Latest news with #IntheHeatoftheNight
Boston Globe
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
How Alan Bergman kept the music playing
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Honorees Alan, left, and Marilyn Bergman arrive at the ASCAP Film and Television music awards in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Tuesday, May 6, 2008. Matt Sayles/Associated Press Advertisement Before teaming up with Marilyn in 1958, Alan worked at a Philadelphia television station. Though both Bergmans were born in the same Brooklyn neighborhood, and often attended the same events, they didn't meet until they worked separately for composer Lew Spence. It was Spence who suggested the two collaborate. The trio wrote several songs, including Frank Sinatra's 'Nice 'n' Easy' and Dean Martin's 'Sleep Warm.' The Bergmans's first movie song inadvertently described their career. They always found the right approach for the material, and their first song for a movie was the theme for the 1961 drama, 'The Right Approach.' But it wasn't until six years later that they began their streak of cinematic successes. Advertisement In the opening credits of Norman Jewison's 1967 masterpiece, 'In the Heat of the Night' Mr. Virgil Tibbs ( Sidney Poitier, center, in the 1967 film 'In the Heat of the Night.' United Artists The song is a blues number meant to evoke a sense of dread. Charles nailed the haunting vocal, and Billy Preston's organ playing added a gospel-like quality. Quincy Jones provided the music that set the tone for this murder mystery, but it's the Bergmans's lyrics that provide the protagonist's innermost thoughts. Tibbs is a Black man who is about to be stuck in racist Sparta, Mississippi during Jim Crow. As the song tells us, he'll have 'trouble wall-to-wall.' In his memoir 'This Terrible Business Has Been Good to Me,' Jewison recalls Charles asking Jones if the people who wrote the lyrics were Black. 'No, Ray, they're white,' Jones responded. 'Can't be, man!' Charles said. 'Not with lyrics like that.' Indeed, 'In the Heat of the Night' contains some of the most soulful lyrics the Bergmans wrote. It's one of many examples where they understood the assignment. It really does sound like a Black man's lament, setting the stage for whatever will befall Virgil Tibbs as he deals with Rod Steiger's irascible racist, Chief Gillespie. Proving their versatility, the Bergmans also wrote lyrics for the country songs the Sparta characters listen to on their car radios and jukeboxes. These ditties are as far away from the blues as you can get. Glen Campbell sings a catchy yet hilarious one called 'Bowlegged Polly.' Advertisement The songwriters would take a more serious country music route by writing Charley Pride's 'All His Children' for the 1971 Paul Newman film, 'Sometimes a Great Notion,' but I'm getting ahead of the story. Steve McQueen in "The Thomas Crown Affair." United Artists Though it won best picture, 'In the Heat of the Night' was robbed of a best song nomination for its theme. The Academy made up for it a year later, giving Regardless, Noel Harrison's original version was a hit, and it was later covered by Dusty Springfield, Sting (for the Pierce Brosnan remake of 'Thomas Crown'), and a very, very anxious Muppet on 'The Muppet Show.' In total, Legrand and the Bergmans would earn seven Oscar nominations and two Oscars. Conversely, the next Oscar win by the Bergmans wasn't with Legrand, and it was for a song that everyone loves but me. Thanks to their fellow Brooklynite, Barbra Streisand, 'The Way We Were' may be the duo's most famous movie composition. A frequent collaborator, Streisand brought them on for 'Yentl,' where they earned their third Oscar. Streisand also sang the worst thing the Bergmans wrote, that hideous hit duet with Neil Diamond, 'You Don't Bring Me Flowers.' Advertisement 'The Way We Were''s Oscar win in 1974 capped a three Oscar night for the song's composer, From left, Ralph Carter, Esther Rolle, John Amos, Jimmie Walker, and BernNadette Stanis in a scene from "Good Times." CBSAlso in 1974, the Bergmans wrote the famous theme song to the Chicago sitcom, 'Good Times,' with Dave Grusin. The trio had previously collaborated on Donny Hathaway's ' If that wasn't confusing enough, 'Good Times' is saddled with and one of those lyrics (the one after 'scratchin' and survivin'') is practically unintelligible. I recall reading an article where Alan provided the lyric that's been misheard for the past 50 years. You can look it up, because I don't believe him! Grusin was also part of the Bergmans's biggest Oscar year, in 1983. He wrote the music for 'It Might be You' from 'Tootsie,' one of the couple's three best song nominations that night. They were also up with John Williams for 'If We Were in Love,' from the atrocious Luciano Pavarotti movie, 'Yes, Giorgio.' Their third nod that evening was for ' Advertisement I admit it's a bit ironic for me to devote so much time to discussing an Oscar category whose choices are so bad that I wish it would be retired. But songwriters like Alan and Marilyn Bergman and their collaborators remind me why the category exists in the first place. Odie Henderson is the Boston Globe's film critic.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
From ‘In the Heat of the Night' to ‘E.T,' Streisand to ‘Severance': How Alan Bergman soundtracked Hollywood
Four Emmys. Three Oscars. Two Grammys. One-half of a legendary songwriting team who made an enduring impact on the soundtrack of Hollywood. Alan Bergman — whose collaboration with wife Marilyn resulted in dozens of indelible songs performed from everyone from Frank Sinatra to Barbra Streisand to Michael Jackson, and soundtracked everything from In the Heat of the Night to Severance — died Thursday at the age of 99. (Marilyn died in 2002.) More from Gold Derby How 'Smurfs' points to the dire straits of the Best Animated Feature Oscar race 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' features shocking cameos by 2 award winners (spoilers!) The Bergmans formed a formidable lyric-writing duo, teaming with several of the greatest composers of the 20th century, including Quincy Jones, John Williams, Ennio Morricone, Henry Mancini, and Marvin Hamlisch. They received the Trustees Award from the Grammys in 2013 and were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1980; the couple also received the organization's highest honor, the Johnny Mercer Award, in 1997. Here are 10 must-hear classics from their award-worthy songbook. 'Nice 'n' Easy' (1960) Cowritten with Lew Spence, the swinging lead single from Frank Sinatra's hit album was a breakout smash for the young songwriting tandem. It also earned them their first Song of the Year Grammy nomination. 'In the Heat of the Night' (1967) With music by Jones, this is the song that put the Bergmans on Hollywood's radar. From the Best Picture-winning film of the same name, the track — which played over the opening titles — featured a soulful performance by Ray Charles. 'The Windmills of Your Mind' (1968) The Bergmans had a fruitful partnership with French composer Michel Legrand. Their first team-up resulted in this classic from The Thomas Crown Affair, and earned them their first Oscar for Best Original Song. Originally performed by Noel Harrison, it was later recorded by the likes of Dusty Springfield, José Feliciano, Johnny Mathis, Don Knotts (in a manic rendition for The Muppet Show), and Mel Tormé — whose version memorably underscored the final scene of Season 2 of Severance as Mark and Helly race off into an uncertain future. 'The Way We Were' (1973) The Bergmans won their second Oscar by teaming up with Hamlisch for the theme to the hit Streisand-Robert Redford romance. The track was sung by Streisand, who became a frequent interpreter of the couple's songs. The tune also earned the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the Grammy Award for Song of the Year, and the Bergmans won a second Grammy for the soundtrack album. 'Good Times' (1974) Two years after cowriting the theme song to "Maude," the Bergmans and Dave Grusin came up with an even more impactful opening number for "Good Times." While the show didn't earn any Emmy glory, the theme, performed by Jim Gilstrap and Blinky Williams, became an enduring piece of pop culture. That was due, in part, to the inscrutable lyrics, which were a subject of one of Dave Chappelle's "I Know Black People" sketches on Chappelle's Show. 'Fify Percent' (1978) The Bergmans and composer Billy Goldenberg earned an Emmy for their 1975 TV musical Queen of the Stardust Ballroom, starring Maureen Stapleton and Charles Durning. The production was adapted for Broadway in 1978 and retitled Ballroom, with Dorothy Loudon and Vincent Gardenia taking over the lead roles. Although it only ran for 116 performances, Ballroom earned Tony nomination for Best Musical and provided Loudon with a show-stopping number in "Fifty Percent." 'You Don't Bring Me Flowers' (1978) Cowritten by Neil Diamond for the Norman Lear sitcom All That Glitters, the song ultimately went unused when Lear changed the show's direction. Diamond and Streisand each subsequently released solo versions of the song, which several deejays spliced together to make an unauthorized duet. The artists decided to record an official version and saw it top the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978. It also won the songwriters the Grammy for Song of the Year. 'Someone in the Dark' (1982) With music by Rod Temperton, this Michael Jackson song was the big hit from the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial album, which also included the iconic John Williams theme and an audiobook of the film narrated by Jackson. Jackson would go on to win a Grammy for Best Recording for Children. 'Papa, Can You Hear Me'/ 'The Way He Makes Me Feel' (1983) The Bergmans and Legrand received two Best Song nominations for these tracks from Barbra Streisand's Yentl and ultimately won for Best Original Song Score. Best of Gold Derby 'Five new life forms from distant planets': Everything to know about 'Alien: Earth' as new trailer drops Billboard 200: Chart-topping albums of 2025 Billboard Hot 100: Every No. 1 song of 2025 Click here to read the full article. Solve the daily Crossword
Khaleej Times
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Eddie Murphy recalls how Sidney Poitier advised him not to star in 'Malcolm X'
"Actor and comedian Eddie Murphy opened up about some advice Sidney Poitier once gave him that left him surprised. In Apple TV+'s new documentary, Number One on the Call Sheet: Black Leading Men in Hollywood, he said the Oscar winner advised him not to join the cast of 1992's Malcom X. The film was first directed by Norman Jewison, the director of Poitier's In the Heat of the Night, who cast Denzel Washington in the starring role before Spike Lee took over as director. "They were talking about doing Malcolm X," Murphy recalled. "Norman Jewison was putting it together. They were gonna use Th e Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley. And they approached me about playing Alex Haley. Around that same time, I bumped into Sidney Poitier at something, and I asked him, 'Yeah, I'm thinking about playing Alex Haley!' And Sidney Poitier said, 'You are not Denzel [Washington], and you are not Morgan [Freeman]. You are a breath of fresh air, and don't [mess] with that!'." Murphy admitted he "didn't know" if Poitier's advice "was an insult or a compliment", but was just shocked to be compared to Washington and Freeman. "I was like, 'What?'" he added. In the documentary, Murphy also spoke about being different from the leading black men on the big screen. "I was in uncharted waters. For Sidney and all those guys, when I showed up, it was something kinda new," Murphy said, adding, "They didn't have a reference for me, they couldn't give me advice, 'cause I was 20, 21 years old, and my audience was the mainstream, all of everywhere. My movies [were] all around the world, and they had never had that with a young Black person. So nobody could give me advice, really. Everything broke really big and really fast." While Lee's Malcom X didn't include Haley as a character, the film ended up being a huge critical success, earning two Oscar nominations: best actor for Washington and best costume design for Ruth E. Carter, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
CBC
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Norman Jewison was a Canadian icon. His sons alleged his wife cut off contact, coerced him to change his will
Social Sharing In his four-decade Hollywood career, Oscar-nominated director Norman Jewison crafted acclaimed dramas like In the Heat of the Night and A Soldier's Story. Behind the scenes, there was allegedly drama in the Toronto-born filmmaker's personal life as well in his final years. Lawsuits filed in California and Ontario by Jewison's sons and recently obtained by CBC News raise issues that experts say are all too common when family members clash at the end of a loved one's life. In the court filings, Jewison's sons alleged that his second wife, Lynne St. David Jewison, progressively cut him off from friends and family starting as early as 2010, even taking over his email and phone. "It is the culmination of Respondent's progressive isolation and control of Mr. Jewison that, alongside the replacement of his longtime financial and legal advisers and uncharacteristic changes to his estate plan, are telltale signs of elder abuse," said the pair of lawsuits filed in May 2023 in Los Angeles Superior Court. In January 2024, three days after Jewison died, one of his sons also filed suit in Ontario to void his father's will that he had rewritten two months prior. The lawsuit claimed St. David Jewison had used "manipulation, coercion or outright abuse of power" to get the director to disinherit his children and bequeath millions of dollars to her instead. None of the allegations in the California and Ontario cases were ever tested in court; the claims were ultimately resolved through multiple mediations, with different combinations of family members, spread out over 16 months. In the Ontario case, which also involved former premier Ernie Eves, a Superior Court judge in Toronto signed off on a settlement this past January, one year after Jewison died at age 97. 'Afraid I may never … speak with my father again' The sons' California court filings alleged that their father "became heavily dependent" on St. David Jewison after he suffered a series of strokes in 2010. They married later that year. The applications stated that Jewison could no longer drive and that his wife became the gatekeeper of his communications and schedule, eventually also taking over his email and phone. Kevin and Michael Jewison also stated that they noticed their father making "uncharacteristic changes" to his estate planning, including "the abrupt resignations of his lawyers and accountants of more than 40 years," starting in 2021. They alleged that they raised concerns about this, but that St. David Jewison then "made it even more difficult … to contact their father," before sending a final text message from her own cellphone. The May 2022 text that cut off contact with Jewison's children was allegedly signed "Dad." Both sons stated that, as of May 2023, they hadn't been able to see or speak with their father in a year despite attempts to do so. "It is inconceivable to me that he does not want to see and speak to his children and grandchildren," Kevin Jewison, a camera operator and cinematographer, said in a sworn statement filed in the case. Michael Jewison, a producer who worked alongside his dad on a number of movies, including The Hurricane, stated in his sworn statement: "Absent judicial intervention, I am afraid that I may never have the opportunity to see or speak with my father again." An email last month from St. David Jewison's lawyer, Ian Hull, noted the allegations against her were unproven and said she believes the claims against her were untrue. CBC reached out to Norman Jewison's children and St. David Jewison for their perspectives. None would agree to be interviewed. The sons ended up withdrawing their applications shortly after filing them, following a request by St. David Jewison that they all attend mediation. After mediation, they were once again able to communicate with their father, though it was limited to brief videoconferences with St. David Jewison's lawyer present, according to Michael Jewison's subsequent Ontario lawsuit. In addition, the mediation opened the door for an agreement with Kevin Jewison and sister Jennifer Jewison Snyder in regards to their father's estate. According to Michael Jewison's subsequent Ontario claim, the two siblings got certain properties and farm equipment, as well as the rights to the 1973 film version of Jesus Christ Superstar, which their father directed and produced. But Michael Jewison didn't agree to the terms and wasn't included in the agreement. WATCH | Remembering Norman Jewison, one of Canada's most acclaimed directors: Acclaimed Canadian director Norman Jewison dead at 97 1 year ago Duration 3:13 California law let sons sue for access Lawyer Dani Kaiserman, a Los Angeles-based expert in elder law, said the kinds of family conflicts alleged in the Jewison cases "are so common." As a loved one ages, there's often tensions in families, disagreements that come up between siblings or with a new spouse," she said. Jewison's sons were able to sue in California because their father and St. David Jewison lived part-time at a beach house in Malibu, Calif., when they weren't at properties in Ontario. The brothers resorted to a California law that came into force in 2023 — it has no equivalent in Canada — and allows a person to apply for a court order allowing contact when there's evidence that an elderly or dependent adult has been cut off from that person against their wishes, and that it was not done to protect them from abuse by that person. "This gets you in front of a judge where you can ask for a court order to visit and see your loved one and stop the isolation relatively quickly," said Kaiserman, who worked to get the statute passed. So the two men sought a court order allowing contact against St. David Jewison that would let them speak to their dad privately. Kaiserman said her organization alone has handled 15 to 20 cases under the California elder-access law in the last two years. In Canada, there are other ways people can regain access, such as applying to become a guardian or involving a provincial agent known as the public guardian and trustee. But these efforts take more time and can cost more money, said lawyer Laura Tamblyn Watts who is also the CEO of CanAge, a Canadian organization that advocates for seniors. "In Canada, it's very hard. You're probably going to call the public guardian and trustee. If you have funds, you're going to call an estate litigation lawyer and try to get in there. You may be able to call some community-based organizations," Tamblyn Watts said. Wills changed between 2014 and 2023 The family strife did not end after Jewison died on Jan. 20, 2024, at age 97. Following a storied career directing Hollywood classics such as Moonstruck, Fiddler on the Roof and The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming, Jewison left an estimated $30 million after estate taxes, including the Malibu home, a cottage on Lake Simcoe in Ontario, a ranch northwest of Toronto and royalties from his films, according to court records. A will he signed in 2014 would have given St. David Jewison the Malibu beach house and some other funds (and mentioned "gifts of money and property" previously given to her), but the bulk of his fortune was to be divided among Jewison's three children. Then in November 2023, a little over two months before he died, Jewison signed a new will. It saw all three of his children written out, with the leftover amounts after various bequests — an estimated $27 million — to be split between St. David Jewison and a fairly new charity where she was a director, the Norman and Lynne St. David Jewison Foundation. Another major change was that Jewison's 2014 will named his longtime accountant, his lawyer and a friend as executors. The 2023 will appointed just one person to the position: former Ontario premier Ernie Eves. Eves had also become a corporate director of a number of Jewison's companies starting in 2022. Eves lives up the road from the Jewison ranch in Caledon, Ont., moved in the same social circles, and is also listed as a director of the charitable foundation named in Jewison's 2023 will. Three days after his father died, Michael Jewison filed his Ontario lawsuit to void the 2023 will. Lawsuit claimed children not given chance to say goodbye In his 2024 claim, Michael Jewison alleged that St. David Jewison had exerted "control and dominance" over his dad to get her hands on his wealth. "She successfully prevented Norman's assets and his wealth from being inherited by Norman's children, and instead inherited tens of millions of dollars for herself," the claim said. Michael Jewison also claimed that the 2023 changes to his father's will were the product of "undue influence" on his dad by St. David Jewison, aided by Eves, and that his father couldn't have had the necessary mental capacity to rewrite his will so close to his demise. Neither Eves nor St. David Jewison replied to questions from CBC News about why Jewison made all the changes he did, and why Eves specifically was chosen as executor. Tamblyn Watts, from the seniors advocacy organization, said while these types of concerns with wills are not uncommon, getting a will voided or varied by a court is not an easy task. Speaking generally and not about the Jewison case, Watts said that a judge would look at such factors as, "Did you really know what you were doing when you changed it? Did you really understand the implications to the other family [members] or the people that you're cutting out?" But ultimately, she says, the court requires a "very high standard" of proof to vary someone's will and most people don't pursue it. Michael Jewison's claim went on to say that he and his siblings weren't even informed when their dad was entering his final weeks of life and started to receive hospice care. "Neither Michael nor his family were given an opportunity to say goodbye to Norman," it stated. Responding to questions sent to Eves, his lawyer Chris Paliare wrote to CBC News that Eves "cannot comment." His email continued: "The allegations … regarding Mr. Jewison's final years, and the actions of Mr. Eves and Ms. St. David Jewison, are unproven, and in Mr. Eves's opinion, untrue." Hull, St. David Jewison's lawyer, said she "adopts and confirms" those statements from Eves's lawyer. Michael Jewison's lawsuit was settled in January. A judge approved a deal between him and his daughter, on one side, and St. David Jewison, the Norman Jewison estate and Eves as executor, on the other. Michael Jewison is to get $6.8 million, the rights to and residuals from 23 of his father's movies and the forgiving of loans that at one time totalled more than $3 million.
The Guardian
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Number One on the Call Sheet review – a spectacular tribute to black excellence in Hollywood
Denzel Washington. Don Cheadle. Morgan Freeman. Laurence Fishburne. Idris Elba. Viola Davis. Halle Berry. Cynthia Erivo. Angela Bassett. Octavia Spencer. To say that the cast of Apple's new two-part, feature-length documentary series is stacked would be an understatement, and that truly is only a smattering of its many interviewees: I'd be here all week if I listed every single one. A celebration of black excellence in Hollywood, these two films are produced by the likes of Jamie Foxx and Kevin Hart, and stuffed full of household names who have made it to that coveted No 1 spot on the call sheet – in other words, the top-billed star of a production. They also offer a potted history of how black actors came to thrive in Hollywood – and the struggle baked into almost every stage of that process. Episode one focuses on male stars, juxtaposing more established names with a new generation of actors, such as Michael B Jordan, John Boyega, Daniel Kaluuya and the late Chadwick Boseman. We start, though, with Sidney Poitier, and the debt that so many performers feel towards the pioneering star of In the Heat of the Night and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Director Reginald Hudlin cleverly segues between archive footage and new interviews, as we observe Washington's tribute to Poitier on stage at the Oscars in 2002 (the former won best actor, while the latter picked up an honorary Academy award). Present-day Washington then adds more colour to the story, namechecking the stars who Poitier had in turn tipped his hat to: James Edwards, Canada Lee, Paul Robeson and – of course – Hattie McDaniel, the first black Oscar winner (in 1940, for Gone With the Wind), whose story we return to in the 'women' episode. We race through the decades – via Blazing Saddles and blaxploitation – before arriving at Eddie Murphy's imperial phase, when he showed that a black comic actor could garner mainstream acclaim in films such as Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America. If you've forgotten just how big a deal Murphy was in the 80s and 90s, he's here to remind us, complete with some wicked anecdotes, such as, er, the time James Brown advised him to bury his money in the woods to keep it away from the government. As his life story begins to coalesce with that of his biggest fan, Will Smith, there's the risk of these actors going all luvvie central on us. But, luckily, even when Smith (and, later, Dwayne 'the Rock' Johnson) begin to speak in riddles and motivational metaphors, the episode stays on the right side of self aware. Its best moments are those that highlight candid, endearing memories, such as Boyz N the Hood's Morris Chestnut confessing that the film's Cannes success went right over his head (he remembers asking: 'Are they gonna release it here in LA …?'). The second instalment – directed by Shola Lynch – pays homage to Whoopi Goldberg in the same way as it does Murphy, reminding viewers that, at the peak of her powers, she was the cream of the comedy crop and totally devastating as Celie in The Color Purple. But Goldberg had to fight for even her most memorable roles; she explains that she only got Sister Act because Bette Midler wasn't available, and Patrick Swayze fought for her to be cast alongside him in Ghost. Elsewhere, we hear from actors at the top of their game who are yet to get the awards-show recognition they deserve; the disappointment on Erivo's face as she learns that Renée Zellweger has won the 2020 best actress Oscar is positively heartbreaking. Meanwhile, the temptation to generalise is resisted. After all, audiences of all races are likely aware that Halle Berry – a former beauty queen whose acting skills were initially underestimated – has had different challenges to overcome in the industry than, say, Gabourey Sidibe. Sidibe speaks beautifully about not conforming to beauty standards: in the way she cared for the titular character in the 2009 film Precious; and feeling that she could relate to a girl who was 'not the sexpot, not the popular girl – not even the one with the cool sneakers'. It isn't a perfect set of films. Samuel L Jackson is conspicuous by his absence (surely the film-makers could've grabbed five minutes with him?!) and Quentin Tarantino makes a needless cameo. And I'm not convinced that splitting the films by gender was necessary. But, Number One on the Call Sheet is still a joy to watch – as a loving homage to black Hollywood's past and a sign of its rude health in the present. Number One on the Call Sheet is on Apple TV+ now.
