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Last Updated: 12 May 2006
Richard in Vancouver, BC to film movie
for A&E Networks
Richard's approach to Karl Mayer finds
favor with reviewers
Write ABC and Desperate Housewives!
Richard's "Desperate Housewives" Season
2 episodes -- that we know of.
Desperate Housewives Season 2
DVD set announced for August release
Richard attends Piaget and Vanity Fair-sponsored
party celebrating Teri Hatcher's new book
Richard attends Newport International Film
Festival Spring Benefit in NYC, launches Burgi item auction
Richard to attend Newport International Film
Festival in June
Official "Shanghai Red" website now
online, features bios, photos, and a trailer with lots of Richard
"Fun With Dick and Jane" Region
1 DVD now available; Richard plays Joe
The Sentinel: The Complete First
Season DVD set now available for purchase
Sentinel creators Danny Bilson & Paul DeMeo
record podcasts for selected Season One episodes
Sentinel DVD set news, reviews,
and interviews!
"Bailey's Mistake" to air on
the Hallmark Channel May 13th; Richard plays Paul Donovan
"Decoys" to air on the Sci Fi Channel in May
and June; Richard plays Detective Kirk
"Darklight" to air on the Sci Fi Channel
in May and June; Richard plays William Shaw
"Cellular" airs on the Encore Mystery cable
channel in May; Richard plays Craig Martin
Canada's SPACE: The Imagination Station now
airing "The Sentinel"
Richard's episodes of "The District"
airing domestically on the USA Network and internationally in Singapore
Catch Richard's "Judging Amy" episodes
on TNT's "Primetime in the Daytime"
Got a Burgi fan on your gift list? Amazon.com
has you covered!
Write to Richard through the RBFC
** To refer back to earlier News
pages, visit our Archive Page and select the appropriate quarterly listing
**
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[12 May 06] *** Richard
Burgi in Vancouver to film "Wildfires" for A&E *** -- Within days
of the start of the Desperate Housewives summer hiatus, Richard
was en route to his old Sentinel stomping grounds -- Vancouver,
BC, Canada -- to start work on "Wildfires," a TV movie for A&E
Television Networks.
Drawing some inspiration from the situations and events of the record-breaking
1988 wildfires which scorched Yellowstone National Park, "Wildfires"
focuses on a present-day Yellowstone firefighter and his team as they battle
a similarly monstrous inferno erupting over the July 4th holiday weekend.
Richard plays firefighter Richard Sellers (though the name will
most likely be changed) and costars with Scott Foley (Scrubs'
Sean Kelly; Felicity's Noel). The part of Yellowstone National Park
will be played by several Canadian Provincial Parks and areas including
Squamish
and E.C. Manning Park.
Filming on the Vancouver-based production will run from May 8th to June
5th, with John Lafia directing from a script by John Fasano
and Mark Wheaton. Produced by Cypress Point Productions
in association with Jaffe/Braunstein Films Ltd., "Wildfires" is
intended for the Fall 2006 lineup of original movies for A&E Television
Networks.
To learn more about "Wildfires," visit the film's IMDb page at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0796373/
To learn more about A&E Television Networks, visit the A&E website
at http://www.aetv.com.
(Thanks to Kat and Debbie for the research) |
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[12 May 06] *** Richard collects
kudos from TV reviewers for his Desperate Housewives work *** -- Richard
Burgi's Fall 2005 return to Desperate Housewives as a Series Regular has
proven quite successful, with Richard and his caddish character Karl earning
a steady stream of compliments and kudos from viewers and reviewers alike.
Richard plays
Karl Mayer, Susan (Teri Hatcher) Mayer's
cad of an ex-husband on
ABC's award-winning hit series. Introduced
in Season One's "Pretty Little Picture" and "Move On," Karl was back to
bedevil his ex in "One Wonderful Day," the highly-anticipated season finale.
Karl returned to Wisteria Lane for the second episode of Season Two and
has been around ever since, carrying a not-so-secret torch for his ex-ex-wife,
Susan, while shacking up with, and later proposing to, neighborhood sex-pot
Edie
(Nicollette Sheridan) Britt. In between rounds of juggling Susan and
Edie, Karl found time to hire on as Bree (Marcia Cross) Van De Kamp's
lawyer in the increasingly ugly emancipation battle with her son Andrew
(Shawn Pyfrom).
Our collection of recent kudos begins with the April 24th - 30th issue
of TV Guide, which put Desperate Housewives on the "HotList" and
said "Let's hear it for Richard Burgi. His lovable doofus Karl cracks
us up, even when he's breaking up with Edie. (Just don' tell her why!)"
Zap2it.com's Amy Amatangelo echoed the sentiment in her April
24th column, "TV
Gal Changes Her Mind."
"Richard Burgi as Karl on 'Desperate Housewives': We all know
that 'Desperate Housewives' has made some mistakes this season ... but
its smartest move was adding the delightful Burgi to the full time cast.
Burgi, who makes the most out of every scene he's in, is deliciously smarmy
but charming enough to make us understand why Susan would fall for his
shtick."
While Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune is "Desperate
to figure out" what all the fuss is about, she finds the cast to be
one of the shows' best assets. "I do think 'Housewives' has a talented,
even gifted cast (Richard Burgi, as Susan's ex-husband, Karl, deserves
a special shout-out for his impeccable comic timing)," said Ryan.
TVguide.com's Matt Webb Mitovich also interviewed Richard for
the online "Insider" column. The piece, titled "Richard
Burgi is Desperately Happy," found Mitovich chatting with Richard about
his return to Desperate Housewives, his take on Action, his
history with 24, and his plans for the summer hiatus, and the $64,000
question -- would he be back for Season 3?
"Burgi: Myself? I don 't know. Nobody knows. If the show is
back, I'll probably be coming back to stir up some s---. The cliff-hanger
is interesting in how it leaves several of us in a place where we're sort
of... uncertain."
To learn more about the show, visit the "Desperate
Housewives" page at the ABC website, which has been updated for Fall
2005.
(Thanks to Deborah, JoAnn, Julie, et al for article info, and to
Becky for the screengrabs) |
[12 May 06] *** Praise him, praise him
*** -- Now that Desperate Housewives is on summer hiatus, the
production staff is busily looking over the past season and making plans
for Fall 2006. This is an ideal time to contact The Powers That Be at ABC
and Desperate Housewives to let them know how much you have enjoyed Richard's
work with Karl this past season, and how much you look forward to seeing
him continue putting Karl through his paces come the Fall.
Richard joined the full-time cast of Desperate Housewives in July
2005 and has appeared in 15 of the 2005/06 season's 24 episodes as Karl
Mayer, Susan (Teri Hatcher) Mayer's ex-husband. Described by one TV
Guide correspondent as a "lovable doofus," Karl continued to moon
over Susan while stringing live-in girlfriend Edie (Nicollette Sheridan)
along and working as Bree's (Marcia Cross) lawyer. Richard has earned
repeated kudos from reviewers and columnists for his "impeccable comic
timing" as he's put Karl through his paces. Presumably Karl will be
back to further bedevil Susan in the upcoming Fall 2006 season.
Quick notes to ABC and the producers of Desperate Housewives are a good
way to remind The Powers That Be that you are watching and enjoying Richard's
work on their network and show. Let them know how much you're enjoying
seeing Richard putting Karl through his paces! Include a bit of demographic
information if you feel so inclined.
The ABC network can be contacted through the ABC website, where
an email "comment" option is provided:
-
Go to http://www.abc.go.com
-
Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you will find a line of text
links; look for the "contact ABC" link.
-
Click on the "contact ABC" link and fill in the appropriate blanks in the
comment form
-
type in your comments and click the appropriate button at the bottom of
the text window.
The show's producers, The Edestein Company, can be reached
by "snailmail" at the address below. A postcard is a quick and easy option
and is definitely more eye-catching, while a more traditional note allows
you to wax a tad more eloquent.
Desperate Housewives
The Edelstein Company
100 Universal City Plaza
Building 2128B
Suite G
Universal City, CA 91608
[12 May 06] *** Desperate Housewives
Update *** -- Thus far, we have confirmed (or are reasonably sure)
that Richard appears in the following episodes of the 2005/06 season:
Season Two (2005-2006)
-
"You Could Drive a Person Crazy" (02 Oct 05) Prod. #201, episode #2.02
-
"You'll Never Get Away From Me" (09 Oct 05) Prod. #202, episode #2.03
-
"Color and Light" (13 Nov 05) Prod. #206, episode #2.07
-
"One More Kiss" (08 Jan 06) Prod. #210, episode #2.11
-
"There's Something About a War" (22 Jan 06) Prod. #212, episode #2.13
-
"Silly People" (12 Feb 06) Prod. #213, episode #2.14
-
"Thank You So Much" (19 Feb 06) Prod. #214, episode #2.15
-
"There Is No Other Way" (12 Mar 06) Prod. #215, episode #2.16
-
"Could I Leave You?" (26 Mar 06) Prod. #216, episode #2.17
-
"Everybody Says Don't" (02 Apr 06) Prod. #217, episode #2.18
-
"Don't Look at Me" (16 Apr 06) Prod. #218, episode #2.19
-
"It Wasn't Meant to Happen" (30 Apr 06) Prod. #219, episode #2.20
-
"I Know Things Now" (07 May 06) Prod. #220, episode #2.21
-
"Remember, part 1" (21 May 06) Prod. #222, episode #2.23
-
"Remember, part 2" (21 May 06) Prod. #223, episode #2.24
As always, we advise viewers to watch
every Sunday to catch any
mentions of or appearances by caddish Karl!
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[12 May 06] *** The
Desperate Housewives Season Two "Extra Juicy Edition" DVD Set announced
for August release *** -- Desperate Housewives fans and Burgi aficionados
don't have long to wait for the feature-packed Season 2 DVD release.
As announced at the tvshowsondvd.com
website,
Buena
Vista Home Entertainment and Touchstone Television are preparing
the Season 2 DVD set for an August 29th release. In addition to
the 24 episodes of the 2005/06 season, the six-disc "Extra Juicy Edition"
set will contain an assortment of features and extras:
-
An exclusive unaired storyline featuring Susan (Teri Hatcher) Mayer
and her mother Sophie
-
A Director's Diary look at the steps and ingredients that go into
comepleting an episode
-
Insights and wisdom from a selection of "TV's most iconic housewives"
-
'Desperate Husbands': the male actors speak about the wives!
-
A joint interview with Creator/Executive Producer Marc Cherry and
his mother
-
Deleted scenes & Bloopers
-
Audio commentaries on selected episodes
-
"And Much More"
The DVD set is expected to have a MSRP of $59.99
Preliminary ordering information can be found at http://www.amazon.com
(Thanks to Gord at TVshowsonDVD for the updates) |
 |
[12 May 06]*** Richard attends party
celebrating Teri Hatcher's new book *** -- Richard Burgi joined
Teri
Hatcher and their "Desperate Housewives" castmates at the May
2nd party hosted by Piaget and Vanity Fair at the
Aqua
Lounge in Beverly Hills. The event celebrated the release of Teri's
new (and highly popular) memoir, "Burnt Toast and Other Philosophies
of Life."
The title is derived from Teri's personal observation that women --
mothers especially -- will often essentially short-change themselves to
make sure their children and loved ones get the best available; they'll
have the "burnt toast" themselves so that their loved ones get the best
pieces.
"Burnt Toast and Other Philosophies of Life," which also chronicles
Teri's misadventures with romance, has already climbed to sixth on the
Wall
Street Journal's list of best-sellers and is into multiple printings.
Online ordering information can be found at http://www.amazon.com
(Thanks to Debbie for the info) |
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[12 May 06] *** Richard Burgi
attends Newport International Film Festival (NIFF) Spring Benefit, launches
auction *** -- Richard flew into New York City to attend the event,
held on Thursday, April 20th at STEREO. In addition to entertaining
those in attendance with a few on-set anecdotes, Richard helped launch
an auction featuring a pair of Burgi items.
Though accessible through the NIFF website, the items were actually
being auctioned on Ebay. The auction ran from April 24th through May 1st.
The first item is a day with Richard on the Los Angeles set of "Desperate
Housewives," which will most likely take place in August after the
show returns to production for Season 3. The package also includes round-trip
airfare for two.
The second item is a "Film Fanatic" membership to the June 2006 Film
Festival, which features lunch with Richard at the Festival.
Additional details and information on the auction and the Newport International
Film Festival are available at the NIFF website at
http://www.newportfilmfestival.com
(Thanks to the NIFF for the auction information, and to NIFF's Joe
Ruggeri for the photo) |
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[12 May 06] *** Richard to attend
2006 Newport International Film Festival *** -- The Newport International
Film Festival (NIFF) has announced that Richard will attend the '06 Festival,
which is scheduled to take place June 6th - 11th in Newport, Rhode Island.
While we cannot say at present whether Richard will attend in an official
capacity, he will have lunch with the winner of the Film Festival auction
package.
The NIFF website gives the following description of the organization
and its mission:
NIFF is a 501© (3) non-profit corporation dedicated to the cultivation
of film’s history and future. This year’s Festival, which runs from June
6-11, offers nearly 100 screenings as well as daily film-related events,
lively panel discussions, parties and opportunities to meet and talk with
filmmakers from around the world. The Newport International Film Festival
has established itself as a truly first-class event.
For more information, visit the NIFF website at http://www.newportfilmfestival.com
(Thanks to the NIFF for the information on Richard's attendance at
the Festival, and to NIFF's Joe Ruggeri for the photo) |
 |
[12 May 06] *** Official
website for "Shanghai Red" now online *** -- Richard worked
on "Shanghai Red" in June 2005, traveling to Shanghai, China to shoot the
dramatic film from Mar de Oro Films. Richard stars with Vivian
Wu, who co-produced the film with her husband Oscar L. Costo,
who also wrote and directed the film.
In addition to the cast and crew biographical information and story
synopsis, the website features several galleries of production stills and
a trailer which whets the appetite and intrigues rather than giving away
the story.
(NOTE: The site requires Marcromedia Flash for proper access, and may
not open on browsers other than MSIE).
The "Shanghai Red" website gives the following description of the film:
SHANGHAI RED is the dramatic film about a young, contemporary mother,
Meili Zhu (Vivian Wu -- 'The Pillow Book', 'The Joy Luck Club', 'Heaven
and Earth'), in an ever-changing Shanghai.
Meili's guilt over her husband's death leads her into a double life
of murder and deception where she eventually meets Michael Johnson (Richard
Burgi -- 'In Her Shoes', 'Fun With Dick and Jane', '24'), an American expatriate
from Chicago escaping from his own dark past.
Shot in its entirety in Shanghai, China, SHANGHAI RED expores the
conflicts caused within the heart between tradition and modernization.
To learn more about the film, visit the "Shanghai Red" website at: http://www.shanghairedmovie.com
To learn more about Mar de Oro Films, visit the Mar de Oro site at:
http://www.mardeorofilms.com
(Thanks to DebbieLD for the website info) |
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[12 May 06] ***
"Fun with Dick and Jane" Region 1 DVD now available for purchase *** --
"Fun
With Dick and Jane" is now available on DVD at online sellers and at retail
outlets.
Jim Carrey and Tea Leoni play Dick and Jane Harper,
a couple who find themselves on the verge of financial collapse when Dick
loses his job. The Harpers turn to a life of crime to pay the bills, cooking
up madcap schemes and wild heists to support them in the manner to which
they have become accustomed. Richard plays their next-door neighbor Joe
Cleeman.
Joe and his wife Veronica (Angie Harmon), as the Harpers' next-door
neighbors, are the couple to beat in the pecking order sweepstakes, which
the opening scenes of the film set up with Joe and Dick's "who's got the
better car" shenanigans.
Trailers for "Fun with Dick and Jane" are still available at various
online sources. Richard appears in two scenes of the original trailer as
the Harper's next door neighbor, Joe, and in a shorter version of the "red
shirt" scene in the newer, office-based trailer.
The trailer is available at the following online locations:
The official site: http://www.funwithdickandjane.com/
The Apple QuickTime Trailers site: http://www.apple.com/trailers/
(Thanks to Richard and Kat for the initial info and to Deborah for
the online sleuthing) |
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[12 May 06] *** The
Sentinel Complete First Season DVD Set now available for purchase *** --
Though it has been a long time coming, fans of Richard Burgi and
The
Sentinel can now purchase the first season of the series (which ran
from 1996 to 1999) on DVD.
As announced at the tvshowsondvd.com
website, Paramount has released the show's first season (10 episodes) as
a 3-disc boxed set. The Sentinel: The Complete First Season was
released on April 18th.
Sadly, the otherwise attractively packaged DVD set does not include
any of the "extras" DVD purchasers now take for granted. This may be rectified
in later Season boxed sets.
Richard plays Jim Ellison, a former Army Ranger now working
as a detective in his Washington State hometown. A solitary stakeout reawakens
dormant sensory abilities which lead Ellison to doubt his sanity, until
a graduate student name Blair Sandburg (Garett Maggart) explains
what is happening to him. Ellison is a Sentinel, someone whose senses --
sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch -- are all developed to an extraordinary
degree. With Sandburg's help, and the cooperation of his boss, Captain
Simon Banks (Bruce A. Young), Ellison uses his abilities to give him
an edge in the war against crime.
Ordering information can be found at http://www.amazon.com
(Thanks to Becky and Steffi for the screengrabs) |
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[12 May 06]*** Sentinel creators and producers
Danny Bilson and Paul DeMeo record Season One episode commentaries*** --
One of the disappointments of the Sentinel Season One DVD set has been
the lack of episode commentaries. David Gutierrez is working with
Danny
Bilson and Paul DeMeo to record commentaries for various episodes
in the DVD set.
To date, Bilson and DeMeo have recorded commentaries for "Switchman"
(the pilot), and "Night Train," for which they were joined
by writer Harold Apter and director Bruce Bilson.
PC users will need to download the free iTunes application and
subscribe to the Pet Fly podcasts at the iTunes site. The initial
"get you started" information can be found at David Gutierrez' website:
http://www.dmgutierrez.com/podcasts
(Thanks to David Gutierrez for the info) |
[12 May 06] ***
Sentinel DVD release accompanied by DVD reviews and cast & creator
interviews *** -- The official release of The Sentinel Complete
First Season DVD set was heralded by a selection of reviews and interviews.
The reviews commented on the DVD set itself, and on the show, often finding
that the show had weathered the passage of time quite well, and that the
characters, as presented by Richard Burgi, Garett Maggart, and Bruce A.
Young, were as compelling as any now on TV.
Reviews of the Sentinel DVD set
Reviewer Gord Lacey of TVshowsonDVD.com gave the DVD set
an 8/10 rating for audio and video, though the total lack of extras was
a disappointment. Lacey found that "The Sentinel looks pretty darn good
for being 10 years old," going on to add "This was a very cool show.
I was worried it would be a tad cheesy - "Hey, I'm a super cop!" - but
I didn't find that to be the case. I liked the team of Ellison and Sandburg,
though Sandburg could be a tad annoying at times. I'm eager to check out
the second season, which was the first full season for the series."
Read the review here: http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/sitereviews.cfm?ReleaseID=5467
R.J. Carter of the-trades.com was favorably impressed
with the approach taken to Ellison's senses and the development of the
characters.
"The Sentinel is highly dramatic series, despite being ostensibly
about a superman. Unlike many superheroic character dramas, the police
are highly competent individuals (a far cry from the comedy team that patrolled
the streets of Central City in The Flash -- and Gotham City only ever had
Chief O'Hara!) Jim's Sentinel abilities just make him a lot more competent,
adding to the tension that the writers have put into the situations they've
created. Sandburg is also quite the capable tagalong, while providing a
social foil to Jim's conservative presence, all of which adds up to utterly
believable stories, despite being focused on a superhuman. Whether chasing
down serial killers, fighting off urban terrorists, or just going after
a gang of diamond thieves, the episodes still play out with the same level
of freshness and intensity as any cop show on the air today. With Richard
Burgi just as popular as ever, Paramount would do well to put together
a Sentinel reunion movie."
Carter's review can be found here: http://www.the-trades.com/article.php?id=4249
Kevin Gilvear of the UK-based DVDtimes site also offered
a favorable review of the show and cast, though he did feel that the show
sometimes fell short of its potential. Said Gilvear:
"What makes the series somewhat unique from any other cop show is
that creators Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo focus on the primal instinct
of man. The concept is certainly intriguing, making way for all kinds of
possibilities. Furthermore the central protagonist, Jim Ellison is trying
to come to terms with his new abilities, and as such the experience often
takes its toll on him and those around. Yet despite these many open doors
and available paths to travel the writers keep things very formulaic by
sticking to simple, tried and tested methods. Each week Ellison, with the
help of Sandburg would track down a baddie, sniff out some evidence and
run into a few dead ends until time came for him to use his brain powers
once more. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but ultimately it’s the
premise that makes us want to watch more; however Ellison’s use of such
senses are given certain restrictions from a narrative standpoint. Rather
than incorporate them to fuller effect the writers stick by standard cop
show conventions, which makes The Sentinel often run of the mill. ... Which
isn’t to say that The Sentinel is rubbish; it’s just more ordinary than
it should be."
Gilvear found that the casting was definitely part of the appeal of
the show. "Richard Burgi is certainly a wise choice to play Jim Ellison;
he’s charismatic which is always a strong point and he’s capable of dealing
with his emotions on a believable level, which can be difficult for such
a prominent role. Furthermore he’s funny and has a great smile, which always
makes ladies swoon. Garet Maggart proves to be a nice counter-balance alongside
Burgi, displaying a good repertoire and acting as the audience’s interpreter.
Naturally there are several opportunities for gags, and they do arise to
see each episode out on a happy note. With Bruce A. Young rounding off
the primary cast as an effective captain the series coasts by far better
than it might have otherwise deserved."
Gilvear's review can found at: http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=61209
Brett Cullum of DVDverdict.com also found the casting
of Richard Burgi to have been a sound decision.
"Ellison is played convincingly by Richard Burgi, who is enjoying
a career high by playing Susan's (Teri Hatcher) ex-husband on Desperate
Housewives. Here's where he cut his teeth on prime time drama after a failed
series in 1994 called One West Waikiki. Richard has been acting for almost
three decades, and has had stints on soaps like Another World and Days
of Our Lives. He was nearing forty when The Sentinel first hit the airwaves,
and it seems hard to believe a decade later he's looking just as good on
Desperate Housewives. My gossip connections in Los Angeles claim he's a
super sweet guy who is in a happy marriage that has survived over a decade
(that's probably good for thirty years of marital bliss anywhere else on
the planet). He's got a buff body, rugged profile, and piercing blue eyes.
Yeah, I kind of hate him for all that. Burgi is one of the reasons the
series actually works because he's so convincing and committed to the character.
He gives Ellison a gravitas that elevates the proceedings above its own
gimmick, allowing action and emotional turmoil to bubble up in his performance."
Cullum's verdict can be read here: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/sentinelseason1.php
Interviews with the cast and producers of The Sentinel
Starry Constellation magazine ran interviews in late March with
Richard Burgi and costar Garett Maggart, asking both actors a similar selection
of questions. In this instance, Richard's answers were more tongue-in-cheek
and Garett's more thoughtful.
StarryMag: Why should viewers not familiar with the show take
the time to check out the DVD?
RB: It's a great ride, it's really entertaining and I think there
is a lot in there, there is something that appeals to a cross section of
society.
The Starry Constellation interviews can be found here: http://www.starrymag.com/content.asp?ID=1303&CATEGORY=Interviews&PAGE=4
The Sci Fi Channel's Science Fiction Weekly interviewed Richard
and Garett in late April, working with a slate of complementary questions.
They led into the interviews with the following introduction:
Although the series ran for only three seasons, it attracted a dedicated
fan base whose continued support of the show inspired the studio to release
the first season on DVD. While Burgi has gone on to have a successful film
and television career (from the recent chick flick In Her Shoes to a recurring
role on Desperate Housewives), he still takes the time to visit conventions
and meet with fans. He and Maggart recently took the opportunity to look
back on the series and their involvement with it in an interview with Science
Fiction Weekly.
The Science Fiction Weekly interviews can be found here: http://www.scifi.com/sfw/interviews/sfw12617.html
The UnderGroundOnline site -- UGO -- also ran a combination
of DVD review and actor interviews written by UGO contributing editor Troy
Rogers. Rogers led into the review and interviews with the following
introduction:
Back in the mid-'90s, amid a flurry of quality network programming
with such series as The X-Files, The Outer Limits, and Millenium, UPN decided
to wade into the mix with their own sci-fi cop actioner The Sentinel. Part
bionic man without the bionics and part police dramedy, The Sentinel centered
around Detective James Ellison (Richard Burgi) as a hyper-sensitive, one-man
task force in which he could see and hear things like a finely tuned instrument,
originating when he was stranded in the Peruvian jungle for years as part
of a special forces unit. Don't worry, it's better than it sounds. In fact,
it's pretty damn great.
The UGO review and interviews can be found at: http://www.ugo.com/channels/dvd/features/thesentinel/default.asp
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[12 May 06] *** "Bailey's
Mistake" airs May 13th on the Hallmark Channel *** -- Catch Richard
in his all-too-fleeting scenes of "Bailey's Mistake" on Saturday, May
13th at 11:00am ET.
Filmed in Nova Scotia, Canada in June 2000, "Bailey's Mistake" premiered
on ABC's "Wonderful World of Disney" in March 2001. "Bailey's Mistake"
was described on the zap2it.com website as "laced with romantic longing,
wistful memories, quirky humor and fantasy."
Richard played Paul Donovan, husband of Linda Hamilton's Liz
Donovan, and father of their two children. Liz is widowed when
Paul -- an adventurous soul -- explores a cave while out hiking; he is
mysteriously killed, and Liz's heartbreak is compounded a week later when
she discovers that Paul had secretly used their savings to buy land on
a small Maine island. [When broadcast, this version of Paul's untimely
death had been replaced with a more mundane -- and only mentioned in dialogue
-- death from a heart-attack while out on a two-mile run].
Liz, still grieving for Paul and feeling betrayed by him, decides to
visit the island and sell the property, taking their two children with
her. Bailey's Mistake, as the island is named, is not what she expects
-- nor are the people they encounter, a group which includes an assortment
of colorful folk claiming to be Paul's long-lost relatives.
Richard's character, Paul Donovan, was only seen briefly in the movie
in a pair of dream flashbacks and a pair of ghostly visitations to his
son. Though more footage appears to have been shot -- the cave exploration
mentioned in the "zap2it" article features in one of Liz Donovan's dreams
-- Disney/Touchstone apparently decided to pare Paul's on-screen time down
considerably.
(Thanks to Becky for the screengrabs) |
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[12 May 06] *** Catch Richard when
"Decoys" airs on The Sci Fi Channel -- Tuesday, May 30th at 3:00am ET and
June 9th at 3:00am ET *** -- Richard plays Det. Francis Kirk in the
Canadian-made tongue-in-cheek blend of sci-fi and horror, which airs on
the Sci Fi Channel in late May and mid-June.
Richard made a quick trip to Ottawa, Canada, during March and
April 2003 for his role in Decoys, which director
Matt Hastings
described as "American Pie meets Species" -- a sci-fi thriller
set on a college campus. Richard plays Detective Francis Kirk. According
to the script, "He's a young cop who knows that he won't be in this small
town busting college students for party pranks for much longer. He thinks
he belongs somewhere between NYPD Blue and the cover of GQ."
The Species connection comes into play in the form of the beautiful
and -- let us say -- otherworldy young women who descend upon the college
campus in search of healthy and libidinous young men. Much as in Richard's
1998 version of I Married a Monster, alien beings come to Earth
in search of mates -- only this time, it's the Outer Space womenfolk who
are eager to reproduce. Unlike their Monster counterparts, these alien
"femmes" are quite literally "fatales," as their reproductive process leaches
the body-heat right out of their unfortunate paramours.
Richard's Detective Kirk becomes involved when the extraterrestrial
temptresses leave a string of frozen young men in their wake. |
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[12 May 06] *** Catch Richard
when Sci Fi airs "Darklight" on Thursday, May 25th at 12:00am ET
and Saturday, June 17th at 3:00pm ET *** -- Richard headed off
to Sofia, Bulgaria in late July '03 to join the cast of UFO Films'
"Darklight," a Sci Fi Channel Original Production for the
2004-05
broadcast season. Richard played William Shaw and was joined by
Shiri Appleby (Roswell's Liz) as Lilith. Star Trek's John
de Lancie and Stargate: Atlantis' David Hewlett also star in
Darklight. Principal photography began on July 28th and wrapped the
week of August 18th.
The Sci Fi Channel's listing for "Darklight" gave this description:
"A secret society fights evil with evil in this atmospheric original
thriller.
Shiri Appleby (TV's Roswell), Richard Burgi (The Sentinel, SCI FI
Pictures' Decoys), John de Lancie (Q from the Star Trek franchise) and
David Hewlett (Stargate Atlantis, SCi FI Pictures' Boa vs. Python, the
indie hit Cube) star in this tale of an ancient demoness named Lilith,
who has been captured by a secret society known as The Faith.
Her true nature concealed by a powerful spell, Lilith lives as a
24-year-old woman with no memory of her ageless past -- until William Shaw
(Burgi) of The Faith recruits her to help him stop the Demonicos, a rampaging
monster that is spreading a lethal plague across the Earth and whose only
vulnerability is to Lilith's unique mystical power, known as Darklight.
As the duo race to slay the creature, they unwittingly expose a treacherous
conspiracy within The Faith itself. Lilith has the power to set things
right -- but now she has been reawakened to her true nature, will she resume
her own evil ways? Trusting her is a life-or-death gamble for humanity,
but it's one that William Shaw has no choice but to take." |
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[12 May 06] *** "Cellular"
airs throughout May on the Encore Mystery Channel *** -- Richard plays
Craig
Martin, the "wrong place at the wrong time" realtor husband of movie
heroine Jessica (Kim Basinger) Martin. Unbeknownst to Jessica,
Craig has videotaped crooked cops executing drug dealers -- and the crooked
cops are desperate to tidy up loose ends. To get Craig and the camera,
they abduct Jessica and the Martin's young son. Jessica has one ace up
her sleeve -- she's managed to patch a busted phone together enough to
tap out random phone numbers, and the guy on the other end, Ryan (Chris
Evans), is willing to help. Problem is, he's on a cellphone, doesn't
know where Jessica is... and his battery's running low.
Encore Mystery Channel listings for "Cellular"
Saturday, May 13th -- 11:35am & 8:00pm ET
Sunday, May 14th -- 8:20am ET
Wednesday, May 17th -- 12:40pm & 9:45pm ET
Thursday, May 18th -- 6:45am ET
For further details, go to the Encore website at:
http://www.encoretv.com/
(Thanks to TV-now.com for the heads up, to Danny for the screengrabs,
and to Starz for the scheduling info) |
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[12 May 06] *** The Sentinel
now airing in original, uncut form on Canada's SPACE: The Imagination
Station ***-- SPACE is now airing The Sentinel on Tuesdays,
at 10:00pm ET with the episode repeating the following morning at 11:00am.
Richard Burgi plays series lead Jim Ellison, a former
Army Ranger now working as a detective for the Cascade PD in his Washington
State hometown. Ellison finds himself almost overwhelmed when his dormant,
and repressed, hyperactive senses are brought back online after a period
of solitude on a remote stakeout. Anthropology doctoral candidate Blair
Sandburg (Garett Maggart), whose chosen field of research is "Sentinels"
-- people with such enhanced senses -- has the answers Ellison needs to
control and work with his powerful and unpredictable abilities. Ellison's
long-suffering captain, Simon Banks (Bruce A. Young) helps Ellison
and Sandburg make the most of Ellison's sensory advantage by watching their
backs and keeping their extrasensory escapades under the radar as much
as possible.
May and June schedule, Season 3 episodes:
May 16th/17th - "The Girl Next Door"
May 23rd/24th - "Poachers"
June 6th/7th - "The Inside Man"
For further details, go to the website of Space: The Imagination Station:
http://www.spacecast.com
(Thanks to Laura, Katherin, and Kay Lynne for the SPACE heads up,
and to Steffi for the screengrabs) |
 |
[12 May 06] *** "The
District" airing in repeats on the USA Network; Richard appears in Seasons
1, 3, and 4*** -- USA is currently airing the show weekdays
at 9:00am ET. Remember to check your local listings or the USA
Network site for additional information:
http://www.usanetwork.com/series/thedistrict/
USA's episode rotation is once again launching into Season 1, which
contains seven of Richard's episodes. Airing in May and early June are:
"Surveillance" -- Monday, May 15th at 9am
"How They Lived" -- Wednesday, May 17th at 9am
"The Santa Wars" -- Tuesday, May 23rd at 9am
"The D.C. Strangler" -- Wednesday, May 24th at 9am
"The Agony and the Ecstasy" -- Monday, June 5th at 9am
"Running Towards Fire" -- Tuesday, June 6th at 9am
The show is also airing in syndication in Singapore.
A complete listing of Richard's episodes of "The District" can
be found on the Filmography page,
with an expanded listing and episode details on the District
Guide page.
Richard appeared in three of the show's four seasons in a total
of twelve episodes, playing the recurring role of the prickly and suspicious
Captain
Vincent Hunter, head of the DC Police Department's Internal Affairs
Division.
Unfortunately, the show did not take maximum advantage of the Hunter
character, though they established an intriguing back-story for him in
the first season episode "The DC Strangler." Ella Farmer (played by
the late Lynn Thigpen) told Chief Mannion (Craig T. Nelson)
a bit about Hunter. He was a highly-decorated officer with a relatively
high solve rate while in Homicide, a department he left after discovering
his wife -- also a police officer -- in bed with his partner..
(Thanks to Debbie for the USA info, to Gerri for the Singapore broadcast
info, to Becky and Erin for the District screengrabs, and to the Epguides
website for production details) |
 |
[12 May 06] *** Look for
Richard's episodes of Judging Amy on TNT's "Primetime in the Daytime" ***--
Richard
appeared in six episodes of the recently canceled CBS Primetime drama,
playing Judge Amy (Amy Brenneman) Grey's ex-husband, Michael
Cassidy in the following episodes:
"The Justice League of America" (Wednesday, May 24th)
"Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition" (Monday, May 29th)
"Lost In The System" (Tuesday, May 30th)
"People of the Lie" (Monday, Jun 5th)
"The Best Interests of the Child" (Wednesday, Jun 7th)
"Marry, Marry Quite Contrary" (Wednesday, Jun 14th)
Judging Amy airs in two-episode blocks weekdays as part of TNT's
"Primetime in the Daytime," where it appears Monday - Friday at 12:00noon
and 1:00pm ET/PT.
A complete list of Richard's Judging Amy episodes can be found at the
Filmography
Page, with an expanded listing and episode details on the Judging
Amy Guide page.
Visit the TNT website for further information, and check your local
listings, as well as the TVNow website.
TNT's website -- http://www.tnt.tv/
TVNow listing -- www.tv-now.com/
(Thanks to Becky and Erin for the Judging Amy screengrabs, to TNT
for the scheduling info, and to the Epguides website for production details) |
[12 May 06]*** Check out the Burgi Bonanza
at amazon.com *** -- All the items listed below are available at either
amazon.com or its subsidiary, amazon.ca, and all feature Richard Burgi
in some capacity. **NOTE** Always verify the current prices at Amazon.com,
as they do fluctuate with market forces.
Your amazon.com account information will work equally well with the
Canadian subsidiary.
Amazon in the USA: http://www.amazon.com/
Amazon in Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/
 |
1) Desperate Housewives - The Complete Second Season (2004) DVD
Set -- MSRP $59.99
Release date: August 29, 2006. Not yet available for purchase.
ASIN: B000FIMG4U
Richard appears in 16 of the season's 24 episodes, still carrying a
torch for his ex-wife Susan while shacking up with neightborhood sex-pot
Edie.
|
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1) Fun With Dick and Jane (Widescreen?) (2005) DVD -- $14.46 (50%
discount)
Release date: April 11, 2006. Now available for pre-order.
ASIN: B000E8N8H0
2) Fun With Dick & Jane [SOUNDTRACK] -- $17.98 (no discount)
Release date: January 24, 2006. Now available.
ASIN: B000CQQHEU
Richard plays Joe Cleeman, Dick Harper's next-door neighbor and nemesis
in the "keeping up with the Joneses" arena. One of the film's first scenes
finds Joe and Dick engaged in a game of "my car's better than your car." |
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1) The Sentinel - The Complete First Season (3pc) (Full) (1996)
DVD Set -- $33.96 (15% discount)
Release date: April 18, 2006. Now available purchase.
ASIN: B000E1NXCM
2) The Sentinel: Original Soundtrack (1996 Television Series) [SOUNDTRACK]
-- used & new from $14.50
Release date: February 24, 1998
ASIN: B00000636Q
Richard plays Jim Ellison, a former Army Ranger now working in his Washington
State hometown as a detective in the Major Crime unit. Ellison is genetically
blessed -- or cursed -- with enhanced senses; sight, hearing, smell, taste,
and touch are all far more acute than the norm. With the aid of graduate
student Blair Sandburg, Jim learns those like him are called Sentinels,
and in ages past, they served as watchmen and protectors of their communities.
More importantly, he learns how to use his senses to his advantage as a
modern-day crime-fighter. |
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Action: The Complete Series (2pc) (Full) (1999) DVD Set -- $15.99
(35% discount)
Release date: February 21, 2006. Now available.
ASIN: B000CQQ18K
Richard plays Cole Riccardi in two episodes of the controversial and
short-lived Fox series. "Pilot" introduces us to Peter Dragon and his production
company, and to Cole Riccardi, Dragon's action movie leading man of choice.
"Blowhard" finds Dragon backing himself into a corner when he scrambles
to convince closeted Cole that coming out as a gay man isn't a prudent
career move. |
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"In Her Shoes" (Widescreen Edition) (2005) DVD -- $19.36 (35%
discount)
Release date: January 31, 2006. Now available.
ASIN: B000CCW2P2
Richard plays Jim Danvers, a senior partner at the law firm where Rose
Feller (Toni Collette) works. Jim, something of a cad, strives to mend
his ways while involved with Rose, and all is well until Rose's floozyish
sister Maggie (Cameron Diaz) takes up temporary residence on her sister's
couch. Rose catches Jim and Maggie en flagrante in her bed, which launches
the film's major character odysseys for the Feller sisters. |
 |
Seinfeld Season Five (1990) DVD Set -- $36.99 (25% discount)
Release date: November 22, 2005. Now available for purchase.
ASIN: B000BBOUEU
Richard appears on Disc 4 in "The Hamptons," playing Dr. Ben, the handsome
pediatrician Elaine takes a shining to. Elaine is quite pleased to be described
as "breathtaking" by Ben, until she realizes he uses the same word to describe
their hosts' spectacularly ugly baby. Meanwhile, George suffers cold water
induced "shrinkage" and is seen naked by Jerry's girlfriend. |
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The Flash - The Complete Series (1990) DVD Set -- $44.66 (25% discount)
Release date: January 10, 2006. Now available for purchase.
ASIN: B000BPL2EM
Richard appears in "Deadly Nightshade," playing handsome, wealthy, and
mentally unbalanced Curtis Bohannan. Tormented by the deeds of his deceased
father, Bohannan takes up the persona of a hero of yesteryear, a vigilante
known as the Deadly Nightshade. Unfortunately, Bohannan is considerably
more reckless and violent than the original, and soon crosses swords with
The Scarlet Speedster himself. |
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Point Pleasant - The Complete Series (2005) DVD Set -- $19.97 (50%
discount)
Release date: October 25, 2005. Now available for purchase.
ASIN: B000A9QKT6
Richard appears in all 13 episodes of the short-lived FOX dramatic supernatural
series, playing Dr. Ben Kramer, patriarch of the Kramer family. Ben and
his family -- wife Meg (Susan Walters) and daughter Judy (Aubrey Dollar)
-- take the mysterious Christina (Elisabeth Harnois)into their home as
she strives to find out who she is and where she comes from. |
 |
1) Desperate Housewives - The Complete First Season (2004) DVD Set
-- $59.99 (no discount)
Release date: September 20, 2005. Now available for purchase.
ASIN: B00079FU16
2) Desperate Housewives: Behind Closed Doors (Paperback; first season
companion book) -- $11.67 (34% discount)
Release date: September 28, 2005. Now available for purchase.
ISBN: 1401308260
Richard appears in 3 episodes of the first season of ABC's blockbuster
satirical drama series. The third episode introduces him as Karl Mayer,
flaky midlife-crisis-ing ex-husband of Susan (Teri Hatcher) Mayer. Karl
remains a part of Susan's life as the father of their teenage daughter,
and pops up to bedevil Susan at the most inopportune times.
Both the series and Teri Hatcher earned Golden Globes for this season. |
 |
24 Season One (2001) DVD Set -- $34.66 (42% discount)
ASIN: B00005JLF2
Richard appears in 12 episodes of the first season of FOX's ground-
and record-breaking drama series. The first episode introduces him as Alan
York, concerned father of a missing daughter. As the series unfolds, we
discover Alan is not who he appears -- he is, in fact, Kevin Carroll, a
cold-blooded assassin and mercenary.
The series and series lead Kiefer Sutherland would go on to earn Golden
Globes for this season. |
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24: The House Subcommittee's Findings at CTU by Marc Cerasini and
Alice Alfonsi -- $11.02 (35% discount)
ISBN: 0060535504
This book is set within the world of 24, providing background information
on the characters involved in the unfolding story. Richard's character,
the murderous mercenary Kevin Carroll, is shown to be an ex-Fed with an
unsavory past.
|
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CSI: Crime Scene Investigation- The Complete Third Season
(2001) DVD Set -- $67.99 (19% discount)
ASIN: B0001906X6
Richard appears in the episode "High and Low" as paragliding instructor
Rick Weston. (Trivia note: "Starship Troopers 2" costar Colleen Porch also
appears in "High and Low").
|
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Cellular (2004) DVD, Widescreen, Region 1 encoding -- $12.99
(13% discount)
ASIN: B0006D3HGA
Richard plays Craig Martin, husband of Kim Basinger's Jessica Martin.
Craig, a realtor, finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time
and observes -- and videotapes -- crooked cops executing hoodlums. Craig
secures the camera in his safety deposit box, and calls to warn Jessica.
Unfortunately, the crooked cops get to the Martin home before Jessica gets
the message.
|
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1) Cellular (novelization by Pat Cadigan) -- $7.99 (no discount)
ISBN: 1844161048
2) Cellular (Score) [SOUNDTRACK] -- $16.98 (no discount)
ASIN: B00049QLC8
The novelization will be an interesting read, especially if it delves
a little deeper into the character of Craig Martin (Richard's role in "Cellular")
"Cellular" is also available on DVD.
|
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Decoys (2003) DVD [US market version] -- $12.99 (13% discount)
ASIN: B0002J4X3O
Richard plays Detective Francis Kirk in this tongue-in-cheek take on
the "aliens need humans to reproduce" sci-fi theme. Director Matt Hastings
has described "Decoys" as a meeting of "American Pie" and "Species."
There are two versions of the DVD currently available. The US-market
version available through amazon.com does not include the deleted
scenes and bloopers included in the Canadian-market version (see next entry). |
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Canadian-market version from amazon.ca
Decoys (2003) DVD -- CDN $13.46 (10% discount)
ASIN: B00029QQRK
New release: 07 June 2005
The Canadian-market DVD includes an assortment of deleted scenes, the
bloopers, a "making of" special, and a photo gallery. The deleted scenes
help explain some aspects of the film which are confusing or vague in the
theatrical release, and Richard's scenes and bloopers are hilarious. |
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1) Firefly - The Complete Series (2002) DVD -- $24.96 (50% discount)
ASIN: B0000AQS0F
2) Firefly (Original Television Soundtrack) [SOUNDTRACK] -- $12.98
(28% discount)
ASIN: B000BL14PQ
Richard appears in the episode "The Message" as Lt. Womack, an unscrupulous
Alliance Enforcement officer. Womack is after an old war buddy of Malcolm
and Zoe's and is quite determined to get what he's after.
Had the series continued, Womack would probably have become a recurring
character. |
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1) Starship Troopers 2 - Hero of the Federation (2004) DVD -- $12.99
(13% discount)
ASIN: B0001XAOQ6
New release: 07 July 2005
2) Starship Troopers 2 (Score) [SOUNDTRACK] -- $17.98 (no discount)
ASIN: B00028HOC2
Richard plays Captain V.J. Dax in "Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the
Federation." The DVD includes the widescreen movie, a "making of" featurette
which includes interviews with the cast and behind the scenes footage,
a photo gallery, and look at the animation process.
The soundtrack CD presents the entire "Troopers 2" suite, which includes
the haunting Dax's Theme. |
[12 May 06] *** Write to Richard care of
the RBFC! *** -- Richard has asked us to encourage anyone interested in
sending cards or letters to him to use the RBFC mailing address, which
is listed below. This allows Richard to better handle
his incoming mail, which he certainly enjoys receiving, provided it comes
through appropriate channels.
Mr. Richard Burgi
RBFC
10153 1/2 Riverside Drive, #494
Toluca Lake, CA 91602
USA
We cannot emphasize strongly enough that mail should not be
sent to Richard's home address! Receiving fan mail through his
home address is a disquieting experience and cause for concern, especially
from the standpoint of privacy and safety. If you have come across
what you believe may be his home address, please, do NOT use it! We
-- and Richard -- would greatly appreciate it if you would let us
know where you came across the address by using this e-mail
link to the RBFC.
While postcards, letters, and cards will be promptly forwarded
to Richard, we cannot forward packages; he has asked that no gifts
be sent to him. Though Richard appreciates the goodwill and generosity
those gifts represent, he finds them a little overwhelming. Richard
would be honored if, instead, wellwishers made a donation in his name to
a local children's shelter or literacy program, or to the Pacific
Marine Mammal Center.
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