You have questions. I have some answers.
Q: Are Ben Mankiewicz of Turner Classic Movies and Josh Mankiewicz of “Dateline NBC” distant cousins?
A: No. They are brothers, with Josh the elder. They are the sons of Frank Mankiewicz, the journalist, political operator and former president of NPR; Frank died in 2014. For those of you aware of other celebrities named Mankiewicz, Frank was the son of Herman Mankiewicz, famous as co-writer of “Citizen Kane” with Orson Welles; Herman was played by Gary Oldman in the recent movie “Mank.” Herman’s brother Joseph was another Hollywood legend, whose credits include writing and directing the classic “All About Eve.”
Q: How could CBS cancel “Mom”? It is such a good show.
A: “Mom” is also a show that, as I mentioned awhile back, lost a major player before this season. Anna Faris, who played Christy, departed, reportedly to pursue other opportunities. The remaining cast, headed by the marvelous Allison Janney, is still strong. And, according to some reports, the ratings remained good even with some slippage post-Faris. But there may have been other factors at work.
Eight seasons is a pretty good run for a series and costs such as salaries tend to rise when shows last long. According to Deadline.com, Janney’s contract was done after this season, so the show may have been facing a tough negotiation – or simply Janney deciding to move on. At the same time, Deadline noted, the show’s deal with CBS runs out at the end of this season, adding more dealing to be done. And who knows how that would have worked out? For now, then, enjoy the remaining episodes, which will end with a series finale on May 6.
Q: I seem to remember in the first few seasons of "Black-ish", that the character of Rainbow was a cardiologist. Now they say she is an anesthesiologist. Am I correct or not?
A: I have to say “not.” In the third episode of the first season, when Rainbow takes Diane to her workplace, we see that she is an anesthesiologist.
Q: Why was Redd Foxx absent “in St. Louis” so much late in the third season of “Sanford and Son” and early in the fourth?
A: Foxx was in a dispute with the show. GetTV, which carries “Sanford” reruns, says Foxx claimed health issues in walking off during season three but in fact was looking for a bigger payday. “Foxx sought a 25% ownership stake in the series, and Tandem Productions fought back with a $10 million lawsuit,” the website says. “The dispute was resolved in June of 1974, with Foxx receiving $25,000 per-episode, plus 25% of the producers’ net profits. Although Foxx was still absent for production of the first three shows of season four, NBC aired his return as the season premiere.” Foxx ended up leaving the show permanently after six seasons when he signed a deal for a variety show on ABC.
Q: Did the credits for “Young Sheldon” ever have him afraid of a tumbleweed?
A: Yes. The series has varied its title sequence over the years, and the tumbleweed made its debut in the fourth episode of the first season.
Q: I would like to get a DVD of the movie “Road House,” a black-and-white film with Cornel Wilde, Richard Widmark and Ida Lupino. I thought you might help.
A: It can be tricky finding that 1948 movie, especially because searches of “Road House” tend to direct folks to the Patrick Swayze film of the same name. Still, a DVD of the Wilde/Widmark film – an admired example of film noir – was released in 2008 and can be found on Amazon.com. (Search Road House Widmark to skip Swayze). Prices start at about $14 for used copies, much more for new. And there’s a Blu-ray release if you have that format.
