Curt Schleier is a freelance writer and author who covers business and the arts for a variety of publications. Follow him on Twitter at @tvsoundoff.
Curt Schleier
By Curt Schleier
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The Schmooze How Jerry Adler Became Hollywood’s Go-To Jew
Photo: Joan Marcus Jerry Adler is probably best known for his role as Herman “Hesh” Rabkin, Jewish adviser to Tony Soprano on the worldwide HBO hit “The Sopranos.” Adler, 86, currently appears in “Fish in the Dark,” the Larry David comedy on Broadway. It’s a small but pivotal role as Sidney Drexel, father to David’s…
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The Schmooze 10 Food Movies Everyone Should See
While it may seem as though deli food is the only grub worthy of cinematic treatment, some foolish auteurs have tackled others. Here are some of the best food films ever, in our humble opinion. 1. The Hundred-Foot Journey (Lasse Hallström, 2014) Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren) is not pleased when Indian immigrants open a restaurant…
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The Schmooze ‘Deli Man’ Pays Homage to Jewish Comfort Food
Photo courtesy Cohen Media Group For many Jews, much of their identity revolves around a bagel with shmear or a hot pastrami sandwich. And in mid-20th-century America, there were plenty of places they could indulge their cultural-culinary passions. In 1931, New York City alone was home to over 1,500 kosher delicatessens. Today, not so much….
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Culture ‘Downton Abbey’ Creator Weighs in on His Debt to Judaism
Julian Fellowes was to the manor born. It just wasn’t a “Downton Abbey”-size manor. Fellowes, of course, is the creator, sole writer, and executive producer of “Downton Abbey,” arguably the greatest global television phenomenon of the 21st century. Here in the U.S., where it is concluding its fifth season, it is the most popular series…
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The Schmooze In New HBO Special, Mel Brooks Is in Fine Form
“Good evening ladies and Jews.” That, Mel Brooks explains, is the way he used to start his shtick in the Catskills resorts where he honed his craft. It’s also how he begins his outstanding January 31 HBO stand up (and given his 86 years, partly sit-down) special, “Mel Brooks: Live at the Geffen.” Brooks offers…
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The Schmooze 12 Sibling Teams That Changed Hollywood
Getty Images Nancy, Anne and — who was that other one? — oh yes, Steven Spielberg aren’t the only siblings in film. In fact, the list is longer than you might imagine. 1. Joel and Ethan Coen If there’s one constant in the Coens’ collaboration, it’s the consistent high quality of their work: “Barton Fink,”…
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The Schmooze Why Nancy Spielberg Made a Movie About the Israeli Air Force
“Above and Beyond,” the documentary about the birth of the Israeli Air Force, started with an obituary. This according to the film’s executive producer, Nancy Spielberg. Yes, for the record, she is one of those Spielbergs. Yet, despite her impressive credentials — she served as a consultant on the Oscar-winning documentary, “Chernobyl Heart,” and executive…
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The Schmooze 10 Movies for International Holocaust Remembrance Day
It seems more than a little disturbing to talk about the Holocaust and good movies in one sentence, but the former has certainly inspired many of the latter. In fact, there is an embarrassment of riches. This is a good thing, because any effort to educate the world about the horrors of genocide is important….
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