DOCSLIB.ORG

I Rhoda (Thorndike Press Large Print Biographies Memoirs Series) Online

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
I Rhoda (Thorndike Press Large Print Biographies Memoirs Series) Online kC72h (Mobile ebook) I Rhoda (Thorndike Press Large Print Biographies Memoirs Series) Online [kC72h.ebook] I Rhoda (Thorndike Press Large Print Biographies Memoirs Series) Pdf Free Valerie Harper audiobook | *ebooks | Download PDF | ePub | DOC Download Now Free Download Here Download eBook #4409159 in Books Thorndike Press 2013-05-01Format: Large PrintOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x 1.00 x 5.50l, 1.15 #File Name: 1410457826335 pages | File size: 75.Mb Valerie Harper : I Rhoda (Thorndike Press Large Print Biographies Memoirs Series) before purchasing it in order to gage whether or not it would be worth my time, and all praised I Rhoda (Thorndike Press Large Print Biographies Memoirs Series): 51 of 53 people found the following review helpful. A Life Well Live and Loved...By Ryan FieldI didn't hear about the bio I, Rhoda by Valerie Harper through friends or articles or ads anywhere. I actually happened to pass The Jeff Probst talk show one night in January while surfing through channels and saw Jeff interviewing Valerie Harper. It was the first interview I'd seen Harper give in a long time and I was amazed at how young she looked. I was also amazed at how well the interview went and I've become a fan of Jeff Probst's show as a result.I hadn't planned on reading anymore bios, autobios, or memoirs at that particular time, but as a long time fan of Valerie (and Rhoda) I bought the digital book on Kindle anyway. I know they are advertising this as a memoir, but I thought it was more biography than memoir. I've always thought of memoir as being a certain isolated segment of a person's life. But this book covered Valerie's life from the beginning up until the time she was nominated for a Tony award on Broadway. And that was NOT a disappointment by any means. I'm glad it was more biography because I discovered things about Valerie I never knew...like where she grew up, where she studied, what it was like to work with people like Lucille Ball on Broadway when Ball did the show, Wildcat. So you're getting a lot more with this book than what you might think you are getting from the way it's been promoted in some places.The beginning of the book seems to build up to a pivotal point in Valerie's life: when she landed the part of Rhoda Morgenstern on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Everything that leads up to this point is well-crafted, moves at a nice pace, and it shows how hard Valerie worked to get there. And it really does show; it doesn't just tell...which made it a much nicer...smoother...read than a lot of non-fiction I see nowadays.In the sections of the book where Valerie discusses playing Rhoda, she talks about her relationships with other cast members, her relationship with Mary Tyler Moore, her relationships with staff and crew, and also her personal relationships. But there's nothing too dishy or gossipy about any of this. And that's because I have never heard anyone, anywhere, trash anything about The Mary Tyler Moore Show. They were hard working people who loved what they did and didn't spend their free time looking for attention. From everything I've heard and read and seen, the people who were associated with that show did get along, did love every minute of what they did, and they focused on their craft the entire time. This is also a huge part of the book: Valerie's work ethic. She wasn't just a star. She was a working actress, a business woman, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a wife, and an artist. I don't think I saw the word feminism in this book once, but she's a good example of what feminism is all about.After a great run as Rhoda, both on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and on her own sitcom, Rhoda, Valerie winds down this section of the book with bittersweet comments about how lucky she was to have had this experience and how thankful she was to have been part of something so wonderful. You really feel her gratitude and the love she had for the character of Rhoda. But it doesn't end there, Valerie then moves the reader forward with the rest of her life and talks about how she moves forward as an actress, an artist, and a woman.I found the section about her experiences with the TV sitcom in the 80's, Valerie, honest and up front. I do remember that show well, and I was a huge fan of it. I'd read a lot about the dispute between Valerie and the producers, but never actually heard Valerie's point of view about what happened and how she wound up leaving a show with her own name on it. And after reading this book I have a better understanding about what happened and how it affected Valerie, too. As a side note, I'd like to add one thing to this that Valerie didn't mention in the book because she's far too nice a person. Whenever there's a hit TV show and producers don't want to pay the star more...or even negotiate for better terms...it never ends well for the TV show itself. Think Delta Burke in Designing Women...or Suzanne Somers in Three's Company. They were all different circumstances, and yet the end result turned out the same for each TV show. Once the main star leaves the show fails. I stopped watching Valerie the moment Valerie Harper wasn't on anymore. The revised show, The Hogan Family, wasn't entertaining. I also stopped watching Designing Women the moment Delta Burke wasn't on anymore. And that's just the way it is. Stars like Valerie Harper have that extra special thing that can't be replaced no matter how hard producers try. Some things in life just can't be replaced or duplicated.In any event, I was just finishing the book when I learned about Valerie's recent cancer diagnosis. I was right at the part where she had to battle lung cancer in 2009, and I was marveling at how brave she was and how well she handled it. For Valerie to come through that ordeal seemed like such a happy ending for a bio, and then I heard about the most recent brain cancer she's now just beginning to deal with. From what I've read so far, she's dealing with this cancer just like she's handled all the things I read about her life in this book, with strength, pragmatism, honesty, and love. I think that's what I liked most about the book, all the love I read between the lines. It's truly a book about an honorable life well lived and loved, from beginning to end. And I would recommend it to anyone without thinking twice.38 of 40 people found the following review helpful. Rhoda (a/k/a Valerie Harper)By Joe AlbaneseFew people in the entertainment field can be so directly related to one, particular character that many celebs are afraid of this dubious honor. Vivian Vance (who appeared on RHODA) was one who constantly warned, "Use you real first name" as people always thought of her as Ethel from "I Love Lucy".But Ms. Harper has managed to embellish the direct relationship between herself and Rhoda Morgenstern without any regrets. Nor has it hampered the woman. Having enjoyed her on both The Mary Tyler Moore show and Rhoda, it was with more than a dollop of surprise that I was fascinated with her portrayal of Tallulah Bankhead in LOOPED during its all-too-brief run on Broadway.In I, RHOADA, Valerie Harper tells the story of her life. There are no regrets, bad mouthing or slanderous chapters here. It is told in an honest, upfront and highly amusing way.This is a hugely entertaining read that follows the woman from childhood, through dance and ballet classes, Broadway, a bit part in a movie or two and then straight up to The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Storybook Theater with Paul Sills.But this is also the tale of another side of Ms. Harper - the ultimate humanitarian. Without being preachy, she details the importance of getting involved in social issues - and she leads by example. Not only is she an Emmy winning actress but also somebody who has set her sights on saving the planet and the people on it. Read the book and you will be sure that such a wonderful, determined, warm and passionate person as Ms. Harper can certainly do that. And more.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Excruciatingly PleasantBy James T. GrattanExcruciatingly pleasant. Ms. Harper writes like she's making small talk during a commercial break from selling brick-a-brak on a home shopping network. It's as if she's vetted every single story through a team of lawyers from some law firm where the only requirement is the mundane. Everyone was "attractive", "talented and so generous." So the reader is left with such riveting surprising anecdotes as "we were filming in front of my former gynecologist's office!" (And that was one of her more exciting tidbits.) The book finally hits its stride when the author talks about her court case involving being fired from her sitcom.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • I Love Lucy, That Girl, and Changing Gender Norms on and Off Screen
    Oberlin Digital Commons at Oberlin Honors Papers Student Work 2018 I Love Lucy, That Girl, and Changing Gender Norms On and Off Screen Emilia Anne De Leo Oberlin College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/honors Part of the History Commons Repository Citation De Leo, Emilia Anne, "I Love Lucy, That Girl, and Changing Gender Norms On and Off Screen" (2018). Honors Papers. 148. https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/honors/148 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Work at Digital Commons at Oberlin. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Papers by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons at Oberlin. For more information, please contact [email protected]. I Love Lucy, That Girl, and Changing Gender Norms On and Off Screen, 1951-71 Emilia Anne De Leo Candidate for Honors in History at OBerlin College Professor Clayton Koppes, Advisor Spring, 2018 2 Acknowledgements There are many people who have helped me immensely throughout the thesis writing process. I would like to thank my thesis advisor Professor Clayton Koppes for all the insight as well as moral support that he has provided me Both while writing this thesis and throughout my time here at OBerlin. I would also like to thank my thesis readers Professors Danielle Terrazas Williams and Shelley Lee for their comments on drafts. In addition, I want to thank the thesis seminar advisor Professor Leonard Smith for his assistance and for fostering a productive and kind environment in the thesis seminar. I owe many thanks to my fellow honors thesis colleagues as well.
    [Show full text]
  • “Hot in Cleveland” Airs 100Th Episode on Wednesday, August 27Th
    “HOT IN CLEVELAND” AIRS 100TH EPISODE ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27TH New York, NY – August 26, 2014 – TV Land’s hit sitcom “Hot in Cleveland,” starring Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and Betty White, is hitting a huge milestone with its 100th taped episode, entitled “Win, Win,” airing on Wednesday, August 27th at 10pm ET/PT. “Win, Win” will see a big night for the Clevelanders – Elka (White), who is at the finish line for her City Council election, and Victoria (Malick), who is up for an Academy Award at long last, with Joy (Leeves) and Melanie (Bertinelli) in tow. The episode also guest stars Debra Monk (“Damages”) as Melanie’s mother and Georgia Engel, back as Elka’s best friend Mamie Sue. “When we first pulled together this group of extraordinary women and saw their chemistry, we knew it had everything we wanted for our first original sitcom,” said Larry W. Jones, President of TV Land. “Before ‘Hot in Cleveland,’ there hadn’t been a comedy in decades that explored life’s funny moments for women over 40, and now in just four short years, we’ve reached 100 episodes and have fans of all ages tuning in every week. We couldn’t be prouder and more excited for the cast, crew and all the people who worked so hard to get ‘Hot in Cleveland’ to this landmark occasion.” “Hot in Cleveland,” currently in its fifth season and in production on its sixth, has seen some amazing guest stars over the past four years, ranging from Chris Colfer, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jennifer Love Hewitt to Carol Burnett, Carl Reiner and a full reunion of the female cast of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” – Mary Tyler Moore, Cloris Leachman, Valerie Harper, Georgia Engel, and of course, series star Betty White.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Duncanville' Is A
    Visit Our Showroom To Find The Perfect Lift Bed For You! February 14 - 20, 2020 2 x 2" ad 300 N Beaton St | Corsicana | 903-874-82852 x 2" ad M-F 9am-5:30pm | Sat 9am-4pm milesfurniturecompany.com FREE DELIVERY IN LOCAL AREA WA-00114341 The animated, Amy Poehler- T M O T H U Q Z A T T A C K P Your Key produced 2 x 3" ad P U B E N C Y V E L L V R N E comedy R S Q Y H A G S X F I V W K P To Buying Z T Y M R T D U I V B E C A N and Selling! “Duncanville” C A T H U N W R T T A U N O F premieres 2 x 3.5" ad S F Y E T S E V U M J R C S N Sunday on Fox. G A C L L H K I Y C L O F K U B W K E C D R V M V K P Y M Q S A E N B K U A E U R E U C V R A E L M V C L Z B S Q R G K W B R U L I T T L E I V A O T L E J A V S O P E A G L I V D K C L I H H D X K Y K E L E H B H M C A T H E R I N E M R I V A H K J X S C F V G R E N C “War of the Worlds” on Epix Bargain Box (Words in parentheses not in puzzle) Bill (Ward) (Gabriel) Byrne Aliens Place your classified Classified Merchandise Specials Solution on page 13 Helen (Brown) (Elizabeth) McGovern (Savage) Attack ad in the Waxahachie Daily Light, Merchandise High-End 2 x 3" ad Catherine (Durand) (Léa) Drucker Europe Midlothian Mirror and Ellis Mustafa (Mokrani) (Adel) Bencherif (Fight for) Survival County Trading1 Post! x 4" ad Deal Merchandise Word Search Sarah (Gresham) (Natasha) Little (H.G.) Wells Call (972) 937-3310 Run a single item Run a single item priced at $50-$300 priced at $301-$600 for only $7.50 per week for only $15 per week 6 lines runs in The Waxahachie Daily Light, ‘Duncanville’ is a new Midlothian Mirror and Ellis County Trading2 x 3.5" Post ad and online at waxahachietx.com All specials are pre-paid.
    [Show full text]
  • 2018 Annual Report
    Annual Report 2018 Dear Friends, welcome anyone, whether they have worked in performing arts and In 2018, The Actors Fund entertainment or not, who may need our world-class short-stay helped 17,352 people Thanks to your generous support, The Actors Fund is here for rehabilitation therapies (physical, occupational and speech)—all with everyone in performing arts and entertainment throughout their the goal of a safe return home after a hospital stay (p. 14). nationally. lives and careers, and especially at times of great distress. Thanks to your generous support, The Actors Fund continues, Our programs and services Last year overall we provided $1,970,360 in emergency financial stronger than ever and is here for those who need us most. Our offer social and health services, work would not be possible without an engaged Board as well as ANNUAL REPORT assistance for crucial needs such as preventing evictions and employment and training the efforts of our top notch staff and volunteers. paying for essential medications. We were devastated to see programs, emergency financial the destruction and loss of life caused by last year’s wildfires in assistance, affordable housing, 2018 California—the most deadly in history, and nearly $134,000 went In addition, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS continues to be our and more. to those in our community affected by the fires and other natural steadfast partner, assuring help is there in these uncertain times. disasters (p. 7). Your support is part of a grand tradition of caring for our entertainment and performing arts community. Thank you Mission As a national organization, we’re building awareness of how our CENTS OF for helping to assure that the show will go on, and on.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Perfect Fit': Industrial Strategies, Textual Negotiations and Celebrity
    ‘Perfect Fit’: Industrial Strategies, Textual Negotiations and Celebrity Culture in Fashion Television Helen Warner Submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) University of East Anglia School of Film and Television Studies Submitted July 2010 ©This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with the author and that no quotation from the thesis, nor any information derived therefrom, may be published without the author's prior, written consent. Helen Warner P a g e | 2 ABSTRACT According to the head of the American Costume Designers‟ Guild, Deborah Nadoolman Landis, fashion is emphatically „not costume‟. However, if this is the case, how do we approach costume in a television show like Sex and the City (1998-2004), which we know (via press articles and various other extra-textual materials) to be comprised of designer clothes? Once onscreen, are the clothes in Sex and the City to be interpreted as „costume‟, rather than „fashion‟? To be sure, it is important to tease out precise definitions of key terms, but to position fashion as the antithesis of costume is reductive. Landis‟ claim is based on the assumption that the purpose of costume is to tell a story. She thereby neglects to acknowledge that the audience may read certain costumes as fashion - which exists in a framework of discourses that can be located beyond the text. This is particularly relevant with regard to contemporary US television which, according to press reports, has witnessed an emergence of „fashion programming‟ - fictional programming with a narrative focus on fashion.
    [Show full text]
  • The Personal Branding of Lucille Ball Honors Thesis
    BLAZING THE TRAILS: THE PERSONAL BRANDING OF LUCILLE BALL HONORS THESIS Presented to the Honors College of Texas State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Graduation in the Honors College by Sarah L. Straka San Marcos, Texas December, 2016 BLAZING THE TRAILS: THE PERSONAL BRANDING OF LUCILLE BALL by Sarah L. Straka Thesis Supervisor: ________________________________ Dr. Raymond Fisk, Ph.D. Department of Marketing Approved: _________________________________ Heather C. Galloway, Ph.D. Dean, Honors College TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT……………………………………………….…………..…………………iv CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………….….…….1 II. CHILDHOOD………………………………………………………….……...1 III. REBEL………………………………………………………………….….…4 IV. LEADER……………………………………………………...……….....….14 V. ICON……………………………………………………………...………..…17 VI. CONCLUSION……………………………………….............................….18 REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………..........20 CHRONOLOGICAL TIME LINE OF LUCILLE BALL…………………...…..........…21 iii ABSTRACT The extraordinary Lucille Ball was the most loved and iconic television comedian of her time. She was an American icon and the first lady of television during the 1950s. Not only did Lucille Ball provide laughter to millions of people, but Lucille Ball gave women a voice and America heard what she had to say. She showed women they can be accepted, and be in a position both on television and in the working world where they can be strong and independent. She was a leader and set an example for women and showed society that women have a voice to be heard and will be successful, when given the opportunity. Lucille Ball managed her career and created her personal brand by beating all obstacles that were laid in front of her and test boundaries, which lead her to become an entrepreneurial success. Lucille Ball blazed the trails for many women, on and off stage.
    [Show full text]
  • December 31, 2017 - January 6, 2018
    DECEMBER 31, 2017 - JANUARY 6, 2018 staradvertiser.com WEEKEND WAGERS Humor fl ies high as the crew of Flight 1610 transports dreamers and gamblers alike on a weekly round-trip fl ight from the City of Angels to the City of Sin. Join Captain Dave (Dylan McDermott), head fl ight attendant Ronnie (Kim Matula) and fl ight attendant Bernard (Nathan Lee Graham) as they travel from L.A. to Vegas. Premiering Tuesday, Jan. 2, on Fox. Join host, Lyla Berg, as she sits down with guests Meet the NEW SHOW WEDNESDAY! who share their work on moving our community forward. people SPECIAL GUESTS INCLUDE: and places Mike Carr, President & CEO, USS Missouri Memorial Association that make Steve Levins, Executive Director, Office of Consumer Protection, DCCA 1st & 3rd Wednesday Dr. Lynn Babington, President, Chaminade University Hawai‘i olelo.org of the Month, 6:30pm Dr. Raymond Jardine, Chairman & CEO, Native Hawaiian Veterans Channel 53 special. Brandon Dela Cruz, President, Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii ON THE COVER | L.A. TO VEGAS High-flying hilarity Winners abound in confident, brash pilot with a soft spot for his (“Daddy’s Home,” 2015) and producer Adam passengers’ well-being. His co-pilot, Alan (Amir McKay (“Step Brothers,” 2008). The pair works ‘L.A. to Vegas’ Talai, “The Pursuit of Happyness,” 2006), does with the company’s head, the fictional Gary his best to appease Dave’s ego. Other no- Sanchez, a Paraguayan investor whose gifts By Kat Mulligan table crew members include flight attendant to the globe most notably include comedic TV Media Bernard (Nathan Lee Graham, “Zoolander,” video website “Funny or Die.” While this isn’t 2001) and head flight attendant Ronnie the first foray into television for the produc- hina’s Great Wall, Rome’s Coliseum, (Matula), both of whom juggle the needs and tion company, known also for “Drunk History” London’s Big Ben and India’s Taj Mahal demands of passengers all while trying to navi- and “Commander Chet,” the partnership with C— beautiful locations, but so far away, gate the destination of their own lives.
    [Show full text]
  • On the Purple Circuit with Bill Kaiser Volume 11, Number 4 the JEFFREY SOLOMON / MARJORIE CONN ISSUE
    On The Purple Circuit With Bill Kaiser Volume 11, Number 4 THE JEFFREY SOLOMON / MARJORIE CONN ISSUE Welcome to On the Purple Circuit! Our informal network exists to encourage, promote, and and Ragged Blade and Chris Jackson from St. Louis and the celebrate GLBQT Theatre and Performance throughout rest of the shows preceding my arrival. Again, I want to the world! congratulate Frank Barnhart for his achievement and for letting me become a part of it. The Festival will be back in This is The Jeffrey Solomon/Marjorie Conn Issue. They were 2004, so contact [email protected] Meanwhile, Frank is NYC two of the many stars that performed at The Columbus directing MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE and Dale Gregory is National Gay and Lesbian Theatre Festival that I was able to directing THE EIGHT- THE REINDEER MONOLOGUES for attend part of in September. The entire Festival was ran with Act Out Productions in Columbus. a great degree of organization, professionalism, and community support. Kudos to Frank Barnhart and Act Out Sadly, I have some tragic losses to report. Pioneer Productions, publicist Dale Gregory, and their entire staff! playwright Sidney Morris has died in NYC. He was the author Truly this can be a model of how to run a festival of more than 50 plays including IF THIS ISN'T LOVE, and successfully. Audiences numbered more than 4,000 during many other wonderful plays some of which remain to be the ten-day festival with 24 productions to see. It was a feast produced. Arrangements for a memorial service are still of talent for the theatre patron! pending at this time.
    [Show full text]
  • Psych Film Paper (Honors Project #1).Doc.Docx
    Name:_______________________________ Block:____ Date:___________________ PSYCHOLOGY: ANALYTICAL RESEARCH PAPER Objective – Compare & contrast the real effects of the psychological disorder(s) shown in the film. DIRECTIONS: In this assignment you will choose one film related to Psychology and complete a well- developed analytical research paper, based on both the film of your choice, and a profile of the psychological disorder(s) depicted in the film. Pay close attention while taking notes during the film to help you with both assignments. You will also do in depth research on your films topic online to see how the actual events compare to the film. Your paragraphs should correspond to the format below. Format: 1. Introduction with a thesis statement. 2. After viewing the film describe what the movie is about. What is the key plot in the film? Who are the characters in the film? 3. Explain how the psychological disorder(s) in the film are accurately and/or inaccurately portrayed in the film through your in depth online research. 4. Describe (in depth) the causes/effects and other related information associated with the disorder. 5. Conclusion. Explain your own opinion of the film. Would you recommend it? Why or why not? Additional Requirements: 1. Notes taken during movie 2. 3 full pages, MLA format 3. Typed, double spaced, 12 font, Times New Roman, 1 inch margins 4. Well written with proper grammar, spelling etc. 5. Well researched with accurate information 6. Works cited page (minimum of 3 online sources) 7. Presentation of Paper Parental Advisory – Some films on this list are Rated R and need parental permission.
    [Show full text]
  • Marge Simpson (P=0.858966) Fuzzy Lookup: Marge (D=0), Margay (D=2), Margaz (D=2) List of Supporting Harry Potter Characters Marge (Cartoonist) Marge Burns
    YodaQA Technology Outline ● Factoid QA & YodaQA ● YodaQA Architecture: ○ Question Analysis ○ Database Search ○ Answer Scoring Factoid QA & YodaQA Factoid QA Extension of search, but: ● naturally phrased question instead of keywords ● output is not a whole document, but just the snippet of information Ideal for voice: ● people ask in whole sentences ● we reply with just what the user needs to know Our work in QA Medialab / eClub Petr Baudiš + several undergrad students (→ ~24 man-months) Jan Pichl YodaQA: ● universal end-to-end QA pipeline with basic functionality ● research vehicle for more advanced strategies ● machine learning instead of hardcoded rules ● Java, Apache UIMA, Apache Solr, RDF/SPARQL ● proof-of-concept web+mobile interface, public live demo Factoid QA Datasets Text data (unstructured): initial focus Wikipedia, websites NLP, information extraction problem Databases (RDF graph): current work, today’s topic DBpedia (Wikipedia infoboxes) Freebase (Google Knowledge Graph) → movie questions Synthesis is possible (and done!) YodaQA Operation Principles ● Question Analysis ● Database Search ● Generate many candidate answers ● Answer Typing & Scoring Question Analysis Who played Marge Example in The Simpsons? NLP Analysis Output: linguistic representation of the question ● OpenNLP segmenter ● StanfordParser (pos + dependencies + constituents) ● LanguageTool lemmatizer ● OpenNLP NER off-the-shelf models: person, place, date, … NLP Analysis Who played Marge in The Simpsons? c ROOT null [Who played Marge in The Simpsons?] c SBARQ null [Who played Marge in The Simpsons?] c WHNP null [Who] t WP who [Who] c SQ null [played Marge in The Simpsons] c VP null [played Marge in The Simpsons] t VBD play [played] c NP null [Marge] t NNP Marge [Marge] c PP null [in The Simpsons] t IN in [in] c NP null [The Simpsons] t DT the [The] t NNP Simpsons [Simpsons] t .
    [Show full text]
  • Lucille Ball, 1911-1989: Funniest Woman on TV
    19 May 2012 | MP3 at voaspecialenglish.com Lucille Ball, 1911-1989: Funniest Woman on TV MARY TILLOTSON: This is Mary Tillotson. STEVE EMBER: And this is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English program PEOPLE IN AMERICA. Today, we tell about the much-loved performer Lucille Ball. Her famous television series “I Love Lucy” was first broadcast in nineteen fifty- one. MARY TILLOTSON: The “I Love Lucy” show was a huge success. It was the most popular television show of the nineteen fifties. The kind of television program Ms. Ball helped develop is called a situation comedy. Some television experts give her credit for inventing this kind of series. Today, some of the most popular television programs in America are situation comedies. STEVE EMBER: One reason for the great popularity of “I Love Lucy” may have been its real-life connection with Ms. Ball’s family. On the show, she was Lucy, the wife of Ricky Ricardo, a Cuban musician. Ricky was played by band leader Desi Arnaz, who was Lucille Ball’s husband in real life. The show combined issues common to the life of married people living in the city with musical performances and comic theater. Often, a show would include a part with Mister Arnaz acting seriously while Ms. Ball added a funny element. In the following piece, Mister Arnaz tries to sing normally and Ms. Ball adds the comedy. MARY TILLOTSON: Also on the “I Love Lucy” show were Vivian Vance and William Frawley. Ms. Vance played Ethel Mertz and Mister Frawley played Ethel’s husband, Fred Mertz.
    [Show full text]
  • Honorary Entertainment Industry Board
    Honorary Entertainment Industry Board The Survivor Mitzvah Project’s Honorary Entertainment Industry Board, along with other artists from stage, screen, and the music industry, donates their time and talents to bring public awareness to the mission of The Survivor Mitzvah Project – to bring emergency aid to the last survivors of the Holocaust in Eastern Europe. EDWARD ASNER – Versatile, committed, eloquent and talented are all adjectives that describe Edward Asner. Best known for his comedic and dramatic crossover as the gruff but soft-hearted journalist Lou Grant, a role he originated on the landmark TV comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Show and continued in the drama Lou Grant, for which he won 5 Emmys and three Golden Globes, he received 2 more Emmy and Golden Globes for Rich Man, Poor Man and Roots. His career demonstrates a consummate ability to transcend the line between comedy and drama. One of the most honored actors in the history of television, Mr. Asner has 7 Emmy Awards and 16 nominations, as well as 5 Golden Globes. He served as National President of SAG and received the Guild’s Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment and was inducted into the TV Academy Hall of Fame. He has advocated for human rights, world peace, environmental preservation and political freedom, receiving the Anne Frank Human Rights Award, among other honors. With more than 100 TV credits, his films include Fort Apache the Bronx, JFK and Elf, and he was the lead voice in UP!, which won two Golden Globes and two Academy Awards. Presently Mr.
    [Show full text]