Wicked Review

Wicked

Release Date: 3rd November 2024 - Australia (Sydney, premiere)

Production Companies

Universal Pictures (presents)

Marc Platt Productions

Dentsu (presented in association with)

Distribution

Universal Pictures Australia

Genre: Fantasy/Musical

Rating: PG

Runtime: 160 minutes

Budget: $150,000,000

Box Office Gross: $763,963,597 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Misunderstood but

rebellious Elphaba,

a girl born with green

skin, and Glinda, an

aristocratic girl born

to be popular, become

unlikely friends in the

magical land of Oz.

After meeting the

Wizard of Oz, their

friendship reaches a

breaking point as they

begin to fulfil their

destinies as Glinda the

Good and the Wicked

Witch of the West.

Cast

Cynthia Erivo - Elphaba

Ariana Grande - Galinda/

Glinda

Jeff Goldblum - The Wonderful

Wizard of Oz

Michelle Yeoh - Madame Morrible

Jonathan Bailey - Fiyero

Ethan Slater - Boq

Marissa Bode - Nessarose

Peter Dinklage - Dr. Dillamond (Voice)

Andy Nyman - Governor

Thropp

Courtney Mae-Briggs - Mrs

Thropp

Aaron Teoh Guan Ti - Avaric

Bowen Yang - Pfannee

Bronwyn James - ShenShen

Shaun Prendergast - Shiz President

Keala Settle - Miss. Coddle

Sharon D. Clarke - Dulcibear (Voice)

Jenna Boyd - Wolf Doctor (Voice)

Lexi Lancaster - Munchkinland Kid

Arlo Turner - Munchkinland Kid

Joey Unitt - Munchkinland Kid

Bea Ward - Munchkinland Kid

Dereke Oladele - Munchkinland Kid

Sienna-Rose Amer -

Munchkinland Kid

Tarik Frimpong -

Munchkinland Crier

James Dryden - No One

Mourns Munchkin

Malinda Parris - No One

Cries Munchkin

Noah Prempeh - The Good

Man Munchkin

Vicki Noon - Winkie Mother

Debbie Kurup - Winkie Mother

Jasmine McIvor - Winkie Mother

Hattie Ryan - Curious Munchkin

Kirsty Anne Shaw - Skeptical Munchkin

Karis Musongele - Young Elphaba

Cesily Collette Taylor - Young Nessarose

Jarlan Bogolubov - Munchkin

Bullie

Isaac Bishop - Munchkin Bullie

Adam James - Galinda's Popsicle

Alice Fearn - Galinda's Momsie

Clive Kneller - Emerald City Train Conductor

Michael McCorry Rose - 

Wiz-O-Mania Narrator

Idina Menzel - Wiz-O-Mania

Super Star (Cameo)

Kristin Chenoweth -

Wiz-O-Mania Super Star (Cameo)

Robin Berry - Palace Guard

Bobby Windebank - Shiz Security

Cherida Strallen - Shiz Librarian

Tom Kitely - Snow Leopard (Voice)

Elizabeth Dulau - Piebald Deer (Voice)

Kim Durham - Tamarin/Owl (Voice)

Jennifer Woodward - Birds (Voice)

Stephen Stanton - Fiyero's Horse (Voice)

Stephen Schwartz - Emerald

City Guard (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew

Director - Jon M. Chu

Based on the Musical

Book/Screenplay/Executive

Producer - Winnie Holzman

From the Novel - Gregory

Maguire

Based on Characters -

Frank Baum (Uncredited)

Executive Producers -

Dana Fox and Jared

LeBoff

Executive Producer/Unit

Production Manager - David Nicksay

Executive Producer/Music & Lyrics - Stephen Schwartz

Producer - David Stone

Co-Producer/Unit Production Manager - Joan Schneider

Production Designer - Nathan Crowley

Supervising Art Director - Ben Collins

Senior Art Directors - Rod McLean and Gavin Fitch

Art Directors - Roxana Alexandru,

Jordana Finkel Sarah Ginn, Rhys Ifan,

Hugh McClelland, Chris Peters,

Quinn Robinson and Luke Sanders

Set Decorator - Lee Sandales

Set Decoration Art Directors - Laura Ng

and Jo Ridler

Construction Consultant - Paul J. Hayes

Property Master - Jamie Wilkinson

Costume Designer - Paul Tazewell

Hair and Makeup Designer - Frances Hannon

Prosthetics Makeup Designer - Mark Coulier

Director of Photography - Alice Brooks

First Assistant Director - Jack Ravenscroft

Second Unit Director/Director of

Photography - Sam Renton

Choreographer - Christopher Scott

Stunt Coordinator - Jo McLaren

Special Effects Supervisor - Paul Corbould

Senior Floor Supervisor - Chris Corbould

Visual Effects Supervisors - Pablo Helman

and Jonathan Fawkner

Visual Effects Supervisors: ILM - Anthony Smith

and Robert Weaver

Visual Effects Supervisor: Foy - Colin Strause

Visual Effects Producer - Kevin Elam

Visual Effects Producers: Foy - Greg Strause

and Marguax Mackay

Visual Effects Art Director - Gordon Champ

Visual Effects Art Director: ILM - Chris Voy

Animation Supervisors - David Shirl

and Dale Newton

CG Supervisors: ILM - Karin Cooper,

Michael Duong and Nick Pitt-Owen

Editor - Myron Kerstein

Supervising Sound Editor and Sound Design/

Re-Recording Mixer - John Marquis

Supervising Sound Editor and Sound Design -

Nancy Nugent Title

Sound Designers - Malte Bieler and

Tim Walston

Additional Sound Designers - Erick Ocampo

and Brandon Jones

Production Sound Mixer - Simon Hayes

Re-Recording Mixer - Andy Nelson

Music - John Powell

Executive Music Producer - Stephen Oremus

Music Producer - Greg Wells

Music Supervisor - Maggie Rodford

Review

I've heard of WICKED but have never seen the original musical. It's because I only attend live musicals sometimes. I didn't read Gregory Maguire's book either, because I was unaware of its existence until then. There's something wicked about this movie that the title primarily suggests otherwise. Oz fans have been waiting for this film adaptation since its official announcement in 2012. However, splitting this two-hour musical into two parts has left them sceptical. It's similar to how they split DUNE into two movies. I've watched a few of its trailers. One was a LEGO version, and I needed clarification that this was the actual film. Fortunately, I was relieved that it wasn't, but I had second thoughts about the movie until a friend convinced me to see it with him. Nevertheless, I determined to head out with it in advance.

Incidentally, this film does it better than the other attempts to revive Oz (minus Oz the Great and Powerful). It perfectly honours the original 1939 The Wizard of Oz film and the 2003 musical while embracing its own identity. Having worked on Step Up 2: The Streets and In the Heights, director Jon M. Chu knows what it takes to fill the screen with awe-inspiring choreography and the momentum needed to shift between intimate moments in each number. By fully exploiting the story's fantasy elements beyond what the stage musical could achieve, the film becomes a pure fantasy experience, transforming it into a Hollywood blockbuster.

While there were a few current symbolic interpretations of Baum's original book, the issues of fascism and racism in WICKED are planned and explicit. At 160 minutes, WICKED is almost too long, especially considering this is the first part, but it isn't tedious. It covers only the first half of the stage musical, but it introduces copious material to expand on the story. There are many references to the classic film for Oz fans, with a few cameos that feel less like fan service and more like a logical expansion.

Cynthia Erivo is the heart and soul of the movie, giving a magnificent, heart-wrenching performance as Elphaba. Ariana Grande is more impressive in her acting than in her singing as Glinda. However, the magical chemistry between those two leads is unlimited. Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, and Jeff Goldblum are excellent in their supporting roles, particularly the latter as the mysterious Wizard. Peter Dinklage is the perfect choice for the role of the wailing Dr Dillamond, adding weight to the film's examination of discrimination and social injustice.

The costumes, set design, and other visual aspects are fascinating, bringing the story to life. The songs are the film's undisputed high point, lively and enjoyable. They had this musical-theatre flair, which was very much in tune with the movie. The film's standout moment, "Defying Gravity," is a showstopper.

From its dazzling spectacles and beautiful scenery to its costumes, strong cast, and spectacular visuals, WICKED is a spellbinding movie that defies gravity, enchanting viewers with an immersive experience. I'm looking forward to the second part, which won't be in until next year.

Star rating: (9/10) Excellent Movie

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Transformers One Review

Transformers One

Release Date: 11th September 2024 - Australia (Sydney)

Production Companies

Paramount Animation (presents)

Hasbro Entertainment (presents)

New Republic Pictures (in association with)

Di Bonaventura Pictures

Tom DeSanto/Don Murphy Production

Bay Films

Distribution

Paramount Pictures Australia

Genre: Animation/Family/

Sci-Fi/Action

Rating: PG

Runtime: 104 minutes

Budget: $147,000,000

Box Office Gross: $129,364,141 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

In this untold origin story,

long before they were

archenemies, Optimus

Prime and Megatron were

once known as Orion Pax

and D-16. They were best

friends, as close as brothers.

Ultimately, their

relationship will forever

change Cybertron's future.

Voice Cast

Chris Hemsworth - Orion Pax/Optimus Prime

Brian Tyree Henry - D-16/

Megatron

Scarlet Johansson - Elita-1

Keegan-Michael Key - B-127

Steve Buscemi - Starscream

Laurence Fishburne - Alpha Trion

Jon Hamm - Sentinel Prime

Isaac C. Singleton Jr. - Darkwing

Vanessa Liguori - Airachnid

Jason Konopisos-Alvarez - Shockwave/Guard 2

Jon Bailey - Soundwave

Evan Michael Lee - Jazz

James Remar - Zeta Prime

Steve Blum - Announcer Bot/Guard 1

Jinny Chung - Chromia/Arcee

Josh Cooley - Control Room Guys/PA System/Skywarp

Dillon Bryan - Injured Racer

Crew

Director - Josh Cooley

Story/Screenplay - Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari

Screenplay - Eric Pearson

Executive Producers - Olivier Dumont, B.J. Farmer, Bradley J. Fischer, Zev Foreman, Greg Mooradian, Matt Quigg and Steven Spielberg

Producers - Michael Bay,

Mark Vahradian, Don

Murphy, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Aaron Dem and Tom DeSanto

Co-Producer - Cyrus Shaki-Khan

Head of Story - Bobby Rubio

Production Designer - Jason William Scheier

Art Director - Gerald de Jesus

Character Designers - Amy Beth Christenson,

Evan Whitefield and Chris Voy

Head of Cinematography - Christopher Batty

Visual Effects Supervisors: ILM -

Frazier Churchill and Alex Prichard

Visual Effects Producers: ILM - Fiona Chilton,

Corinne Tong, Dan Cortez and Rosalind Stratton

Animation Supervisors: ILM - Stephen King,

Kim Odi, Rob Coleman and Rick O'Connor

Layout Leads: ILM - Joshua Cordes

and Marcus Bain

Creature Supervisors: ILM - Evan Jacobson,

Zehn Yang Lee and Eric Wong

Editor - Lynn Hobson

Sound Design & Supervision - Scott Martin Gershin

Re-Recording Mixers - Juan Peralta

and Michael Semanick

Music/Score Mixer - Brian Tyler

Review

Hello, everyone. Since I returned from Fremantle, WA, I have not written a single critique in the past few months, opting instead to post obituaries and update my reviews. I haven't spent as much time reviewing as I used to, because I've run out of ideas and can't concentrate. Fortunately, I watched the latest release of TRANSFORMERS ONE in cinemas near the end of September, along with a few others before, so I resumed blogging for this special occasion.

Forty years have passed since the beginning of Transformers, which originated as a Hasbro toy line, a comic book, and a cartoon series, and has since evolved into a global franchise. The live-action Michael Bay movies (excluding a few, such as 2007's Transformers and the prequel/reboot Bumblebee) are a mixed bag among audiences and fans, with each entry making more profit at the box office. Unfortunately, the series declined throughout the decades, beginning with 2017's Transformers: The Last Knight and ending with 2023's Rise of the Beasts, the latter of which became its lowest-grossing feature to date.

In the wake of the animated Spider-Man movies and the recent animated TMNT movie, Paramount and Hasbro saw a golden opportunity to reinvigorate the Transformers film franchise and reconnect with its animated roots. The franchise has not had an animated feature for decades, not since the original in 1986. However, TRANSFORMERS ONE boasts a Pixar-like 3D animation style that takes it to the next level, immersing you back into the world of Cybertron as you've never seen it before. Mind you, it was in the early concept stage back in 2015. Almost a decade later, the movie came out, which was phenomenal. Honestly, I liked it. It's a welcome change from the live-action movies, which lack the core elements that make a good Transformers movie, which is precisely why it needed it in the first place.

What makes TRANSFORMERS ONE so much better than the live-action Transformers movies is that it focuses on the iconic robots, with no humans in the story, which is part of its back-to-basics approach. The storyline is clever and engaging as the writers become familiar with the Transformers universe and incorporate it into a character-driven narrative with resonant themes of friendship, trust, loyalty, and regret. It explores the origins of what life once was in Cybertron before the war and the early friendship between Optimus Prime and Megatron (known as Orion Pax and D-16 in this movie) before they became lifelong adversaries, which is what the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan should have shown, as much in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. You can't help but feel choked up by the tragic ending of the relationship between the two characters in this movie.

I liked all the easter eggs they sprinkled into the film. Other than the main characters, I recognise several Transformers names. There are plenty of references that older Transformers fans remember, including a hint of Stan Bush from the original film and a little nod to the GoBots in TRANSFORMERS ONE. Director Josh Cooley is no stranger to toys, as his experience with Toy Story 4 at Pixar has taught him everything he knows. He has demonstrated he can do no wrong by treating a franchise with respect.

The voice cast is incredible. Chris Hemsworth is a surprisingly good casting choice as a young Optimus Prime. However, many fans were apprehensive about Hemsworth taking over the role from the legendary Peter Cullen, given that the Australian actor has an unrecognisable voice that doesn't match Cullen's distinctive guttural delivery. Fortunately, Hemsworth pours his roguish charm into the younger version of his character, making it his own before developing into the authoritative baritone that people love to hear in Optimus Prime's dialogue. Brian Tyree Henry was terrific as D-16/Megatron. He shines with the fury and rage we come to expect from the evil Decepticon leader. Keegan-Michael Key had a lot of comic energy for B-127, a.k.a. Bumblebee. Unlike the previous films, where he barely spoke, it's nice to see him given more personality and dialogue. Scarlett Johansson delivers serious spunk in Elita-1, capturing her stern, exasperated mannerisms and driven emotions. Jon Hamm is excellent as Sentinel Prime.

The character designs are a throwback to the original G1 figures, with just enough facial detail to avoid falling into the uncanny valley. Cybertron's surface is familiar, with shimmering formations that change over time and fascinating creatures. The 3D animation is sleek, stunning, and imaginative, courtesy of Industrial Light & Magic, the same visual effects house that worked on the Michael Bay live-action movies. The action sequences were exciting and fast-paced, which kept me enthralled. Brian Tyler's score is superb, which is ironic since he is familiar with the franchise, having co-composed the music for the Transformers: Prime animated TV series.

Action-packed, beautifully animated, humorous, and heartfelt, TRANSFORMERS ONE reignites the spark that the live-action Transformers movies have been missing and is the best film in the franchise. While it doesn't feel like it's pandering to young kids, even though the marketing suggests otherwise, it's suitable for Transformers fans of all ages. The best way to celebrate the legacy of the Transformers, this film is more than meets the eye. So, roll out to theatres before you miss it. Until then, till all are one.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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In Memory of Kris Kristofferson (1936-2024)

Kris Kristofferson (1936-2024)

Kris Kristofferson, the Hollywood actor and legendary country musician, has died at the age of 88. His family confirmed his passing.

While his music career began in the late 1960s, Kristofferson turned to acting. Starting in the early 1970s with films such as "The Last Movie," "Cisco Pike," "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid," and "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore." However, his significant role in his film career was as a washed-up country musician in the 1976 version of "A Star Is Born." He went on to appear in "Semi-Tough," "Convoy," the box office misfire "Heaven's Gate," the 2001 remake of "Planet of the Apes," and the last two "Blade" films. His final movie role was Edwin Fuller in Ethan Hawke's 2018 biopic "Blaze," which focuses on the life of country musician Blaze Foley.

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In Memory of Maggie Smith (1934-2024)

Maggie Smith (1934-2024)

The Oscar-winning British actress Dame Maggie Smith, best known for her roles in the "Harry Potter" film series and "Downton Abbey," has died. She was 89 years old. Her sons, actors Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, announced her passing to the press.

Born on December 28, 1934, in Ilford, Essex, as Margaret Natalie Smith, she was the daughter of a pathologist. The family moved to Oxford as war approached, and young Maggie attended the Oxford School for Girls. Smith began her theatrical career as a prompt girl and understudy at the Oxford Repertory. At one point, she suggested that no one in her company ever got sick, so Smith never performed on stage during her time there. In 1955, her company relocated to a small theatre in London, where she caught the attention of an American producer, Leonard Stillman, who cast her in a revue, New Faces, which opened on Broadway in June 1956. Between 1957 and 1958, Smith held the lead comedian role in the London revue "Share My Lettuce." She soon became a regular at London's Old Vic Theatre.

In 1956, Smith made her first film appearance in an uncredited part in "Child in the House." Two years later, she earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Newcomer for the 1958 melodrama "Nowhere to Go," in which she portrayed a girl who hides an escaped convict. In "The VIPs," Smith almost upstaged Richard Burton in a pivotal scene. Subsequently, in 1963, she received an offer from actor Laurence Olivier to play Desdemona opposite his titular character in the stage version of Othello at the National Theatre. Two years later, she returned for the film adaptation of the play with the original cast, for which Smith received an Academy Award nomination. However, it was in 1969 that she played the role that catapulted her to international fame: the unconventional schoolteacher in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," for which she received an Oscar for Best Actress.

For two more years, the actress continued her association with the National Theatre, including a role as Mrs Sullen in the Restoration comedy "The Beaux' Stratagem" in Los Angeles. She received another Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance as Aunt Augusta in George Cukor's 1972 film "Travels with My Aunt." In 1978, she won a second Academy Award, this time for Best Supporting Actress, for her performance in Neil Simon's "California Suite." She appeared in the ensemble murder-mystery parody "Murder by Death" and the Agatha Christie adaptation "Death on the Nile," as well as its sequel "Evil Under the Sun," both of which starred Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot. By the 1980s, she had a string of unforgettable film roles. She won BAFTAs for "A Private Function" and "A Room with a View," as well as a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for the latter. She also appeared in "Bed Among The Lentils," an episode of Alan Bennett's "Talking Heads" series for the BBC.

In 1990, Smith was awarded the Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire award by the Queen and was known as Dame Maggie Smith. Afterwards, she appeared in Steven Spielberg's "Hook" as the elderly Wendy Darling and played the dismissive Mother Superior opposite Whoopi Goldberg in the two "Sister Act" movies. She also appeared in "The Secret Garden," "Richard III," "The First Wives Club," "Washington Square," and "The Last September."

At the turn of the century, she played Betsey Trotwood in the BBC adaptation of "David Copperfield," for which she received both a BAFTA and an Emmy nomination. In 2001, she achieved worldwide fame at the height of her career when she played her best-known role to date as Professor Minerva McGonagall, the shape-shifting Hogwarts teacher in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." Smith continued to bring her magic to the character in seven more films in the franchise. That same year, she starred in Robert Altman's English country house drama "Gosford Park," which earned her final Oscar nomination. During the shooting of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" in 2007, Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer but recovered after two years of treatment.

She again won acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic for her performance as the sharp-tongued Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, in Julian Fellowes's hit British period drama "Downton Abbey." The show ran for six seasons and won Smith three of her four Emmys, as well as a Golden Globe. It spawned two films, the second of which, released in 2022, marked Smith's last appearance as the beloved character. Over the past several years, she has continued to work, appearing in films like "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," "Quartet," and "The Lady in the Van." Her last film role in 2023 was opposite Kathy Bates and Laura Linney in "The Miracle Club."

Smith was twice married, first to actor Robert Stephens before they divorced in 1974 and again to playwright Beverley Cross, from 1975 until Cross's passing in 1998.

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In Memory of James Earl Jones (1931-2024)

James Earl Jones (1931-2024)

Fellow bloggers and Star Wars fans, I have unfortunate news that will devastate you. The legendary actor James Earl Jones, the iconic voice of Darth Vader, has died. He was 93. His commanding presence has captivated audiences on stage and screen for seven decades. The actor's distinctive, powerful, booming voice left a lasting impression, lending authenticity to his notable roles, such as Vader in the "Star Wars" movie franchise and Mufasa in "The Lion King." I admired him so much that I often imitated his characters and memorised his lines as I thought about becoming a voice actor. For me, it was sad to lose him.

Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, and raised by his mother and grandparents. He had a severe stutter as a child, and he said he spent most of his childhood unable to speak because of it. It was not until his teenage years that Jones developed his famous voice with the help of a high school teacher after overcoming his stammer. It was at the University of Michigan, from which he graduated in 1955 after two years in the army, that Jones discovered his love for acting. In 1957, he made his Broadway debut, after which he embarked on a career as a Shakespearean actor.

His first screen role was as Slim Pickens' young, trim flight crew member in Stanley Kubrick's black comedy "Dr. Strangelove." In 1968, he played boxing champion Jack Johnson in a stage production of "The Great White Hope," which netted him a Tony Award. Two years later, he would reprise the role in the screen adaptation, which later earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. In 1974, he starred in the romantic comedy-drama "Claudine." However, his career changed forever when he became internationally famous as the ominous voice of Darth Vader in "Star Wars." Initially, Jones wasn't the first choice to voice the intimidating Sith Lord. George Lucas considered Orson Welles for the role, as he needed someone with the right sinister voice. However, he decided that Welles was too recognisable and would be a distraction. This role secured him a place in pop culture and made his voice one of the most iconic in the world. He continued voicing the character in subsequent Star Wars movies and the animated TV series "Star Wars Rebels."

Bodybuilder Dave Prowse, who portrayed Darth Vader's physical form and wore the costume, claims he never knew James Earl Jones dubbed over his voice. However, Jones did not want to receive credit for it in the first two films, leaving it until the third. Jones also appeared in notable films like "Conan the Barbarian" (with Arnold Schwarzenegger), "Matewan," "Coming to America" (with Eddie Murphy), "Field of Dreams" (with Kevin Costner), and "The Sandlot," and has a recurring role as Admiral Greer in "The Hunt for Red October," "Patriot Games," and "Clear and Present Danger." In 1994, Jones lent his voice as Mufasa in Disney's animated mega-hit "The Lion King." He would reprise the role 25 years later in the live-action remake, the only actor from the original voice cast to do so.

Jones was also a familiar face on television, playing the older Alex Haley in the miniseries "Roots: The Next Generation," and won one of his two Emmys for the leading role in the US drama "Gabriel's Fire." He was also one of the earliest guest stars of "Sesame Street" and occasionally lent his voice to a few episodes of "The Simpsons." Jones even lent his comedic chops in a guest role as himself in the sitcom "The Big Bang Theory." His voice also became a trademark of the Cable News Network when he recorded the promo "This is CNN" for the network.

In 2011, he received an Honorary Award from the Academy for his work. His last live-action movie was "Coming 2 America," in which Jones reprised his role as King Jaffe Joffe. By 2022, Jones stepped down as Darth Vader and cut a deal with Lucasfilm that allowed the studio to use his voice for the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" miniseries on Disney+. All subsequent roles of Darth Vader will use the Respeecher in this fashion.

Jones, wherever you are, you gave us a memorable voice, and we'll miss you for that. May the force be with you.

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In Memory of Bob Newhart (1929-2024)

Bob Newhart (1929-2024)

On July 18, 2024, legendary comedian and actor Bob Newhart died. He was 94 years old. His publicist confirmed through a statement in a news article that Bob died following a battle with a series of short illnesses. He's most famous for shows like "Newhart" and "The Bob Newhart Show," but over the past 50 years, he's appeared in countless projects.

Originally an accountant who took up comedy, Newhart became famous in the 1960s for his dry observational humour and quirky delivery. In 1961, he won two Grammys for Best New Artist and Album of the Year for his breakout album, "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart," which he recorded over several days in Houston before Newhart had any stand-up experience. He quickly moved on to television, becoming a household name with his own NBC variety series, "The Bob Newhart Show," in 1961, and went on to star in his sitcom, also called "The Bob Newhart Show," on CBS from 1972 to 1978. The actor had another popular sitcom, "Newhart," which lasted from 1982 to 1990.

Newhart has appeared in several movies, including "Catch-22," "In And Out," "Legally Blonde 2," "Elf" (in which he played Will Ferrell's diminutive adoptive father), and "Horrible Bosses." Throughout his career, he received nine Emmy nominations. But it wasn't until 2013 that he won a single acting Emmy for the role of Professor Proton in "The Big Bang Theory" in the Outstanding Guest Actor category. Newhart didn't retire and continued to appear on TV in recent years in "Big Bang" and "Young Sheldon," as well as "Hot in Cleveland" and "The Librarians."

In addition to appearing in films and shows since the '60s, Newhart lends his voice to animated projects, most notably as the voice of Bernard in Disney's "The Rescuers" and its sequel "The Rescuers Down Under," and even a guest spot in an episode of "The Simpsons."

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In Memory of Shelley Duvall (1949-2024)

Shelley Duvall (1949-2024)

Shelley Duvall, the actress best known for her role with Jack Nicholson in "The Shining," has passed away. She was 75 years old.

Duvall attended junior college in her hometown of Houston before being discovered by some of director Robert Altman's crew at a party she was hosting. They brought her to Altman, who cast her as the teen temptress and Astrodome tour guide Suzanne Davis in "Brewster McCloud." Over the years, the childlike actress has worked with Altman, portraying characters in films like a mail-order bride in "McCabe and Mrs. Miller," a woman who has a fling with Keith Carradine's Mississippi bandit in "Thieves Likes Us," the hot-pants-loving L.A. groupie in "Nashville," Mrs. Francis Cleveland, the wife of President Grover Cleveland, in "Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson," and "3 Women." In 1980, Duvall portrayed the iconic comic strip character Olive Oyl, the strong-willed damsel in distress, in Altman's live-action adaptation of "Popeye" opposite Robin Williams. That same year, she co-starred with Jack Nicholson as Wendy Torrance, the tormented wife and mother in Stanley Kubrick's famous movie adaptation of Stephen King's "The Shining." During the making of the film, Kubrick, a well-known perfectionist, was known for being difficult on the actress, with one harrowing scene reportedly shot in 127 takes.

She also starred in "Annie Hall," "Time Bandits," and "Roxanne." In the 1990s, her acting roles dwindled, except for Jane Campion's "The Portrait of a Lady," which picked up the slack. She fell from the public eye in 2002. While on a hiatus from acting, Duvall appeared in an interview on Dr Phil McGraw's talk show in 2016, where she disclosed that she struggled with mental illness. In 2022, after spending two decades away from acting, she returned to star in the horror film "The Forest Hills," which turned out to be her final role.

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