Old TV Trivia PT 1 – ‘Star Trek’ (1966-9).

November 10, 2016 Alan Royle 3

  NBC marketing staff confronted company executives after the bean counters decided to terminate the series after three seasons and 80 episodes over four years. The powers that be felt that the show’s inability to rise above 52 in the general ratings warranted cancellation. The marketing people pointed out to […]

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Heroes & Villains – the HUAC blacklistings 1947-58.

November 8, 2016 Alan Royle 15

  When 79 individuals were subpoenaed in September 1947 by the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), and charged with subversive actions and/or injecting Communist propaganda into their movies, the repercussions career-wise for many of them were long and destructive. The charges were never substantiated, but their accusers were not concerned […]

Actors marrying other actors – PT 17.

November 6, 2016 Alan Royle 3

  CROWE, Russell                              SPENCER, Danielle                         2003 –   New Zealand-born Russell met Australian actress Danielle when they co-starred in The Crossing in 1989. Their relationship endured despite their being apart for much of the time until they finally tied the knot in 2003. They have two children, the second […]

A few Hollywood substance abusers PT 2.

November 4, 2016 Alan Royle 17

    Anthony Hopkins Anthony Hopkins opted to join Alcoholics Anonymous after he awoke in another state without having any idea how he got there. Until then he had struggled with alcoholism since the beginning of his acting career. It turned him into a loner and destroyed several relationships.   […]

A few Hollywood substance abusers. PT 1.

November 2, 2016 Alan Royle 18

  John Barrymore John Barrymore became famous for playing sympathetic drunks on film, no great stretch for him given he was a fully-fledged, dedicated alcoholic off-camera all his life. As a Shakespearian stage actor he was brilliant in his youth, able to memorize and deliver extraordinarily long speeches effortlessly and […]