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What's Happening!!
''What's Happening!!'' is an American sitcom television series that aired on ABC from August 5, 1976, until April 28, 1979, premiering as a summer series. Due to other shows being cancelled across the network, and good ratings and reviews from the critics, ''What's Happening!!'' returned as a weekly series from November 1976 until its April 1979 conclusion; ratings were modest. ''What's Happening!!'' was loosely based on the Eric Monte-penned film ''Cooley High''. From 1985 until 1988, a sequel series titled ''What's Happening Now!!'' aired in first-run syndication, with most of the major cast members reprising their roles. ''What's Happening!!'' was Bud Yorkin's second series after he ended his partnership with Norman Lear and Tandem Productions. The show was produced by TOY Productions, which was formed by Yorkin, Saul Turteltaub, and Bernie Orenstein after the split. Premise ''What's Happening!!'' follows the lives of three working-class African-American teens living in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eric Monte
Eric Monte (born Kenneth Williams; December 25, 1943) is an American screenwriter and TV series creator. He is known for his work in depicting 1970s African-American culture. Monte wrote and co-created several sitcoms for television such as ''Good Times'' (with actor and screenwriter Mike Evans), ''The Jeffersons'', ''What's Happening!!'' as well as the spin-off series, ''What's Happening Now!!''. The series was based on the coming of age film ''Cooley High'', which Monte wrote and which was based on his high school experiences. Early life Born Kenneth Williams, he was the middle of three children to Ilene in Chicago, Illinois. Monte was raised in the Cabrini–Green housing project on the near-north side. During his junior year, Monte dropped out of Cooley Vocational High School and enlisted in the United States Army. Soon after his stint in the army, Monte hitchhiked to Hollywood. Career His first big break came five years later, with a script written for and accepted by ''A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
What's Happening Now!!
''What's Happening Now!!'' is an American sitcom sequel to the original ABC 1976–79 sitcom ''What's Happening!!'' focusing on its main characters as adults. It aired in first-run broadcast syndication from September 7, 1985 until March 26, 1988. Overview In the series, Roger "Raj" Thomas (played by Ernest Thomas) has become a fledgling writer. He bought half of the restaurant Rob's Place (renamed Rob's) and was running the business with Shirley (Shirley Hemphill), making money for himself and his new wife Nadine (Anne-Marie Johnson), who was a social worker. Dwayne (Haywood Nelson) has become a computer programmer, and Rerun (Fred Berry) a used-car salesman. Raj and Nadine live in Raj's childhood home while Rerun and Dwayne share an apartment. Episodes Cast * Ernest Thomas as Roger "Raj" Thomas * Anne-Marie Johnson as Nadine Hudson-Thomas * Haywood Nelson as Dwayne Nelson * Fred Berry as Fred "Rerun" Stubbs (season 1) * Shirley Hemphill as Shirley Wilson * Reina King as Ca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Thinker
''The Thinker'' (french: Le Penseur) is a bronze sculpture by Auguste Rodin François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor, generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a uniqu ..., usually placed on a stone pedestal. The work depicts a Heroic nudity, nude male figure of heroic size sitting on a rock. He is seen leaning over, his right elbow placed on his left thigh, holding the weight of his chin on the back of his right hand. The pose is one of deep thought and contemplation, and the statue is often used as an image to represent philosophy. Rodin conceived the figure as part of his work ''The Gates of Hell'' commissioned in 1880, but the first of the familiar monumental bronze castings was made in 1904, and is now exhibited at the Musée Rodin, in Paris. There are also 27 other known full-sized Casting, castings, in which the figu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Horn-rimmed Glasses
Horn-rimmed glasses are a type of eyeglasses. Originally made out of either horn or tortoise shell, for most of their history they have actually been constructed out of thick plastics designed to imitate those materials. They are characterized by their bold appearance on the wearer's face, in contrast to metal frames, which appear less pronounced. Horn-rimmed glasses were one of the first styles of eyeglasses to become a popular fashion item, after comedian Harold Lloyd began wearing a round pair in his films. The glasses have enjoyed various periods of popularity throughout the 20th century, being considered especially fashionable in the 1920s–1930s and in the 1950s–1960s in particular, while ceding to rimless and wire framed glasses during the 1970s and 1990s–2000s. Michael Caine's first appearance as Harry Palmer in ''The Ipcress File'' in 1965 featured his signature look of thick horn-rimmed glasses which made him a style icon of the 1960s. The style has brought a resur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fritzi Burr
Fritzi Burr (May 31, 1924 – January 17, 2003) was an American character actress that was most notable for her roles as Miss Collins on the sitcom ''What's Happening!!'' and as various comedic foils to Fred Sanford on the sitcom ''Sanford and Son'' in the 1970's. She was the sister-in-law of Sanford and Son producer Saul Turteltaub. Biography Burr was born Freda Berr in Philadelphia on May 31 1924 to Pauline Berr (née Devore) and David Berr. Not only parents were both Russian Jews, but their families came from the same city, Berdichev. Even father's original last name, ''Berdichevsky,'' as it was before it was shortened to ''Berr'', is also derived from the name of their native town. Parents divorced while she was little, and her mother took her to live with her parents, Harry and Rose Devore. A few years later, Mother would remarry and have two more daughters, Shirley and Thelma, by her second husband Benjamin Steinberg. In the late 1930s the family moved from Philadelphia t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Earl Billings
Earl William Billings (born July 4, 1945) is an American actor, best known as Rob in the television series ''What's Happening!!''. Life and career Billings was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Willie Mae Billings. He has gained recognition for his participation in ads for Aflac. He has appeared in many television shows and films, such as ''Antwone Fisher'' (2002), ''American Splendor'' (2003), and ''Something New'' (2006). He starred in the short-lived ABC show ''Miss Guided'', co-starring Judy Greer and Brooke Burns. Selected filmography * '' Gosnell: The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer'' as Dr. Kermit Gosnell (2018) * '' Parenthood'' as Pawn Shop Owner (1 episode, 2010) * ''Cold Case'' as Eddie Clark '10 (1 episode, 2010) * ''True Blood'' as Buster (1 episode, 2008) * ''Miss Guided'' as Principal Phil Huffy (7 episodes, 2008) * ''Senior Skip Day'' (2008) (V) as Lamar's Father * '' Something New'' (2006) as Edmond McQueen * ''How I Met Your Mother'' as Office ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Watts, Los Angeles
Watts is a neighborhood in southern Los Angeles, California. It is located within the South Los Angeles region, bordering the cities of Lynwood, Huntington Park and South Gate to the east and southeast, respectively, and the unincorporated community of Willowbrook to the south. Founded in the late nineteenth century as a ranching community, the arrival of the railroads and the construction of Watts Station saw the rapid development of Watts as an independent city, but in 1926 it was consolidated with Los Angeles. By the 1940s, Watts transformed into a primarily working class African-American neighborhood, but from the 1960s developed a reputation as a low-income, high-crime area, following the Watts riots and the increasing influence of street gangs. Watts has become a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood with a significant African American minority, and remains one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in Los Angeles despite falling crime rates since the 1990s. Notable civic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world's most populous megacities. Los Angeles is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California. With a population of roughly 3.9 million residents within the city limits , Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate, ethnic and cultural diversity, being the home of the Hollywood film industry, and its sprawling metropolitan area. The city of Los Angeles lies in a basin in Southern California adjacent to the Pacific Ocean in the west and extending through the Santa Monica Mountains and north into the San Fernando Valley, with the city bordering the San Gabriel Valley to it's east. It covers about , and is the county seat of Los Angeles County, which is the most populous county in the United States with an estim ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of enslaved Africans who are from the United States. While some Black immigrants or their children may also come to identify as African-American, the majority of first generation immigrants do not, preferring to identify with their nation of origin. African Americans constitute the second largest racial group in the U.S. after White Americans, as well as the third largest ethnic group after Hispanic and Latino Americans. Most African Americans are descendants of enslaved people within the boundaries of the present United States. On average, African Americans are of West/ Central African with some European descent; some also have Native American and other ancestry. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, African immigrants generally do not s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tandem Productions
Tandem Productions, Inc. (a.k.a. Tandem Enterprises, Inc.) was a film and television production company that was founded in 1958 by television director Bud Yorkin and television writer/producer Norman Lear. History Tandem Productions In the early years, Yorkin and Lear initially established Tandem specifically for television production. The name was chosen because when launching their company, Yorkin and Lear were said to feel like two men riding uphill on a tandem bicycle. The company produced several variety and dramatic television specials such as the Fred Astaire specials, '' Henry Fonda and the Family'', '' An Evening with Carol Channing'' and ''The Scene '66'', to name a few. Tandem was also at hand for various unsold pilots throughout the 1950s and 1960s, including ''Henry T.'', ''Meet Me at Danny's'' and ''Barnaby'' (not to be confused with ''Barnaby Jones''). The company also financed the production of theatrical films, some of which were released by Warner Bros. Pic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norman Lear
Norman Milton Lear (born July 27, 1922) is an American producer and screenwriter, who has produced, written, created, or developed over 100 shows. Lear is known for many popular 1970s sitcoms, including the multi-award winning ''All in the Family'' as well as ''Maude (TV series), Maude'', ''Sanford and Son'', ''One Day at a Time (1975 TV series), One Day at a Time,'' ''The Jeffersons'', and ''Good Times''. Lear has continued to actively produce television, including the One Day at a Time (2017 TV series), 2017 remake of ''One Day at a Time'' and the Netflix revival of ''Good Times'' in 2022. Lear has received many awards, including five Emmy Awards, Emmys, the National Medal of Arts, and the Kennedy Center Honors. He is a member of the Television Academy Hall of Fame. Lear is also known for his political activism and funding of Modern liberalism in the United States, liberal and Progressivism in the United States, progressive causes and politicians. In 1980, he founded the advo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ebony (magazine)
''Ebony'' is a monthly magazine that focuses on news, culture, and entertainment. Its target audience is the African-American community, and its coverage includes the lifestyles and accomplishments of influential black people, fashion, beauty, and politics. ''Ebony'' magazine was founded in 1945 by John H. Johnson, for his Johnson Publishing Company. He sought to address African-American issues, personalities and interests in a positive and self-affirming manner. Its cover photography typically showcases prominent African-American public figures, including entertainers and politicians, such as Dorothy Dandridge, Lena Horne, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois, U.S. First lady Michelle Obama, Beyoncé, Tyrese Gibson, and Tyler Perry. Each year, ''Ebony'' selects the "100 Most Influential Blacks in America". After 71 years, in June 2016, Johnson Publishing sold both ''Ebony'' and ''Jet (magazine), Jet'', another Johnson publication, to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
