Boucher (Riverdale), who will also write the script.

Weatherly and de Pablo ended their respective NCIS runs as Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David in 2016 and 2013. Since exiting the series, Weatherly has gone on to play the title character in CBS’ Bull, which enters its third season on Monday, Sept. 24; de Pablo has appeared in the religiously-tinged drama The Dovekeepers and the 2016 TV movie Prototype.

Soap Alumni Unite For New Project

‘Good Trouble’: ‘The Fosters’ Stars Teri Polo and Sherri Saum To Reprise Roles On Spinoff Series

Good Trouble follows Callie (Mitchell) and Mariana (Ramirez) as they embark on the next phase of their young adult lives in Los Angeles.

Polo and Saum are the first Fosters cast members confirmed to guests star on Good Trouble, which had been designed to maintain ties with the mothership show. “We plan to have all characters from the original series make guest appearances,” Freeform EVP Karey Burke told Deadline at the time of the spinoff’s announcement in January.

Good Trouble‘s producers had hinted that we likely will see Jude and Brandon from the original series the most as they also will live in Los Angeles.

The Fosters centered on the Foster clan: lesbian couple Stef (Polo) and Lena (Saum), who have built a close-knit, loving family with Brandon (David Lambert), Stef’s biological son from a previous marriage; their adopted twins, Mariana (Ramirez) and Jesus (Noah Centineo); and adopted siblings Jude (Hayden Byerly) and his half-sister, Callie (Mitchell).

Good Trouble hails from The Fosters’ three writing executive producers — Joanna Johnson, Peter Paige and Bradley Bredeweg — who exec produce alongside Gregory Gugliotta, Christine Sacani, Mitchell, Ramirez, Jennifer Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina. The series is produced by Lopez’s Nuyorican Productions in association with Freeform. Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians) is director and executive producer of the first episode.

Production has begun in Los Angeles for premiere in 2019.

Laura Wright Proves Age Is Nothing But a Number With Inspirational Message to Fans

“What they bring to the table with their youth and zest for life, we bring with our wisdom, experience, and good hearts,” she continued. “For all we’ve been through earning each grey hair… raising kids, bills and ills, and whatever else life throws at us, we are survivors. We are warriors. We are women. Like a classic car or fine wine. While our exterior may not be what it once was, it is traded for our spirit, our courage, and our strength to enter this chapter of our lives with grace and pride for all we’ve been through and accomplished. Never feel bad about getting older. It is a privilege denied to many.”

She then challenged her female fans to copy and paste her status with their own picture and age, proudly adding that she herself is turning 48 in September. And proving that age is nothing but a number, Wright has found a new lease on life happily finding love with GH castmate Wes Ramsey (Peter) after her divorce and continuing to raise her two beautiful children, Lauren and John. And don’t forget starring as Carly Corinthos on GH where she continues to earn critical acclaim and Daytime Emmy nominations (taking home the gold in 2011)! Wright is not only aging gracefully, but gorgeously. Such an inspiriation!

Black Monday: '80s Wall Street Satire Starring Don Cheadle, Andrew Rannells and Regina Hall Snags 10-Episode Showtime Series Order

The project — which was previously titled Ball Street — promises to answer the decades-old question: What caused the worst stock market crash in the history of Wall Street on October 19, 1987? Per the logline, “It’s the story of how a group of outsiders took on the blue-blood, old-boys club of Wall Street and ended up crashing the world’s largest financial system, a Lamborghini limousine, Don Henley’s birthday party and the glass ceiling.”

Happy Endings creator David Caspe and frequent collaborator Jordan Cahan (Marry Me) serve as EPs and showrunners. Preacher duo Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are also EPs.

The cast also includes Paul Scheer (The League), Yassir Lester (Making History), Michael James Scott (Aladdin on Broadway) and Eugene Cordero (Kong: Skull Island),. Happy Endings‘ Casey Wilson and Wet Hot American Summer‘s Ken Marino will recur.

“Black Monday is a scathing comic commentary on the excess of the ’80s,” Showtime president David Nevins said. “Don, Andrew and Regina lead a hilarious cast that takes on blue-blooded Wall Street as the Bad News Bears of Wall Street trading firms.”

Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Once Upon A Time In Hollywood’ Adds Luke Perry, Damian Lewis, Dakota Fanning, More

The Sony pic has brought aboard Damian Lewis, Luke Perry, Emile Hirsch, Dakota Fanning, Clifton Collins Jr, Keith Jefferson and Nicholas Hammond in supporting roles for a lineup that already includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Burt Reynolds, Timothy Olyphant, Michael Madsen and Tim Roth.

As befits a Tarantino pic, the casting intrigues: Lewis will play the iconic actor Steve McQueen; Fanning is set as Squeaky Fromme, the Manson disciple who later tried to assassinate President Gerald Ford; Hammond will play director Sam Wanamaker; and Hirsch is Jay Sebring, the Hollywood hairstylist who was one of four victims in the Tate murders on Cielo Drive.

Perry is set to play Scotty Lancer, Collins is Ernesto The Mexican Vaquero, and Keith Jefferson is Land Pirate Keith. It’s the third Tarantino film for Jefferson, who also appeared in The Hateful Eight and Django Unchained.

The Tarantino pic has been referred to as a Pulp Fiction-like tapestry of stories set in L.A. in the summer of 1969, at the height of hippy Hollywood. The two lead characters are Rick Dalton (DiCaprio), former star of a Western TV series, and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Pitt). Both are struggling to make it in a Hollywood they don’t recognize anymore. But Rick has a very famous next-door neighbor: Tate (Robbie).

David Heyman, Tarantino and Shannon McIntosh are producing, and the studio has set it for an August 9, 2019 release worldwide.

‘The Fosters’ Teri Polo, Dylan Walsh To Star In Indie Film ‘Foreign Exchange’

Polo and Walsh will play Olivia and Peter, grieving parents who lost their daughter in a car accident. They welcome a foreign exchange student into their home but have trouble not treating her as the replacement for the daughter they lost.

Chris Sivertson penned the screenplay, which Kaila York, Nigel Thomas, and Rick Benattar are producing.

In addition to The Fosters, Polo is known for her role in the Meet the Parents trilogy. Walsh starred in CBS’ Unforgettable and can currently be seen in Life Sentence on the CW.

Both actors are repped by Gersh and manager Bob McGowan.

Susan Walters on NCIS 5/15/18

GENERAL HOSPITAL's Laura Wright and Wes Ramsey Have a Blast in THE KITCHEN

Ramsey added: “Our first cooking show! LOL! So fun!” In the episode, titled “Let’s Do Lunch,” hosts Sunny Anderson, Katie Lee, Jeff Mauro, and Geoffrey Zakarian will be sharing some delicious new ideas for lunch. Wright and Ramsey will be acting as special sous chefs as Anderson makes a Lemon Teriyaki Chicken and Rice Bowl. (And if you miss that airing, it will be rebroadcast on Sunday, April 15, at 1 p.m. ET and Monday, April 16 at 12 p.m. ET!)

A sous chef is someone who is second in command in the kitchen, ranking just below the executive chef. Which is basically just a fancy way of saying that Wright and Ramsey will be acting as assistants to Anderson as she cooks up her dish. So make sure you tune in to see how they do!

Laura Wright: "I Never Imagined I'd Be Living With My Boyfriend," Wes Ramsey

After going through a divorce a few years ago, Wright admitted she was “in a dark place” and fought to find happiness, and now she’s discovered new love with Ramsey, who she used to work with on GUIDING LIGHT where she played Cassie and he was Sam. In fact, the two lovebirds are now sharing a place together in West Hollywood!

“I’m not 25,” Wright laughed. “I didn’t need to sleep on it. And we know how lucky we are to have this, so there’s a lot of gratitude. There’s a lot of respect… and a lot of self-love. I don’t need him to complete me. So our time together is just about enjoying the moment and not trying to fix each other.”

The GH star also shares a house with her kids, John (17) and Lauren (19), in Santa Ynez, but loves spending quality time with her new beau. “We love to hike and we love the ocean, sunsets, and going to the movies,” she revealed. “And right now, we’re reading The Fountainhead — he reads to me every morning. Yeah, he’s that guy!”

With all the stress and drama of real life, including work, bills, and everything else, it’s important to find and appreciate those special moments together. “We still have hurdles, walls, and things life throws at us,” Wright declared. “When I have 10 other things I think I need to do, I make the decision — ‘I’m going to sit here and listen to you read me this story.’ To slow down, be in the moment, and be together is a choice Wes and I make every day.”

Drugs, depression and cheating! Inside Rebecca Gayheart’s toxic divorce drama

“Their marriage has been a disaster for more than a decade,” revealed a source close to the troubled couple.

An insider added: “The relationship has faced its challenges, including Eric’s wandering eye over the years.”

Both Gayheart, 46, and Dane, 45, have admitted to substance abuse problems. Each has spent time in rehab.

The two wed in 2004, three years after Gayheart pleaded no contest to vehicular homicide charges after she struck and killed a nine-year-old boy.

In 2009, the couple was embroiled in a sex scandal when a leaked video showed a woozy Dane — then at the height of his fame as Dr. McSteamy on Grey’s Anatomy — in a hot tub session with Gayheart and a former teen beauty queen.

Two years later, Dane sought treatment for addiction to prescription painkillers.

Last year, the actor checked himself into rehab under a gloomy cloud of “clinical depression,” and took a break from shooting TV’s The Last Ship.

Gayheart cited “­irrecon­cilable differences” in divorce papers filed on Feb. 16.

The former Beverly Hills, 90210 star is seeking spousal support and joint custody of the couple’s daughters, Billie, 8, and Georgia, 6.

GH Stars On WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE

Talk Show Appearance

Mo 2/19: Teri Polo, Sherri Saum

Rebecca Gayheart Files for Divorce from Eric Dane

Rebecca, who starred in "Beverly Hills, 90210" filed legal docs Friday afternoon. Rebecca is asking for spousal support, as well as joint legal and physical custody. The couple has 2 daughters, ages 6 and 7.

Rebecca has been through a lot over the years. Back in 2001, she was driving and allegedly talking on her cellphone when she struck and killed a 9-year-old. She pled no contest to vehicular manslaughter and was sentenced to 3 years probation.

Eric, who starred in "Grey's Anatomy," and Rebecca were caught up in a scandal back in 2009 when Gawker released a sex tape of them having a threesome in a bathtub with another woman.

Seal Under Investigation for Sexual Battery

Actress Tracey Birdsall (ex-Amy Sanders, Loving) tells us she and Seal were neighbors in Los Angeles in the fall of 2016. She says the two developed a close friendship -- and only that -- until an incident at Seal's home. Tracey says she was in Seal's kitchen to retrieve a salad spinner she'd lent him when all of a sudden, he lunged at her.

Tracey tells us Seal forced himself on her, attempting to kiss her. She says she shouted, "What are you doing?!" and the singer replied, "I'm kissing you!"

Birdsall claims Seal then began to belittle her for what she was wearing (a tank top and shorts) -- insinuating she was asking for it -- and he began to grope her breasts. She says she demanded he stop.

Tracey tells us Seal then invited her to sit on the couch next to him ... she says she was in shock and complied. Birdsall claims Seal once again began to make fun of what she was wearing and groped her again. Tracey says she left shortly after that and did not have contact with Seal again.

Birdsall says it wasn't until she saw Seal's comments about Oprah and Harvey Weinstein -- where he encouraged women to share their own stories of sexual misconduct -- that she decided to report it to the cops.

A source with the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept. confirms a report was taken Saturday for sexual battery ... the incident is under investigation.

A rep for Seal tells us, "Seal vehemently denies the recent allegations made against him by a former neighbor for alleged misconduct more than a year ago. He intends to vigorously defend himself against these false allegations."

Laura Wright Is "Obsessed" With a New Fitness Challenge!

At the start of the 80-day challenge, Wright celebrated by sharing a very cheerful selfie. “Day one of 80 down!” she posted. “Clearly, I’m really happy about it! Food on point — meal prepping and answering your E-mails!”

The day before beginning the challenge, Wright opened up on Instagram about how you can’t let age get in the way of achieving your goals. “I have so many people asking me can they make huge changes,” Wright shared. “They say, ‘But I’m 42-44,’ ‘I’m over 50.’ Well, I’m 47, and Team Laura starts an 80-day nutrition and workout challenge tomorrow, so you know what I say. Hell yeah! You can have whatever you want.”

While the 80 days have already begun, we’re sure Wright wouldn’t mind adding a few more people to Team Laura. She’s been happily advocating the Beachbody programs for a while now, and just by looking at her, it’s clear that amazing results are achievable!

The Fosters Cancelled — But There’s a (Very Promising) Twist

The show will wrap up Season 5B with a two-hour finale, which also will mark its 100th episode, before a three-episode summer event that will introduce a spinoff series centered around Maia Mitchell’s Callie and Cierra Ramirez’s Mariana.

The untitled offshoot, which has been given a 13-episode order, is set several years in the future as Callie and Mariana begin their lives as young adults in Los Angeles. Callie will continue to be involved in social work, while Mariana will be immersed in the tech world. In addition, another member of the mothership series’ young ensemble may join the pair in LA, our sister site Deadline reports. Plus, the plan is “to have all characters from the original series make guest appearances,” Freeform’s EVP of programming and development Karey Burke told the site.

The new series will be shepherded by Fosters executive producers Bradley Bredeweg, Peter Paige and Joanna Johnson.

“Now that the kids are growing up, it’s time to take them out into the world, to see them make their way into adulthood, continuing their search for identity and love, and the pursuit of their dreams and purpose in this ever-changing world,” the trio said in a statement.

The Fosters Season 5B premieres Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 8/7c on Freeform.

ANOTHER WORLD Alum Heading To Sundance Film Festival

Laura Wright Reveals How She Met Boyfriend Wes Ramsey!

“We knew each other back in the day,” Wright confided to Soaps In Depth, but we hadn’t seen each other or talked until we ran into each other at an Emmy party on April 26. I was joking around with Donnell Turner (Curtis) about the line at the bar and Wesley turned around. I was like, ‘Oh my God! What’s up?’ And that was it.”

Wright has been single for a few years after separating from her husband, John, with whom she has two children, Lauren and John. But the time was right and fate stepped in to bring her a brand new love! The actress loves sharing photos of her life on her Instagram, and made her new relationship with Ramsey public with a beautiful post just a month later, in May.

“There were times I was out with him and people would ask for a picture of me, and then they’d see him and react,” Wright explained. “One person was like, ‘That’s not your husband!’ I’m not married. So I thought, ‘I’m just going to end this.’ Plus, I’m big on social media. I’m an open book, so it was just a matter of time.”

Since that first introductory post, Wright has shared plenty of romantic photos of herself with her new beau on Instagram, and you can see some highlights in this super sweet video!

Wright and Ramsey were co-stars back in the day on GL, and now they’re castmates once again on GH with his recent addition to the soap’s cast as Peter August. Whether the two will share many scenes together in Port Charles remains to be seen, but stay tuned to find out!

FB Live Q&A: Laura Wright & Steve Burton

Michael Weatherly and Anne Heche recall soap opera days

Now headlining top-rated primetime series Bull, Weatherly remembers those frothy days fondly. Recalling his days as a soap playboy to Postmedia Network, the 49-year-old hunk says: “Kelly Ripa and I were compadre – she was on All My Children at the time playing Hayley Vaughan. I look back at that time as very instructive in terms of how TV was made and how the entertainment/PR world worked as a whole. It was a valuable learning experience.”

Not a lot has changed since the bespectacled blonde heartthrob became a mainstream success after his breakout turns on Dark Angel and NCIS. “Fame and success won’t mean anything if you’re not inside of the experience,” Weatherly notes. “Try to have fun with the people you are working with. In that respect, nothing’s really changed since Loving – except I just have better scripts now! If you’re just trying to make money or be a famous person, you’re going to be deeply unfilled.”

Heche concurs to Postmedia Network. “I loved my time on Another World." What did she learn? “Show up on time. Know your lines. Take risks. And trust yourself.”

In fact, the lesson paid off: she scored a Daytime Emmy Award as Outstanding Younger Actress in 1991 playing twins Vicky and Marley Love on the popular soap.

But the 48-year-old stunner couldn’t make it to the award show ceremony because she had departed the soap world to pursue the bright lights of Hollywood and was on set filming O Pioneers! opposite Jessica Lange.

So where does she keep the golden hardware?

“My agent has my Emmy in her office,” she says with a laugh. “I couldn’t believe I won an Emmy and had such an impact on the industry. I didn’t have a lot of self-worth back then. If I won an Emmy now, it would be different. But now since my partner, James Tupper’s show Big Little Lies won an Emmy for [Outstanding Limited Drama Series], my kids want my Emmy at home. Or I'll have to win another one!”

Heche’s career trajectory would have been further along had education not interfered. The Ohio native was initially cast on As the World Turns but her mother wanted her to finish high school first. After she graduated, she landed AW. "And then I was still told I couldn't go,” she recounts. “My mother was very religious and I think she thought soaps were a sinner’s world. But I got on the phone and said, 'Send me the ticket. I’m getting on the plane.' I was like, 'Bye!'”

And the rest is history.

Talk Show Appearance

Tuesday, Oct. 3 - Michael Weatherly

Talk Show Appearance

Tu 9/26: Michael Weatherly

Laura Wright Is Crazy About New Boyfriend Wes Ramsey and We Love Them Together

Wright has been sharing photos of their developing romance on her Instagram, documenting date nights, Fourth of July holidays, and more. And although she didn’t share it at the time, Wright eventually used #FlashbackFriday to share with her fans a look at their very first date, which she called the best ever!

During her family vacation to Italy this summer, the actress shared an older photo of her and Ramsey declaring “Loving Florence, missin’ this rock star” and at the end of the trip another captioned: “So ready to play with this handsome fella.” They’re clearly wildly happy together.

Laura Wright Shares the Surprisingly Affordable Secret to Her Gorgeous Curly Hair!

However, when John Conboy came aboard as the new executive producer, he was shocked to learn that she’d been given that kind of power and pointed out to Wright that while her luxurious mane certainly looked amazing, it was distracting from her performance! “He said, ‘I love your hair like that,’” she recalled, “‘But it’s all I’m looking at. It’s so big and so beautiful it’s like a hair commercial — I’m not paying attention to anything you’re saying. No one is.’ And he was so right!”

So while the GH hair stylists will blow out her hair, in her day-to-day life, Wright embraces her natural curls and leaves her hair wild and free. Of course, that’s not to say she doesn’t need to use product, and the actress shared her secret on Instagram for her fans who also have curly hair. Surprisingly, it’s not a high-end expensive salon product, either — It’s Garnier Fructis Curl Sculpt Conditioning Cream Gel!

“So many of you have asked me what product I use when my hair is curly,” she posted to Instagram. “Well, here it is. You can find this in any drugstore. How much you use depends on your hair and how you want it to look. I apply and then twist the curls the way I want them to go. I let it dry then I mess it up and make it big and fun! We can own our curls!”

And fans were delighted by the recommendation, reporting back that they’d given the conditioning gel a try and the results were fantastic! “I’ve tried everything,” commented one, “but this definitely has my curls looking good! Thank you for sharing!”

No matter how Wright does her hair, she looks gorgeous. Whether it’s curly, straight, long, short, up or down, she never looks bad.

Cranston Bosses Around Family Guy

TV’s erstwhile Walter White, aka Bryan Cranston, will voice Peter’s new boss at the Pawtucket Brewery during Season 16, it was announced at the San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend. Claws‘ Niecy Nash will also lend her voice to the episode, as the wife and business partner of Cranston’s character.

The previous brewery manager, Angela, was voiced by the late Carrie Fisher and will appear briefly in the upcoming season. (Fisher recorded lines for at least one more episode before her death on December 27.)

Cranston has previously guest-starred in two episodes of the Seth MacFarlane series as Hal in 2006 and Dr. Jewish in 2008.

Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) and Amanda Seyfried (Big Love) will also lend their voices in the upcoming season, which premieres Sunday, Oct. 1 at 9/8c on Fox.

Laura Wright Opens up About Her Divorce and New Romance!

Two years after their separation, the friendly exes made the split official in the spring of 2016 and Wright was ready to face whatever life throws at her. “It's been such a journey of the marriage ending and having to walk as a single woman again,” marveled the actress, opening up about her experience to Soaps In Depth. “I'm so excited to share and talk about things, because my biggest thing is I want to be a resource to other people.

“We're all going to have painful things happen in life,” Wright continued. “It’s about whether or not you sit in the suffering. There are so many ways to work through that. Even a conversation can help — because the ones I had with people helped me! Every little bit helps.”

Wright and her husband were married on October 7, 1995, and had two beautiful children together: Lauren (18) and John (16). The proud mom recently celebrated Lauren’s graduation from Santa Ynez Valley High School.

Immediately following the divorce, Wright insisted that she was enjoying having some “me time” as a single lady. “I have a big picture of what I want from life now,” she declared, “and I’m still discovering things I like. I don’t want to be distracted by instant gratification or an old pattern of needing attention.”

But nearly a year later, on May 29, Wright posted a photo on her Instagram introducing her fans to the new man in her life, former GUIDING LIGHT castmate Wes Ramsey (Sam) using hashtags like “#lifeisbeautiful” and “#newbeginnings.”

Wright confided that her divorce was amicable, and she and John still co-parent their teenage children. “He’s still my best friend,” she revealed. “He’s an amazing father. We’re great parents and we do it together.”

The actress seems to have found a way to have it all — love, family, and a career — and she couldn’t be happier. “All of this came from me climbing back up from my marriage ending,” Wright concluded. “It was sad and difficult to go, ‘Now What, Laura?’ But it turns out “Now what’ is freaking awesome! I’m learning so much about who I am!”

Daytime Emmys Agnes Nixon Tribute (Extended Version)

Produced by Michael Fairman, with deep respect, appreciation, and love for Agnes, the cast of AMC and OLTL, and the fans, The Michael Channel brings you this one-of-a-kind special retrospective.

The shorter version of this retrospective appeared on the 44th Annual Daytime Emmys Ceremonies this past April.

Inside the life of 'All My Children' creator Agnes Nixon

It was pre-social media, before skyrocketing divorce rates, and before bad behavior was celebrated or rewarded.

All across America, people were glued to their television sets, living vicariously through someone else’s naughty or scandalous lives on the soap operas "All My Children" and "One Life to Live." The muscle and brains behind these shows? A devout Catholic, wife and mother of four: creator Agnes Nixon.

Nixon completed her memoir, "My Life to Live," in September 2016 but it is just being released today. In her heartfelt book, she opened up about her Irish roots and the lessons she learned about working outside the home from the women in her family. Those lessons would help Nixon forge ahead during a time in television when men ruled the airwaves.

Nixon also revealed where many of her characters and plots came from; one in particular came out of the heartbreak of losing her first love in World War II.

Two days after writing the final words in her book, Nixon died peacefully in her sleep. She was 93.

“Agnes lived beyond the boundaries of the norm,” Judith Light, who won two Daytime Emmys for her role on "One Life to Live," told ABC News. “She was one of the relatively few of that era who was leading the way and changing the dynamic in the world for women. When I was in her presence she exuded self-confidence and was the personification of grace and gentility with an unmistakable power surging beneath.”

Before Nixon created "All My Children" and "One Life to Live," she worked as a writer at the soap opera "Guiding Light." According to her memoir, Nixon wrote a storyline in the early-1960s surrounding early detection of uterine cancer with a Pap test after she lost a friend to cancer.

"Guiding Light" executives were outraged, but Nixon stood her ground. She was eventually granted permission to write the storyline, but was forbidden from using the words cancer, uterus or hysterectomy in her scripts. Nixon’s story, one the first involving cancer on television, resonated with millions of women, who, after watching the show, scheduled Pap tests.

“Agnes changed the world for woman although I don’t think she set out to do that,” Light said. “She simply owned herself and knew she was good? She just happened to be a woman in a time when woman were generally not expected to create big things. I will always be grateful to Agnes Nixon for creating this place that changed not only my career, but also my life.”

In 1968, Nixon created her own soap opera, "One Life to Live," and after a year, ABC executives asked Nixon to develop another soap opera. Little did they know, sitting in the bottom drawer of Nixon’s desk was an outline for a show she had already written, she wrote in her memoir.

ABC quickly gave the show the green light, and "All My Children," which became one of the most popular soaps of all time, was born.

As the January 1970 "All My Children" premiere date approached, panic set in for Nixon, she wrote in her memoir. She still did not have an actress to play the determined, teenage bad girl, Erica Kane.

Casting directors went across the country looking for an actress, but were having no success until they met Susan Lucci, then 23. Immediately, a videotape of Lucci’s audition was sent to Nixon’s home. Nixon admitted in her memoir she had failed at conjuring up an image of who Erica Kane was, until she saw Lucci.

“She made such an impression on me because that was the first time I saw a woman with designer clothes on,” Lucci, now 70, told ABC News. “She embodied a successful woman in business in New York. You could clearly see she was the woman in charge, and an artist at the same time.”

After Lucci stepped into the role of Erica Kane, Nixon told a number of important stories through the character. One of those came in 1973, shortly after the Supreme Court's landmark ruling in Roe v. Wade, affirming a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion, when Erica had television's first legal abortion. Audiences were divided, but Nixon didn't mind the criticism.

"There was no preaching," Lucci said of Nixon's stories. "She was too busy to preach. She told stories and told everybody's point of view. She was inclusive."

In addition to abortion, Erica also helped tell stories about rape and addiction. And, when Nixon wanted to tell the story of a lesbian "coming out," she wrote that she knew it had to be Erica's daughter, Bianca.

Nixon was praised for the honest portrayal of how a parent deals with their child's sexuality. The storyline eventually resulted in America’s first lesbian kiss on daytime TV.

Nixon said her storytelling philosophy was "make 'em laugh, make 'em cry, make 'em wait," something she credited to the days of vaudeville. While telling socially relevant stories on "All My Children," Nixon also infused glamour, adventure and a lot of romance.

One of the most popular love stories in the history of “All My Children” was the one of Angie Baxter and Jesse Hubbard, played by Debbi Morgan and Darnell Williams.

Angie and Jesse were African-American teenagers from opposite sides of the tracks who fell in love. The audience rooted for them and could not get enough of their love story. It was another benchmark for Nixon. Angie and Jesse were daytime's first African-American “supercouple.”

The love between Angie and Jesse remained part of the "All My Children” fabric for decades. Through their story, the actor who played Jesse, Darnell Williams, formed a close bond with Nixon. From the time they met, Williams says he remembers Nixon’s being very helpful, supportive and warm.

"She was a perfect blend of corporate, arts and humanity," Williams said. "What I'll miss the most about Agnes is that warm, beautifully embracing Irish smile of hers. It was always like family."

In 1995, after thousands of episodes and countless cliffhangers, new characters captured the attention of daytime viewers: those associated with the O.J. Simpson trial. From January through October, the twists and turns of a real-life murder mystery, involving one of the most celebrated athletes of all time, kept viewers on the edge of their seats and eclipsed the popularity of the scripted soap opera.

In the first three months of 1995, at least a million fewer households tuned in to the soap operas from the previous year. Additionally, new talk shows were debuting at warp speed and an increasingly number of cable channels gave people more options for programming. Soap operas never recovered in the ratings.

Finally, after more than four decades, on April 14, 2011, ABC canceled "All My Children" and "One Life to Live."

Nixon wrote in her memoir that to distract herself from the painful news, she looked at the Lifetime Achievement Emmy statuette given to her in 1992. The base was inscribed: “Agnes Nixon introduced social relevance to Daytime, and at the same time changed traditional storytelling.”

Nixon suffered a stroke a year after the cancellations. While her body failed, Nixon’s son, Bob, a documentary film maker, says her mind was as sharp as ever.

“The shows may have been canceled, but all of those lives and characters were running through her head constantly,” he told ABC News. “Ag was determined to make the most of her time on Earth. She thought she had God-given gifts and worked tirelessly to benefit others. She always said life was like a brief candle.”

Lucci added: “She was an original. What I’m going to miss the most is being able to talk to her.”

It’s hard to believe so much scandal, impropriety and mischief came from a woman who attended mass regularly, lived a conservative life and was married only once for 45 years until her husband’s death in 1996. If Nixon thought life was simply a brief candle, her flame was one of the most illuminating of all.

Agnes Nixon’s memoir, "My Life to Live," is available now.

The Fosters, Shadowhunters, Stitchers Return Dates Set at Freeform

The cabler on Monday revealed that The Fosters‘ fifth season will bow on Tuesday, July 11 at 8/7c, leading into the series premiere of the magazine-set drama The Bold Type.

Additionally, Shadowhunters midseason premiere is set for Monday, June 5 at 8/7c, leading into the Season 3 launch of Stitchers at 9 pm.

The Bold Type, inspired by the life of Hearst exec Joanna Coles, offers a glimpse into the “outrageous lives and loves” of those responsible for the global women’s magazine Scarlet. The series stars Katie Stevens, Aisha Dee, Meghann Fahy, Sam Page, Matt Ward and Melora Hardin.

Agnes Nixon’s upcoming memoir describes creation of Erica Kane

Agnes Nixon, the late creator of classic soaps “One Life To Live” and “All My Children,” describes creating the character Erica Kane and says Susan Lucci was born to play the role in an upcoming posthumous book.

She wrote in “My Life to Live: How I Became the Queen of Soaps When Men Ruled the Airwaves” that “Susan Lucci was Erica Kane. It wasn’t just her beauty; it was her ability to transmit to the screen the essence of the character.”

Carol Burnett writes in the foreword, “I became an ‘All My Children’ fan when Erica Kane was on her first marriage ... I was as sad and mad as everyone else when ‘AMC’ was canceled. It could’ve gone on for 42 more years!” The book, published by Crown Archetype, is out March 21.

My Life to Live: How I Became the Queen of Soaps When Men Ruled the Airwaves: Hardcover, Kindle.

From the Emmy-winning creator and writer of All My Children and One Life to Live, a memoir of her trailblazing rise to the top of the television industry, including behind-the-scenes stories from some of the most beloved soaps of all time

Before there was Erica Kane, Adam Chandler, or Victoria Lord, there was Agnes Nixon, a young girl who dreamed up stories for paper dolls. Those tales she imagined--ones filled with ambitions, rivalries, and romances--would soon parallel her own path to success. In a memoir filled with as much drama as the soaps she penned, Nixon shares her journey from Nashville to New York City, as she overcomes the loss of her fiancé in World War II, a father intent on crushing her writing dreams, and the jealousy of her male colleagues on her way to becoming one of the most successful names in television.

While fans will delight in Nixon’s own incredible life, they will also love her behind-the-scenes insight into her most popular shows. Inside, she shares the inspiration for Erica Kane and how she cast Susan Lucci in the role; an excerpt from the never-before-seen All My Children story bible; entertaining anecdotes about her shows’ beloved casts and special guests, including Carol Burnett, Kelly Ripa, Oprah Winfrey, and Warren Buffett; and more.

But My Life to Live is also a portrait of a pioneer. Driven to use her ratings power for good, Nixon fought and broke network taboos by wrestling with controversial social issues ranging from women’s health, interracial relationships, and the Vietnam War to drug addiction, LGBT rights, and AIDS. By infusing her characters with sensitivity, humor, and humanity, she enabled millions to examine an opposite point of view. And long before Shonda Rhimes launched a golden age of female showrunners, Agnes Nixon positioned ABC to become the media giant it is today. She is a true television legend, and her candid and inspiring glimpse behind the curtain of the television industry will charm soap fans and story lovers alike.

“I owe my career to Agnes Nixon, who was not only a brilliant creator and writer, but also my friend. My Life to Live is full of wonderful, evocative stories from her life and career that even I hadn’t heard. And in typical Agnes fashion, her storytelling is full of humanity, social relevance and delicious humor! I know that her legions of fans will treasure it as much as I do.” —Susan Lucci

"Aggie Nixon is the only person I've ever known whom I didn't say awful things about. And much to my dismay, her memoir did nothing to change that. Unforgivable." —Larry David

“[Agnes’s] career wasn’t easy to come by…. We know she won, but the story of her ups and downs make this book a true page-turner.” —Carol Burnett, from the foreword

My Life to Live: How I Became the Queen of Soaps When Men Ruled the Airwaves: Hardcover, Kindle.

Amelia Heinle and Thad Luckinbill to Divorce After 10 Years of Marriage

According to court documents obtained by TooFab, Luckinbill filed for the split in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, citing "irreconcilable differences."

Heinle, who plays central role of Victoria Newman on the top-rated CBS soap, began dating Luckinbill when he was playing JT Hellstrom on the show from 1999-2010. The couple wed in March 2007.

In an ironic twist of life imitating art, Heinle and Luckinbill's characters on the show became a couple, had a child and then split. Their characters' son Reed Hellstrom (played by newcomer Tristan Lake Leabu) just returned to the "Y&R" canvas as a teenager, leading to speculation by fans that Luckinbill's JT might also return to the series.

Heinle and Luckinbill share two children -- Thaddeus, age 10, and Georgia, age 8.

Luckinbill is seeking joint custody of the children and is asking the court to "reserve for future determination the issue of spousal support," according to the filing.

She was previously married to "NCIS" star Michael Weatherly, whom she also shares a son named August. Weatherly and Heinle met while they were both starring as Coop and Steffy on ABC's now-defunct soap "Loving."

The actress just won her second Emmy this past year for her role as Victoria on "Y&R," which she's played since 2005. Luckinbill is most recently listed as an executive producer of the award-winning "La La Land," which almost won Best Picture during the Oscar fail heard around the world.

Amelia Heinle and Thad Luckinbill Expand Their Family — See the Adorable Pic!

“The newest member of the Luckinbill family!” Heinle tweeted. “We need a name!”

Fans online responded with plenty of suggestions, like “Red,” “Lucky,” “Rusty,” or “Charlie” for the little pooch. And Heinle’s Y&R castmate Melissa Ordway (Abby) simply tweeted, “Sooooo cute!!!”

Heinle and Luckinbill have two children together, son Thad Jr., 9, and daughter Georgia, 7, and the actress has also shared plenty of pictures of their dog, Walter, on Instagram.

The little guy is just adorable, and we can’t wait to find out which name they pick — and to see more cute puppy pics in the future!

Update: He has been named Rufus.

Soap Opera Writer Courtney Simon to Be Honored by Writers Guild East

Simon will be honored at the 69th annual Writers Guild Awards at New York’s Edison Ballroom on Feb. 19. The Jablow award was established in 1978 to recognize service and created in honor of Jablow, who helped found the WGA East, authored its constitution, and served as its first counsel.

Simon has been a WGA East member since 1980. She has written for 12 different daytime dramas, including “As the World Turns,” “Santa Barbara,” “Guiding Light,” and “All My Children.” She has won seven Daytime Emmy Awards and seven Writers Guild Awards.

Simon has served on the WGA East Council since 2007 and has been active in lobbying efforts to promote a diversity-based tax credit in the state of New York. She co-chairs the WGAE Diversity Coalition, is a member of the Awards Committee, and has been chair of the Daytime Committee.

“Not only is Courtney Simon a gifted writer who has mastered the intricacies of daytime drama, she has been a dedicated member of the Writers Guild of America East council and a hardworking contributor to a number of union committees, most recently as co-chair of our Diversity Coalition,” said WGA East president Michael Winship. “No one is more deserving of our Jablow Award, presented to someone who has so thoroughly devoted herself to the Writers Guild of America East.”

The 2017 Writers Guild Awards ceremony in New York will be hosted by Lewis Black.

The Fosters Renewed for Season 5

Freeform on Tuesday announced that the family series has been renewed for a fifth season, along with Bachelor franchise spinoff Happily Ever After?, which will return for Season 2.

The Fosters returns for Season 4B on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at 8/7c, where it will lead into the final season of Switched at Birth. Meanwhile, Happily Ever After? — now titled The Twins: Happily Ever After? — will turn its focus to Bachelor Season 20 standouts Emily and Haley Ferguson and will be back on Monday, March 20, at 9 pm.

In addition to the aforementioned renewals, Freeform has announced that both Young & Hungry and Baby Daddy will return with new episodes on a new night, beginning Monday, March 13.

The cabler has also picked up to series The Bold Type (formerly known as Issues), a new one-hour drama from Parenthood producer Sarah Watson, The series, based on the life of Hearst Magazines’ chief content officer, Joanna Coles, stars Katie Stevens (Faking It), Aisha Dee (Chasing Life) and Melora Hardin (Transparent). It is slated for a summer 2017 debut.

74th Annual Golden Globe Nominations

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Rachel Bloom, CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, VEEP
Sarah Jessica Parker, DIVORCE
Issa Rae, INSECURE
Gina Rodriguez, JANE THE VIRGIN
Tracee Ellis Ross, BLACK-ISH

Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Riz Ahmed, THE NIGHT OF
Bryan Cranston, ALL THE WAY
Tom Hiddleston, THE NIGHT MANAGER
John Turturro, THE NIGHT OF
Courtney B Vance, THE PEOPLE v. O.J. SIMPSON: AMERICAN CRIME STORY

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Sterling K. Brown, THE PEOPLE v. O.J. SIMPSON: AMERICAN CRIME STORY
Hugh Laurie, THE NIGHT MANAGER
John Lithgow, THE CROWN
Christian Slater, MR. ROBOT
John Travolta, THE PEOPLE v. O.J. SIMPSON: AMERICAN CRIME STORY

Laura Wright Has a Thrilling Adventure With Her Kids!

“The Vault in Santa Ynez!” Wright posted on Instagram. “So fun! Loved it!”

The immersive puzzle-solving game lets a small group of players enter a room where they will have 20 minutes to solve the puzzles and earn their escape! The limited-time experience was raising money for the Trunk Full of Miracles charity, which supports the homeless. Unfortunately, Wright and her group weren’t able to get out on their own, but we’re sure they came close!

Patricia Barry Tribute

Bull, MacGyver, Kevin Can Wait Snag Full-Season Pickups at CBS

Bull — starring Michael Weatherly as a pre-Oprah’d Dr. Phil — has thus far proven to be a worthy Tuesday companion to Weatherly’s alma mater NCIS. In its first three outings, the show — which is fall’s most-watched new series — is averaging 14.6 million live viewers and a 2.1 demo rating, improving.

The Kevin James-fronted Kevin Can Wait, with 10.4 mil and a 2.5, is fall’s No. 1 comedy in both measures, while MacGyver (9.3 mil/1.4) has improved on The Amazing Race’s Fall 2015 average (5.9 mil/1.1) in the Friday lead-off spot.

“We’re thrilled viewers have embraced these three shows creatively,” said CBS’ entertainment president Glenn Geller in a statement. “Each one has made an immediate and positive impact on our schedule, while significantly contributing to growing their respective nights.”

Patricia Barry, Stalwart of Daytime Soap Operas, Dies at 93

Barry, one of the earliest members of Women in Film and a former president of the nonprofit advocacy organization, died peacefully Tuesday at her home in Los Angeles, her publicist announced.

In the movies, Barry starred in Send Me No Flowers as the soon-to-be divorced neighbor whom Doris Day suspects is having an affair with her husband Rock Hudson, and she played Glenn Ford's former mistress in Delbert Mann's Dear Heart. Both films were released in 1964.

Also that year, Barry appeared in the crime drama Kitten With a Whip (1964), starring Ann-Margret, and starred as Jack Klugman's spendthrift wife in the short-lived NBC sitcom Harris Against the World.

On NBC's Days of Our Lives, Barry portrayed Addie Horton Williams, who was married to the character played by Bill Hayes, from 1971-74. She then had a rather interesting turn as Peg English — who raised her adopted daughter Brooke (Julia Barr) while running an international drug cartel under the alias The Cobra — on ABC's All My Children from 1980-81.

On CBS' Guiding Light from 1984-87, Barry sparkled as the conniving Southern belle "Miss Sally" Gleason, then played upper-crust matriarch Isabelle Alden on the ABC soap Loving in the '90s.

Patricia White was born Nov. 16, 1922, in Davenport, Iowa. Her father was a doctor who cared for rural families, and her mother was the youngest of 14 children. She attended Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., where she trained with Maude Adams — who played Peter Pan on Broadway in 1905 — and then studied under Sanford Meisner in New York.

Her first professional role came in a 1944 production of Laughing Water, by Henry and Phoebe Ephron (the parents of Nora and Delia), and she soon appeared on Broadway in Calico Wedding. Later, she was Steve Allen's co-star in The Pink Elephant.

She won a Rita Hayworth look-alike contest, was signed by Warner Bros. and made her big-screen debut as a showgirl in Her Kind of Man (1946). She went on to appear in such films as The Beast With Five Fingers (1946); Joan Crawford's Humoresque (1946); The Man I Love (1947) with Robert Alda and Ida Lupino; The Wreck of the Hesperus (1948); Gene Autry's Riders of the Whistling Pines (1949); The Tattooed Stranger (1950); and First Love (1954).

She co-starred with William Frawley, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Whitey Ford and other New York Yankees in the spring-training-set Safe at Home! (1962).

Barry starred in two episodes of The Twilight Zone and showed up on such series as Perry Mason, Rawhide, Gunsmoke, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Thriller, Route 66, My Three Sons, Three's Company, Dallas, Murder, She Wrote and PBS' Ghostwriter, where she played a movie star.

An astute businesswoman, Barry leased fully furnished homes to visiting stars, directors and other dignitaries in Los Angeles and New York. Her tenants included Peter Ustinov, Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward, Angela Lansbury, Paula Prentiss & Richard Benjamin, Joshua Logan, Don Rickles and Peter Gallagher. George Roy Hill was living in her house on Beverly Drive when he directed his Oscar-winning Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969).

Barry, who had a fondness for Yorkshire Terriers, was the recipient of Women in Film's prestigious Founder's Award in 1999. In 2004, she starred in Martha Mitchell Speaks, a one-woman show in New York produced by Dorothea Petrie.

Her husband, Philip Barry Jr., who produced plays, films (The Mating Game) and telefilms for ABC, died in 1998. He was the son of playwright Philip Barry, and after her husband's death, she authorized all productions of Philip Barry plays, including stagings in London of High Society and The Philadelphia Story, starring Kevin Spacey.

Survivors include her daughters Miranda Barry, a former executive in charge of global Sesame Street productions, and Stephanie; son-in-law Mark; grandchildren Alixanne and Hailey; and godchildren Tracy and Stephen.

Memorial services are planned for early 2017 in Los Angeles and New York.

Teri Polo on Conviction

“Conviction” stars Hayley Atwell as Hayes Morrison, Eddie Cahill as Conner Wallace, Shawn Ashmore as Sam Spencer, Merrin Dungey as Maxine Bohen, Emily Kinney as Tess Larson, Manny Montana as Franklin “Frankie” Cruz and Daniel Franzese as Jackson Morrison.

Guest starring are Teri Polo as Penny Price, Sheila McCarthy as Dr. Jane Soto, Tim Guinee as Greg Price, Michael Pemberton as Judge McCutcheon and Dan Harris as himself.

“Mother’s Little Burden” was written by Samantha Corbin-Miller and directed by Paul Holahan.

AMC's Larkin Malloy Dead at 62

Malloy played AMC‘s Travis from 1987 to 1998. Walt Willey, who portrayed his on-screen brother Jack on the ABC soap, posted on Facebook Thursday that Malloy had died of complications from a recent heart attack.

Willey wrote:

Just got word that Larkin Malloy, who played my brother “Travis” on All My Children, died of complications from a heart attack he suffered on Saturday. Larkin Malloy welcomed me like a brother when I joined the cast in 1987. We worked together, did appearances together, partied together, vacationed together. He was an “actor’s actor”, spending many years teaching the craft, and a gentleman in the old world style. We spent many hours together, both on set and off, and truly were “Irish brothers from another mother.” Tommy, you will be missed. Love you, brother. ‘For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come’ Hamlet.

Larkin also appeared on the daytime dramas Loving, The Edge of Night, Guiding Light and As the World Turns and in a Season 13 episode of Law and Order.

His death comes one day after that of Agnes Nixon, the creator of All My Children and One Life to Live.

'All My Children' creator Agnes Nixon dies at 93

Nixon died at a Haverford, Pennsylvania, physical rehabilitation facility close to her Rosemont home, said her son, Bob Nixon. She had checked in to gain strength for a planned book tour, he said.

She had just completed her memoir, "My Life to Live," on Sunday, a week before it was due to publisher Penguin Random House for publication in early 2017, her son said.

"She was really a great wife, mother and human being — but above all, a writer. She was writing up until last night," he said, and had called him with a few changes for the book.

The cause of death was not immediately known, he said.

Nixon suffered a stroke four years ago with serious complications, her son said, but she fought to regain her health. He confirmed her birthdate as December 1922, despite media reports that she was 88.

"I am devastated to learn that we have lost Agnes. I adored her and admired her and I am forever grateful to her!" Susan Lucci, who starred as Erica Kane on "All My Children," said in a statement.

Nixon created, wrote and produced the long-running ABC daytime serials, which were canceled in 2011 as the network bowed to the reality that soaps had faded as a daytime TV force. (Both subsequently had short-lived online runs.)

"All My Children" aired for nearly 41 years, while "One Life to Live" made it to 44 years. They were set in the fictional Philadelphia-area towns of Pine Valley and Llanview.

Social issues including child abuse, AIDS, alcoholism and gay rights made their way into the series' story lines. Erica Kane was the first regularly appearing TV character to undergo a legal abortion, in 1973.

In a 2003 episode of "All My Children," Bianca, who was Erica's daughter, and the character Lena shared what was billed as daytime TV's first same-sex kiss.

"The theme of 'All My Children' from the beginning is the belief that, as God's children, we are all bound to each other by our common humanity, despite our many personal differences," Nixon told The Associated Press at the time. "The Bianca story is our latest effort to dramatize that belief."

Nixon, a native of Chicago, was mentored by the grande dame of the soap opera genre, Irna Phillips, back in the radio age.

She was writing for a TV soap, "Search for Tomorrow," as early as 1951. In the late 1960s, while raising a family and serving as head writer for "The Guiding Light," Nixon created a "bible" detailing "All My Children."

The show was rejected by CBS, but after Nixon breathed new life into NBC's flagging "Another World," she was approached by ABC to create a new serial. That was the start of "One Life to Live," which earned such solid ratings in its first year that ABC asked for another.

"I said to my husband, 'I can't think of another one,'" Nixon told the AP in 2013. "He said, 'How about "All My Children"?' So I opened the desk drawer and took out the 'bible' and sent it to ABC. They said, 'Boy, that was fast work!'"

The stories and characters of Nixon's fictional worlds never ended for her, Bob Nixon said: "It might not have been on the air but it was in her head."

Agnes Nixon was married to the late Robert Nixon, and the couple's four children are among her survivors. Services were planned for Saturday in Rosemont, with a private burial to follow.

Agnes Nixon, Creator of All My Children and One Life to Live, Dead at 93

Nixon’s daytime-television writing/producing credits include stints at As the World Turns, Search for Tomorrow, Another World and Guiding Light. The first soap she created, ABC’s One Life to Live, premiered in 1968. Two years later, her All My Children also bowed on ABC. Both AMC and OLTL would run until 2011 on ABC (and then for a brief time after online).

Nixon also co-created Loving and was involved in that series’ spinoff, The City. She was a multiple Daytime Emmy winner and took home the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.

Nixon’s son, Bob Nixon, told the Associated Press that his mother had just finished her memoir, My Life to Live, and had checked into a Philadelphia physical rehabilitation facility in order to gain strength for an upcoming book tour.

As news of Nixon’s death spread Wednesday, those who worked with her her shared their memories.

Susan Lucci played AMC‘s Erica Kane for the soap’s entire ABC run. On Wednesday, via her Instagram account, she said she was “forever grateful” to Nixon.

Cameron Mathison, who played AMC‘s Ryan for the better part of 13 years, tells TVLine, “Most of my memories of her are from when I had the opportunity to travel with her for different events and appearances. I just remember how incredibly sharp and witty she was for being in her 80s. She constantly cracked me up and yet at the same time so elegant and sweet. She will be missed.”

Alicia Minshew portrayed AMC‘s Kendall Hart Slater from 2002 to 2011. “I would like to say that she was always such a beautiful class act when I saw her, with a great sense of humor!” the actress tells TVLine. “I think she put all of that into her stories. I was honored to be able to tell her stories for 10 years and am grateful for the time I got to spend with her.”

Susan Lucci: All My Children Creator Agnes Nixon 'Was All I Hoped to Be'

Lucci just knew the character was good.

“I didn’t know for a long time that the story [Nixon] was telling through Erica was so close to her own,” Lucci told TVLine. “When I found that out, I felt so honored to be doing it. All I knew was that the writing I was seeing on the page was so rich and full of conflict and history and character — and also humor. She had such a great sense of humor, and it was all there.”

In an exclusive interview Wednesday evening, hours after Nixon’s family confirmed the news of her death, Lucci shared some memories of her 40-plus-year friendship with Nixon.

TVLINE | Can you remember your first impression of Agnes?

Absolutely. And actually, I didn’t meet her; I saw her in the distance. It was my final callback audition for Erica Kane and I was put on tape that day. Fra Heflin and I were paired, always, as mother and daughter until that day. Fra was put on tape at a different time. But I was put on tape that day. And when I finished, I saw a very pretty blonde woman in an Yves St. Laurent pantsuit which I recognized from magazines [Laughs]. She was the first woman I ever saw wearing the designer clothes that I had seen in magazines. And she had a beautiful satchel with her, and she was running down the hallway. As she ran down the hallway in the opposite direction from me, into what I think was the control room, the producer at that time Bud Kloss said to me, “Do you know who that was?” I said no. He said, “That’s Agnes Nixon.” I just had been so taken with the appearance of her. She was the first up-close I ever had to a professional woman who was a working, professional, successful woman in New York. She looked like everything I would have imagined such a woman would look like. I learned later that she was so much more than her appearance, which was beautiful and chic and modern. But she, herself, was all these things and more.

TVLINE | Talk to me about how your relationship with Agnes progressed as your time on the show went on.

The first time I was in her company outside of the studio was for an appearance that we were both asked to do early on in my career, early on with All My Children — certainly in the first year — down near where she lived. Her main house was in Rosemont, Penn. We rode the train down from New York, and that was just a thrill to be with her on the train and she told me about her Irish superstitions. I was just all ears. I was so thrilled she spoke to me that way. She asked me to come to her house to have some lunch, so I did… To go to her house, I saw a home. I knew that she had four children and she was also a very successful professional woman. And those were the things — I had no children at the time — but it was what I had always dreamed of. I wanted to be an actress and she was a writer, but I wanted to have it all. I wanted to have the career and raise the children beautifully, as she did. She was a mentor to me, as well. She was a role model. Her house was a home. And she was really part of that home. She had family traditions and love, and you could just feel all of it. And she was also a great success in her chosen field. That was all I had hoped to be, my whole life. She embodies it all.

TVLINE | Do you remember any times that she bucked you up? Or you talked about where Erica was going? Or that you celebrated with her?

Oh sure, we celebrated many times together. You know, I never really spoke to her about the writing of the character. I just felt so lucky. She would say to me, “You’ve got it.” She was so generous in her comments to me about what I brought to Erica. It was an amazing bond, because it was on the page. It was in her writing. Even before I knew Agnes, I would just think when I read it, “My god, how does someone know this?” It just made me fly. Made me soar. It was her writing. We were very much on the same page. [Laughs] I didn’t mean that as a pun, but yes, there it is.

TVLINE | All My Children taped its last ABC scene in 2011. There was a ceremony and cake, and Agnes was there. She was frail, but from all accounts, it seems like she was holding court, telling stories, still very sharp.

Absolutely she was. Our producer who was producing the show at that time in Los Angeles, Julie [Hanan] Carruthers, said that Agnes was the youngest voice in the room. Whatever room. And she was! She was modern. She was forward-thinking. She fought for storyline that was groundbreaking, that had never been done before anywhere on television. And she prevailed. It took a while, but she prevailed. When she had the opportunity and the greenlight to go ahead and write those storylines, they were rich, they were full and they were full of humanity. There are no words. She really was all that.

TVLINE | Were you in communication with her recently?

Oh yes, constantly. I’m so happy for her, and for all of us, that she finished her book. She finished her book. That will be out I don’t know exactly when, but I’m guessing very soon. In fact, last night, her son Bobby was saying that she asked him please to read the book jacket. She was supposed to sign off on it. That was last night.

TVLINE | Oh, wow.

Yeah. Yes, as you mentioned, she had become more fragile, certainly in the last few years. But she still went to speech therapy and physical therapy and was always looking forward and ahead. She would still tell jokes! We would go out to dinner and she would still tell jokes. [Laughs] She was just spunky and fantastic in the best sense of the word… One of the loveliest women, ever.

TVLINE | Is there anything you think I need to know before we go?

Yes, one more thing. Because this is Agnes. When Bobby spoke to me, I wanted to personally put a small tribute to her on my personal [Instagram] account. So I had my autobiography with me today — I was in meetings — and I knew there was a wonderful picture of Agnes and me in there together. During one of those meetings, we had spoken of it… I knew when I got back in the car, I was going to take my phone out and take a picture of the picture so I could post whenever Bobby told me that it would be OK to do that. So I got in the car and I took my book in my hand and it fell open to the picture of Agnes and me. And that is Agnes. That was Agnes smiling on me, Agnes and her Irish superstition and her spirit and the little elf in her. That was Agnes, letting me know she was still with me.

Agnes Nixon Dies: Creator Of ‘All My Children’ & ‘One Life To Live’ Was 88

Born in Chicago in 1927, Nixon started out as a writer in the postwar early days of TV as a protege of legendary writer-producer Irna Phillips, who created many of the earliest American soaps. Nixon became a writer on the Phillips-created shows Woman in White and As the World Turns and would serve as head writer on Phillip’s iconic Guiding Light — then titled The Guiding Light — from 1958-66.

Nixon was highly in-demand early in her career, serving as co-head writer on Search for Tomorrow from 1951-56. She later would serve as sole head writer on Another World for 300 episodes from 1965-69, before creating her first series.

As a writer, she pioneered the use of soap operas to discuss real-world issues, penning what is widely believed to be the first medical-related narrative in the genre’s history. Inspired by a friend who had died of cervical cancer, Nixon wanted to educate women to get regular pap smears and subsequently penned a 1962 storyline in which Guiding Light lead character, Bertha “Bert” Bauer had a cancer scare.

Because of content restructions of the day, Nixon was forced to find creative ways to discuss the topic, as she was forbidden from using the words “cancer,” “uterus” or “pap test.” Despite these limitations, the storyline popularized the pap smear significantly among American women and for this Nixon was recognized as a pioneer in 2002 by Sentinel for Health.

Nixon made the jump from writer to show creator in 1968 with One Life to Live, a series on which she was specifically given the mandate to incorporate a more contemporary tone — not only examining class divisions but also racial and ethnic diversity, among them Jewish and Polish-American characters and most notably the first African-American soap opera leads played by Ellen Holly and Al Freeman Jr.

Thanks to the success of One Life, Nixon then was allowed to bring All My Children to television, premiering the series in 1970. The show was known for frequently incorporating real-life controversies and social issues, including the anti-war movement, the AIDS crisis and abortion. Nixon served as head writer on the series several times throughout its long tenure, and still was shaking things up well into the twilight years of her career. In 2000, notably, Nixon would be personally responsible for the first time the series saw a major character come out, with Bianca Montgomery revealing she was a lesbian.

Nixon also created the series Loving, which ran from 1983-95 on ABC but never managed to catch on like her other series.

In addition to her groundbreaking storylines, Nixon also created some of the most famous and iconic characters in soap opera history, most notably All My Children‘s Erica Kane. Introduced in 1970, Kane was portrayed for more than 40 years by Lucci, whose name became synonymous with consistently being nominated for, but not winning, Daytime Emmys. She earned 18 nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series before finally taking home the statuette in 1999. She was nommed again twice after that.

Nixon’s survivors include her son, Robert Nixon, a conservationist and filmmaker who among his other credits was co-producer on 1988’s Gorillas in the Mist.

'All My Children' creator Agnes Nixon dies at 93

Agnes Nixon, the "Queen of Modern Soap Opera" best known for creating the critically acclaimed soap operas All My Children and One Life to Live, died Wednesday at The Quadrangle, a senior living community in Haverford, Penn. She was 93.

A luminary in the world of daytime serials, Nixon also enjoyed writing credits on a score of other shows, including Studio One in Hollywood; Cameo Theatre; Somerset Maugham TV Theatre; Another World;Guiding Light;Search for Tomorrow; and Loving, which was later rebooted as The City.

Nixon first demonstrated an interest in writing while studying at Northwestern University, a passion which she channeled on One Life to Live and All My Children, which were heralded for their racial and social diversity. Nixon would go on to garner six Daytime Emmy Awards and five Writers Guild of America Awards. She was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Television Hall of Fame in 1993 and took home the Lifetime Achievement honor at the 37th annual Daytime Emmy Awards in June 2010.

Ahead of the 2010 tribute, All My Children star Susan Lucci, who played Erica Kane on the show, said Nixon "helped create the very fabric of the daytime drama. With her vision, words and sensibility, she has created a legacy of characters and socially relevant stories that have made and indelible mark upon the lives of those who have and continue to watch her shows."

Following the news of her passing, Disney CEO and chairman Robert A. Iger also paid homage to the pioneer, telling USA TODAY in an emailed statement: "It is with a heavy heart I mourn the passing of television pioneer Agnes Nixon, someone I was proud to call a friend. Agnes’ impact on daytime television and pop culture is undeniable. She was the first to champion socially relevant topics, and the towns and characters Agnes brought to life leave an indelible imprint on television that will be remembered forever."

Agnes Nixon, Who Injected Social Ills Into Soap Operas, Dies at 93

The cause was pneumonia resulting from Parkinson’s disease, her family said.

In a career that paralleled the rise, enormous popularity and gradual decline of soap operas in the last half of the 20th century, Ms. Nixon fashioned many of television’s most popular daytime shows, drawing on a rich imagination to find the great and small human dramas lurking just below the surface of American life.

To a 1950s audience mostly composed of women who were at home doing housework and raising children, Ms. Nixon’s early scripts for “The Guiding Light” and “Search for Tomorrow” provided an escape: a glimpse of dashing lives, handsome cads, passions run amok, dark secrets and terrible betrayals.

But in the 1960s and ’70s she virtually reinvented soaps, creating for the ABC network “One Life to Live,” “All My Children” and other shows infused with social relevance and politically charged topics like racism, abortion, obscenity, narcotics, the generation gap and protests against the Vietnam War.

Like their predecessors, the new Nixon soaps were disturbing, fascinating and addictive. Because she presented various sides of a controversy, they were more complex. But she tried to avoid preachy dialogue, letting action and plot speak for themselves. The conundrum was no longer simply whether Tara was pregnant, but whether Phil, home from Vietnam and scarred by the horrors of war, could still love her.

Many Nixon stories were based on reality. In 1964, after a friend died of cancer, she created a “Guiding Light” character who was found, after a Pap smear, to have cervical cancer. Despite misgivings by the sponsor, Procter & Gamble, the character appeared onscreen, though the words “cancer,” “uterus” and “hysterectomy” were never uttered. Even so, thousands of women wrote in to express gratitude for the information that a simple test might save their lives.

On “One Life to Live,” which began in 1968 and ran for 43 years, Ms. Nixon created a tale that reflected the nation’s changing social structures and attitudes. It had many ethnic characters, including Jews, Polish-Americans and African-Americans. A woman assumed to be white was revealed after months to be a light-skinned black, turning the story, and the audience, sharply to questions of racial prejudice.

Ms. Nixon’s revolutionary changes were widely copied by other soaps and other networks, and helped capture new audiences at a time when the traditional base of daytime viewers — 20 million to 30 million daily, the vast majority of them homemakers — was being eroded by women entering the work force. Increasingly, men and college students drawn by their topicality were tuning in.

“It was a kind of first,” Lewis Antine, a graduate student at the City University of New York, told The New York Times after watching a 1974 episode of “All My Children” featuring a Vietnam War veteran. “It was a sense of your stuff being on TV for the first time, like, ‘Hey, they’re talking about us on Mom’s show.’”

Ms. Nixon was an unlikely source of tales of infidelity and divorce, let alone racial and antiwar conflicts. The mother of four children, she was married to the same man for 45 years. And she wrote not in the caldron of New York or glitzy Hollywood, but in her suburban home in Rosemont, on the Philadelphia Main Line. (She died in a nursing facility in Rosemont.)

Rosemont and adjoining Bryn Mawr, Pa., were the prototype for Pine Valley, the setting for “All My Children,” which had its premiere in 1970 and ran for 41 years. (For that entire time, its best-known cast member was Susan Lucci, one of daytime TV’s best-known and highest-paid stars, as Erica Kane.) In 1973, a character on the show was the first on television to have a legal abortion after the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade. The show also tackled drug addiction, depression, child abuse and AIDS. In 2000, it introduced a lesbian character, who shared the first lesbian kiss on a soap opera. In 2007, a transgender character appeared.

“Life is fascinating,” Ms. Nixon told The Milwaukee Sentinel in 1983, “and if you look at your family and your friends and you have a writer’s viewpoint, you can see each person’s life as a soap opera in itself. The really amazing thing is they are basically similar.”

She was born Agnes Eckhardt in Chicago on Dec. 10, 1922, the only child of Harold and Agnes Dalton Eckhardt. Her parents were separated when she was an infant. She and her mother moved to Nashville, where she attended St. Cecilia Academy, a Roman Catholic prep school. She studied writing at St. Mary’s College in South Bend, Ind., and attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.

Her father, who manufactured burial garments and paid for her education, wanted her to join his firm. He tried to dissuade her from a writing career by arranging a talk with Irna Phillips, a well-known creator of radio soaps and serials. The tactic backfired. After reading a script she had written, Ms. Phillips offered her a job in New York. She began in 1948, writing radio scripts for a hospital drama, “Woman in White.”

In 1951, she married Robert Henry Nixon, an auto dealer who later gave up his business to join his wife in a television production company. He died in 1996.

She is survived by their three daughters, Cathy Chicos, Mary Nixon and Emily Nixon; their son, Robert; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

In the early 1950s, Ms. Nixon wrote for major dramatic programs, including “The Philco Television Playhouse,” “Robert Montgomery Presents” and “The Hallmark Hall of Fame.” She eventually succeeded Ms. Phillips as lead writer for “The Guiding Light.” She was the head writer for the NBC soap opera “Another World” from 1965 to 1967.

For decades, the lucrative advertising revenues of Ms. Nixon’s best-known creations, “One Life to Live” and “All My Children,” helped support ABC’s evening programming. But in the 1990s, the popularity of all soaps fell steadily as cable networks and the internet provided new sources of entertainment, and after 2000 their audiences and revenues went into steep declines.

In 2008, Ms. Nixon appeared on the 40th-anniversary episode of “One Life to Live,” and the 10,000th episode of “All My Children.” Both shows, with only 2.5 million viewers a day each, were canceled in 2011.

Fans bombarded ABC with protests and petitions and picketed network affiliates. An online production company, Prospect Park, offered a reprieve, announcing plans to continue both programs, with Ms. Nixon’s participation, online. The plans were delayed, suspended and revived as union and financing problems arose and were resolved. Both shows went into production in 2013 and were available via Hulu and iTunes, but they lasted only a few months before being canceled last November.

Because of both her success and her longevity, Ms. Nixon was often called the queen of the modern soap opera. From the premiere of “One Life to Live” in 1968 to the finale of “All My Children” in January 2012, shows she had created or had a hand in writing, producing or shaping as a consultant were on the air every weekday for 43 years — more than 11,000 days.

The recipient of many awards, including a Daytime Emmy for lifetime achievement in 2010, Ms. Nixon often spoke of soap operas as ensembles and would share credit with actors, directors, producers, camera crews and other writers. Her own contributions, she said, had no unrealistic objectives.

“On the social issues, whether the Vietnam War or abortion or racism, I never thought I could change the way most people felt,” she told the Catholic magazine America in 2002. “I just wanted to show the unfairness of it, the inequality, the injustice.”

Netflix Gets ‘Naked’ With Marlon Wayans, Regina Hall

“The response I’ve gotten from fans worldwide to my films on Netflix has been overwhelming, and I’m thrilled to be working with them on an original film,” Wayans said in a statement. “Also, I’m excited to be working with Regina again.”

The premise is Groundhog Day, sans clothes. Wayans stars as Rob Anderson, a charming man-child who wakes up on his wedding day, naked in an elevator. He relives the hour before the ceremony over and over again. The film is being produced by Wayans, Alvarez, Todd Garner (whose relationship with Wayans goes back to the Revolution pics White Chicks and Little Man), and Ryan Lewis. Sean Robins, Michael Flynn and Paul Hanson serve as executive producers. Wayans is repped by 3 Arts Entertainment, UTA and attorney Lawrence Kopeikin. Hall is repped by ICM and Principato Young.

Michael Weatherly Producing Mata Hari Drama Series Project For The CW

In the project, written/executive produced by Jane the Virgin writer-producer Micah Schraft, following the brutal murder of her fiance, Mata Hari is drawn into a game of international espionage in order to avenge his death in this sexy spy thriller. Also executive producing is Laurie McCarthy, co-creator/executive producer of the CW/CBS TV period drama series Reign.

Mata Hari hails from CBS TV Studios where Weatherly’s Solar Drive Productions has had an overall deal. Tiffany Grant, who runs Solar Drive’s television operations, will co-executive produce.

Following 13 seasons on CBS’ hugely popular drama NCIS, Weatherly toplines another drama series for CBS and CBS TV Studios, Bull, which premieres tonight.

Mata Hari is an iconic historical figure who has been portrayed on the screen a number of times, most famously by Greta Garbo in the eponymous 1931 movie.

Schraft, who also recently worked on Marvel’s Jessica Jones, is repped by UTA and Hansen Jacobson. Weatherly is with Anonymous and McKuin Frankle.

Jessica Collins Took Daughter Jemma on a Day Out

“My heart and happiness,” the actress wrote.

Collins and Cooney took Jemma to The Coop, a play and party space for kids and adults on Ventura Blvd. in Los Angeles, CA, and it looks like everyone had a fantastic time!

Laura Wright Cut Her Hair

“So I kind of did that short thing again,” she wrote on Instagram with a black-and-white photo of her newly-shorn locks.

We think Wright looks simply gorgeous! Of course that’s no surprise as the actress has gone this short before and it looked great then, too!

New Richard Linklater Film ‘Detail’: Carell, Cranston & Fishbourne In Talks

Michael Weatherly energized by his new CBS series 'Bull'

Weatherly was a regular cast member on CBS' procedural, "NCIS," and left at the end of last season.

"I really felt happy with the resolution of the character and my time on the show," he said. "I wasn't burnt out (by 'NCIS') but I was ready for a new challenge. Sometimes a change is as good as a rest," Weatherly told TV critics Wednesday at an annual summer press event.

"Michael is a star and I think we've created a star part for him," said executive producer Paul Attanasio.

"He's just really good with dialogue and writers inherently like actors who can do lines and Michael can really do lines. He's just got fantastic comic timing," he said.

In "Bull," Weatherly is Dr. Jason Bull, who works for a trial consulting firm. McGraw himself worked in that field before he became a TV personality. He advised Oprah Winfrey on her legal case when she was sued by Texas cattle ranchers for defamation. Winfrey liked his no nonsense attitude, and she put him on her show.

"Bull" premieres Sept. 20 at 9 p.m. EDT on CBS.

Bull's Michael Weatherly On How His Dr. Phil-Inspired Character Differs from NCIS' Tony DiNozzo

Michael Weatherly, who plays the titular character Jason Bull in the drama series, explained to journalists at the Television Critics Association fall previews on Wednesday that he doesn't see himself playing Dr. Phil at all, and therefore doesn't feel the pressure to imitate the famous daytime host.

"It's not a real person at all. This is a show about people, but there's compressed time frames. There's jumps," he said. "It's storytelling. We're trying to get to the heart of a truth. That's our journey as actors, to try and figure out how to tell this story in a relatable fashion."

That being said, McGraw is an executive producer on the series and had several discussions with Weatherly about his early career as a legal defense consultant and how to play the character. For the NCIS vet, Bull represents a chance for him to try different things as an actor.

"Bull is a big show with a lot of characters. It's complex. I solve problems the same way as an actor, but it requires a lot of different muscles," Weatherly says. "I wake up every morning and pinch myself that I have this opportunity."

The show may be different, but Weatherly admits that Jason Bull has some similarities to NCIS' Tony DiNozzo as well. "DiNozzo was a guy that sought validation and approval. He was very hungry for that," he said. "Bull is not hungry for that, [but] both characters are fascinated by human behavior."

Bull premieres Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 9/8c.

The Flash Season 3: Vampire Diaries Vet Susan Walters Cast as Caitlin's Mom

The alum of Vampire Diaries, Teen Wolf and Star-Crossed will guest-star and potentially recur during Season 3 of the CW hit as Caitlin’s mom, Dr. Carla Tannhauser, a world-class biomedical engineer, EW.com reports.

In the Season 2 episode “Back to Normal,” an Earth-Two chit-chat between Caitlin (played by Danielle Panabaker) and her dastardly doppelganger Killer Frost (again, Danielle Panabaker) revealed that both young women had a chilly relationship with mom. In the latter’s case, the estrangement stemmed from the death of her brother Charlie — a sibling Caitlin never had over on Earth-One.

Walters’ other previous TV credits include The Young and the Restless, the TV adaptation of The Big Easy, Melrose Place, Dear John and Loving.

The Flash opens Season 3 on Tuesday, Oct. 4, kicking off the return of The CW’s superhero slate (which now also features Supergirl).

Is Luke Perry Ready for Beverly Hills, 90210 Class Reunion?

"That's not my job," he told E! News at The CW Upfronts in May. "Giving advice isn't my job."

However, he said he does care about the cast, which includes Cole Sprouse, Camila Mendes, Lili Reinhart, Ashleigh Murray, Casey Cott, Ashanti Bromfield, Daniel Yang, Irie Hayleau and Ross Butler, and said all he can tell them is "work hard and treat everybody well." Click play on the video below for more.

Perry got his big break on Beverly Hills, 90210, a show that the world is very much still obsessed with. The CW revived the brand with 90210, which lasted five seasons and featured many returning faces from the original show including Jennie Garth, Tori Spelling, Shannen Doherty, but Perry's Dylan McKay never returned to the famous zip code. Would he now?

"I love those guys, you know I'd be down," he told us.

Be sure to watch E! News tonight at 7 and 11 p.m. for more Beverly Hills, 90210 loving as We ? TV Week continues.

Jessica Collins Celebrates Daughter Jemma's Birthday — See the Adorable Pic!

“Can’t believe this little sausage is six months today,” Collins wrote. “Time is flying and my heart is exploding with love.”

How could anyone look at this precious photo of Jemma all swaddled up in that lamb blankie and not have their heart explode a little? She’s so beautiful! All the best to the happy family, and we look forward to more adorable pics as she grows up!

Former Soap Stars on the 2016 Emmys Nominations List

GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Ellen Burstyn, House of Cards
Allison Janney, Masters of Sex

LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY
William H Macy, Shameless

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Allison Janney, Mom
Judith Light, Transparent

GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Christine Baranski, The Big Bang Theory

LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Kirsten Dunst, Fargo

LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Bryan Cranston, All The Way

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Melissa Leo, All The Way
Kathy Bates, American Horror Story: Hotel
Jean Smart, Fargo

Rebecca Staab Joins Alison Sweeney In New Hallmark Project

Star Laura Wright Shows Off Her Amazing Bikini Body

“Oh hell yeah, I’m posting!” she wrote with the photo. “I love my Beach Body workouts and my Shakeology! And yes, this is me! Super happy to support and coach. E-mail laurawrightfitness@gmail.com!”

Whatever Wright is doing, it’s definitely working, so it’s nice of her to share those fitness secrets with her fans! She looks fantastic!

Fall TV First Impression: Bull

THE COMPETITION | ABC’s Fresh Off the Boat/The Real O’Neals, Fox’s Scream Queens, NBC’s This Is Us (new) and The CW’s No Tomorrow (new)

THE CAST | Michael Weatherly (NCIS), Freddy Rodriguez (Six Feet Under), Geneva Carr (Rescue Me), Jaime Lee Kirchner (Mercy), Annabelle Attanasio (The Knick) and Chris Jackson (Broadway’s Hamilton)

THE SET-UP | Weatherly stars as Dr. Jason Bull, an elite trial consultant (verrrry) loosely based on on early career of Dr. Phil McGraw (who will be the first to point out the narrative’s cheeky legal liberties). Aided by his TAC (Trial Analysis Corporation) team, Bull “combines psychology, human intuition and high-tech data to learn what makes jurors, attorneys, witnesses and the accused tick.”

THE FIRST IMPRESSION | This is one of those pilots that, while engaging and sleekly directed, invites the question: How strong (and unique) will the cases/episodes be on a weekly basis? Will Bull always be working his magic to save a wrongly accused person’s bacon? (If not, how will we feel about that?) Just how many nifty tricks does Jason have up his cufflinked sleeve? And will every episode as perfunctorily as the pilot does tack on a coda that informs us who did commit the crime?

Weatherly is perfect in the role of a triple PhD-holding know-it-all who (sometimes) dulls his highly educated digs with doses of charm; you want Bull on your side. Yet because the conflict arises from how he interacts with clients — especially when they question his high-tech hocus-pocus, or shirk his guidance — the pilot suggests that the guest cast (here including In Plain Sight‘s Fred Weller as an accused murderer’s millionaire dad) might stir the weekly drink. That said, the premiere gives us a good sense of Bull’s TAC team, with Carr (playing an analyst poached from Homeland Security), Kirchner (as a former NYPD detective) and Jackson (as a stylist) “popping” the most.

THE TVLINE BOTTOM LINE | The Tuesdays-at-9 scheduling is a no-brainer, as promos airing during NCIS surely will beckon those many millions of viewers to see what “DiNozzo” is now up to. With Scream Queens, the touchy-feely This Is Us and the romantic comedy No Tomorrow targeting different audiences, and ABC’s S.H.I.E.L.D. bumped to 10, it will be hard for this freshman drama to not to hit the ratings… Bull’s-eye. (Sorry. Unavoidable.)

Michael Weatherly Calls His Bull Inspiration Dr. Phil McGraw a 'Fascinating Character – He is Part Machiavelli, Part P.T. Barnum'

"He is a really fascinating character," Weatherly told PEOPLE at the CBS Primetime 2016-17 Upfront held Wednesday evening at Carnegie Hall in New York. "He is part Machiavelli, part P.T. Barnum."

At the time of their meeting, Weatherly says he asked the daytime talk show host if he had a moment of insecurity.

"He just stared at me and said, 'No!'" says Weatherly.

Bull is inspired by Dr. Phil's life before he became a television personality when he founded "one of the most prolific trial consulting firms of all time," per a CBS press release. Weatherly plays Dr. Jason Bull, an expert in human psychology who uses his skills to profile jurors, witnesses, and attorneys during trials.

There's one thing Weatherly wants to make clear: "I'm not actually playing Dr. Phil. I'm playing a guy in a world that Dr. Phil understands better than anyone."

Weatherly recently departed the long-running CBS drama NCIS after playing Special Agent Tony DiNozzo for 13 seasons. His last episode aired Tuesday.

Bull premieres this fall at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

Michael Weatherly on Spending More Time with His Kids After Leaving NCIS: ‘I’m Wrapped Around Their Little Fingers’

The actor recently spoke to PEOPLE about being excited to spend more time with his family after his last-ever episode of the long-running show airs Tuesday.

“The kids are very excited to have me around, mostly because I’m wrapped around their little fingers,” Weatherly, 47, says. “I’m just a sucker and I’m trying very hard to be authority dad.”

Weatherly, who is dad to Olivia, 4, and Liam, 2½, with his wife of 6½ years, Bojana Jankovic, describes the difficulties of balancing a career with being a present father.

“As a lot of working parents know, when you’re not around a lot and then you’re with your kids, it’s very hard to just come in and be the strict one because then you’re just an assh—,” he said. “But you don’t want to be too soft.”

Whatever his parenting style, Weatherly is just happy to be around his kids.

“I think a lot about the kids and the time I get to spend with them now, at this age of 4 and 2½, which is such a critical time,” he explains. “They just have some extraordinary things going on in their lives and they have great questions for me about why frogs and crickets make sort of the same sound.”

He’ll have plenty of time to answer these questions during their upcoming family vacation.

“We’re planning a big trip to Jamaica this summer where we will spend lots of time doing, as Daddy Pig on Peppa Pig says, ‘We’re going to do a lot of nothing,’ ” Weatherly says, before adding: “By the way, I am so deep in Peppa Pig world right now, I can’t even — just watch the first 10 seconds and you’ll completely have seen every episode.”

‘NCIS’ Michael Weatherly reveals the hardest part of leaving

“It seemed like the character had to go and do his thing. You can’t be in the No. 2 slot forever. That ended up being, I think, some of the tension that DiNozzo was having on the team. McGee is looking at him and going, ‘Will you get out of here, I wanna be No. 2!'” says Weatherly with a laugh.

“I saw every day as this grand, fun adventure, even all the way up to my last day — I never got sick of it, I never got tired of it. I always appreciated the gift of the job. But the hardest part of the whole experience was thinking, ‘Oh no, I think it’s time I have to leave.’ That was really the only hard part of the whole experience.”

As for what’s next for Weatherly, he tells Zap2it that this is the first time he’s been in this position since “Dark Angel” was canceled in 2002 — but leaving “NCIS” is an entirely different situation.

“As a result of making this decision [to leave] a while ago, I’ve been given this great moment to look down the path a little bit and make some decisions that haven’t really been available to me for like 14 years,” says Weatherly. “The last time I was in this position was after a show called ‘Dark Angel'”

“I remember the day ‘Dark Angel’ got canceled, I was in a town car with Jessica Alba on the way to Upfronts and the driver got a call saying, ‘Turn around, the show’s not on the schedule. I remember Jessica was excited and did a fist pump because it meant that she could go and be a movie star. And I remember thinking, ‘Fuck, I’m unemployed.'” he says, laughing

But 14 years later, Weatherly doesn’t feel the same way at all. He has a production company at CBS that is working on some exciting projects, including optioning an Ian Fleming book called “Thriller Cities” and making a documentary called “Jamaica Man.”

What the “NCIS” actor is most looking forward to is spending time with his family and reconnecting with old friends, while at the same time staying busy with his Dr. Phil-inspired pilot with CBS.

“[To] look at Phil McGraw’s background in trial analytics and jury selection and grooming witnesses and defendants, just how that works behind the curtain, all of it is so exciting,” he says. “But I’m really not allowing myself to get too excited about it until the very last episode of ‘NCIS’ airs. I’m having a screening at [a friend’s] apartment in New York City and a whole bunch of us are going to sit around and watch the very last episode.”

“I’ll be live-tweeting that as well, while I’m sitting with my oldest friends from the third grade. It’ll be very emotional, but usually my friends are giving me such a hard time about losing my hair or acting choices that they keep it pretty real.”

CBS Orders Michael Weatherly's Bull

Description with casting are as follows:

BULL
EPs: Paul Attanasio, Dr. Phillip C. McGraw (Stage 29 Productions), Steven Spielberg (Amblin Television), Justin Falvey & Darryl Frank (Amblin Television), Jay McGraw (Stage 29 Productions)
Logline: A drama inspired by the early career of Dr. Phil McGraw as the founder of one of the most prolific trial consulting firms of all time. Brilliant, brash and charming, Dr. Bull (Michael Weatherly) is the ultimate puppet master as he combines psychology, human intuition and high tech data to learn what makes jurors, attorneys, witnesses and the accused tick.
Cast: Michael Weatherly as ‘Dr. Jason Bull’, Freddy Rodriguez, Geneva Carr, Chris Jackson, Jaime Lee Kirchner, Annabelle Attanasio.

Michael Weatherly Previews NCIS Exit: With Farmhouse Inferno, 'The Fuse Has Been Lit' for DiNozzo's Send-off

With his final appearance set for the Season 13 finale airing May 17, “As I got myself into a head space of what’s going to happen to the character, to all the characters, I didn’t really know how I was going to feel,” Weatherly continued. “But it all started with that moment, with that exploding farmhouse, because when we shot that scene I had not read that scene. They started rolling the [breaking news report] and I was watching it for real! That was Michael Weatherly trying to figure out, ‘Wait. Wait. That’s where Cote [de Pablo] and I shot that scene [in Season 11’s second episode, “Past, Present and Future” — aka de Pablo’s own NCIS swan song]. So I was as shocked as anyone. And then as we went through shooting the last episode, every day was a series of electric shocks.”

“Mission Impossible-style, the fuse has been lit” by that alarming inferno, Weatherly teases. “You’re going to be very surprised by a lot of what unfolds next week.”

Did Weatherly relay any ‘druthers to NCIS showrunner Gary Glasberg when he gave notice last summer, with regards to how he’d like (or hope) to see DiNozzo go out? In a word, no. “I’m a big believer that there are things you can control and things you cannot control, so that was outside of the sphere of control as far as I was concerned,” he said. “I’ve really enjoyed the whole ride on NCIS and all the different styles that the show has taken on over time, and I wanted to leave it up to that creative team to do what they wanted to do.”

“I will reveal that there was one particular line of story that I was made aware of that actually completely changed — disappeared really — and became something else,” he adds, offering no specifics. “So I know that they were playing with stuff all the way along. The key for me [in deciding to leave] was to make sure these guys had enough time to do whatever they creatively thought was going to serve the show the best. I love Tony DiNozzo, but more importantly I love NCIS, so that’s always a priority. His departure has to serve that primarily.”

Reflecting on his 13-year run during the conference call, DiNozzo hoped that Tony is regarded fondly, and more importantly as a fleshed-out TV character. “I kind of take affront when people reduce him to an ‘oafish, overgrown frat boy,’ because I think that he is a complicated and layered guy, in the sense that he gets to do all these things” such as action, family drama and “great romantic comedy/badinage/ banter stuff, especially with Cote de Pablo.” Along those lines, he draws comparison to the late Wayne Rogers’ Trapper John on M*A*S*H, another long-running TV drama that continued on in the wake of an original cast member’s exit. “When NCIS is cranking out Season 20, people will be like, ‘Remember that guy who used to sit at that desk…? Yeah, he got old,'” Weatherly reckons with a laugh.

Asked about the hardest part of his years as DiNozzo, Weatherly ultimately pointed to the uneasy feeling that led him to part ways with the series, to pursue other acting and producing projects as well as spend more time with his family.

“You can’t be in that No. 2 slot [on Gibbs’ team] forever. That started to feel constrained to me,” he offered. “McGee is looking at him and saying, ‘When you get out of here I want to be No. 2,’ and Gibbs is looking at him like, ‘Youre kind of hanging around. Have you got things you want to do?’ I always appreciated the gift of the job, but the hardest part of the whole experience was thinking, ‘Oh, no…. I think it’s time I have to leave.”

And when the clock strikes nine next Tuesday night, how will viewers be left feeling about it all?

“You can never predict those things — that’s like me trying to tell you the weather three-and-a-half weeks from now,” Weatherly hedged. “I do know that it’s been an extraordinary run-up [to the finale], and as I watch these clips [of the finale] that are sent around, it’s really become very emotional for me to watch this transition of Tony DiNozzo off the show.

“I’m sure that out of the tens of millions who watch the show around the world, certainly there will be some different points of view,” he allowed. “But if people share my feelings about it, I think [the reaction] is going to be overwhelmingly positive.” Echoing one of the finale’s talking points with a wink, he added: “I think Gary and CBS and everyone has really put together a ‘powder keg.'”

JESSICA COLLINS MARRIED!

Jessica Collins Shares Adorable Photo of her Girls!

Collins’ three-month-old daughter, Jemma, makes an adorable R2-D2, but her dog, Lucy, makes a hilarious Princess Leia!

LAURA WRIGHT ANNOUNCES DIVORCE

‘Lawman’ star Peter Brown dies at 80

Brown played McKay on ABC’s “Lawman” during the entire 1958-62 run of the series, which starred John Russell as Marshal Dan Troop. Brown was also a regular on NBC Western “Laredo,” playing Chad Cooper during the series’ 1965-67 run. This story of the Texas Ranger starred Neville Brand as Reese Bennett.

Brown also guested on a number of other TV Westerns, including “Maverick,” “Cheyenne” and “The Virginian.” On the big screen during the period he appeared in Disney’s Hayley Mills musical “Summer Magic” (1963), surfing movie “Ride the Wild Surf” (1964) and Ann-Margret vehicle “Kitten With a Whip” (1964).

During the 1970s while continuing his TV career, Brown played the villain in the 1974 blaxploitation classic “Foxy Brown,” starred with William Smith in “Piranha” (1972) and starred in the horror-thriller “Act of Vengeance” (1974). He appeared in 1982 prison picture “The Concrete Jungle,” starring Jill St. John, and Fred Williamson’s “The Messenger” (1986).

Brown did quite a bit of work on daytime soaps, recurring during the 1970s on “Days of Our Lives” as Dr. Greg Peters, on “The Young and the Restless” from 1989-1991 as Robert Laurence and on “The Bold and the Beautiful” in 1991-1992 as Blake Hayes.

He was a steady presence on television as a guest actor on series including “The Bob Newhart Show,” “Wonder Woman,” “Magnum, P.I.,” “Dallas,” “Knight Rider,” “Baywatch” and “Wings.”

Brown made his last screen appearance in 2005 in the feature Western “Hell to Pay.”

Born Pierre Lind de Lappe in New York City, the actor and his family moved West when he was young. While in the Army, he got into acting when he organized a theater group on base in Alaska to occupy his spare time. After his discharge he studied acting at UCLA.

Brown is survived by fifth wife Kerstin, whom he met in 2008. Other survivors include his children Joshua, Matt and Christi and three grandchildren.

SOAP ALUM DEAD AT 80

Michael Weatherly To Topline CBS Drama Pilot ‘Bull’

Written by Phil McGraw and Paul Attanasio and directed by Rodrigo Garcia, Bull is based on popular daytime talk-show host Dr. Phil’s early days as head of one of the most prolific trial consulting services of all time. It centers on Dr. Jason Bull (Weatherly), who runs Trial Sciences Inc., a company that analyzes juries to help develop defense strategies. He has a physicality and feral intelligence that make him magnetic to women, and a bruising candor.

For the past 13 seasons, Weatherly has played one of the most popular characters on NCIS, Anthony DiNozzo. A fan favorite, Weatherly is departing the long-running series, on which he is an original cast member, at the end of his current contract this spring. He had been interested in a starring vehicle for his followup, and will be able to film Bull around his NCIS schedule as both projects come from the same studio, CBS TV Studios.

Bull is executive produced by Attanasio, Phil and Jay McGraw, Justin Falvey & Darryl Frank of Amblin Television and Garcia. Co-starring are Freddy Rodriguez, Geneva Carr and Chris Jackson.

Weatherly is repped by WME, Anonymous Content and attorney Joel McKuin.

Humbert Allen Astredo Dies: ‘Dark Shadows’ Actor Was 86

After performing for Joseph Papp’s free Shakespeare in the Park and in various Off-Broadway productions, Astredo joined Shadows in 1968 in his primary role Nicholas Blair, a demon-summoning warlock and foe of witch hunters. The role was at the center of a brief controversy in ’68 when real-life Christian groups protested a plotline in which Astredo’s character seemed to be gearing up for an encounter with Satan himself. The show’s writers — in what was either a real reaction or a publicity stunt — renamed the devil character Diablos and outfitted him in generic Grim Reaper garb.

Humbert served in the Korean War before studying acting at the Pasadena Playhouse, working in local L.A. theaters and establishing the classical theater company the Hollywood Center Theatre. He played Sergius in Shakespeare in the Park’s production of Shaw’s Arms And The Man. He also performed with James Earl Jones in Othello. After Shadows, he toured nationally with both Langella and Martin Landau in Dracula. On Broadway he performed in Gore Vidal’s An Evening With Richard Nixon, Lorraine Hansberry’s Les Blancs and the world tour of Little Foxes with Elizabeth Taylor.

Before retiring to Connecticut in the 1980s, he appeared on soaps Another World, The Edge Of Night, For Richer, For Poorer, Guiding Light, Love Of Life, Loving, One Life To Live, Somerset and Texas. He was predeceased by his daughter Jennifer.

Luke Perry moves to ‘Riverdale,’ cast as Archie Andrews (gulp) dad

The former “Beverly Hills, 90210” heart-throb has signed on to start in the pilot as Fred Andrews. In the comics, Fred is bald with a very noticeable belly. While it’s not clearly how he’ll be portrayed on the show, chances are they aren’t going to have Perry shave his head of pack on weight to play Fred.

A character description reads, “Usually easygoing, Fred Andrews is the owner of a construction firm who is hoping his son, who worked for him all summer, will someday take over the family business.”

The pilot is being produced by Greg Berlanti, who already has a number of shows on The CW that also happen to be based on comic book characters. The story is set in the present day and will present a very different look at the classic characters.

Should “Riverdale” get picked up to series, it’s likely The CW will debut it in the fall.

Y&R ALUM WELCOMES BABY

Regina Hall To Star In Hulu Comedy Pilot ‘Crushed’ From ‘Peeples’ Filmmaker

The project, written by Chism, was originally developed for HBO two years ago. Recently greenlit to pilot by Hulu, it centers on an African-American family who stumbles into a successful wine business in Napa, with Hall playing the wife, Celia. The comedy is described as a fish-out-of-water story following the family’s unorthodox approach to wine making and their unique life style. Chism is executive producing alongside Stephanie Allain Bray. C. Deneen Brown is co-producing.

Chism made her directorial debut with Tyler Perry/Lionsgate’s Peeples, starring Craig Robinson and Kerry Washington. She also wrote the scripts for Drumline and ATL. She is repped by ICM Partners.

Ally McBeal alumna Hall has starred in a number of successful comedy feature franchises, include Scary Movie, The Best Man and Think Like a Man. She will next be seen in Barbershop: The Next Cut. Hall is repped by ICM Partners and Principato-Young.

Lionsgate TV has been an early Hulu adopter, coming on board to produce one of the streaming services’ first breakout original comedy series, Deadbeat.

At Hulu, Crushed joins comedy pilot Future Man, from Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and Sony TV.

Michael Weatherly Leaving NCIS At Season's End

Having played Special Agent Tony DiNozzo for 13 seasons, Weatherly is one of the drama's four original players, and has appeared in every episode since NCIS began in 2003.

"He is a valued part of the CBS family, and the immense charm and talent he brings to the screen as 'Very' Special Agent Tony DiNozzo has helped make NCIS what it is today - the #1 drama in the world," CBS said in a statement Tuesday. " We thank Michael for all of his contributions to this successful franchise and look forward to continuing to develop projects with him as part of our ongoing development deal. "

No word on how exactly he'll be written off, but Weatherly sent out a few heartfelt messages on Twitter after the news broke. "DiNozzo is a wonderful, quixotic character and I couldn't have had more fun playing him over the past 13 seasons," he wrote in a series of messages.

Michael Weatherly Pleads No Contest in DUI Case

Weatherly pled no contest Tuesday to driving with a blood alcohol level over .08 ... and the remaining counts were dismissed.

His sentence ... 3 years probation and a three-month alcohol program (and a MADD program).

He has until June to complete everything.

Weatherly was arrested in November after he was stopped for speeding in Hollywood.

Find Out How You Can Meet Your Favorite GENERAL HOSPITAL Stars

Soap Fantasy Events has announced that there will be GH Fantasy Events held in the two cities featuring Laura Wright (Carly), Tyler Christopher (Nikolas), Ryan Paevey (Nathan), Michelle Stafford (Nina) and Finola Hughes (Anna).

General admission includes Q&A's, interviews and fan fun. VIP tickets also include a personal photo op with the group of actors (bring your own camera!), and the Platinum ticket also includes an additional two-hour meet-and-greet with the actors for autographs and photo ops as well as premium seating at the show!

For tickets to the Nashville event on Saturday, April 16, at Zanies Comedy Club, click here.

For the Atlanta event on Sunday, April 17, click here!

‘The Fosters’ Renewed For Season 4 By ABC Family

“We have so many more stories to tell about The Fosters family,” said ABC Family EVP Karey Burke. “These incredible characters have come into our lives and touched so many – from Stef and Lena’s wedding to the adoptions of Callie and Jude.”

The Fosters, executive produced by Jennifer Lopez, centers on a multi-ethnic family mix of adopted and biological teenage kids being raised by two moms. Stef Adams Foster, a dedicated police officer, and her wife, Lena Adams Foster, a school vice principal, have built a close-knit family with Stef’s biological son from a previous marriage, Brandon; their adopted twins, Mariana and Jesus; and newly adopted siblings Jude, and his half-sister, Callie.

During its recent summer run, The Fosters ranked as cable TV’s No. 1 scripted series in the Monday 8 PM time period in total viewers (2.1 million) as well as adults 18-34 and adults 18-49, and was the No. 3 most tweeted basic cable drama series (399,000 tweets).

The Fosters is executive-produced by Lopez and created by Bradley Bredeweg and Peter Paige, who also serve as executive producers and writers, along with Joanna Johnson. The series stars Teri Polo, Sherri Saum, Hayden Byerly, Noah Centineo, David Lambert, Maia Mitchell, Danny Nucci and Cierra Ramirez. Greg Gugliotta, Elaine Goldsmith Thomas and Benny Medina also serve as executive producers. The series is produced by Nuyorican Productions in association with ABC Family.

Michael Weatherly Signs With WME

The agency signing comes as Weatherly is ramping up his production efforts. In conjunction with signing a new contract to continue to play Special Agent Tony DiNozzo on hit CBS drama NCIS, Weatherly last year inked an overall development deal with NCIS producer CBS TV Studios for his then-newly launched production company, Solar Drive Productions.

Under the pact, Weatherly is executive producing one of the talked about projects this development season, the CW’s hyper-stylized, gritty drama adaptation of Little Women. The project, from CBS TV Studios and Solar Drive, is written by Alexis Jolly, with Tiffany Grant, who runs Solar Drive’s television operations, producing.

SOAP FAVE REVEALS CANCER BATTLE

‘Little Women’ Series Produced By Michael Weatherly In Development At CW

Written by Jolly, Little Women is described as a hyper-stylized, gritty adaptation of the 1868 novel by Louisa May Alcott, in which disparate half-sisters Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy band together in order to survive the dystopic streets of Philadelphia and unravel a conspiracy that stretches far beyond anything they have ever imagined – all while trying not to kill each other in the process. Jolly and Weatherly executive produce. The project hails from Weatherly’s Solar Drive Productions, which is based at CBS TV Studios under an overall deal Weatherly inked with the studio last year that also includes his services on NCIS.

Little Women has undergone a number of screen adaptations over the years, including features starring Winona Ryder, Susan Sarandon, Kirsten Dunst and Christian Bale (1994), Meredith Baxter (1978), Elizabeth Taylor (1949) and Katharine Hepburn (1933). In TV, there were animated series in the 1980s. Last fall, ABC put in development a modern-day take on Little Women as a potential limited series with Natascha McElhone attached to star and Jordan Roberts to write.

Jolly, who most recently completed a rewrite on the Amazon feature Tiger, Tiger, and sold his original Black List spec script, A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood (a biopic based on the life of Fred Rogers) to Justin Nappi and Kevin Turen’s Treehouse Pictures, also has drama Dark Match, dealing with the families at the center of the origin of professional wrestling, set up at FX via Nina Jacobson’s Color Force production banner. He is repped by APA, Echo Lake and Lichter Grossman Nichols Adler. Weatherly is with Anonymous and McKuin, Frankle, Whitehead.

Rebecca Gayheart: I Want My Girls to Know Giving Back Is ‘a Part of Life’

“Every kid deserves to have back-to-school clothes, backpacks, diapers, car seats [and] cribs,” the actress told PEOPLE at the Baby2Baby Back to School event at The Grove, where the organization partnered with Chrysalis and gifted 46 low-income families with $150 toward shopping for supplies.

“To me, it’s insane that in America there are children going without those very, very basic essentials and it breaks my heart. Anything I can do to help, I will,” Gayheart, 43, says.

At a young age, the mom of two was taught the importance of giving back and is hoping to instill that knowledge in Georgia Geraldine, 3½, and Billie Beatrice, 5, her daughters with her husband, The Last Ship star Eric Dane.

“My mom’s point of view was, ‘You always have more than someone else and you can always help someone else,’ ” Gayheart explains. “It didn’t matter how much we had, you could always help someone.”

Gayheart, who brought her elder daughter to the event, doesn’t hesitate to admit that she is following in her mother’s footsteps.

“I’m doing the same with my daughter,” she shares. “Hoping to role model for her and to give her a sense of, that’s not something special you do, that’s just a part of life. You are a giver. That’s your duty.”

With their two little ones both starting school in September, Gayheart and Dane are taking full advantage of the free time they have with their daughters.

“We wake up, we all make breakfast together,” Gayheart says. “We’ll have impromptu dance parties or we’ll just go throw a blanket on the yard and lay in the yard and read books in the morning. The morning is really nice to start my day off that way. I feel like, ‘Okay, if we start the day off together, connected, relaxed, the rest of the day will fall into place,’ and it usually does.”

Though having two little girls can be a handful, Gayheart has had plenty of experience — and has learned to go with the flow.

“Don’t take any of it too serious, because it’s always changing. The minute you think you have it figured out, you don’t,” Gayheart explains.

But is there room for one more little one? “If my girls had their way, I would be pregnant having lots of babies, but I think we’re done,” shares Gayheart.

“I feel very blessed and I feel like this is my family and I’m happy with it.”

DARNELL WILLIAMS TO SUDSVILLETV.COM?

Randy Mantooth of 'Emergency!' Looks Back and Forges Ahead

Teri Polo, Paul Johansson Join 'Last Resort'

"Baywatch" Star Yasmine Bleeth Resurfaces After 10 Years -- See Her Now!

"Baywatch" alum Yasmine Bleeth made her first public appearance in over 10 years this month, resurfacing at Venice Beach, of all places.

The busty brunette was introduced on the classic show's fourth season as Caroline Holden, the sister of Alexandra Paul's character, Stephanie. She quickly became one of the series' hottest commodities and was even named one of People Magazine's Most Beautiful.

But after being let go from the show amid drug issues, an arrest and a trip to rehab, the actress all but disappeared. Her last public appearance was back in 2003, at an engagement party for Carmen Electra and Dennis Rodman.

Now 46, Bleeth resurfaced alongside "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Eileen Davidson and each of their husbands in a Twitter photo the soap star posted last week. The group was at the beach to take part in the annual "Penguin Swim" on New Year's Day.

We gotta say, she looks pretty great for someone who's been in hiding for over a decade!

We're told Yasmine turns down almost all media requests, especially ones related to "Baywatch," and likes to keep private these days.

Agnes Nixon Fast Facts

Personal: Birth date: December 10, 1927

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois

Birth name: Agnes Eckhardt

Father: Harry Joseph Eckhardt, owner of Perfection Burial Garment Company

Mother: Agnes Patricia (Dalton) Eckhardt, bookkeeper

Marriages: Robert Nixon (April 6, 1951-November 22, 1996 his death)

Children: Catherine Agnes, Mary Frances, Robert Henry, Emily Anne

Education: Attended Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 1940-1944

Other Facts:

Agnes Nixon grew up in Nashville, Tennessee.

Known as the "Queen of Soap Opera writing," she has nine Daytime Emmy writing nominations and four wins between her two shows "All My Children" and "One Life to Live," and a Lifetime Achievement award.

Her storylines often included socially conscious topics of the time, such as uterine cancer and Pap smears, racial identity, interracial relationships, abuse and abortion.

She created roles specifically for these actors: Laurence Fishburne, Tommy Lee Jones, and Tom Berenger on "One Life to Live".

She patterned her soap opera cities after an area in Philadelphia known as the "Main Line."

Nixon was one of the early writers on "The Guiding Light" (1953-2009), the longest running soap opera in history.

The character Agnes Eckhardt appeared on both "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" played by Nixon. She also played the characters Agnes Dixon on "One Life to Live" and Aggie on "All My Children".

The production company Prospect Park teamed up with Apple and Hulu, to save "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" by making both shows available online.

Timeline:

1944 - After college Nixon begins writing for the radio soap opera, 'Woman in White."

1950 - She relocates to New York and begins freelancing for live television prime-time broadcasts.

1951 - Writes for 13 weeks for daytime television as head writer for the soap opera "Search for Tomorrow."

1952-1954 - Writes for prime-time drama "Robert Montgomery Presents."

1957-1959 - Nixon writes for the soap "As the World Turns."

1959-1965 - Head writer on "The Guiding Light."

1965-1967 - Becomes head writer for "Another World"

July 15, 1968 - Nixon's creation "One Life to Live" debuts. She is the head writer.

January 5, 1970 - Another Nixon creation debuts, "All My Children," also with Nixon as head writer.

June 26, 1983 - The soap opera "Loving" premieres. Nixon is co-creator with Douglas Marland.

1988 - Wins Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team for "All My Children."

June 25, 1994 - Nixon becomes the first female writer to be inducted into the Soap Opera Hall of Fame.

November 1995 - The storyline of "The City," created by Nixon, James H. Brown and Barbara Esensten, picks up where "Loving" left off.

1996-1998 - Wins Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team for "All My Children".

May 12, 2010 - The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announces Nixon as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

April 14, 2011 - ABC announces the cancellation of "One Life to Live" as of January 2012. "All My Children" is also being canceled.

June 30, 2011 - ABC announces "All My Children" will air its final episode on television on Friday, September 23, 2011.

January 13, 2012 - "One Life to Live" airs its final episode on television.

April 29, 2013 - "One Life to Live" and "All My Children" come back to life, airing twice weekly online at Hulu and Apple's iTunes. Nixon is the creator of the new "All My Children."

Fall 2013 - The first online seasons of "One Life to Live" and "All My Children" end. Further production is then put on indefinite hold, due to legal proceedings between ABC and Prospect Park, which produces the shows.

Y&R Star Needs Your Help For A Good Cause

Now, Heinle is hosting a special charity event for BelieveBig.org on Sunday, December 14, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Maggiano's Little Italy located at The Grove in Los Angeles, CA. Her husband, Thad Luckinbill (ex-J.T.) will be on hand as one of the special guests, and there will be a limited number of tickets available for a VIP meet and greet with the actors. Tickets are available exclusively at DearMarchShop.com, and money raised by the event will be donated to the cancer charity Believe Big in Jane's name.

Rosemont's Agnes Nixon honored as a pioneering role model for working women

Her mother, Agnes Nixon, a longtime Rosemont resident and supporter of the community-centered club, was a pioneer as a writer and creator of daytime drama, known for introducing social issues of the times into these popular “soap operas.”

From the beginning of her decades-spanning career in the later 1940s, Nixon, 86, was a role model for many other women, breaking a mold that taught girls that typing and shorthand classes were their best career path.

At a tea in her honor Feb. 21, just one of those women who paid tribute, via videotaped good wishes, was actress Susan Lucci, who performed the iconic role of Erica Kane in Nixon’s “All My Children.” (The show, which ran for 41 years from 1970 to 2011, was set in the community of Pine Valley, a fictionalized Philadephia suburb reportedly inspired by Nixon’s Main Line hometown, as was the town of Llanview in “One Life.”)

“She was my role model since the first time I laid eyes on her,” Lucci recalled. The ingénue was auditioning for the teen-aged Erica when she saw a stylish, purposeful petite blonde breeze by the audition room. The woman was Nixon, and she was, Lucci said, “Everything I had dreamed of being when I grew up.”

To say that Nixon, who began a script-writing career after graduating from Northwestern University, was prolific is a serious understatement. Among her credits as headwriter, creator or producer are beloved soaps including “Search for Tomorrow,” “As the World Turns,” “The Guiding Light,” “Another World,” “One Life to Live,” “All My Children” and “Loving.”

She has been called “The Queen of Soap Opera.” In 1993, she was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Hall of Fame.

It was for her determination to weave relevant social issues of the day into her storylines that the New Leaf Club recognized her this Women’s History Month. In addition to Mary, of Berwyn, daughters Cathy Chicos of Gladwyne and Emily Nixon of New Rochelle, N.Y., were present for the event, with more than 50 other well-wishers.

The non-profit club, housed in a former retail space at 1225 Montrose Ave., is intended to serve as an education and entertainment community center. In addition to a café where teens and others can meet or study, it is a venue for live music and open mic nights. It also focuses on wellness, offering a yoga and meditation program, and hosts a monthly free lecture series on a variety of topics.

For Women’s History Month, it offered a week of special events, featuring a performance of “The Vagina Monologues” and presentations by speakers including veteran TV journalist Lu Ann Cahn, a women’s self-defense class, and a women’s expo highlighting resources in the community.

At the tea in Nixon’s honor, Mary Nixon announced the dedication of the club’s large meeting room as the Agnes Nixon “All My Children” Room.

“I’m overwhelmed. This is fabulous,” Nixon said.

While creating indelible characters, stirring romances and cliff-hanging plots, Nixon as a writer and show producer became known for insisting on real-world relevance in her dramas.

Topics such as abortion, the Vietnam War and protests, drug addiction, child abuse, racism and AIDS were addressed in her storylines beginning in the volatile 1960s.

In one example, after a friend died of cancer, she wanted to introduce a plot on “The Guiding Light” emphasizing the importance of early detection of uterine cancer. According to program notes for the tribute, the network “was appalled.” When she persisted, according to a 1988 New York Times article, “CBS relented” – with the stipulation that she avoid words such as cancer, uterus, Pap smear or hysterectomy.

Nixon introduced the story through the character of matriarch Bert Bauer. Nixon herself wrote at the time,” Women who would never have watched or heeded a Cancer Society program with its obvious public service appeal were, in effect, a captive audience for our message, because Bert Bauer was to them like a sister or a very old and dear friend.”

In another groundbreaking concept, Nixon incorporated improvised group therapy sessions with recovering addicts into a “One Life to Live” subplot involving teenage drug addiction in 1970.

At the tea, Nixon, sharing some favorite stories and anecdotes from the making of the shows, spoke in particular about the importance to her of introducing in 1968 the controversial story of Clara “Carla” Gray, a light-skinned black woman who passed as white on “One Life to Live.” Her actual identity was not revealed to viewers for six months. Clara, portrayed by actress Ellen Holly, was the first African-American heroine on daytime soap opera in a plot that raised issues of race relations in America.

When Nixon was honored with a lifetime achievement award by the television academy in 1983, presenter Barbara Walters called her the “most prolific talent daytime television has ever known,” her shows running 52 weeks a year for more than 30 years at the time.

That she was able to combine her very active career while raising a family was another source of admiration, Lucci said. While daughter Mary said her mother eventually maintained an apartment in New York, where the shows were produced, writing for them at first was a sort of “cottage industry.” Nixon did most of her writing from home in Rosemont, mailing scripts and story ideas back and forth in those pre-Internet times.

Nixon herself downplayed the idea that her work ethic was unusual or new. “I grew up with working women. I thought it was the thing to do,” she said, recalling that, “My mother in her era was very much a feminist.”

But she did acknowledge that she might have been a bit more dedicated than most. Retelling a family story, she related, “I always had long labors” with the births of her three daughters and son Robert. Not wasting any time for writing, “I took my Dictaphone to the hospital,” she said.

Nixon Donates Scripts

“The Annenberg School is very well-known, and I believe Penn wanted the scripts as a piece of history,” says Nixon, who lives in the Philadelphia suburbs and has set her dramas in fictional towns resembling communities in the Delaware Valley.

Agnes Nixon Launches Website!