Seinfeld

LOS ANGELES - Ian Abercrombie, the veteran British stage and screen actor whose TV roles included Elaine's boss Mr. Pitt on "Seinfeld," has died. A statement from LucasArts posted on the Web said Mr. Abercrombie died Friday. He was 77. A friend, Cathy Lind Hayes, told the Los Angeles Times that he died at a Los Angeles hospital from complications of kidney failure and recently had been diagnosed with lymphoma. Mr. Abercrombie began his career as a dancer and made his American stage debut in a 1951 production of "Stalag 17. " He appeared in movies such as...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A lawmaker seeking to curb smuggling of bottles and cans into California for cash redemption is invoking Newman and Kramer from the "Seinfeld" television show - and a scam they hatch that leads to a car chase and a damaged mail truck. Assemblyman Richard Gordon, a Democrat from Menlo Park, is proposing a bill that would require anyone who imports bulk amounts of recyclable containers into California to report where they came from. An analysis of the bill details a pair of 1996 episodes of Seinfeld in which characters Cosmo Kramer and Newman, a...

Ian Abercrombie, a veteran British stage and screen actor whose TV roles included Elaine's boss Mr. Pitt on "Seinfeld" and the voice of Chancellor Palpatine in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," has died. He was 77. A website statement from LucasArts said Abercrombie died Friday. A friend, Cathy Lind Hayes, told the Los Angeles Times ( http://lat.ms/A6xXRE) that he died at a Los Angeles hospital from complications of kidney failure and recently had been diagnosed with lymphoma. "Though he played a villain on our show, you would be hard pressed to meet a kinder person," said Dave...

SHERRY BRODY > 45 Marketing consultant, writer, and producer COMEDIAN WHO SHARES HER TASTE > Jerry Seinfeld HER PERFECT MATCH > Creative but not a tattooed hipster   DAVID SOTTILARO > 44 Music teacher COMEDIAN WHO SHARES HIS TASTE > Jerry Seinfeld HIS PERFECT MATCH > Artistic and creative with a sense of humor 7:30 P.M. > LA MORRA > BROOKLINE VILLAGE  > THE WARM-UP ACT...

LOS ANGELES — Character actor Bill Erwin, whose nearly seven-decade Hollywood career included his memorable role as the grumpy old man on television’s “Seinfeld,’’ has died. He was 96. Mr. Erwin, also known for his role as Arthur the bellman in the 1980 fantasy film “Somewhere in Time,’’ died Dec. 29 at his home in Studio City, in suburban Los Angeles, his son Mike said. He died of age-related causes, his son said. His Hollywood career dates back to 1941, when he appeared in the movie “You’re in the Army Now.’’ His scores of credits include roles...

LOS ANGELES — Len Lesser, the veteran character actor best known for his scene-stealing role as Uncle Leo on “Seinfeld,’’ died Wednesday. He was 88. His family said he died in Burbank, Calif., of cancer-related pneumonia. “Heaven got a great comedian and actor today,’’ his daughter, Michele, said in the statement. “The outpouring of sympathy we’ve already received has been amazing and is so greatly appreciated. Thank you to all the people who helped make my father’s last journey special and surrounded with love.’’ Mr....

The New Adventures of Old Christine 8 p.m., Channel 4 The recent “Seinfeld’’ reunion episodes on “Curb Your Enthusiasm’’ serve as a good reminder that the most successful “Seinfeld’’ alum is Julia Louis-Dreyfus (above), who manages to make her not-so-new character both Elaine-ish at times and thoroughly unique. Tonight, Christine tries to sponge off her son’s popularity. Johnny Mercer: The Dream’s on Me 8 p.m., TCM Clint Eastwood executive produced - and appears in - this look at singer-songwriter Mercer (above)

CBS is keeping it real. Thanks, CBS. While TV comedy is getting good again, the network has decided it's time to resurrect the groan-inducing clichés of stinky sitcoms to remind us of just how truly rancid the genre can get. "Rules of Engagement" is the name of CBS's new Neanderthal-com, in which love is nothing more than a battlefield (shout out, Pat Benatar ), marriage is what men get tricked into, and sex is the female weapon of choice. In "Rules of Engagement," which slouches toward us tonight at 9:30 on Channel 4, a woman can manipulate her man into going to an art...

The last time Jason Alexander tried a sitcom, it was an electronic migraine that went by the name of "Bob Patterson. " It still hurts to think about it. So with his new vehicle, "Listen Up," he has nowhere to go but up. And up he goes, but only slightly -- from the sub-basement to the basement. The series, which premieres tonight at 8:30 on Channel 4, isn't a blinding headache so much as it is a gnawing hangover -- last night "Seinfeld," today this? "Listen Up" is clearly geared to fit in the CBS Monday sitcom lineup.

One malady that commonly strikes TV comedies is Sentiment and Poignancy Illness, or SAPI. The symptoms of this disease, which generally surface in the final minutes of a sitcom, include feverish regrets, seizures of apology, and the sudden inflammation of moral conscience. And when SAPI strikes, glassy eyes and viewer fatigue may not be far behind. HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" -- which returns for its fourth season on Sunday night at 9:30 on the premium cable channel -- is happily immune to SAPI.

LOS ANGELES - Ian Abercrombie, the veteran British stage and screen actor whose TV roles included Elaine's boss Mr. Pitt on "Seinfeld," has died. A statement from LucasArts posted on the Web said Mr. Abercrombie died Friday. He was 77. A friend, Cathy Lind Hayes, told the Los Angeles Times that he died at a Los Angeles hospital from complications of kidney failure and recently had been diagnosed with lymphoma. Mr. Abercrombie began his career as a dancer and made his American stage debut in a 1951 production of "Stalag 17. " He appeared in movies such as...

Ian Abercrombie, a veteran British stage and screen actor whose TV roles included Elaine's boss Mr. Pitt on "Seinfeld" and the voice of Chancellor Palpatine in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," has died. He was 77. A website statement from LucasArts said Abercrombie died Friday. A friend, Cathy Lind Hayes, told the Los Angeles Times ( http://lat.ms/A6xXRE) that he died at a Los Angeles hospital from complications of kidney failure and recently had been diagnosed with lymphoma. "Though he played a villain on our show, you would be hard pressed to meet a kinder person," said Dave...

Regis Philbin's chair on "Live!" won't have time to cool off before Jerry Seinfeld arrives as the first guest host of the post-Regis era. The popular weekday talk show is announcing that Seinfeld will join continuing co-host Kelly Ripa for three days, airing Nov. 21-23. The show said Tuesday that guests scheduled to join Ripa and Seinfeld are actor Jason Segal, actress Kim Cattrall, comedian-host Howie Mandel, "Naked Chef" Jamie Oliver and that fabulous Muppet, Miss Piggy.

Former Seinfeld actor Jason Alexander says he isn't kidding around when it comes to promoting Mideast peace. Alexander, who played George Costanza in the legendary sitcom for a decade, was asked by Israeli President Shimon Peres in a meeting on Tuesday for advice on how to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Alexander said, that through comedy and humor, he hopes to help advance the idea of two states for two people. Peres playfully asked the actor if he could call him "George.

LOS ANGELES - Frances Bay, who tussled with Jerry Seinfeld over a loaf of marble rye and played Adam Sandler's grandmother in "Happy Gilmore" during a career that began in the 1930s, has died. She was 92. Her cousin Les Berman said Ms. Bay died Thursday at a Los Angeles area hospital after being diagnosed with pneumonia. After working as a radio actress before World War II, Ms. Bay married and became a housewife. She returned to acting in the 1970s and her career took off. Ms. Bay played Fonzie's Grandma Nussbaum on "Happy Days" and kindly older...

LOS ANGELES — Len Lesser, the veteran character actor best known for his scene-stealing role as Uncle Leo on “Seinfeld,’’ died Wednesday. He was 88. His family said he died in Burbank, Calif., of cancer-related pneumonia. “Heaven got a great comedian and actor today,’’ his daughter, Michele, said in the statement. “The outpouring of sympathy we’ve already received has been amazing and is so greatly appreciated. Thank you to all the people who helped make my father’s last journey special and surrounded with love.’’ Mr....

Near the end of “[title of show],’’ a character named Susan gives voice to the modest ambition of this scruffy meta-musical. “Let our show be the Rice Krispie treat,’’ she sings. For good and ill, that is exactly what “[title of show]’’ is: a snack more than a meal, loaded with empty calories, probably not destined to linger in the memory, but pretty tasty in the moment. It helps considerably that the new SpeakEasy Stage Company production features four appealing performers (plus one amusingly sullen keyboardist played by Will McGarrahan, who doubles as music director)

Family and friends gathered Saturday at a modest stone church in a hamlet north of New York City for the funeral of Mary Richardson Kennedy, the latest member of that charmed and cursed family to fall victim to tragedy and inner demons. The service, held on a beautiful spring morning, was private, but the list of celebrities attending was a testament to both Kennedy star power, and Mary's knack for friendship. Later Saturday, Mary was buried at a cemetery in Centerville, Mass., several miles away from the Kennedy seaside compound in Hyannisport.

LOS ANGELES — Character actor Bill Erwin, whose nearly seven-decade Hollywood career included his memorable role as the grumpy old man on television’s “Seinfeld,’’ has died. He was 96. Mr. Erwin, also known for his role as Arthur the bellman in the 1980 fantasy film “Somewhere in Time,’’ died Dec. 29 at his home in Studio City, in suburban Los Angeles, his son Mike said. He died of age-related causes, his son said. His Hollywood career dates back to 1941, when he appeared in the movie “You’re in the Army Now.’’ His scores of credits include roles...

Near the end of “[title of show],’’ a character named Susan gives voice to the modest ambition of this scruffy meta-musical. “Let our show be the Rice Krispie treat,’’ she sings. For good and ill, that is exactly what “[title of show]’’ is: a snack more than a meal, loaded with empty calories, probably not destined to linger in the memory, but pretty tasty in the moment. It helps considerably that the new SpeakEasy Stage Company production features four appealing performers (plus one amusingly sullen keyboardist played by Will McGarrahan, who doubles as music...