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'Friends' Star Matthew Perry Dead At 54...After Apparent Drowning
The Dark Truth About Our Gang's Little Radical
The Little Rascals comedy shorts were incredibly popular in the early years of film, but the crew could easily be described as cursed— many of the cast members died under horrifying circumstances, not limited to murder, plane crashes, suicide, and motorcycle accidents.
The Whole Bushel
Beginning in 1922, a series of live-action comedy shorts starring a group of children called Our Gang hit the silver screen. The shorts were a hit, and over decades, a constantly evolving cast of “Little Rascals” entertained audiences, new kids joining up as older ones grew into their teens. While many cast members lived full, normal lives following their stint on the program, a chilling number went on to perish in most terrible fashion.
Bobby Hutchins (20) and Donald Haines (23) both died while serving in World War II. Billy “Froggy” Laughlin died at just 16 when his motor scooter was struck by a car. Norman “Chubby” Chaney died of a glandular ailment at 21. Kendall McComas (64) and Scott Beckett (38) committed suicide. Darla Hood, who frequently figured in as the show’s love interest, died of a heart attack at 47 after contracting hepatitis from a blood transfusion.
In 2002, Jay R. Smith, who lived to 87 years old, was stabbed to death by a homeless man he had befriended. His corpse was found in the desert north of Las Vegas, Nevada. Robert Blake, who successfully made the transition from child to adult actor, found himself in the crosshairs of a murder investigation when his second wife, Bonnie Lee Bakly, was killed in 2001. Blake was acquitted of the charges, but was found liable for her death in a subsequent civil trial.
Perhaps the most famous rascal of all was Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer, the freckled, cowlicked boy who yearned for the affections of his beloved Darla. Switzer left the show in 1940 at the age of 12, and though he had a few bit parts afterward, including roles in such classics as It’s a Wonderful Life and The Ten Commandments, his acting career was pretty much over. Switzer did a series of odd jobs afterward; he had a talent in particular for training hunting dogs. On January 21, 1959, Switzer got into an argument with another man concerning a dog and a debt of $50. He was shot in the groin and bled to death. He was 31. Sixteen years later, Carl’s brother Harold (who also appeared on the series) killed a man in a dispute, then committed suicide at the age of 42.
Scooby-Doo Resembles Late 60s Sitcom
An all-American athletic boy with blonde hair. A beautiful popular girl. A lazy beatnik with a goatee who peppers his speech with "like" and "man." A brainy, petite brunette.
That sounds like a quite familiar quartet, right? Perhaps one that drives around in a green and blue van with a Great Dane?
Those descriptions apply to the core characters of The Many Lives of Dobie Gillis or Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! — and with good reason. The latter Hanna-Barbera cartoon, which premiered in 1969, was based on the former black & white teen sitcom from a decade earlier.
Here are the voice actors behind the characters of 'Scooby Doo, Where Are You!'
The development of Scooby-Doo was inspired by a couple popular teen sensations of the 1960s. Fred Silverman, CBS's head of daytime programming at the time, was looking to duplicate the success of the Archies. His rough pitch to animators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera was this: a teenage rock band that would solve mysteries. Hanna-Barbera assigned the task to writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears, and artist Iwao Takamoto. Their first draft was a group dubbed the Mysteries Five, consisting of kids named Geoff, Mike, Kelly, Linda and W.W., along with a bongo-playing sheepdog called Too Much. These teen toons were rough analogues to Archies characters Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica and Hot Dog. (W.W. was an additional kid brother.)
Unimpressed, Silvermen sent Ruby, Spears and Takamoto back to the drawing board. This time, the creators simply mimicked Dobie Gillis.
Take a good look at the photo up top and it becomes pretty obvious. Fred is Dobie (Dwayne Hickman), Daphne is Thalia (Tuesday Weld), Shaggy is Maynard (Bob Denver) and Velma is Zelda (Sheila James). Heck, "Velma" even sounds like "Zelda."
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis showed its influence in other realms of pop culture, too. Dobie Gray, the pop-soul singer known for chart smashes like "The 'In' Crowd" and "Drift Away," was born Lawrence Darrow Brown. His record label suggested he use the name "Dobie" to ride off the popularity of the sitcom.
In a less evident example, Gerry Marshall admitted that his hit Happy Days was patterned after Dobie Gillis. Then again, just about every sitcom about teenagers can credit Dobie Gillis, down to Saved by the Bell. Dobie is a pioneer. This early gem was the first sitcom on a major network to focus on adolescent characters. He may have been a Boomer, but it feels like he hasn't aged a day.
What Happened To Joey Greco From Cheaters?
From 2002-2012, Joey captivated us with his soul patch, glasses, and calculated tone. He confronted cheaters with the evidence that they, in fact, cheated on their significant other or long-term partner.
So, what happened to 'Cheaters' host Joey Greco?
The concept of the show is simple. If someone feels that their partner is not being faithful, they seek out the help of the Cheaters team. The show then sends out its private investigators to essentially spy on the partner in question. Over the course of a few days, the PIs collect evidence that either proves or disproves their suspicions.
Due to the sensitive nature of these confrontations between the host, the cheater, and the client, things tend to get quite fiery on the show. In 2003, Joey was the victim of a stabbing during one of these confrontations. This incident raised questions over the show’s validity, leading it to be considered “fake” by critics.
However, it gave Joey notoriety. Cheap stunt or not, it was one of the few things that contributed to him becoming a fan-favorite of the show.
Joey was replaced on 'Cheaters' in 2012 with Clark Gable III.
Despite his popularity, Joey was replaced for the 13th season of the show in 2012 by the late Clark Gable III (Clark Gable’s grandson who passed in 2019 from a drug overdose). According to executive producer and creator Bobby Goldstein, “We just felt it was time to freshen up the show with a new host.”
Joey was asked to finish out the end of Season 15 of Cheaters in 2015. Not much has been heard of Joey since then, but rest assured, he’s still around — just not confronting cheaters.
Joey got back into acting after leaving 'Cheaters'...
Joey was an actor before he became the host of Cheaters. After his decade-long stint on the show, he landed some small roles here and there but mostly appeared as himself for nostalgia’s sake.
His credits post-Cheaters include Charlie: A Toy Story (2013) and the television show Hot Package “Sex and Violence” (2015).
He’s had recurring roles on the television series Ghostbreakers from 2011-2016 as himself and has appeared in various product and service commercials. He also hosted Netflix Cheaterz in 2017, a parody surrounding the issue of Netflix cheating.
In 2020, Joey works as a fitness trainer and real estate agent.
Actors are not obligated to continue acting once they’re out of a gig and some choose to pursue other careers. This is true of Joey Greco. He is a counselor, a fitness trainer, and, if you live in Dallas, Texas, then chances are that Joey could be your new real estate agent!
That’s right, Joey works for Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty. He appears to have some decent testimonials, too.
Although Joey spends most of his time on real estate, there is a chance that you’ll catch him in some form on TV, either in commercials or perhaps as the occasional host of a reality show. The fact is, there isn’t any "news" about Joey.
He lives a seemingly unbothered life down in Texas, and sorry, he won’t even be returning to host the latest seasons of Cheaters — and we don't blame him.
Credit: Reese Watson
Roundups #15: Paramount+ Working On Seal Team Movie, Knuckles TV Series And NCIS: Sydney
Seal Team Getting A Feature Film And Another NCIS Spinoff Is In Development
Just days after SEAL Team was renewed for Season 6 by Paramount+, the military drama also has received an order for a stand-alone movie from the streamer. Additionally, NCIS: Sydney, an offshoot from the venerable crime drama franchise, has been commissioned by Paramount+ Australia and the country’s ViacomCBS-owned Network 10. The projects, announced during the ViacomCBS Investor presentation, come from CBS Studios which is tapping into the studio’s IP to expand two of its current series/franchises.
NCIS: Sydney, which is slated for 2023, marks the first time one of CBS Studios’ global drama franchises is getting an international spinoff. The series, which will be filmed in Sydney, will feature local stories and Australian actors and producers, led by one of the most decorated alums of the NCIS franchise, NCIS: Los Angeles creator and former NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles executive producer/showrunner Shane Brennan who now lives in his native Australia. His exact capacity is TBD. NCIS: Sydney is being developed specifically for Paramount+ Australia as one of its first original series; it could also play in other territories, including U.S., as ViacomCBS’ streamer expands worldwide.
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- Cartoonito launches on Boomerang across Europe possibly as a trial run before scrapping the channel
- NCIS: Los Angeles might get cancelled
- Lifetime could be on the chopping block on DStv
- Could ESPN close alongside National Geographic and Disney Channel?
- February on ViacomCBS Africa channels
- BBC Kids launches in the United States, could Africa be next?
The SEAL Team standalone movie, which will not be a bridge between the recent fifth season and the upcoming sixth season, comes from the series’ creative team of star/executive producer David Boreanaz, executive producer Christopher Chulack and executive producer/showrunner Spencer Hudnut. Its concept is still being developed.
‘Sonic The Hedgehog’ Universe Expands As Sega And Paramount Sign Off On Third Film And ‘Knuckles’ Spinoff Series At Paramount+ With Idris Elba Reprising Role
Paramount and Sega have commenced development on a third feature film installment to the franchise, while Sega and Paramount+ are developing the first-ever original live-action
Sonic series, to launch in 2023. It will feature the character Knuckles, with Idris Elba returning to voice the role after it debuts in the sequel movie that bows April 8.
The announcement was made during Tuesday’s Viacom Investor Event where Brian Robbins, President and CEO, Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon; Chief Content Officer, Movies, Kids & Family – Paramount+, delivered the news during the presentation.
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- Baby TV could be on the chopping block
- The last FOX Life available in the United States closes down in March
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- Disney closing multiple channels in Latin America
- Why VH1 Classic was terminated on DStv?
- Could Nicktoons be discontinued in Africa and likely the rest of the world?
- February on Cartoon Network and Boomerang
“We are delighted to announce that the third Sonic theatrical film and the first live-action Sonic series for Paramount+ are being actively developed. We’ve got a remarkable partnership with Paramount, and we are excited to continue expanding the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise with them,” Sega CEO Haruki Satomi said. “2022 is shaping up to be a significant year for the franchise with the second film being released this April, as well as Sonic Frontiers , the highly anticipated video game title, coming this holiday. Sonic has been beloved by fans across the world for over 30 years and we look forward to continuing to bring memorable moments and experiences to them for many years to come.
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Insidus Content Roundup #7: NCIS: Los Angeles Possibly Cancelled, New The Little Prince Series Debuts In 2023, Leon Schuster And Alfred "Shorty" Ntombela Returns For Mr. Bones 3 On April 15th, 2022
NCIS: Los Angeles cancelled after 13 seasons???
One chapter of the NCIS franchise may be closing, with the LA team possibly set to suspend operation . Currently nearing the end of its 13th season, fans hoping for a Season 14 renewal for NCIS: Los Angeles may be left upset, as series star Eric Christian Olsen recently revealed on social media that the hit CBS series is in its "final season."
Olsen, who has starred as LAPD-NCIS Liaison Officer Martin "Marty" Deeks since 2010, shared the shocking revelation back on Dec. 31, just days ahead of the show's return from a brief holiday hiatus. Sharing a screenshot of his character in action, Olsen hyped up the episode, writing, "we about to get back into it." However, a closer look at the caption revealed potentially concerning news for NCIS: Los Angeles , the actor adding in a string of hashtags, "the final season," seemingly suggesting that NCIS: Los Angeles has been canceled and will not return for another season.
NCIS: Los Angeles premiered back in 2009 as the first spinoff in the NCIS franchise. The series follows the Los Angeles-based Office of Special Projects (OSP), an elite division of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service that specializes in undercover assignments.
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- Moon Knight debuts this March on Disney+
- Could M-Net pick up Ray Donovan: The Movie and Betty White documentary?
- TelkomOne reportedly adds two channels: Toonami and Boing
- Why the outdated music brand VH1 Classic was terminated on DStv?
- 2022 on Disney+ ahead of launch in South Africa
The Little Prince is back
Currently in production, The Little Prince and Friends will air on France Télévisions, WDR (Germany), RAI (Italy) and Gloob (Brazil) in 2023.
The 52 x 11-minute series is aimed at four- to seven-year-olds and will see the Little Prince set off on a spaceship with two kids from Earth to explore the universe and its inhabitants. The concept was created by Simon Nicholson (PJ Masks) , and Bidibul Productions is producing the series with ON. The Little Prince and Friends was announced as part of ON’s new slate earlier this year , and it’s one of the prodco’s first development projects since former WarnerMedia France head of kids channels Julien Borde joined as EVP, head of television and chief content officer.
Also read:
- The last FOX Life available in the United States closes down in March
- Adult animation channel launches in India
- Nurses coming in February to Telemundo Africa
- Timeless Dizi Channel acquired broadcasting rights to Heart Of The City
- As Africa await for their Disney Channels to close in 2024 Latin America starts with Star Life, National Geographic Wild, Disney XD and FX Movies
- Could fan made Cartoon Network logo be the future logo for the channel?
- Studio Dragon unveil a set of Korean dramas launching on tvN
ON and the Saint-Exupéry-d’Agay Estate have worked together in the past on 3D-animated movie The Little Prince, which was released in French theaters in 2015. The novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was first published in 1943, and has since sold 140 million copies worldwide in 301 languages, making it one of the bestselling and most translated books ever published.
Leon Schuster brings the bones back to the big screen
South Africans are laughing their heads off as the new trailer for blockbuster film Mr. Bones 3: Son of Bones, has just released. Featuring the beloved comedy pair Leon Schuster and Alfred “Shorty” Ntombela, the sidesplitting trailer shows the popular duo return, this time defending Kuvukiland from unscrupulous oil-diggers and treasure hunters. The film features a stellar cast including Tumi Morake, Sans Moonsammy, Daniel Janks, Sthandile Nkosi, Jay Anstey, and Jerry Mofokeng. Tobie Cronje and Bouwer Bosch feature in delightful cameo appearances.
Sixty years ago, in an obscure corner of Africa, the only survivor of a light aircraft crash was a baby boy. Perhaps it was the miracle of his survival that gave him the gift of “sight”, and he became a Sangoma, the seer of the Kuvuki tribe, interpreting the wishes of The Great One through the throwing of the bones. Hence his name, Bones (Schuster). Today, at an advanced age but still fit in mind and body, his mission is to pass on his wisdom to his son, Mathambo (Ntombela), and guide him into manhood, a mission doomed to fail because of both of their obsessive personalities.
The storyline of Mr. Bones 3: Son of Bones begins at the turn of the last century when we witness the burying of the Kruger millions by two Boer soldiers, who then kill each other through idiotic greed, leaving the Kruger millions hidden in a graveyard in Kuvukiland. Now, in the present, a scrawny businessman named Alvin (Moonsammy) and his Texan engineer partner named Jack (Janks), together with their beautiful guide, Gabrielle (Anstey) are plotting to mine for oil in the pristine land which would leave it an oily mess. Bones and Mathambo must devise a way to outsmart the opinionated Westerners. Of course, as their plan unfolds, so do many other unexpected twists and turns, with hilarious effect.
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- Tribute to voice actor of Charlie Brown
- WWE Network might be getting discontinued globally
- Baby TV could be on the chopping block
- tvN unveils upcoming music shows
- 2022 on HBO Max including Peacemaker and a Batman Christmas special
Mr. Bones 3: Son of Bones was produced in collaboration with M-Net and Film Chrome, with support from the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition and the National Empowerment Fund. The film is locally distributed by Filmfinity Pty (Ltd.) and will be released in South African cinemas on April 15th, 2022.
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The Murder Of Dee Blanchard: From HBO To Telemundo Here's A List Of Brands That Documented Gypsy's Freedom From Her Abusive Mother
Dee Dee had been making her daughter pass herself off as younger and pretend to be disabled and chronically ill, subjecting her to unnecessary surgery and medication, and controlling her through physical and psychological abuse.
Gypsy Rose, daughter of Dee Dee is currently serving a 10-year sentence for second-degree murder while Godejohn was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
In 2017, HBO produced the documentary film Mommy Dead and Dearest directed by Erin Lee Carr about the murder and its relationship to Munchausen syndrome by proxy. The film includes interrogation footage and exclusive interviews with Nick Godejohn and incarcerated Gypsy Rose.
Later that year, The CBS network talk show Dr. Phil, episode "Mother Knows Best: A Story of Munchausen by Proxy and Murder" featuring interviews with Gypsy Rose, her father and step-mother.
In 2018, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) news and information series Good Morning America, segment "Mother of All Murders" aired an exclusive in-prison interview with Gypsy Rose. The ABC network other series 20/20, did an episode titled "The Story of Gypsy Blanchard".
The Sony Entertainment Television channel series CID aired an episode titled "Death on Social Media" on 13 August 2017, based on the case but the setting for the episode was changed to India; the characters Aria and Aanchal were based on Gypsy and Dee Dee Blanchard respectively.
The Investigation Discovery channel series James Patterson's Murder is Forever episode "Mother of All Murders", season 1, episode 2, premiered on January 29, 2018. Investigation Discovery also aired a two-hour-long special documentary titled Gypsy's Revenge.
Love You to Death aired on Lifetime in January 2019, dramatizing the case as "inspired by true events". Marcia Gay Harden starred as the fictionalized version of Dee Dee, Emily Skeggs starred as Gypsy Rose's counterpart, Brennan Keel Cook starred as Nick's counterpart, and Tate Donovan starred as Rod's counterpart.
In 2019, the streaming service Hulu announced the creation of the true crime series The Act. The 8-episode miniseries is based on Michelle Dean's 2016 BuzzFeed article. Dean is an executive producer and writer for the first season of the series.
Later that year, Netflix web television series The Politician, the characters Infinity Jackson, Ricardo, and Dusty Jackson are respectively based on Gypsy Rose Blanchard, Nicholas Godejohn and Dee Dee Blanchard. Telemundo's Decisions 13th episode "Amor de madre" was also used to tell the tale.
Gypsy Rose's case has been treated more as a child abuse as opposed to her fiancee case which is murder. Her actions garnered media attention as opposed to her mother whose family flushed her ashes down the toilet.
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Read Also:
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- List of series launching this year on Disney+
- New series and movies launching on HBO Max
- National Geographic Kids launching later in the year across Africa
- Steve Harvey becomes a judge in new series
- Paramount+ slate of content for the new year
- A list of animated series coming in 2022


