HOLLYWOOD URBAN LEGEND: JERRY SEINELD

URBAN LEGEND: Was Jerry Seinfeld offered over $100 million to do a 10th season of Seinfeld?

ANSWER: Yes he was!

Jerry Seinfeld turned down an offer from NBC that would have made him $110 million for a tenth season of the show.

Jerry said that this was because any kind of comedy is funny only upto a certain level. A one hour standup comedy might be the best thing you've ever thing, but extend it just by 5 minutes and it could be the worst experience of your life.

 
Jerry and Larry wanted to end the show at the point where it was still being loved and was making people laugh all over the globe, and they thought that Season 9 was the perfect time to do that.

FORGOTTEN ONES: CAROLINE MCWILLIAMS

Does anyone remember Caroline McWilliams?  Born on April 4, 1945, shee was an actress best known for her portrayal of Marcy Hill in the television series Benson from 1979 to 1981. McWilliams had also appeared in nine episodes of its parent-series Soap, as Sally. She was a regular on the CBS soap Guiding Light (as Janet Norris) for several years and appeared in a short-term role (as Tracy DeWitt) on the NBC soap Another World. She also had a recurring role on Beverly Hills, 90210 playing the mother of Jamie Walters' character, Ray Pruit. McWilliams' television appearances spanned every decade from the 1960s through the 2000s. She was also on such shows as Kojak, Quincy, M.E., The Incredible Hulk, Project U.F.O., Hill Street Blues, Night Court, St. Elsewhere, Cagney & Lacey, Sisters (two episodes), Home Improvement, Murphy Brown and Judging Amy, among others.

She was married in 1982 to Michael Keaton, with whom she had a son, Sean, born in 1983. She and Keaton divorced in 1990, but in addtion to the son, they also have two grandchildren. She largely retired from acting by 2003, but she remained involved in various charities.  Caroline McWilliams died from multiple myeloma at her home in Los Angeles, California on February 11, 2010, at the age of 64. She is buried at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills.

Caroline only appeared in two Hollywood films - White Water Summer (1987) and Mermaids (1990), but her countless television appearances showed her charm and talent, and she should be remembered...

WHAT A CHARACTER: SHELDON LEONARD

Sheldon Leonard said in an interview that he only agreed to play Nick the bartender in "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946) so he would have money to buy baseball tickets.

Leonard was born in New York City's lower Manhattan, studied acting at Syracuse University and, after graduating, landed a job on Wall Street. Following the Wall Street crash of 1929, he found himself unemployed and resolved to become a professional actor on the stage. The road was hard, since it took him five years to first appear on Broadway in "Hotel Alimony" (1934). While this production was universally slammed by the critics, the next plays he appeared in, "Having Wonderful Time" (1937) and "Kiss the Boys Goodbye" (1938), were unqualified successes, the former running for 372 performances.

Movie offers followed, and from 1939 he became one of Hollywood's most recognizable screen tough guys, the names of his characters evocative of the roles he played: Pretty Willie in "Tall, Dark and Handsome" (1941), Slip Moran in "Lucky Jordan" (1942), Lippy Harris in "Jinx Money" (1948), Jumbo Schneider in "Money from Home" (1953) and, famously, Harry the Horse in "Guys and Dolls"(1955).

Having had his fill of acting in those kinds of parts, Leonard began a new career as a television producer in the 1950s and went on to become one of the most successful TV producer/directors of the 1950s and 1960s. Four of his productions (all on CBS)--"Make Room for Daddy," "Gomer Pyle: USMC," "The Dick Van Dyke Show") (which won 21 Emmy Awards during its run) and "The Andy Griffith Show"--were rated in the Top Ten. He had a further success with "I Spy," championing the cause of racial equality over the (initial) objections of the network by being the first series to have an African-American (Bill Cosby) in an equal co-starring dramatic role with a white actor.

 
In 1992 he was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame, after receiving five Emmy awards for his producing/directing efforts. In 1995 he received a lifetime membership into the Director's Guild of America. Accepting the honor, he quipped, "Giving a lifetime membership to a guy 88 years old--big f***ing deal!"

Leonard also has the distinction (along with author Mickey Spillane) of being one of the first two Miller Lite spokesmen. Using his trademark accent, he told the audience, "I was at first reluctant to try Miller Lite, but then I was persuaded to do so by my friend, Large Louis." One of his last acting roles was a guest appearance on the TV series Cheers, in which he played Sid Nelson, the proprietor of "The Hungry Heifer", Norm Peterson's favorite eating establishment.

Leonard died at his home in Beverly Hills, California, on January 11, 1997, at age 89...

RECENTLY VIEWED: WICKED FOR GOOD

No spoilers here! I had the oprttunity to see an early showing of part 2 of the Wicked saga last night, and it was truly an experience! Wicked: For Good (also known as Wicked: Part Two) is a 2025 American musical fantasy film directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. The sequel to Wicked (2024), it adapts the second act of the 2003 stage musical by Stephen Schwartz and Holzman, which was loosely based on Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel, a reimagining of L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its 1939 film adaptation. Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum return from the first film, with Colman Domingo joining the cast. Set in the Land of Oz before and during the events of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the film explores the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda as they embrace their new identities as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.

Universal Pictures and Marc Platt, who both produced the stage musical, announced the film adaptation in 2012. After a long development and multiple delays, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chu was hired to direct, with Erivo and Grande cast in 2021. The adaptation was split into two parts to avoid omitting plot points and further develop the characters. Principal photography on both films began in December 2022 in England, was interrupted in July 2023 by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, and resumed and concluded in January 2024.

Wicked: For Good premiered at the Suhai Music Hall in São Paulo, Brazil on November 4, 2025, and is scheduled for release in the United States on November 21. The film received mixed reviews from critics. I feel the critics are too hard on the film. The first film had the better songs, but the story on part two was darker and a lot better I feel. There are a couple of plot holes and questions I had, but they were minor and did not take away from my viewing of the moving. Ariana and Cynthia were outstanding, and Jeff Goldblum was a scene stealer. So it was another great trip down the yellow brick road...

MY RATING: 9 out of 10

THE STYLE OF VERONICA LAKE

1940s Hollywood was a time of dynamic change and artistic innovation, and few stars embodied this era like Veronica Lake. Known for her striking beauty and signature peekaboo hairstyle, Lake became an iconic figure of film noir during the 1940s. With her captivating screen presence, she starred alongside some of Hollywood's most celebrated actors, including Alan Ladd in This Gun for Hire (1942), a film that helped establish both of their careers. Her sultry look and enigmatic allure quickly made her one of the era's most beloved actresses, with her films drawing large audiences who adored her blend of glamour and grit. She became a major star at Paramount Pictures, where she was cast in a series of successful noir thrillers, establishing herself as a defining figure in the genre.

However, despite her early success, Veronica Lake's career faced difficulties as the 1940s progressed. Her troubled personal life, including a series of difficult marriages and struggles with alcoholism, often overshadowed her professional achievements. Nevertheless, she continued to make a significant impact in the industry. In the mid-1940s, Lake's popularity began to wane, but she remained a powerful symbol of the 1940s femme fatale. She had a complex legacy as an actress who helped shape the golden age of film noir and set the standard for many of the actresses who followed. While other stars of the time, like Rita Hayworth and Ava Gardner, carried on with more sustained careers, Lake's life and career are often seen as a cautionary tale of fame's fleeting nature.

Despite the ups and downs of her career, Veronica Lake's contribution to Hollywood is undeniable. Her image, forever captured in iconic films like The Blue Dahlia (1946), remains a staple of the classic Hollywood aesthetic. Her sultry screen persona influenced a generation of actresses, and her distinctive look – from her platinum blonde hair to her mischievous smile – is still celebrated in pop culture today. Lake's legacy endures not just in her films but also in the fashion and beauty trends she set. The peekaboo hairstyle, a defining feature of her image, remains one of the most recognizable styles of the 1940s, symbolizing the blend of glamour and mystery that defined her career and the era she represented...

MOVIE SPOTLIGHT: THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES

"The Abominable Dr. Phibes" is a 1971 British comedy horror film directed by Robert Fuest, written by James Whiton and William Goldstein, and starring Vincent Price and Joseph Cotten (had worked together in the 1930s with Orson Welles' Mercury Theater). Its art deco sets, dark humor, and performance by Price have made the film and its 1972 sequel "Dr. Phibes Rises Again" cult classics.

Peter Cushing was originally cast in Cotten's role of Dr. Vesalius, but he declined because his wife was in poor health at the time. Price said Cotten was very uncomfortable doing his scenes, so he intentionally made a lot of funny faces to make him laugh. He would often crack up during filming, wrecking his makeup in the process.

Joseph Cotten would grumble on the film's set that he had to remember and deliver lines, while Price's were all to be post-dubbed. Price responded, "Yes, but I still know them, Joe." In fact, Price was well-known in Hollywood for his ability to memorize all of the characters' lines in a given production, not just his own.

The film was originally advertised in the U.S. with the tagline "Love means never having to say you're ugly," a parody of a famous line from the film "Love Story" (1970), which had been released the previous year. However, that tagline was replaced after the first week due to disappointing opening box office numbers as it turned out audiences had no idea what sort of film this was supposed to be. A new advertising campaign made it clear it was a horror film, and afterwards it became a box office hit...

THE HISTORY OF GODZILLA

Godzilla first emerged from the depths of cinematic imagination in 1954 with the Japanese film Gojira, directed by Ishirō Honda and produced by Toho Studios. The monster was conceived as a metaphor for nuclear devastation, reflecting Japan’s trauma from the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Lucky Dragon No. 5 incident. In this original portrayal, Godzilla was a terrifying force of nature—an amphibious, prehistoric creature awakened and mutated by nuclear radiation

Godzilla’s cinematic journey spans over 70 years and is divided into distinct eras, each reflecting shifts in tone, technology, and cultural context:

Shōwa Era (1954–1975): Initially a destructive villain, Godzilla gradually became a heroic figure, defending humanity against other kaiju like Mothra, King Ghidorah, and Mechagodzilla. These films often had campy tones and emphasized monster battles.

Heisei Era (1984–1995): Marked a return to darker themes and more serious storytelling. Godzilla was again portrayed as a threat, with improved special effects and deeper narratives.

Millennium Era (1999–2004): Featured standalone films with alternate continuities, allowing for creative reinterpretations of Godzilla’s legacy.

Reiwa Era (2016–Present): Includes Shin Godzilla (2016), a political and disaster-themed reboot, and the Hollywood-backed MonsterVerse films like Godzilla vs. Kong (2021). Most recently, Godzilla Minus One (2023) won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, marking a historic achievement for the franchise.

Godzilla’s influence extends far beyond Japan. The character has appeared in over 30 Japanese films and several American adaptations, becoming a symbol of resilience, destruction, and even environmental commentary. Its iconic roar, towering stature, and radioactive breath have inspired comics, video games, TV shows, and theme park attractions3.

While Godzilla began as a metaphor for nuclear horror, its symbolism has evolved. Some interpretations view Godzilla as a representation of nature’s wrath, Japan’s imperial past, or even the United States itself—a sleeping giant awakened to wreak havoc. The franchise has tackled themes ranging from natural disasters to political apathy, making Godzilla a mirror for societal anxieties across generations...

RIP: SALLY KIRKLAND

Sally Kirkland has sadly passed away. The Golden Globe winner passed away after a battle with dementia just days after it was reported she had entered a hospice in Palm Springs.

Her spokesperson, Michael Greene, told our blog that she was pronounced dead at 1:50pm PT on Tuesday morning. A GoFundMe previously set up for Kirkland revealed the actress faced 'two separate life-threatening infections' after fracturing multiple bones this past year.

Kirkland's publicist Dominic Friesen previously told tour blog in a separate statement that the actress had been 'receiving medical care at a private facility where family and friends joined her on Halloween for a birthday celebration.'

A GoFundMe set up to raise money for Kirkland's medical expenses had stated: 'This past year Sally fractured her four bones in her neck, right wrist, and her left hip.

She passed away after a battle with dementia just days after entering hospice care.

The legendary actress is best known for her films The Sting and Anna, the ladder of which earned her an Oscar nomination and Golden Globe win.

Kirkland's illustrious acting career goes back to the 1960s, with IMDb listing her first-ever role in the 1960 movie Crack In The Mirror. In the years to follow, she made appearances in a slew of classic TV shows including Hawaii Five-O, Three's Company, and Charlie's Angels.

Kirkland had a comeback when she co-starred with model Paulina Porizkova in the drama Anna in 1987, landing her a Best Actress Oscar nomination and Golden Globe win.

Other notable big screen roles was the part of Anita Mann in Bruce Almighty and a starring role in the Kevin Costner led film JFK.

More recently she was a part of the star-studded cast for 80 For Brady, the film starring Jane Fonda, Sally Field, Rita Morena, and Lily Tomlin as massive Tom Brady fans...

THE QUOTES OF CHARLIE CHAPLIN

The great Charlie Chaplin was a brilliant if at times troubled man, but he has some wonderful quotes that deserve to be remembered...

                                          

“Life is a beautiful magnificent thing, even to a jellyfish.”


“You'll never find a rainbow if you're looking down”

“A man's true character comes out when he's drunk.”

“We think too much and feel too little.”

“Your naked body should only belong to those who fall in love with your naked soul.”

“My pain may be the reason for somebody's laugh.
But my laugh must never be the reason for somebody's pain.”

“Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself”


“Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot.”


“Like everyone else I am what I am: an individual, unique and different, with a lineal history of ancestral promptings and urgings; a history of dreams, desires, and of special experiences, all of which I am the sum total.”


“Life is a play that does not allow testing. So, sing, cry, dance, laugh and live intensely, before the curtain closes and the piece ends with no applause.”

STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO: JUDY GARLAND

On November 6, 1935, Judy Garland, born Frances Ethel Gumm, had her first official portrait sitting for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). At just 13 years old, Judy was photographed by Clarence Sinclair Bull, a celebrated studio photographer renowned for capturing Hollywood’s most iconic stars. This session marked an important milestone in her career, showcasing MGM’s commitment to developing Judy into one of their premier talents.

RECENTLY VIEWED: PROJECT X

My son is not a movie person, so when this 15 year old kid wanted to watch a movie with the family, I jumped on it. The movie he picked is not for the faint of heart. It is n Fred Astaire musical. There are adult themes, langauage, and nudity. However, the movie Project X was a pretty good movie overall. Project X is a 2012 American found footage teen comedy film directed by Nima Nourizadeh, written by Michael Bacall and Matt Drake and produced by Todd Phillips. The film follows three friends—Thomas (Thomas Mann), Costa (Oliver Cooper) and J.B. (Jonathan Daniel Brown)—who attempt to gain popularity by throwing a party, a plan which quickly escalates out of their control. Kirby Bliss Blanton, Dax Flame, Brady Hender, Nick Nervies, Alexis Knapp, and Miles Teller also star.

The title Project X was initially a placeholder for a final title, but interest generated by the secretive title kept it in place. A nationwide open casting call was employed to find fresh faces. The majority of the cast were sourced from this casting call, but a few with prior acting credits, such as Mann, were accepted after multiple auditions. Filming took place on sets in Los Angeles over five weeks on a US$12 million budget. The film is presented as a home movie from the perspective of an attendee using a camera to document the night's events.

Project X was released theatrically in the United States on March 2, 2012, and grossed $102 million worldwide during its theatrical run. Criticism focused on the "loathsome" behavior of the lead characters and the disregard for the effects of drug use. Other reviews considered it funny and thrilling, and equated it to a modern incarnation of National Lampoon's Animal House. Following its release, organizers of various large-scale parties either referenced or used the film as inspiration, with some parties being directly named after the film.

Despite the criticism, Project X grossed $54.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $48 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $102.7 million, against a budget of $12 million.The film opened to $1.2 million in midnight takings from 1,003 theaters in the United States and Canada. Throughout its opening day, the film's release was expanded to 3,055 theaters, where it grossed a total of $8.2 million including midnight takings. The end of the opening weekend saw the film take a total of $21 million—an average of $6,891 per theater—finishing as the number-two-grossing film of the weekend behind the animated family film The Lorax ($70.2 million), and exceeding expectations that it would finish with a gross in the mid- to high teens. Project X was highly popular with males and youth; 58 percent of the opening-weekend audience for the film was male, and 67 percent of the audience was under the age of 25.

Again, if you have an issue seeing real life depicted on film, then do not watch the film. There were some general laughs and heart warming moments. Good or bad, this is how teenagers are today. The film is already 13 years old, but it resonates today. I enjoyed the film, but my son is NEVER allowed to have a party at our house...

MY RATING: 8 OF OUT OF 10

HISTORY BREAK: FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN FEMALE DJ

Mary Dee Dudley broke racial and gender barriers by becoming the nation’s first African-American female disc jockey. Dudley launched her daily 15-minute show, “Movin’ Around,” on station WHOD in Homestead, Pennsylvania. After six months, the show expanded from 15 minutes to an hour, and two years later to two hours.

Dudley, a native of Homestead, PA, was the daughter of William Goode & sister to ABC TV news reporter, Mal Goode. She attracted national attention when Ebony magazine spotlighted her show. Through her program, she interviewed national celebrities such as Cab Calloway, Jackie Robinson, and Sarah Vaughan.

On August 1, 1948, when WHOD went on the air for the first time, “Mary Dee” broadcasted her first 15-minute show to become the nation’s first African-American female disc jockey with a daily show. She broadcast on WHOD from 1948 to 1956.

When Mary’s show was expanded to show two hours, she brought in her brother, Mal, to run a daily Courier news segment. Mal was a reporter for the Pittsburgh Courier. Mal covered the Jim Crow segregation, poor housing, and prejudiced politicians. Mal Goode went on to become the first African-American news reporter for the ABC-TV Network.

Dudley left WHOD in 1956 to work in Baltimore, Maryland. After leaving WHOD, she was hired to work for station WHAT in Philadelphia, where she hosted a Monday thru Saturday gospel music show called “Songs of Faith.” She stayed on air with WHAT for eight years. Dudley died in 1964...