Showing posts with label tv. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tv. Show all posts

Here We Go Again: My Life In Television Review

Here We Go Again: My Life In Television
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Not many celebrities can say they are enjoying a renaissance and resurgence in their careers at the tender age of 88, but Betty White is not your every day celebrity. In 2010 Betty became the oldest performer to host "Saturday Night Live" (for which she won an Emmy), plus she continues to work in movies and primetime TV, most recently in TV Land's "Hot In Cleveland". She also had a memorable role on the soap opera "The Bold and the Beautiful" and she continues to appear in commercials. Suddenly Betty White is everywhere.
With a career that has spanned sixty years on television, Betty White continues to shine and is an example to other celebrities who have reached that certain age that it doesn't matter how old you are; just keep working and love what your doing.
In this insightful biography that was published way back in 1995, Betty describes her life in television and how she got started in the business. Eventually it wasn't long before she became famous for being the celebrity who appeared regularly on game and talk shows, working with Jack Parr, Johnny Carson, and Allen Lunden, with whom she married. Eventually Betty did a guest-part on "The Carol Burnett Show", became famous for her role as man hungry Sue Ann Nivens on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", and to a whole new generation of fans played naive Rose Nyland on the 1980's/1990's sitcom "The Golden Girls".
In these pages Betty discusses how she got her two most famous roles on two of the most beloved comedies in TV history, how it was like to work with the giants in the industry, and how and why those beloved shows came to an end.
There is much more too on these pages on the the wonderful life of a lady who never slows down. The reader realizes Betty loves her life and loves the career that has made her a household name. Thoroughly readable, "Here We Go Again..." is an insightful memoir on one of the legends in TV comedy.
The book also contains multiple black and white photos of Bette displayed sporadically throughout the book that gives the reader a mental picture of where Betty was at certain times in her career.

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A MEMOIR OF BETTY WHITE'S FIRST FIVE DECADES ON TELEVISION—AS IRREVERENT AND IRRESISTIBLE AS THE BELOVED ACTRESS HERSELF BETTY WHITE first appeared on television in 1949 and has gone on to have one of the most amazing careers in TV history, starring in shows such as Life with Elizabeth, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and The Golden Girls, among many others. She is one of the hardest-working actresses of any era, and her sense of humor and perennial optimism have seen her through half a century of industry changes and delighted millions of fans. Now, during Betty's sixty-first year on screen, a year in which she has enjoyed a huge resurgence of popularity, her 1995 memoir makes a comeback too. Here We Go Again is a behind-the-scenes look at Betty's career from her start on radio to her first show, Hollywood on Television, to several iterations of The Betty White Show and much, much more. Packed with wonderful anecdotes about famous personalities and friendships, stories of Betty's off-screen life, and the comedienne's trademark humor, this deliciously entertaining book will give readers an entrée into Betty's fascinating life, confirming yet again why we can't get enough of this funny lady.

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Desperate Networks Review

Desperate Networks
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Really enjoyed this book. Takes you behind-the-scenes into what may be the last days of true broadcast network television.
The breakdown of the book was about what I had expected, although the author focused a bit more on the creation of shows than the business side of running the networks than I had hoped. As a fan of Lost, it was great to hear about how that show came to life. Personally don't care for Desperate Housewives, but the writing is good and the stories are entertaining. If you like CSI, The Apprentice, Survivor... it's really interesting to learn about the stories behind their creation. (Did you know UPN could've had Survivor and didn't pull the trigger on it?)
In 5 years, when none of these shows are still on the air, this might not be as fascinating. But if you're a TV fan, this is absolutely worth checking out.

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In the executive offices of the four major networks, sweeping changes are taking place and billions of dollars are at stake. Now Bill Carter, bestselling author of The Late Shift, goes behind the scenes to reveal the inner workings of the television industry, capturing the true portraits of the larger-than-life moguls and stars who make it such a cutthroat business. In a time of sweeping media change, the four major networks struggle for the attention of American viewers increasingly distracted by cable, video games, and the Internet. Behind boardroom doors, tempers flare in the search for hit shows, which often get on the air purely by accident. The fierce competition creates a pressure-cooker environment where anything can happen . . . NBC's fall from grace—Once the undisputed king of prime time, NBC plunged from first place to last place in the ratings in the course of a single season. What will be the price of that collapse—and who will pay it? CBS's slow and steady race to the top—Unlike NBC, CBS, under the leadership of CEO, Leslie Moonves, engineered one of the most spectacular turnarounds in television history. But in this ruthless world, you're only as good as last week's ratings . . . .ABC's surprising resurrection—Lost and Desperate Housewives—have brought ABC the kind of success it could only dream of in the past. So why don't the executives responsible for those hits work there any more?The End of the News As We Know It—In a stunningly short period of time, all three of the major network news anchors—Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, and Peter Jennings—signed off, leaving executives scrambling for a way to keep network news relevant in an era of 24/7 information.Crazy Like Fox—They're outrageous, unconventional, and occasionally off-putting, but more and more people are watching Fox shows. Most of all they keep watching American Idol. How did Simon Cowell snooker himself into a huge payday? Stay tuned . . .

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Hello, Lied the Agent: And Other Bullshit You Hear as a Hollywood TV Writer Review

Hello, Lied the Agent: And Other Bullshit You Hear as a Hollywood TV Writer
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There are many books about the entertainment business but I'm not aware of any besides 'Hello, Lied The Agent' which manage to capture the often agonizing, occasionally ecstatic day to day life of a TV writer in the process of developing a new series...
Gurvitz's book features quotable lines on just about every page ("It's been said that in Hollywood, friends don't want friends to fail; friends want friends to die") and a comprehensive overview of the television landscape valuable to anyone who's ever wanted to know how shows - brilliant or execrable - proceed from concept to airing (or more likely oblivion).
Take it from someone who didn't write the book; it is a great read...

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Gurvitz presents a corrosively funny insider's look at what being a television writer is really all about. In his personal journal, he details two years of his life--the dizzying ups and downs, the rewrites, the executives, the pitch meetings, the table readings, the studios, and the networks in a riveting expos.

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Write to TV: Out of Your Head and onto the Screen Review

Write to TV: Out of Your Head and onto the Screen
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This book gives you what you need in order to make it in the TV world and it's a great, easy read. I kept wanting to turn the page, just like a TV script, to get to the next section. I've read many books about writing scripts, but this one is going on the reference shelf, right next to my copy of The Elements of Style. It's that special.
What is so perfect about this book, is not only is the information well organized, but it's from someone who has been there. She worked hard to break into the TV industry and her journey resembles the one I am currently going through. It's nice to know that I'm not alone and that someone from the East Coast, with no prior contacts, can make it as a TV writer. I always trust people who actually made it over "Gurus" who teach, but can't do.
If you're serious about being a TV writer, pick this book up. It's a "TV Writing Class" in book form.

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