tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85518682024-03-13T11:17:43.215-04:00Stefanie Powers NewsThe latest news about actress and environmentalist Stefanie PowersMeredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.comBlogger338125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-1282459055057236612015-12-23T23:54:00.001-05:002015-12-23T23:54:23.969-05:00"Gotta Dance" - Meet Joanne (Stefanie Powers)<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FT6Pa_gDJRI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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TV icon Stefanie Powers plays Joanne, a divorcee who's hoping to serve some sweet revenge to her ex-husband.Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-10880016861245573452015-12-23T17:44:00.000-05:002015-12-23T17:44:17.268-05:00Stefanie Powers and Georgia Engel on "Gotta Dance"<script height="225px" src="http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#ec=45NmNveTpAfJJ5dGJX_AT-HzUZGgwbGg&pbid=5d88305d0c6c47eabc12e43063a41c69" width="400px"></script>Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-86859047166178693252015-12-13T12:39:00.004-05:002015-12-13T12:39:43.866-05:00Musical "Gotta Dance" Starring Stefanie Powers Opens in Chicago Today<center>
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<i>Gotta Dance</i> is a rollicking new musical that opens in Chicago today starring longtime stage and screen star <b>Stefanie Powers</b>.<br />
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ABC7 Eyewitness News entertainment reporter Janet Davies has a preview of the song-and-dance fest.
Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-74523114715844869202015-01-23T17:49:00.002-05:002015-01-23T17:49:23.611-05:00Stefanie Powers Still a Globe-Trotting Activist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Stefanie Powers gives no hint of jet lag during an afternoon conversation - despite having flown in to Los Angeles a night earlier from Kenya, by way of New York. Youthful, dynamic and beautiful at 72, the red-haired actress also gives no hint of slowing down. She divides her time between performing, globetrotting and the wildlife conservation issues that melded with her animal-loving nature during her near-decade-long love affair with the late William Holden back in the 1970s.
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She is here to talk about <i>Love by the Book</i>, the Hallmark Channel Original Movie debuting tomorrow (January 24), in which she has a small role as proprietress of a book store coffee bar - a woman attuned to the romantic and business woes of young store owner Leah Renee.
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“They have a wonderful formula - putting the young ones who have the problems with the older ones who have the voices of wisdom,” she says of the cable channel’s exceedingly popular flicks. Powers admits she’s surprised by some of the Hallmark Channel devotees she has come across, “friends of mine who are terribly sophisticated, who you might expect to dismiss these movies as too corny. They love them.”
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Of course, a few of her friends are emoting for the Hallmark Channel cameras themselves - like former <i>Hart to Hart</i> leading man Robert Wagner, who recently did a Santa Claus cameo, along with wife Jill St. John as Mrs. C., in <i>Northpole</i>. The thought of a Wagner-Powers reunion movie makes Powers smile. “Any chance to work with him I’d love,” she says.
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Most of the work she’d like to do is in theater, and she has plans brewing both for the West End and Broadway this year and next. Powers maintains homes in Los Angeles, London and Kenya and travels often. She’d love to see more of Mongolia, where she enjoyed playing polo. She’s also played polo riding an elephant in Nepal. As if that weren’t extreme enough, a few months ago, the life-long rider tried extreme cowboy racing, which combines cowboy skills with an obstacle course.
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“I had so much fun, I can’t wait to do it again,” she says.
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In 2009, Powers lost her mother, with whom she was very close, and fought lung cancer. She says she came out of it healthy, but with an intensified awareness of the passage of time, and a more acute desire to accomplish things she wants to do. Those things include saving endangered species — a passion she shared with Tom Carroll, one of the directors of the William Holden Wildlife Foundation she established in 1982, and her long-time partner until his death last year. She sadly admits the battles to save creatures on the brink of extinction are fraught with terrible frustration.
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“I’m not sure I don’t get disheartened, but I’m also angry - and if you still have anger in your belly, you do something about it,” declares the actress, who works not only through her Foundation, but is involved in efforts to save jaguars in Central America, wild horses in North America, and elephants in Africa.
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Some 11,000 students a year visit her Mount Kenya wildlife reserve — students Powers hopes to fire up enough that they leave ready to “preach the gospel of conservation.”
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It appears that age is no stumbling block for her. How does she feel about the weight of years? “One day it will come down,” she says, “but until then, I’m not going to hesitate to tackle anything.”
Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-40657382290700024062015-01-02T12:57:00.001-05:002015-01-02T12:57:33.268-05:00Stefanie Powers in Love by the Book<b>Stefanie Powers</b> stars in a new Hallmark Channel Original Movie.<br />
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A whimsical bookstore owner discovers that her own happily ever after might not be by the (story) book in <i>Love by the Book</i>. Leah Renee plays an impassioned bookstore owner who tries to balance her budding romance with a dashing suitor,
played by Ryan Bittle with proving her business prowess to her investor, played by television veteran John Schneider. Chiming in with sage love advice is television veteran <b>Stefanie Powers</b> who plays a friendly bookstore co-worker with endless romantic wisdom.<br />
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Bookstore owner Emma believes in fairy tales. Although she has yet to be swept away by Prince Charming, she sees real knight in shining armor potential with a new suitor, Landon. As Emma balances time with Landon and saving her bookstore with once irritating business consultant, Eric, however, she weighs storybook romance against genuine commitment. While
she sorts out her feelings toward Landon and Eric, as well as toward love and romance, Emma begins to realize that fairytale endings aren't always by the book.<br />
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<i>Love by the Book</i> premieres Saturday, January 24, 2015 at 9:00 p.m. on the Hallmark Channel.<br />
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<a href="http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/love-by-the-book" target="_blank">http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/love-by-the-book</a><br />
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Photos of <b>Stefanie Powers</b> in <i>Love by the Book</i>.<br />
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Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-12313942788516299462015-01-01T22:35:00.003-05:002015-01-01T22:35:49.790-05:00Hart to Hart Movies on DVD<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0096PBD5G/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0096PBD5G&linkCode=as2&tag=meredsplacecl-20&linkId=NL4SDVMLFFXDFGEF">Hart To Hart TV Movie Collection - Volume 1 (4-Disc Set)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=meredsplacecl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0096PBD5G" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0096PBD5G/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0096PBD5G&linkCode=as2&tag=meredsplacecl-20&linkId=MAMGTP6NK5BG37G5"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0096PBD5G&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=meredsplacecl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=meredsplacecl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0096PBD5G" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0096PBD42/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0096PBD42&linkCode=as2&tag=meredsplacecl-20&linkId=XDWCYYG74RSQVKMX">Hart To Hart TV Movie Collection - Volume 2 (4-Disc Set)</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=meredsplacecl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0096PBD42" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0096PBD42/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0096PBD42&linkCode=as2&tag=meredsplacecl-20&linkId=XICE6RINDUQWZIXV"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0096PBD42&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=meredsplacecl-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=meredsplacecl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0096PBD42" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-19032765929755412082015-01-01T22:22:00.002-05:002015-01-01T22:22:26.239-05:00A Walk on the Wild SideShe had dodged plenty of armed killers while starring in classic TV series Hart To Hart and The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. but this time the bullets were real and close. <br />
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“Scared? Of course I was scared,” says Powers. <br />
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She was at her villa on Mount Kenya, home to the wildlife reserve founded by her former lover, Hollywood legend William Holden, and knew that the gunfire brought danger. <br />
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“When you hear a rat-a-tat-tat from AK-47s and you only have a shotgun you’re not going out,” says the actress. <br />
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“We had three rhinos. Poachers came to our ranch with AK-47s and murdered them.” <br />
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But Powers finally summoned the courage to confront the poachers with a handful of her staff. <br />
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“They didn’t get the horns because they were finally chased off but poaching is a serious problem,” she says. “In East Africa we’ve lost 100,000 elephants in the past three years. I’m 72 and we could see the extinction of elephants in my lifetime.” <br />
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She hopes to evade her own extinction at the hands of armed poachers, saying: “I try to be careful. One never knows.” <br />
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Powers, who finished filming two TV movies that will come to British screens in 2015, is an intriguing mix of Hollywood aristocracy with her jet-setter insouciance and down-to-earth conservationism. <br />
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She is the sort of global adventurer who can say, “On a trip to India after I had been playing polo on elephants in Nepal, my mother decided to have a diamond put in her nose at the age of 80,” and equally happily confide: “I make my own compost.” <br />
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Yet Stefanie Powers is all Hollywood glamour: a svelte and vivacious redhead who looks decades younger than her years, every inch a star. <br />
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Well, almost every inch. <br />
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“I’m never going to do any hand or nail commercials,” she admits. “My nails are short and my hands are always dirty, showing the wear and tear of horses and gardens.” <br />
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Animals are her life. She has more than 20 horses spread between homes in Africa, Los Angeles and London, along with nine dogs – all rescues – and 37 species on her Kenyan ranch including zebra, eland, oryx, buffalo and wildebeest. <br />
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You might envy her Amazonian yellow nape parrot Papuga, who has the run of her Los Angeles mansion. <br />
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“She has been with me for 42 years, longer than most relationships in Hollywood,” says Powers. “She has a trust fund so if she outlives me she is definitely going to be taken care of.” <br />
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Powers is no pampered diva and, though she was the first voted off I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! in 2011, she insists: “I was the only person in that entire group who had ever spent a night out of doors. I know what it takes to survive in the wild. I like to sleep under the stars. <br />
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“It’s a demanding lifestyle in Kenya. There’s no corner market so we have to plan ahead. I have my own chickens and grow a lot of carrots, potatoes, turnips and beets. <br />
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“Some women enjoy jewellery and dresses but I’m afraid my horses have more clothes than I do. In America I’ve taken up a new sport called extreme cowboy racing, which is as much fun as I’ve ever had on a horse. It’s an obstacle course with challenges like cutting out a cow from a herd at full speed and keeping it isolated for as long as you can. I have so many horses because I don’t sell them and several are at least in their 30s.” <br />
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Her passion for animal conservation was shockingly instilled at an early age when her stepfather, a racehorse breeder, took her to a slaughterhouse to see how many horses ended their days. <br />
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“We saw them waiting to be killed – pretty horses, little horses, young ones, old ones, all of them were going to become some dog’s dinner because somebody couldn’t make that ultimate commitment. My father believed that animals weren’t toys and that if you made a commitment to an animal it was lifelong.” <br />
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Though she loves animals it was actor William Holden, the Oscar-winning star of films including Sunset Boulevard, Stalag 17 and Network, whom she calls “the love of my life”. <br />
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He was 24 years her senior but she cherishes their decade together until his death in 1981 aged 63. <br />
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“He was the greatest influence on me and it was a deep and passionate love.” <br />
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Though Holden was an alcoholic he managed to stay sober for lengthy periods while with Powers. <br />
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“He was a person of great depth, fun and adventure.” <br />
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It was Holden who bought a Kenyan estate and founded the Mount Kenya Game Ranch and after his death Powers launched the William Holden Wildlife Foundation to continue his work. <br />
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“Everything he wanted to teach me I wanted to learn,” says Powers. <br />
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The men she married never fulfilled her in the same way: actor Gary Lockwood for six years until their 1972 divorce and in 1993 she wed Frenchman Patrick de la Chenais for another six-year marriage. <br />
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As much as Powers loves to answer the call of the wild, her conservation work is costly and she says: “I have to keep working. I like to work. There’s a lot to support.” <br />
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She runs the William Holden Wildlife Foundation, campaigns for the conservation of panthers and the Asiatic lion and is working on a documentary about jaguars. <br />
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“There were times when I devoted much more time to conservation than I probably should have ,” she admits. “No one pays for my air fare to get to Kenya, no one pays for my car, no one pays for my petrol, no one pays for our office, our insurance, our director’s insurance. I don’t take a salary. I pay for everything with the money raised. The house is paid for by me and not with donor money. That is very important to me.” <br />
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A long-time smoker, Powers was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2009 and had part of a lung removed just two weeks after her mother had died. <br />
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“Those two events were the most significant double punches I’ve ever had in my life,” she says. “We shared a home for the last 27 years of her life. She died in my arms at the age of 96. They were life-changing. But I’m a lucky girl. I’ve fully recovered. Cancer changes everybody. But I’ve always been concerned that I won’t have enough time to finish everything I want to accomplish.”<br />
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She is soon to take to the stage in Australia starring in a play about Hollywood legend Tallulah Bankhead in a show she hopes to bring to the West End, and is developing a movie set in Asia. <br />
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She also has two romantic comedies coming to British television this year: Ring By Spring and Love By The Book. Powers still relishes her years starring opposite Robert Wagner in the hit television series Hart To Hart from 1979 to 1984, playing wealthy couple Jennifer and Jonathan Hart who moonlighted as amateur detectives. <br />
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“People always thought we were married in real life,” she says. “And for five years Robert and I spent more time with each other than we did with our families.” <br />
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But she laments the way Hollywood has changed since her debut more than 50 years ago. <br />
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“Young actors barely have a chance to hone their skills. There are no more regional theatres, the studio system has gone and kids go to acting school to learn how to become reality show actors. <br />
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“Celebrity is like Kleenex and people are used up so rapidly. Stars are instantly replaceable. I wouldn’t want to be starting out a career now. I don’t think I’d last.”<br />
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She has had plastic surgery that she adamantly won’t discuss but works hard to stay in shape, saying: “Cross training is extremely important. I’m out with my horses all of the time, I still take dance classes and although my leg doesn’t go quite as high as it used to it still goes pretty high. <br />
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“I’ve no plans to retire. I’m happy to keep working until they haul me off. I hope I’m that fortunate.” <br />
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At least her parrot will never have to worry. <br />
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For more information on the William Holden Wildlife Foundation: www.whwf.orgMeredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-15553229315899542372014-12-04T21:11:00.003-05:002014-12-04T21:11:44.369-05:00Order Hart to Hart: Season 4 on DVD<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P9UVC6W/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00P9UVC6W&linkCode=as2&tag=meredsplacecl-20&linkId=UKYPT6UHWJGCZNPQ" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81lh8rVeypL._SY679_.jpg" height="433" width="306" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P9UVC6W/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00P9UVC6W&linkCode=as2&tag=meredsplacecl-20&linkId=UKYPT6UHWJGCZNPQ" target="_blank">Order Hart to Hart: Season 4</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=meredsplacecl-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00P9UVC6W" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-68952323718974678082014-12-04T20:57:00.001-05:002014-12-04T21:06:45.800-05:00Order Hart to Hart: Season 3 on DVD<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NALHJQ4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00NALHJQ4&linkCode=as2&tag=meredsplacecl-20&linkId=237GYSCDNKSXZ7MY" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/91VskFEJMDL._SY679_.jpg" height="433" width="306" /></a><br />
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Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-29563677993306080782014-08-19T19:26:00.003-04:002014-08-19T19:26:35.595-04:00Thomas Joseph Carroll's Obituary<b>Thomas Joseph Carroll </b><br />
<br />
Time of Service: 11:00 AM - Wednesday, August 20, 2014<br />
Place of Service: Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel, 1076 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10028<br />
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<b>On August 12, 2014</b><br />
Tom Carroll was a graduate of Notre Dame and a former officer in the United States Navy. In his early career, he became a CPA and rose to partnership in the firm of KPMG. The next step in his career was as a senior managing partner at Credit Suisse, Bankers Trust and finally at Prudential Financial where he was a senior Vice President. At Prudential, he was a respected figure in the executive branch. He was acknowledged for his leadership in diversity and his recognition and incorporation of all branches of military service personnel. As a member of both the NY Yacht Club and the Larchmont Yacht Club, he pursued his passion for sailing with great success and reward as captain of "Siren Song." He ran nine New York Marathons coming once under four hours. He established the Patrick and Mary Carroll Scholarship Fund at the University of Notre Dame and served on the board of the William Holden Wildlife Foundation. He is survived by his son Tom Carroll, Jr., daughter Cathy Locabucci, three grandchildren and his partner of fourteen years <b>Stefanie Powers</b>. Service will be held on Wednesday, August 20, 2014 at 11:00 AM at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel, 1076 Madison Avenue at 81st St. In lieu of flowers donations to the Patrick and Mary Carroll Scholarship Fund and the William Holden Wildlife Foundation are appreciated.Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-80044874136851850172014-08-19T19:15:00.001-04:002014-08-19T19:15:06.922-04:00Prudential Auditor Who Romanced Actress Stefanie Powers Dies At 72Thomas Carroll, who announced his retirement in June as chief auditor at Prudential Financial Inc. and had a brush with celebrity through his 14-year relationship with actress Stefanie Powers, has died. He was 72.<br />
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He died on Aug. 12, according to a notice on the website of Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel in New York. No details were provided.<br />
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In 2001, during Carroll’s 15-year tenure as chief auditor and senior vice president, Newark, New Jersey-based Prudential became a public company following 125 years of ownership by policyholders.<br />
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He “was instrumental in supporting the demutualization of Prudential and ensuring that we manage our company in a manner consistent with what our customers and shareholders expect,” Vice Chairman Mark Grier said in the announcement of Carroll’s retirement. Prudential is the second-largest U.S. life insurer by assets behind MetLife Inc.<br />
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Carroll joined Prudential in 1999 from Bankers Trust Co., where he had been general auditor, managing director and partner. He was global chief auditor and a managing director at Credit Suisse First Boston from 1991 to 1996. He began his career in 1965 at the accounting firm that today is KPMG LLP, according to a news release announcing his move to Prudential.<br />
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<b>Manhattan Meeting</b><br />
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It was in 2000 that he met Powers at a benefit concert held at an apartment on New York’s West Side where she was among the singers who performed, according to her 2010 memoir, “One From the Hart.” Powers, a television star since the 1960s, is best known for “Hart to Hart,” which aired from 1979 to 1984. In it, she and actor Robert Wagner portrayed glamorously wealthy husband-and-wife amateur detectives.<br />
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The host of the 2000 benefit fixed her up with Carroll, who was attending as chairman of the building’s board.<br />
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When they met at the apartment door, “I think I saw his smile before I saw his face,” she wrote. “It was a very attractive smile, and it belonged to a very attractive face. He was the all-American boy, healthy, fit, a Notre Dame Irishman. Clear-eyed, and unattached, he looked like a movie star in his suit and tie.”<br />
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They made a date to go sailing the following day.<br />
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Twice married and divorced, Powers said she initially resisted becoming involved again. But, she added, “There is an abiding decency in Tom that makes him a rare and special person.”<br />
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<b>Kenya Charity</b><br />
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Carroll became a director of the foundation that Powers founded to honor William Holden, the Academy Award-winning actor who was her romantic partner until his death in 1981. The William Holden Wildlife Foundation, based in Beverly Hills, California, raises money to support a conservation and education center in Kenya, where Holden created a safari club in 1959.<br />
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A 2009 article in Prudential’s employee newsletter described how Carroll created a pen-pal program connecting students at Alexander Street School in Newark and Guara Primary School in Nanyuki, Kenya.<br />
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“I wanted to help inner-city students here learn more about the world and the environment directly from kids their age,” Carroll was quoted as saying.<br />
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Thomas Joseph Carroll was born on Aug. 30, 1941. His parents were Patrick Carroll and the former Mary Jennings, according to a 2012 death notice for his sister, Patricia Carroll Hayden.<br />
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He graduated from the University of Notre Dame and was an officer in the U.S. Navy.<br />
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According to the funeral home statement, he was a member of the New York Yacht Club and the Larchmont Yacht Club. His sailboat, the Siren Song, was the top IRC boat on Long Island Sound, Sailing World reported in 2011. He ran the New York City Marathon nine times, once finishing in less than four hours, according to the notice.<br />
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In addition to Powers, survivors include a son, Tom Carroll Jr.; a daughter, Cathy Locabucci; and three grandchildren.Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-78799745077211735922014-03-06T18:42:00.000-05:002014-03-06T18:42:20.773-05:00Interview with A Ring By Spring Star Stefanie PowersHallmark Channel holds an annual dinner for its executives, creative staff, movies and series stars and invites the Television Critics Association members to attend as well. This year, it's at Pasadena’s Huntington Library, which houses classic works of painting, sculpture and science, along with a collection of rare books.
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Actress Stefanie Powers is one of the attending guests, having co-starred in Hallmark Channel's A Ring By Spring, which premieres Saturday, March 9 at 7 pm Eastern time. Powers, who starred opposite Robert Wagner in five seasons of the romantic detective series Hart to hart, among many other projects, is by now perhaps as famous for her conservation work in Africa as she is for her acting. In an after-dinner conversation, she discusses both.
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<b>?:</b> What is A Ring By Spring?
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<b>Stefanie Powers:</b> It's a television movie for the Hallmark Channel and we did it up in Canada. "A ring by spring" is a prediction made by a woman, whom I play, to a young lady (played by Rachel Boston) who has been looking for love but has decided that it's probably not for her, because nothing has ever worked out. She comes to a charity event and she meets me and I read her cards and I say, "You will have a ring by spring, or you will never marry." And then along comes this lovely fellow (played by Kirby Morrow) and she turns him down, and there is no ring by spring, and then we run into each other again and I bully her. Eventually, as with all Hallmark movies, things work out and there's a happy ending.
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<b>?:</b> Do you think you might ever do another Hart to Hart reunion movie?
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<b>SP:</b> [laughs] Well, we've talked about it before. I guess it depends on who's going to come up with a good script and a good idea and the money.
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<b>?:</b> Can you talk about what you're doing at present with your conservation work?
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<b>SP:</b> The William Holden Wildlife Foundation is an ongoing project. Right now, it's the education component to conservation work, to specific conservation work. Although we do deal in some cases with specific animals, we generally deal with enlightening human beings who have the future of those animals in their hands, so (the education emphasizes) the need for the preservation of those animals and habitats that those animals must have to function, to live. So we also wind up dealing with the correct use of habitat and how to preserve it for humans and animals. And we serve about eleven thousand students a year coming through our center in Kenya, and in addition to that, we have an outreach program that deals with another six thousand students and their families. We encompass a large population. And we've been doing that since 1982. So it's a long-term project. And we see now several generations that have come to us who are now finding their way.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01703199490560739929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-40658299601998688982014-03-06T16:37:00.000-05:002014-03-06T18:44:24.810-05:00Pix of Stefanie Powers as Madame Rue in A Ring By SpringStefanie Powers as Madame Rue in Hallmark's <i>A Ring By Spring</i>. The telefilm premieres Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 7 pm Eastern time.<br />
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Click on the pictures to see a huge version of the photo. :)<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01703199490560739929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-519165502925635672014-03-04T17:19:00.001-05:002014-03-06T18:44:44.777-05:00Stefanie Powers on Home and FamilyStefanie Powers was on Hallmark's <i>Home and Family</i> today chatting about her Hallmark movie <i>A Ring By Spring</i>. The movie premieres Saturday night at 7 pm Eastern time.<br />
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If you missed <i>Home and Family</i>, the show repeats on Hallmark tomorrow at noon Eastern time.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01703199490560739929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-32687944944316590202014-02-14T18:53:00.000-05:002014-02-14T18:53:51.359-05:0020th Sedona International Film FestivalWith consistent community backing to ensure success and a forward-driving strategy to build an industry-wide reputation based on the overall Sedona experience for filmmakers, the public and sponsors, the Sedona International Film Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary with a powerful lineup of nearly 160 features, documentaries, shorts and special guests, Feb. 22 to March 2.<br />
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Film screening committees reviewed more than 1,000 films from around the world in making the final selections that will be shown on six screens at three venues surrounded by Sedona’s world-famous red rocks and hospitality.<br />
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The Festival also will welcome Emmy Award nominee <b>Stefanie Powers</b> who will present her one-woman show.<br />
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For more information, visit <a href="http://www.sedonafilmfestival.org/" target="_blank">www.sedonafilmfestival.org</a>.Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-25368397952566383812014-01-16T20:48:00.001-05:002014-01-16T20:48:31.085-05:00Stefanie Powers Joins Star-Studded "The Man Who Came to Dinner" to Benefit Coyote Stageworks 1/19/14<div dir="ltr">StageWorks is pleased to announce that veteran television and film actress Stefanie Powers is scheduled to appear in "The Man Who Came to Dinner" at 6:00 pm on Sunday, January 19, 2014 at the Annenberg Theater in Palm Springs. Powers, best known for her role as Jennifer Hart in the 1980's television series "Hart to Hart," joins a roster of celebrities for this one-night-only performance to benefit Coyote StageWorks, a not-for-profit company dedicated to advancing theatre as a vital art form in the desert communities of the Coachella Valley.<br> <br>"Stefanie Powers ("Hart to Hart") and Daphne Zuniga ("Melrose Place") are the latest big name stars to join our production, and the caliber of talent taking the stage that night will be unprecedented for this sort of performance," says Chuck Yates, Founding Artistic Director of Coyote StageWorks. "The Annenberg stage is going to be filled with celebrities, all of whom are helping to bring about awareness for our local theatre company. This is a dream come true." "The Man Who Came to Dinner" was written by Moss Hartand George S. Kaufman, and opened on Broadway 75 years ago.<br> <br>The storyline is set in a small town in Ohio in the 1930s during the weeks leading to Christmas. Tickets are $75 and $125 per person for the performance only; $250 and $500 tickets include a VIP cast reception following the performance. Artists are subject to change without notice.<br> <br>Also appearing in the production is actor Christopher Atkins, who rose to fame with his co-starring debut role in the 1980 film "The Blue Lagoon." Broadway veteran Alix Korey, whose credits include "Hello, Dolly!," "The Pirates of Penzance," "Ain't Broadway Grand," and "Chicago" has also joined the cast. In addition, Broadway, TV, film, and cabaret performer Sal Mistretta is also scheduled to appear. Mistretta has performed on both coasts in major productions including "Evita" and "Sunset Boulevard," and in the Ace Award-winning "Sweeney Todd" as Pirelli.<br> <br>Veteran stage, television, and film actor G. W. Bailey has been cast as the famously outlandish radio wit SheriDan Whiteside, the role played by Nathan Lane in the show's Broadway revival in 2000. Bailey (Provenza of "The Closer" and "Major Crimes"; Captain Harris of "Police Academy") is joined by funnyman Fred Willard ("Everybody Loves Raymond," Waiting for Guffman," "A Mighty Wind"), and his "Major Crimes" and "The Closer" co-star Phillip P. Keene. Additional celebrities are Joyce Bulifant ("The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Airplane!"), Jim J. Bullock ("Too Close for Comfort," "Hollywood Squares," Broadway's "Hairspray") and Mo Gaffney ("Absolutely Fabulous," "That 70's Show," "Kathy and Mo: Parallel Lives".)<br> <br>Local celebrities slated to appear include Valley philanthropists Annette Bloch, Barbara and Jerry Keller (Acqua Pazza, Lulu), and Terri Ketover. Wells Fargo financial professional Gary Hall will play a role, as will popular radio host Bill "Bulldog" Feingold, and CBS Local 2 meteorologist Patrick Evans.<br> <br>Twice voted "Best Live Theater" by Desert Magazine in 2013 and 2014, Coyote StageWorks was also presented with fifteen Desert Star Awards by the Desert Theatre League on October 6th. For more information about Coyote StageWorks and its 2014 season, please visit <a href="http://coyotestageworks.org">coyotestageworks.org</a>. For information on group sales, call 760-318-0024. To purchase individual tickets or subscriptions, call 760-325-4490 or visit <a href="http://www.annenbergtheater.org">www.annenbergtheater.org</a>. </div> Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-58035105960636215082013-12-07T21:26:00.000-05:002013-12-07T21:26:00.522-05:00My life: Stefanie Powers<i>The American actress talks about her Hong Kong love affair and passion for conservation</i><br />
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TANGLED IN TINSELTOWN<br />
I grew up in Hollywood and everybody knew somebody in the movie business, whether a cameraman, an editor or a writer. People's paths were constantly criss-crossing, especially people who were in front of the camera.<br />
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My mother loved ballet and always had classical music on. I danced around the house a lot and when I became old enough, she took me to ballet school. What are the chances of having three young ladies in one ballet class who would all wind up being married to the same man? Natalie Wood, Jill St. John and me. Well, I was married to Robert Wagner on screen [in the TV show <i>Hart to Hart</i>] but they were married to him in reality. That's how small the world of movies was in those days, once you were in it you knew everyone instantaneously, so it seemed.<br />
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AUDACIOUS AUDITIONS<br />
When I was 15, I was the same height I am now - and with tits - so I was absolutely not eligible any longer for ballet. But there was the American School of Dance. There was a bulletin board at the school with notices about auditions for dancers. A friend who was 16, a year older than me, and I used to go off to the auditions. They never look at dancers' faces, they only look at the way you move. The joke between our mothers was that we would always be kept to the end and then the girl with the clipboard would come around to take our details and say, "Wait a minute, how old are you?" We went to an audition for <i>West Side Story</i>. I did 16 auditions and three screen tests and then they said, "Go get your working permit." I was just coming up to 16, I was a minor, so they had to bring a teacher to me on the set. It was the first time I met Robert Wagner, because he and Natalie came on the set and watched us rehearsing. Then they decided it was too restrictive having me around - only being allowed to work for so many hours a day - so I got fired.
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CASTING CALLS<br />
In the meantime, there was a director at the studio we were filming in and he spoke to my mother, said he was doing a movie and gave me a script. I was so nervous, I didn't know what to do and I walked into his office and burst into tears - "I'm a dancer, I'm not an actress, what do you want from me?" And he said, "That'll do." It was an artsy-fartsy film that didn't come out for quite a few years, but because of his friendship with a number of producers in Hollywood, they screened it around and I was invited to attend classes at 20th Century Fox, MGM Studios and Columbia.<br />
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SHADES OF FAME<br />
One day, running late for class, I pushed open a swing door and swung right into the face of a man wearing the same sunglasses as I was. These sunglasses were the latest thing on the French Riviera. He said, "Where did you get those sunglasses?" "From my friend who was driving at the Monte Carlo Rally. Where did you get yours?" "I was at the Monte Carlo Rally." He said he was a director, Blake Edwards, and asked me to come for a screen test. I did and he gave me the role of Lee Remick's sister in a movie with Glenn Ford called <i>Experiment in Terror</i>. That was the beginning of my contract with Columbia Pictures. I was tied for seven years; in those days if you signed a motion picture contract you were not allowed to do television. So I did three pictures a year for five years and then they sold me to MGM to do a television series called <i>The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.</i><br />
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LOVE, SET AND MATCH<br />
In the 1960s, when I was doing <i>The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.</i>, I met Gary Lockwood at a party. Among other things, he appeared in <i>2001: A Space Odyssey</i> and I was the first voice of HAL the computer. We went away for a weekend and got married. Then - fade out, fade in - Gary and I filed for divorce and I went to play in a charity tennis tournament at La Costa, a resort in southern California. There was a party for the participants and, uncharacteristically, William Holden went. I'd met Bill before. The first time was at a New Year's Eve party and then, years later, at a bookshop in Hollywood. I was pulling out a book on Kenya and he came up behind me and said, "Are you interested in East Africa?" This time, at La Costa, we clicked.<br />
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THE HK BUG<br />
I had just started seeing Bill in a very circumspect way, he was extremely discreet about his private life, and I mentioned that I was going to Hong Kong to play a charity tennis match. He was very involved with Hong Kong - he had a penthouse apartment on Robinson Road and did two iconic films, <i>Love is a Many-Splendored Thing</i> and <i>The World of Suzie Wong</i> - so it wasn't unusual for him to say, "Let me show you my Hong Kong."<br />
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I already had a great friend in Hong Kong - Elaine Forsgate Marden - and as it was a very small place, Bill had met her when she was a child because he knew her family. All of a sudden I was engulfed in this amazing place. I was already in love with him, so it was easy to love everything that he loved and I got the Hong Kong bug as well. Discovery Bay was being developed - it was supposed to be this wonderful low-rise development and I bought a piece of property; it was going to be the last house on the beach in the cul-de-sac. It was a lovely spot. I had it for 14, almost 15 years.<br />
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BEING SOMEONE ELSE<br />
The first time I went to East Africa was with Bill in 1973. He was a remarkable man, involved in conservation before it was a word in anybody's lexicon, and he did extraordinary work creating the Mount Kenya Game Ranch, the first of its kind on the continent - a privately created game reserve for the preservation of species. My involvement in Kenya became greater after Bill died. I created the William Holden Wildlife Foundation to fulfil what Bill had always wanted to do, which was to include the educational component with the conservation work.<br />
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I don't live anywhere; I travel between houses and residences. At this stage in my life and career I look for roles that are going to be challenging. I didn't become an actor to be myself, I became an actor to be somebody else and so, to the extent that I can, that's what I look for.<br />
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<i>Stefanie Powers was back in Hong Kong to help celebrate The Peninsula hotel's 85th anniversary.</i>Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-15792092985140243042013-10-17T20:38:00.000-04:002013-10-17T20:38:03.425-04:00Two H2H Pix from Entertainment Weekly<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0omE2OtIVzVyLQs-sZA4zzikmOor_1XrGNYTMZgnhWxvcAilQCGdTWz-oF09ge7XHEtgomlphju5nYMmjrBpiO7mU0Y9a12k_Ry4yQ8AtC7RcS0S7me_MO-kU98Uo4EGwcZVN/s1600/h2h-ew01.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0omE2OtIVzVyLQs-sZA4zzikmOor_1XrGNYTMZgnhWxvcAilQCGdTWz-oF09ge7XHEtgomlphju5nYMmjrBpiO7mU0Y9a12k_Ry4yQ8AtC7RcS0S7me_MO-kU98Uo4EGwcZVN/s320/h2h-ew01.jpg" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNSU4bbbuH9aYGBPqQK7rTBWsLf3-c7V-00ULqrTqmFd1r_xrRba4hRNiOdYzJwmg7OKthgHl_znqYMMpMPlxQCHYqWbZhFKtGYFR2Wr8jURQ7Jn_b3X-JAr3UCjaC8eJKlvl/s1600/h2h-ew02.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNSU4bbbuH9aYGBPqQK7rTBWsLf3-c7V-00ULqrTqmFd1r_xrRba4hRNiOdYzJwmg7OKthgHl_znqYMMpMPlxQCHYqWbZhFKtGYFR2Wr8jURQ7Jn_b3X-JAr3UCjaC8eJKlvl/s320/h2h-ew02.jpg" /></a>Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-73593634049371668862013-10-17T15:17:00.001-04:002013-10-17T15:17:23.180-04:00'Hart to Hart’ Cast Reunites, Thanks to Entertainment Weekly<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVFs5IGCZ2d8aIT_gmijWSCG0-tNgS4cITuZxO_BRqJUp6u3wqJiT5vc826Dy8s5TCvOBRp2TMJUdVZJmEq3ssYkRZPhCIh1kEa5oQ7-2o8JUaV8xYYHHymTnOMN7yZ72c4MN/s1600/h2h-tv-series-color001.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVFs5IGCZ2d8aIT_gmijWSCG0-tNgS4cITuZxO_BRqJUp6u3wqJiT5vc826Dy8s5TCvOBRp2TMJUdVZJmEq3ssYkRZPhCIh1kEa5oQ7-2o8JUaV8xYYHHymTnOMN7yZ72c4MN/s200/h2h-tv-series-color001.jpg" /></a>
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"Hart to Hart" was the classic hit television series that followed a fabulously wealthy CEO, played by Robert Wagner, and a freelance journalist, played by Stefanie Powers, as they fell in love and traveled the globe as amateur detectives.<br />
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If that plot sounds wild, so was the reunion that brought Wagner, 83, and Powers, 70, back together again after 17 years. The reunion, coordinated for Entertainment Weekly magazine’s annual reunions issue, was hosted by “Hart to Hart” “superfans” Adam Scott and Amy Poehler, who play husband and wife themselves on the TV sitcom “Parks and Recreation.”<br />
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Poehler’s asked “the Harts” what it was like to play husband and wife on the small screen.<br />
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“They were constantly asking us to have affairs with other people, have a child,” Powers, aka Jennifer Hart, said, referring to the show’s creative team. “We couldn’t have a child. It would slow us down.”<br />
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“They constantly wanted to have conflict between us,” agreed Wagner, aka Jonathan Hart, but said their characters “never got into any domestic squabbles.”<br />
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Powers pointed out that their characters were “two people who were adults who were in love with each other who had chosen to be together and were there because of free will.”<br />
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“We were a team,” he said.<br />
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The pair’s chemistry was so strong that the producers and crew tried to keep them apart in order to keep the show, which ran from 1979-84, moving along on schedule.<br />
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“We would get tired and laugh [and] one take would become 30,” Powers said.<br />
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“We had so much joy that the main office came down and said they didn’t want us to be together because we would laugh,” Wagner recalled. “They got really upset. They were like, ‘Why did they do that? Why did they laugh?’”<br />
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Powers first met Wagner when she was a dancer during preproduction for the 1961 movie musical “West Side Story.” (Powers was later cut from the cast.)<br />
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“We were rehearsing every day … and then, one day, in walked the two most beautiful people in the world, real movie stars Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood,” Powers said, referring to Wagner’s late wife, the actress Wood, who died after falling off a yacht that Wagner was also on in 1981.<br />
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In a strange coincidence, Powers at one time studied ballet with both Wood and Wagner’s current wife, Jill St. John.<br />
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“Who in the world would ever predict that in one ballet class there would be three people who would be, in one way or another, married to Robert Wagner?” Powers said.<br />
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And while Powers’ onscreen persona carried with her an aura of glamour and wealth and was famous for her voluminous hair, she revealed to Poehler a behind-the-scenes secret that the current sitcom star could not believe.<br />
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“You set your own hair,” Poehler asked Powers, incredulously.<br />
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“I never had one,” Powers replied, referring to a hairdresser.
Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-2171571459429969702013-09-23T21:53:00.001-04:002013-09-23T21:53:18.098-04:00‘Sunset Boulevard’ Screening and Tribute to South Pasadena’s William Holden<div dir="ltr"><i>Sunset Boulevard</i>, the 1950 noir classic starring Gloria Swanson and William Holden—who grew up in South Pasadena—will be screened in the South Public Library Community Room on Thursday, Sept. 26 starting at 7 p.m. <br> <br>Directed by the legendary Billy Wilder, the film features Swanson and Holden in their most iconic roles. The superlative supporting cast includes Nancy Olson, Jack Webb, and Erich von Stroheim. Legions of critics and audiences alike still consider <i>Sunset Boulevard</i> one of the Top 10 Hollywood films ever made. <i>Sunset Boulevard</i> was nominated for 11 Academy Awards and won three, including Best Screenplay.<br> <br>William Franklin Beedle, Jr., later to be known the world over as William Holden, was born in 1918 in O'Fallon, a small town in Illinois. When he was a boy, his parents bought a business in Monrovia, CA, and the family moved to South Pasadena. Bill became a popular student at South Pasadena High School, where he played football and basketball. After graduation he enrolled at Pasadena Junior College, later to be called Pasadena City College, and became interested in acting.<br> <br>While still a relative unknown, Holden nailed the <i>Sunset Boulevard</i> role of screenwriter Joe Gillis and catapulted straight to the top of the list of Hollywood leading men. In 1953 Holden won the Oscar for Best Actor for <i>Stalag 17</i>, also directed by Billy Wilder, and by 1956 he was the top box office attraction in the United States.<br> <br>When his acceptance speech consisted solely of "Thank you," some believed it was because he felt snubbed for being overlooked for his virtuoso performance in <i>Sunset Boulevard</i>. Overdue or not, the award led Holden to a string of star turns in blockbuster films in a legendary career consisting of more than 70 major motion pictures. Holden's captivating screen presence and All-American looks made him a favorite of millions of fans.<br> <br>Famed actress and author Stefanie Powers, fondly remembered for both the<i> Hart to Hart</i> and <i>The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.</i> TV shows, will deliver a tribute to Holden, who she devotes a chapter to in her memoir, "One from the Hart." Stefanie is currently the president of the William Holden Wildlife Foundation. Stefanie's latest star turn, "Reading, Writing, and Romance" aired on the Hallmark Channel on Aug. 10, 2013. Los Angeles historian Tom Zimmerman will introduce <i>Sunset Boulevard</i> and his critical perspective.<br> <br>CommCinema will provide professional projection services and a huge screen for this free event presented by the South Pasadena Public Library, the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library, and South Pasadena Community Services.<br> <br>The Community Room is located at 1115 El Centro St. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. No tickets or reservations are necessary. Refreshments will be served. Special thanks to Kathy Bartels, Friends of the Rialto, Paramount Pictures, and Videotheque of South Pasadena.</div> Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-53131223914651976852013-08-06T15:49:00.001-04:002013-08-06T15:49:01.521-04:00Reading, Writing & Romance - Hallmark Channel Original Movie - Saturday, August 10, 2013 @ 9 pmStruggling actor Wayne Wenders (Eric Mabius) is comically famous for starring in a low-budget commercial for Irritable Bowel Syndrome medication, a reputation he is hoping to change when he finally lands a starring role in a national root beer ad. But when the paycheck for his big break is delayed, Wayne looks for other options to pay his increasingly late rent and ends up interviewing for a gig teaching Shakespeare at the local high school.<br> <br><b>Principal Brenda Post (Stefanie Powers)</b> hires Wayne for his natural theatrical talent and enthusiasm, but Wayne is soon surprising himself with his love of the job—and for fellow English teacher Amy (Virginia Williams), who is immediately impressed with Wayne's passion and his idea to teach the students with an exciting film project. As Wayne's understanding of teaching develops and his relationship with Amy evolves, he must ultimately decide if his dreams of stardom are really worth sacrificing everything for.<br> <br>Also starring Meredith Baxter, Martin Mull & Adam Kulbersh. Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-24937292902278345742013-08-06T15:40:00.001-04:002013-08-06T20:11:37.032-04:00Stefanie Powers stars in Macomb Town HallStefanie is in, Joan is out.
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Actress Stefanie Powers will lead off the Macomb Town Hall lecture/luncheon series on Oct. 15 at Andiamo Banquet Center, 7096 14 Mile Road in Warren, Michigan. The series supports the Gladys McLean Macomb Town Hall Endowed Scholarship at Oakland University benefitting Macomb County students.<br />
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Powers replaces actress Joan Collins (originally announced as the guest speaker) who canceled because of a scheduling conflict.Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-34552718047777044082013-05-29T21:48:00.003-04:002013-05-29T21:48:25.110-04:00Eric Mabius and Virginia Williams Star with Stefanie Powers and Meredith Baxter in "Reading, Writing & Romance," a Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premiere August 10A commercial actor takes on a job teaching Shakespeare to pay the bills and ends up finding his leading lady in "Reading, Writing & Romance," a Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premiere Saturday, August 10 (9p.m. ET/PT, 8C). Eric Mabius ("Ugly Betty") and Virginia Williams ("Fairly Legal") star alongside five-time Golden Globe and two-time Emmy nominee Stefanie Powers ("Hart to Hart"), three-time Emmy nominee Meredith Baxter ("Family Ties"), Martin Mull ("Two and A Half Men") and Adam Kulbersh ("Wake Up, It's Tuesday!") in this lighthearted romantic comedy.<br />
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Struggling actor Wayne Wenders (Mabius) is comically famous for starring in a low-budget commercial for Irritable Bowel Syndrome medication, a reputation he is hoping to change when he finally lands a starring role in a national root beer ad. But when the paycheck for his big break is delayed, Wayne looks for other options to pay his increasingly late rent and ends up interviewing for a gig teaching Shakespeare at the local high school. Principal Brenda Post (Powers) hires Wayne for his natural theatrical talent and enthusiasm, but Wayne is soon surprising himself with his love of the job - and for fellow English teacher Amy (Williams), an attractive woman, who is immediately impressed with Wayne's passion and his idea to teach the students with an exciting film project.<br />
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As Amy and Wayne start to fall in love against the school's strict no-fraternizing policy, they must dodge the watchful eye of Vice Principal Trautman (Kulbersh), the school's strict bully who's own crush on Amy is no secret. Harboring a vengeful grudge with Wayne, Trautman sets out to ruin his career and his relationship. But before Trautman can do any serious damage, Wayne threatens to sabotage himself when he selfishly decides to suddenly quit the teaching job early for a movie role, disappointing his parents (Mull and Baxter), his students and most of all, Amy. Now, Wayne must ultimately decide if his dreams of stardom are really worth sacrificing everything for.Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-19651355674735488052013-04-22T08:48:00.000-04:002013-04-22T08:48:14.792-04:00Get Looped with Stefanie Powers in BostonMatthew Lombardo’s hilarious Broadway Comedy <i>Looped</i> at the Cutler Majestic on Thursday, May 2 at 8 pm.<br />
Tickets are $45.00. Special discount price for Club Cafe members. Use discount code bourbon for May 2nd tickets.<br />
Personal meet and greet with Stefanie Powers and the cast at Club Cafe after the show!<br />
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<a href="http://www.clubcafe.com/come-get-looped-with-stefanie-powers/" target="_blank">http://www.clubcafe.com/come-get-looped-with-stefanie-powers/</a>Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8551868.post-14950619983817293812013-03-10T22:05:00.006-04:002013-03-10T22:05:59.875-04:00Stefanie Powers Channels Tallulah in ‘Looped’<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fmJ0wibYdtATfN6szpUdb4a8-l_Jnm-H6Pj34xKXMaEkgtHqBaBMl83fHT8AGWJCnQVDohELJCwn3hQx7pm9IuVEgotpmNkMP56GzvKhbW9U4Hzh2zA9EVX9aWF-epWXFgwv/s1600/looped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fmJ0wibYdtATfN6szpUdb4a8-l_Jnm-H6Pj34xKXMaEkgtHqBaBMl83fHT8AGWJCnQVDohELJCwn3hQx7pm9IuVEgotpmNkMP56GzvKhbW9U4Hzh2zA9EVX9aWF-epWXFgwv/s320/looped.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Stefanie Powers as Tallulah Bankhead in <i>Looped</i></span></span></td></tr>
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The current production of playwright Matthew Lombardi’s <i>Looped</i>, which runs through March 17 at the Hippodrome in Baltimore, is a bittersweet affair. Although it’s a wildly entertaining show, an ailing Valerie Harper, who has acknowledged a cancer diagnosis, had to pull out shortly before it opened.
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In her place and starring as Tallulah Bankhead is <i>Hart to Hart</i> actress Stefanie Powers. The sweet part is that she succeeds so triumphantly in the role — she’s equally as good as Harper, who played the part in Washington nearly four years ago, and produces an uncanny portrayal of Bankhead that’s so accomplished, after a few minutes one forgets one is watching Powers on stage. And it’s easier said than done — this is the kind of part that is easy enough to master on a drag queen or sketch comedy level, but to imbibe Bankhead with humanity, is a bit trickier. Powers succeeds in spades. Even more astounding, she learned the dialogue-heavy part in just two weeks.
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It helps, perhaps, that she was Bankhead’s costar in the 1965 film <i>Die Die My Darling</i>. The setting of <i>Looped</i> is Bankhead — pretty looped herself at this point — attempting to dub a line from the film in post-production. She has trouble getting it. Hilarity and unexpected poignance ensue. Her foil is Danny, solidly played by Brian Hutchinson, and, in the sound booth, a deadpan Steve (Matthew Montelongo). Rob Ruggiero directs.
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Go <a href="http://baltimore.broadway.com/shows/looped-baa/" target="_blank">here</a> for tickets and show times.Meredyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04155751185852465011noreply@blogger.com0