The Emmy-nominated star of the classic 1950s sitcom I Married Joan, Joan Davis (1912-1961) was also radio's highest paid comedienne in the 1940s--and she displayed her unique brand of knockabout comedy in more than forty films.
This collection of new essay examines how authors of the 20th and 21st centuries continue the use of sentimental forms and tropes of 19th century literature.
Producer-writer Roy Huggins is best known for creating the TV series, Maverick, 77 Sunset Strip, The Fugitive, Run For Your Life and The Rockford Files (with Stephen J.
A chronological listing of the creative output and other antics of the members of the British comedy group Monty Python, both as a group and individually.
When the first season of Star Trek opened to American television viewers in 1966, the thematically insightful sci-fi story line presented audiences with the exciting vision of a bold voyage into the final frontiers of space and strange, new galactic worlds.
This book highlights detection's malleability by analyzing the works of particular groups of authors from specific time periods written in response to other texts.
This is a collection of new essays on the religious themes in, and the implications of, the works of Joss Whedon, creator of such shows as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly, and more recently writer and director of the box-office hit Marvel's The Avengers.
This is a complete revision of the author's 1993 McFarland book Television Specials that not only updates entries contained within that edition, but adds numerous programs not previously covered, including beauty pageants, parades, awards programs, Broadway and opera adaptations, musicals produced especially for television, holiday specials (e.
Reversing a common science fiction cliche, Farscape follows the adventures of the human astronaut John Crichton after he is shot through a wormhole into another part of the universe.
This collection of 19 new essays by 21 authors from the United States, the UK, Canada, Australia and India focuses on contemporary film and television (1989 to the present) from those countries as well as from China, Korea, Thailand and France.
In the three decades since the first SF film produced for television--1968's Shadow on the Land--nearly 600 films initially released to television have had science fiction, fantasy, or horror themes.
This essay collection explores the phenomenon of "e;teen TV"e; in the United States, analyzing the meanings and manifestations of this category of programming from a variety of perspectives.
Although some scholars credit Shakespeare with creating in Henry IV's Falstaff the first "e;second banana"e; character (reviving him for Henry IV Part Two), most television historians agree that the popular co-star was born in 1955 when Art Carney, as Ed Norton, first addressed Jackie Gleason with a "e;Hey, Ralphie-boy,"e; on The Honeymooners.
In Only the Lonely (1991), Ally Sheedy appeases prospective mother-in-law Maureen O'Hara by going along to see the 1939 film How Green Was My Valley--starring Maureen O'Hara.
From the early days of the movies, "e;cavemen"e; have been a popular subject for filmmakers--not surprisingly, since the birth of cinema occurred only a few decades after the earliest scientific studies of prehistoric man.
This work examines the unique and ever-changing relationship between politics and comedy through an analysis of several popular American television programs.
The "e;live era"e; or "e;golden age"e;of television drama originating from New York, 1946 through 1951, was an exciting time of creative and commercial accomplishment.
Born Joan Boniface Winnifrith on January 2, 1913, Anna Lee is best known for her portrayal of General Hospital's Lila Quartermaine, a character who she brought to life for over two decades.
This book is the definitive guide to the film, stage, radio and television career of Kay Francis, one of the most glamorous stars from the golden age of Hollywood.