By Sylvia Gurinsky
Now that American viewers are in full "Downton Abbey" withdrawal, they are searching for alternative viewing.
You can catch some of your favorite "Downton Abbey" stars in various programs out on DVD - including some that, like "DA," have aired in PBS' "Masterpiece" series:
*Dame Maggie Smith (Violet, the Dowager Countess): Smith can be seen in the 1999 production of "David Copperfield" as Betsey Trotwood and as Queen Alexandra in "All the King's Men," aired on Masterpiece that same year.
*Hugh Bonneville (Lord Grantham): Bonneville played a very different character from the benevolent Lord Grantham in 2002's "Daniel Deronda." As the evil Grandcourt, he menaced his wife, Gwendolyn (Romola Garai). He has also appeared in various "Mystery" productions, including the recent Poirot entry, "Murder on the Orient Express."
*Jim Carter: (Carson): Carter played Captain Brown, leading the construction of the railroad, in "Cranford" and "Return To Cranford."
*Phyllis Logan (Mrs. Hughes): Logan also appeared in "All the King's Men" as Mary Beck. She's made some "Mystery" appearances, but also played Linda Brentwood in the dark comedy "Alibi," which starred Michael Kitchen ("Foyle's War").
*Penelope Wilton (Isobel Crawley): At the same time as "Downton," Wilton was also appearing in "South Riding" as Mrs. Beddows. She has appeared in "Wives and Daughters," "Victoria & Albert" and another Michael Kitchen dark comedy, "Falling."
*Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary Crawley): Dockery also appeared in "Return To Cranford" as Erminia Whyte.
*Dan Stevens (Matthew Crawley): Stevens played Edward Ferrars in the 2008 "Sense and Sensibility."
*Brendan Coyle (Bates): Coyle played DCS Mitchell in "Prime Suspect 7: The Final Act" in 2006.
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Friday, February 17, 2012
Week of February 17: One Moment In Time: Whitney Houston at the 1991 Super Bowl
By Sylvia Gurinsky
January 27, 1991: Super Bowl 25 (XXV for the traditional minded), New York Giants versus Buffalo Bills in Tampa. Just 10 days after the start of Operation Desert Storm. The nation needed reassurance.
Whitney Houston provided it, with the most memorable National Anthem ever sung at a Super Bowl. Thanks to video and audio, that glorious voice can never be silenced:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmrQINYTSd4
See you next week.
January 27, 1991: Super Bowl 25 (XXV for the traditional minded), New York Giants versus Buffalo Bills in Tampa. Just 10 days after the start of Operation Desert Storm. The nation needed reassurance.
Whitney Houston provided it, with the most memorable National Anthem ever sung at a Super Bowl. Thanks to video and audio, that glorious voice can never be silenced:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmrQINYTSd4
See you next week.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Week of February 10: 70s Shirley MacLaine
By Sylvia Gurinsky
The news that Shirley MacLaine will join the cast of the British hit program "Downton Abbey" triggers reminicenses of MacLaine's television programs during the 1970s.
MacLaine had already made a series of successful movies, including "The Trouble With Harry" (her first), "Some Came Running," "The Apartment," "Irma La Douce" and "Sweet Charity" when she followed other film stars into television with "Shirley's World" in 1971:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anowGvAGMpU
Made by ABC, the show followed on the heels of ground-breaking single women shows such as "That Girl" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." It was also one of a number of network shows being produced overseas at the time - in this case by Sheldon Leonard, creator of "I Spy." MacLaine co-starred with British actor John Gregson, and the show was based in London:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh2szelL3mc&feature=related
But the show didn't work. MacLaine had problems with the mostly British crew, and "Shirley's World" often finished last in the ratings, way behind its competition, CBS' "Medical Center" and "The NBC Mystery Movie." The show was cancelled after 17 episodes.
MacLaine would have much better luck in a series of specials for CBS that showcased her singing and dancing talents. The shows - including "If They Could See Me Now," "Shirley MacLaine at the Lido" and "Every Little Movement" - featured guest stars and song standards. Here's Shirley with "Sweet Georgia Brown" from "Every Little Movement":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KG1Ex_xotk
"Shirley's World" is available on DVD in Great Britain, but not here. Alas, none of the musical specials - all either Emmy winners or nominated - have been released on DVD yet.
Here's hoping that will happen when MacLaine appears on "Downton Abbey." Series 3 will be shown as part of the PBS "Masterpiece" series in early 2013.
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
The news that Shirley MacLaine will join the cast of the British hit program "Downton Abbey" triggers reminicenses of MacLaine's television programs during the 1970s.
MacLaine had already made a series of successful movies, including "The Trouble With Harry" (her first), "Some Came Running," "The Apartment," "Irma La Douce" and "Sweet Charity" when she followed other film stars into television with "Shirley's World" in 1971:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anowGvAGMpU
Made by ABC, the show followed on the heels of ground-breaking single women shows such as "That Girl" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." It was also one of a number of network shows being produced overseas at the time - in this case by Sheldon Leonard, creator of "I Spy." MacLaine co-starred with British actor John Gregson, and the show was based in London:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh2szelL3mc&feature=related
But the show didn't work. MacLaine had problems with the mostly British crew, and "Shirley's World" often finished last in the ratings, way behind its competition, CBS' "Medical Center" and "The NBC Mystery Movie." The show was cancelled after 17 episodes.
MacLaine would have much better luck in a series of specials for CBS that showcased her singing and dancing talents. The shows - including "If They Could See Me Now," "Shirley MacLaine at the Lido" and "Every Little Movement" - featured guest stars and song standards. Here's Shirley with "Sweet Georgia Brown" from "Every Little Movement":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KG1Ex_xotk
"Shirley's World" is available on DVD in Great Britain, but not here. Alas, none of the musical specials - all either Emmy winners or nominated - have been released on DVD yet.
Here's hoping that will happen when MacLaine appears on "Downton Abbey." Series 3 will be shown as part of the PBS "Masterpiece" series in early 2013.
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Week of February 3: Remembering Don Cornelius; A Look Through Letterman's 3 Decades - And Then Some
By Sylvia Gurinsky
Some have called "Soul Train" the "American Bandstand" of the black community. Actually, it was much more than that, and Don Cornelius was the primary reason why.
Certainly, Dick Clark had already featured plenty of African-American performers on "Bandstand" by the time "Soul Train" went on the air in 1971. But Cornelius and company had different priorities: Highlighting not just black singers and musicians, but also black history and culture.
The show's debut coincided with a new national awareness, in light of segregation barriers coming down, of what African-Americans had to contribute. Relatively quickly, Cornelius moved the show from its local television beginnings in Chicago to national syndication in Hollywood - other than Flip Wilson's NBC show, the first African-American-produced show to meet with that kind of success.
There is scarcely a performer famous since the early 1960s who hasn't been on that show. "Soul Train" has also hosted white performers such as Elton John.
Cornelius' regular hosting duties ended during the 1990s. But the show has never officially left the air, and the annual "Soul Train Awards" are a lasting example of Cornelius' legacy.
Here's a clip of Stevie Wonder on the show from 1971:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SUEyf_2fbo
"Where all the brothers and sisters get together." Indeed.
***************************************************************************
David Letterman celebrated his 30th year in late-night television last week. A video collection on The Huffington Post's website had a good compilation of many of Dave's greatest hits, though it was not complete (No Cher from the NBC show. Also missing: His 2008 tirade against Republican presidential candidate John McCain for bailing on "Late Show" and then not going straight back to Washington, as he'd told Letterman.):
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/letterman-30th-anniversary_n_1248048.html
Four years before he began to hit it big with NBC's "Late Night With David Letterman," he was part of the repertory players on a CBS weekly variety show starring Mary Tyler Moore and also featuring Michael Keaton and Swoosie Kurtz. What idiot at CBS in 1978 thought this would be a good idea?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf5bawTerkE
He's come a long way from "Mary." Happy 30th in late night, Dave. And Happy Viewing to all.
Some have called "Soul Train" the "American Bandstand" of the black community. Actually, it was much more than that, and Don Cornelius was the primary reason why.
Certainly, Dick Clark had already featured plenty of African-American performers on "Bandstand" by the time "Soul Train" went on the air in 1971. But Cornelius and company had different priorities: Highlighting not just black singers and musicians, but also black history and culture.
The show's debut coincided with a new national awareness, in light of segregation barriers coming down, of what African-Americans had to contribute. Relatively quickly, Cornelius moved the show from its local television beginnings in Chicago to national syndication in Hollywood - other than Flip Wilson's NBC show, the first African-American-produced show to meet with that kind of success.
There is scarcely a performer famous since the early 1960s who hasn't been on that show. "Soul Train" has also hosted white performers such as Elton John.
Cornelius' regular hosting duties ended during the 1990s. But the show has never officially left the air, and the annual "Soul Train Awards" are a lasting example of Cornelius' legacy.
Here's a clip of Stevie Wonder on the show from 1971:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SUEyf_2fbo
"Where all the brothers and sisters get together." Indeed.
***************************************************************************
David Letterman celebrated his 30th year in late-night television last week. A video collection on The Huffington Post's website had a good compilation of many of Dave's greatest hits, though it was not complete (No Cher from the NBC show. Also missing: His 2008 tirade against Republican presidential candidate John McCain for bailing on "Late Show" and then not going straight back to Washington, as he'd told Letterman.):
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/letterman-30th-anniversary_n_1248048.html
Four years before he began to hit it big with NBC's "Late Night With David Letterman," he was part of the repertory players on a CBS weekly variety show starring Mary Tyler Moore and also featuring Michael Keaton and Swoosie Kurtz. What idiot at CBS in 1978 thought this would be a good idea?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf5bawTerkE
Letterman headed in the right direction when he went to NBC in 1980. "The David Letterman Show," which ran through part of that year, lacked bandleader Paul Shaffer, but had the rest of the format that Letterman has had success with pretty much in place:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRoaG_AmqrI
He's come a long way from "Mary." Happy 30th in late night, Dave. And Happy Viewing to all.
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