History of the World, Part II — Episode 102 — Judas betrays Jesus; Shirley Chisholm makes a big announcement. General Grant finds himself in trouble and Marco Polo meets Kublai Khan. Schmuck Mudman (Nick Kroll), shown. (Photo by: Greg Gayne/Hulu)
After waiting over 40 years there is finally a sequel to the seminal Mel Brooks film, “History of the World, Part I,” with each episode featuring a variety of sketches that take us through different periods of human history.
Starring Mel Brooks, Wanda Sykes, Nick Kroll, Ike Barinholtz, catch the first teaser.
Mel Brooks writes and executive produces on the series along with Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, Ike Barinholtz, and David Stassen. Kevin Salter, David Greenbaum and Christie Smith also serve as executive producers. “History of the World Part II” is a production of Searchlight Television and 20th Television.
Mel Brooks’ History of the World PART II, a four night event, begins streaming March 6 on Hulu.
History of the World, Part II — Episode 101 — General Grant heads out in search of a drink; After the Russian Tsar is executed, Schmuck Mudman and his family head to Moscow; Shakespeare’s Writers Room; Invention of Fire; The REAL Kama Sutra. Shirley Chisholm (Wanda Sykes), shown. (Photo by: Tyler Golden/Hulu)History of the World, Part II — Episode 102 — Judas betrays Jesus; Shirley Chisholm makes a big announcement. General Grant finds himself in trouble and Marco Polo meets Kublai Khan. Leon Trotsky (Ike Barinholtz), shown. (Photo by: Greg Gayne/Hulu)History of the World, Part II — Episode 101 — General Grant heads out in search of a drink; After the Russian Tsar is executed, Schmuck Mudman and his family head to Moscow; Shakespeare’s Writers Room; Invention of Fire; The REAL Kama Sutra. Commentator (Nick Kroll), Commentator (Wanda Sykes), and Commentator (Ike Barinholtz) shown. (Photo: courtesy of Hulu)
The hilarious family animated film PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK, from Paramount Pictures, is available now to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. and Canada. The exciting action-adventure stars Michael Cera, Ricky Gervais and Samuel L. Jackson.
PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK also stars Mel Brooks, George Takei, Aasif Mandvi, Gabriel Iglesias, Djimon Hounsou, Michelle Yeoh, Cathy Shim and Kylie Kuioka.
A down-on-his-luck hound Hank (Michael Cera) finds himself in a town full of cats who need a hero to defend them from a ruthless villain’s (Ricky Gervais) evil plot to wipe their village off the map. With help from a reluctant teacher (Samuel L. Jackson) to train him, our underdog must assume the role of town samurai and team up with the villagers to save the day. The only problem… cats hate dogs!
PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK is directed by Rob Minkoff, Mark Koetsier Chris Bailey, screenplay by Ed Stone & Nate Hopper and Mel Brooks, Norman Steinberg, Andrew Bergman, Richard Pryor, Alan Uger, with story by Andrew Bergman.
The score is by Bear McCreary who says “Ennio Morricone’s impact on the sound of the western genre cannot be overstated. Paws of Fury is, in part, a parody of the western genre, but I did not intend to trot out tired musical quotations of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, as this has been done in pop culture repeatedly for decades. I was inspired by Ennio’s unique ability to place unique sounds boldly before of the audience, in effect daring the listener to have an emotional response to the weird and unexpected.”
Samuel L. Jackson as “Jimbo”, Djimon Hounsou as “Sumo”, and Michael Cera as “Hank” in Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Align, and Aniventure.
The film is produced by Rob Minkoff, Adam Nagle, Peter Nagle, Guy Collins, Yair Landau and Susan Purcell, and executive produced by Adrian Politowski, Alex Schwartz, Ben White, Reginald Hudlin, Wang Zhongjun, Wang Zhonglei, Mel Brooks.
Samuel L. Jackson as “Jimbo” and Michael Cera as “Hank” in Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Align, and Aniventure.
Michael Cera as “Hank” and Samuel L. Jackson as “Jimbo” in Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Align, and Aniventure.
WAMG has your passes to see PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Align, and Aniventure.
Enter to win 4 free passes to the St. Louis area advance screening of PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK.
DATE AND TIME: Saturday, July 9th at Ronnie’s Cine. Doors at 9am Movie at 11am.
The screening will be filled on a first come first served basis, so we encourage you to arrive early. Seats will not be guaranteed.
A hard-on-his-luck hound Hank (Michael Cera) finds himself in a town full of cats who need a hero to defend them from a ruthless villain’s (Ricky Gervais) evil plot to wipe their village off the map. With help from a reluctant teacher (Samuel L. Jackson) to train him, our underdog must assume the role of town samurai and team up with the villagers to save the day. The only problem? cats hate dogs! Also starring Mel Brooks, George Takei, Aasif Mandvi, Gabriel Iglesias, Djimon Hounsou, Michelle Yeoh, Kylie Kuioka, and Cathy Shim, PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK pounces into theatres July 15, 2022.
Ricky Gervais as “Ika Chu” and George Takei as “Ohga” in Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Align, and Aniventure.
A hard-on-his-luck hound Hank (Michael Cera) finds himself in a town full of cats who need a hero to defend them from a ruthless villain’s (Ricky Gervais) evil plot to wipe their village off the map. With help from a reluctant teacher (Samuel L. Jackson) to train him, our underdog must assume the role of town samurai and team up with the villagers to save the day. The only problem… cats hate dogs!
Michael Cera as “Hank” and Samuel L. Jackson as “Jimbo” in Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Align, and Aniventure.
Also starring Mel Brooks, George Takei, Aasif Mandvi, Gabriel Iglesias, Djimon Hounsou, Michelle Yeoh, Kylie Kuioka, and Cathy Shim, watch the hilarious trailer now!
This is funny as all get-out, hysterical funny kind of get-out. This film looks awesome! I mean, ca’mon, with lines like, “What the mother father cocker spaniel is going on here?!” and “Who knew an evil army could go through so many beans?”
And Ricky Gervais as the Villain, oh yeah, we’re in!
See the movie in theaters this summer when PAWS OF FURY: THE LEGEND OF HANK pounces into theatres July 15, 2022.
Gabriel Iglesias as “Chuck” and Aasif Mandvi as “Ichiro” in Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Align, and Aniventure.
The end of 1981’s HISTORY OF THE WORLD, PART ONE teased fans that there would be A HISTORY OF THE WORLD, PART 2.
Audiences were given a mini-end-of-credits look that included “See… Hitler On Ice,” “See… A Viking Funeral,” “See… Jews In Space”.
Little did we know it would take director Mel Brooks 40 plus years to make good on that trailer from his hilarious movie. For we fans of the film, the sequel will come to fruition!
In October 2021, the plans for a sequel were announced.
According to the report on Rolling Stones, Hulu has ordered the eight-episode variety series History of the World, Part II.
The show will follow the same format as the film, which was made up of segments parodying periods of world history. With a laundry list of current events to choose from, there’s no shortage of options for the show’s creators to pull inspiration from as the writers’ room kicks off this October.
Production on History of the World, Part II is set to begin in spring 2022 with Brooks on board as a writer alongside Nick Kroll, Wanda Sykes, Ike Barinholtz, David Stassen, and Kevin Salter.
While promoting her hosting duties on this Sunday’s Oscar telecast, Wanda Sykes talked about working with Mel Brooks on History of the World, Part II. Listen to what Sykes has to say at the 6:55 mark.
AUTOMAT_film_Mel Brooks drinking coffee photographed by Carl Reiner while the two were writers for Your Show of Shows, c. 1950-1954 in The Automat. Photo courtesy of A Slice of Pie Productions
Mel Brooks, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Colin Powell, Carl Reiner and Elliot Gould were all fans of the Automat, the iconic automated cafeterias that dominated New York and Philadelphia in the first half of the 20th century. THE AUTOMAT, Lisa Hurwitz’s delightful, enlightening documentary, serves up pure charm, and Mel Brooks, in this look back at the Horn and Hardart Automat, a now-vanished beloved, and unique, American institution.
THE AUTOMAT is available to stream as part of the virtual St. Louis Jewish Film Festival through Mar. 13. For tickets and more information, visit their website https://jccstl.com/arts-ideas/st-louis-jewish-film-festival.
THE AUTOMAT delivers a dazzling array of memories from those who ate there, alongside the history of the rise and fall of the Automat. It delivers the same warm appeal as the Automat’s own delicious slice of pie and perfect cup of coffee.
It was once the country’s largest restaurant chain, although it was only in two cities. Founded in the last 19th century and enduring into the middle of the 20th, the Automat was a magical combination of contradictory things. It was single company but was known by different names in its two cities. In New York, it was the Automat, while in Philadelphia, it was called Horn and Hardart.
Before there was fast food, the Automat served up food fast but it wasn’t “fast food.” It was fine dining, delicious food served on real plates, in a beautiful space. The high-quality food was key to its success, but it was sold at low prices, with no tipping because the food was dispensed by an innovative coin-operated system that seemed thrillingly futuristic in the early 20th century.
On top of that, the dining rooms were opulent Art Deco palaces, with marble floors and tables and brass fittings. The high-quality coffee came out of spouts designed to look dolphin heads, inspired by Italian fountains. The food was dispensed from banks of gleaming metal and glass doors behind which were tempting dishes. Put a nickel in the slot and the glass door popped open so you could to take your pie, mac and cheese, sandwich or Salsbury steak.
Founders Joseph Horn and Frank Hardart wanted it to be a luxurious place but welcoming to everyone – immigrants, secretaries, kids, rich, poor, celebrities alike. The Automat welcomed both whites and Blacks, at a time when integrated spaces were rare.
You might meet anyone at the Automat, which helped make it a popular setting for movies. If you are a fan of classic films of the ’30s, ’40s or ’50s, you have likely seen the Automat on screen.
Lisa Hurwitz’s fine documentary gives you a glimpse of all that storied history, through entertaining interviews with famous people who went there, people who worked there, and historians and collectors who preserve its memory. Researching the Automat, Hurwitz was struck by the deep nostalgia it evoked.
Mel Brooks is a big part of the documentary, pretty much its star. Brooks composed a song for it, and even sings it in the film.
The documentary gets off to a quirky start, with Mel Brooks being interviewed about whether the wants to participate, and footage of the director Lisa Hurwitz entering a dilapidated old antique shop, in which there are the dusty and decaying remnants of the once glorious Automat’s food dispensers. We are not sure what to expect at first but THE AUTOMAT quickly finds its footing and draws us in.
The fascinating interviews include those with members of the Horn and Hardart families, former employees, customers, and historians. The well-researched film offers interviews with the famous, telling tales of other famous names, such as Jack Benny, who once hosted a red-carpet dinner at the Automat, handing out rolls of quarters to tuxedo-ed and fur-wrapped party-goers. Another interviewee is the founder of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, who credits the Automat for inspiring his own restaurant chain. Along with the interviews and stories, there is a wealth of rare archival images and footage.
The documentary, which was shot over the course of eight years, has a string of celebrities that is impressive. As mentioned, these include not just Mel Brooks but Elliott Gould and the late Carl Reiner, plus the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Secretary of State Colin Powell. RBG did her homework there, and Powell says he was introduced to the idea of integrated spaces there, which would serve him well in his military career. Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner met there regularly while working as gag writers for Sid Caesar;s comedy show. It was a favorite hangout for Broadway show people, particularly bit players and those in the chorus, who appreciated its low prices and egalitarian atmosphere.
It was one company but the each of the two founders ran it in its two cities, Horn in Philly and Hardart in NY. Horn came from the restaurant trade and wanted a place where office workers of all walks could have lunch, breakfast or dinner. Hardart came from New Orleans, with a commitment to fine food and especially outstanding coffee. There were no waiters but their excellent treatment of the staff, who were well paid and well-treated, built unparalleled loyalty.
The automated service seemed futuristic in the early 20th century, but the beautiful brass and marble fixtures spoke of Old World elegance. For kids, the coin-operated dispensers were a magnet. With a handful of nickels, they could get whatever they wanted.
The documentary’s rise and fall of an American business pattern gives the documentary a dramatic arc. The documentary has a exhilarating energy, tracing the blossoming of a clever food delivery idea into a beloved empire that once seemed unstoppable. Its heights are followed by tragedy, as it faded after it was no longer in family hands.
Changing times, the flight to the suburbs, and the rise of fast food all contributed to the decline and demise of the Automat. Director Hurwitz steers us through this chapter gently, and like most of the film, it is the interviewees, the people who witnessed it or their descendants who tell the tale. The sweet, wistful fondness of so many is captured by Mel Brooks, who comments near the end that someone should bring it back.
This documentary is a treat not to be missed. Combining rock-solid scholarship with charming storytelling, THE AUTOMAT casts a wonderful spell, making one wish they could be transported back in time to have a cup of coffee there with Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner.
THE AUTOMAT is available to stream as part of the 2022 St. Louis Jewish Film Festival through Mar. 13.For tickets and more information, visit their website https://jccstl.com/arts-ideas/st-louis-jewish-film-festival.
And now the 93rd Annual Oscars are finished. Another one for the records books, it is now history. But how to quench your thirst for a bit more Hollywood history? Here’s the perfect refresher. It’s a warm, interview and clip-filled look back at one of the motion picture industry’s greatest producers. As a matter of fact (and it’s hammered home here) he was the head (or close to) of four of the major studio (really, you’d know the logos). Oh, and he’s still with us, offering his sage advice and counsel to filmmakers and stars. So we’re not talking about the cigar-chomping Golden Age studio moguls who are usually vilified in the non-fiction books and films (The biggest villain of MANK may be the ruthless and controlling Louis Mayer). No, this is about a man whose influence may have ushered in, maybe not a silver, but a bronze age, from the 1970s to just about a decade or so ago. And unlike Mayer and his contemporaries Zanuck, Zucker, Laemmie, and Cohn he truly has movies in his blood (real silver screen DNA). This documentary feature subject is Alan Ladd, Jr., often referred to as LADDIE: THE MAN BEHIND THE MOVIES.
Our genial guide through this remarkable man’s life and career truly knows her subject. It’s his daughter Amanda Ladd-Jones, who tells us that this film began as a birthday present, one that we now all get to share. Unfortunately, the subject has a legendary tendency to be … well tight-lipped. But luckily his former collaborators and friends (and so many are in both groups, surprisingly) are quick to sing his praises. But before those triumphs, there was a difficult childhood. That blood and DNA, well it comes from the 1940s through the 50s matinee idol Alan Ladd, who himself was tight-lipped in noir thrillers (THIS GUN FOR HIRE) and Westerns (the iconic SHANE). But being the son of a movie star is close to hitting the genetic lottery, right? You’d think so, but Laddie was the only son Senior had with his first wife Marjorie. Nearing his teens when papa remarried, Laddie was largely ignored as the star remarried and began a new family with Sue Carol. We hear heart-wrenching stories from stepbrother David (an actor who ended up marrying the fourth TV Charlie’s Angel). Perhaps this helped to motivate Laddie at the boarding and military schools and college. By the time he’s finished his education, his father passes at age of 50 from years of alcohol and prescription pill abuse. Now Laddie was free of his shadow and ready to make a name for himself behind the scenes in show “biz”. In the wild 1960’s he was an agent representing several actors, including Peter Sellars (“Completely mad.” Laddie quickly offers) which lead to film production, then soon taking the reins of Twentieth Century Fox’s European division. Around the time he began his own family with school sweetheart Patricia, the call came in for his return to the states and tasked with saving the flailing Fox (still reeling from the one-two bombs of DOCTOR DOOLITTLE and HELLO DOLLY). He quickly established himself as an exec who valued up-and-coming filmmakers, having an open mind and keen box office instincts. When Columbia balked at Mel Brooks’ insistence to shoot YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN in black and white, Laddie saw the method in his madness and said yes. When Richard Donner brought the script for the horror opus THE OMEN, Laddie defied the studio’s heads and insisted Donner (then known for TV work) direct. And when the hot young director of AMERICAN GRAFFITI needed a home for his weird Flash Gordon-homage, Laddie again irked the board of directors by giving a “green light” for STAR WARS. Soon after the megahit ALIEN (again helmed by a relatively unknown Ridley Scott). Alan left Fox to form his own division, The Ladd Company, which merged with Warner Brothers (studio two). From there it was a leap to United Artists in the late 1980s, before finishing up at Paramount in the 1990s and early 2000s (and grabbing an Oscar for BRAVEHEART in 1995).
Okay, so the director is a tad prejudiced, though Ms. Ladd-Jones hasn’t pieced together a fawning Father’s Day card of a flick about the family patriarch. Its opening (Laddie’s early years) is chocked-full of old school glitz and glamour (Alan Ladd pretty much carried Paramount through the 1940s), the staged studio publicity stills can’t erase the abandonment of Laddie’s teen years (David becomes quite emotional as he recalls the neglect of his poppa to his firstborn). And despite being saddled with that name (teachers couldn’t believe his actor lineage), the story really comes alive as Laddie spreads his creative wings and soars. Happily, most of the folks that aided that meteoric rise pay their respects. George Lucas sings his praises while Mel Brooks slays with some great stories (“Peru just got color” kills every time). One of the more pleasant revelations concerns Laddie’s desire to keep all of his major movie talents on the same floor of the Fox building, as a free-wheeling film school, leading to Brooks helping to tweak the late Paul Mazursky’s script (he’s sadly been gone for nearly seven years, so this footage reminds us of his endearing charm). The doc also benefits from Richard Donner’s laid-back sardonic wit (“Ladd, Jr.? He made that ‘Very Brady sequel’, right?”). As the decades (and great clips) zip by we get Mel Gibson’s BRAVEHEART tales and Ben Affleck (sporting an odd “boy band” hairstyle with a full beard) on Laddie’s help with his directorial debut GONE BABY GONE (“lose the ‘chamber of commerce’ shots”). But there seems to be one artist who continues to pop up in this saga, Ridley Scott. We see a few seconds from his debut THE DUELISTS before the big explosion (poor John Hurt’s chest) of AlIEN. When Laddie heads to the WB lot, Scott follows with BLADE RUNNER, thought of as a box office dud in 82, the film’s influence extends into the current slate of SF epics. Then in a complete turnabout, Scott is convinced to helm the dusty dirty box office smash THELMA & LOUIS (with Laddie influencing its off-beat ending). Aside from STAR WARS, Laddie also throws his support behind award-winning films that his former studios dumped (Fox stepped away, so Warners grabbed the Best Picture Oscar for CHARIOTS OF FIRE). But so that we don’t think of him as too “high brow” we’re reminded that he also started the POLICE ACADEMY franchise (also inspiring the end scene of the first one). Ms. Ladd-Jones also delves into the misfires, particularly THE RIGHT STUFF which rankles Laddie so much that he has never watched it (“lost control, too long and too over budget”). Hey Mr. L, I think it’s still pretty great. And we hear of his sadness at the ending of his first marriage, although his marriage to Cindra has given him great joy and another family (including a talented biographer). And though his office days are behind him, he’s still in great demand for his storytelling instincts and vast knowledge (though many in the film will admit that he can be a soft or “low talker” ala “Seinfeld”). If you’re in the mood for a terrific crash course in the big studio films of the past fifty or so years, then you’ll be informed and greatly entertained by spending a fast-paced 83 minutes with LADDIE: THE MAN BEHIND THE MOVIES.
3.5 Out of 4
LADDIE: THE MAN BEHIND THE MOVIES is available to rent and buy on digital download beginning on April 26, 2021
Only a few days short of January’s end, 2021 has seen the loss of its first Oscar winner. Here’s how the Associated Press broke the news:
Cloris Leachman, an Oscar-winner for her portrayal of a lonely housewife in “The Last Picture Show” and a comedic delight as the fearsome Frau Blücher in “Young Frankenstein” and self-absorbed neighbor Phyllis on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” has died. She was 94.
Leachman died in her sleep of natural causes at her home in Encinitas, California, publicist Monique Moss said Wednesday. Her daughter Dinah Englund was at her side, Moss said.
Remarkably those 94 years encompassed nine decades of work on the big and small(er) screen. A truly versatile actress, her knack for comedy wasn’t really showcased until nearly twenty years into her astounding career. As a tribute we offer a fond look back at the work of a true cinema “scene-stealer” who could effortlessly inspire laughter and tears.
First, we start with a few details on her showbiz roots. Cloris was born in Des Moines, IA on April 30, 1926. As teen growing up near the Windy City, she acted in plays before being crowned “Miss Chicago 1946” as part of the Miss America pageant. Soon she moved to NYC to study under famed director Elia Kazan at the prestigious Actors Studio. We first saw Cloris in the movies as an uncredited extra in 1947’s CARNEGIE HALL.
But TV audiences would soon know her name as the young actress kept very busy during those early days of live broadcasts. It wasn’t long before the movie studios beckoned her to the West Coast. For her first speaking film role, Cloris made an unforgettable cinema splash as she ran down a pitch black highway, barefoot (and supposedly five months pregnant), wearing a trench coat, prior to the opening titles of director Robert Aldrich’s adaptation of Mickey Spillane’s KISS ME DEADLY from 1955. Despite her character Christina’s hasty demise, Cloris certainly made a big impression in “Tinsel Town”.
Returning to TV for a year, she would be seen again on the big screen in THE RACK with Paul Newman (the first of three films with him, with small roles in BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID and WUSA over a decade away). The small screen had more steady work for her as she became the second mom Ruth Martin to “Lassie”. After her single season stint ended, Cloris was in demand all over the TV landscape from Westerns, to police thrillers and even sitcoms. Some of her most memorable work was in the many anthology shows like “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”, “One Step Beyond”, “Thriller”, and, most memorably, in an iconic “The Twilight Zone” story as the exhausted mother of the all-powerful Anthony Freemont (Billy Mumy) in ”It’s a Good Life”.
Cloris was finally back on the big screen in 1962’s THE CHAPMAN REPORT, seven years before BUTCH would start another film run with LOVERS AND OTHER STRANGERS, WUSA, THE PEOPLE NEXT DOOR, and THE STEAGLE. As she continued on more guest-starring roles on TV series (and made-for-TV-movies), a young “maverick” filmmaker would offer her the role that would change her life.
Peter Bogdanovich, fresh from his cult classic TARGETS, cast Cloris as the repressed lonely wife of the high school football coach, Ruth Popper, who begins a torrid affair with one of his students, in his adaptation of Larry McMurtry’s THE LAST PICTURE SHOW. The film was an unexpected box office smash which garnered lots of critical raves, especially for Leachman’s heartbreaking performance. And the Academy took notice bestowing eight nominations and awarding the coveted Supporting Actor and Actress Oscars to Ben Johnson and Cloris.
And just as Cloris finally made a name for herself in cinema, TV was also giving her career a huge boost with a character role in a truly “game-changing” situation comedy. Leachman was the abrasive Phyllis Lindstrom on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in 1970, a role that would earn her two Emmys and her own spin-off “Phyllis” from 1975 to 1977. And as the world learned of her comedic gifts another big director tapped her for his latest romp.
Hot off the box office smash BLAZING SADDLES, Mel Brooks, along with star and co-writer Gene Wilder, would lovingly parody the black and white movie monster masterpieces of yore in 1974’s YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. Leachman plays a pivotal supporting character, the mistress/housekeeper of the old Transylvanian castle Frau Blucher. The role was heavily influenced by Una O’Connor in THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN with touches of Judith Anderson as Mrs. Danvers in 1940’s REBECCA. Blucher herself inspired one of the film’s greatest “running gags”: whenever her name is spoken, a horse whinny is heard (causing her to grimace). The film was a huge hit and is often called the greatest horror/comedy/spoof of all time (as for yours truly, well, it’s my flat-out favorite flick ever).
But that’s not her last Brooks outing. Mel would call on her again for his Hitchcock-inspired comedy HIGH ANXIETY in 1977. This time Cloris was one of the villains, a sadistic shrew named Nurse Diesel who ran a shady sanitarium. Her forerunners were again Danvers, along with the controlling mom in NOTORIOUS and a touch of the Wicked Witch of the West. The final Brooks/Leachman collaboration would be in 1981’s THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD: PART 1 as she “dressed down” as Madam Defarge in the French Revolution segment.
Ms. Leachman would keep very busy over the next decades as she bounced from TV (she would headline several sitcoms and stepped into the hit “The Facts of Life” for its final two seasons) to the movies with a cameo in 1979’s THE MUPPET MOVIE (as Orson Wells’ secretary) and played Granny Moses in the 1993 big-screen version of the 60s TV classic THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES. In between 70s comedies, Ms. Leachman was in a couple of 30s era crime thrillers. She led Public Enemy Number One to his doom as Anna Sage, the “woman in red”, in John Milius’ DILLINGER in 1973. Two years later she’d lead her own “crew” in Jonathan Demme’s CRAZY MAMA. She even revisited Ruth Popper in 1990’s TEXASVILLE (her third Bogdonavich film after co-starring in 1974’s DAISY MILLER). Cloris was soon in demand for grandmother roles with TV’s “Raising Hope” and in the BAD SANTA movies.
And she was also wanted at the “mike” for lots of animated projects. In TV Cloris lent her voice to everything from “The Simpsons” and Bob’s Burgers” to “Adventure Time” and “Justice League Action”. And at the movies she was heard in such cartoon features as BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD DO AMERICA, THE IRON GIANT, and MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE. The last time we saw her on-screen credit was just a couple of months ago as she returned to her character “Gran” in the sequel to the 2013 hit, THE CROODS: A NEW AGE.
Hold on, we’ve not seen all of her work quite yet. Two feature films, NOT TO FORGET and HIGH HOLIDAY, will be completed soon (fingers crossed that the theatres will be ready). Ah, but for now we must say goodbye to one of our most prolific performances, though she’ll always be with us. Her Ruth Popper will forever touch our hearts as much as Frau Blucher (“whinny”) will tickle our funny bones as she screeches, “He vas’ my boyfriend!”. Just be careful that hot Ovaltine doesn’t shoot through your nose! Auf wiedersehen, Ms. Leachman!
Forty years ago this summer, a frog with a dream to make millions of people happy hopped out of the swamp, onto a bicycle and into cinema history in “The Muppet Movie.” For two days only this July, the original classic is back in movie theaters nationwide from Fathom Events, The Jim Henson Company and Universal Pictures.
Tickets are available at www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices.
“The Muppet Movie” will play in more than 700 movie theaters on Thursday, July 25, and Tuesday, July 30, at 12:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. local time each day through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). For a complete list of theater locations, visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).
Following massive global success with the television hit “The Muppet Show,” which at its height aired in more than 100 countries around the world, Muppets creator Jim Henson took a huge creative risk to have the characters star in their first motion picture. The result, “The MuppetMovie,” directed by James Frawley, proved to be an enormous box-office hit. The film also charmed critics and received an Academy Award® nomination for “The Rainbow Connection,” the film’s iconic theme song with music and lyrics by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher.
The film stars Kermit (performed by Henson), Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear (performed by Frank Oz), Gonzo (performed by Dave Goelz) and his chicken Camilla (performed by Jerry Nelson), Scooter (performed by Richard Hunt), and Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem as they embark on a road trip to Hollywood where fame and fortune beckons, driven only by hope, dreams and a wisecracking bear.
In addition to the Muppet performers, “The Muppet Show” is a veritable who’s-who of 1970s pop culture, with a cast that includes Charles Durning, Austin Pendleton and cameo roles by Dom DeLuise, James Coburn, Madeline Kahn, Carol Kane, Telly Savalas, Milton Berle, Elliott Gould, Edgar Bergen, Bob Hope, Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Mel Brooks, Cloris Leachman and Orson Welles.
“‘The Muppet Movie’ is a cinematic treasure, a delightful film that may have been made 40 years ago but is truly timeless, thanks both to its iconic characters and to its always-stirring theme of following your dreams and believing in your own abilities,” said Tom Lucas, Fathom Events Vice President of Studio Relations. “This film’s return to the big screen is very well deserved and we are happy to work with The Jim Henson Company and Universal Pictures to give it a proper nationwide re-release.”
11-year-old orphan, Félicie (Elle Fanning) has one dream – to go to Paris and become a dancer. Her best friend Victor (Nat Wolff), an imaginative but exhausting boy with a passion for creating, has a dream of his own – to become a famous inventor. In a leap of faith, Victor and Félicie leave their orphanage in pursuit of their passions. But – there’s a catch, Félicie must pretend to be the child of a wealthy family in order to gain admittance to the prestigious and competitive Opera Ballet School in Paris. And with no professional dance training, she quickly learns that talent alone is not enough to overcome the ruthless, conniving attitudes of her fellow classmates, led by the devious Camille Le Haut (Maddie Ziegler).
Determined to succeed, Félicie finds her mentor in the tough and mysterious school custodian, Odette (Carly Rae Jepsen) who, along with Victor’s encouraging friendship, help her reach for the stars.
WAMG invites you to enter for the chance to win TWO (2) seats to the advance screening of LEAP! on Saturday,August 19 at 10AM in the St. Louis area.
Answer the Following:
In 2013, Elle Fanning was nominated for a Critics’ Choice Award for her performance in which Sally Potter film?
TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.
OFFICIAL RULES:
1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.
2. No purchase necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house.
