Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Sabrina Returns April 5 on Netflix; Remembering Character Actor Richard Erdman of Community

Double double boys and trouble. The trailer has arrived for (season one) Part 2 of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, launching globally April 5, Only on Netflix. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina re-imagines the origin and adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft. Part 2 finds Sabrina exploring her darker side, curious to learn more about her heritage, while struggling to maintain her friendships in the mortal world. Romantically, Sabrina is caught in an unholy love triangle with between sexy warlock Nicholas Scratch and salt-of-the-Earth mortal Harvey Kinkle. Meanwhile, The Dark Lord, Madame Satan, and Father Blackwood continue to conjure chaos in the Spellman household and the town of Greendale. And they aren't the only ones trying to raise hell. Everything is in question... relationships, identity, true intentions... when the devil's work is at hand.
The series stars Kiernan Shipka, Miranda Otto, Lucy Davis, Ross Lynch, Michelle Gomez, Chance Perdomo, Jaz Sinclair, Richard Coyle, Tati Gabrielle, Adeline Rudolph, Abigail Cowen, Lachlan Watson and Gavin Leatherwood. The series has been renewed for a second season already (parts 3 and 4). Newcomers for parts 3 & 4 include Jedidiah Goodacre as Dorian Gray and Alexis Denisof as Mary Wardwell's boyfriend, Adam Masters.
Character actor Richard Erdman, who had a recurring role as the old student Leonard Rodriguez in Community, has died. He died on March 16 in an assisted-living facility in Los Angeles, California. He had been suffering from age-related dementia and recently had a fall. Mr. Erdman was 93.
Erdman's first sitcom starring role was as Pete Morrisey in the 1953-1954 ABC sitcom Where's Raymond?. The series was renamed The Ray Bolger Show for the second season in 1954-1955. Pete was Raymond Wallace's (Ray Bolger) landlord and press agent. It also starred Allyn Joslyn (1953-1954), Betty Lynn (1953-1954), Marjie Millar (1954-1955), Christine Nelson (1954-1955), Charlie Cantor (1954-1955) and Sylvia Lewis.
His next starring role was as Peter Fairfield III in the 1960-1961 NBC sitcom The Tab Hunter Show. Peter was the rich playboy and best friend of cartoonist Paul Morgan (Tab Hunter). The series also starred Jerome Cowan as John Larsen, Paul's Boss and the owner of Comics, Inc. and Reta Shaw as Thelma, Paul's housekeeper.
Erdman had a recurring role as the old student Leonard Rodriguez in 53 episodes of Community from 2009 to 2015. The series aired for five seasons on NBC before moving to Yahoo! Screen for the sixth and final season. Leonard was an elderly man who studied business at Greendale Community College. The series starred Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alison Brie, Donald Glover, Ken Jeong, Chevy Chase and Jim Rash.
Some of his 1950s and 1960s sitcom guest appearances included The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (3 episodes), December Bride (2 episodes), Make Room for Daddy, Mister Ed, The Bill Dana Show, Petticoat Junction, The Dick Van Dyke Show (he also directed 2 episodes), Green Acres, Mr. Terrific, Hogan's Heroes, Mayberry R.F.D., I Dream of Jeannie and The Beverly Hillbillies.
His 1970s and later sitcom guest appearances included Here's Lucy, That Girl, Love American Style, Alice, One Day at a Time, Too Close for Comfort, Small Wonder, Cheers, She's the Sheriff, It's a Living, Wings, Out of This World, Hudson Street, The Bernie Mac Show and Weird Loners. He made his final guest appearance in a 2017 episode of Dr. Ken.
Erdman starred as Klugie, the staff photographer and office philosopher, in the 1962-1963 newspaper drama Saints and Sinners. Some of his drama guest appearances included Perry Mason (6 episodes), The Twilight Zone, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Police Story, The Six Million Dollar Man (2 episodes), The Bionic Woman, Lou Grant, Quincy M.E., Murder, She Wrote, Beverly Hills 902010, Judging Amy and Joan of Arcadia.
He also did work as a voice over artist. Some of his voice credits included Space Stars, The Dukes, Galtar and the Golden Lance, The Smurfs, DuckTales, Popeye and Son, The Flintstone Kids, The New Yogi Bear Show, Snorks, The Further Adventures of SuperTed, Fantastic Max and The Pirates of Dark Water.
Erdman appeared in more than 60 films. Some of his best-known supporting roles were in The Men, Cry Danger, Stalag 17 and Tora! Tora! Tora!.
Mr. Erdman appeared in more than 160 films, television and theater productions during his career which spanned seven decades. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment he brought us. He will be greatly missed.
Share your memories on our Community message board. View photos in our galleries.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Tuesday, April 1
St. Denis Medical - "Anything to Push Zaluva" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Ron's teasing makes Joyce question whether her friendship with a pharmaceutical rep is genuine; Alex has trouble letting Serena take on a new task; Matt finds a mentor in Bruce.
Night Court - "Hot to Trot" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Abby's friendship with her ex-boyfriend's mother leads to romantic complications; when Julianne's wealthy aunt passes away, the gang vies for a piece of her inheritance.
Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Love At First Swipe" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
C.J. and Janine receive marital advice from an unlikely source; Peanut seeks help with his newfound online lover.
Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Failure 2 Launch" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Assisted Living is the new situation comedy by Tyler Perry about three generations who must make a new start in the rural backwoods of Georgia.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 31)
Tuesday, April 1
- Adam Scott (Ghosted/Veep/Parks and Recreation/Party Down) - Catch Adam on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Kevin Bacon (I Love Dick) - Kevin is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Amanda Peet (Brockmire/Togetherness/Bent) - Amanda appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) - Paul stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Ike Barinholtz (The Studio/The Afterparty/Bless the Harts/The Mindy Project/Eastbound & Down) - Ike appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He will also be on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9:30pm on Bravo.
- Vinny Thomas (Platonic), Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Aparna Nancherla (The Great North/Lopez vs Lopez/Corporate) - Vinny, Paul and Aparna are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Chase Sui Wonders (The Studio/Bupkis) and Kathryn Hahn (The Studio/Tiny Beautiful Things/Central Park/Happyish/Transparent/Free Agents) - Chase and Kathryn are guests on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9:30pm on Bravo.
- Will Ferrell (The Office) and Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls/Joey) - E! News has interviews with Will and Jennifer at 11pm on E!.
- Román Zaragoza (Ghosts) - Román talks about Ghosts on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Jenny talks about Dying for Sex on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Michael Angarano (Laid/I'm Dying Up Here/Will & Grace) and Michael Cera (Life & Beth/Arrested Development/I Was a Sixth Grade Alien) - Michael and Michael talk about Sacramento with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) - Hannah talks about Hacks on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Tasha Smith (Survival of the Thickest/Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse/The Tom Show/Boston Common) and Tone Bell (Survival of the Thickest/Fam/Disjointed/Truth Be Told/Bad Judge/Whitney) - Tasha and Tone talk about the new season of Netflix’s Survival of the Thickest on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Kathryn Hahn (The Studio/Tiny Beautiful Things/Central Park/Happyish/Transparent/Free Agents) - Kathryn is dishing on her new comedy series The Studio on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Wilmer Valderrama (That '70s Show) - Wilmer and Freddy Rodriguez chat about their podcast Dos Amigos on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Brenda Song (Running Point/Dollface/Dads/The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Brenda talks about Netflix's Running Point on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Paul Walter Hauser (The Afterparty) - Paul is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
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