Hollywood Walk
of Fame Recent Ceremonies
All Photographs by Bob Freeman
©Hollywood Chamber of Commerce 2007
Hollywood Walk of Fame 2006 Stars
2008 Upcoming Stars
| Michael Eisner |
Kate Linder |
Stephen Schwartz
| Angela Bassett
| Vince McMahon | Sherwood Schwartz
| Suzanne Pleshette
| Lucho Gatica | Elizabeth
Montgomery
Stars honored on Hollywood
Walk of Fame in 2007
The Munchkins
| Ricky Martin
| Roger Moore
| Lew Wasserman
| Alan Ladd Jr.
| Jamie Foxx |
Vin Di Bona
| Michelle Pfeiffer
| Charles Champlin
| Matt Damon
| Eric Braeden
| Mike Curb |
Barbara Walters
| Stu Nahan |
Cole Porter |
Jon Peters
| Erik Estrada
| Forest Whitaker |
James Bacon | Halle Berry |
Dick Wolf
| Vanessa Williams
| Rodney Bingenheimer
| The Doors
|
Jerry Stiller &
Anne Meara
| Donald Trump
| David Gerber | Hilary Swank
"Remember, to be a player you first have to get in
the game!"
Johnny Grant, Honorary Mayor of Hollywood
May 9, 1923 ~ January 9, 2008
For four decades, Michael Eisner has been a leader
in the American entertainment industry.
He began his career at ABC, where he helped take the
network from number three to number one in
primetime, daytime and children’s television with
such landmark shows as
Happy Days, Barney
Miller, Welcome Back Kotter, Rich Man, Poor Man,
and
Roots.
In 1976, he became president of Paramount Pictures,
leading the studio to become number one in box
office and profitability in both theatrical movies
and network television production, with such films
and shows as
Raiders of the Lost Ark,
Saturday Night
Fever,
Grease,
Ordinary People
and Terms of
Endearment, Taxi and
Mork & Mindy.
In 1984 Michael assumed the position of Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company
and, in the ensuing 21 years, transformed it from a
film and theme park company with $1.8 billion in
enterprise value into a global media empire valued
at $80 billion.
The Disney Studios shot from last place to first
with live-action films such as
Down and Out in
Beverly Hills,
Three Men and a
Baby,
Good Morning,
Vietnam and
Dead Poets Society,
and continued its winning ways with hits like
Pretty Woman,
Father of the
Bride,
Sister Act,
The Rock,
Armageddon,
Remember the
Titans,
Pearl Harbor,
The Princess
Diaries,
Signs,
Sweet Home
Alabama,
Bringing Down the
House,
Pirates of the
Caribbean and
National Treasure.
Renewed efforts at Disney animation resulted in such
fiscally and creatively successful films as
Who Framed Roger
Rabbit,
The Little Mermaid,
Beauty & the
Beast,
Aladdin,
The Lion King,
Toy Story,
Toy Story 2,
Mulan,
Tarzan,
Dinosaur,
Monsters, Inc.,
Lilo & Stitch,
Finding Nemo,
The Incredibles
and Chicken
Little. In television, Disney produced
such hit shows as
Home Improvement,
Golden Girls,
Lost,
Extreme
Makeover: Home Edition,
Grey’s Anatomy
and Desperate
Housewives.
Under Michael’s leadership, Disney opened Disneyland
Paris, Tokyo DisneySea and Hong Kong Disneyland;
expanded the domestic Disney theme parks; acquired
Capital Cities/ABC, which included the ABC
television network and equity ownership in ESPN, The
History Channel, Lifetime, A&E and E!; grew Disney
Channel to a penetration of over 80 million homes;
developed such leading Internet sites as Disney.com,
ESPN.com, ABCNews.com, ABC.com and Family.com;
acquired Miramax Pictures; created Walt Disney
Theatrical, which produced
Beauty & the Beast,
Aida,
The Lion King
and Mary Poppins;
and developed the Disney Cruise Line; and acquired
the Fox Family Channel (now ABC Family).
In 2005, Eisner began the “next act” of his
remarkable career, by founding the Tornante Company;
a privately held company that makes investments in
and incubates companies and opportunities in the
media and entertainment space. Through the Tornante
Company, he created Vuguru, a new media studio that
produces world-class content for the internet and
emerging digital platforms. Vuguru’s first
production, “Prom
Queen,”
quickly
became an internet sensation and was
later nominated for a Broadband Emmy. The series was
such a huge success it spawned a fifteen episode
spin-off series “Prom Queen: Summer Heat” which,
combined, garnered over 20 million views over the
course of its initial run.
The Tornante Company holds an ownership stake in
Veoh Networks, Inc., an innovative new independent
Internet television broadcasting system, and wholly
owns Team Baby Entertainment, the premier producer
of an award-winning series of officially licensed
sports themed children’s DVD’s.
In October 2007, The Tornante Company and Madison
Dearborn Partners, LLC. acquired The Topps Company,
Inc., a leading creator and marketer of sports and
related cards, entertainment products, and
distinctive confectionery items. Michael’s goal is
to transform Topps,
through
the media of filmed entertainment, Internet and
television, into a full-fledged sports media
company.
In January 2008, Vuguru announced a ground-breaking
partnership with world-renowned author Robin Cook. A
50-episode on-line prequel series will account for
the days leading up to the launch of his new novel,
“Foreign Body,” a first-of-its-kind collaboration
which will debut in May 2008.
In
addition,
Vuguru recently launched its second original web
series, “The All-For-Nots,” a comedy that follows a
fictional indie rock band as they travel the U.S. on
an under-funded and poorly planned tour.
Eisner is also currently developing a new animated
series titled “Glen Martin, D.D.S.” for primetime
television in ‘08.
Back to Top
When you’re a young, struggling actress with only a
few television credits to your name, even an
audition for a one-day role with one line of
dialogue on a daytime soap is something to lift your
hopes and add a sparkle to your eye. Realistically,
of course, you don’t put a down payment on a mansion
in Malibu and, if you’re Kate Linder, you don’t quit
your job as a United Airlines flight attendant.
It was 25 years ago, in April, 1982, Linder got the
role and delivered her line, “Dinner is served,” on
“The Young and the Restless.” She was asked back
the next day. And the next. Now she remains a key
member of the top-rated daytime drama’s cast. Still
the realist, however, she continues to fly the
friendly skies of United on weekends while
simultaneously appearing on the soap opera. In
2005, Linder was elected Governor of Daytime
Programming Peer Group for the Academy of Television
Arts and Sciences -- the folks who put on the Emmy
Awards – and she was recently reelected to a second
term.
Linder’s role as Esther Valentine has been one of
emotional highs and lows as the confidante and
housekeeper to Mrs. Katherine Chancellor (Jeanne
Cooper), the wealthiest woman in town. Mrs.
Chancellor and Esther Valentine are now on
friendlier terms since they were kidnapped together
and Mrs. Chancellor subsequently delivered Esther’s
child (named Kate, appropriately enough) during a
thunderstorm. Their relationship was severely
tested when Esther’s estranged husband murdered Mrs.
Chancellor’s husband during an attempted robbery but
the two women learned to rely on one another for
moral support.
Linder’s high-flying life began without fanfare on a
warm November 2nd in Pasadena. Her father, a
C.P.A., and her mother, a homemaker and dedicated
tennis player, presented her with a brother, Randy,
a few years later.
Entered into dance class at 3 1/2, Linder’s interest
in acting didn’t manifest itself until seventh grade
when her history teacher had the bright idea of
reports delivered in the form of dramatic skits. By
the time she finished high school, she’d appeared in
major singing and dancing roles in “Promises,
Promises,” “Three Penny Opera,” “L’il Abner,” “Jesus
Christ Superstar,” and many others.
Committed by this time to an acting career, Linder’s
request upon her high school graduation to be sent
to the American Academy in New York to study theatre
was met by a counteroffer from her father: attend
two years of liberal arts college, after which he’d
support her in New York.
As a result, Linder entered San Francisco State
University majoring in drama, which kept her so
busy in school productions as well as in
stock and repertory theaters in the Bay area,
that she never got around to taking up her
father’s offer. When she wasn’t on stage, she
filled her remaining days, nights and weekends with
her first experience as a world traveler as a flight
attendant for Transamerica, a charter airline which
flew exclusive champagne flights to Monaco, Tahiti
and various other playgrounds of the rich and
famous.
Gaining her degree in Theater Arts, Linder remained
in San Francisco following her graduation, dividing
her time between the stage and exotic locales around
the world. What spare time she had was spent
working in the University’s activities office where
she met her soon-to-be-husband, Ronald Linder, then
a professor at the school and one of the world’s
leading experts and authors on drug abuse.
Married on Valentine’s Day in 1976 (thus the
character name, Esther Valentine, on “The Young and
the Restless”), the couple soon settled in Los
Angeles. Linder soon broke into the TV scene with
featured roles in “Bay City Blues,” “Archie Bunker’s
Place,” “Dream Girl,” and many others. Linder also
starred in “Cotillion ’65,” a short film that won
many film festival awards and explored the
relationship between a boy and his dance teacher,
played by Linder, and the dual life led by her
character. She followed this up with several more
recent films roles.
Linder is the celebrity spokesperson for the ALS
Association, the pre-eminent leader in the fight
against Lou Gehrig’s Disease, following her
relative’s diagnosis. She is also active with the
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Los Angeles, the Los
Angeles Mission, she’s on the board of AFTRA and is
a founding board member of TV Cares, the Television
Academy’s AIDS awareness and fundraising charity.
In 2002, Linder spent Thanksgiving visiting troops
in Afghanistan and Pakistan for 11 days to boost
morale with the USO. She spent Thanksgiving doing
the same in Korea in 2003 and visiting Guantanamo
Bay with the USO in 2007. She also sent off troops
departing from Austin, Texas’ Fort Hood and all four
of her USO tours were with the late Johnny Grant.
Back to Top
Stephen
Schwartz, composer-lyricist of the hit stage musical
WICKED, has been nominated for six Academy Awards
and winner of three. Schwartz wrote the lyrics for
the Disney animated features, POCAHONTAS and THE
HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME and the recent Disney hit,
ENCHANTED, and the songs for DreamWorks' first
animated feature, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT.
His well-known film songs include the
Academy-Award-winning "Colors of the Wind" and "When
You Believe", and date back to the 70's with "Day by
Day", "Beautiful City", and "Butterflies Are Free".
Appropriate to the address of his star,
WICKED, is in its
second year at the Pantages Theatre, where it has
broken box office records. The New York Times said
that WICKED is one of the most successful shows in
Broadway history.” WICKED, which opened on October
30, 2003 in New York, is truly a worldwide
phenomenon with four companies in North America -
Broadway, Chicago, on national tour, and Los
Angeles, as well as productions in London, Tokyo,
and Stuttgart, and a fourth international production
opening next summer in Melbourne.
A measure of Schwartz' success in the theatre is
that this year, when
WICKED plays its
1900th performance in New York, he will become the
only writer of any kind ever to have three shows run
more than 1900 performances on Broadway.
Stephen Schwartz was born in New York City on March
6, 1948. He studied piano and composition at the
Juilliard School of Music while in high school and
graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 1968
with a B.F.A. in Drama. His first major credit was
the title song for the play BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE;
the song was eventually used in the movie version as
well.
In 1971, he wrote the music and new lyrics for the
world-wide phenomenon GODSPELL. Schwartz won two
Grammys and two Drama Desks for GODSPELL, which, at
its height, was playing simultaneously in eight
cities in America, including a long running Los
Angeles production - plus London, Paris, Australia,
and Germany. In South Africa, during the height of
apartheid, Schwartz and his collaborator,
John-Michael Tebelak, refused permission for the
show to be produced unless it was performed by an
integrated cast, before an integrated audience, and
GODSPELL became the first show in South Africa to do
so.
GODSPELL was followed by the English texts for
Leonard Bernstein's MASS, which opened the Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
and was recently performed to great acclaim at the
Hollywood Bowl.
He then wrote the music and lyrics for the
enormously successful PIPPIN and two years later,
THE MAGIC SHOW. At one point, GODSPELL, PIPPIN, and
THE MAGIC SHOW were all running on Broadway
simultaneously, making Mr. Schwartz one of the very
few songwriters ever to have three shows on Broadway
at the same time.
He next wrote the music and lyrics for THE BAKER'S
WIFE, and the musical version of Studs Terkel's
WORKING, to which he contributed four songs, and
which he also adapted and directed, winning the
Drama Desk Award as best director; he later
co-directed the PBS American Playhouse television
production.
Next came songs for a one-act musical for children,
CAPTAIN LOUIE, a children's book, THE PERFECT PEACH,
music for three of the songs in the Off-Broadway
revue, PERSONALS, lyrics to Charles Strouse's music
for the Broadway musical RAGS, and music and lyrics
for CHILDREN OF EDEN.
He then began collaborating with composer Alan
Menken on the scores for the Disney animated
features POCAHONTAS, for which he received two
Academy Awards and another Grammy, and THE HUNCHBACK
OF NOTRE DAME, and DreamWorks' THE PRINCE OF EGYPT,
winning his third Academy Award.
For television, Schwartz provided music and lyrics
for the original television musical, GEPPETTO, seen
on The Wonderful World of Disney.
Schwartz is also one of the most tireless supporters
of new composers and lyricists. Under the auspices
of the ASCAP Foundation and with the support of
Disney, he has been artistic director for a musical
theatre workshop in Los Angeles for over ten years,
and also runs a yearly workshop in New York. He is
a member of the Board of Governors of ASCAP board,
and is also a member of the Council of the
Dramatists' Guild.
Tickets for Wicked are on sale at
www.ticketmaster.com,
by phone at 213-365-3500 or 714-740-7878, in person
at the Pantages Theatre Box Office (opens daily at
10am), 6233 Hollywood Blvd., or at any Ticketmaster
outlet.
Back to Top
-
Angela and I have worked together five times. Each
times it gets better and better. He talked about
an incident in a film, where she and Angela are
riding a horse together and the horse knocked them
off. Just to show you we just got back on the
horse again! You get a lot of no’s in this
business and you have to have that desire and
determinations which is what Angela has. I am
looking forward to the next time, we can ride
together again. Thanks for sharing your gift with
me and the world.
-- Laurence Fishburne
-
As a director there is nothing you asked Angela
that she could not do. I was amazed. The light
that came out of her was like a powerful sun. She
was a child of the light. This star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame will hopefully contain that
spark of that light. These cobblestones cemented
together with stars and Angela’s name will be seen
by dreamers who will recognize the possibilities
of greatness in their eyes. She is a powerful
artist, a beautiful person, a mother, a wife, a
friend who illuminates my life.
-- Forest Whitaker
-
What an honor and pleasure to be here representing
a long line of far more talented and more worthy
actors who would die to have the opportunity to
work with AB. As fortune would have I, I won the
lottery ticket and this time I am not apologizing
or it. There is reason for that and it has to do
with your generous and passionate art. You carry
that light and it shines so brightly.
-- Rick Fox
-
Do you ever have one of those days! I woke up and
the sun wasn’t really shining but then it burst
through the clouds and it was glorious.
Hallelujah! When you do what you love, you never
work a day! I am not one of those that recall
dates and years. I do remember the day I arrived
in Los Angeles from New York, on April 11, 1988.
The weather could be chilly, but the people were
warm. I remember walking on Hollywood Boulevard,
ooohing and ahhing and seeing the names on the
Walk of Fame. I meant to stay six months but I
stayed. Today my cup runneth over! I am crying
now, I cried yesterday and the day before. Who
would have thought that a little girl in pigtails
from St. Petersburg, Florida would grow up to
find herself gazing at a star with her name on it,
on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This day is so, so
special to me. I have been blessed with a
fulfilling and wonderful career. My heart is
expanding with joy. When your dream comes true
it’s a miracle, I promise to always give and do my
best.
-- Angela Bassett
 Angela Bassett has made a career out of alluring
audiences with emotionally tinged performances that
capture a sense of dignity and pride whenever she
appears on screen. Her talent and abilities as an
actress and executive producer in both television
and film have time and again earned her the respect
and acclaim from her peers and her fans, earning her
place as one of the industry’s premier leading
ladies.
Perhaps best known for her intense portrayal of Tina
Turner in the biopic “What’s Love Got To Do With
It”, Bassett earned an Academy Award nomination for
her powerful performance, and received the Golden
Globe for “Best Actress in a Drama” as well as the
NAACP Image Award for "Outstanding Lead Actress in a
Motion Picture".
Bassett recently starred opposite Laurence Fishburne
in the critically-acclaimed Lionsgate film "Akeelah
and the Bee" and received rave reviews for her work
with Fishburne in August Wilson’s classic play
"Fences "at the prestigious Pasadena Playhouse. Her
next starring role on the big screen will be in
Tyler Perry’s "Meet
the Browns", with Rick Fox opening
nationwide on
March 21, 2008. She has also just
completed work on Giancarlo Esposito’s "Gospel Hill
and Nothing But the Truth," starring alongside Kate
Beckinsale and David Schwimmer.
In February, 2007, Angela showed yet another side of
her artistry with the release of her best-selling
book "FRIENDS: A Love Story ", that she co-wrote
with her husband, actor Courtney B. Vance. The
inspirational tome is the real-life love story of
Bassett and Vance, who were friends for many years
before marrying.
Bassett has received a total of nine NAACP Image
Awards for her performances in "How Stella Got Her
Groove Back"; opposite Whoopi Goldberg and Taye
Diggs; her supporting roles in "The Score "opposite
Robert DeNiro, Edward Norton and Marlon Brando; "
Music of the Heart " starring with Meryl Streep; "
Malcolm X" starring opposite Denzel Washington; as
well as for her leading role in the television movie
“Ruby’s Bucket of Blood.” In addition, she
received NAACP Image Award nominations for her work
in the sci-fi blockbuster "Contact" starring
opposite Jodie Foster and for "Boesman and Lena"
with Danny Glover. Bassett also received a Screen
Actors Guild Award nomination for her performance in
“Ruby’s Bucket of Blood.” and Emmy nominations for
her work in the television movie "The Rosa Parks
Story” and for the “Uncle Jed’s Barbershop” episode
of PBS’ Storytime
A Yale School of Drama graduate, Bassett has made
her mark as both a dramatic actress and a master of
subtle comedy, creating memorable roles in film and
television. She staked her claim with a recurring
role in the hit television drama series “Alias,” ,
flexed her comedy chops in the movie "Mr. 3000" with
Bernie Mac, and made an indelible mark on audiences
with her work in John Sayles’ "Sunshine State" with
Edie Falco; Terry McMillan’s "Waiting to Exhale"
co-starring Whitney Houston,; James Cameron’s
futuristic "Strange Days" with Ralph Fiennes;
"Vampire in Brooklyn” starring opposite Eddie
Murphy; and "Supernova" "with James Spader. She was
recently heard in theaters across the country
voicing the character of "Mildred" in Disney’s
animated smash hit ""Meet the Robinsons," based on
the successful children’s book of the same name by
William Joyce.
Early in her career, Bassett made the successful
transition from stage to the silver screen when she
appeared in the pivotal role as the ambitious single
mother who sends her son to live with his father in
John Singleton’s “Boyz N the Hood." She received
critical raves for her touching performance as
Katherine Jackson in the ABC mini-series “The
Jacksons: An American Dream,” and overwhelming
recognition for her narration of the PBS miniseries,
“Africans in America.”
Back to Top
 For his outstanding contribution to the
entertainment industry and in celebration of
Wrestlemania 24®, Vince McMahon will be honored with
a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Vince McMahon, Chairman of the Board of World
Wrestling Entertainment, Inc®. (WWE®), is a third
generation entrepreneur who has made WWE into the
global phenomenon it is today. As a pioneer in the
television syndication and cable business, a
recognized television personality throughout the
world, a visionary promoter and a fearless marketer,
he is a unique leader in the entertainment industry.
In 1972, McMahon joined his father’s company,
Capitol Wrestling Corporation. By 1979, the company
had syndicated programming to 30 television
stations. In 1982, he purchased Capitol Wrestling
Corporation from his father with the plan of taking
what had been a regional operation and growing it
into first a national then a global business.
McMahon’s plan for national distribution of WWE
(then World Wrestling Federation) programming was
two pronged: continue to expand syndication outside
the northeast across the nation and utilize the
rapidly expanding vehicle of cable television to
deliver a national show on a weekly basis. USA
cable network and WWE were a perfect match.
McMahon became a pioneer in the cable television
industry by leveraging the new technologies of
pay-per-view and closed-circuit television for the
first WrestleMania in 1985. He had not only built a
brand that the audience would watch on television,
but he had created such a demand for the WWE that
the audience would pay to watch its PPV
spectaculars. WrestleMania III in 1987 attracted
93,173 fans to the Pontiac Silverdome, setting an
indoor attendance record that still stands. For the
past three years, WWE’s pre-eminent pay-per-view,
WrestleMania, has achieved more than one million
buys worldwide and on April 1, 2007; WrestleMania 23
achieved nearly 1.2 million buys, making it the
highest grossing one-day live event in WWE history.
Today, WWE produces original television programming
52 weeks a year. Programs such as “Monday Night
RAW,” "Friday Night Smack Down,” and "ECW: Extreme
Championship Wrestling" are ratings successes that
can be seen in more than 130 countries and
translated in 23 languages.
As the television audience has grown exponentially,
so has the live event audience. In 2007, WWE
performed 308 live events, including 75
international events, entertaining more than 2.0
million fans.
Vince has developed WWE from primarily a television
and live event business to a diverse media company
with a robust licensing division for video games,
toys, apparel, home video, and books. WWE has a
publishing group for its monthly magazines and a
music studio in house. WWE Films, located in Los
Angeles, produces films for theatrical and direct to
video release. Under McMahon’s leadership, the
company continues to grow, making inroads into
digital media platforms with video-on-demand,
broadband, and mobile services. World Wrestling
Entertainment is a public company which trades on
the NYSE under the symbol WWE.
Vince McMahon is also civic minded. In recognition
of WWE’s work to support children over the past 20
years, Vince, in 2005, was appointed to The
Make-A-Wish Foundation of America National Advisory
Council. Just last month WWE and Make-A-Wish
Foundation of America announced expanding their
partnership, starting with the largest wish granting
event in WWE history at Wrestlemania 24®.
McMahon is a tireless supporter of the U.S. military
personally traveling for the past five years with
WWE superstars to visit forward operating bases in
Afghanistan and Iraq; the WWE was the recipient of
the USO of Metropolitan Washington’s first ever
“Legacy of Hope” award for WWE’s extensive support
of our troops and the USO’s Operation Care Package
program. In 2006, Vince received the Secretary of
Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service Award
for WWE’s support of deployed service members in
Iraq and Afghanistan.
Back to Top
 Sherwood Schwartz
started writing professionally on “The Bob Hope
Radio Show” in 1939. After four years with Bob
Hope, Sherwood joined the Armed Forces Radio Service
(A.F.R.S.) for four years, writing various Army
shows like “Command Performance,” “Mail Call,” etc.,
working with just about every major star in the
entertainment world.
After the war, he went back to radio and “The
Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.” In radio he has
also written for Danny Thomas, Alan Young and “The
Beulah Show.”
Then came television.
In his long career in TV (58 years), Sherwood
Schwartz has written, re-written, and/or produced
more than 700 TV shows, starting with “I Married
Joan,” “The Red Skelton Show,” and “My Favorite
Martian,” before creating, writing, and producing
series of his own.
Sherwood received the highest honor in television,
the Emmy Award, in 1961 for “The Red Skelton Show,”
and the following year, another Emmy nomination.
His scripts have the unique distinction of receiving
five consecutive nominations for awards from the
Writers Guild of America in comedy, variety, and
play adaptation, receiving the WGA award in the
comedy category.
In 1963, Sherwood created, wrote and produced
“Gilligan’s Island,” a TV series which has become a
cult classic.
“Gilligan’s Island” led to three two-hour TV
movies. One of them, “Rescue from Gilligan’s
Island,” was the first of the so-called “reunion
shows” and was the highest rated movie-of-the-week
in 1978.
In 1969, Sherwood created, wrote and produced “The
Brady Bunch,” television’s first blended family
show. It, too, has become a cult classic, leading
to several reunion shows.
In 1988, Sherwood and his son Lloyd, wrote and
produced a two-hour TV film, “A Very Brady
Christmas,” which was the highest rated TV film that
year.
In 1994, Sherwood and his son, Lloyd, produced the
feature film, “The Brady Bunch Movie,” for
Paramount.
On March 12, 2004, “Gilligan’s Island” received the
annual “Pop Culture” award from TV Land. That same
week, Sherwood was awarded the prestigious William
S. Paley Award with “A Salute to Sherwood Schwartz.”
In 2007, “The Brady Bunch” was also awarded TV
Land’s “Pop Culture” award. That same year, along
with his son, Lloyd, and his daughter, Hope Juber,
Sherwood produced “Still Brady After All These
Years: A Thirty-Five Year Anniversary Special”
which won a daytime Emmy Nomination.
In addition to TV and films, Sherwood has written
several produced plays. Among them, “Mr. and Mrs.,”
a comedy; “The Trial of Othello,” a courtroom drama;
“Gilligan’s Island: The Musical,” (with his son,
Lloyd with music and lyrics by his daughter, Hope,
and her husband, Laurence Juber.) His latest play,
“Rockers,” a comedy-drama had a production last year
at Theatre West. This June, a new musical “A Very
Brady Musical” with music and lyrics by Hope and
Laurence Juber will have its world premiere at
Theatre West.
Sherwood Schwartz co-wrote the theme song for
“Gilligan’s Island” with George Wyle and co-wrote
the themes song for “The Brady Bunch” with Frank
DeVol.
Sherwood is a member of the Writers Guild of
America, the Dramatists Guild and A.S.C.A.P, the
American Society of Composers, Authors, and
Publishers.
Back to Top
 Suzanne Pleshette
was born January 31, 1937, in New York City. Her
father, Eugene Pleshette, was a stage manager,
network executive and manager of the Paramount
Theater in Brooklyn during the big band era. Her
mother, under the stage name Geraldine Rivers, was
an artist and dancer.
Pleshette began her
acting career on the stage in the 1950s after
attending New York's High School for the Performing
Arts and Syracuse University. She then moved into
film and TV roles, often getting parts because of
her husky voice.
In 1958, Pleshette
appeared on Broadway with Maureen Stapleton and Eli
Wallach in the play
The Cold Wind and
the Warm. She also made her film debut
that year with Jerry Lewis in
The Geisha Boy.
In 1961, she was
nominated for an Emmy Award for her appearance as
Julie Lawler on the TV show
Dr. Kildare.
Pleshette also appeared in numerous TV shows,
including Have
Gun Will Travel, Playhouse 90 and
Alfred Hitchcock
Presents.
She also replaced
Anne Bancroft in the role of Annie Sullivan in
The Miracle Worker,
opposite Patty Duke as Helen Keller in 1961. After
she received excellent reviews, she toured
extensively in the role.
Pleshette got a big
break on film in 1963 when Alfred Hitchcock cast her
in The Birds.
The Golden Globes named her Best Newcomer - Female.
She also performed in about two dozen other films,
including Disney movies such as
The Ugly Dachshund,
Blackbeard's Ghost and
The Adventures of
Bullwhip Griffin.
Pleshette was the
producers' original choice for the role of
Catwoman
on the 1966
Batman TV show. When negotiations broke
down, the part went to Julie Newmar.
But it was her role
as Emily Hartley that brought her the most acclaim,
including two Emmy nominations. Pleshette played a
schoolteacher to Bob Newhart's psychologist
character in The
Bob Newhart series. The situation comedy
revolved around their careers and off-beat friends,
as well as Bob's patients. The married couple was
childless, a novelty at the time in television. The
highly-rated show ran from 1972 to 1978.
Pleshette was also
nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her
role as Leona Helmsley in the TV-movie
Leona Helmsley:
Queen of Mean (1990).
She also appeared on
the sitcoms Will
& Grace and
8 Simple Rules.
Pleshette was
married three times. First up was actor Troy
Donahue on January 4, 1964, her co-star in Rome
Adventure (1962). They divorced only eight months
later. On March 16, 1968, she married businessman
Thomas Joseph Gallagher III. He died January 21,
2000.
In December 2000,
Pleshette announced her engagement to actor Tom
Poston, 79. They had met back in 1959 while they
were in the Broadway comedy
The Golden Fleecing.
And each had starred on a Bob Newhart show, but not
at the same time. She was in the 1970s version, he
was in the 1980s show.
However, Poston had
appeared in a recurring role in the 70s version as
an old friend of Newhart's character, Bob Hartley.
And Pleshette appeared in the '80s version finale
(now considered a classic) when, back in her role as
Emily Hartley, she rolled over in bed, revealing to
Newhart that the whole show (1982-1990) had been a
dream.
Pleshette and Poston
married on May 11, 2001. He died April 30, 2007.
In August 2006,
Pleshette underwent chemotherapy treatment at Los
Angeles' Cedar-Sinai Medical Center for lung
cancer.
In September 2007,
she attended a 35th reunion of the cast of the 1970s
Bob Newhart Show in a wheelchair, just four days
after leaving the hospital after battling pneumonia.
Pleshette passed
away on January 19, 2008, just a few days before her
star unveiling.
Back to Top
“KING OF BOLERO”
LUCHO GATICA HONORED WITH
STAR ON THE
HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME,
2,354th Star on 7021 Hollywood Boulevard, Friday,
January 25, 2008
 Lucho Gatica
was born in Rancagua, Chile in 1928. He attended
school at Instituto O'Higgins. He and his brother
Arturo were struggling singers before they released
their first album, in 1949, when Gatica was twenty
one years old.
Chileans
generally experienced a change in music taste during
the 1950s, when bolero music overtook tango as
Chileans' preferred music genre for some time.
Singers like Cuba's Olga Guillot, and Mexicans Leo
Marini and Elvira Rios, among others, were very
popular during that time there. So were Xavier Cugat
and his orchestra, which included Puerto Rican Bobby
Capo. These singers would influence Gatica.
Gatica's first
disc, 1951's Me
Importas Tu (You Matter to Me) became a
mega hit across Latin America, opening many doors
for Gatica. He followed that with 1952s
Contigo en la
Distancia (With You in the Distance).
Gatica
recorded his version of Consuelo Velázquez's
Bésame Mucho (Kiss
Me a Lot) in 1953, year in which he
produced two more albums,
Las Muchachas de la
Plaza España (The Girls from the Spain Square)
and
Sinceridad (Sincerity).
By 1957,
Gatica moved to Mexico, a country that would become
of great importance in his life. In Mexico, he
released No me
Platiques Mas (Don't Talk to me Anymore),
Tu me
Acostumbraste (You Accustomed Me) and
Voy a Apagar la Luz
(I'm Turning the Lights Off), which was
released in 1959.
In 1956,
Gatica's songs were recorded in North America on LP
albums for the first time by Capital Records
('Capitol' of the World series). Three albums were
released within 14 months by Capitol. The third one
in that group with Capitol was "El Gran Gatica,"
which featured such songs as "Somos," "Sabra Dios,"
and "Si Me Comprendieras," to name three. One of the
three Lucho Gatica albums released in 1958 year were
greatest hits compilations; the third was named
Envenenados (Poisoned). He also recorded a song
entitled "Encadenados" (Chained (we are)).
Gatica had
important changes in his personal life after
arriving in Mexico for the first time. He decided to
become a permanent resident of that North American
country, and married Puerto Rican actress Mapita
Cortes, who had been a celebrity in Mexico (and
Puerto Rico) for some years, and who also resided in
Mexico. The couple had offspring, including two sons
actually named Luis and Alfredo Gatica. Luis went on
to become a telenovela and rock star during the
1980s and Alfredo (Alfie) became a music
entrepreneur. Gatica remarried an American woman and
had one daughter with her, as well. One of Gatica's
last known releases was 1963's Recuerdos de Amor
(Memories of Love).
It is
estimated that Gatica has released more than 90
recordings. He has toured a vast portion of the
world, having made concerts in Europe, the Middle
East and Asia. His influence on world music is
overwhelming; vocalists of many nationalities and
languages felt Lucho’s impact and have, at one time
or another, sung and recorded “boleros”, from Perry
Como to Peggy Lee to Dionne Warwick to The Beatles;
even Doris Day recorded a bolero album and Nat King
Cole went further by recording in Spanish three
albums which included many of Lucho’s greatest
hits. Julio Iglesias has publicly confessed that
Lucho remains his one single musical influence and
calls him “The Master” while younger singers such as
Mexico’s mega-star Luis Miguel have both enhanced
their popular appeal and careers by recording cover
versions of the songs Lucho made famous.
Lucho will
soon release a new duets album with his greatest
hits and new material never recorded by the singer.
Back to Top
-
Elizabeth is
probably in the heavens laughing at us as we stand
in the rain.
--
Johnny Grant, Honorary Mayor
of Hollywood
-
Elizabeth would
have adored the fact that it's raining today. She
loved the rain. I love her and I miss her.
--
Liz Sheridan,
a good friend and actress
-
Liz would be
thrilled that it rained and that you are all here.
It is a great tribute to her that there are so
many of you here. You will be surprised to know
that Elizabeth was very shy. Her shyness gave her
roles an extra sparkle.
--
Robert Foxworth
-
It is so awesome
that it’s raining! She is so happy right now.
--
Rebecca Asher, daughter
 The
late Elizabeth Montgomery was awarded the first star
of the year and honored posthumously on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, January 4, 2008.
Her star was unveiled at 6533 Hollywood Boulevard.
Montgomery
was born on April 15, 1933 in Los Angeles, the
daughter of screen actor and TV star Robert
Montgomery and former stage actress Elizabeth Allen.
She and her younger brother Skip were raised in
Hollywood, but were kept from the glare of the
spotlight.
After her parents
divorced in 1950, Elizabeth lived in New York. Her
father had begun his successful television series
Robert
Montgomery Presents and it was here that
Elizabeth made her television debut playing opposite
her father in an episode entitled “Top Secret.”
Montgomery
quickly became a prolific and hard-working
television actress, making appearances on dozens of
dramatic anthology shows of the 1950’s. She made
her big screen debut in 1955 in
The Court Martial
of Billy Mitchell and although she would
make more feature films, it would be television that
would make her a star. In 1960 she earned her first
Emmy nominations for her performance as prostitute
Rusty Heller in an episode of ABC’s landmark drama
The Untouchables.
She also guest starred on a classic episode of the
Twilight Zone.
In November 1963,
Elizabeth starred in the pilot episode of
Bewitched
as the beautiful, good-hearted witch Samantha. The
first episode aired in 1964 and the show was an
immediate success. By the end of the season,
Bewitched
was ABC’s biggest hit ever and made ABC the #1
television network in the top 50 urban markets
worldwide. Produced by her husband William Asher,
Bewitched
featured sophisticated writing and one of the best
casts in television history. The show immediately
became a part of the national popular culture. Catch
phrases such as “Oh my stars!,” “you son-of-a gun”,
and “what’s his name?” are specific to Bewitched, as
well as hundreds of mesmerizing incantations,
side-splitting humor, and of course, that famous
“twitch”. Above all,
Bewitched
became a classic because Elizabeth’s character,
Samantha, was so believable.
Bewitched
was still ABC’s top
show at the end of the decade. Unfortunately, ABC’s
success demanded the show create nearly 40 episodes
a year, placing a tremendous work load on the cast,
writers and crew. Near the show’s end, Bewitched was
rewriting earlier episodes to keep up. By the final
season, the show was burning out. Mid-way through
the final year, ABC moved the show to Saturday night
opposite All in
the Family, a stop-gag measure to block
CBS’s gaining momentum.
Bewitched
held steady and the network requested two more
years, but Elizabeth decided it was time to move on
to other projects.
Montgomery
continued to work in television, becoming the first
and foremost “TV Movie Queen”. She created a string
of classic TV films, including
Mrs. Sundance,
Belle Starr, The Legend of Lizzie Borden, The
Awakening Land and
A Case of Rape.
Her final film
Deadline for Murder was one of the
highest rated movies of 1995. During the filming of
that movie, Elizabeth fell ill, and after a short
bout with cancer, she passed away in her home on May
18, 1995.
Back to Top
 On
November 20, inductees to Hollywood’s Walk of Fame
included ‘The Munchkins’ from the 1939 motion
picture classic
The Wizard of Oz.
The seven Munchkins who attended the ceremony
include: Mickey Carroll, Ruth Duccini, Jerry Maren,
Margaret Pellegrini, Meinhardt Raabe, Karl Slover
and Clarence Swensen.
The Munchkins
arrived by a ‘horse-of-a-different-color’ drawn
carriage led by the Hollywood High School Marching
Band.
Prior to the
ceremony, a special screening of “The Wizard of Oz”
was held Monday, November 19, 2007 at Grauman’s
Chinese Theatre where the movie premiered 68 years
ago. The film was shown in True Technicolor in its
original format.
The Wizard of Oz
is available in two bonus-packed DVD treasuries – a
Two-Disc Special Edition ($26.99 SRP) and a
Three-Disc Collector’s Edition ($39.92 SRP).
For the very first time, these versions of The |
