Al Brown , who played Col. Stan Valchek on the hit TV series The Wire , died Friday at 83. His talent manager announced the death on the official Facebook page for the late actor. Brown’s daughter Jenny also told TMZ that her father died in Las Vegas from Alheimer’s disease complications. “I am sad to let you know that angels came for Al yesterday morning, Friday, January 13, 2023,” the Facebook statement said. “May his memory be a blessing to his family, his friends, and each of you. This page will remain as a testimony to Al’s work and love for his fans.” Brown also guest starred on TV shows such as Rescue Me, Forensic Files, Law & Order: SVU, Commander in Chief, and The Hustler .” He also had roles in the films The Replacements, 12 Monkeys, Lay the Favorite,Re d Dragon and Liberty Heights. Before acting, he was a veteran who served two tours in Vietnam. Survivors include his children. No memorial plans have been announced. … [Read more...] about Al Brown Dies: Col. Stan Valchek On ‘The Wire’ Was 83
Al franken
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Fund Backs New Films By Haifaa Al-Mansour, Abderrahmane Sissako, Annemarie Jacir & Cherien Dabis
Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Fund has unveiled its latest round of feature film grantees from the Arab world and Africa. The announcement comes just days after the fund revealed it had boarded French director Maïwenn’s upcoming costume drama Jeanne du Barry starring Johnny Depp, in its first European investment as executive producer. In its latest funding round for Arab and African filmmakers, it is getting behind 36 productions by Saudi, Arab and African filmmakers, 25 in or on the verge of production, 11 in post-production. The 25 production grant winners include upcoming films by established directors such as Abderrahmane Sissako ’s The Perfumed Hill , Haifaa Al-Mansour’s Miss Camel , Annemarie Jacir , Kaouther Ben Hania’s Mime , Cherien Dabis , and Karim Moussaoui’s The Vanishing . The fund has also gotten behind buzzy, emerging talents such as Saudi Arabian filmmaker Sara Mesfer, who is gearing up for her first solo feature Habibi And I In Eden … [Read more...] about Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Fund Backs New Films By Haifaa Al-Mansour, Abderrahmane Sissako, Annemarie Jacir & Cherien Dabis
‘The Wire’ Star Al Brown Dead at 83
Shutterstock Premier Al Brown -- famous from "The Wire" -- has died ... this according to his loved ones. The actor's daughter, Jenny , tells TMZ ... Al passed away Friday in Las Vegas as a result of his Alzheimer's battle. She tells us that before he got into acting in the '90s, he was a 29-year-old Air Force vet who served two tours in Vietnam ... so he served honorably. Jenny also says Al loved fans of his and was happy to stop and chat with anyone who might've recognized him from the show over the years -- noting, he loved his job. Al will best be remembered for playing Col. Stan Valchek in the hit HBO show from the 2000s. In the series, he was a high-ranking Baltimore PD official, often portrayed as somewhat corrupt ... who'd give the main character cops a hard time in their investigations. Valchek was a recurring character in all five seasons of "The Wire," but played a major part in Season 2 ... when he was dealing with dock workers who'd gotten … [Read more...] about ‘The Wire’ Star Al Brown Dead at 83
Al Sharpton Slams Ex-Memphis Cops Accused of Killing Tyre Nichols
TMZ.com Al Sharpton went in on the former Memphis police officers accused of murdering Tyre Nichols , saying the fact the 5 cops are all Black makes the situation even worse. We caught up with the Reverend on Friday outside NBC Studios in NYC ... and he didn't mince words after the release of police body cam footage showing Tyre's deadly assault. Memphis Police Department The Rev told us ... "I want to make it clear: these five officers are Black does not make it less. In fact, it's more egregious that some black cops in a town where MLK gave his life, that's where he was killed, would do this is outrageous." Getty Of course, Al was referring to the fatal shooting of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, TN, on April 4, 1968. James Earl Ray confessed to the murder and died of liver disease in prison. What's more, the Rev said the ex-officers did a disservice to Black people trying to change the justice system from within … [Read more...] about Al Sharpton Slams Ex-Memphis Cops Accused of Killing Tyre Nichols
Starzplay & Image Nation Abu Dhabi Unveil Streamer’s First Arabic Original Series ‘Kaboos’
Starzplay has announced its first Arabic-language original series, created in collaboration with Emirati content powerhouse Image Nation Abu Dhabi . The international streaming service of Starz has a big following in the Middle East and North Africa where its regional offering Starzplay Arabia is available in 19 territories. The new show, called Kaboos , features five standalone episodes and is billed as a modern-day retelling of Arab folklore. It explores urban legends in Saudi Arabia , Kuwait, Egypt and the UAE, across a variety of genres from classic horror stories to noir psychological thrillers. Some of MENA’s hottest rising young directors are attached to the show, including the UAE’s Majid Al Ansari ( Zinzana , Paranormal ) and Hana Kazim ( Makr ) as well as Iraq-born, Abu Dhabi-based Yasir Al Yasiri ( 122 ), Egypt’s Ahmed Khaled ( 30 March ) and Bahraini, U.S.-based director and producer Hala Matar ( Streetcar ). The horror anthology … [Read more...] about Starzplay & Image Nation Abu Dhabi Unveil Streamer’s First Arabic Original Series ‘Kaboos’
AFI Awards Bring Out The Best In The Season; ‘The Whale’ Rising?; Oscar’s Longshots Hoping For A Miracle – Notes On The Season
A column chronicling conversations and events on the awards circuit. AFI president and CEO Bob Gazzale spoke a real truth about the money-making Hollywood awards machine as he opened the proceedings for Friday’s annual AFI Awards honoring the year’s best in movies in television as chosen by a distinguished jury. “This is the only event of its kind where you are informed of your honor and then not asked to pay to attend,” he said. The Top 10 films AFI selected this year include Avatar: The Way of Water, Elvis , Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Fabelmans , Nope , She Said, T á r, Top Gun: Maverick , The Woman King and Women Talking , with an AFI Special Award for The Banshees of Inisherin. On AFI’s top 10 TV list are The Bear , Mo , Pachink o, Severance , Somebody Somewhere, Abbott Elementary, Hacks , Reservation Dogs , Better Call Saul and anthology series The White Lotus. Stars, creatives and executives connected … [Read more...] about AFI Awards Bring Out The Best In The Season; ‘The Whale’ Rising?; Oscar’s Longshots Hoping For A Miracle – Notes On The Season
‘Country Boy Eddie’ Dies: Alabama TV Star Who Gave Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette A Chance Was 92
Gordon Edwards Burns, an Alabama TV personality nicknamed “ Country Boy Eddie ” who was an early supporter of Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Emmy Lou Harris and other budding country superstars, has died at 92. His family confirmed his death but did not provide a cause, saying merely that he died “peacefully at his home” in Warrior, Alabama. Burns was the host of The Country Boy Eddie Show with Country Boy Eddie, a talent showcase for rising stars. The folksy Burns hosted the show from 1957 at age 27 until his retirement in 1993. His family’s statement noted “He was a trailblazer for both the Alabama music and television scenes, and his contributions will continue to live on. The Burns family would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the viewers, fans, musicians, and everyone else who made his life so special.” Burns was akin to New York’s long-running Joe Franklin Show, where guests were treated like superstars even though they had yet to gain widespread acclaim. … [Read more...] about ‘Country Boy Eddie’ Dies: Alabama TV Star Who Gave Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette A Chance Was 92
Martin Scorsese Set For Visual Effects Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award
Martin Scorsese will need to clear a little more space in his crowded trophy case. The Oscar winner is set to receive the Visual Effect Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award during its 18th annual VES Awards in January. “Martin Scorsese is one of the most influential filmmakers in modern history and has made an indelible mark on filmed entertainment,” VES Board Chair Mike Chambers said. “His work is a master class in storytelling, which has brought us some of the most memorable films of all time.” A reminder about that singular filmography, in no particular order: Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Casino, Cape Fear, The Wolf of Wall Street, Hugo, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, Kundun, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Color of Money, Silence, The King of Comedy, Mean Streets, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, The Last Waltz, HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and Best Picture Oscar winner The Departed. Next up for Scorsese is The Irishman, the … [Read more...] about Martin Scorsese Set For Visual Effects Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award
Martin Scorsese To Receive SBIFF’s 14th Annual Kirk Douglas Award For Excellence In Film
Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese, whose latest film is the much-anticipated The Irishman, has been selected to receive the 14th annual Kirk Douglas Award For Excellence In Film from the Santa Barbara International Film Festival . The honor, which benefits SBIFF’s year-round educational programs, will be presented on Thursday November 14 at a Black Tie dinner at the Ritz Carlton Bacara. Since 2006, the annual Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film has been awarded to a lifelong contributor to cinema through their work in front of the camera, behind, or both. Mr. Scorsese will be the fourth Director to receive this prestigious honor, joining the ranks of past honorees Hugh Jackman, Dame Judi Dench, Warren Beatty, Jane Fonda, Jessica Lange, Forest Whitaker, Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Harrison Ford, Quentin Tarantino, Ed Harris, and John Travolta. “Martin Scorsese is a brilliant filmmaker. He has made countless unforgettable films and is a true cinematic … [Read more...] about Martin Scorsese To Receive SBIFF’s 14th Annual Kirk Douglas Award For Excellence In Film
C. Thomas Howell, Annabeth Gish & Forrie J. Smith To Lead Rodeo Crime Pic ‘Ride’
EXCLUSIVE : C. Thomas Howell ( The Outsiders ), Annabeth Gish ( The Haunting of Hill House ) and Forrie J. Smith ( Yellowstone ) are set to play a small-town Texas family of bull riders in crime pic Ride . Writer-actor Jake Allyn’s directorial debut, which was written by Josh Plasse and Allyn ( No Man’s Land ), has a North American theatrical and home entertainment distribution deal with Well Go USA. Set amid amateur rodeo in Stephenville, Texas, a fading town known as the “Cowboy Capital,” the film takes a look at heartland America, the modern cowboy and eight-second miracles. Desperate to raise money for his daughter’s cancer treatment and met with a faceless hospital system that asks for insurance before medical records, former bull rider John Hawkins (Howell) must partner with his estranged son and rising bull rider Peter (Allyn) on a money heist. They get it done in cowboy fashion but are left murderers, with only the eldest retired bull rider in the family, Al … [Read more...] about C. Thomas Howell, Annabeth Gish & Forrie J. Smith To Lead Rodeo Crime Pic ‘Ride’