Mary Tyler Moore News

Ned Wertimer, a versatile and prolific character actor who was perhaps best known as Ralph the Doorman for 11 seasons on TV's The Jeffersons, has died, it was announced today by his long time manager Brad Lemack. Wertimer passed away on January 2nd at the Sherman Village Health Care Center, outside of Los Angeles, from complications following a fall in his Burbank home in late November. He was 89.

Seven-time Emmy Award winner Betty White and her posse of senior pranksters are back for season two of NBC's Betty White'S OFF THEIR ROCKERS tonight, January 8, with special guests Psy and Kim Kardashian appearing in comedy bits with Betty in two must-see, back-to-back episodes. Psy will guest star in the first episode at 8:00 p.m. ET, while Kim Kardashian will be the special guest in the 8:30 p.m. ET episode.

ENCORE will present 'The Elvis Collection,' showcasing a robust slate of classic films starring 'The King,' documentaries and features that pay tribute to Elvis Presley, which will only be seen on ENCORE, throughout the month of May. 'The Elvis Collection' will include some of Presley's most popular performances in titles such as Roustabout, Blue Hawaii, G.I. Blues, King Creole, Clambake and more, to be announced.

The Winthrop Rockefeller Institute will host its second annual Film Forum designed to explore the arts of acting, screenwriting, producing, and directing March 21st - 24th, 2013, at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute atop Petit Jean Mountain in Arkansas (about one hour outside Little Rock).

Fresh from Ivanov starring Ethan Hawke, Obie- Award winning director Austin Pendleton directs Tennessee Williams' stark and religiously sensual morality play Suddenly Last Summer with the Mississippi Mud. This is the play that moved Brookes Atkinson to praise Williams as being "at the peak of his talent as a poet of the damned." It is brought to life in a new bold raw space production that places center stage the lush language of this modern fable. Mr. Pendleton stars as Dr. Cukrowicz and helms a talented cast of actors that includes Johanna Leister (Broadway: Whose Life Is it Anyway w/Mary Tyler Moore, Tartuffe w/Victor Garber, Dracula w/Raul Julia; Beyond the Horizon at Irish Rep; The Edge Of Night), Jen Danby (Vivien Leigh: The Last Press Conference, Orson's Shadow with Mississippi Mud, Cat on A Hot Tin RoofMud Lab production, directed by Austin Pendleton; "Paula" and "Bad Pictures" vlogisodes with The Wooster Group, the film Run #3), and Maureen Mooney (Guiding Light, All My Children; Mod Donna at The Public directed by Joseph Papp, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with the Mud, directed by Austin Pendleton). Other casting to be announced.

In 2012, BroadwayWorld brought you the most complete coverage of the Great White Way with the expansion of BWW TV. From curtain calls to interviews with Richard Ridge to all of Broadway's best events and more, take a look back at the year with video highlights!

Simon & Schuster's Gallery Books imprint will publish a memoir by beloved and award-winning actress Valerie Harper entitled I RHODA BOOK. The memoir will be released on January, 15, 2013.

The Guthrie Theater today announced that beginning December 27, the theater will offer its first-ever "Tweet Seats" during four consecutive Thursday performances of The Servant of Two Masters, allowing social media users an opportunity to interact during the show. A limited number of seats located in a balcony level of the McGuire Proscenium in a section that will not be disruptive to other patrons will be designated as Tweet Seats. Tweet Seat tickets are $15 and are available by calling the Guthrie Box Office at 612.377.2224, and mentioning "Tweet." Tickets are not available online, with other offers, or on previously purchased tickets. Handing fees may apply.

We speak with this Broadway Vet on her impressive career and her adorable role as Martha in WHITE CHRISTMAS.

BroadwayWorld.com, the largest theatre site on the Internet, is excited to announce a new feature to its comprehensive regional coverage - the Featured Regional Theater of the Week! Each week, BWW will introduce its readers to a regional theater located in one of our (over 130!) coverage cities. By exploring these different venues, their history and showcasing the production seasons, BWW continues its commitment to expand our presence in communities and cities across the United States. This Week's Featured Regional Theater: The Des Moines Community Playhouse in Des Moines, IA

Ed Asner - back on Broadway after 23 years in Craig Wright's play Grace at the Cort - celebrates his theater roots in Chicago and New York, and compares his acting experiences in New York and Hollywood, on the latest THEATER TALK. The interview, co-hosted by Michael Riedel of the New York Post and executive producer Susan Haskins, premieres at 1 a.m. on Friday, December 14 (2012; early Saturday morning) on Thirteen/PBS, followed in New York City on CUNY TV* Saturday at 8:30 PM, Sunday at 12:30 PM, and Monday at 7:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 7:30 PM. After its initial broadcast, the interview may be viewed online at http://www.cuny.tv/show/theatertalk/PR2001461.

Seven-time Emmy Award winner Betty White and her posse of senior pranksters are back for season two of NBC's BETTY WHITE'S OFF THEIR ROCKERS on Tuesday, January 8, with special guests Psy and Kim Kardashian appearing in comedy bits with Betty in two must-see, back-to-back episodes. Psy will guest star in the first episode at 8:00 p.m. ET, while Kim Kardashian will be the special guest in the 8:30 p.m. ET episode.

The Crawley family's fate hangs in the balance when MASTERPIECE CLASSIC "Downton Abbey, Season 3" returns in January.

SEINFELD is chosen just slightly ahead of "The Honeymooners" as the greatest sitcom of all time. Women agree with men that men are the funnier sex, while all agree that sexual assault is a topic that should be most off-limits to comedians.

Tony Award-winning actress Bernadette Peters will perform at the Scottsdale Cultural Council's annual ARTrageous gala tonight, Dec. 1, at 8:30 p.m. at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. She will be accompanied by her longtime arranger and musical director, Marvin Laird, and an eight-piece orchestra. Proceeds benefit Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA).

Tony Award-winning actress Bernadette Peters will perform at the Scottsdale Cultural Council's annual ARTrageous gala on Saturday, Dec. 1, at 8:30 p.m. at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. She will be accompanied by her longtime arranger and musical director, Marvin Laird, and an eight-piece orchestra. Proceeds benefit Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA).

Yesterday, October 21, Grammy Award-winning, Tony Award-winning actress Audra McDonald was honored with a Pipe Night at THE PLAYERS. McDonald is the 100th recipient (since 1901) of such a night and the first since 2010 (Sir Roger Moore).

Gray Line New York, New York City's premier double-decker bus, motorcoach and entertainment company, honored iconic duo Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock of Air Supply last Saturday, October 13, as the inaugural inductees for its prestigious Ride of Fame campaign as part of its new chapter, 'Immortal, It, Imminent," or 'Iii." Check out photos of the duo below!

Musicals Tonight's 2012-2013 Season includes Fade Out - Fade In by Comden & Green and Jule Styne, Strike Up the Band George & Ira Gershwin, Same Time, Next Year - The Musical a Premiere and Leave It to Jane by Jerome Kern. See full details below.

GRACE on Broadway has announced that international best-selling author Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat Pray Love) will participate in a post-show conversation about the play as it relates to issues of faith directly following the Wednesday, October 17th at 7pm performance of the show.