I'm here in Palm Springs where I promised friends this afternoon that my blogging was done for the day. But after getting back from dinner at El Mirasol, I checked email real quick and a reader emailed me about the death of Alice Ghostley, an actress with many, many credits but who any "Designing Women" fan knows as the loveable and loopy Bernice Clifton who appeared in a total of 24 episodes of the show over seven seasons.
She was 81.
Readers of this blog know how I feel about "Designing Women," one of my favorite sitcoms of all time with writing and acting so superb that I have seen each episode again and again and again.
One of Ghostley's last public appearances came a couple of years ago when the original cast of "Designing Women" had their first reunion in 15 years (pictured, right) and the actress was clearly quite frail by then. But she was there and the love the cast and show creator Linda Bloodworth had for her was clear.
I remember so many of the Alice Ghostley episodes so well because when Bernice was around, she made herself noticed! She had an "arterial flow" problem that basically gave her license to say whatever she wanted to say. Bernice was the best friend of Julia and Suzanne's mother (Dixie Carter and Delta Burke) so the women on the show along with Anthony, became her surrogate family after the mother moves to Japan.
The character would pop in on a semi-regular basis and after Burke and Jean Smart left the show following season five, Ghostley was made a regular for its last two seasons. My favorite Bernice episode - ever - was the time she actually WORE the Christmas tree skirt Mary Jo (Annie Potts) gave her. She was home drinking egg nog and getting a little buzzed when she found out Charlene (Smart) had gone into labor. She doesn't have a ride because of a snowstorm so she calls an ambulance!
Funny stuff, and one of MANY laugh out loud moments.

Related posts:
- A night with the Designing Women Pt. 1 and Pt. 2

I'll miss Ghostley the most because of this show but I remember her as nervous supernatural maid Esmeralda on "Bewitched." But I was just looking on a "Designing Women" site that lists her movie, TV and stage credits. Here are some of them: Her big break came singing "The Boston Beguine" in the now legendary Broadway production of Leonard Sillman's New Faces of 1952 --- which made her an overnight sensation along with Eartha Kitt and Paul Lynde. This led to starring roles in numerous Broadway musicals including her Tony-nominated role in "The Beauty Part," "Shangri-La," "Living the Life," "Sandhog," "Trouble in Tahiti" and the role of Miss Hannigan in "Annie." Her plays include roles in "Maybe Tuesday," "Thurber Carnival," "The House of Blue Leaves," and her Tony winning role in "The Sign in Brustein's Window."
Films roles included "To Kill a Mockingbird," "The Flim-Flam Man," "The Graduate," and "Grease."
The actress was married to actor Felice Orlandi for over 50 years, the two made their home in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles until his passing in May, 2003.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 9:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I've already seen the season premiere of "Brothers & Sisters" and it has Kevin (Matthew Rhys) in domestic bliss with the senator's brother who he was seen kissing in the pantry in the season finale. I don't want to give it all away but I think it's safe to say that things change for the couple at some point. Perhaps this is where the adorable Scotty (Luke MacFarlane) comes in. We love Scotty! And he is back on the show starting with the Sunday, Oct. episode. I don't have any specifics but here are some photos from the episode that I snagged from AfterElton.com which I do hope will continue with its delicious weekly recaps when the season debuts.
Here are more pics of Kevin, Scotty, Kevin and Scotty etc.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Caught up with "Noah's Arc" stars Darryl Stephens and Doug Spearman at the Advocate party Tuesday and wanted to know the status of the "Noah's Arc" movie. I don't know about you, but I'm eager to see what they do on the big screen - especially since the movie takes place of a third season.
I miss these characters!
Stephens, who plays Noah, has made an impression in other features recently including the terrific "Boy Culture," indicated that production would be starting soon but had no details about the plot: "That's happening, hopefully, within the next couple of months - hopefully by November. We haven't even started shooting yet. It will take 3-4 weeks to do the movie. And hopefully it will be out sometoime in 2008."
Added Spearman: "They want to do it before the end of the year and I know they're still workiing on the script right now. We don't know what happens yet," he said of the cast.
I wondered how Doug felt about doing a movie instead of a third season of the Logo hit.
"I'd rather do a movie. A movie, you get in and get out. You get to do more as a character, more deeper stuff usually in a film. Logo has certain governance over what you can do and what you can say and when you're dealing with an R-rated film, it's a completely different story. I'd rather do an R-rated move than a PG-rated TV show."
I told him that to me, his character, Chance, doesn't seem happy in his relationship. Here's his take: "Me, Doug, thinks Chance got into the relationship because he's afraid to be alone. I think that's why it went really fast. I love having that to play because if you can play somebody's fears, it motivates you in a completely different way. I love that and it makes Chance more than just the uptight professor. It's something to chew on. But If I were speaking from Chance's point of view, I think he would just tell you that all relationships take work. I'm gonna stay in this and I'm gonna work at it. I think he's a bedrock kind of guy."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 1:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We all know that tennis stud Novak Djokovic of Serbia likes to take his shirt off after or a win or during practice. We like it! But this is a first: during a Davis Cup match against Australia Friday in Belgrade, Djokovic (seen here with fellow player Boris Pasanski), Novak lifted his shirt to support teamate Janko Tipsarevic who ended up losing to Lleyton Hewitt.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 1:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Who didn't fall a little in love with James Mardsen when he was on "Ally McBeal'? It was just one season but I just remember feeling: "I want to see more of this guy!"
And we have. Thankfully. James has gone back and forth from major blockbusters like the "X-Men" franchise and "Superman Returns" to indie flicks - including a few ["Heights" "The 24th Day"] where he played gay parts. I talked to him the other day at The Advocate's anniversary party about his musical role in "Hairspray" and some upcoming projects:
Greg: Was 'Hairspray' a way for us to see you different from any way we've seen you before?
James: "I think so. Do you think so?"
Greg: [nods yes]
James: I'd been looking to do something like that for awhile and was excited when "Chicago" and "Moulin Rouge" re-opened the doors for movie musicals. It's something I've enjoyed doing so I pursued it and, luckily, they wanted me to be a part of the movie. The "X-Men" films and the "Superman" films have been very good for my career and I'm very proud of them. But it's also nice to have people see you in a different light, you know? And that happened times 10 in this movie. [laughs]."
Greg: And you have "Enchanted" coming out too.
James: Yeah, and I'm a puffy-sleeved prince in that movie. Not a very subtle year for me.
Greg: Sounds like a great year.
James: Yeah it is. The only problem with it is, 'How do you keep it going? How do you top it next year?' But you just keep working and hope that people keep coming out to see the movies. I'm proud of what I've been doing so I just gotta keep my eye on that and hopefully people will react the way they did to 'Hairspray.'
Greg: What have you done since "Enchanted"?
James: I did a movie called "27 Dresses" with Katherine Heigl, it's a romantic comedy.
Greg: Wow. You made a movie with the new golden girl.
James: I hope I don't take away that gold! [laughs]

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Well, here's the thing, I haven't had a chance to see any of the new releases with all the Emmy parties etc. But, I still try and handicap this weekend's box office sweepstakes in my weekly LA Daily News column BOX OFFICE BUZZ. The movie I'm most excited about seeing is Brad Pitt's "The Assassination of Jesse James by that Coward John Ford." Try saying the name of that movie five times fast! The flick is playing in just 15 theaters but goes wider next weekend.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's Davis Cup weekend. Does that not mean anything to you? It's the annual tennis competition that pits teams from various countries against each other. The USA dominated in the days of John McEnroe then again in the Agassi-Sampras era. But it's been more than 10 years since we've won the cup.
American hearthrobs Andy Roddick and James Blake are competing starting today in the semifinals to try and put an end to this long Davis Cup drought...
Good luck guys!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)