Tuesday, June 09, 2015
Bounce TV Acquires Bernie Mac, Cosby; Remembering Reynaldo Rey, Jim Bailey and Mary Ellen Trainor
Bounce TV -- the nation's first and only broadcast television network designed for African American audiences -- has licensed the broadcast television rights to all five seasons and 104 episodes of the Peabody and EMMY award-winning sitcom The Bernie Mac Show in a multi-year agreement with Twentieth Television. Bounce TV is airing the The Bernie Mac Show Monday-Friday with back-to-back episodes from 8:00-9:00 pm (ET) as of June 1. The sitcom joins The Hughleys (7:00-8:00pm) and The Parent 'Hood (6:00-7:00 pm) in Bounce TV's early evening line-up. Bounce also of course airs A Different World (9-10am) and Roc (10-11am). Bounce TV has also quietly acquired the rights to the '90s comedy Cosby, which aired on CBS from 1996-2000 and starred Bill Cosby. Cosby is airing weekdays from 5-6pm as of June 1.
In The Bernie Mac Show, Bernie Mac stars as a famous stand-up comedian living large in Los Angeles with his beautiful wife Wanda (Kellita Smith). However, their world changes when they suddenly must take custody of his sister's three children when she is ordered into rehab. The critically-acclaimed show, loosely based on Mac's stand-up comedy act, was a mainstay on FOX from 2001-2006. Mac's character being a celebrity allowed for a who's who of stars to make guest appearances on the show including Chris Rock, Halle Berry, Don Cheadle, Charles Barkley, Snoop Dog and Ice Cube. The series was created by Larry Wilmore, now the host of The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore on Comedy Central.
Actor and comedian Reynaldo Rey, who appeared as Ray the Mailman in 227, has died. He died in Los Angeles on May 28 from complications due to a stroke he suffered last year. Mr. Rey was 75.
Rey played the recurring role of Ray the Mailman in 18 episodes of 227 from 1986-1990. He also worked as a writer for two episodes. His other sitcom guest appearances included Sanford, The Royal Family, The Parent 'Hood, The Wayans Bros., Sister, Sister, The Bernie Mac Show and Everybody Hates Chris.
He was the co-host of BET's ComicView in 1998–1999 and 2000–2001. Some of his film credits included Harlem Nights, A Rage in Harlem, White Men Can't Jump, House Party 3, Friday and For Da Love of Money.
Actor, singer and female impersonator Jim Bailey, who appeared in over 70 television and movie roles, has died. He died at his home in Los Angeles on May 30 from complications due to pneumonia. Mr. Bailey was 77.
Bailey appeared as Phyllis Diller in the 1972 Here's Lucy episode "Lucy and Jim Bailey." In 1985, he guest starred in the Night Court episode "Best of Friends" as Chip/Charlene, a college friend of Dan's (John Larroquette) who had undergone a sex change.
Some of his other television guest appearances included Switch, The Rockford Files, Vega$ and Ally McBeal. His many talk show/variety appearances included The Ed Sullivan Show, The Carol Burnett Show, The Dean Martin Show, The Mike Douglas Show, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Merv Griffin Show, Late Night with David Letterman and The Joan Rivers Show.
Actress Mary Ellen Trainor, who appeared as Parker Lewis' mother in Parker Lewis Can't Lose, has died. She died on May 20 at her home in Montecito, California from complications of pancreatic cancer. Ms. Trainor was 62.
Trainor played the role of Judy Lewis, the mother of Parker Lewis, in the Fox comedy Parker Lewis Can't Lose from 1989-1991. She appeared in the pilot episode and seasons 2-3, replacing Anne Bloom after the first season.
She starred as Eve Lukens in the ABC dramedy Relativity in 1996-1997. She played Diane Evans in the WB/UPN sci-fi drama Roswell from 1999-2002. Her television guest appearances included Cheers, Crazy Like a Fox, Remington Steele, Amazing Stories, Tales from the Crypt and The Outsiders.
Some of her film credits included Romancing the Stone, The Goonies, all four Lethal Weapon films, The Monster Squad, Die Hard, Scrooged, Ghostbusters II, Back to the Future Part II, Ricochet, Death Becomes Her, Little Giants, Congo and Freaky Friday. She was married to director Robert Zemeckis from 1980-2000. They had a son, Alex.
We thank them for the entertainment they brought us over the years. They will be greatly missed.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Wednesday, October 30
Abbott Elementary - "Costume Contest" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
It’s Halloween at Abbott Elementary! Janine and Gregory proudly show off their couple’s costume, but it fails to translate. Meanwhile, Barbara faces pushback from parents concerned about hygiene and her beloved apple-bobbing tradition.
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Saved by the Spell" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
On her first day of school, Billie uses magic to impress Roman's best friend; when a jealous Roman steals Billie's wand, he falls into the grasp of a wizard-hunting phantomus.
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Something Wizard This Way Comes" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
On Halloween, Billie tells Roman about Pumpkin Belly, a ghoul who eats anyone whose house isn't spookily decorated; Justin, Milo and Giada defend the home from pranksters.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 28)
Wednesday, October 30
- Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Watch Sheryl on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Salma Hayek Pinault (The Sinbad Show) - Salma appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Kieran Culkin (Solar Opposites/Go Fish) - Kieran is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Emily Osment (Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage/Young Sheldon/Young & Hungry/Hannah Montana), Tien Tran (How I Met Your Father) and Vinny Thomas (Platonic) - Emily, Tien and Vinny are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Adam Pally (Mr. Throwback/Indebted/Making History/The Mindy Project/Happy Endings) - Adam appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
- Keri Russell (Running Wilde/Daddy's Girls) - Keri talks about The Diplomat on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Matty Matheson (The Bear) - Matty talks about improvising scenes on the hit show The Bear and how he started his career in restaurants on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Anna Kendrick (Love Life) - Anna is chatting with Drew about directing her first film Woman of the Hour, the crazy serial killer case the movie is based on, finding boundaries in her life, turning 40 and more on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs Lopez) - Mayan discusses her sitcom Lopez vs Lopez on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Blair Underwood (Fatherhood/The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Blair is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
- Marissa Jaret Winokur (What We Do in the Shadows/Retired at 35/Stacked) - Marissa appears on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.
- Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Melissa talks about NBC's Happy's Place on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - The Ropers - The Complete Series (VEI)
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - Video Scrapbook
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD)
09/24 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD) / The Complete Series (DVD) (Blu-ray)
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive
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