|
Allison Jones (casting Director)
Allison Jones (born 1955) is an American casting director who is credited for helping bring together realistic ensemble casts for such popular television shows as ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' (1990–1996), ''Freaks and Geeks'' (1999–2000), ''Curb Your Enthusiasm'' (2000–), ''Undeclared'' (2001–2002), ''Arrested Development'' (2003–2006), the American version of ''The Office'' (2005–2013), ''United States of Tara'' (2009–2011), ''Parks and Recreation'' (2009–2015), ''Brooklyn Nine-Nine'' (2013–2021), ''The Good Place'' (2016–2020), and ''What We Do in the Shadows'' (2019–). Early life and education Jones grew-up in Needham, Massachusetts. She was the second youngest child in a family with six children. Jones graduated from Pomona College in 1977, with a degree in visual arts. During her time at Pomona, she cultivated an appreciation for what she called "pure geek existence" as her friends introduced her to Monty Python, The Firesign Theatre, and Saturday N ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Needham, Massachusetts
Needham ( ) is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. A suburb of Boston, its population was 32,091 at the 2020 U.S. Census. It is home of Olin College. History Early settlement Needham was first settled in 1680 with the purchase of a tract of land measuring by from Chief Nehoiden for the sum of 10 pounds, of land, and 40 shillings worth of corn. It was officially incorporated in 1711. Originally part of the Dedham Grant, Needham split from Dedham and was named after the town of Needham Market in Suffolk, England. Just 15 months after asking for their own church, 40 men living on the north side of the Charles River suddenly asked the General Court to separate them from Dedham. Their petition cited the inadequate services provided, namely schools and churches. They also said that, if they were simply to be made a precinct instead of a separate town, that they would suffer political reprisals. Dedham agreed that the services were inadequate and did not oppose the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Family Ties
''Family Ties'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on NBC for seven seasons, premiering on September 22, 1982, and concluding on May 14, 1989. The series, created by Gary David Goldberg, reflected the move in the United States from the cultural liberalism of the 1960s and 1970s to the conservatism of the 1980s. This culture was particularly expressed through the relationship between young Republican Alex P. Keaton (portrayed by Michael J. Fox) and his ex-hippie parents, Steven and Elyse Keaton (portrayed by Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter-Birney). The show won multiple awards, including three consecutive Emmy Awards for Michael J. Fox as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Plot Set in suburban Columbus, Ohio during the Reagan administration, Steven and Elyse Keaton ( Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter) are baby boomers, liberals and former hippies, raising their three children: ambitious, would-be millionaire entrepreneur Alex (Michael J. Fox); fashio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Superbad
''Superbad'' is a 2007 American coming-of-age teen buddy comedy film directed by Greg Mottola and produced by Judd Apatow. The film stars Jonah Hill and Michael Cera as Seth and Evan, two teenagers about to graduate from high school. Before graduating, the boys want to party and lose their virginity, but their plan proves harder than expected. Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the script began development when they were 13 years old, and was loosely based on their experience in Grade 12 at Point Grey Secondary School in Vancouver during the 1990s. The main characters have the same given names as the two writers. Rogen was also initially intended to play Seth, but due to age and physical size this was changed, and Hill went on to portray Seth, while Rogen portrayed the irresponsible Officer Michaels, opposite ''Saturday Night Live'' star Bill Hader as Officer Slater. ''Superbad'' premiered at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on August 13, 2007. Upon release, the film received posi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hot Rod (2007 Film)
''Hot Rod'' is a 2007 American comedy film directed by Akiva Schaffer (in his directorial debut) and written by Pam Brady. The film stars Andy Samberg as amateur stuntman Rod Kimble, whose stepfather, Frank (Ian McShane), continuously mocks and disrespects him. When Frank becomes ill, Rod raises money for his heart operation by executing his largest stunt yet. The film also stars Jorma Taccone, Sissy Spacek, Will Arnett, Danny McBride, Isla Fisher and Bill Hader. The film was initially drafted by Pam Brady (who retains full writing credit) as a vehicle for ''Saturday Night Live'' star Will Ferrell, but the project never commenced. Lorne Michaels convinced Paramount to let The Lonely Island, which was gaining fame for its work on ''SNL'', take over the film. The group subsequently rewrote the movie with a heavy emphasis on offbeat surreal humor. It was shot in Vancouver in the summer of 2006. The score is by former Yes guitarist Trevor Rabin, and the soundtrack features several so ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby
''Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby'' is a 2006 American sports comedy film directed by Adam McKay who co-wrote the film with Will Ferrell. It features Ferrell as the titular Ricky Bobby, an immature yet successful NASCAR driver. The film also features John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen, Gary Cole, Michael Clarke Duncan, Leslie Bibb, Jane Lynch, and Amy Adams in supporting roles. NASCAR drivers Jamie McMurray and Dale Earnhardt Jr. appear in cameos, as do broadcasting teams from '' NASCAR on Fox'' ( Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds, Darrell Waltrip, and Dick Berggren) and '' NASCAR on NBC'' ( Bill Weber, Wally Dallenbach Jr., and Benny Parsons). The film was released theatrically on August 4, 2006, through Sony Pictures to critical and commercial success, grossing $163.4 million worldwide on a $72 million budget. Plot In rural North Carolina, Ricky Bobby is born in the backseat of a speeding car when his father, Reese, accidentally misses the turnoff for the ho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Booksmart
''Booksmart'' is a 2019 American comedy film directed by Olivia Wilde (in her feature directorial debut) and written by Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, and Katie Silberman. It stars Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever as two graduating high school girls who set out to finally break the rules and party on their last day of classes. Jessica Williams, Lisa Kudrow, Will Forte, and Jason Sudeikis also star. The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 10, 2019 and was theatrically released in the United States on May 24, by United Artists Releasing. It received critical acclaim and grossed $25 million against a $6 million budget. For her performance, Feldstein was nominated for Best Actress – Comedy or Musical at the 77th Golden Globe Awards. Plot High school seniors Amy and Molly, longtime best friends, are accomplished students but, with Molly being class president, not popular with their peers. Amy has a crush on a girl named Ryan, which Moll ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Dictator (2012 Film)
''The Dictator'' is a 2012 political satire black comedy film co-written by and starring Sacha Baron Cohen as his fourth feature film in a leading role. The film is directed by Larry Charles, who previously directed Baron Cohen's mockumentaries ''Borat'' and ''Brüno''. Baron Cohen, in the role of Admiral General Aladeen, the dictator of the fictional Republic of Wadiya visiting the United States, stars alongside Anna Faris, Ben Kingsley, Jason Mantzoukas, and an uncredited appearance by John C. Reilly. Producers Jeff Schaffer and David Mandel said that Baron Cohen's character was inspired by real-life dictators like Kim Jong-il, Idi Amin, Muammar Gaddafi, Mobutu Sese Seko, and Saparmurat Niyazov. The film's opening credits dedicate it to Kim Jong-il, "in loving memory". It received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $179 million. Plot For 40 years, the fictional North African nation of Wadiya (shown as coterminous with the boundaries of Eritrea on a map) has been ruled by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Knocked Up
''Knocked Up'' is a 2007 American romantic comedy film written, co-produced and directed by Judd Apatow, and starring Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul Rudd, and Leslie Mann. It follows the repercussions of a drunken one-night stand between a slacker and a recently promoted media personality that results in an unintended pregnancy. The film was released on June 1, 2007, to box office success, grossing $219 million worldwide, and acclaim from critics. ''This Is 40'', a " sort-of sequel" focused on Rudd's and Mann's characters with Apatow returning as writer/director, was released on December 21, 2012, with a third film, ''This Is 50'', in active development from the trio as of March 2022. Plot Ambitious Los Angeles reporter Alison Scott has just been given an on-air role with E! and lives in the guest house of her sister Debbie's family. Ben Stone is an immature and wise-cracking Canadian slacker who lives off injury compensation funds and sparsely works on a celebrity porn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan
''Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan'' (Kazakh / Russian: ''Борат'') (also stylized as ''BORДT'', or simply ''Borat'') is a 2006 mockumentary black comedy film directed by Larry Charles and starring Sacha Baron Cohen. Baron Cohen plays the leading role of Borat Sagdiyev, a fictional Kazakhstani journalist who travels through the United States in an outdated 1960s ice cream van to make a documentary which features real-life interactions with Americans. Much of the film features unscripted vignettes of Borat interviewing and interacting with real-life Americans who believe he is a foreigner with little or no understanding of American customs. It is the second of four films built around Baron Cohen's characters from '' Da Ali G Show'' (2000–2004): the first, '' Ali G Indahouse'', was released in 2002, and featured a cameo by Borat; the third, ''Brüno'', was released in 2009; and the sequel to ''Borat'', ''Borat Sub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The 40-Year-Old Virgin
''The 40-Year-Old Virgin'' is a 2005 American romantic comedy film directed by Judd Apatow, who produced the film with Clayton Townsend and Shauna Robertson. It features Steve Carell as the titular 40-year-old virgin Andy, an employee at an electronics store. Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, and Seth Rogen play co-workers who resolve to help him lose his virginity, and Catherine Keener stars as Andy's love interest, Trish. Watching Carell's performance in '' Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy'' (2004) inspired Apatow to cast him in the lead role for the film, and they wrote ''The 40-Year-Old Virgin'' together. It was based on a sketch Carell created with The Second City where a man aged 40 hides a secret. Filming took place in Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley, California, from January to April 2005. The film was released theatrically in the United States on August 19, 2005, through Universal Pictures, and grossed over $177 million worldwide on a $26 million budget. Rev ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Office (US TV Series)
''The Office'' is an American mockumentary sitcom television series that depicts the everyday work lives of office employees at the Scranton, Pennsylvania, branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. It aired on NBC from March 24, 2005, to May 16, 2013, spanning a total of nine seasons. Based on the 2001–2003 BBC series of the same name created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, it was adapted for American television by Greg Daniels, a veteran writer for ''Saturday Night Live'', '' King of the Hill'', and ''The Simpsons''. It was co-produced by Daniels's Deedle-Dee Productions and Reveille Productions (later Shine America), in association with Universal Television. The original executive producers were Daniels, Gervais, Merchant, Howard Klein, and Ben Silverman, with numerous others being promoted in later seasons. Like its British counterpart, the series was filmed in a single-camera setup without a studio audience or a laugh track to simulate the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Our Flag Means Death
''Our Flag Means Death'' is an American period comedy television series created by David Jenkins. Set in the early 18th century during the Golden Age of Piracy, the series follows the misadventures of gentleman-turned-pirate Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby) and his crew aboard the ''Revenge'' as they try to make a name for themselves as pirates and cross paths with famed pirate captain Blackbeard (Taika Waititi). ''Our Flag Means Death'' was released on HBO Max from March 3 to 24, 2022. It received positive reviews, including praise for its LGBTQ+ representation, and was renewed for a second season in June 2022. In the UK, the series began broadcasting on BBC Two on January 4, 2023, with all episodes available on BBC iPlayer. Premise The series is loosely based on the life of Stede Bonnet. In 1717, Captain Bonnet is a member of the landed gentry of Barbados who abandons his comfortable life and family to prove himself as a pirate during the Golden Age of Piracy, despite having no apti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
.jpg "Click for more on -> The Office (US TV Series)")