The miniseries tells the true stories of the men on U-boat, U-96, during World War II.  The story covers the hunt for other boats and the excitement of battle under water. The men on U-96 are all ordinary sailors trying to do their duty for their country. Petersen was trying to take the audience into the minds of the men on the boat and he was extremely detailed oriented. As a result, the film was historically accurate and a huge success.

The production of Das Boot lasted two years. All the scenes were shot in sequence, so the actor’s appearances would be correct. This allowed beard and hair to grow as if it would have on the boat.  The actors were not allowed to go into the sunlight during filming so that their skin would get paler over time. Two full-sized Type VIIC boats were built one for shots outside and the other on a motion mount for indoor scenes.

A new camera was created to film most of the interior shots.  Cinematographer Jost Vacano’s camera design was a hand-held camera with two gyroscopes for stability. It is smaller than a normal Steadicam and was perfect for the constant movement of the set.

The story of Das Boot is told through the eyes of Lt. Werner, a war correspondent to the submarine. He observes the differences between new crew members and hardened veterans. After endless days of boredom the crew spots a British convoy and the excitement hits.  The crew faces a roller coaster of morale, storms and enemy fire but somehow seem to keep moving.

After college, Falk worked in Hartford where he joined the community theater. He appeared in three of the theater’s productions, including The Crucible and eventually signed with the William Morris Agency, in 1956, and moved to Greenwich Village. He appeared in a couple of off-Broadway flops before Falk was cast in the revival of The Iceman Cometh.

In 1972, Peter Falk won a Tony for his role in The Prisoner of Second Avenue. Even though Falk was receiving acclaim on Broadway, his agent advised him to explore the world of film. His first film performances were not ground breakers as he did a took small roles in less than memorable movies.

Eventually, Falk took the role of killer Abe Reles in the film Murder, inc., in 1960. This would prove to be a turning point his career. He continued the role of Abe Reles onto the small screen, in the TV series The Witness. Peter Falk was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Reles in the film.

Frank Capra cast Falk in his comedy Pocket Full of Miracles and, once again, was nominated for an Oscar. Falk appeared in many more movie roles too such as Rat Pack, The Great Race, and It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

We first saw Falk on television in 1957. He did a variety of guest spots on Studio One, Kraft Television Theater, Have Gun Will Travel and many more. His first lead role was in The Trails of O’Brien which had 22 episodes. Falk appeared in many series in the 1960s and 1970s, although, his most famous will always be Columbo. The character of Columbo was from the film Prescription; Murder. Falk’s portrayal of the police lieutenant was so fascinating an entire TV series was created from this role in the film. Columbo ran for eight years and inspired several feature films.

Falk continues to appear in movies, on stage and on TV.  He has two adopted daughters with his first wife Alyce Mayo.

The miniseries follows the history of Rome, as told by Claudius, as an old man. I, Claudius starts with Emperor Augustus trying to find an heir to his throne. His wife, Livia, plots to make her son, Tiberius, emperor. This plotting, scheming, killing and double-crossing continue for many years, through many emperors and throughout Claudius’s own rule.

Claudius had a limp, a stammer and nervous ticks that his family thought was embarrassing. The Julio-Claudians, Claudius’s family, kept him out of public life until his sudden coronation at the age of 49.  The family assumes he is an idiot and Claudius uses this to help him survive in a murderous empire.

The cast and crew of I. Claudius won many awards for the series. Derek Jacobi and Sian Phillips won Best Actor and Best Actress at the 1977 BAFTA Awards. Tim Harvey won a BAFTA and a Emmy for Art Direction and I. Claudius holds the 12^th spot in the 100 Great British Television Programmes release by the British Film Institute. Entertainment Weekly puts the series in the Top Ten Best miniseries on DVD. It is also listed in TIME Magazine as of the “100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME”

After I, Claudius aired, a wide array of large-scale historical dramas started popping up.  This idea spread to comedy. The most notable of these is Blackadder.

DVDs and videos of the series include the 1965 BBC documentary The Epic That Never Was, about the attempted Alexander Korda.

The Godfather: A Novel for Television, The Godfather: The Complete Novel For Television or The Godfather Saga is a TV miniseries that combined the first two The Godfather movies into one event. NBC originally aired the miniseries in 1977, in one three hour episode and three two hour episodes.

Reportedly Francis Ford Coppola asked Editor Barry Maklin to create the miniseries to raise money for the drastically over-budget Apocalypse Now. The Miniseries version of The Godfather was placed in chronological order, interweaving the two film together seamlessly. Some of the more offensive parts were cut for the TV version, like the sex, violence and language. The TV version has about 75 more minutes of footage than the two original films.

The Miniseries was criticized widely and did not receive high ratings among viewers.  Most critics said the TV version was clunky and did not flow well. Others said the movies were already long enough there was no need to add in the extra scenes. The video and DVD releases are incomplete with parts cut out for TV airing.

The miniseries begins as the head of a New York Mafia, Don Vito Corleone, oversees his daughter’s wedding. The Don’s son Michael has come home from the war and wants nothing to do with his father’s business. We watch as Don Vito lives his life and manage his business. Some of his employees don’t want to follow the old ways anymore. A rival of the family arrives and starts selling drugs in New York.

This miniseries is a great way to remember The Godfather in all its greatness. I enjoyed both the original movies and the miniseries. However,  I would suggest that you don’t try to watch the entire miniseries in one setting.

Guillaume joined the Karamu Players from Cleveland, Ohio shortly after college and was cast in Broadway’s Free and Easy in 1959. He continued to grace the stage for many years appearing in such shows as Kwamina, Guys and Dolls, The Phantom of the Opera and Purlie! and was nominated for a Tony award for his performance in Guys and Dolls. Guillaume created a controversy when he replaced Michael Crawford as The Phantom of The Opera because he was the first and only black actor, to date, to play the role on Broadway or a national tour.

When the revival of Porky and Bess came around in 1963, Robert Guillaume jumped at the role of Sportin’ Life. During his time on stage, Guillaume also joined the Robert de Cormier Singers and The Pilgrims that release a folk album, Just Arrived.

He also had many guest appearances in TV sitcoms, including Sanford and Son, Good Times, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and the Jeffersons. Guillaume then started portraying the role we know him best for, Benson Du Bois, on Soap in 1977. Benson DuBois got his own spin off, in 1979, entitled Benson. There he stayed until 1989 when he moved on to star in The Robert Guillaume Show. He also appeared as a regular on Pacific Station and Sports Night.

On January 14, 1999, Guillaume had a mild stroke on the set of Sports Night. The writers set it up so that Guillaume’s character also had a stroke so he continued in the role for another year. During his career, Guillaume has also lent his voice to a variety of animated characters, including Rafiki from the Lion King.

Guillaume has won two Emmy Awards, one for Outstanding Supporting Actor – Comedy Series in 1979 for Soap, and the other for Outstanding Lead Comedy Actor in 1985 for Benson. He is to this day the only African American actor to win the Lead Comedy Actor Emmy Award and St Louis awarded him a star of the St. Louis Walk of Fame.

27 Dresses

Channel: FX

Time: Thursday, July 1, 2010 7:00 PM CT

A woman who is always a bridesmaid finds out that her sister is marring a man she secretly loves. Will this bridesmaid ever be a bride?

Twilight

Channel: TMCX

Time: Friday, July 2, 2010 6:55 PM CT

A high-school student falls in love with a vampire, who has renounced the drinking of human blood.

A Walk in the Clouds

Channel: SITV

Time: Saturday, July 3, 2010, 8:00 PM CT

A chocolate salesman poses as the husband of a pregnant vineyard heiress for a day.

Save the Last Dance

Channel: SHOWP

Time: Sunday, July 4, 2010, 8:00 PM CT

A white teen moves to Chicago and falls for black student who loves to dance as much as she does.

American Pie

Channel: COMEDY

Time: Monday, July 5, 2010, 6:00 PM CT

In the first of all the American Pie movies, four teenagers make a pact to lose their virginity by prom night.

Don’t miss these great love stories. Set your TIVO or DVR and have a great week of love.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Channel: HB2P

Time: Thursday, June 24, 2010, 7:30 PM CT

Manny and the rest of the crew have to rescue Sid after the steals some dragon eggs.

Up

Channel: STZK

Time: Friday, June 25, 2010, 7:00 PM CT

An elderly balloon salesman (Ed Asner) tries to fly his house to South Africa using thousands of balloons. He discovers he has a young traveler while he is already in flight.

WALL-E

Channel: STZE

Time: Saturday, June 26, 2010, 6:15 PM CT

After spending years on earth alone, a janitor robot meets another robot and chases her across the galaxy.

Monsters, Inc.

Channel: ENCORE

Time: Sunday, June 27, 2010, 3:45 PM CT

In the world of monsters a giant blue monster and his assistant work in a factory that runs their world on children’s screams.

All Dogs Go to Heaven 2

Channel: STZK

Time: Monday, Jun 28, 2010, 5:35 PM CT

A junkyard dog and his pal return to Earth to retrieve Gabriel’s trumpet.

Schedule some family time and lighten up your summer with laughter.

The Fifth Element

Channel: HBO

Time: Thursday, June 17, 2010, 9:30 AM CT

Bruce Willis is a New York City Cabdriver that tries to save the future from the impact of an anti- life force. This movie is screening on multiple channels this weekend.

Body of Lies

Channel: MAX

Time: Friday, June 18, 2010, 9:15 AM CT

A CIA operative, played by Leonardo DiCapario, creates a plan to catch a terrorist leader.

Rocky II

Channel: ENCRA

Time: Saturday, June 19, 2010, 11:30 AM CT

Sylvester Stallone is the famous underdog Rocky Balboa who gets a chance to fight Apollo Creed. Again.

Lethal Weapon

Channel: AETV

Time: Sunday, June 20, 2010, 12:00 PM CT

Two detectives (Danny Glover and Mel Gibson) try to hunt down drug smugglers.

Jaws III

Channel: ENCRA

Time: Monday, June 21, 2010, 12:35 PM CT

A marine biologist and an engineer face of with a white shark mom, in Florida.

The Heist

Channel: ACMAX

Time: Tuesday, June 22, 2010, 11:15 AM CT

A former convict, who was double crossed by his partner, plots revenge.

Griffin got into show business at the age of 19, as a radio singer on the San Francisco Sketchbook. Freddy Martin heard Merv Griffin on the show and asked him to tour with his orchestra. Griffin toured with them for four years.

He then started Panda Records. The record label was the first American record label to record on magnetic tape. Griffin shot to fame with the 1950 hit I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts, which soared to the top of the charts.

Doris Day discovered Griffin at one of his nightclub performances and got him a screen test with Warner Brothers. The screen test led to a variety of supporting roles in many musicals. One of these was So This is Love in 1953. The film caused a controversy when Griffin shared an open-mouthed kiss with co-star Kathryn Grayson. This kiss was a first in film history since the introduction of the Production Code in 1934.

He would go on to star in many other films, such as The Boy from Oklahoma and Phantom of the Rue Morgue. Griffin moved to TV as the host of Play Your Hunch in 1958. ABC then asked Griffin to host a prime time show called Keep Talking. For the next decade or so, Griffin would host a myriad of game shows including; Word for Word, Let’s Play Post Office, Reach for the Stars and One in a Million.

By the mid 1960s, Griffin decided he would try his hand at a talk show and The Merv Griffin Show was born. The Merv Griffin Show was on the air for 21 years and won 11 Emmy Awards during that time. He was not shy about controversial subjects. His guest ranged from politicians to actors and entertainers.

CBS offered Griffin a late night talk show in 1969. The show ran opposite of Johnny Carson. CBS was uncomfortable with Griffin’s views on taboo issues so he knew his time was ending and he signed a contract with Metromedia.  This gave him a syndicated day time talk show as soon as CBS canceled the late night show. The syndicated show ran into the 1980s.

Griffin created and produced some of TV’s longest running game shows. Some of these shows include; Jeopardy! In 1964 and Wheel of Fortune in 1975.

He was treated for prostate cancer in 1996, and returned in 2007. He died on August 12, 2007 at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Merv Griffin was buried in Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery and his headstone reads “I will not be right back after this message.”

True Lies

Channel: AMC

Time: Thursday, June 10, 2010, 2:30PM ET

A spy has to lead a double life with his wife, who believes he is a computer salesman.  When she tries to spice up her life, she gets entangled with his mission.

xXx: State of the Union

Channel: FX

Time: Friday, June 11, 2010, 7:00PM ET

US Navy Seal Darius Stone, a new agent in the XXX program, is selected to track a splinter cell that wishes to over throw the US Government.

Casino Royale

Channel: USA

Time: Saturday, June 12, 2010, 12:00PM ET

This is James Bond’s first mission as a 00 agent. Bond has to play poker with the banker to the world’s terrorists.

Mission: Impossible

Channel: CINAMAX

Time: Sunday, June 13, 2010, 5:00PM ET

Agent Jim Phelps and his team are sent to find and apprehend a traitor.  When things go wrong the only surviving member of the team is the main suspect.

Clear and Present Danger

Channel: HBO

Time: Monday, June 14, 2010, 9:00PM

Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) is back and he has to help save the USA. One of the president’s closest friends and his family is murdered. Jack has to find the killers before all hell breaks lose.

Don’t forget to set your DVR to record these spy classics. I hope you have a great week with your favorite spies.

The miniseries aired on July 13, 2008 and spanned seven episodes.  It was also picked up and aired on the Fox channel in the United Kingdom, the Steele channel in Italy, the Showcase channel in Australia and History Television in Canada.

There were 28 starring cast members and numerous supporting players. Alexander Skarsgard, of True Blood, played Sergeant Brad “Iceman” Colbert.  Sergeant Antonio “Poke” was played by  Jon Huertas, from ABC’s Castle. Sergeant Rudy Reyes appears in the miniseries as himself. The cast and crew of Generation Kill was nominated for 11 Emmys and won three: Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie and Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special.

The story follows the highly trained Marines through the first 40 days of the Iraq War. Through this miniseries, we get to see the true stories of the men and women on the front lines as the battalion went invaded Iraq. This is the story of young men doing heroic deeds and facing the realities of war. The creators of the series used many of the Marines depicted in the series as references for the show.

There are many miniseries and movies depicting wars in history. Generation Kill shows us the horrors of modern warfare, in a war that happened in our lifetime.

Wilson moved to San Francisco in 1954 and started working at the Manor Plaza Hotel as a bellhop and filler between acts in the nightclub at the hotel. His most popular act there was as an inebriated patron. He started working clubs throughout California, doing most ad-lib on stage.

Wilson became a regular at the Apollo Theater during the 1960s. He then became a favorite guest on The Tonight Show, Laugh-In, and The Ed Sullivan Show. Wilson won a Grammy Award, in 1970 for his comedy album The Devil Made Me Buy This Dress.

Flip Wilson was offered his own series, in the 1974, The Flip Wilson Show. He greeted all his guests with the “Flip Wilson Handshake.” The handshake consisted of four hand slaps, two elbow bumps finishing with 2 hip-bumps. He hosted many entertainers including The Jackson Five. The show featured many comedy skits the most popular being, Geraldine Jones and Reverend Leroy Jenkins. Wilson’s show coined many phrases, such as, “the Devil Made Me Do It” and “What you see is what you get.” The Flip Wilson Show had 11 Emmy Award nominations, winning two and a Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a Television Series.

He also did many guest appearances on TV comedies, such as Here’s Lucy and The Dean Martin Show. In addition, Wilson acted in some movies including Uptown Saturday Night.

Flip Wilson hosted the remake of People Are Funny and he played the lead character in Charlie & Co.

He married his first wife, Lovenia Wilson, in 1957. The couple divorced 19 years later.  Flip then married Tuanchai MacKenzie in 1979 and they divorced in 1984. Wilson won custody of his children in 1979. He decided to perform less so that he could spend time with his family.

On November 25, 1998, Flip Wilson died from complications due to liver cancer. Flip Wilson’s ashes were given to his family.

Guy Time

Urban Cowboy

Channel: CMTV

Time: Thursday, June 3, 2010, 10:30 PM CT

John Travolta plays, Bud, a Texas farmer who moves to the city, and falls in love with a cowgirl played by Debra Winger.

Eurotrip

Channel: TBS

Time: Saturday, June 5, 2010, 9:00 PM CT

A group of teens find themselves in precarious positions during their trip to Europe to meet up with a pen pal.

What Happens in Vegas

Channel: 5MAX

Time: Sunday, Jun 6, 2010 8:00 PM CT

Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher wake up in Vegas and discover they got married the before.

Chick Flicks

Ghost of Girlfriends Past

Channel: ACMAX

Time: Friday, June 4, 2010, 11:10 PM CT

A photographer is swept away on a journey through his past to discover what makes him a bad guy.

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

Channel: WE

Time: Saturday, June 5, 2010, 9:30 PM CT

A New York playwright is forced to face her estranged mother and uncover secrets she never new existed.

Fireproof

Channel: TBN

Time: Sunday, Jun 6, 2010, 9:00 PM CT

A couple about to get a divorce find a program that can save their marriage by turning to God.

If I have missed one of your favorites that you know is coming on feel free to comment and share them with the rest of us.

The 10^th Kingdom tells the story of a father and daughter from New York City who get transported into a world of fairy tales through a magic mirror. A prince from the fairy tale world has been transformed into a dog and he travels through a traveling mirror to New York City (The 10^th Kingdom). The evil queen sends out three trolls and a half-wolf half-man creature to capture the prince. The dog is found by the daughter, Virginia and then dog, father and daughter travel back to help save the other nine kingdoms from the evil queen.

This miniseries pulls together many of the stories we grew up on. During their time in the fairy tale kingdoms, the main characters meet many characters we know from fairy tales such as Cinderella and Snow White.

The 10^th Kingdom is full of special effects, mythical creatures and awesome costumes. This miniseries is one of the top miniseries the entire family can enjoy.

Many famous actors and actresses took part in The 10^th Kingdom. Some of them include Kimberly Williams, John Larroquette, Scott Cohen, Dianne Wiest, Rutger Hauer, Ed O’Neal, Camryn Manheim, Ann-Margret, and Warwick Davis.

The 10^th Kingdom did not receive high ratings in the initial airing. However, VHS, DVD, soundtrack and novel, based on the original screenplay, sales have tripled the cross of the miniseries.

Check out the video introduction here.

MacLeod married Joan Devore in 1954. The couple had four children and divorced in 1972. He then married Patti Palmer in 1974 and divorced her in 1982. The couple was reunited and married for the second time in 1985 and are still married.

MacLeod received is first film role in the 1958 film I Want to Live. He then appeared in many feature films including Operation Petticoat and High Time. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Gavin MacLeod played small roles on Hawaii Five-O and McHale’s Navy. When he took on the role of Murray Slaughter, on The Mary Tyler Show, MacLeod had no idea he was on the verge of stardom. He received two Golden Globe nominations for his work as Murray.

In 1977, MacLeod started a 10 year role as Captain Merrill Stubing on The Love Boat. He has played Captain Stubbing on over 250 TV appearances including The Love Boat reunion show, in 1998. This role became the iconic role of MacLeod’s life. After The Love Boat ended, he did numerous guest spots on a variety of TV shows. He has appeared on Murder, She Wrote!, Oz, JAG and That ‘70s Show, to name a few.

Gavin MacLeod is currently the honorary Mayor of Pacific Palisades, a district within Los Angeles, California.  For the last 23 years he has been a representative and emcee for Princess Cruises. MacLeod is working with a New York writer on an autobiography.

Scarface

Channel: BET
Time: Friday, May 28, 2010, 6:30 PM CT

A Cuban immigrant decides to make his way to the top of Miami’s drug trade, leaving a wake of bodies in his path.

The Godfather, Part II

Channel: IONDTVP
Time: Saturday, May 28, 2010 5:00 PM CT

Michael Corleone rules his father’s criminal empire. The story also tells of how Vito climbed his way to power.

The Godfather, Part III

Channel: Ion
Time: Saturday, May 29, 2010, 7:00 PM CT

This is the third installment of The Godfather Trilogy that tells the story of the Corleone family’s reign as the mob kings in New York.

The Godfather

Channel: WPIX (CW)
Time: Sunday, May 30, 2010, 12:00 PM CT

Marlon Brando stars as Vito Corleone, a New York Crime boss, trying to rule his Empire with the help of his sons played by Al Pacino and James Caan.

Donnie Brasco

Channel: FLIXe
Time: Sunday, May 30, 2010, 8:00 PM CT

Detective Joe Pistone, goes undercover as a gangster in order to infiltrate the mob.

Casino

Channel: CINEMAX
Time: Tuesday, June 1, 2010, 1:20AM CT

Ace Rothstein (Robert De Niro) is a gambler, looking to get his piece of 1960s Las Vegas. The Kansas City Mafia hires Ace as the manager of the Tangiers.
Set your DVR or schedule time to enjoy these awesome mob films, because what’s Memorial without family?

Band of Brothers was a ten part miniseries adapted from the book by the same title. Stephen Ambrose, a noted historian and biographer, wrote the original Band of Brothers book. The World War II mini-series was produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks and the two started discussing the series after working together on Saving Private Ryan. The miniseries aired on HBO in 2001 and is still frequently aired on RV networks around the world.

The story is centered on the E Company or “Easy Company” of the 2^nd Battalion, 506^th Parachute Infantry Regiment assigned to the 101^st Airborne Division of the Untied States Army. The story covers everything from basic training through the end of the war, including the airborne landings in Normandy.

All the characters portrayed in the books and miniseries were based on members of the company. Some literary license was taken for the miniseries, however, Spielberg and Hanks did an immense amount of research and interviews with surviving members of E Company to make the TV drama.

The Band of Brothers miniseries starts with a training jump at Toccoa, Georgia. Major Richard Winters, played by Damian Lewis is the main character in the series. He is desperately trying to keep his men together and alive. Because the miniseries is based on real-life events, many characters are injured and killed and are sent home or to a hospital.

The miniseries has its share of big names including Donnie Wahlberg, Scott Grimes, Colin Hanks and David Schwimmer.

Band of Brothers won six of the 19 Emmy’s they were nominated for. The miniseries also won a Golden Globe and many other awards.

This story shows the friendship and camaraderie built by soldiers in extreme situations. It is men like the E Company that had a hand in changing the world.

Balls of Fury

Channel: COMEDY

Time: Thursday, May 20, 2010, 7:00 PM CT

Dan Fogler plays a has-been ping pong player that bounces back to go undercover for the government.

Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay

Channel: HBO2

Time: Friday, May 21, 2010, 7:00 PM CT

Two stoners find themselves in jail after they try to smuggle a bong aboard a flight to Amsterdam.

Old School

Channel: TNT

Time: Saturday, May 22, 2010, 7:00 PM CT

Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell try to relive their college days by starting an off-campus fraternity.

Hot Shots! Part Deux

Channel: G4

Time: Sunday, May 23, 2010, 7:00 PM CT

Charlie Sheen is an incompetent commando hired for a rescue mission after Operation Desert Storm.

Wild Hogs

Channel: FX

Time: Monday, May 24, 2010, 7:00 PM CT

Tim Allen, John Travolta and Martin Lawrence head out on a bike run looking for adventure.

Police Academy

Channel: CMTV

Time: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 8:00 PM CT

A group of misfits decide to try their hand in the police force. Michael Winslow and Steve Guttenberg star in the first chapter in this comedy series.

Enjoy your week of guy comedies. Just don’t forget about your wife all week.

The Gambler V: Playing for Keeps

Channel: HMHD

Time: Thursday, May 13, 2010, 3:00 PM CT

A father desperately searches for his son, who has taken up with Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid.

Unforgiven

Channel: AMC

Time: Friday, May 14, 2010, 7:00 PM CT

Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman are old gunslingers who join up with a  quick-draw kid to go bounty hunting in a town called Big Whiskey in this multiple Oscar winner.

The Colt

Channel: HMHD

Time: Saturday, May 15,2010, 5:00 PM CT

A horse becomes a symbol of hope for a young soldier during the Civil War.

Red Sun

Channel: ENCRWS

Time: Sunday, May 16, 2010, 3:20 PM CT

Charles Bronson stars as an outlaw that teams up with a samurai warrior to recover loot and a stolen ceremonial sword in the Old West.

Smokey and the Bandit, Part 3

Channel: HBOC

Time: Monday, May 17, 2010, 3:00 PM CT

I know Smokey and the Bandit, Part 3 is not a western, but it is one of the funniest outlaw/running from the law movies ever.  Jackie Gleason plays Sherriff Buford T. Justice a lawman desperate to catch Smokey and the bandit as the transport a fake shark from Miami to Texas.

Take a step back into “the good old days” and enjoy your week of outlaws, gambling and police chases.

In 1954, Paul Gregory, whom Garner had met while attending Hollywood High School, persuaded Garner to take a role in  The Caine Mutiny Court Martial, on Broadway. Garner then started doing TV commercials and small roles on TV and in film.

After forty supporting feature film roles Garner finally landed the lead in the TV western Maverick. The show premiered in 1957. Garner left the show in 1960, but, this was only the beginning of Garner’s fame. He took lead roles in many films such as, Darby’s Rangers, Up Periscope and Cash McCall.

By the 1960s, Garner was a regular on the silver screen. He starred in The Thrill of it All, Move Over, Darling, The Great Escape and Grand Prix. In 1971, James Garner returned to television for the short-lived drama Nichols.

In 1974, James Garner took the role of Jim Rockford on The Rockford Files and appeared on the show for six seasons. In 1977, he received an Emmy for Best Actor for the role. During the later years on The Rockford Files, Garner started having health problems. He refused to let others do his stunts even though he had knee problems.

In 1982, James Garner revisited his role as Bret Maverick for an NBC remake of the original. In this version, James played a 53 year old Bret but NBC canceled the show after one season. In the 1980s Garner did a run of TV movies including Promise and Heartsounds.

In 1988, Garner underwent quintuple bypass surgery. The following year, he reprised his role as Jim Rockford in eight The Rockford Files made-for-TV movies. In 1991, Garner took the lead role in the TV series,  Man of the People. The show was canceled after 10 episodes.

In 1994, Garner played Marshal Zane Cooper in a movie version of Maverick along side Mel Gibson and a year later he played Woodrow Call in the TV miniseries entitled Streets of Laredo. In 2000, Garner had an operation to replace both knees. After the death of John Ritter, Garner joined the cast of 8 Simple Rules playing the children’s grandfather.

James Garner has contributed to, and starred in, so many films and TV shows, we cannot list them all. On April 21, 2006, a 10 foot bronze statue of James Garner was erected in Norman, Oklahoma.

Jon Stewart moved to New York City in 1984. He had dreams of joining the comedy club circuit, but, he would not get the courage to do so for another year.  He made his comedy debut at The Bitter End in the West Village.

In 1989, he got his first television gig as a writer for Caroline’s Comedy Hour. He started co-hosting Short Attention Span Theater, in 1991 and in 1992, Stewart hosted MTV’s You Wrote It, You Watch It.

Stewart developed his own talk show at MTV in 1993. It was called The Jon Stewart Show, was the first talk show on the network and was a hit becoming the second-highest rated show on MTV.

In 1999, Stewart began hosting The Daily Show on Comedy Central. The Daily Show became, and continues to be, a staple for the network. In addition to his work on talk shows, Stewart has done his share of other work.  He had lead roles in Playing by Heart and Wishful Thinking. He also appeared in The Faculty, Half Baked, Big Daddy, Wordplay and Doogal.

During the 1990s, he started his own production company, Busboy Productions and was vital in the unionization of the writers for Comedy Central. The Daily Show writers were the first of the Comedy Central’s writers to be able to join the guild and in 2007, he also supported the Writer’s Guild of America Strike.  The Daily Show went on hiatus during the strike.

The Daily Show has received two Peabody Awards and, in 2004, Stewart was named “Entertainer of The Year” by Entertainment Weekly. Stewart hosted the Grammys in 2001 and in 2002 and was also the host of the 78^th and 80^th Academy Awards.

Stewart is currently still hosting The Daily Show. He and is family are living in his Tribeca loft in Manhattan.

Eloise at the Plaza

Channel: DISNEY

Time: Thursday, May 6, 2010 7:00 PM CT

A 6-year-old Eloise creates havoc for the Plaza and its patrons. Julie Andrews and Jeffery Tambor star in this hilarious movie.

The Shaggy Dog

Channel: DXD

Time: Friday, May 7, 2010 6:07 PM CT

Tim Allen plays a prosecutor who becomes infected with an experiential liquid that turns him into a dog.

Ace Ventura Jr.: Pet Detective

Channel: TOON

Time: Saturday, May 8, 2010 6:00 PM CT

The son of the famous Ace Ventura comes to the rescue when a baby panda goes missing.

Scooby –Doo! The Mystery Begins

Channel: TOON

Time: Sunday, May 9, 2010 6:00 PM CT

Did you every wonder how the Scooby-Doo Detective Agency started? This movie shows the origin of the group and the ingredients in the Scooby Snack.

Dr. Dolittle 2

Channel: HBOF

Time: Monday, May 10, 2010 7:30 PM CT

To save an endangered species, Dr. Doolittle has to reintroduce a performing bear to the wild.

Night at the Museum

Channel: FX

Time: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 3:30 PM CT

Bill Stiller plays a night watchman at the Museum of Natural History who discovers that exhibits come alive after the building closes.

Monsters vs. Aliens

Channel: 5MAX

Time: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 6:20 PM CT

A giant woman, a bug-headed scientist and a gelatinous mass are among a group of monsters that have to save the world from a rampaging alien robot.

With the kids distracted with a movie, set back, relax and enjoy Mother’s Day.

The Thorn Birds

The Thorn Birds tells the story of three generations of the Cleary Family. It starts with the arrival of Father Ralph de Bricassart, a Roman Catholic priest who was relocated to the small town of Gillanbone, New South Wales, Australia, for insubordination. Ralph has become friends with a wealthy widow, Mary Elizabeth Cleary Carson, and hopes that a large donation from her will help him out on exile. Mary, 39 years Ralph’s senior, tries relentlessly to get him to break his vows and “be” with her. When she discovers she can’t have Ralph, she tries to destroy him.

Over time Ralph finds himself drawn to Meggie Cleary, a niece of Mary. Ralph becomes the center of Meggie’s life. The Cleary family is full of loss, anger and deceit and as Meggie and Ralph’s relationship grows, Mary tries to separate them. This changes her will to leave everything to the church. After Mary’s death, Ralph learns he is the executor of her will and that she had approximately 13 million pounds.

Ralph chooses to use the money and advance in the church. Before he leaves, Ralph tells Meggie he loves her but, his priestly duties prevent him from action. The Cleary men start dying off or being put in prison for murder. This leaves Meggie as the only one to continue the family. She does all she can to survive and leave a legacy.

The hype about the miniseries was high in Hollywood. Michelle Pfeiffer, Jane Seymour and Olivia Newton-John auditioned for the role of Meggie and the role of Mary was originally offered to Audrey Hepburn. CBS produced a “midquel” in 1996, entitled The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years. This miniseries covers 19 years that the first miniseries skipped over.

The Thorn Birds was a lavish tale that is still referred to from time to time. The miniseries won one Emmy, one Golden Globe and one People’s Choice Award.

Mr. Deeds

Channel: COMEDY

Time: Thursday, April 29, 2010 7:00 PM CT

Adam Sandler stars as a small town pizzeria owner that inherits $40 million. Winona Ryder plays a TV producer who is trying to get his story.

Yes Man

Channel: 5MAX

Time: Friday, April 30, 2010 6:15 PM CT

Jim Carrey plays a negative guy who attends a self help seminar that changes him into a positive thinker.  His life starts changing when he says “Yes” to everything

Meet the Parents

Channel: ABC

Time: Saturday, May 1, 2010 7:00 PM CT

Ben Stiller plays a man whose fears are realized when his fiancee’s uptight father and mother meet his free-spirited mom and dad.

Without a Paddle

Channel: COMEDY

Time: Sunday, May 2, 2010 5:30 PM CT

Seth Green, Matthew Lillard and Dax Sheppard are three childhood friends who head out on a canoe trip to find a plane hijacker’s stash of money.

The Bucket List

Channel: HBOSIG

Time: Monday, May 3, 2010 6:15 PM CT

Two terminally ill men (Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) leave their hospital ward and set out to complete a list of things they want to do before they die.

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

Channel: OXYGEN

Time: Tuesday, May 4, 6:30 PM CT

A magazine writer tries to make a man dump her for a story. She has no idea that the guy has bet her boss that she will fall in love with him.

The Naked Gun

Channel: CMTV

Time: Wednesday, May 5, 2010 8:00 PM CT

A clumsy Los Angeles detective discovers a plan to assassinate Queen Elizabeth.

So, get your spit take ready and have some good laughs this week.  The above times are all central time. Please check your local listings for times in your area.

James then married Marcy Wudarski and had one child; they were divorced in December 2002. In 2008, James married former model Deborah Lin.

Gandolfini was introduced to acting as a young man living in New York City. In 1992, James acted in On the Waterfront on Broadway. In 1993, He landed the role of Virgil in the Tony Scott film True Romance. During an interview on Inside the Actors Studio, James stated that one of his major inspirations for the role of Virgil was an old friend of his, whose job was a hitman.

In 1994, James played Ben Pink water in Terminal Velocity. He later appeared in other films such as The Juror, Get Shorty, Southern Accent and The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3.

Gandolfini’s true claim to fame, though, came playing Tony Soprano, in HBO’s award winning series The Sopranos. The show premiered in 1999 with James as the mafia boss and family man we all loved. James won three Emmys for the role and by the end of the series Gandolfini was earning $1 million an episode. On May 4, 2006, Gandolfini was riding his Vespa in New York City when it was hit by a tax. The accident caused major damaged to his knee and forced him into surgery. The final episodes of Sopranos had to be postponed for three months.

In 2007, Gandolfini got together with HBO and produced a documentary focusing on injured Iraq veterans called Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq. The documentary talked to 10 veterans that were wounded in Iraq and was the first project of for his company Attaboy Films.

In 2009, James returned to the stage in God of Carnage with Jeff Daniels. He currently lives in New York City.