Last Updated: 01 June 2006 Richard to lead panel discussion at Newport International Film Festival in June Richard attends Newport International Film Festival Spring Benefit in NYC, launches Burgi item auction Richard in Vancouver, BC to film movie "Wildfires" for A&E Networks Richard appears in two of three "Housewives" episodes presented on DVD by Touchstone for Emmy consideration Catch Richard in new ABC "One Network" Primetime promos Richard's approach to Karl Mayer finds favor with reviewers Write ABC and Desperate Housewives! "Desperate Housewives" updates and Richard's Season 2 episodes. 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 Burgi and Teri Hatcher make Life & Style magazine's "Out & About" page "Shanghai Red" presented at Cannes by Mar de Oro, says Chinadaily.com 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 June; Richard plays Detective Kirk "Darklight" to air on the Sci Fi Channel in June; Richard plays William Shaw "Cellular" airs on the Starz and Starz Edge cable channels in June; 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 ** [01 June 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. Richard will be the featured speaker at a panel discussion titled "Inside Hollywood with Richard Burgi," which will be held on Wednesday, June 7th at 4:00pm at the Newport Blues Cafe.  The NIFF website gives the following description of the panel: "Currently supporting the feisty females of Desperate Housewives, Richard Burgi has had a varied film and television career. Appearing in such hit TV shows as 24, Judging Amy and The District, but also in hit films, including In Her Shoes, Fun with Dick and Jane and Starship Troopers 2. In addition to his love of acting, Richard also supports several environmental conservation efforts and is a proud family man. Join Richard for an intimate conversation on his varied life and career at the Newport Blues Café." Tickets for the panel  (identified as pnl001) are available through the NIFF box office and are priced at $10 per person. (Box office details and information about the Festival itself are available at the NIFF website). http://www.newportfilmfestival.com/2005/programMisc.asp?cat=15 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. (Thanks to the NIFF for the information on Richard's attendance at the Festival, and to NIFF's Joe Ruggeri for the NYC Benefit photo) [01 June 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 was 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 winning bid on the set tour was $2,650.00  The second item was a "Film Fanatic" membership for two to the June 2006 Film Festival, which features lunch with Richard at the Festival. The package also includes two nights accommodations at a local hotel or bed & breakfast. The winning bid was $1,850.00 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) [01 June 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 inspiration from the situations and events of the record-breaking 1988 wildfires which scorched Yellowstone National Park, and from co-producer Rocky Barker's book "Scorched Earth," "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 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, Princeton, 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) [01 June 06]*** Richard Burgi appears in two of the three episodes presented by Touchstone Television on their "For your consideration" Emmy candidate DVD *** -- Richard appears in "One More Kiss" and "Could I Leave You," two of the three episodes submitted for Emmy consideration by Desperate Housewives producers Touchstone Television. "One More Kiss" finds Karl attending one of Bree's chic soirees as Edie's date. The party sets events in motion which relate to the "kiss" theme of the episode, while Karl is recruited by Bree to serve as her lawyer in her impending legal battle with scheming son Andrew. In one of the more memorable scenes, Karl gives Andrew a richly-deserved dressing down, calling him on his disgraceful treatment of his mother. "Could I Leave You?" shows Karl up to some scheming of his own as he maneuvers Susan's new beau Dr. Ron into a confrontation with Mike "the Plumber" Delfino.  When Susan's budding romance with Ron is threatened by her insurance scam remarriage to Karl, she arm-twists Karl into attending a "meet my Ex" dinner with Ron. Karl, less than thrilled by the canoodling going on at table, spots Mike returning home across the street and loosens a fitting under the sink. Ron is lured into the kitchen and then dispatched to the home of "the Plumber," where he learns Delfino is the inspiration for Susan's "Mike is loooooove." Ron and Mike come to blows in the street while Puppet Master Karl gleefully watches from the kitchen as he eats his dessert. (Thanks to PetErased for the info and to Becky for the screengrabs) [01 June 06]*** Richard Burgi appears in new ABC "One" Primetime promo *** -- Richard appears in a closeup in one of the scenes chosen to represent  Desperate Housewives in the new "One Network" promos now airing on ABC. The promo consists of a mix of scenes and actor closeups from ABC's lineup of popular hour-long shows -- Desperate Housewives, LOST, Grey's Anatomy, Boston Legal, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and Wife Swap -- and scenes and audio from "One," by Mary J. Blige featuring U2, serving as both soundtrack and unifying thread emphasizing the "One" theme -- one world, one love, one network. Richard is joined in the promo footage by Housewives castmates Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Eva Longoria, and Ricardo Chavira. Richard's scene is taken from the episode "Could I Leave You?" The new promos in all likelihood came out of the recent ABC "Up Front," at which the Fall 2006 lineup and schedule was announced. Look for Richard in the longer "One" promo, which has thus far been seen in Primetime hours and in the combo end credits/network promo block at the end of shows such as Grey's Anatomy and LOST. [01 June 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 sexpot 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, 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. (Thanks to Deborah, JoAnn, Julie, et al for article info, and to Becky for the screengrabs)  [01 June 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 them 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 [01 June 06] *** Desperate Housewives Update *** -- Desperate Housewives is now on summer hiatus and will go back into production for the 2006/07 season in July. 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 [01 June 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) [01 June 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) [01 June 06]*** Richard Burgi and Teri Hatcher featured in Life & Style magazine's "Out & About" section *** -- 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 May 22nd issue of weekly magazine Life & Style features a photo of Richard and Teri at the Aqua Lounge party on the "Out & About" page. The photo ran with the following caption: "Teri Hatcher celebrated the release of her new book, Burnt Toast: And Other Philosophies of Life, in LA on May 2 with her Desperate Housewives co-star Richard Burgi and some champagne."   [01 June 06]*** Richard Burgi's new film, "Shanghai Red," goes to Cannes ***  -- According to Chinadaily.net, star and co-producer Vivian Wu (listed in the article by her Chinese name, Junmei Wu) and her husband, director, writer, and co-producer Oscar L. Costo presented "Shanghai Red" at two special screenings at the Cannes Film Festival. Chinadaily had this to say: "The film 'Shanghai Red,' produced by Oscar L. Costo and Junmei Wu, will have two rounds of special shows at this year's Cannes Film Festival. The story is about a modern Shanghai woman's especially difficult experience that took place in a high-speed modern commercial city. Zhu Meili (played by Junmei Wu) is caught in a web of vengeance and deceit. The film brought together excellent Chinese and American movie workers, including Hollywood Director Oscar L.Costo, art designer Jeff Knipp and photographer Adam Kane. The top performers are Richard Burgi, Junmei Wu, You Ge and Honglei Sun  The movie has gotten outstanding positive feedback on its display of modern China. Audiences have given high marks for the quality of acting, especially that of Junmei Wu and Honglei Sun."  (Thanks to Debbie for the info) [01 June 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) [01 June 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) [01 June 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) [01 June 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) [01 June 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 [sic] 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 [01 June 06] *** Catch Richard when "Decoys" airs on The Sci Fi Channel -- 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. [01 June 06] *** Catch Richard when Sci Fi airs  "Darklight" on 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." [01 June 06] *** "Cellular" airs throughout June on the Starz and Starz Edge Channels *** -- 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. Starz Edge listings: June 10th at 4:00pm ET and 10:50pm ET June 22nd at 12:05pm ET and 7:20pm ET Starz Channel dates (multiple times): June 3rd, 8th, 9th, 12th, 13th, 18th, and 21st For further details, go to the Starz website at: http://www.starz.com/ (Thanks to TV-now.com for the heads up, to Danny for the screengrabs, and to Starz for the scheduling info) [01 June 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. June schedule, Season 3 episodes: June 6th/7th - "The Inside Man" June 13th/14th - "Vendetta" June 20th/21st - "Fool Me Twice" 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) [01 June 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. He also appears in Seasons 3 and 4. Airing in early June are: "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) [01 June 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: "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) [01 June 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.   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." 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. 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. "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. 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. 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. 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.   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").       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.   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.    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). 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. 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. 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. [01 June 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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