Jim Seals, Co-Founder of '70s Group Seals and Crofts, Dead at 80

Another football tragedy. Former NFL star Tony Siragusa died at the age of 55.

died on Sunday, after a battle with cancer. He was 70.The news of his death was confirmed to by his son, Matt, who shared, «He was loved by his family so much. His family was with him throughout the entire time of his illness.

With its affection for loopy gadgets, unlikely friendships, and large vegetables, the new UK comedy “Brian and Charles” resembles a live-action Aardman film. (Think “Wallace & Gromit” shot to look like a documentary.) On a new Be Reel, I chat with director Jim Archer (“The Young Offenders,” “Big Boys”) about his debut feature.

Writer/Producer/Director Theodore Melfi has a different take than those who think independent filmmaking is becoming an endangered species, and in fact he tells me right now we are in “a golden age of independent film”. That may be one of the reasons he is bullish about both films he has at this week’s Tribeca Festival in New York City – independently produced movies he is helping shepherd along. On Corner Office which stars Jon Hamm he is an Executive Producer, and on American Dreamer he is the screenwriter as well as a producer of the comedy that stars Peter Dinklage, Shirley MacLaine, and Matt Dillon. Both are for sale and the bottom line is Melfi truly believes the audience will dictate whatever the perfect form of distribution is, whether it be theatrical, streaming, digital VOD, or a combination of all three.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans EditorOscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer admits he’s been up and working since 3 a.m. when he calls Variety from London.

Thania Garcia Roddy Ricch took the stage at New York radio station Hot 97’s Summer Jam on Sunday (June 12), just 24 hours after being released from custody on weapons possession charges. Although those charges against him have since been dropped, that didn’t stop the Compton-born rapper from leading a fiery “fuck NYPD” chant with his festival audience.Ricch — whose real name is Rodrick Wayne Moore, Jr.

Jonathan Cohen The creators and executive producers of the beloved FXX series “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” are taking their podcast to the live stage for the first time.Glenn Howerton (Dennis), Charlie Day (Charlie) and Rob McElhenney (Mac) will bring “The Always Sunny Podcast” to the Bourbon and Beyond festival in Louisville, Ky., on Sept. 17, and then again the next night for a homecoming show of sorts at the Met in Philadelphia.Tickets for Bourbon and Beyond are already on sale.

EXCLUSIVE: Call Me Kat is changing showrunners again.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorWhile he hasn’t been active in the music world for a couple of decades, Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records, is indisputably one of the greatest record executives in history. The list of artists that the company spawned under his watch is astonishing and arguably without peer for a company of its size: U2, Bob Marley, Nick Drake, King Crimson, Roxy Music, Traffic, Free, Cat Stevens, Grace Jones, Robert Palmer, Brian Eno, Steve Winwood, Jethro Tull, Fairport Convention, Toots & the Maytalls, the Cranberries, Marianne Faithfull, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, King Sunny Ade, Eric B.

Jim Seals, of Seals & Crofts, has died at the age of 80. The '70s music star's death was announced by his cousin Brady Seals on Instagram. "I just learned that James ‘Jimmy’ Seals has passed," Brady wrote.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterFX is developing a series based on the life of Hiroaki “Rocky” Aoki, best known as the founder of the Benihana restaurant chain, Variety has learned exclusively from sources.The series is currently titled “American Hiro” and is based in part on the book “Making It in America: The Life and Times of Rocky Aoki” by Jack McCallum.Representatives for FX and 20th Television declined to comment.The series will delve into Aoki’s colorful life as a mogul and businessman, from founding Benihana to being an Olympic wrestler, professional speed boat racer, hot air balloonist, and nightclub impresario. It will also examine his complicated relationship with his family and his attempts to reconcile his Japanese heritage with his American dreams. Jonathan Abrams created the series and will serve as an executive producer.

has died. He was 80.Seals died on Monday and it was confirmed by several family members and friends on social media.

A post shared by Brady Seals (@bradysealsofficial)The duo caused controversy in 1974 with the release of ‘Unborn Child’, an anti-abortion song that was written shortly after the Roe V Wade Supreme Court decision. It was banned by a number of radio stations.Speaking to Los Angeles Times in the ’90s, Seals said of the song: “It was our ignorance that we didn’t know that kind of thing was seething and boiling as a social issue.

Jim Seals, the singer-songwriter-guitarist who scored Top 10 pop hits with “Diamond Girl,” “Summer Breeze” and “Get Closer” as one half of the soft-rock duo Seals & Crofts, died Monday. He was 80.

on Instagram. “Please keep them in your prayers. What an incredible legacy he leaves behind.”Seals & Crofts helmed the era of soft rock, with a string of hit tracks in the ’70s including “Summer Breeze,” “Diamond Girl” and “Get Closer,” which featured Carolyn Willis.

Facebook.“I just learned that James ‘Jimmy’ Seals has passed,” he wrote. “My heart just breaks for his wife Ruby and their children.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music CriticJim Seals, who as part of the duo Seals and Crofts crafted memorably wistful 1970s hits like “Summer Breeze” and “Diamond Girl,” died Monday at age 80.Several friends and relatives confirmed the death. “This is a hard one on so many levels as this is a musical era passing for me.