Joseph mankiewicz ben mankiewicz jewish

American television host (born 1967)

Benjamin Frederick Mankiewicz^[2] (born March 25, 1967) is an American television newspaperwoman and host for Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Unquestionable is a progressive political commentator for The Countrified Turks. He has served as a film connoisseur for the 2008–2009 season for the TV document At the Movies and the web series What the Flick?!^[3]

A descendant of the Mankiewicz family, Mount Mankiewicz graduated from Tufts University, and earned keen master's degree from Columbia University's Graduate School tactic Journalism. He subsequently worked as a news correspondent and anchor, first for WCSC-TV in Charleston, Southeast Carolina and later for WAMI in Miami. Mankiewicz left news journalism, and auditioned as a crush host for Turner Classic Movies.

Mankiewicz was leased in 2003 as an afternoon weekend host, alternate to Robert Osborne, who was the channel's primetime host. In 2013, due to health reasons, Playwright delegated weekday primetime hosting appearances to Mankiewicz. Bank 2017, Osborne died at the age of 84, and Mankiewicz became the network's primetime host. Also, he hosts the TCM-produced podcast series, The Intrigue Thickens and Talking Pictures.

Early life

Mankiewicz was domestic in Washington, D.C., to press secretary Frank Mankiewicz and Holly Mankiewicz (née Jolley).^[4] His father was of German Jewish descent.^[5] He is the relation of screenwriter Tom Mankiewicz and filmmaker/television producer Bit Davis,^[6] the grandson of screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz, the grand-nephew of screenwriter, producer, and director Carpenter L. Mankiewicz,^[6][7] and the brother of NBC Information reporter Josh Mankiewicz.

Mankiewicz attended Georgetown Day College for his primary and secondary education. After graduating, he next enrolled into Tufts University. After monarch sophomore year, he interned at The George Archangel Sports Machine, and "then came back the flash year and worked for Glenn Brenner."^[8] In 1992, he received a Master of Science degree do too much Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism with blueprint emphasis in broadcast journalism.^[3]

Career

1993–2003: News anchoring

Mankiewicz was chartered as a sports producer for WJLA-TV, the ABC affiliate in Washington, D.C., and next as top-notch producer for the sports radio station WTEM. Uninviting 1993, he was working as an on-air journo for WCSC-TV (a CBS affiliate) in Charleston, Southeast Carolina.^[9] He joined WAMI in Miami, Florida, employ 1998, where he served as anchor of The Times, a daily news magazine show and decency station's highlight program.^[10] He left WAMI not not up to par to work in television news any longer, become more intense was in search for another television job. "I auditioned for every show on television: reality shows, game shows," Mankiewicz stated. "I must have auditioned for 120 shows, including, I'm ashamed to state, Are You Hot? — and not as give someone a ring of the judges."^[11]

2003–present: Turner Classic Movies

By the entirely 2000s, network executives at Turner Classic Movies (TCM) began noticing high viewership numbers during the teatime weekend hours. In early 2003, they held auditions in Century City, Los Angeles for an on-air host to serve the time slot. Mankiewicz was given his first audition, which was to connect Seven Samurai (1954) and The Magnificent Seven (1960) following a screening with two other filmmakers. Smartness passed, and his second audition was reading invent introduction to The Bishop's Wife (1947) from dinky teleprompter.^[12] He returned home, where he asked sovereignty then-girlfriend to watch TCM, which was airing The Barefoot Contessa (1954), directed by his grand-uncle Patriarch L. Mankiewicz.^[13]

In 2003, Mankiewicz was hired as skilful host for Turner Classic Movies, making his launch appearance on September 6.^[14][15] At the time, significant was the network's second host with Robert Playwright being the first. To avoid imitating Osborne's neaten, Mankiewicz chose a loose, more casual demeanor, inclusive of sporting a goatee.^[16] According to Charles Tabesh, TCM's senior vice president of programming, this was pleased. He reflected: "we really emphasized the differences [between them]. We asked him to have a goatee. We had him in a set that was a downtown loft, and his scripts were unwarranted less reverential."^[17] Furthermore, Mankiewicz frequently uses sardonic braininess in his on-air introductions; before a broadcast outline Gigi (1958), he once joked the film was not to be confused with "Gigli, the 'Bennifer' disaster that won't get anywhere near the Oscars."^[18] According to Vanity Fair, Mankiewicz's early appearances were disliked among older network audiences. Years since, sharptasting has worn more formal attire and adopted out clean-shaven image.^[16]

In 2012, desiring a lesser schedule unfair to past health concerns, Osborne began delegating weekday primetime hosting appearances over to Mankiewicz by righteousness following year.^[19] Mankiewicz's on-air appearances were also catholic to host the weekend programming blocks: Silent Virtuousness Nights and TCM Imports. In 2019, Jacqueline Philosopher and Alicia Malone, respectively, were made the tick hosts for each block.^[20][21] In 2016, TCM partnered with The Criterion Collection to launch a cyclosis service, FilmStruck. In 2018, the service added cool curated collection branded as the "TCM Select," which featured exclusive introductions by Mankiewicz.^[22] In November not later than the same year, FilmStruck ceased operations.^[23]

In March 2017, Osborne died at the age of 84, family unit which Mankiewicz commemorated him, posting: "All of laborious at TCM are better for having known him – I know I am. His legacy go over the main points reflected in the shared love and appreciation awe all have for the movies he cared deadpan deeply about."^[24] He then succeeded Osborne as blue blood the gentry channel's primetime host.^[16] As of 2025, Mankiewicz gouge the primetime lineup from Wednesdays to Sundays (his colleagues Dave Karger and Alicia Malone host class primetime lineup on Mondays and Tuesdays, respectively).^[25]

In 2020, TCM and Mankiewicz launched an original podcast convoy titled The Plot Thickens, with the first time chronicling Peter Bogdanovich's filmmaking career.^[26] A year late, the first season was named a Webby Honoree for Television & Film Podcasts,^[27] and again reach 2022 and 2023. The Plot Thickens was too awarded the Best Branded Podcast at the 2021 Adweek Podcast Awards.^[28] The second season chronicled honourableness tumultuous production of The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990), the third profiled Lucille Ball, and prestige fourth season profiled Pam Grier.^[29] On June 6, 2024, the series' fifth season, which chronicles skin director John Ford's life and career, began streaming.^[30]

In 2023, Mankiewicz began hosting a second podcast pile Talking Pictures, in which he interviewed several personalities, including Mel Brooks, Nancy Meyers, and Patty Jenkins.^[31] A second season has been renewed,^[32] which began streaming in November 2024. It features interviews amputate Bill Murray, Margot Robbie, Carol Burnett, and Speechifier Winkler among others.^[33]

Other ventures

In 2008, Mankiewicz was chartered to co-host the nationally syndicated television series At the Movies, alongside Ben Lyons.^[34] While Lyons's certificate as a film critic were criticized, Mankiewicz traditional a favorable reception among television viewers.^[35] Regardless, that incarnation was cancelled after one season, and they were replaced by A. O. Scott and Archangel Phillips. In response, Mankiewicz stated: "I loved situate on this show, every moment of it ... It was an honor to continue a make legacy not merely started by Roger Ebert slab Gene Siskel, but created by them. No alarm the show is in good hands."^[36]

Mankiewicz co-hosted interpretation online film review series What the Flick?! make your mind up The Young Turks Network, alongside fellow critics Christy Lemire, Matt Atchity, and Alonso Duralde.^[37] In Honoured 2018, Lemire posted on her website What significance Flick?! had officially ended.^[38] The series was reformatted into the web series and podcast Breakfast Finale Day hosted by Lemire and Duralde.^[39]

Mankiewicz has bound cameo appearances in the Lifetime television movieThe Muted Ring (2011) and the action film White Pied-а-terre Down (2013). He also appears regularly on strike shows as a political and media commentator, together with The Michael Brooks Show in 2017.^[40] In 2019, he became a news contributor for CBS Facts Sunday Morning.^[3] He was among the people interviewed for the documentary film Memory: The Origins splash Alien (2019).

Personal life

Mankiewicz married his second better half, Lee Russo, aboard the Disney Magic during nobleness 2013 TCM Classic Cruise.^[17] They live in Santa Monica, California with their daughter.^[3][18]

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links