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HBO Renews Somebody Somewhere for a Third Season; Remembering Marlene Clark of Sanford and Son and Other Sitcom Stars We Recently Lost

HBO announced that the critically acclaimed comedy series Somebody Somewhere has been renewed for a third season. From Mighty Mint, Duplass Brothers Productions, and creators and executive producers Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, the series follows Sam (played by Bridget Everett), a true Kansan on the surface, but, beneath it all, struggling to fit the hometown mold. Grappling with loss and acceptance, singing is Sam's saving grace and leads her on a journey to discover herself and a community of outsiders who don't fit in but don't give up, showing that finding your people, and finding your voice, is possible. Anywhere. Somewhere. Season two reminds us that families are hard, even the fun ones. Sam and Joel (Jeff Hiller) have settled into a comfy routine. But nothing stays the same forever.

Somebody Somewhere is co-created & executive produced by Hannah Bos & Paul Thureen; starring and executive produced by Bridget Everett; executive produced by Carolyn Strauss for Mighty Mint, Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass and Mel Eslyn for Duplass Brothers Productions, and Tyler Romary; produced by Shuli Harel. The series is written by Hannah Bos, Paul Thureen, Bridget Everett, Rachel Axler and Lisa Kron, and directed by Jay Duplass, Robert Cohen and Lennon Parham.

Actress and fashion model Marlene Clark, who played Janet Lawson on Sanford and Son, has died. She died on May 18 in Los Angeles, California. Ms. Clark was 85.

Clark had a recurring role as Janet Lawson, Lamont Sanford's (Demond Wilson) girlfriend, in six episodes of the NBC sitcom Sanford and Son from 1976 to 1977. Janet Lawson is a divorcee Lamont begins dating in the fifth season. Janet also has a young son, Roger (Edward Crawford). The Lawsons appear occasionally until Lamont and Janet break up in the sixth and final season, due to the return of Janet's ex-husband.

Some of her other sitcom guest appearances included The Bill Cosby Show, The Governor & J.J., What's Happening!! and Head of the Class (1988).

Some of her drama guest appearances included Marcus Welby, M.D. (1970), The Immortal, Bonanza, Mod Squad (2 episodes), McCloud, The Rookies, Barnaby Jones, Flamingo Road and Highway to Heaven.

Clark starred as Ganja Meda in the 1973 horror film Ganja & Hess. Some of her other film credits included Slaughter (1972), Night of the Cobra Woman (1972) and The Beast Must Die (1974).

Ms. Clark was funny and memorable as Janet Lawson on Sanford and Son. It would have been nice to see her in more episodes. She died on the same day as her Slaughter co-star, Jim Brown. She will be deeply missed.

Share your memories on our Sanford and Son message board. View photos in our galleries.

Actor John Beasley, who starred as Barton Ballentine on The Soul Man, has died. He died on May 30 at a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. Mr. Beasley was 79.

Beasley starred as Barton Ballentine on the 2012-2016 TV Land sitcom The Soul Man. He was a main cast member for the first season before recurring for seasons 2-5. Barton Ballentine is Reverend Sherman Boyce Ballentine's (Cedric the Entertainer) and Fletcher Emmanuel "Stamps" Ballentine's (Wesley Jonathan) father. He is a retired minister who now serves on the church Board of Elders, often to Boyce's annoyance. The series also starred Niecy Nash and Jazz Raycole.

He starred as Irv Harper on the 2002-2006 The WB drama Everwood. Some of his drama guest appearances included Brewster Place (4 episodes), Angel Street, The Untouchables (1993) (2 episodes), EZ Streets, Early Edition (2 episodes), The Pretender (2 episodes), Millenium (3 episodes), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2 episodes), Judging Amy (3 episodes), NCIS, Boston Legal, CSI: Miami, Harry's Law, Detroit 1-8-7, Treme (4 episodes), Shots Fired (6 episodes as Mr. Dabney), The Resident, The Mandalorian and Your Honor. He guest starred as John 'Briefcase' Jefferson in a 2011 episode of Tyler Perry's House of Payne.

Beasley starred as Coach Warren in Rudy (1993). Some of his other film credits included The Mighty Ducks (1992), The Apostle (1997), The General's Daughter (1999), The Sum of All Fears (2002), Walking Tall (2004), The Purge: Anarchy (2014) and Sinister 2 (2015).

Mr. Beasley was a talented and versatile character actor. He was a familiar face in many TV series and films. He will be greatly missed.

Actor, writer and executive producer Michael Norell, who starred as Captain Henry "Hank" Stanley on Emergency!, has died. He died on May 12 in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. Mr. Norell was 85.

Norell starred as Captain Henry "Hank" Stanley on the 1972-1977 NBC action-adventure medical drama Emergency!. The Jack Webb-produced series also starred Robert Fuller, Julie London, Bobby Troup, Randolph Mantooth, Kevin Tighe, Tim Donnelly, Mike Stoker, Marco Lopez, Ron Pinkhard and Vince Howard.

He also wrote four episodes of Emergency! from 1974 to 1977. Some of his other television writing credits included The Love Boat (12 episodes), Love Boat: The Next Wave, The Magnificent Seven (1998-2000) (2 episodes) and Nash Bridges (6 episodes). He created and was executive producer for the 1981 ABC short-lived Love Boat clone Aloha Paradise, which starred Debbie Reynolds and Bill Daily.

Mr. Norell was memorable as Captain Henry "Hank" Stanley. We thank him for his work as an actor, writer and executive producer. He will be sorely missed.

We also remember Japanese-American actress Eileen Saki. She played the bar owner Rosie on M*A*S*H. She died from pancreatic cancer in Los Angeles on May 1. Ms. Saki was 79.

Saki was the final and longest-running actress to play Rosie, proprietor of Rosie's Bar, on M*A*S*H. She appeared in eight episodes as Rosie from 1979 to 1981. She also had a small but memorable role in the season 5 premiere episode ("Bug Out") as the head Madam of a coquettish group of prostitutes.

Her other sitcom guest appearances included Good Times and Gimme a Break!. Some of her other television guest appearances included CHiPs, The Greatest American Hero, Sidekicks and Without a Trace.

She played Dr. Fujimoto in Splash (1984).

British-born American television host and actor Jerry Springer was best known for hosting the sometimes controversial tabloid talk show Jerry Springer from 1991 to 2018. He died on April 27 at his home in Evanston, Illinois. A family spokesperson said that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a few months prior to his death. Mr. Springer was 79.

He was also the host of America's Got Talent from 2007 to 2008, and of the courtroom show Judge Jerry from 2019 to 2022.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Married... with Children, Roseanne, Night Stand (2 episodes), The Steve Harvey Show, The Wayans Bros., The Simpsons (voice), Love Boat: The Next Wave, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Malcolm & Eddie, Suddenly Susan, Son of the Beach, George Lopez (2 episodes) and Are We There Yet?. Some of his other television guest appearances included The X-Files, Early Edition, V.I.P., Days of Our Lives and Happy! (2017).

Actress and writer Garn Stephens starred as Harriet Hastings on Phyllis. She died on April 14. Ms. Stephens was 78.

Stephens starred as Harriet Hastings in the second season the CBS sitcom Phyllis. Harriet Hastings is Phyllis Lindstrom's (Cloris Leachman) co-worker. Like Leonard Marsh (John Lawlor), Harriet does not have a very friendly relationship with Phyllis.

Some of her sitcom guest appearances included All in the Family, Barney Miller, Family Ties, Foley Square and Have Faith. Some of her other other television guest appearances included Charlie's Angels, Falcon Crest and Quantum Leap (1993).

She received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series for her work on a 1983 episode of St. Elsewhere. Her other writing credits included Trapper John, M.D. (2 episodes), Hotel and Trial by Jury.

Her feature film credits included The Sunshine Boys (1975) and Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982).

Writer Douglas Tibbles worked on The Munsters and My Three Sons. He died on April 12. Mr. Tibbles was 83.

Tibbles was credited as a writer for 12 episodes of The Munsters and 34 episodes of My Three Sons. Some of his other sitcom writing credits included Family Affair (2 episodes), The Andy Griffith Show (5 episodes), Bewitched (2 episodes), Room 222, The Doris Day Show (2 episodes), Love, American Style (5 episodes), Chico and the Man (1 episode), Hello, Larry (2 episodes) and The New Gidget.

Actor Michael Lerner starred as Mel Horowitz on Clueless. He died of complications from brain seizures at a hospital in Burbank, California, on April 8. Mr. Lerner was 81.

Lerner starred as Mel Horowitz, the father of Cher Horowitz (Rachel Blanchard), in the first season (1996-1997) of Clueless. Doug Sheehan played Mel Horowitz in seasons two and three. The sitcom aired on ABC for the first season before moving to UPN for seasons two and three.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included The Good Guys (2 episodes), The Brady Bunch, The Doris Day Show (2 episodes), That Girl, The Bob Newhart Show, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1973), Love, American Style (1974), M*A*S*H, The Odd Couple, Rhoda, Entourage, Suburgatory, Childrens Hospital and Maron.

He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jack Lipnick in Barton Fink (1991). Some of his other film credits included Eight Men Out (1988), Amos & Andrew (1993), No Escape (1994), The Beautician and the Beast (1997), Godzilla (1998), Elf (2003) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014).

Actress and writer Judy Farrell played Nurse Able on M*A*S*H. She died from complications of a stroke at a hospital in West Hills, Los Angeles on April 2. Ms. Farrell was 84.

Farrell appeared as Nurse Able in eight episodes of M*A*S*H from 1976 to 1983. She was married to Mike Farrell (B.J. Hunnicutt) from 1963 until they divorced in 1983.

She appeared as Charlotte Miller in four episodes of the first season of Fame from 1982 to 1983. She also wrote an episode of the series in 1983. She later wrote 13 episodes for the soap opera Port Charles.

Some of her other sitcom guest appearances included Get Smart, Room 222, The Partridge Family and Benson. Some of her other television credits included Judd for the Defense (2 episodes), Medical Center (2 episodes) Emergency! and Quincy, M.E. (3 episodes).

Actor Lance Reddick was best known for playing Cedric Daniels in The Wire (2002–2008), Phillip Broyles in Fringe (2008–2013), and Chief Irvin Irving in Bosch (2014–2020). He died from heart disease on March 17 at home in Los Angeles. Mr. Reddick was 60.

Reddick was also known for portraying Detective Johnny Basil in Oz (1997–2003), Matthew Abaddon in Lost (2004–2010), and Albert Wesker and his clones in the Netflix series Resident Evil (2022).

He starred as Christian DeVille on the 2018-2020 Comedy Central sitcom Corporate. Corporate is set in multinational corporation Hampton DeVille and follows the miserable lives of two downtrodden employees.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included The Nanny, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Wilfred and Young Sheldon.

In film, he was best known for starring as Charon in the John Wick franchise (2014–2023) and as General Caulfield in White House Down (2013).

Actress Barbara Bosson was best known for her role as Fay Furillo on the NBC police drama Hill Street Blues, for which she was consecutively nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards. She died in Los Angeles on February 18. Ms. Bosson was 83.

Bosson starred as Captain C.Z. Stern on the 1987-1989 ABC comedy-drama Hooperman. The show centered on the professional and personal life of San Francisco police Inspector Harry Hooperman, played by John Ritter. It also starred Deborah Farentino (1987-1988), Clarence Felder, Sydney Walsh, Joseph Gian, Felton Perry, Alix Elias, Paul Linke (1988-1989) and Rod Gist (1988-1989).

She starred as Sharon Deterson on the short-lived 1978 NBC detective drama Richie Brockelman, Private Eye. In 1990, she starred as Mayor Louise Plank on the ABC police procedural musical television series Cop Rock. She starred as Miriam Grasso on the 1995-1997 ABC legal drama Murder One. She received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1996 for the role.

Bosson starred as Jane Rogan, Alex Rogan's (Lance Guest) mother, in the science fiction film The Last Starfighter (1984).

Actress Kristina Holland starred as Tina Rickles on The Courtship of Eddie's Father. She provided the voice of Alice Boyle in the animated series Wait Till Your Father Gets Home. She died on February 22. Ms. Holland was 78.

Holland had a recurring role as Tina Rickles, secretary to Tom Corbett (Bill Bixby), on the 1969-1972 ABC sitcom The Courtship of Eddie's Father. The series also starred Brandon Cruz, Miyoshi Umeki and James Komack.

She provided the voice of Alice Boyle in the 1972-1974 first-run syndicated animated sitcom Wait Till Your Father Gets Home. The show features Harry Boyle, wife Irma, daughter Alice, and sons Chet and Jamie. The voice cast included Tom Bosley, Joan Gerber, David Hayward, Jackie Haley and Jack Burns.

Some of her sitcom guest appearances included Here Come the Brides (2 episodes), Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, The Doris Day Show, Make Room for Granddaddy (1970), Love, American Style (3 episodes), The Girl with Something Extra, The Bob Newhart Show (2 episodes) and Good Heavens.

She provided the voice of April Stewart in the animated series The Funky Phantom (1971-1972) and the voice of Stephanie in the animated series Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids (1973).

Holland performed in more than 22 television series, two films, and provided voiceover talent for at least two video games. She later worked as a professional psychotherapist in California.

We thank them for the laughs and entertainment they brought us on their sitcoms and other television work. They will be greatly missed.

Posted by Todd -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:30 PM

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Labels: HBO, Obits, Sanford and Son, Somebody Somewhere