Latest news with #AllintheFamily
The Age
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Loretta Swit, who played ‘Hot Lips' Houlihan in M.A.S.H., dead at 87
The growing awareness of feminism in the '70s spurred Houlihan's transformation from caricature to real person, but a lot of the change was due to Swit's influence on the scriptwriters. 'Around the second or third year I decided to try to play her as a real person, in an intelligent fashion, even if it meant hurting the jokes,' Swit told Suzy Kalter, author of The Complete Book of 'M.A.S.H.' 'To oversimplify it, I took each traumatic change that happened in her life and kept it. I didn't go into the next episode as if it were a different character in a different play. She was a character in constant flux; she never stopped developing.' M.A.S.H. wasn't an instant hit. It finished its first season in 46th place, out of 75 network TV series, but it nabbed nine Emmy nominations. It was rewarded with a better time slot for its sophomore season, paired on Saturday nights with All in the Family, then TV's highest-rated show. At the 1974 Emmys, it was crowned best comedy, with Alda winning as best comedy actor. The series also survived despite cast churn. In addition to Swit and Alda, the first season featured Wayne Rogers, McLean Stevenson, Larry Linville and Gary Burghoff. Harry Morgan, Mike Farrell and David Ogden Stiers would later be added, while Jamie Farr and William Christopher had expanded roles. Loading 'Loretta Swit's portrayal of Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan was groundbreaking – bringing heart, humour, and strength to one of television comedy's most enduring roles. Her talent extended well beyond that iconic character, with acclaimed work on both stage and screen that showcased her intelligence, versatility, and passion,' National Comedy Centre Executive Director Journey Gunderson said in a statement. 'More of a real person' Swit appeared in all but 11 episodes of the series, nearly four times longer than the Korean War itself, exploring issues like PTSD, sexism and racism. Swit pushed for a better representation for women. 'One of the things I liked, with Loretta's prodding, was every time I had a chance to write for her character, we'd get away from the Hot Lips angle and find out more about who Margaret was. She became more of a real person,' Alda told The Hollywood Reporter in 2018. The series ended on a happy note for Houlihan, who spends much of the finale debating whether she wants to head to Tokyo or Belgium for her next overseas post. Ultimately, she opts to return to America and work at a hospital, citing her father – a career Army man. Loading Swit didn't personally agree that was the correct decision for a military-minded official: 'I didn't think that was correct for my Margaret,' she told Yahoo Entertainment in 2023. 'I think her next move was Vietnam. So I didn't agree with that, but that's what they wanted her to do.' But the actor did get to write the speech that Houlihan delivers to her fellow nurses on their final night together, in which she says: 'It's been an honour and privilege to have worked with you. And I'm very, very proud to have known you.' 'I was consumed with writing that. And I still get letters from women all over the world who became nurses because of Margaret Houlihan. To have contributed to someone's life like that is remarkable,' she told Yahoo Entertainment. During her run, Houlihan had an affair with Hawkeye's foil, the bumbling Frank Burns, played by Linville in the TV version, and in Season 5, Houlihan returns from a stay in Tokyo engaged to a handsome lieutenant colonel, a storyline that Swit says she advocated for with the writers. 'I told them: 'Can you imagine what fun you're going to have with Larry when I come back to town and I tell him I'm engaged? He'll rip the doors off of the mess tent!' And that's exactly what they had him do. So we were all of the same mind.' Towards the end, Swit was tempted to leave the show. She played the role of Chris Cagney in a 1981 television movie, Cagney & Lacey, and was offered the part when it was picked up as a midseason series for the spring of 1982. But producers insisted she stay with M.A.S.H. for its last two seasons. Swit told The Florida Times-Union in 2010 she might have stayed with M.A.S.H. anyway. 'You can't help but get better as an actor working with scripts like that,' she said. 'If you're in something that literate, well, we got spoiled.' In 2022, James Poniewozik, The New York Times ′ chief television critic, looked back on the show and said it held up well: 'Its blend of madcap comedy and pitch-dark drama – the laughs amplifying the serious stakes, and vice versa – is recognisable in today's dramedies, from Better Things to Barry, that work in the DMZ between laughter and sadness.' Loading After the TV series, Swit became a vocal animal welfare activist, selling SwitHeart perfume and her memoir through her official website, with proceeds benefiting various animal-related non-profit groups. In 1983, she married actor Dennis Holahan, whom she'd met when he was a guest star on M.A.S.H. They divorced in 1995. A migrants' daughter Born in Passaic, New Jersey, the daughter of Polish immigrants, Swit enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, then paid her dues for years in touring productions. In 1969, she arrived in Hollywood and was soon seen in series such as Gunsmoke, Hawaii Five-O, Mission Impossible and Bonanza. Then in 1972, she got her big break when she was asked to audition for the role of 'Hot Lips'. She would regularly return to theatre, starring on Broadway in 1975 in Same Time, Next Year and The Mystery of Edwin Drood in 1986. She was in Amorous Crossing, a romantic comedy, at Alhambra Theatre & Dining in 2010 and in North Carolina Theatre's production of Mame in 2003.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Loretta Swit, who played ‘Hot Lips' Houlihan in M.A.S.H., dead at 87
The growing awareness of feminism in the '70s spurred Houlihan's transformation from caricature to real person, but a lot of the change was due to Swit's influence on the scriptwriters. 'Around the second or third year I decided to try to play her as a real person, in an intelligent fashion, even if it meant hurting the jokes,' Swit told Suzy Kalter, author of The Complete Book of 'M.A.S.H.' 'To oversimplify it, I took each traumatic change that happened in her life and kept it. I didn't go into the next episode as if it were a different character in a different play. She was a character in constant flux; she never stopped developing.' M.A.S.H. wasn't an instant hit. It finished its first season in 46th place, out of 75 network TV series, but it nabbed nine Emmy nominations. It was rewarded with a better time slot for its sophomore season, paired on Saturday nights with All in the Family, then TV's highest-rated show. At the 1974 Emmys, it was crowned best comedy, with Alda winning as best comedy actor. The series also survived despite cast churn. In addition to Swit and Alda, the first season featured Wayne Rogers, McLean Stevenson, Larry Linville and Gary Burghoff. Harry Morgan, Mike Farrell and David Ogden Stiers would later be added, while Jamie Farr and William Christopher had expanded roles. Loading 'Loretta Swit's portrayal of Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan was groundbreaking – bringing heart, humour, and strength to one of television comedy's most enduring roles. Her talent extended well beyond that iconic character, with acclaimed work on both stage and screen that showcased her intelligence, versatility, and passion,' National Comedy Centre Executive Director Journey Gunderson said in a statement. 'More of a real person' Swit appeared in all but 11 episodes of the series, nearly four times longer than the Korean War itself, exploring issues like PTSD, sexism and racism. Swit pushed for a better representation for women. 'One of the things I liked, with Loretta's prodding, was every time I had a chance to write for her character, we'd get away from the Hot Lips angle and find out more about who Margaret was. She became more of a real person,' Alda told The Hollywood Reporter in 2018. The series ended on a happy note for Houlihan, who spends much of the finale debating whether she wants to head to Tokyo or Belgium for her next overseas post. Ultimately, she opts to return to America and work at a hospital, citing her father – a career Army man. Loading Swit didn't personally agree that was the correct decision for a military-minded official: 'I didn't think that was correct for my Margaret,' she told Yahoo Entertainment in 2023. 'I think her next move was Vietnam. So I didn't agree with that, but that's what they wanted her to do.' But the actor did get to write the speech that Houlihan delivers to her fellow nurses on their final night together, in which she says: 'It's been an honour and privilege to have worked with you. And I'm very, very proud to have known you.' 'I was consumed with writing that. And I still get letters from women all over the world who became nurses because of Margaret Houlihan. To have contributed to someone's life like that is remarkable,' she told Yahoo Entertainment. During her run, Houlihan had an affair with Hawkeye's foil, the bumbling Frank Burns, played by Linville in the TV version, and in Season 5, Houlihan returns from a stay in Tokyo engaged to a handsome lieutenant colonel, a storyline that Swit says she advocated for with the writers. 'I told them: 'Can you imagine what fun you're going to have with Larry when I come back to town and I tell him I'm engaged? He'll rip the doors off of the mess tent!' And that's exactly what they had him do. So we were all of the same mind.' Towards the end, Swit was tempted to leave the show. She played the role of Chris Cagney in a 1981 television movie, Cagney & Lacey, and was offered the part when it was picked up as a midseason series for the spring of 1982. But producers insisted she stay with M.A.S.H. for its last two seasons. Swit told The Florida Times-Union in 2010 she might have stayed with M.A.S.H. anyway. 'You can't help but get better as an actor working with scripts like that,' she said. 'If you're in something that literate, well, we got spoiled.' In 2022, James Poniewozik, The New York Times ′ chief television critic, looked back on the show and said it held up well: 'Its blend of madcap comedy and pitch-dark drama – the laughs amplifying the serious stakes, and vice versa – is recognisable in today's dramedies, from Better Things to Barry, that work in the DMZ between laughter and sadness.' Loading After the TV series, Swit became a vocal animal welfare activist, selling SwitHeart perfume and her memoir through her official website, with proceeds benefiting various animal-related non-profit groups. In 1983, she married actor Dennis Holahan, whom she'd met when he was a guest star on M.A.S.H. They divorced in 1995. A migrants' daughter Born in Passaic, New Jersey, the daughter of Polish immigrants, Swit enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, then paid her dues for years in touring productions. In 1969, she arrived in Hollywood and was soon seen in series such as Gunsmoke, Hawaii Five-O, Mission Impossible and Bonanza. Then in 1972, she got her big break when she was asked to audition for the role of 'Hot Lips'. She would regularly return to theatre, starring on Broadway in 1975 in Same Time, Next Year and The Mystery of Edwin Drood in 1986. She was in Amorous Crossing, a romantic comedy, at Alhambra Theatre & Dining in 2010 and in North Carolina Theatre's production of Mame in 2003.
NBC Sports
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC Sports
NBC DELIVERS MORE YOUNG NFL VIEWERS THAN ANY MEDIA PARTNER, AS 'SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL' FINISHES TV SEASON AS PRIMETIME'S NO. 1 SHOW FOR RECORD 14TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR
With Its Largest Average Audience Since 2015, SNF Once Again Ranks No. 1 in Primetime in Viewership & HH Rating as TV Season Ends Tonight Led by Peacock, SNF Set Streaming Record with Full-Season Average Minute Audience Topping 2 Million Viewers for First Time Sunday Night Football's 20th Season Kicks Off in 2025 with Blockbuster Opening Weekend Matchups on NBC and Peacock – Cowboys vs. Eagles (Thurs., Sept. 4) and Ravens vs. Bills (Sun., Sept. 7) – and Culminates with Super Bowl LX! STAMFORD, Conn. – May 21, 2025 – With the 2024-25 TV season wrapping up tonight, NBC's Sunday Night Football finished the TV season as primetime's #1 show in all key metrics for an unprecedented 14th consecutive year – adding to its record for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950), based on official live plus same day data provided by Nielsen. In addition, NBC delivered more NFL viewers under age 50 than any other NFL media partner across all game windows (minimum seven games), and topped all media partners in the coveted Adult 18-34 and Adult 18-49 demographics. Most Consecutive Years, #1 Ranked Show in Primetime, Since 1950 14 years in a row – Sunday Night Football (2011-12 through 2024-25) 6 years in a row – American Idol (2005-06 through 2010-11) 5 years in a row – The Cosby Show (1985-86 through 1989-90)…tied Cheers in '89-90 5 years in a row – All in the Family (1971-72 through 1975-76) 4 years in a row – Gunsmoke (1957-58 through 1960-61) With an average of 6.7 million viewers aged 18-49 and 2.7 million viewers aged 18-34, based on official live plus same day data provided by Nielsen, NBC led all media partners (minimum seven games) across their complete NFL schedules (all game windows) – the fourth consecutive season SNF has led all media partners in viewership in both young adult demographics (2021-24). With streaming included, NBC's NFL viewership figures in the demos increase to 7.4 million (Adults 18-49) and 3.0 million (Adults 18-34), respectively. Sunday Night Football averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 21.6 million viewers for the 2024 season – the show's best viewership since 2015 and up 1% from the 2023 season (21.4 million), according to Nielsen official national live plus same day data, and digital data from Adobe Analytics. 'As we look forward to our milestone 20th season of Sunday Night Football, culminating with Super Bowl LX on NBC and Peacock, we salute our tireless production, technical, and announce teams – which deliver a best-in-class presentation each week,' said Rick Cordella, President, NBC Sports. 'We are excited to extend SNF's streak on NBC stations to an unprecedented 14th consecutive year as primetime's No. 1 show, while also continuing to grow our Peacock audience, which topped an average of 2 million viewers for the first time.' SNF LEADS PRIMETIME IN EVERY MAJOR METRIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC In the 2024-25 TV Season, NBC's Sunday Night Football was primetime's #1 show in the following metrics: Average (P2+) Viewership Household Rating Household Share People 2-17 Adults 18-34 Adults 18-49 Adults 18-54 Adults 25-54 Men 18-34 Men 18-49 Men 18-54 Men 25-54 Women 18-49 Women 18-54 Women 25-54 Source: Nielsen, Live + Same Day, 9/5/24-5/21/25 ACROSS NBC BROADCAST AFFILIATES NATIONALLY, SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL TOPS ALL KEY METRICS On NBC broadcast stations, Sunday Night Football topped all primetime shows in average viewership and household rating, and for the 16th consecutive season ranked #1 among adults 18-49. Key SNF Full Season Metrics (Nielsen data on NBC Broadcast only) Source: Nielsen, Live + Same Day Data, 9/5/24-5/21/25 LED BY PEACOCK, RECORD-SETTING SNF STREAMING TOPPED 2 MILLION AVERAGE MINUTE AUDIENCE (AMA) FOR FIRST TIME Led by Peacock, NBC Sports Digital hit another viewership milestone for Sunday Night Football in 2024, delivering a full-season Average Minute Audience above 2 million viewers (2.2 million) for the first time across Peacock, the NBC Sports app, and NFL Digital properties – up 38% from the prior record (1.6 million) set in the 2023 season, and nearly double the AMA in 2022 (1.2 million). NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL's MILESTONE 20TH SEASON CULMINATES WITH SUPER BOWL LX NBC's Sunday Night Football celebrates its 20th season showcasing high-profile matchups featuring the NFL's biggest stars and best rivalries from NFL Kickoff in September to sports' biggest spectacle – Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8, 2026, on NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo. NBC's SNF opens with a blockbuster Kickoff Weekend. First, it's a renewal of the most-played regular-season SNF matchup as Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys visit Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts, NFL rushing leader Saquon Barkley and the Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles in NFL Kickoff '25 on Thursday, Sept. 4 on NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo. The opener marks the record 17th matchup between the clubs in NBC's SNF package and the first time Dallas and Philadelphia will meet in Week 1 since 2000. Three nights later (Sept. 7), NBC Sports' SNF opener features the past two NFL MVPs as Lamar Jackson ('23 MVP) and the AFC North champion Baltimore Ravens visit Josh Allen ('24 MVP) and the AFC East champion Buffalo Bills in a rematch of last season's AFC Divisional Playoff – a two-point Buffalo victory. Peacock will once again stream all NBC Sunday Night Football games, including the playoffs, and the Football Night in America studio show. The exclusive Peacock Sunday Night Football Final returns with expanded postgame coverage following SNF each week. Peacock will be the exclusive national home of an NFL Week 17 game in primetime, streaming live on Saturday, Dec. 27. The Peacock Holiday Exclusive will be selected from a pool of key NFL Week 17 Saturday matchups. For a look at the full season schedule on NBC and Peacock, click here. --SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL—
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Archie's Flat Top raises customers' expectations of burgers in West Allis
Mark Lutz spent most of his life as an engineer before growing tired of corporate life. In 2002, he began his entrepreneurship journey by acquiring the West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe. In 2023, Lutz expanded his presence in the local food scene with Archie's Flat Top, a burger joint known for its fresh, locally sourced meat and decorative vinyl walls. You can find Archie's at 6922 W. Becher St., a street where Lutz also owns several other businesses. Contrary to popular belief, the burger joint was not named after Archie Bunker – the lead character in the 1970s TV show "All in the Family," but after Lutz's daughter's sheepadoodle. Archie's shares its space with Scratch Ice Cream, offering customers the chance to enjoy handcrafted burgers and local ice cream under one roof. The restaurant specializes in three signature smashburgers: the Single, the Double and the Archie, along with a vegetarian option called the Linda. Archie's also serves two types of sausages — hot Polish and Schlitzwurst. In the past, special menu items have included options such as a five-bologna sandwich and a chicken sandwich called The Bird, according to Lutz. Shareables, such as fries and onion rings, are also available. The meat at Archie's is ground fresh daily at Becher Meats, the butcher shop next door, also owned by Lutz. Any unused meat is returned and turned into fresh beef sticks. Lutz emphasizes that the burgers are never frozen and are made with a proprietary grind ratio that achieves a perfect crust during the cooking process. "Every day you get fresh burger meat ― we grind that fresh every single day. It never sees a freezer," he said. "What we don't use today goes back, and we start over the next day. That's the big thing." The burger joint was included in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Best Bites list in February. Purchasing the West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe marked the beginning of Lutz's restaurant career. The store was one of the first tenants at the Milwaukee Public Market and is still there. But things weren't always easy for the budding restaurateur. "We used to do a lot of cheese shipping at the holidays," he said. "That's where we made our money, (but) terrible business. You work all night long, 24 hours a day for four weeks out of the year." Lutz said they decided to shift gears and build a restaurant, utilizing inexpensive buildings, including an old corner gas station that became Station No. 6. Usually once a week, Lutz said he and staff would do food pop-ups at the restaurant. One featuring smash burgers became so popular "we did it again and again, and people were going nuts over it," he said. Lutz also owns The Bake Sale, another business located near South 69th Street and West Becher Street in West Allis. 'I grew up in the neighborhood. All these buildings were underutilized,' Lutz said. 'The cheese store was existing and had a good reputation, so we just kind of grew from there.' Oscar Gonzales, a culinary student at Milwaukee Area Technical College, works at Archie's and plans to stay after graduating in May. 'I started here like a year and a half ago,' Gonzales said. "They were pretty nice to me. I prayed, and they hired me very quickly." He said the job pays well and is flexible, allowing him to work while going to school. Looking ahead, Lutz plans to introduce a secret menu that includes a sandwich he describes as 'maybe not heart-healthy but irresistibly good.' Lutz credits the restaurant's success to quality food and community support. 'The community's been very good to us, and the neighborhood's been good," Lutz said. "We're drawing people from outside the neighborhood, so it's going good." Archie's is open Wednesday to Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Saturdays from noon to 9:30 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Adrienne Davis is a south suburban reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Got any tips or stories to share? Contact Adrienne at amdavis@ Follow her on X at @AdriReportss. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Archie's Flat Top serves up fresh burgers in West Allis
CNET
06-05-2025
- Science
- CNET
53 Years After Its Launch, This Soviet Spacecraft Is About to Crash Into Earth
The Soviet space program had a lot of hope riding on the Cosmos 482 mission when it launched in March 1972. The mission included a lander destined for Venus. The spacecraft never made it out of Earth orbit -- and now it's coming home, but not in a good way. The lander probe is expected back around May 10. Should you be worried? "Because the probe was designed to withstand entry into the Venus atmosphere, it is possible the probe (or parts of it) will survive reentry at Earth and reach the surface," NASA said. Also known as Kosmos 482, the lander probe weighed in at over 1,000 pounds at launch and was stocked with instruments designed to study the hellish surface of the second planet from the sun. The mission hit a rough patch after reaching Earth orbit and separating into four pieces, two of which quickly decayed out of orbit. The lander probe and the upper-stage engine unit went into a higher orbit. "It is thought that a malfunction resulted in an engine burn which did not achieve sufficient velocity for the Venus transfer and left the payload in this elliptical Earth orbit," NASA said. The lander probe has been on a long, slow path back to Earth for decades, and the time of reunion is almost here. The potential reentry window stretches from May 7-13. We don't have a precise time or location. Cosmos 482 will have an uncontrolled reentry, so it will be hard to predict its path. Water covers about 71% of Earth's surface, so any Cosmos 482 pieces that survive the fiery atmospheric reentry process have a good chance of landing harmlessly in the ocean. However, there's a possibility of debris ending up on land. This isn't cause for panic. Science educator Marco Langbroek is tracking Cosmos 482 and posting reentry forecasts on his blog. "The risks involved are not particularly high, but not zero," he wrote, saying the risks are similar to that of a meteorite impact. The 1972 launch may seem like ancient history to us now. Back then, Richard Nixon was president, The Last Picture Show was big in movie theaters, All in the Family was a hit on TV, and you don't even want to know how cheap a house was ($27,400). But spacecraft and satellites continue to go up. In late April, Amazon launched 27 low-Earth orbit satellites as part of Project Kuiper, which will provide satellite broadband services and compete with Elon Musk's Starlink. The Kuiper satellites, however, are designed to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere after their missions end. So go ahead and keep an eye on Cosmos 482's journey, but don't book an underground bunker because of it.
