Author Archives: robin
Before They Were Stars: Sid Haig in “The Host”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrosxMNMitw Since we just did a Shouts From the Back Row podcast about short films, I’ve dug up another curiosity called The Host, a Twilight Zone-esque western which features the acting debut of one of our most legendary B-movie stars, … Continue reading
Posted in Before They Were Stars, Movies
Comments Off on Before They Were Stars: Sid Haig in “The Host”
Robin’s Underrated Gems: Cat People (1982)
In 1982, Universal Pictures released remakes of two classic horror films which drew mostly mixed reviews from the critics. In both cases, the detractors would mention how the original films were so much better because they relied on the “terror … Continue reading
Posted in Movies, Robin's Underrated Gems
Comments Off on Robin’s Underrated Gems: Cat People (1982)
Before They Were Stars: Ric Flair (with brown hair!) Wrestles a Match in 1974
It’s hard to believe it, but long before his days of bleached-blonde hair and sequin robes, Ric Flair started off his career in the wrestling business as an indistinct brown-haired chubby guy. Here’s some rare 1974 footage of him wrestling … Continue reading
Posted in Before They Were Stars, Other Stuff
Comments Off on Before They Were Stars: Ric Flair (with brown hair!) Wrestles a Match in 1974
Before They Were Stars: Martin Lawrence on “Star Search”
In the past, I’ve done “Before They Were Stars” features on celebrities who made their first television appearance on Star Search and, more often than not, the future star wound up losing the competition to an opponent who faded into … Continue reading
Posted in Before They Were Stars, TV
Comments Off on Before They Were Stars: Martin Lawrence on “Star Search”
Before They Were Stars: Paul Walker on “Who’s the Boss?”
If you skip to the 4:55 mark of the clip, you might get the mistaken impression that a Who’s the Boss?/Saved by the Bell crossover had occurred and that Zack Morris popped in for a cameo to flirt with Alyssa … Continue reading
Posted in Before They Were Stars, TV
Comments Off on Before They Were Stars: Paul Walker on “Who’s the Boss?”
Before They Were Stars: Jennifer Lopez as a Backup Dancer for New Kids on the Block
I’ve already featured Jennifer Lopez’s first high-profile job as a Fly Girl dancer on In Living Color, but shortly before that, she had a brief run as a backup dancer for the one and only New Kids on the Block. … Continue reading
Posted in Before They Were Stars, Music
Comments Off on Before They Were Stars: Jennifer Lopez as a Backup Dancer for New Kids on the Block
Before They Were Stars: Channing Tatum as a Stripper!
Until this year’s surprisingly good screen version of 21 Jump Street, Channing Tatum never displayed much in the way of acting talent, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he started off his career in a profession that perfectly … Continue reading
Posted in Before They Were Stars, Other Stuff
Comments Off on Before They Were Stars: Channing Tatum as a Stripper!
Before They Were Stars: Seth MacFarlane’s Student Film, “The Life of Larry”
While attending the Rhode Island School of Design in 1995, Seth MacFarlane made a ten-minute short film called The Life of Larry and after submitting it to Hanna-Barbera, he wound up getting hired there, which jump-started his career. The characters … Continue reading
Posted in Before They Were Stars, Movies
Comments Off on Before They Were Stars: Seth MacFarlane’s Student Film, “The Life of Larry”
Before They Were Stars: Louis CK Performs Stand-Up Comedy in 1987
Wow, let’s just say that when you watch this clip, you’ll feel like Louis CK’s personality has been transplanted into somebody else’s body. This footage is from 1987 when a 20-year old Louis was starting off his stand-up career in … Continue reading
Posted in Before They Were Stars, Other Stuff
Comments Off on Before They Were Stars: Louis CK Performs Stand-Up Comedy in 1987
A Tribute to Richard Lynch (1940-2012)
While writing this week’s “Robin’s Underrated Gems” column for God Told Me To, I was surprised to learn about a recent death which completely slipped under my radar, as one of the film’s stars, Richard Lynch, passed away of a … Continue reading
Posted in Movies
Comments Off on A Tribute to Richard Lynch (1940-2012)