Joe Franklin News

In celebrating the New Year 5776, The Actors' Temple, founded in 1917 and located in a landmark building in the heart of the theater district since 1923, introduces a new initiative ARTS @ AT, to reinforce their historic commitment to serving Jewish theater artists and maintaining a relationship with the surrounding NYC arts community. Sophie Tucker, Red Buttons, Jack Benny and the Three Stooges are among the scores of well-known entertainers who frequented its striking halls. The Actors' Temple is located at 339 West 47th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenue.

Returning Favorites Include Billy Stritch & Jim Caruso, Nicole Henry, Nicolas King, Aaron Weinstein & Bucky Pizzarelli, The Four Freshmen and Tommy Tune

NiCori Studios and Productions in association with the Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center announces a new installment of the monthly concert series, Music at the Mansion, on Sunday, February 22, at 3pm. Performers include Nathan Chang, Tracy Stark and Richard Holbrook. Kevin W. Bergen will be the Young Musician Moment.

Producers Tom Kirdahy, Roy Furman, and Ken Davenport announced that today's Wednesday matinee of It's Only a Play will be dedicated to the memory of television pioneer, Joe Franklin, who passed away on January 24, 2015.

New York's treasured radio and TV host Joe Franklin died on Saturday, Jan. 24, from prostate cancer. He was 88.

New York's treasured radio and TV host Joe Franklin died on Saturday, Jan. 24, from prostate cancer. He was 88.

Christine Pedi recently took to Facebook to share a tribute to the late radio/TV host Joe Franklin.

Today, the New York Post Page Six reports that the show's cast members, including Martin Short, Matthew Broderick, Stockard Channing and F. Murray Abraham, will pitch in and help the transition

For 60 continuous hours, from 7pm on Thursday January 1 to 7am on Sunday January 4, New York's Metropolitan Room is staging what it is billing as "The Longest Variety Show Ever." Featuring approximately 160 performers and 15 emcees, the entertainment will span music, burlesque, comedy, drag, theatre/opera, magic and puppetry.

When ASCAP Award-winning playwright/director Chip Deffaa's 'The Irving Berlin Ragtime Revue' has its world premiere at the 13th Street Repertory Theater on November 9th, it will be the second new show about Berlin to play the theater this year.

The 18th Long Island Al Jolson Festival coming up on August 16 is a whole-day affair featuring film presentations, lectures, memorabilia displays and sales, and a performance--'The Heart of Al Jolson'--by singer and Staten Island native Tony Babino (photo below), who can sing Jolson songs like, well, you ain't heard nothin' yet. The other day, like clockwork, I received my yearly invitation to attend from Oceanside, LI resident Jan Hernstat, who for the past 10 years has been the President of the 62-year-old International Al Jolson Society (which was formed in early 1950, a few months before Jolson died), an organization with a worldwide membership hovering around 1,000. I am proud to say that for 30 years, I've been one of them. I'm even prouder to say that I've been an Al Jolson fanatic for much longer. Here's my story about how it happened.

THE LOWER EAST SIDE (LES) FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS - one of the most exciting, eclectic and FREE annual festivals in all of New York City - will present a once in a lifetime performance from Broadway legend DAPHNE RUBIN-VEGA at 6:30 pm on Friday, May 23rd. The indispensable Theater for the New City (155 Fist Ave. at 10th St.) is sponsoring the event, which runs all weekend long from May 23rd until May 25th.

The Friars Club was full of laughter last night as Friar Mickey Freeman was remembered by a group of comics who dubbed themselves Mickey's Kids. Comics Mike Fine and Bob Greenberg produced the event and along with Dave Konig assembled these “kids” to recreate the humor and pay respect to one of the legends in the world of comedy. Mickey Freeman also gained fame as a character actor who appeared as a regular on The Phil Silvers TV Show (Sgt. Bilko). He also appeared on episodes of Naked City, the Lloyd Bridges Show and The Equalizer, in addition to his travels as a stand- up comic. Performers at the event were, Larry Stevens, Mike Fine, Jerry Coe, Dave Konig, Jake Ehrenreich, Bob Greenberg, Marc Eliot, Joe Franklin, Paul and Goldie Dver, and 99 year old Prof. Irwin Corey.

Nearly six decades into her career, Academy Award-winning singer and actress Shirley Jones makes her Cafe Carlyle debut with a two-week run of An Evening with Shirley Jones, continuing through March 15. Actor-composer Ron Abel (Happily Divorced, I Love Lucy's 50th Anniversary Special) accompanies her for performances March 11-15. She'll perform the songs of Rogers, Hammerstein and Hart. Her son, Patrick Cassidy, visited her at last night's show and you can check out photos below!

Catch the NEW episode of Dave's Gone By (#453 - Urinenation) - LIVE, this Saturday, Jan. 11, 9am-noon(MT) streaming on UNC Radio (www.uncradio.com).

Catch the new episode of Dave's Gone By (#448 - Oh, Carol) - live, this Saturday, Dec. 14, 9am-noon(MT) streaming on UNC Radio.

Catch the NEW episode of Dave's Gone By (#447 - Oh, Donna) - LIVE, today, Saturday, Dec. 7, 9am-noon(MT) streaming on UNC Radio (www.uncradio.com).

Urban Stages, in association with producer/director/lyricist Peter Napolitano have announced additions to WINTER RHYTHMS 2013 performer line-up now running throughSunday, December 15, 2013 at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th Street). Tickets are $30 per show (unless otherwise noted).Tickets may be purchased on www.smarttix.com or 212 868-4444.