Monday, May 21, 2018
Hit HBO Comedies Return Aug. 12; Remembering Joseph Campanella of One Day at a Time
The hit comedy series Ballers and Insecure will kick off their new seasons back-to-back Sunday, Aug. 12 on HBO. Ballers returns for its fourth season Sunday, Aug. 12 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. The show looks at the lives of former and current football players, following former superstar Spencer Strasmore (Dwayne Johnson), who has reinvented himself as a financial manager. This season, Spencer and Joe (Rob Corddry) take their skills to Los Angeles as they look to expand their roster and horizons in the world of action sports. Other cast members include John David Washington, Omar Benson Miller, Donovan Carter, Troy Garity, London Brown, Jazmyn Simon and Brittany S. Hall. Created by Steve Levinson; executive produced by Stephen Levinson, Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Peter Berg, Rob Weiss, Julian Farino, Denis Biggs and Karyn McCarthy.
Insecure begins its third season Sunday, Aug. 12 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. Starring Issa Rae and Yvonne Orji, the show follows the friendship of two black women as they deal with their own real-life flaws while attempting to navigate different worlds and cope with an endless series of uncomfortable everyday experiences. Other series regulars include Jay Ellis, Lisa Joyce, Y'lan Noel, Natasha Rothwell and Amanda Seales. Created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore; executive produced by Issa Rae, Prentice Penny, Melina Matsoukas, Michael Rotenberg, Dave Becky, Jonathan Berry, Dayna Lynne North and Jim Kleverweis.
Character actor Joseph Campanella, who played Ann Romano's ex-husband, Ed Cooper, in One Day at a Time, has died. He died on May 16 at his home in Sherman Oaks, California, of complications from Parkinson's disease. Mr. Campanella was 93.
Campanella appeared as Ed Cooper, the ex-husband of Ann Romano (Bonnie Franklin), in eight episodes of One Day at a Time from 1976 to 1982. While Ann resumed the use of her maiden name, Julie (Mackenzie Phillips) and Barbara (Valerie Bertinelli) used their father's last name.
Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included Captain Nice, The Doris Day Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Brady Brides, The Love Boat, The Golden Girls and Mama's Family.
His work on television was primarily in dramas. He starred as Dr. Ted Steffen in the CBS medical drama The Doctors and the Nurses in 1964-1965. He appeared as attorney Brian Darrell in The Bold Ones: The Lawyers from 1969 to 1972. Campanella starred as Leo Wickersham, Joe Mannix's (Mike Connors) boss, in the first season of Mannix in 1967-1968. He received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Drama for the role in 1968. He played Hutch Corrigan, Constance Colby's (Barbara Stanwyck) love interest, in eight episodes of The Colbys in 1985-1986. In 2000-2001, he had a recurring role as Joe in 11 episodes of That's Life.
Campanella's best known roles were on soap operas. He had a recurring role as a criminal named Joe Turino on Guiding Light from 1959 to 1962. He appeared as Harper Deveraux on Days of Our Lives from 1987 to 1988, a role which he received an Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1989. He had a recurring role as Jonathan Young on The Bold and the Beautiful from 1996 to 2005.
Campanella was also known for his voice work. He voiced the character of Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard on Spider-Man: The Animated Series from 1994 to 1997. He was the narrator for the Discover science series on the Disney Channel from 1992 to 1994.
Survivors includes his wife, Jill; his seven sons, Philip, Robert, Joseph Jr., Dominic, Anthony, John and Andrew; and eight grandchildren.
Mr. Campanella was a talented and versatile character actor. He appeared in more than 200 television and film roles from the early 1950s to 2009. We thank him for the entertainment he brought us during his long career. He will be greatly missed.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Thursday, May 8
Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Ladies Love Brunch" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie tries to juggle his mom, his mother-in-law and Mandy on Mother’s Day. Meanwhile, Audrey wants to meet Connor’s girlfriend.
Ghosts - "The Devil Went Down to Woodstone" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Sam and Jay host a big party for the launch of Sam and Isaac’s vampire book. Mary Holland (Patience), Punam Patel (Bela) and Matt Walsh (Elias Woodstone) return as guest stars.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 5)
Thursday, May 8
- Paula Poundstone (Home Movies) - Paula performs stand-up comedy on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll) - Natasha appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle talks about Netflix's Survival of the Thickest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite/Benched) and Doug Benson (You're the Worst) - Maria and Doug are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- John Benjamin Hickey (HouseBroken/The Big C/It's All Relative) - John stops by Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11:15pm on Bravo.
- Patricia Clarkson (Davis Rules) - Patricia is a guest on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11:15pm on Bravo.
- Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - E! News has an interview with Kerry at 11pm on E!. Kerry and Omar Sy discuss their highly anticipated new film Shadow Force on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Rebel Wilson (Super Fun Night) - Rebel chats about Juliet & Romeo on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - In A Little Bit Extra Valerie and Ross Mathews are sharing more of their conversation with Al Roker in Charleston at the Food & Wine Classic on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) and Randall Park (Young Rock/Blockbuster/Fresh Off the Boat/Veep/Supah Ninjas) - Morris and Randall talk about Watson on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
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