The Groundlings
The Groundlings is an American improvisational and sketch comedy troupe and school based in Los Angeles, California. The troupe was formed by Gary Austin in 1974 and uses an improv format influenced by Viola Spolin, whose improv techniques were taught by Del Close and other members of the Second City, located in Chicago and later St. Louis. They used these techniques to produce sketches and improvised scenes. Its name is taken from Shakespeare's ''Hamlet'', Act III, Scene II: "...to split the ears of the groundlings, who for the most part are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumbshows and noise." In 1975 the troupe purchased and moved into its location on Melrose Avenue. The Groundlings School holds sessions every six weeks with over 300 students per session, with more than 2,000 students per year going through the program. The competitive program, with admission by audition, consists of five levels (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced Improv, Writing Lab, and Advanced Writing ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Melrose Avenue
Melrose Avenue (sometimes referred to simply as "Melrose") is a shopping, dining and entertainment destination in Los Angeles, California, starting at Santa Monica Boulevard at the border between Beverly Hills, California, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, California, West Hollywood, and ending at Lucile Avenue in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California, Silver Lake. To the south of Melrose Avenue is Beverly Boulevard and to the north is Santa Monica Boulevard. Paved in 1909, Melrose Avenue's namesake comes from the Massachusetts town of Melrose, Massachusetts, the same name. Its most famous section, known as the Melrose District, is the West End through West Hollywood, California, West Hollywood and the Fairfax District, Los Angeles, Fairfax District. At the corner of Fairfax and Melrose is Fairfax High School (Los Angeles), Fairfax High School, home of the Melrose Trading Post swap meet. One of the most famous landmarks located on Melrose Avenue is Paramount Pictures. Metro Loc ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Reno 911!
''Reno 911!'' is an American television sitcom created by Robert Ben Garant, Thomas Lennon and Kerri Kenney-Silver for Comedy Central. It is a mockumentary-style parody of law enforcement documentary shows, specifically '' Cops'', with comic actors playing the police officers. Lennon, Garant and Kenney-Silver all starred in and are billed as creators of the series. The series initially aired from 2003 to 2009 on Comedy Central. A revival premiered on May 4, 2020, on streaming platform Quibi, which was renewed for an additional season (the show's eighth) on September 3, 2020. Quibi later announced in October 2020 that it would be shutting down while the eighth season was in production. According to star Niecy Nash, the eighth season would debut on another platform, which was later revealed to be The Roku Channel. The eighth season, entitled ''Defunded'', premiered on February 25, 2022, on The Roku Channel. Premise The show is a direct parody of the reality show '' Cops'', wh ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Tracy Newman
Tracy Ann Newman (born December 12, 1942) is an American television producer, writer, comedian and musician. Newman is a founding member of the improvisational theater troupe The Groundlings (as is her sister, Laraine Newman). She was co-creator and executive producer of the sitcom ''According to Jim'' (2001–2009). She is also a singer-songwriter, as well as an early member of The New Christy Minstrels and lead singer of Tracy Newman and The Reinforcements. She is the mother of artist/writer Charlotte Dean, with whom she co-directs the live comedy show ''Charlotte's Shorts''. TV career Newman appeared on the PBS series for children called ''What's New?'' in 1965. With writing partner Jonathan Stark, Newman's credits include ''Cheers'', ''The Nanny'', ''The Drew Carey Show'' and ''Ellen'' for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for co-writing "The Puppy Episode". and a Peabody Award. In 2001, Newman and Stark created the sitcom ''According to Jim'' starring Jim Belushi. Mu ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Phil Hartman
Philip Edward Hartman (; September 24, 1948 – May 28, 1998) was a Canadian-American comedian, actor, screenwriter and graphic designer. Hartman was born in Brantford, Ontario, and his family moved to the United States when he was ten years old. After graduating from California State University, Northridge, with a degree in graphic arts, he designed album covers for bands including Poco and America. In 1975, Hartman joined the comedy group the Groundlings, where he helped Paul Reubens develop his character Pee-wee Herman. Hartman co-wrote the film '' Pee-wee's Big Adventure'' and made recurring appearances as Captain Carl on Reubens' show '' Pee-wee's Playhouse''. In 1986, Hartman joined the NBC sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') as a cast member and stayed for eight seasons. Nicknamed "Glue" for his ability to hold the show together and help other cast members, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for his ''SNL'' work in 1989. After leaving ''SNL'' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Laraine Newman
Laraine Newman (born March 2, 1952) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. Newman was part of the original cast of NBC's sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from its inception in 1975 until her departure in 1980. Newman took an interest in improv at Beverly Hills High School. After graduating in 1970, she studied mime with Marcel Marceau for a year in Paris. She then moved to Los Angeles and became a founding member of comedy improvisational group The Groundlings. She was first hired by Lorne Michaels for a Lily Tomlin TV special in 1974. The next year Newman became one of the original cast members of ''Saturday Night Live'', working there from 1975 to 1980 and creating characters Connie Conehead, proto- Valley girl Sherry, and Christie Christina. In 2017, she and the rest of the original cast members of ''SNL'' were among the honorees of the Television Academy Hall of Fame. She appeared in '' Stardust Memories'', '' Problem Child 2'', '' Coneheads'', and '' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Lorne Michaels
Lorne Michaels (born Lorne David Lipowitz; November 17, 1944) is a Canadian and American television writer and film producer. He created and produced ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975–1980, 1985–present) and produced the ''Late Night (franchise), Late Night'' series (since 1993), ''The Kids in the Hall (TV series), The Kids in the Hall'' (from 1989 to 1995), and ''The Tonight Show'' (since 2014). He has received 21 Primetime Emmy Awards from 106 nominations, holding the record as the most nominated individual in the award show's history. Early life Lorne David Lipowitz was born to a Jewish family in Toronto, Ontario, on November 17, 1944, to Florence () (1915–2001) and Abraham Lipowitz (1908–1959), who worked as a furrier. Several sources incorrectly state that he was born on a kibbutz in the then-Mandatory Palestine, British mandate of Palestine, and that his Jews, Jewish family immigrated to Toronto, Ontario, when he was an infant. Michaels and his two younger siblings w ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Lily Tomlin Show
''Lily'' is an American comedy variety show television special aired by CBS Television in 1973. The writing crew of fifteen all received an Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ... for their efforts on this show. This program was the first of three specials, preceding ''Lily'' in 1974, and ''The Lily Tomlin Special'' in 1975. References External links * * * CBS television specials 1973 television specials {{US-comedy-tv-prog-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Lily Tomlin
Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin (born September 1, 1939) is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer, and producer. Tomlin started her career in stand-up comedy and sketch comedy before transitioning her career to acting across stage and screen. In a career spanning over fifty years, Tomlin has received numerous accolades, including seven Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, two Tony Awards, and a nomination for an Academy Award. She was also awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2014 and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2017. Tomlin started her career as a stand-up comedian as well as performing off-Broadway during the 1960s. Her breakout role was on the variety show ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' from 1969 until 1973. Her signature role, which was written by her then-partner (now wife) Jane Wagner, was in the show '' The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe'', which opened on Broadway in 1985 and earned Tomlin the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sylvie Drake
Sylvie may refer to: * ''Sylvie'' (novel), an 1853 novel by Gérard de Nerval * Sylvie (actress) (1883–1970), French actress * Sylvie (band), a Canadian rock band from Regina, active in the 2000s * ''Sylvie'' (album), a 1962 album by Sylvie Vartan * "Sylvie" (song), a 1998 song by Saint Etienne People with the given name * Sylvie Andrich-Duval (born 1958), Luxembourgish politician * Sylvie Andrieux (born 1961), French politician * Sylvie Bérubé, Canadian politician * Sylvie Bouchet Bellecourt (born 1957), French politician * Sylvie D'Amours (born 1960), Canadian politician from Quebec * Sylvie Desmarescaux (born 1950), French politician * Sylvie Dézarnaud (born 1964), French politician * Sylvie Fadlallah (born 1948), Lebanese diplomat * Sylvie Fortier (born 1958), Canadian former synchronized swimming * Sylvie Goulard (born 1964), French politician and civil servant * Sylvie Honigman (born 1965), lecturer in ancient history at Tel Aviv University * Sylvie Jossera ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of newspapers in the United States, sixth-largest newspaper in the U.S. and the largest in the Western United States with a print circulation of 118,760. It has 500,000 online subscribers, the fifth-largest among U.S. newspapers. Owned by Patrick Soon-Shiong and published by California Times, the paper has won over 40 Pulitzer Prizes since its founding. In the 19th century, the paper developed a reputation for civic boosterism and opposition to Trade union, labor unions, the latter of which led to the Los Angeles Times bombing, bombing of its headquarters in 1910. The paper's profile grew substantially in the 1960s under publisher Otis Chandler, who adopted a more national focus. As with other regional newspapers in California and the United Sta ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Santa Monica Boulevard
Santa Monica Boulevard is a major west–east thoroughfare in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It runs from Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica near the Pacific Ocean to Sunset Boulevard at Sunset Junction in Los Angeles. It passes through Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. A portion of it is designated as California State Route 2, while the full avenue was Historic Route 66. Route description The western terminus of Santa Monica Boulevard is at Ocean Avenue near the Pacific Ocean. From there until the San Diego Freeway ( Interstate 405), Santa Monica Boulevard is a densely urban commercial street. It assumes the designation California State Route 2 between Centinela Avenue at the Santa Monica–Los Angeles border, and the Hollywood Freeway ( U.S. Route 101). The portion between Centinela Avenue and Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica was also originally part of California State Route 2. From Centinela Avenue, Santa Monica Boulevard heads northeast through the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Oxford Theatre
Oxford () is a cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world; it has buildings in every style of English architecture since late Anglo-Saxon. Oxford's industries include motor manufacturing, education, publishing, science, and information technologies. Founded in the 8th century, it was granted city status in 1542. The city is located at the confluence of the rivers Thames (locally known as the Isis) and Cherwell. It had a population of in . It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. History The history of Oxford in England dates back to its original settlement in the Saxon period. The name “Oxford” comes from the Old English ''Oxenaforda'', meaning “ford of the oxen,” referring to a shallow crossing in the river where oxen could pass. The town was of strategic significanc ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |