city Moore, county Tyler: Last News

Brent Lang Executive Editor To get the chance to make a movie of Judy Blume’s “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” producer James L. Brooks and writer and director Kelly Fremon Craig made the pilgrimage to the beloved author’s home in Key West, Fla. “I spent most of our time with Judy warning her about Hollywood and all the things it will do to you — basically, I warned her about folks like me,” says Brooks, the Oscar-winning director of “Terms of Endearment” and the co-creator of “The Simpsons” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Blume chose not to heed the admonition. By the end of their sit-down, Brooks, Craig and Blume’s husband George were all hugging. The film rights were theirs. It turns out Brooks and Craig had an ace up their sleeve: Blume had loved their collaboration “The Edge of Seventeen,” a sensitively drawn look at a teenager navigating the minefield of high school while processing her dad’s death. It’s a coming-of-age tale that’s similar to “Are You There God?,” which depicts the challenges and mortifications of being on the cusp of puberty. On April 28, fans of the book will get to see how successfully Craig, Brooks and their collaborators pulled it off when the Lionsgate release opens in theaters.

Charna Flam Veteran publicity executive Robert Crutchfield died April 7 in Rancho Mirage, Calif., after a prolonged illness. He was 85. Crutchfield began his career in Hollywood in 1959 as a contract player for 20th Century Fox after he left his job as KXYZ-ABC Radio’s youngest on-air radio DJ at the Houston station. Quickly thereafter in 1963, he was laid off after the studio neared bankruptcy due to the “Cleopatra” production. Crutchfield then switched over to MGM as an office boy and then publicist for the studio. By 1974, he moved to MTM Enterprises, serving as the VP of marketing and publicity, where he handled “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “WKRP In Cincinnati,” “The Bob Newhart Show,” “Lou Grant, “Phyllis,” “Rhoda,” “The White Shadow” and many more.

Dick Van Dyke suffered minor injuries after he crashed his car into a gate on Wednesday (March 15).

Marc Malkin Senior Film Awards, Events & Lifestyle Editor Welcome to this week’s “Just for Variety.” Ever since I broke the news that is playing Madame Morrible in Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked” movies, she has been saying that the films will mark her singing debut. However, Yeoh’s biggest fans have posted videos on social media of her showing off her vocal chops while singing the theme song of her 1993 movie “Butterfly and Sword.” Yeoh laughed when I brought it up at the Mandarin Oriental-hosted dinner in honor of her Oscar nomination for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” “That was so many years ago in Taiwan,” she said. At the time, she asked the song’s lyricist to make things simple for her. “I said to him, ‘I don’t sing, and I don’t speak Mandarin. Can you please not have many words?’” Yeoh recalled. “But then the first time he showed me, I was like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me!’”

Owners of the nearly century-old Radford Studio Center, also known as the CBS Studio Center, have unveiled revamp plans for the storied facility — an estimated $1 billion for modern sound stages, production and support offices, sustainability measures, historic preservation and a transportation infrastructure. 

Take a seat! David Letterman has made his name as a popular comedian and late-night TV host.

live performance on “The Masked Singer” — spoke out about defying the aging process in an interview with Yahoo, saying there are four things that help him maintain his youthful vigor. Van Dyke first credited his good genes for the fact he feels fabulous at the age of 97. Secondly, the actor said that his 51-year-old wife, Arlene Silver, was instrumental in helping him feel young.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Weigel Broadcasting Co. is flipping its digital broadcast network Decades into the sitcom-centric Catchy Comedy on March 27, Variety has learned exclusively. The over-the-air network will focus on a library of classic comedies, with an emphasis on key female stars including the signature shows from Lucille Ball, Mary Tyler Moore and Carol Burnett. But also central to the Catchy Comedy lineup are key series from Norman Lear, as well as some of the most lauded sitcoms of all time – including the original “Night Court,” which is back in the spotlight thanks to the success of the revival series on NBC. Unlike Decades, which wasn’t measured by ratings, Catchy Comedy will be Nielsen-rated. “That takes it into a different sphere, in terms of advertiser availability and access,” said Neal Sabin, vice-chairman of Weigel Broadcasting Co. “There are many advertisers that won’t look at these networks unless they’re rated and we’re pretty confident that we have something here that will rate well.”

Fifth Season, the company formerly known as Endeavor Content, is bulking up its non-scripted and documentary business.

Producer Stephen C. Grossman, who worked in the entertainment industry for 35 years, including eight as coordinating producer on the comedy hit Newhart, has died. He passed away on Wednesday from coronavirus complications, his family confirmed. He was 76 years old.

Murder, She Wrote actor Ron Masak died at 86 on Thursday from natural causes, according to his family.Masak portrayed the role of Sheriff Mort Metzger on the show, whose leading lady Angela Lansbury died earlier this month at the age of 96.Masak was surrounded by his family, including six children and his wife Kay, when he died on Thursday, the statement read, according to Variety.  The latest: Murder, She Wrote actor Ron Masak died at 86 on Thursday from natural causes, according to his family. He was pictured in Burbank earlier this year The actor, who was born in Chicago, had honed his craft at Chicago City College and debuted in 1954 with the Drama Guild.He appeared on a number of prominent TV shows of the 1960s and 70s, such as The Twilight Zone, Get Smart, I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Wonder Woman.

Michael Callan, the versatile actor who appeared in everything from broad comedies such as Cat Ballou to the original Broadway production of West Side Story to frothy romances like Gidget Goes Hawaiian and virtually every hit TV show of the ’70s and ’80s has died, according to a Deadline source. He was 86.

The late great Betty White's personal property - estimated to be worth around $2M - will be auctioned off this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Julien's Auctions Beverly Hills.Among the 1,500 lots of the national treasure's belongings includes her jewelry, gowns, home furnishings, artwork, awards, scripts, and other memorabilia left at her homes in Brentwood and Carmel.Golden Girls fans can bid on Betty's original director chair and the series finale scripts signed by her, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, Estelle Getty, and guest star Leslie Nielsen. Going, going, gone! The late great Betty White's personal property - estimated to be worth around $2M - will be auctioned off this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Julien's Auctions Beverly HillsThe Mary Tyler Moore Show fans can try to nab a framed picture of the entire cast with a plaque engraved 'Betty' with a handwritten note from Mary Tyler Moore and Grant Tinker.Julien's Auctions has White's Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement award, her 1994 Television Academy Hall of Fame award, and her 2015 People’s Choice Award for 'Favorite Icon.' There are also more personal items from the eight-time Emmy winner's 18-year marriage to third husband Allen Lunden, such as their gold leaf design wedding bands.There's several gowns up for auction including Betty's black-and-gold Mignon dress she wore to the Emmy Awards in 1989 as well as her taupe lace-and-satin dress she wore to the Emmy Awards in 1990.

EJ Panaligan editor Iliza Shlesinger’s latest comedy special with Netflix titled “Hot Forever” — her sixth for the streamer — has set a release date for October 11. The special was filmed at the Connor Palace in Cleveland this past July. The special was directed by Steven Paley, with Shlesinger serving as executive producer alongside Kara Baker and David Martin. Her previous specials with Netflix include 2019’s “Unveiled,” 2018’s “Elder Millennial,” 2016’s “Confirmed Kills,” 2015’s “Freezing Hot” and 2013’s “War Paint.” Also in today’s television news: Bravo’s “Winter House” is set to premiere its second season on the network on Thursday, October 13 at 9 p.m. PT/ET.

Longtime TV character actor Richard Roat has died at the age of 89.The star passed away 'suddenly' on August 5 in Orange County, California, according to his obituary published by The Los Angeles Times.'His greatest love was his family, with whom he shared his incredible sense of humor, intelligence, and unmatched zest for life,' Roat's family wrote in his obituary. Roat had over 135 acting roles. He was best known for his parts on the TV shows Friends and Seinfeld but he also popped up in The Golden Girls (once as the boyfriend of Betty White's character) as well as Happy Days, Dallas, Cheers, Murphy Brown and Dynasty.  Sad loss for Hollywood: Longtime TV character actor Richard Roat has died at the age of 89.

Richard Roat, a character actor with 130-plus credits spanning nearly a half-century who appeared in many of TV’s biggest shows including Seinfeld, Friends, Cheers, Murphy Brown, Dallas, Hawaii Five-O and Happy Days, has died. He was 89.

A Golden Girl with a golden marriage. Betty White died just weeks before her 100th birthday, but the iconic actress had enough love to last her two lifetimes.

Torn Curtain, Alfred Hitchcock’s mediocre 1966 Cold War thriller starring Andrews as a woman hunting for her atomic scientist husband, portrayed by Paul Newman, who has defected behind the Iron Curtain. (8/6, 8/8-11)The zippy, zany Thoroughly Modern Millie, George Roy Hill’s romantic musical spoof set in Roaring Twenties comes next.

Pat Carroll, the actress known for voicing the underwater villain Ursula in Disney's animated tale, "The Little Mermaid," died on July 30. She was 95.

J. Kim Murphy Pat Carroll, a veteran actress known for her voice role as Ursula in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” and whose career as an entertainer spanned seven decades, died Saturday in Cape Cod, Mass.

Bob Saget both touched several generations of fans thanks to their comedy work, the former notably in Golden Girls  and The Mary Tyler Moore Show and the latter in Full House. So, of course, when both comedy icons passed away earlier this year there was much mourning from the fans, who have then expected to see these icons during In Memoriam tributes. Only both Betty White and Bob Saget have already been passed over at awards ceremonies this year.