Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Richard Sherman, z”l, songwriter behind Disney hits, dead at 95

Published by AFP Los Angeles (AFP) – Richard Sherman, the writer behind songs in classic Disney movies such as “Mary Poppins” and “The Jungle Book” died Saturday at the age of 95, the film and entertainment company said. He died in Beverly Hills from age-related illness, Disney said. Sherman and his brother Robert, who died […]

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Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Nordot, Obituaries & memorials, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

‘Vanity Fair’ Confusing in First Act, Redeemed in Second Act

The play is cute once you figure out the various players.  The only actors that don’t play multiple parts are Macias and Austin, so it does take a bit in the beginning to follow the fast character changes (illustrated by costume changes or putting on a smock or shawl).  Dagmar Krause Fields for example, is the narrator, Miss Matilda Crawley, and Lord Steyne. [Sandi Masori]

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San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Beverly Sills

Courtesy of Wikipedia Beverly Sills (May 25, 1929 – July 2, 2007) was an American operatic soprano whose peak career was between the 1950s and 1970s. Although she sang a repertoire from Handel and Mozart to Puccini, Massenet, and Verdi, she was especially renowned for her performances in coloratura soprano roles in live opera and recordings. Sills was largely associated with the operas of Donizetti, of

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Jewish Celebrities, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA, Wikipedia

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Al Franken

Courtesy of Wikipedia Alan Franken (May 21, 1951) is an American politician, comedian, writer, actor, and media personality who served as a United States senator from Minnesota from 2009 to 2018. Franken first gained fame as a writer and performer on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live, where he worked for three stints. He first served as a writer for

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Jewish Celebrities, News Media, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Today's Jewish Birthday, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA, Wikipedia

Amal Clooney Helped ICC Weigh Gaza War Crimes Evidence

Published by IBTimes Amal Clooney helped the International Criminal Court weigh evidence that led to the decision to seek arrest warrants for top Israeli and Hamas leaders, the human rights lawyer said Monday. The high-profile British-Lebanese barrister posted a statement on the website of the Clooney Foundation for Justice, which she founded with her husband,

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International, Israel, Nordot, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Samuel Goldwyn

While ‍Goldwyn ‍did ‍not ‍embrace ‍Judaism, ‍he ‍did ‍ultimately ‍become ‍president ‍of ‍the ‍United ‍Jewish ‍Welfare ‍Fund ‍and ‍was ‍a ‍strong ‍supporter ‍of ‍Israel. ‍Among ‍the ‍honors ‍he ‍received ‍were ‍the ‍Jean ‍Hersholt ‍Humanitarian ‍Award ‍and ‍the ‍Presidential ‍Medal ‍of ‍Freedom. ‍What ‍else ‍is ‍true ‍of ‍Samuel ‍Goldwyn? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

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Mark D. Zimmerman, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Trivia, Humor & Satire, USA

‘The Butler Did It’ Offers Plays Within Plays

Under Dennis Floyd’s direction this fast-paced, silly adventure depicts the return of the once-admired Broadway director, Anthony J. Lefcourt, presenting his newest whodunit–not a thriller!–that features an aging starlet, a dewy-eyed ingenue, a doddering actor who can’t learn his lines, a street kid attempting to pass as a schooled butler, and an out-of-work actor-cum-detective. [Eva Trieger]

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Eva Trieger, San Diego County, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Nora Ephron

Courtesy of Wikipedia Nora Ephron (May 19, 1941 – June 26, 2012) was an American journalist, writer, and filmmaker. She is best known for writing and directing romantic comedy films. She received numerous accolades including a British Academy Film Award and nominations for three Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, a Tony Award, and three Writers Guild of America Awards. Ephron started her career writing

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, The Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA, Wikipedia

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Bob Sagat

Courtesy of Wikipedia Robert Saget (May 17, 1956 – January 9, 2022) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, director, and television host. He portrayed Danny Tanner on the sitcom Full House (1987–1995) and its sequel Fuller House (2016–2020). Saget was the original host of America’s Funniest Home Videos (1989–1997), and the voice of narrator Ted Mosby on the sitcom How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014). He was also

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Jewish Celebrities, The Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA, Wikipedia

Today’s Jewish Birthday: Debra Winger

Courtesy of Wikipedia Debra Winger (May 16, 1955) is an American actress. She starred in the films An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Terms of Endearment (1983), and Shadowlands (1993), each of which earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Winger won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress for Terms of Endearment, and the Tokyo International Film Festival

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Jewish Celebrities, The Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Today's Jewish Birthday, USA, Wikipedia

David Landis, Shira Ehrlich in the Hunt for Broadway Jimmy Awards

Only 10 male-identifying leads, and 10 female- identifying leads are chosen to compete from all the high school theater departments in San Diego County.  From there, one student from each category will be chosen to go to New York to compete in the Broadway Jimmy Awards. [Sandi Masori]

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San Diego County, Sandi Masori, Staff and Bylined Contributors, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

‘Grit, Grace and Glamour’: Joan Jacobs Hailed as Down-to-Earth Donor Titan

Joan Jacobs was praised Monday as a woman of “grit, grace and glamour” whose “joyful generosity” — along with her Qualcomm founding husband, Irwin — made San Diego a cultural powerhouse amid her “unwavering commitment to make the world a better place.” [Ken Stone, Times of San Diego]

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Business & Finance, Ken Stone, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, Philanthropy & Volunteerism, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Times of San Diego

Jewish Trivia Question: Eurovision

There ‍has ‍been ‍a ‍parallel ‍song ‍contest ‍in ‍Europe ‍for ‍more ‍than ‍20 ‍years ‍where ‍young ‍Jewish ‍students ‍compete, ‍singing ‍pop ‍songs ‍adapted ‍to ‍Jewish ‍content, ‍or ‍in ‍some ‍cases ‍original ‍Jewish ‍songs. ‍The ‍competition ‍was ‍first ‍created ‍by ‍Rotem ‍Abecassis, ‍an ‍Israeli ‍shaliach ‍in ‍Sweden, ‍to ‍bring ‍together ‍chapters ‍of ‍World ‍Bnei ‍Akiva ‍(a ‍religious ‍Zionist ‍youth ‍movement). ‍This ‍year’s ‍contest ‍took ‍place ‍in ‍Hanover, ‍Germany ‍in ‍March, ‍and ‍was ‍won ‍by ‍Halev ‍Stuttgart ‍Youth ‍Center. ‍What ‍is ‍the ‍name ‍of ‍this ‍annual ‍Jewish ‍song ‍competition? [Mark D. Zimmerman]

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International, Israel, Mark D. Zimmerman, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Sports & Competitions, Theatre, Film & Broadcast