The Magic Castle is on a roll, after the successful launch of their 'Legend Series' last month with Phyllis Diller, as they proudly introduced Rose Marie as the second featured artist in the series.
Jay Leno once coined the phrase Plaidheads, referring to fans (such as himself) of the hit stage production, Forever Plaid. Well on July 9th, Plaidheads nation wide gathered to celebrate the screening of one of Off-Broadway's most popular and critically acclaimed musicals, as it made its first appearance on the big screen in the Forever Plaid 20th Anniversary Special event on Thursday, July 9th. Select members from the original ?Forever Plaid?cast with narration provied by David Hyde Pierce for the pre-taped anniversary performance, as they introduce the event live from the red carpet at Los Angeles' Club Nokia to fans in 500 movie theaters across the country and Canada, followed by a specially-taped 20th Anniversary performance of ?Forever Plaid.? Audiences across the country experienced a memorable evening, combining the 20th Anniversary event classic production with new and interactive twists, including a first-ever live, coast-to-coast in-theater sing-a-long with ?The Plaids.?
Among the many topics discussed on Sunday June 21st at the Magic Castle's Inner Circle gathering featuring the comedic icon Phyllis Diller, was how she was one of the long and impressive list of Dolly's such as Carol Channing, Ginger Rogers, Pearl Bailey and Ethel Merman to perform at the St James Theatre in Jerry Herman's HELLO DOLLY! 'David Merrick wanted either George Burns or Jack Benny to do Dolly in drag, but couldn't get them so he settled for me,' says Ms. Diller, whom everyone referred to as Madam. 'Can you imagine? It would still be running on Broadway today!'
While the world's eyes were focused on the TONY Awards in New York on Sunday June 7th, a crowd of almost 500 theatre patrons gathered in Los Angeles to celebrate by watching the ceremony live via satellite and to honor seven time nominee and two time TONY Award-winner Chita Rivera at the 13th Annual TONY Awards® Benefit presented by The Actors Fund.
Friends and colleagues including Bruce Vilanch, Valarie Pettiford, Rachel York, Rita McKenzie, Carole Cook, Thom Troupe, Kathryn Jootsen, Lily Tomlin, Florence Henderson, Donna Mills, Jackie Joseph, Channing Chase, Tippi Hedren, JoAnne Worley, Kate Linder and the Los Angeles cast of RENT among others were more than thrilled to turn out for this special engagement of 'The First 80 Years are the Hardest,' that marked Carol Channing's return to the stage after her accident last year that forced her, for the very first time in her 70 year career, to cancel all scheduled performances.
How The Entertainment Industry Can Be A Force For Good was the topic of the Fifth Annual PIRATES (Print Interactive Radio & Television Educational Society) Special Event at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences this year.
On Saturday, November 15th, 2008, Universal Hilton and Tower Ballroom played host to a distinguished panel of toasters to celebrate the extraordinary career of Broadway legend and icon-Carol Channing.
On Thursday, October 23rd, a crowd gathered at a chapel, filling to standing room only capacity, in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery to remember a man known to hundreds of millions simply as Mr. Blackwell.
Saturday night's Benefit Staged Radio Reading on Saturday Oct 25th was a success at GMT Studios (5751 Buckingham Parkway, Culver City, CA ). Rewriting the male roles for a female in the 1950's radio mysterys Tippi Hedren ( Hitchcock's The Birds & Marnie) played the street wise detective and Channing Chase (AMC's Mad Men) played the notorious racketeer, while Kate Linder (The Young & The Restless) tackled the three suspect roles including the thief. Co-Hosts for the evening included GMT Studios CEO Alan Hauge and Vice President and General Manager Terry Moretti. Drawing the winners name from the guests with correct answers was Lorretta Swit (M.A.S.H.).
Neil Patrick Harris, Penn & Teller, JoAnne Worley, Tippi Hedren, Richard Sherman, and Magic Castle co-founder's Milt Larsen and Irene Larsen were all on hand Friday, October 24th, 2008 for the unveiling of the refurbished Star on the Walk of Fame dedicated to the earliest and still often most recognized illusionist of stage and screen - MR. HARRY HOUDINI.
On November 15th, Carol Channing will make her first appearance in public after fracturing her femur and hip.
Monday night, August 25th, as Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles celebrated their 30th anniversary season with the stunning Joely Fisher as host/performer.
The Los Angeles Premiere of A. Giovanni Affinito's Agrippina. The Story of How Nero's Mother got him into the Emperor's throne and how he repays her for it. 50% of all proceeds will be donated to The Roar Foundation, in support of Shambala - A Big Cat Sanctuary founded by Conservationist - Tippi Hedren.
Held at the popular Skirball Center in Los Angeles, the Actors Fund's 12th annual TONY Award party was completely sold out well in advance and by far the most successful year ever by raising over $125,000, which is a tribute in itself to honoree Tommy Tune and host Florence Henderson, who was on hiatus from her own program on the RLTV network entitled 'The Florence Henderson Show.'
The Actors Fund kicked off its third year of intimate Musical Mondays celebrations Monday night in the lobby of Hollywood's Pantages Theatre as Broadway composer and musical director Ron Abel took center stage joined by a handful of all-star friends...
Te 40th Annual Awards Show & Banquet of the Academy of Magical Arts, Inc with Neil Patrick Harris, Hal Sparks, Florence Henderson, Tippi Hedren, and Jason Alexander.
At a special ceremony in the historic El Portal Theater in North Hollywood on Tuesday January 29, nine legendary leading ladies of American motion pictures, television and Broadway productions donated objects from their award-winning careers to the National Museum of American History.
The National Museum of American History will host a private (closed to public) donation ceremony at which ten legends of stage and screen will donate objects from their careers to the Museum's collections.
Retirement Living TV previewed the 'Florence Henderson Show' on Direct TV with the official debut scheduled for Thursday January 17, 2008 at 3PM (Eastern) and 12noon (Pacific)
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