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Charles Addams' very first Addams Family comic strip -- or at least a proto-version of the Family -- appeared in the pages of the New Yorker in 1938. In the strip, a vampire-like woman stands next to a large, bearded, brutish man at the foot of a staircase in a haunted mansion. Bats fly overhead and spider webs adorn the light fixtures. A creepy third member of the family peers down through a railing high above. Standing at the door is an eager, white-suited vacuum cleaner salesman attempting to hawk his wares. "Vibrationless, noiseless, and a great time and back saver. No well-appointed home should be without it," the salesman says. He is unperturbed to be in a haunted house, and presses on with his sales pitch, even though the manse has clearly never been swept. 

Charles Addams would revisit these creepy characters regularly, eventually settling on a core cast of characters.

When it comes to costume changes in horror movies, the term is a little more elastic than merely an actor obtaining a different wardrobe. A "costume" in a horror movie might refer to full-body latex or an animatronic suit to completely transform an actor's physicality. It could mean a character goes from being an actor in an outfit to a CG creation. Or it may address the fact that, in adapting non-filmic source material, changes had to be made for the camera, or were made by editorial decision.

Whether it be between installments of a franchise, or from original to remake, or from costume to special effect and vice versa, audiences do not embrace every change. And in some cases, even if most people like a change, purists remain unconvinced. Horror movies, novels, and comics leave indelible images in our minds, so when a newer version "re-skins" them, so to speak,...

Sunday’s SAG Awards ceremony will return to its normal two-hour live format on TNT and TBS. One of the highlights each year is the special In Memoriam segment. It’s been a particularly rough year with over 100 deaths of prominent actors and actresses who were likely members of SAG/AFTRA. Show producers typically are able to include approximately 40-50 people in a tribute. The 2021 segment saluted 55 people because they had responsibility for 14 months instead of 12.

Among that group will certainly be previous SAG president Ed Asner, who was also a life achievement award recipient. That honorary award was also presented to Sidney Poitier and Betty White, who both died this past year.

SEECelebrity Deaths 2022: In Memoriam Gallery

Who else might be featured in the 2022 tribute? Look for Oscar winner Olympia Dukakis, Oscar nominees Ned Beatty, Peter Bogdanovich and Dean Stockwell, plus Emmy champs Louie Anderson, Michael Constantine, Charles Grodin,...

Felix Silla, the actor who donned the full-body hair suit and bowler hat as Cousin Itt on the original The Addams Family television series, has died at the age of 84.

Silla, who also played the robot Twiki on the sci-fi series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, died Friday following battle with pancreatic cancer, the Hollywood Reporter writes.

Silla’s Buck Rogers co-star Gil Gerard confirmed the actor’s death on Twitter, “Felix died just a few hours ago and the only good I can draw from his passing is...

Felix Silla, the actor who played beloved hairy Addams family member Cousin Itt, has died. He was 84.

His “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century” castmate, Gil Gerard, confirmed the news on Twitter. “Felix died just a few hours ago and the only good I can draw from his passing is that he didn’t suffer any longer,” he wrote. “I will miss him terribly, especially the time we had at our panels. Just telling me to ,” go ‘ f ‘ myself”.”

Silla’s death on Friday comes after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was a longtime resident of Las Vegas, where he used to perform with his own musical combo, “The Original Harmonica Band,” between movies.

Born in a small village just outside Rome, Italy in January 1937, Silla came to the United States in 1955. A trained circus performer, he toured with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Show, which ultimately led him to Hollywood.

Felix Silla, the actor best known for playing Cousin Itt on “The Addams Family,” has died at the age of 84.

The news was announced on Friday by actor Gil Gerard, who co-starred with Silla on NBC’s “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century” in 1979. “Felix died just a few hours ago and the only good I can draw from his passing is that he didn’t suffer any longer,” Gerard wrote. “I will miss him terribly, especially the great time we had at our panels. Just him telling me to go ‘ f ‘ myself.”

Silla recurred on ABC’s “The Addams Family” as the hirsute Cousin Itt for much of the show’s original run from 1964 to 1966. In a 2014 Los Angeles Times profile, Silla reflected on the character, who was created specifically for the show.

“A producer dreamed it up in some nightmare,” he said, adding that the original costume was made of real human hair.

Felix Silla, best known as the gibberish-spouting Cousin Itt on the 1960s TV sitcom The Addams Family, died today from pancreatic cancer. He was 84 and died in Las Vegas, according to a tweet from Gil Gerard, who costarred with him on the 1979-81 NBC series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

Silla donned a full-body hairpiece, sunglasses and a bowler hat to achieve the role of Cousin Itt, who could only be understood by members of the Addams Family, thanks to his strange mumbling. The role was one of several where Silla’s face went unseen, including appearances as robot Twiki on Buck Rogers and as a hang-gliding Ewok in Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi.

One role where he could be seen was as the villain Litvak, who took on George Segal’s Sam Spade Jr. in The Maltese Falcon sequel The Black Bird (1975).

Born in Italy,...

Felix Silla, who worked inside a body-length hairpiece, behind a pair of sunglasses and underneath a bowler hat in his guise as the mumbling Cousin Itt on the 1960s ABC comedy The Addams Family, has died. He was 84.

Silla, a longtime Las Vegas resident, died Friday after a battle with pancreatic cancer, his friend Gil Gerard, his co-star on the 1979-81 NBC series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, reported on Twitter.

Silla’s face went unseen on The Addams Family, as the robot sidekick Twiki on Buck Rogers and when he was a hang-gliding Ewok in Star Wars: Episode VI ...

Felix Silla, who worked inside a body-length hairpiece, behind a pair of sunglasses and underneath a bowler hat in his guise as the mumbling Cousin Itt on the 1960s ABC comedy The Addams Family, has died. He was 84.

Silla, a longtime Las Vegas resident, died Friday after a battle with pancreatic cancer, his friend Gil Gerard, his co-star on the 1979-81 NBC series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, reported on Twitter.

Silla’s face went unseen on The Addams Family, as the robot sidekick Twiki on Buck Rogers and when he was a hang-gliding Ewok in Star Wars: Episode VI ...

Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Kino Lorber Studio Classics:

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New York, NY -- December 8, 2020 -- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, the '80s sci-fi classic TV series and 1979 theatrical feature starring Gil Gerard, is now available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Buck Rogers: The Complete Collection, available on Blu-ray includes both seasons of the TV series plus the 1979 Theatrical Feature. The Theatrical Feature is also available individually on Blu-ray.

The Complete Collection comes packed with bonus features including the Pilot Episode (Awakening), 32 Episodes and Theatrical Version (First Time in HD), New Audio Commentaries for 11 Selected Episodes by Film/TV Historian Patrick Jankiewicz, Author of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: A TV Companion, New Audio Commentary by Film Historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson (Theatrical Feature), New Interview with Co-Star Erin Gray, New Interview with...

Felix Silla is best known for playing the hairy relative Cousin Itt -- opposite big stars like John Astin, Carolyn Jones and Ted Cassidy -- in the creepy and kooky '60s television show "The Addams Family." Guess what he looks like now!

Previous | Image 1 of 20 | NextStefanie Powers from TV’s ‘Hart to Hart.’

Chicago – The TV, movie and entertainment world is coming back to Chicagoland with The Hollywood Show on March 17th and 18th, 2018, at the Hyatt Rosemont/Chicago O’Hare Hotel in Rosemont, Ill. The event gives fans and admirers an opportunity to meet and get pictures with celebrities and take advantage of vendors offering show business memorabilia.

This year’s show is focusing on 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s nostalgia, as Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers (Wally and the Beaver from “Leave it to Beaver”) will make their first Chicago appearance. Also in attendance will be Lyle Waggoner from the “Carol Burnett Show,” Linda Blair from “The Exorcist,” Parker Stevenson from “The Hardy Boys” and Julie McCullough from “Growing Pains,” among other big names. Click here for a complete list.

HollywoodChicago.com is at The Hollywood Show every year, and photographer...

David Cronenberg swaps his  venereal ick-monsters for Samantha Eggar's mater furiosa,  an annihilating female who commits her killings as would the villain of a Greek tragedy -- through her offspring. Oliver Reed is the new-age guru of 'Psychoplasmics,' who teaches Eggar to direct her rage in an utterly unique way. The disturbing concept sounds less preposterous when one finds out it was written in response to a brutal divorce experience. Hell hath no fury. The Brood Blu-ray The Criterion Collection 777 1979 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 92 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 13, 2015 / 39.95 Starring Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar, Art Hindle, Henry Beckman, Nuala Fitzgerald, Cindy Hinds, Susan Hogan, Gary McKeehan, Michael Magee, Robert Silverman, Felix Silla. Cinematography Mark Irwin Film Editor Alan Collins Original Music Howard Shore Special Makeup Jack Young, Dennis Pike Art Direction Carol Spier Produced by Claude Héroux Written and Directed by David Cronenberg

Reviewed by...

Andrew time travels 35 years back to revisit the theatrical release of the Buck Rogers In The 25th Century film...

Once synonymous with science fiction, the phrase ‘That Buck Rogers Stuff’ once called to mind everything the average person thought about Science Fiction - ray guns, rocket ships and robots. Certainly in the 1928, when the then-christened Anthony Rogers made his debut, he was something pretty unique in Sci-Fi - the space adventurer as swash-buckler. Given the nickname ‘Buck’ by John F. Dille, the novel, Armageddon, was adapted into the comic strips in 1929 and then in 1932, Buck Rogers became the first major Science Fiction radio drama. 1939 saw Larry ‘Buster’ Crabbe take on the role for a 12-part serial. All of this is to say that Buck Rogers was around for quite a while before many people of my generation discovered him.

Buck Rogers In The 25th Century arrived on UK shores via the medium of cinema.

Parafest 2013 is a new convention set to take place this September in Pennsylvania. An interesting mix of horror entertainment and the paranormal, this unique event includes celebrity guests and film screenings, with ghost hunts and a Ouija Board experience. Guests slated to appear include Michael Rooker, Lew Temple, IronE Singleton, Michael Berryman, Tony Todd, Mark Sheppard, Kristen Bauer, Denis O-Hare, and many more:

“Zombies, vampires, ghosts and more will be haunting the nation’s East Coast this September with Parafest 2013, a unique event that combines celebrities and programming in the area’s first large-scale comic-con type event of its kind.

Held September 6-8, 2013, at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center, Parafest 2013 was created to highlight the paranormal genre alongside horror and sci-fi in a convention unlike any other.

“I am a huge fan of the paranormal, as well as monsters and eccentric characters from movies and TV, and excited to create...

Zombies, vampires, ghosts, and more will be haunting Pennsylvania this September with Parafest 2013, a unique event that combines celebrities and paranormal programming in the area’s first large-scale event of its kind.

From the Press Release:

Held September 6-8, 2013, at the Sands Bethlehem Event Center, Parafest 2013 was created to highlight the paranormal genre alongside horror and sci-fi in a convention unlike any other.

“I am a huge fan of the paranormal, as well as monsters and eccentric characters from movies and TV, and excited to create a home for other fans to celebrate them in the Lehigh Valley,” said Scott Gerhart, CEO of Paradox Entertainment LLC, the Allentown, Pennsylania, based organizer of the inaugural event.

Sponsored by Dorney Park’s Halloween Haunt attraction, Gerhart says that Parafest 2013 essentially began as a chance for himself and friends to have a local convention, or “con,” but it has grown into an event...

Emmy Winning Actor Thom Christopher is beloved by daytime fans for his memorable roles on One Life To Live, Loving, and Guiding Light. However, sci-fi fans know Christopher better as the legendary "Hawk" from NBC's Buck Rogers In The 25Th Century from 1980-1981. Join us as we explore Christopher's unique career track, his insight into his "outsider" roles, as well as memories of getting hired on One Life To Live. If you are near Tulsa, Oklahoma, do not miss the opportunity to meet Christopher and his Buck Rogers costars at the Trek Expo this weekend.

We Love Soaps TV: Did you see the Daytime Emmy’s this year?

Thom Christopher: No, but I read the L.A. Times review. It was scathing. Knowing that daytime is in its twilight, I would have thought there would have been courtesy toward it.

We Love Soaps TV: That didn’t seem to...

Fans of Sci-Fi's popular Battlestar Galactica TV show are looking forward to the last episode, but they're also dreading the void that the series' absence will leave. Though the network is moving ahead with the prequel series Caprica, the traditional characters won't be part of it. News has now leaked out that a new movie is in the works. Curiously, it won't be based on the current series.

Created by Glen A. Larson, Battlestar Galactica (BSG) centers around a group of refugees from a distant star system, searching for a mythological planet called Earth. The series features performers like Richard Hatch, Lorne Greene, Dirk Benedict, Herb Jefferson Jr., Laurette Spang, Terry Carter, John Colicos, Tony Swartz, Maren Jensen, Noah Hathaway, David Greenan, Patrick Macnee, Anne Lockhart, Sarah Rush, Felix Silla, and Jonathan Harris.

After BSG's cancellation, an impressive write-in campaign took place, and Larson crafted a sequel series. Galactica 1980...