Arlene Phillips
Encyclopedia
Arlene Phillips OBE
(born 22 May 1943) is an English
choreographer, theatre director, talent scout, TV presenter, TV judge and former dancer, who has worked in many fields of entertainment. For many years she was most noted as the choreographer of numerous West End
and Broadway
musicals, films and television shows, but she has since achieved mainstream fame as a judge on television talent shows including Strictly Come Dancing
and So You Think You Can Dance
. On 15 April 2010, she made her first appearance as a panellist for the ITV1
television series Loose Women
.
, Lancashire
, England
. She is Jewish and has a brother called Ian and a sister called Karen. At the age of 15, Phillips lost her mother, who had been suffering from Leukaemia and died aged 43. Her father lived until many years later.
Phillips originally wanted to be a ballet dancer and began dance classes at the age of three, studying ballet
and tap dance
at the Muriel Tweedy School in Manchester. Her mother had always expressed a desire to dance, which inspired Phillips into pursuing dance professionally.
and Broadway
musicals, but has many other professional credits.
In her mid-teens, Phillips moved to London where she has lived ever since. Strongly influenced by American Modern Jazz
dance which was just becoming popular in London at that time, she began developing her own style of Jazz dance and began teaching her style of dance extensively in a number of prominent London dance studios, first at The Dance Centre and later at Pineapple Dance Studios
in Covent Garden
, and the Italia Conti Stage School. She quickly established herself as a successful teacher and choreographer.
Phillips choreographed the 1982 film, Annie
, and the Duran Duran
song The Wild Boys
, named Best British Video at the 1985 BRIT Awards
.
Internationally, Phillips is most noted as a jazz and musical theatre choreographer, having worked on some of the biggest selling musicals in West End and Broadway theatre and a number of successful films. Most notably, Phillips is a multiple Olivier Award winner and Tony Award
award nominee.
From 2004-2009, she was a judge on the BBC1 show, Strictly Come Dancing and commented on the acts in Eurovision: Your Country Needs You for the BBC in 2009. In 2008, she created, produced and choreographed a new British television serial Britannia High
. She was also the creative mind behind hit BBC
shows DanceX
and Strictly Dance Fever
.
Following Phillips's appearance on Your Country Needs You, she choreographed the performance of the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
.
, a British dance troupe which she formed in 1974 using students she was teaching at the time.
Hot Gossip spent two years performing in a London night club where Phillips and her manager developed the group's dance act.
The troupe were eventually spotted by the British television director, David Mallet
who invited Phillips to make Hot Gossip a regular feature of The Kenny Everett Show
, which he directed for Thames Television
on ITV
, first being aired in 1978. It was during this time that Hot Gossip made their only hit record "I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper
", a disco song which reached number 6 in the British music chart. Sung by Hot Gossip dancer Sarah Brightman
, who went on to achieve international fame as a soprano vocalist.
Hot Gossip were particularly noted for the risque nature of their costumes and the dance routines, all designed and choreographed by Phillips, and they are often credited as one of the UK's early television dance troupes, continuing a trend which started with the Go-Jo's and Pan's People
on Top of the Pops
. Hot Gossip continued to be successful into the early 1980s with their own television show on the newly formed public service broadcaster, Channel 4
, The Very Hot Gossip Show. Despite some early success, a strong decline in viewing figures led to the show being scrapped after the first season.
television series Strictly Come Dancing
, an original entertainment programme which has been running in the UK since 2004 and whose format has subsequently been licensed to broadcasters overseas.
In the show, celebrities are given intensive training in ballroom
and latin dance routines, being partnered by an experienced professional dancer. They perform new routines each week for a live television audience and each week a celebrity is eliminated until the series winner is decided. The panel of judges (Phillips, Len Goodman
, Craig Revel Horwood
, Bruno Tonioli
) score the dance performances, and their scores are then combined with the results of a public televote
to decide which two couples gave the weakest performance each week. These two couples then dance again before the judges decide who should leave the competition.
Phillips was asked to be a judge for the American Broadcasting Company
(ABC) version of the show Dancing With The Stars
but decided that her loyalties lay with the British version of the show.
In 2005 and 2006, Phillips was a judge for the Strictly Come Dancing spin off series Strictly Dance Fever
, which was also created by the BBC. The show searched for dancers to join the chorus of a West End musical. Later in 2007, she created and judged another BBC dance series, DanceX
, a show formed to find a new commercial dance act. After the initial audition process, the competitors were split into two troupes of dancers, with Phillips mentoring one troupe and the other being mentored by her fellow Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli. The two troupes competed live on television each week, with Tonioli's troupe being the eventual winners. To date there have been no indications that the BBC are planning to televise any further series of these other programmes.
On Strictly Come Dancing, Phillips has given the top score of 10 to:
. The news has led to much criticism being directed towards the BBC for its apparent discrimination against older women on television; the BBC, however, strongly denied this.
The axing of Arlene Phillips has led to an unprecedented intervention from the then government's Minister for Women and Equality
, Harriet Harman
. During a session in the House of Commons, Harman responded to questions stating that she believed the decision to drop Arlene Phillips was motivated by age discrimination and called on the BBC to ensure that she would be taking part in the new series. Phillips has joked that her sister has nicknamed her "Arlene-Phillips-66" because of the frequency with which her name has appeared in the press with her age appended. The BBC has not formally responded to Harman's request, but has repeated its comments that the decision was not due to age, while not saying what it was due to. Several thousand viewers complained about the performance of Alesha Dixon as a judge, many calling for the return of the more experienced Phillips
It was reported in the Daily Mail
that Arlene could be returning to the judging panel for series eight of Strictly Come Dancing
or may even be involved in training all couples, in the same fashion that Torvill and Dean
train all couples on the ITV
show Dancing on Ice
. This has been unsubstantiated thus far, with the 9th series already in full swing.
In October 2009 Phillips appeared on the first episode of the 38th series of the satirical show Have I Got News For You
, where she was on Paul's
winning team.
Between April and July 2010, Arlene made 9 guest panellist on ITV's flagship show Loose Women
.
In the Autumn of 2010, Arlene introduced her first Make up range in association with Cosmetics brand VIE at home
.
. The show was a fictional drama about the lives of six students at a London performing arts school. Based on an idea by Phillips and West End producer David Ian
, the series was marketed as the UK's answer to Disney's High School Musical
. The show's music was created and written by hit songwriter, and Take That
frontman, Gary Barlow
.
. The show's original creator Nigel Lythgoe
is head judge on the series, and Phillips is joined on the panel by Pop Singer Louise Redknapp
and dancer & choreographer Sisco Gomez
. Preliminary auditions took place in major UK cities, starting in October 2009, with the first episode being aired on BBC1 in January 2010. There have since been two series with Charlie Bruce
and Matt Flint taking the winners title respectively.
Phillips's appointment as judge for the series came soon after the controversy over her departure from Strictly Come Dancing
, which prompted media speculation that she would become a judge for ITV1
's Dancing on Ice
or Sky1's then upcoming show Got to Dance (then titled Just Dance), presented by Davina McCall
.
Alana Dancing Star Books In 2010 Arlene wrote a series of children's fiction books. Alana Dancing Star is a series of 6 books revolving around the central character Alana and her journeys through different genres of dance. The series covers Ballroom Dance
, Samba
, Hip-Hop, Bollywood
, Broadway
and Tango
and many parents credit them with encouraging their children to read.
In Summer 2011 one of the books, Viennese Waltz, was selected to be part of Richard and Judy
's Summer Children's Reading List.
. http://www.qvcuk.com/ukqic/qvcapp.aspx/app.nav/params.file.UKMC0CIY,1.class.UKMC0CIY.level.3/walk.yah.UKJE~UKB3~UKMC
The range consists of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and brooches, and in 2012 Arlene will expand her range.
The range has been hugely successful as it is a fashion range for sizes 12-32, catering to a very large market.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 22 May 1943) is an English
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
choreographer, theatre director, talent scout, TV presenter, TV judge and former dancer, who has worked in many fields of entertainment. For many years she was most noted as the choreographer of numerous West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
and Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musicals, films and television shows, but she has since achieved mainstream fame as a judge on television talent shows including Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
and So You Think You Can Dance
So You Think You Can Dance (UK)
So You Think You Can Dance is a televised dance competition and reality show that launched in the United Kingdom in January 2010 and similar to the version of the program that has began airing in the USA in 2005. The show is broadcast on BBC One. The content of the show is similar premise to the...
. On 15 April 2010, she made her first appearance as a panellist for the ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
television series Loose Women
Loose Women
Loose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip...
.
Early life
Phillips was born in 1943 and grew up in PrestwichPrestwich
Prestwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies close to the River Irwell, north of Manchester city centre, north of Salford and south of Bury....
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. She is Jewish and has a brother called Ian and a sister called Karen. At the age of 15, Phillips lost her mother, who had been suffering from Leukaemia and died aged 43. Her father lived until many years later.
Phillips originally wanted to be a ballet dancer and began dance classes at the age of three, studying ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
and tap dance
Tap dance
Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by using the sound of one's tap shoes hitting the floor as a percussive instrument. As such, it is also commonly considered to be a form of music. Two major variations on tap dance exist: rhythm tap and Broadway tap. Broadway tap focuses more on the...
at the Muriel Tweedy School in Manchester. Her mother had always expressed a desire to dance, which inspired Phillips into pursuing dance professionally.
Professional career
Phillips is internationally renowned as a choreographer and director of West EndWest End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
and Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musicals, but has many other professional credits.
In her mid-teens, Phillips moved to London where she has lived ever since. Strongly influenced by American Modern Jazz
Jazz dance
Jazz dance is a classification shared by a broad range of dance styles. Before the 1950s, jazz dance referred to dance styles that originated from African American vernacular dance. In the 1950s, a new genre of jazz dance—modern jazz dance—emerged, with roots in Caribbean traditional dance...
dance which was just becoming popular in London at that time, she began developing her own style of Jazz dance and began teaching her style of dance extensively in a number of prominent London dance studios, first at The Dance Centre and later at Pineapple Dance Studios
Pineapple Dance Studios
Pineapple Dance Studios is a dance studio complex based in the Covent Garden area of central London, England. It was founded by the English model and businesswoman Debbie Moore in 1979. The studio is used for castings and rehearsals by dance companies, record labels, television networks, film...
in Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
, and the Italia Conti Stage School. She quickly established herself as a successful teacher and choreographer.
Phillips choreographed the 1982 film, Annie
Annie (film)
Annie is a 1982 American musical film directed by John Huston and choreographed by Arlene Phillips. The film is an adaption of the 1977 stage musical of the same name, which in turn was based on the 1924 Little Orphan Annie comic strip by Harold Gray. The movie features music by Charles Strouse,...
, and the Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
song The Wild Boys
The Wild Boys (song)
"The Wild Boys" is the twelfth single by Duran Duran, released in October 1984.The song was the only studio track on the live album Arena, and was produced by Nile Rodgers, who had previously remixed the single "The Reflex"...
, named Best British Video at the 1985 BRIT Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
.
Internationally, Phillips is most noted as a jazz and musical theatre choreographer, having worked on some of the biggest selling musicals in West End and Broadway theatre and a number of successful films. Most notably, Phillips is a multiple Olivier Award winner and Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
award nominee.
From 2004-2009, she was a judge on the BBC1 show, Strictly Come Dancing and commented on the acts in Eurovision: Your Country Needs You for the BBC in 2009. In 2008, she created, produced and choreographed a new British television serial Britannia High
Britannia High
Britannia High was a British musical drama television series co-produced by Granada Television Britannia High was a British musical drama television series co-produced by Granada Television Britannia High was a British musical drama television series co-produced by Granada Television (now part of...
. She was also the creative mind behind hit BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
shows DanceX
DanceX
DanceX is a reality television show produced in the UK for BBC One in 2007. It is a live show, in which two teams of male and female dancers compete to form a new dance group. Team Bruno won the show on August 25.-DanceX Presenter and Team Leaders:...
and Strictly Dance Fever
Strictly Dance Fever
Strictly Dance Fever is a British television programme, broadcast on BBC One on Saturday evenings. It was an amateur dance talent competition, hosted by Graham Norton, which ran during Spring 2005 and Spring 2006. It was, in many ways, similar to the BBC's popular Strictly Come Dancing, a celebrity...
.
Following Phillips's appearance on Your Country Needs You, she choreographed the performance of the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Eurovision Song Contest 2009
The Eurovision Song Contest 2009 was the 54th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest and was hosted by Russia after their win in 2008. It took place between 12 and 16 May 2009 at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia....
.
Hot Gossip
In Britain, Phillips first became a household name as the director and choreographer of Hot GossipHot Gossip
-Formation:Arlene Phillips came to London to learn and teach developing American Jazz dance routines. Employed as a dance teacher, she taught at locations including the Pineapple Dance Studios and the Italia Conti Stage School. In 1974, Phillips started forming the core of a troupe; Italia Conti...
, a British dance troupe which she formed in 1974 using students she was teaching at the time.
Hot Gossip spent two years performing in a London night club where Phillips and her manager developed the group's dance act.
The troupe were eventually spotted by the British television director, David Mallet
David Mallet (director)
David Mallet is a British director particularly noted for his work on music videos, including David Bowie's innovative "Ashes to Ashes", Rush's "Distant Early Warning, and Queen's "Radio Ga Ga" and "I Want to Break Free" videos. He has also served as a producer on television programmes including...
who invited Phillips to make Hot Gossip a regular feature of The Kenny Everett Show
Kenny Everett
Kenny Everett was an English comedian, radio DJ and television entertainer. Born Maurice James Christopher Cole, Everett is best known for his career as a radio DJ and for the Kenny Everett television shows.-Early life:...
, which he directed for Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, first being aired in 1978. It was during this time that Hot Gossip made their only hit record "I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper
I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper
"I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper", sometimes cited as " Starship Trooper", is a 1978 single written by Jeff Calvert and Max West of Typically Tropical and performed by Sarah Brightman and Hot Gossip...
", a disco song which reached number 6 in the British music chart. Sung by Hot Gossip dancer Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...
, who went on to achieve international fame as a soprano vocalist.
Hot Gossip were particularly noted for the risque nature of their costumes and the dance routines, all designed and choreographed by Phillips, and they are often credited as one of the UK's early television dance troupes, continuing a trend which started with the Go-Jo's and Pan's People
Pan's People
Pan's People were a British TV dance troupe, who are usually associated with the BBC TV music chart show Top of the Pops.In an era before pop videos, they danced to songs whose original artists were not available to perform them live...
on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
. Hot Gossip continued to be successful into the early 1980s with their own television show on the newly formed public service broadcaster, Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, The Very Hot Gossip Show. Despite some early success, a strong decline in viewing figures led to the show being scrapped after the first season.
Theatre choreography
- The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz (2011 musical)The Wizard of Oz is a musical based on the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The adaptation is by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jeremy Sams. The musical uses all of the Harold Arlen and E. Y...
, 2011 London production - Flashdance
- The Sound of MusicThe Sound of MusicThe Sound of Music is a musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...
, 2006 London revival and 2008 Canadian production - Starlight ExpressStarlight ExpressStarlight Express is a rock musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber , Richard Stilgoe and Arlene Phillips , with later revisions by Don Black and David Yazbek . The story follows a child's dream in which his toy train set comes to life; famously the actors perform wearing roller skates...
- GreaseGrease (musical)Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
- Saturday Night FeverSaturday Night Fever (musical)This is an article about the stage musical. For the article on the 1977 film, see Saturday Night FeverSaturday Night Fever is a musical with a book by Nan Knighton and music and lyrics by the Bee Gees.Based on Nik Cohn's 1975 New York Magazine article "Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night" and...
- We Will Rock YouWe Will Rock You (musical)We Will Rock You is a jukebox musical, based on the songs of Queen and named after their hit single of the same name. The musical was written by British comedian and author Ben Elton in collaboration with Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor...
- MatadorMatador (musical)Matador is the title of a 1991 musical by Mike Leander and Edward Seago, with a book by Peter Jukes, which tells the story of the rise and fall of a fictional matador, loosely based on Manuel Benitez, El Cordobes. The show featured stunning choreography in traditional Flamenco style by Rafael...
- TimeTime (musical)Time is a musical with a book and lyrics by Dave Clark and David Soames, music by Jeff Daniels, and additional songs by David Pomeranz.Derived from the 1970s musical The Time Lord by Soames and Daniels, it focuses on contemporary rock musician Chris Wilder, who has been transported with his backup...
- A Clockwork OrangeA Clockwork OrangeA Clockwork Orange is a 1962 dystopian novella by Anthony Burgess. The novel contains an experiment in language: the characters often use an argot called "Nadsat", derived from Russian....
, for the Royal Shakespeare CompanyRoyal Shakespeare CompanyThe Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
Strictly Come Dancing
Phillips was a member of the judging panel for the successful BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television series Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
, an original entertainment programme which has been running in the UK since 2004 and whose format has subsequently been licensed to broadcasters overseas.
In the show, celebrities are given intensive training in ballroom
Ballroom dance
Ballroom dance refers to a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world. Because of its performance and entertainment aspects, ballroom dance is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television....
and latin dance routines, being partnered by an experienced professional dancer. They perform new routines each week for a live television audience and each week a celebrity is eliminated until the series winner is decided. The panel of judges (Phillips, Len Goodman
Len Goodman
Leonard Gordon 'Len' Goodman is a British professional ballroom dancer, dance judge, and coach. He is a leading personality on television dance programmes such as Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing with the Stars and runs a ballroom dance school in Dartford, Kent.-Early life and career:Goodman was...
, Craig Revel Horwood
Craig Revel Horwood
Craig Revel Horwood is an Australian-British dancer, choreographer, and theatre director in the United Kingdom.-Biography:...
, Bruno Tonioli
Bruno Tonioli
Bruno Tonioli is an Italian choreographer and TV personality who appears as a judge on the television dance competition Strictly Come Dancing for BBC TV in the UK, and its American adaptation Dancing with the Stars on ABC TV in the US, Tonioli co-created and appeared on the BBC talent show DanceX...
) score the dance performances, and their scores are then combined with the results of a public televote
Televoting
Televoting, telephone voting or phone voting is a method of decision making and opinion polling conducted by telephone. Televoting can also extend to voting by SMS text message via a mobile cell phone.- Broadcast contest televoting :...
to decide which two couples gave the weakest performance each week. These two couples then dance again before the judges decide who should leave the competition.
Phillips was asked to be a judge for the American Broadcasting Company
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
(ABC) version of the show Dancing With The Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
but decided that her loyalties lay with the British version of the show.
In 2005 and 2006, Phillips was a judge for the Strictly Come Dancing spin off series Strictly Dance Fever
Strictly Dance Fever
Strictly Dance Fever is a British television programme, broadcast on BBC One on Saturday evenings. It was an amateur dance talent competition, hosted by Graham Norton, which ran during Spring 2005 and Spring 2006. It was, in many ways, similar to the BBC's popular Strictly Come Dancing, a celebrity...
, which was also created by the BBC. The show searched for dancers to join the chorus of a West End musical. Later in 2007, she created and judged another BBC dance series, DanceX
DanceX
DanceX is a reality television show produced in the UK for BBC One in 2007. It is a live show, in which two teams of male and female dancers compete to form a new dance group. Team Bruno won the show on August 25.-DanceX Presenter and Team Leaders:...
, a show formed to find a new commercial dance act. After the initial audition process, the competitors were split into two troupes of dancers, with Phillips mentoring one troupe and the other being mentored by her fellow Strictly Come Dancing judge Bruno Tonioli. The two troupes competed live on television each week, with Tonioli's troupe being the eventual winners. To date there have been no indications that the BBC are planning to televise any further series of these other programmes.
On Strictly Come Dancing, Phillips has given the top score of 10 to:
- Natasha KaplinskyNatasha KaplinskyNatasha Margaret Kaplinsky is a British newsreader and television presenter, currently employed by ITV having previously worked for Channel 5, Sky News and the BBC...
& Brendan ColeBrendan ColeBrendan Cole is a ballroom dancer specialising in Latin American dancing. He is most famous for appearing on the BBC show Strictly Come Dancing, a dance contest in which a professional ballroom dancer is partnered with a celebrity amateur dancer...
(Samba) - Jill HalfpennyJill HalfpennyJill Halfpenny is an English actress.Halfpenny is best known for her roles as Rebecca Hopkins in the British soap opera Coronation Street from 1999–2000, and as Kate Mitchell in rival soap EastEnders, from 2002-2005...
& Darren BennettDarren Bennett (dancer)Darren Lee Bennett is a professional dancer, as were his parents. With his wife Lilia Kopylova he has a successful career in professional Latin dancing, competing nationally and internationally. Darren's favourite dances are the Samba and the Foxtrot.They teach private lessons in their own studio...
(Paso Doble, JiveJive (dance)In Ballroom dancing, Jive is a dance style in 4/4 time that originated in the United States from African-Americans in the early 1930s. It was originally presented to the public as 'Jive' in 1934 by Cab Calloway. It is a lively and uninhibited variation of the Jitterbug, a form of Swing dance...
) - Denise LewisDenise LewisDenise Lewis OBE is a retired British athlete who specialised in the heptathlon. She won the gold medal in the heptathlon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.-2000 Olympics:...
& Ian WaiteIan WaiteIan Waite is a professional Latin-American dancer, teacher and choreographer.-Biography:Waite was born in Reading, UK. He started dancing at the age of 10. Mary Richardson, a former Latin American champion put him through a rigorous medallist regime...
(QuickstepQuickstepThe quickstep is a light-hearted member of the standard ballroom dances. The movement of the dance is fast and powerfully flowing and sprinkled with syncopations. The upbeat melodies that quickstep is danced to make it suitable for both formal and informal events...
) - Zoe BallZoë BallZoë Louise Ball is an English television and radio personality, most famous for becoming the first female host of the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show and for her earlier work presenting the 1990s children's show, Live & Kicking.-TV career:The daughter of the children's TV presenter Johnny Ball and his...
& Ian WaiteIan WaiteIan Waite is a professional Latin-American dancer, teacher and choreographer.-Biography:Waite was born in Reading, UK. He started dancing at the age of 10. Mary Richardson, a former Latin American champion put him through a rigorous medallist regime...
(TangoTango (dance)Tango dance originated in the area of the Rio de la Plata , and spread to the rest of the world soon after....
, RumbaRumba (dance)Rumba is a dance term with two quite different meanings.In some contexts, "rumba" is used as shorthand for Afro-Cuban rumba, a group of dances related to the rumba genre of Afro-Cuban music. The most common Afro-Cuban rumba is the guaguancó...
) - Colin JacksonColin JacksonColin Ray Jackson CBE is a British former sprint and hurdling athlete who specialised in the 110 metres hurdles. Over his career representing Great Britain and Wales he won an Olympic silver medal, became world champion three times, went undefeated at the European Championships for 12 years and...
& Erin BoagErin BoagErin Boag is a professional ballroom dancer. She has danced from the age of three, originally starting ballet and later moving into ballroom, Latin and jazz...
(American Smooth, Quickstep) - James MartinJames Martin (chef)James Martin , is an English cook who first appeared on television in 1996.-Television career:...
& Camilla DallerupCamilla DallerupCamilla Dallerup is a British-based Danish ballroom dancer, dance teacher and model.-Dance career:Dallerup started dancing at the age of two and a half when her mother took her to her first class in Aalborg. She won the Danish Junior Championships at the age of 12...
(Foxtrot) - Darren GoughDarren GoughDarren Gough is a retired English cricketer and former captain of Yorkshire County Cricket Club. The spearhead of England's bowling attack through much of the 1990s, he is England's highest wicket-taker in one-day internationals with 234, and took 229 wickets in his 58 Test matches, making him...
& Lilia KopylovaLilia KopylovaLilia Andreyevna Kopylova , born 18 June 1978 in Moscow, Soviet Union, is a professional dancer.With her husband Darren Bennett she has been competing as an amateur since July 1997 and as a professional since May 2003...
(Quickstep, American Smooth) - Mark RamprakashMark RamprakashMark Ravin Ramprakash is an English cricketer, playing for Surrey and England. A right-handed batsman, he initially made his name playing for Middlesex, and was selected for England aged 21...
& Karen HardyKaren HardyKaren Hardy is a professional ballroom dancer, coach, teacher and adjudicator. In 1998 she won the professional International Latin American Dance Championship with Bryan Watson. She also won the United Kingdom Open, British National, European and World Masters championships...
(Argentine TangoArgentine TangoArgentine tango is a musical genre of simple quadruple metre and binary musical form, and the social dance that accompanies it. Its lyrics and music are marked by nostalgia, expressed through melodic instruments including the bandoneon. Originated at the ending of the 19th century in the suburbs of...
, SalsaSalsa (dance)Salsa is a syncretic dance form with origins in Cuba as the meeting point of Spanish and African cultures.Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms such as solo dancing "suelta" and "Rueda de Casino" where multiple couples exchange partners in a circle...
) - Alesha DixonAlesha DixonAlesha Anjanette Dixon is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model and television personality. She first found fame in the all-female R&B trio Mis-Teeq, however, the trio separated in 2005 and Dixon continued pursuing her music career as a solo artist, signing to Polydor Records...
& Matthew CutlerMatthew CutlerMatthew David Cutler is an English dancer and former World Amateur Latin-American champion. He was a professional dancer on the BBC dancing show, Strictly Come Dancing.-Early life:...
(WaltzWaltz (International Standard)Waltz is one of the five dances in the Standard category of the International Style ballroom dances. It was previously referred to as Slow Waltz or English Waltz....
, Cha ChaCha-cha-cha (dance)The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953...
, Tango, Viennese Waltz) - Matt Di AngeloMatt Di AngeloMatt Di Angelo in London, England is an English actor and singer.He is mostly known for playing fictional character Deano Wicks in the popular British soap EastEnders, and for his current role of Sean Kennedy in the BBC series Hustle.-Education:He attended Southgate School, and started studying...
& Flavia CacaceFlavia CacaceFlavia Cacace , is an Italian professional dancer. Her professional dance partner is Vincent Simone, and both regularly appear on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing. Their brand name when performing together is VincentandFlavia...
(Salsa, Waltz, Rumba) - Gethin JonesGethin JonesGethin Clifford Jones is a Welsh television presenter who has co-presented the BBC children's programme Blue Peter....
& Camilla DallerupCamilla DallerupCamilla Dallerup is a British-based Danish ballroom dancer, dance teacher and model.-Dance career:Dallerup started dancing at the age of two and a half when her mother took her to her first class in Aalborg. She won the Danish Junior Championships at the age of 12...
(Waltz) - Rachel StevensRachel StevensRachel Lauren Stevens is an English singer-songwriter, actress, presenter, dancer, television personality and model. She is a former member of the successful pop group S Club, and launched a solo recording career in 2003, releasing seven singles and two albums in the UK between 2003 and 2005...
& Vincent SimoneVincent SimoneVincent Simone is a professional dancer born in Italy. He moved to Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom when he was 17. His professional dancing partner is Flavia Cacace, and they perform under the brand name VincentandFlavia.-Early life:...
(Rumba, Foxtrot, Waltz, Tango, Argentine Tango) - Lisa SnowdonLisa SnowdonLisa Snowdon is an English fashion model, television personality and presenter. She was the host of the reality television show Britain's Next Top Model from 2006 until 2009...
& Brendan ColeBrendan ColeBrendan Cole is a ballroom dancer specialising in Latin American dancing. He is most famous for appearing on the BBC show Strictly Come Dancing, a dance contest in which a professional ballroom dancer is partnered with a celebrity amateur dancer...
(Foxtrot, Waltz, Quickstep, Cha-Cha-Cha) - Austin HealeyAustin HealeyAustin Sean Healey is a former English rugby union player, who played as a utility back for Leicester Tigers, and has represented the England national rugby union team and the British Lions....
& Erin BoagErin BoagErin Boag is a professional ballroom dancer. She has danced from the age of three, originally starting ballet and later moving into ballroom, Latin and jazz...
(Paso Doble) - Tom ChambersTom Chambers (actor)Tom Chambers is a British actor, known for his role as Sam Strachan in the BBC medical drama Holby City. He also won the sixth season of Strictly Come Dancing with his partner Camilla Dallerup.-Personal life:...
& Camilla DallerupCamilla DallerupCamilla Dallerup is a British-based Danish ballroom dancer, dance teacher and model.-Dance career:Dallerup started dancing at the age of two and a half when her mother took her to her first class in Aalborg. She won the Danish Junior Championships at the age of 12...
(Foxtrot, Salsa)
Departure from Strictly Come Dancing
After the close of the 2008 series of Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC announced that several changes would be made to refresh the show in 2009. This led to a great deal of speculation in the media that Phillips might be dropped from the judging panel, but the BBC refused to respond to reports. They finally confirmed the news at the launch of their autumn schedule on 9 July 2009. She has been replaced by former Strictly winner Alesha DixonAlesha Dixon
Alesha Anjanette Dixon is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model and television personality. She first found fame in the all-female R&B trio Mis-Teeq, however, the trio separated in 2005 and Dixon continued pursuing her music career as a solo artist, signing to Polydor Records...
. The news has led to much criticism being directed towards the BBC for its apparent discrimination against older women on television; the BBC, however, strongly denied this.
The axing of Arlene Phillips has led to an unprecedented intervention from the then government's Minister for Women and Equality
Minister for Women and Equality
The post of Minister for Women and Equalities is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom with responsibility for addressing all forms of discrimination, with particular emphasis on gender inequality.-History:...
, Harriet Harman
Harriet Harman
Harriet Ruth Harman QC is a British Labour Party politician, who is the Member of Parliament for Camberwell and Peckham, and was MP for the predecessorPeckham constituency from 1982 to 1997...
. During a session in the House of Commons, Harman responded to questions stating that she believed the decision to drop Arlene Phillips was motivated by age discrimination and called on the BBC to ensure that she would be taking part in the new series. Phillips has joked that her sister has nicknamed her "Arlene-Phillips-66" because of the frequency with which her name has appeared in the press with her age appended. The BBC has not formally responded to Harman's request, but has repeated its comments that the decision was not due to age, while not saying what it was due to. Several thousand viewers complained about the performance of Alesha Dixon as a judge, many calling for the return of the more experienced Phillips
It was reported in the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
that Arlene could be returning to the judging panel for series eight of Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
or may even be involved in training all couples, in the same fashion that Torvill and Dean
Torvill and Dean
Torvill and Dean are British ice dancers and former British-, European-, Olympic- and World champions...
train all couples on the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
show Dancing on Ice
Dancing on Ice
Dancing on Ice is a British television show co-hosted by Christine Bleakley and Philip Schofield, in which celebrities and their professional partners figure skate in front of a panel of judges. The format, devised by LWT and Granada Television, has been a prime-time hit in eight different...
. This has been unsubstantiated thus far, with the 9th series already in full swing.
In October 2009 Phillips appeared on the first episode of the 38th series of the satirical show Have I Got News For You
Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
, where she was on Paul's
Paul Merton
Paul Merton is a British comedian, writer, actor and television presenter. Known for his improvisation skill, his humour is rooted in deadpan, surreal and sometimes dark comedy...
winning team.
Between April and July 2010, Arlene made 9 guest panellist on ITV's flagship show Loose Women
Loose Women
Loose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip...
.
In the Autumn of 2010, Arlene introduced her first Make up range in association with Cosmetics brand VIE at home
Vie at Home
Vie at Home , previously known as The Virgin Cosmetics Company and Virgin Vie At Home, was relaunched in early 2009 under the leadership of original founders Ros Simmons and Ratan Daryani, following a management buy out from the Virgin Group. A German company Network World Alliance, led by founder...
.
Britannia High
In 2007, Phillips became the Executive Producer and Creative Director for the ITV1 television series Britannia HighBritannia High
Britannia High was a British musical drama television series co-produced by Granada Television Britannia High was a British musical drama television series co-produced by Granada Television Britannia High was a British musical drama television series co-produced by Granada Television (now part of...
. The show was a fictional drama about the lives of six students at a London performing arts school. Based on an idea by Phillips and West End producer David Ian
David Ian
David Ian Lane , is a former actor and now a theatre producer who The Stage has called "the most powerful man in UK theatre".-Biography:...
, the series was marketed as the UK's answer to Disney's High School Musical
High School Musical
High School Musical is a 2006 American television film, first in the High School Musical film franchise. Upon its release on January 20, 2006, it became the most successful film that Disney Channel Original Movie ever produced, with a television sequel High School Musical 2 released in 2007 and...
. The show's music was created and written by hit songwriter, and Take That
Take That
Take That are a British five-piece vocal pop group comprising Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. Barlow acts as the lead singer and primary songwriter...
frontman, Gary Barlow
Gary Barlow
Gary Barlow is an English singer-songwriter, pianist and record producer. He is frontman and lead vocalist of pop group Take That and is currently the head judge on the eighth series of The X Factor. Barlow is one of Britain's most successful songwriters...
.
So You Think You Can Dance
Phillips has also been a judge on the UK version of So You Think You Can Dance?So You Think You Can Dance (UK)
So You Think You Can Dance is a televised dance competition and reality show that launched in the United Kingdom in January 2010 and similar to the version of the program that has began airing in the USA in 2005. The show is broadcast on BBC One. The content of the show is similar premise to the...
. The show's original creator Nigel Lythgoe
Nigel Lythgoe
Nigel Lythgoe is an English television and film director and producer, and former dancer in the Young Generation and choreographer. He is noted for being the producer of the shows Pop Idol and American Idol as well as being a creator, executive producer and a regular judge for So You Think You Can...
is head judge on the series, and Phillips is joined on the panel by Pop Singer Louise Redknapp
Louise Redknapp
Louise Elizabeth Redknapp is an English singer and media personality. She was a member of the girl group Eternal from 1992 to 1995, before becoming a solo singer . She has presented several television shows and served as a judge on the UK version of So You Think You Can Dance...
and dancer & choreographer Sisco Gomez
Sisco Gomez
Francisco Javier Gomez-Aspron , better known professionally as Sisco Gomez, is an English dancer and choreographer. He was awarded the Best New Choreographer award at the UK satellite version of The Carnival: Choreographer’s Ball in 2005.-Dancer:Sisco Gomez was born in 1985 and is of Afro-Colombian...
. Preliminary auditions took place in major UK cities, starting in October 2009, with the first episode being aired on BBC1 in January 2010. There have since been two series with Charlie Bruce
Charlie Bruce
Charlotte "Charlie" Bruce , is a British jazz dancer from Cropston, Leicestershire, who won the first series of So You Think You Can Dance . She trained in dance at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and both dance and musical theatre at Laine Theatre Arts, a performing arts college in...
and Matt Flint taking the winners title respectively.
Phillips's appointment as judge for the series came soon after the controversy over her departure from Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
, which prompted media speculation that she would become a judge for ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
's Dancing on Ice
Dancing on Ice
Dancing on Ice is a British television show co-hosted by Christine Bleakley and Philip Schofield, in which celebrities and their professional partners figure skate in front of a panel of judges. The format, devised by LWT and Granada Television, has been a prime-time hit in eight different...
or Sky1's then upcoming show Got to Dance (then titled Just Dance), presented by Davina McCall
Davina McCall
Davina McCall is an English television presenter and actress, most notable as the presenter of the UK version of Big Brother up until its move to Channel 5.- Early life :...
.
Personal life
Arlene and her partner, Angus Ion, have been together for more than 20 years. She has two daughters: Alana, from an earlier relationship, and Abi, with her current partner.Alana Dancing Star Books In 2010 Arlene wrote a series of children's fiction books. Alana Dancing Star is a series of 6 books revolving around the central character Alana and her journeys through different genres of dance. The series covers Ballroom Dance
Ballroom dance
Ballroom dance refers to a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world. Because of its performance and entertainment aspects, ballroom dance is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television....
, Samba
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
, Hip-Hop, Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
, Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
and Tango
Tango (dance)
Tango dance originated in the area of the Rio de la Plata , and spread to the rest of the world soon after....
and many parents credit them with encouraging their children to read.
In Summer 2011 one of the books, Viennese Waltz, was selected to be part of Richard and Judy
Richard and Judy
Richard and Judy is the name informally given to Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, a married couple who are both British television presenters and columnists. Since their marriage, their television appearances have been largely made as a couple. They are best known for presenting This Morning and...
's Summer Children's Reading List.
Jewellery Range
Arlene has released a fashion jewellery range, which is currently being sold on QVCQVC
QVC is a multinational corporation specializing in televised home shopping. Founded in 1986 by Joseph Segel in West Goshen Township, Pennsylvania, United States, QVC broadcasts in five countries as QVC US, QVC UK, QVC Germany, QVC Japan and – QVC Italy to 200 million households...
. http://www.qvcuk.com/ukqic/qvcapp.aspx/app.nav/params.file.UKMC0CIY,1.class.UKMC0CIY.level.3/walk.yah.UKJE~UKB3~UKMC
The range consists of necklaces, bracelets, earrings and brooches, and in 2012 Arlene will expand her range.
Clothing Range
In 2010 Arlene released a range of clothing with plus size retailer MarisotaThe range has been hugely successful as it is a fashion range for sizes 12-32, catering to a very large market.
Other
- Her two KISS: Keep in Shape System exercise LPs entered the UK albums chart in the early 1980s
- Phillips is a recipient of the Carl Alan Award for services to dance
- In 2006, Phillips was made an honorary member of the International Dance Teachers AssociationInternational Dance Teachers AssociationThe International Dance Teachers Association is a leading dance teaching and examination board based in Brighton, England. Operating internationally, the IDTA is one of the largest dance teaching organisations in the world and currently has over 7,000 members in 55 countries...
- In 2001, Phillips was awarded the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(OBE) in the Queen's Birthday HonoursQueen's Birthday HonoursThe Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
.
Film credits
- Monty Python's The Meaning of Life – Dir. Terry JonesTerry JonesTerence Graham Parry Jones is a Welsh comedian, screenwriter, actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator, and TV documentary host. He is best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team....
- Legend – Dir. Ridley ScottRidley ScottSir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer. His most famous films include The Duellists , Alien , Blade Runner , Legend , Thelma & Louise , G. I...
- AnnieAnnie (film)Annie is a 1982 American musical film directed by John Huston and choreographed by Arlene Phillips. The film is an adaption of the 1977 stage musical of the same name, which in turn was based on the 1924 Little Orphan Annie comic strip by Harold Gray. The movie features music by Charles Strouse,...
– Dir. John HustonJohn HustonJohn Marcellus Huston was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He wrote most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered classics: The Maltese Falcon , The Treasure of the Sierra Madre , Key Largo , The Asphalt Jungle , The African Queen , Moulin Rouge... - White Hunter Black HeartWhite Hunter Black HeartWhite Hunter Black Heart is a 1990 American film, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood as John Wilson, based on the book by Peter Viertel. Viertel also co-wrote the script with James Bridges and Burt Kennedy. The film was based on several Golden Age of Hollywood movie producers...
– Dir. Clint EastwoodClint EastwoodClinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide... - Salome's Last DanceSalome's Last DanceSalome's Last Dance is a 1988 film by British film director, Ken Russell. Although most of the action is a verbatim performance of Oscar Wilde's 1893 play Salome, which is itself based on a story from the New Testament, there is also a framing narrative written by Russell himself...
– Dir. Ken RussellKen RussellHenry Kenneth Alfred "Ken" Russell was an English film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. He attracted criticism as being obsessed with sexuality and the church... - Can't Stop the MusicCan't Stop the MusicCan't Stop the Music is a 1980 musical comedy film directed by Nancy Walker. It is a pseudo-biography of disco's Village People which bears only a vague resemblance to the actual story of the group's formation...
– Dir. Nancy WalkerNancy WalkerNancy Walker was an American actress and comedienne of stage, screen, and television. She was also a film and television director... - The Wind in the WillowsThe Wind in the WillowsThe Wind in the Willows is a classic of children's literature by Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. Alternately slow moving and fast paced, it focuses on four anthropomorphised animal characters in a pastoral version of England...
– Dir. Terry JonesTerry JonesTerence Graham Parry Jones is a Welsh comedian, screenwriter, actor, film director, children's author, popular historian, political commentator, and TV documentary host. He is best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team.... - Escape to AthenaEscape to AthenaEscape to Athena is a British adventure war film released in 1979, directed by George Pan Cosmatos and produced by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment. The international cast included many well-known actors of the 1970s, including Roger Moore, Telly Savalas and Elliott Gould.The film is set during the...
- Director George P. Cosmatos, 1979 - The FanThe FanThe Fan can refer to:*Fan district, a neighborhood in Richmond, Virginia*The Fan is a 1977 novel by Bob Randall*The Fan , a 1995 novel by US author Peter Abrahams...
- Starring Lauren BacallLauren BacallLauren Bacall is an American film and stage actress and model, known for her distinctive husky voice and sultry looks.She first emerged as leading lady in the Humphrey Bogart film To Have And Have Not and continued on in the film noir genre, with appearances in The Big Sleep and Dark Passage ,...