Reel to Real

Boy Toys

Tom_Johnson — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:12:06 GMT

Recently I drove out to Sideshow Collectibles in Westlake Village, CA, and toured their corporate headquarters which displayed – on just about every flat surface – licensed, limited edition toys, busts, prop reproductions, maquettes and miniatures from such film and television properties as Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Hogan's Heroes, The Terminator, Angel, Jurassic Park – the list is endless. Most are high-end toys that the company produces for discriminating collectors and they range in price from a few bucks to several thousand dollars (ex: a "Gandalf the Grey" bronze figure from The Lord of the Rings).

"Movies toys aren't the kind of thing you hide anymore; instead, you display them proudly," Brant Bridges, Sideshow's Operation Manager told me as I viewed a Buffy figurine (stake in hand) from the company's popular line of Buffy the Vampire Slayer collectibles.

"Funny thing about that doll," Bridges said. "We had protracted talks with Sarah Michelle Gellar about the doll's nose. She wanted a different one – in effect, a nose job on the figure. But that wouldn't have been accurate to the TV character she played, so we didn't do it."

Bridges told me that quite a few stars and directors are fans of Sideshow including Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile) and Guillermo Del Toro (Mimic, Hellboy). "Guillermo is ecstatic about our toys," Bridges said. "He even took some of our Hellboy product home to role-play with them."

What most collectors don't know is that the current apogee of movie and television-related collectibles represented by companies like Sideshow began slowly and inauspiciously (and mainly in Germany) nearly 100 years ago. It was then that silent screen stars like Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton, and later Laurel and Hardy, began to be hammered, pressed and lithographed into mechanical tin toys.

Who'd have thought that this toy company offshoot would, in time, become big business and rate a huge standalone niche? In the ultimate case of one-upmanship, some movies provide the marketing platform for the toy product … and not the other way around! (Think Lucasfilm and its plethora of Star Wars character collectibles).

Boys and their toys, indeed!

Monk in Milwaukee

Dave_Fantle — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 17:30:30 GMT

It looked like a Hollywood opening, but it took place in a much more unlikely place, the Milwaukee suburb of St. Francis. With more then 500 people in attendance, guest of honor Tony Shalhoub cut the ribbon on Jan. 8 for the new RDI stages, a 27,000 square foot facility hoping to attract greater film and television production work to the area.

The opening comes at a time when Wisconsin just completed year-one of its tax incentive program and enjoyed the biggest financial year on record for film, television and video gaming work. The year was kicked-off with the Johnny Depp film Public Enemies, but also included several smaller independent films.

In attending the opening, the multiple Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning star of Monk announced that he would be coming to Door County, Wis. in February to shoot a new feature film, Feed the Fish.

It probably comes as a surprise to most people that Shalhoub is a “Cheesehead” who grew up in Green Bay.

At the studio opening, Shalhoub was besieged by fans who wanted him to pose for pictures with their children, sign their Monk bobbleheads and other memorabilia.

Shalhoub described the upcoming film as “an homage to Wisconsin, especially to rural Wisconsin." It will be the first time he has filmed in his home state, but with the new tax incentives, he said he’d like to return more often for work reasons. He comes home several times a year to see family.

Now in its seventh season, Shalhoub says when he goes in front of the cameras again in March for the eighth season, it will probably be his last.

His visit to Milwaukee was brief as he had to grab the next flight back to L.A. to attend the Golden Globes. What are your favorite episodes of Monk? Did you watch the Golden Globes?

Message Edited by MediaDweeb on 01-12-2009 10:00 PM

"True Blood's" Graham Shiels on Vamps, Fangbangers and being the "Scary Boyfriend" in Jim Carrey's New Movie …

Tom_Johnson — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:54:49 GMT

Vancouver transplant Graham Shiels has made a cottage industry out of leaving some nasty hickeys that only an industrial-strength base could hope to cover up. As an outlaw vampire who refused to cleave to the delicate détente established between the undead and humans on the hit TV series "True Blood," Shiels caused quite a bit of menace before he was finally dispatched.

When we talked, the rangy actor said that kind of mayhem is only prelude; he's just getting started.

TJ: Tell me about your four-episode arc as bloodsucking baddie, "Liam," on "True Blood."

GS: I was a vampire who was definitely not into "mainstreaming" (nomenclature on the show for trying to fit into society by living with humans and not feeding on them). Liam and his cohorts ("Malcolm" and "Diane" had absolutely no desire to live by the rules. We were happy killing random people; having sex with men and women alike. It was all about the bloodlust when we home-invaded the old Antebellum mansion where Bill lived. Malcolm was the brains, I was the brawn and Diane was a very fatal femme fatale.
I got a few people in trouble before I got "offed."

TJ: How do you prep for a role as a vampire on puncture patrol … I mean, c'mon, that's pretty off the beam!

GS: I met Alan Ball ("True Blood's" creator) and came in with my choices. He gave me his direction for the role. They called and said they wanted to see me again and gave me new direction over the phone to prepare. And then I went in again and got direction 180-degrees different in tone. By the time I was cast and got to the set, it wasn't a question of the last directional cue as being the right way. I think all of them were the right way. It was just a chance to go with my instincts. It's stressful for an actor to get so much different direction, but to Alan's credit, it also freed me up. It all comes down to playing a guy that doesn't judge himself and has no qualms about killing people.

TJ: Why do you think "True Blood" has become such a hit, spawning a cult of fans called fangbangers?

GS: It's all about Alan Ball and the tenor of the show. For example, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was tongue-in-cheek but "True Blood" isn't. However, in that seriousness, some humor is kind of embedded. That's just my opinion. Hey, the series is just … different. You don't see a lot of shows with vampires struggling to fit in. Vamps are usually content to kill and scare people while speaking in Transylvanian accents.

TJ: Along that same line, how did a graduate from the Yale School of Drama come to be cast as "The Scary Boyfriend" in Jim Carrey's new comedy, "Yes Man"?

GS: I'm 6 ft. 2 in., 195 lbs. which, for an average guy, is pretty big. But when there's a casting call for a large, intimidating character, usually I'm up against beefy ex-pro wrestlers from the WWF. So, I was in this waiting room with all these guys who were just enormous – the kinds of guys you'd never want to meet in a dark alley. There was one who was so tall he had to duck through the doorway when he entered the room. I was beginning to get psyched out when I remembered on the casting sheet they didn't call him "Large Boyfriend" or "Muscular Boyfriend," they called him "Scary Boyfriend." And that's when I realized size doesn't matter. They just wanted a guy that was freakin' nuts! And hey, that I can do!

Look for Shiels in the season finale of "Nip/Tuck" as a guy who this time just thinks he's a vampire (typecasting anyone?). And he'll play more cannon fodder (fangless this time) in an upcoming episode of "Burn Notice" (Upon first meeting him, series star Bruce Campbell called Shiels the "chump of the week".)

"It must be my eyes or teeth or something, why I'm getting all these vamp roles," Shiels says. Whatever the reason, he's ready to ride that bloody wave for as long as it lasts.

Message Edited by TVLTheLink on 12-19-2008 04:21 AM

Heaven's Brighter With These Stars

Dave_Fantle — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 19:53:07 GMT

This was no easy exercise – select my top 10 entertainment personalities that passed away this past year based on their impact to the film and television world. No doubt readers of this blog may agree to disagree with some of my choices, so I welcome your thoughts.

Perhaps the biggest debate in my mind was the inclusion of Heath Ledger. Yes, his premature death continues to generate news, but I was really debating if his limited body of work qualified him for my top 10. After a fair amount of internal debate, I did decide to include him for the reason you’ll see below.

The work and impact of the following will live on for generations:

• Bernie Brillstein – one of two “behind-the-scenes” people that made my top 10. A producer and super agent whose company Brillstein-Grey Entertainment was responsible for such shows as “The Sopranos” and “The Larry Sanders Show.” Brillstein, before teaming with Brad Grey, produced “Hee Haw,” “The Muppet Show” and “Saturday Night Live,” among others.

• Charlton Heston – he parted the sea in “The Ten Commandments,” battled primates in “Planet of the Apes,” and was one of the most underrated American Shakespearean actors.

• George Carlin – yes, he made headlines decades ago when he was arrested in Milwaukee for performing his landmark, “10 Words You Can Never Say on Television” routine, but for more then 40 years he used his comedic stand-up routines to make us laugh and think.

• Jim McKay – a legendary sportscaster for ABC who brought the 1972 Olympic Munich tragedy into our homes and will forever be associated with ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” and the “agony of defeat.”

• Paul Newman – much more then the king of condiments whose “Newman’s Own” brand has raised millions for charities, the blue-eyed star with the classic good looks left us dozens of memorable films – think “Cat On a Hot Tin Roof,” “The Hustler, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “The Sting.”

• Tim Russert – his unexpected death resulted in a public outpouring from news junkies who lamented the loss of a true “old school” journalist.

• Warren Cowan – not a household name, but a legendary publicist who guided the careers of such Golden Age stars as Paul Newman, Kirk Douglas, Elizabeth Taylor, Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Tony Curtis.

• Sydney Pollack – a character actor in more then 30 films, Pollack made his biggest mark as a director of such hit films as “The Way We Were,” “Out of Africa” and “Tootsie.”

• Heath Ledger – perhaps my hardest inclusion on the list. While his film credentials are few due to his untimely death at age 28, his performances in “Brokeback Mountain” and “The Dark Knight” have given him almost a James Dean-type of mystique.

• Estelle Getty – the only female actress to make the list, she deserves inclusion for her plucky performance as Sophia on the long-running sitcom, “The Golden Girls.”

Honorable mention: Harvey Korman, Van Johnson and Richard Widmark.

Message Edited by Dave_Fantle on 12-16-2008 03:03 PM

Message Edited by Dave_Fantle on 12-16-2008 03:04 PM

Message Edited by TVLTheLink on 12-17-2008 03:36 AM

A Familiar Ring

Dave_Fantle — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:37:11 GMT

Jay Livingston and Ray Evans were two of the last surviving songwriters from Hollywood’s “golden age.” Now both deceased, when Johnson and I interviewed them about a decade ago, we couldn’t help but notice the three Oscar statuettes for best song resting on Livingston’s grand piano in his Bel Air home. The awards were bestowed on the duo for “Buttons and Bows,” “Mona Lisa” and “Que, Sera, Sera.”

When film scoring dried up, Livingston and Evans made a living penning the themes to such TV classics as “Bonanza” and “Mr. Ed.”

Ironically, their biggest song hit, “Silver Bells,” written in 1951 for the Bob Hope film, “The Lemon Drop Kid,” provided them both with a life-time annuity in lucrative royalties. The holiday classic came about quite by accident.

“We were told to write a Christmas song for Hope’s film,” said Livingston. “We both thought that a Christmas song was doomed to fail, but the studio brass was intractable.”

Fortunately, sitting on Evans’ desk at the time was a small silver bell that provided inspiration for the song.

“Ray and I stared at the bell and write a song we titled ‘Tinkle Bell.’ We thought we’d insert it into the film and never hear it played again.”

If they had kept their title, their prophesy would have most likely come true. Livingston’s wife questioned the choice of the title. “She thought we were crazy,” he said. “She pointed out the fact that tinkle has a bathroom connotation. It was a revelation to us!”

Evans continued, “The next day Jay came into the office and said we have to change the title. Our eyes finally focused on the silver bell on my desk, and we changed the title. We never changed a word of the song except that “Tinkle Bell’ became ‘Silver Bells.’ “

We know the rest of the story! “Silver Bells” is definitely a holiday song classic.

What are your favorite holiday songs and what special memories do they invoke?

Message Edited by Dave_Fantle on 12-16-2008 01:38 PM

Message Edited by Dave_Fantle on 12-16-2008 03:05 PM

The Mother of All Mothers

Dave_Fantle — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:32:38 GMT

Jane Kaczmarek has never forgotten her Midwestern roots. A Milwaukee native, Jane returns home regularly to visit her family and while in town, rarely misses a chance to make appearances for local non-profits. Giving back is part of her DNA, as it is with her husband, West Wing actor and Madison, Wis. native, Bradley Whitford.

Such was the case this past weekend when Jane made a trip home to visit with family and attend fund-raising events for FUEL Milwaukee (the local young professionals organization) and the Park People, a non-profit dedicated to preserving Milwaukee area parks.

When she was in town, she also had an opportunity to take her father and brother on a tour of the USS Freedom, a new first-of-class warship that was commissioned by the U.S. Navy in Milwaukee on Nov. 8. She told me the tour was "unforgettable."

Philanthropy is nothing new for Jane. A few years back, Jane and Brad established the Clothes off Our Back charity, which auctions off celebrity attire and donates the proceeds to children's charities

While Jane, 52, won critical praise for her role as the tyrannical mother on the long-running hit FOX series Malcolm in the Middle, she is shining in the completely different role of Judge Trudy Kessler in the Steven Bochco drama, Raising the Bar. The legal drama's debut broke a basic cable record for a series premiere with 7.7 million viewers and averaged 5.5 million viewers per episode.

Being both socially and politically active, I asked Jane what would she like to see happen to make this a better world as the holiday season approaches?

"I would like to see people buy Christmas presents for people who really need them. We are the richest people living in the wealthiest country in the history of the world. Millions and millions of people go to bed hungry and cold every night. I wish more people would give charitable donations in people's names. Brad and I support Heifer International, which provides struggling families a way to become self-reliant for food and income."

While her politics may tilt left, she says when it comes to raising her three children, she's all conservative.

"We live in Pasadena, which is very 'unHollywood'-- in large part to get our kids out of that community. We don't watch television, which is paradoxical. We watch videos and we're big on classic musicals. The greatest thing I got from Malcolm is the reminder that I'm the parent, I'm in charge, I have the right to say no. I'm amazed by how many parents have abdicated that ability."

Good advice from a good mother. Jane's Malcolm character is a true TV classic. Who are some of your favorite TV moms and why?

Photo credits (top to bottom): Dave Fantle; James Sheaver/WireImage; Michael Tran/Film Magic

Some photos courtesy Getty Images

Discuss the careers of Jane and Bradley on the Actors/Actresses board
Discuss Malcolm in the Middle on the Other Networks and Their Shows board
Discuss charitable causes and activities on the Cause Change board

Message Edited by TVLTheLink on 11-18-2008 11:14 PM

High School Musical's Monique Coleman on her "Senior Year"

Tom_Johnson — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:24:53 GMT

Is there life after high school?

If you're one of the cast members of High School Musical 3: Senior Year, just pick up your diploma and find a spot on the riser... you've graduated! During its opening weekend, the frothy dancefest toplined by Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens (two teens now 'tweens with killer profiles) set a box-office record for the most money ever earned by a musical film.

Recently, I spoke to Monique Coleman – "Taylor McKessie" in all three High School Musical installments – as she was exiting a Hollywood spinning class -- about the stratospheric success of the musical trilogy as well as the comments her former Dancing with the Stars partner Louis Van Amstel has made recently about fandango-ing with chunky co-stars.

"The thing I like the most about the whole High School Musical experience has been watching our progress of getting better as dancers and singers and actors," Monique says. "Also, the relationships between all our characters, I feel, got strengthened as we progressed through the films."

Monique also says that she and her costars developed strong personal bonds. "We got to have an experience that a lot of people don't have," she says. "Even though actors do trilogies, it's rare that you all stay in the same state at the same hotel; work with the same crew, cast, dancers, everything. It really was like a family. Sometimes I felt like I went to East High School. I have to remind myself that I didn't."

According to Monique, the big difference in the HSM trilogy is the size of the budget for the third installment – a real movie as opposed to the two previous made-for-television iterations of the franchise. "High School Musical 3 was my first feature film," Monique says. "To make the transition to the big screen seemed like a natural progression. It took the pressure off because it felt like I was in very comfortable territory with people that I knew would really help me out.

"The sets were so much more elaborate than they were before," Monique continues. "We were performing on Broadway-sized sets. Everything was more elevated, but the energy we put into it was identical. And that was solely based on our director, Kenny Ortega, who made sure that we understood that this was about maintaining the magic of High School Musical and not doing something bigger or better."

Monique says that her popular stint on the third season of Dancing with the Stars was a valuable primer for the dancing she's done in the HSM. "Dancing taught me that I'm not as competitive as I thought I was," she says. "Being on that show really toughened me up. At the same time, with HSM, I feel like it's about having fun, being yourself and doing your best and not trying to beat everyone else out. HSM is really about co-existing which, in a way, mirrors real life in high school."

As far as Monique's ex-dancing partner's harsh comments that a couple of the professional dancing ladies on Stars need to lose a few stone, she stops short of calling Louis Van Amstel … light!

"I will say that in this industry it is very sad to me that women are asked to live within an unrealistic physical shape," she says. "A size double-0 is becoming the standard sample size. It's scary because who wants to be less than nothing! We have to stop perpetuating this problem."

For the first time in a long time Monique says she doesn't know what she'll do next. She admits that can be a scary place, nonetheless, like any newly minted high-school graduate, she's excited about what the future will bring and what possibilities lay ahead.

"After being featured on a huge billboard in Times Square, I think its OK to take a moment to make the next choice something I really want to do."

Photo credits: Dimitros Mambouris/WireImage; Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic; none; Vince Boucci

Credited photos courtesy Getty Images

Discuss Zac Efron, Vaness Hudgens, Monique Coleman and the rest of the cast of High School Reunion 3: Senior Year on the Actors/Actresses board.
Discuss High School Reunion 3: Senior Year on the Movie Land board.
Discuss Dancing with the Stars on the Other Networks and Their Shows board.

Message Edited by TVLTheLink on 11-18-2008 11:23 PM

Fred Astaire's "Better" Half

Tom_Johnson — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:31:04 GMT

Decades before Fred Astaire tripped the light fantastic in a series of Arcadian Art Deco musicals with Ginger Rogers who mimicked his every move more effectively than Fred's own giant silhouette triptych did in the "Bojangles of Harlem" number from Swing Time, there was another partner in Astaire's orbit – his older sister Adele.

Adele and Fred were joined at the hip from their first childhood vaudeville appearance together in 1905 in Keyport, NJ, in an act billed as "Juvenile Artists Presenting an Electric Musical Toe-Dancing Novelty" until 1932 when, after a successful career on the Broadway and London stages, Adele retired from showbiz to marry into the British aristocracy.

Indeed, by his own admission, throughout their partnership, Fred played "second fiddle" to Adele, a perennial audience favorite who generated enough onstage charisma in those days to power every trans-Atlantic steamer the Cunard Line floated.

The Astaires (circa 1926)

A couple of new books are due to hit bookstores soon: one by Joseph Epstein entitled Astaire, and another, Puttin' on the Ritz, by Peter Levinson. They will, of course, center on Fred's inestimable contribution to filmed dance. But attention must be paid to the youthful Astaire when he was just starting to formulate his insouciant, effortless, outlaw style; a time when big sister Adele was with him every step of the way.

I came across a letter Adele wrote to me in 1981 (a year before she died) in response to several questions I asked her about when she and Fred performed on the Orpheum Vaudeville Circuit. At that time she was long-retired and living in the Biltmore Estates area of Phoenix, just about a stone's throw from the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Arizona Biltmore Hotel.

Fred and Adele: Their Early Vaudeville Days

Here now, a couple of snippets from an era that's been consigned to history books and the fuzzy memories of a few octogenarians who saw acts like master juggler W.C. Fields, the angular Astaires, the Marx Brothers and countless others that had to prove their bonafides each night and twice on Saturdays.

***

TJ: I've read that Fred used to sneak onstage just before you were to perform in vaudeville and spread rosin around so that you wouldn't lose your footing during dance routines?

Adele: From the very beginning of our stage career my brother would sprinkle rosin on the floor to prevent falls. He also rehearsed the pit orchestra in whatever town we were playing. He was the diligent one, even when we were very young.

TJ: Did you ever face a tough vaudeville audience?

Adele: Audiences throughout the tour were always good and very receptive to our acts, which included a bride and groom number where my brother dressed in his first costume of top hat and tails. Later in the act, I dressed as a glass of champagne and Fred was a lobster.

TJ: What would you do between shows?

Adele: Between performances, my brother and I were tutored by my mother who was a school teacher. We also played games like any other kids.

TJ: How much salary did you and Fred make on the Orpheum Vaudeville circuit?

Adele: To the best of my recollection, at that time (around 1909), our salary was $175 a week which was big money in those days.

Discuss Fred, Adele, W.C. Fields and the Marx Brothers on the Actors/Actresses board.

Message Edited by Tom_Johnson on 11-03-2008 06:54 AM

Howard, Winkler, Griffith Hope Obama Brings Back ‘Happy Days’

Dave_Fantle — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:01:27 GMT

Ron Howard, Andy Griffith and Henry Winkler are all undisputed television icons. What they are not known to be are political activists. With rising global economic fears, the trio decided to get off the sideline and come out in support of presidential hopeful Barack Obama. But this was no mere endorsement. This was a step back in time and recreating their old television personas to voice their support in a creative and humorous way.

Howard admits in the video to being uneasy recreating his “Opie” and “Richie Cunningham” characters from The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days, but he decides to put country first (isn’t that another candidate’s slogan?).

Probably even more uncomfortable was Henry Winkler donning the leather jacket and denim (not to mention the black wig) to recreate the character that defined cool in the 1970s – Fonzie. Working with Henry on the bronze Fonz statue in Milwaukee, I’ve developed a friendship with him over the past two years. While Henry is the first to admit that the Fonzie character has opened up untold number of doors and opportunities for him, he still tries to keep a comfortable distance from the character. It’s rare when you’ll see him do his patented thumbs up sign and he’s reticent to ever do any Fonzisms in public. In an e-mail to me, Henry said going back to the character under normal circumstances would have been a long shot, but "not when Ron asks," he wrote. That’s what makes this video even more remarkable.

This is not heavy-handed politics. This is a positive, creative and fun approach that also pays homage to some classic television characters.

Regardless of your political bent, what do you think of the video?

Check out the Daily Ketchup news article "Happy Days Stars Reunite for Obama Video."
Discuss the 2008 Election on the Politics, Religion and Current Events board.
Check out Dave's coverage of the unveiling of the bronze Fonz landmark statue in his blog articles "Fonz To Be Bronzed Next Tuesday," "The Bronze Fonz Dedication - Part I," and "The Bronze Fonze Dedication - Part II."
Consider also a visit to The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days boards.

Message Edited by TVLTheLink on 11-03-2008 06:59 AM

For Paisley and Williams, Baby Makes 4

Tom_Johnson — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:12:48 GMT

Hearing that Williams is pregnant reminded me of when Dave and I, years ago, sat down with the little pixie for a mid-morning coffee and a couple of mutant scones at Mani's Bakery in Santa Monica, CA.

Carrie Preston: a true character

Dave_Fantle — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:51:43 GMT

In the hit new HBO series, True Blood, Carrie Preston plays the sassy red-headed waitress “Arlene” and co-worker of the show’s star Anna Paquin. The mastermind of Alan Ball (Six Feet Under), the show is set in a small town Louisiana where, thanks to the invention of synthetic blood, vampires co-exist among humans.

Oscar Nuñez part of classic “Office” ensemble

Dave_Fantle — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:30:36 GMT

Perhaps if Michael Scott and his Office co-workers were running Wall Street instead of the Scranton, Penn. (which happens to be the hometown of VP candidate Joe Biden) regional office of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, we wouldn’t be staring at a $700 billion government bailout. The buffoonish Scott and his equally dysfunctional officemates could no doubt bumble their way out of this mess.

Everyone Loves Lucy

Dave_Fantle — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:04:44 GMT

It was September 1980 when Tom and I made a call to the great lady’s Beverly Hills home for a prearranged interview. Only once during the interview did we squirm in discomfort.

An Earful of Michael Madsen

Tom_Johnson — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:15:23 GMT

One of the flicks (So You Want Michael Madsen?) was an hour-long documentary about the challenge of getting a name actor to headline low-budget and indie films and thus legitimize them to potential distributors. Harrington snagged Madsen as the interview centerpiece of the film. Wearing a "doo-rag" bandana, Madsen is straightforward and hilarious pulling no punches in response to timorous questions about how he would generate film roles (mostly via un-agented referrals and word of mouth).

The Bronze Fonz Dedication - Part II

Dave_Fantle — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:27:22 GMT

Monday, Aug. 18 – 7 p.m.: The 23^rd floor of the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee was the site for the meet and greet reunion reception with Henry Winkler and his Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley colleagues who came to town to celebrate the dedication of the bronze Fonz statue. It was an intimate room with floor to ceiling windows with magnificent views of downtown Milwaukee and Lake Michigan. In addition to the cast, other guests in the room included Dr. Giuseppe Ganelli, president of the International Happy Days Fan Club, who flew in from Milan to participate in the events, Bob Boyett, the acclaimed television and Broadway producer and actors from the new Garry Marshall-Paul Williams Happy Days stage musical, Joey Sorge and Felicia Finley, who play the new Fonz and Pinky!

I was soaking it all up because I knew I was witnessing history – actors from two successful television shows from the ‘70s and ‘80s, all in one room, hugging, laughing, reminiscing and just having a good time.

It was also a family affair – Henry brought his wife Stacey and their kids, Max, Zoe and Jed. Garry Marshall was with his wife Barbara and granddaughter, Charlotte, Tom Bosley’s older brother Dick drove up from Chicago, Anson Williams was with two of his five kids, Hannah and Jessa and his agent, Art Rutter, Don Most brought his wife Morgan and Penny Marshall brought her niece Penny Lee Hallin. It was Henry’s son Jed’s 25^th birthday and a cake was brought in and the assembled serenaded him with “Happy Birthday.”

During the short formal program, I thanked the guests for coming to Milwaukee for this historic event and told them what was going to unfold the next day starting with media bright and early and 6 a.m.! The group slowly disbanded – some to local restaurants, others to their rooms awaiting an early wake-up call.

Tuesday, April 19: It was billed as a “celebration of cool” and it was all of that and more! Before the sun came up, CBS and its Early Show crew as well as dozens of other television, radio and print media were setting up base camp at Miss Katie’s Diner, a local landmark located by the Marquette University campus and about two miles from downtown.

At 6 a.m., the first classic convertibles shuttling members of the Happy Days cast arrived, including the guests of honor Henry Winkler, Marion Ross, Anson Williams, Don Most and Erin Moran. In addition to the cast, dozens of onlookers were both inside and outside the diner and the cast obliged them at every possible turn with autographs. In addition to the classic cars, a number of Harley riders participated. Talk about professional: Henry and the cast willingly obliged every media request, bouncing from live Milwaukee TV to the CBS network broadcast to local radio. Henry had his own camera and snapped dozens of photos of the proceedings.

At about 7 a.m., the remaining cast member, Tom Bosley arrived along with Happy Days creator Garry Marshall and producer Bob Boyett. Garry is a total ham and joked it up with every interview opportunity. Debbye Turner-Bell from The Early Show concluded the CBS broadcast with an interview with the entire cast. It was time to take the cast back to the Pfister Hotel for their drive to the bronze Fonz dedication site in the heart of downtown on the RiverWalk. For the trip, Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams joined the entourage.

The actual dedication was invite-only (mostly sponsors) because of the limited seating at the site. Milwaukee’s Mayor, the County Executive, the Secretary of Tourism and the Lt. Governor were on hand to participate in the ceremony. At 10 a.m. the dedication ceremony got underway.

Hundreds of other fans crammed the riverfront and streets to catch a glimpse of the ceremony. After some customary speeches, the statue was unveiled to applause and dozens of camera flashes. The cast then participated in a public ceremony a few blocks away that featured performances from the new Happy Days musical. The entire cast signed almost 200 commemorative posters with more then $12,000 raised for a Milwaukee Boys & Girls Club literacy program. After a private donor’s reception and some well-deserved rest, the cast donned Milwaukee Brewer’s jerseys and boarded their vintage cars for a parade through the city with the final destination Miller Park, home of the Brewers.

Crowds lined the parade route clapping and cheering. The cast participated in pre-game ceremonies before more then 40,000 fans at the game. A special video tribute from Ron Howard was played on the Jumbotron, the cast was introduced, Henry threw out the first pitch and Anson capped it off with an excellent singing of the National Anthem. What a day!

While most of the cast departed early the next morning, Henry and I took a return visit to the statue so he could take one more closer look. The incredible couple of days concluded when we had breakfast where we chatted like old friends, about family, the events that just unfolded, etc. After, we hugged, said our goodbyes, an incredible pop cultural event in Milwaukee came to a memorable close.

Check out more photos of the Fonze statue ceremonies in the TV Land Photo Gallery. Discuss the Fonze statue and others on the TV Land Landmarks board. Discuss Henry Winkler, Ron Howard and others on the Actors/Actresses board. Discuss Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley on the Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley boards.

Message Edited by Dave_Fantle on 09-04-2008 05:20 AM

The Bronze Fonz Dedication - Part I

Dave_Fantle — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:23:15 GMT

The cast members were brought to Milwaukee, the setting for the shows Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley, to celebrate with Winkler as his adopted hometown dedicated the bronze statue of his iconic TV character, Fonzie, from the show. Happy Days was co-created by executive producer Thomas L. Miller, a Milwaukee native.

A Couple of Good 'Ol Boys

Tom_Johnson — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 20:28:36 GMT

Country music singer/songwriter Brad Paisley is currently charting a new single featured in his latest album, "Time Well Wasted." But in his music video of the song, Brad isn't the only one "Waitin' on a Woman." TV Land star Andy Griffith – dressed in folksy bib overalls and looking like he just got back from Mayberry's fishin' hole with Opie – shares a park bench and some lyrics with the Grammy winner.

Fonz To Be Bronzed Next Tuesday

Dave_Fantle — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:51:58 GMT

Milwaukee is seldom the hub for pop culture, but come Tuesday, Aug. 19, a bit of pop cultural history will be made when Henry Winkler and his cast-mates from Happy Days and its spin-off series, Laverne & Shirley, come to Brew City for the dedication of the bronze Fonzie statue.

Britney Speared Not Spared!

Tom_Johnson — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:04:53 GMT

It finally happened. During a coffee break recently at a local cafe in the San Fernando Valley, mild consternation pulsated through the line I was standing in -- much like a downed electrical wire coursing with current. Britney Spears had just arrived on scene to grab a quick latte, the whole place was buzzing, and I was there to witness the "event."

Shoot to Thrill

Dave_Fantle — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:16:02 GMT

After almost 30 years of interviewing celebrities, it’s time to weigh in on an issue that has been receiving increasingly more media scrutiny – the intrusion of the paparazzi on today’s celebrities. In fact, some bystanders attacked some of these so-called photojournalists recently on the beach at Malibu as they were hunting their celebrity prey. I don’t advocate violence, but these guys need to be reined in.