document_title: That Thing You Do!

question_text: who was the band in that thing you do

question_tokens: who was the band in that thing you do

text: That Thing You Do!

text: Plot[edit]

text: In 1964, in Erie, Pennsylvania, aspiring jazz drummer Guy Patterson (Tom Everett Scott) is asked by Jimmy Mattingly (Johnathon Schaech) and Lenny Haise (Steve Zahn) to sit in with their band at an annual talent show, after their regular drummer breaks his arm trying to jump over a parking meter. The band, which also includes bassist T.B. Player (Ethan Embry), adopts the name "The Oneders" (pronounced "wonders", but often mispronounced "oh-NEE-ders"). At the talent show, Guy launches into a faster tempo than intended for Jimmy's ballad, "That Thing You Do", and the band wins the competition. The Oneders' performance at the talent show earns them a paying gig at a local restaurant, after which they make a recording of their song and begin to sell recordings of "That Thing You Do". They are noticed by talent promoter Phil Horace (Chris Ellis), who promises to get their record parlayed on the radio and they sign with to be their manager.

text: Horace achieves radio airplay for the song and books the band at a rock & roll showcase concert in Pittsburgh, after which they are offered a contract by Play-Tone Records A&R representative Mr. White (Hanks). White changes the band's name to "The Wonders" as they join a Midwestern Play-Tone tour, taking along Jimmy's girlfriend, Faye (Liv Tyler), as their official "costume mistress". During the tour, "That Thing You Do" garners national radio airplay and becomes a bona-fide hit. As the band's popularity soars, Jimmy grows frustrated that the group is not focused on creating more music, while the remainder of the band enjoys their time in the spotlight. All the while, Guy and Faye grow closer as friends. When the song enters the top ten on the Billboard charts, the band is taken off the tour and sent to Los Angeles.

text: Faye falls ill on the trip and is nursed by Guy. Jimmy is seemingly uninterested in her well-being, being preoccupied with trying to convince White to let the band record more of his original songs. After a publicity tour, the band is set to appear on The Hollywood Television Showcase, a nationally televised live variety show. They begin to show signs of discord. Jimmy continues to vent frustration at White over the band's direction. T.B. (who was leaving to join the United States Marine Corps in a few weeks) goes to Disneyland with a group of Marines, misses the TV show, and never returns; he is replaced in the broadcast by a session bassist. During the performance, as the band is being visually introduced to the viewing audience, the caption "Careful girls, he's engaged!" appears under Jimmy's name. Jimmy, assuming the caption was Faye's idea, becomes upset with Faye in the dressing room afterward, and says that he has no intention of marrying her. Heartbroken and weary with his arrogant personality and lack of devotion, Faye terminates their relationship and as she walks out Jimmy states he should have dumped her in Pittsburgh. Guy is appalled and it's obvious he has strong feelings for Faye.

text: The next day at a scheduled recording session, Lenny who left on a trip to Vegas with his new girlfriend, is missing and Jimmy's grievances with White reach a boiling point when he is not allowed to record his own songs and he quits the band. Guy is sorry to see the end of the band. White confronts him, and declares the band a one-hit wonder, but commends Guy for his smarts and integrity. After an impromptu jam session with his idol, jazz pianist Del Paxton (Bill Cobbs), Guy returns to the band's hotel, where he catches Faye before she leaves and is encouraged by the bell captain to intercept her and shares a long kiss with her. In an epilogue, it is revealed that Jimmy went back to Play-Tone and formed another band and had a successful career as an artist and producer, Lenny becomes a hotel and casino manager in Nevada, and T.B. earns a Purple Heart for injuries suffered at Khe Sanh. Guy and Faye start a family in Venice, California and then move to Bainbridge Island in Washington, where Guy teaches jazz composition at a music conservatory that he and Faye found.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Tom Everett Scott as Guy Patterson
Johnathon Schaech as Jimmy Mattingly
Tom Hanks as Mr. White
Steve Zahn as Lenny Haise
Ethan Embry as T. B. Player
Liv Tyler as Faye Dolan
Charlize Theron as Tina Powers
Bill Cobbs as Del Paxton
Giovanni Ribisi as Chad
Obba Babatundé as Lamarr
Alex Rocco as Sol Siler
Chris Isaak as Uncle Bob
Larry Antonino as Scott "Wolfman" Pell
Holmes Osborne as Mr. Patterson

text:
Robert Torti as Freddy Fredrickson
Kennya Ramsey, Julie Harkness, and Darlene Dillinger as The Chantrellines
Chaille Percival as Diane Dane

text:
Director Jonathan Demme, one of the producers of That Thing You Do!, has a cameo as the director of Weekend At Party Pier.
Comedian Barry Sobel has a cameo as "Goofball" in Weekend at Party Pier.
Tracy Reiner has a cameo as Anita, the co-star of Weekend at Party Pier.
Musician Chris Isaak appears as Uncle Bob, who produces the band's first recording.
Actress Rita Wilson, Hanks' wife, has a small part as Marguerite, the waitress at The Blue Spot jazz club, whose interest in Guy becomes compromised when Guy realizes his jazz idol, Del Paxton, is in the club.
Tom Hanks' son, Colin, appears as a page at the City of Broadcasting. He can be seen escorting Faye (Liv Tyler) from her car to her seat in the studio audience. His role is slightly expanded in the extended edition DVD.
Elizabeth Hanks, Hanks' daughter with his first wife, appears as "Bored Girl in Dress Shop".
Peter Scolari plays Troy Chesterfield, host of The Hollywood Television Showcase.
Football player/commentator Howie Long appears as Mr. White's driver/partner Lloyd in the extended cut; his part was entirely cut from the theatrical release.
Bryan Cranston appears as astronaut Gus Grissom during The Hollywood Television Showcase scenes.
Clint Howard, the brother of Ron Howard, appears as a KJZZ Disk Jockey.
Kevin Pollak appears as Victor "Boss Vic Koss" Kosslovich
Gedde Watanabe appears as a Playtone photographer.
Chris Ellis appears as Phil Horace, the band's first manager.
Marc McClure appears as the Hollywood Showcase director.

text: Production and music[edit]

text: The movie features original music by Tom Hanks, Adam Schlesinger, Rick Elias, Scott Rogness, Mike Piccirillo, Gary Goetzman and Howard Shore. In the movie, The Wonders rise to brief stardom on the strength of "That Thing You Do", a song written as a wistful ballad but which becomes an uptempo rocker during the band's first performance at a talent show. Written and composed for the film by Adam Schlesinger, bassist for Fountains of Wayne and Ivy and released on the film's soundtrack, the song became a genuine hit for The Wonders in 1996 (the song peaked at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100, #22 on the Adult Contemporary charts, #18 on the Adult Top 40, and #24 on the Top 40 Mainstream charts). The track was nominated for a 1996 Golden Globe Award as well as a 1996 Academy Award for Best Original Song. Mike Viola of The Candy Butchers provided the lead vocals for the Wonders.

text: In the film, the title song is referenced with "All My Only Dreams" as the B-side. The actual 45 RPM single, released to record stores in North America, features "Dance With Me Tonight" as its B-side. The song has since been recorded by The Knack and Bubblegum Lemonade. The Wonders are also seen playing the song "Little Wild One." This was written by the band Gigolo Aunts as a "faux-Beatles"-style tune at the request of their record label to be submitted for consideration for inclusion in the film.[2]

text: For the purpose of being able to convincingly perform The Wonders' songs on-camera, Scott, Schaech, Zahn and Embry took several weeks of individual lessons, followed by daily practice as a group. Of the four, only Zahn and Embry had any prior experience of playing their assigned instruments. They eventually honed their performance to the point where extras on the set thought they were actually playing the songs, when in reality they were miming along to recordings by professional musicians.[3]

text: The song that plays during the film's opening credits, "Lovin' You Lots and Lots," is credited to the fictitious Norm Wooster Singers and was actually written by Hanks. This song is a parody of Ray Conniff, Mitch Miller, and other practitioners of the "beautiful music" or proto-Muzak formats that were a staple of adult radio during the early '60s such as on KPOL (AM)1540 in Los Angeles.[4][5] Hanks also composed Guy's jazzy signature drum solo, "I Am Spartacus."

text: The ballad "My World Is Over" by Diane Dane seems inspired by the compositions of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and the vocal performance is strongly reminiscent of Jackie DeShannon.

text: The Wonders' bassist (played by Ethan Embry) is unnamed in the film; his name, T.B. Player (literally, "The Bass Player"), is revealed only in the end credits. This is a joke based on the perception that bass players are often unknown and unappreciated. Embry would later provide his own take on the character's real name: "I just said my name was Tobias, because he’s such a Tobias. You just take the vowels out [and it’s T.B.] His nickname was Toby, but his mom calls him Tobias. And his last name actually was Player, because he was a player, dude! That carousel ride with the Chantrellines? Total player."[3]

text: Some music was written for the film by Lee Hartney from The Smith Street Band but didn't make the final cut.

text: The tour and TV appearance are done in the authentic style of rock bands of the mid-1960s, including Go-Go girls, elaborate sharing of microphones, and formal clothing in various matching colors.

text: The character of fictional Pittsburgh disc jockey "Boss Vic Koss" whose actual last name was "Kosslovich" may be inspired by real-life Pittsburgh radio personality "Mad Mike Metro," who worked at WZUM in the 60s. His actual last name was "Metrovich".

text: The song "Voyage Around the Moon" by the fictional band Saturn 5 closely resembles "Pipeline" by The Chantays. The scene where The Wonders are miming the instrumental tune "Shrimp Shack" during the filming of a beach party film titled Weekend at Party Pier is an overt reference to the scene in Pajama Party wherein The Nooney Rickett 4 play the instrumental song Beach Ball.[6]

text: The movie was written at a time when Hanks' was dealing with his own issues with increasing successes in his career. During his appearance on Inside the Actors Studio, Hanks said he told the studio, "I'm a big honkin' star and you have to let me do what I want to do", to which the studio replied, "You're absolutely right."

text: The (real) Wonders[edit]

text: There were at least two real bands named the Wonders who made the record charts at various radio stations in the early '60s. One had a ballad titled "With These Hands" (b/w "Please Don't Cry"; Bamboo 523) that was played by KCRG in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the fall of 1962.[7]

text: The other Wonders had a regional hit record called "Say There" (b/w "Marilyn"; Colpix 699), released by Colpix Records in August 1963.[8] Little is known about these Wonders, except that they were probably from Ohio or Pennsylvania; "Say There" hit the Top 20 at WCOL in Columbus, Ohio, and made the Top 30 at KQV in Pittsburgh.[9] (There is a scene in the film in which a disc jockey at WCOL is seen playing "That Thing You Do!")[10]

text: References to The Beatles[edit]

text:
The name "The Oneders" references The Beatles' purposeful misspelling in their name.
Both bands lost their original bass player and replaced their original drummer.
The song "That Thing You Do" is portrayed as a ballad that was sped up and became a hit; the Beatles' "Please Please Me" started as a ballad, was sped up, and became the group's first No. 1.[11]
White is modeled on Brian Epstein and in the extended cut is shown to have a boyfriend (Epstein was gay).
According to Tom Hanks, the film grew out of the idea of the Beatles' breakthrough after Pete Best's firing.[12]
The "Careful girls, he's engaged" caption under Mattingly's name is a reference to the "Sorry girls, he's married" caption under John Lennon's name when The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show.
Faye is mistaken for a fan and is prevented by the police from following the band. A similar incident happened to Cynthia Lennon, John Lennon's first wife.

text: Soundtrack[edit]

text: The soundtrack album (released under the Play-Tone name in conjunction with Epic Records) was also a hit, peaking at #21 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The CD artwork is a replica of the fictional Play-Tone label used in the movie, and the liner notes are done in a mockumentary style, as if the Wonders had been a real group and the events of the film had actually happened. Hanks later used the success of That Thing You Do! as a spring-board to launch the actual Playtone Records label, through which the soundtracks of all his subsequent films, and other films like Bring It On and television programs like The Sopranos were released as albums.

text: Track listing[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Music
Artist
Length

1.
"Lovin' You Lots and Lots"
Tom Hanks
The Norm Wooster Singers
1:54

2.
"That Thing You Do!"
Adam Schlesinger
The Wonders
2:47

3.
"Little Wild One"
David Gibbs, Steve Hurley, Phil Hurley, Fred Elringham
The Wonders
2:30

4.
"Dance With Me Tonight"
Scott Rogness, Rick Elias
The Wonders
2:05

5.
"All My Only Dreams"
Rogness, Elias
The Wonders
2:54

6.
"I Need You (That Thing You Do)" (The movie credits list this song as being from 'The Heardsmen'.)
Rogness, Elias, Linda Elias
The Wonders
2:53

7.
"She Knows It"
Rogness, Elias
The Heardsmen
3:01

8.
"Mr. Downtown"
Hanks, Gary Goetzman, Mike Piccirillo
Freddy Fredrickson
2:32

9.
"Hold My Hand, Hold My Heart"
Hanks, Goetzman, Piccirillo
The Chantrellines
3:11

10.
"Voyage Around The Moon"
Hanks, Goetzman, Piccirillo
The Saturn 5
3:04

11.
"My World Is Over"
Piccirillo
Diane Dane
3:01

12.
"Drive Faster"
Rogness, Elias
The Vicksburgs
2:48

13.
"Shrimp Shack"
Piccirillo
Cap'n Geech & The Shrimp Shack Shooters
2:22

14.
"Time To Blow"
Steve Tyrell, Robert Mann
Del Paxton
4:20

15.
"That Thing You Do! (Live at the Hollywood Television Showcase)"
Schlesinger
The Wonders
2:54

Total length:
42:09

text: Reception[edit]

text: The film was well received by critics and currently holds a 93% fresh rating at the film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 56 reviews with an average rating of 7.2/10. The site's consensus reads, "A light, sweet, and thoroughly entertaining debut for director Tom Hanks, That Thing You Do! makes up in charm what it lacks in complexity". The film debuted at No. 3.[13] The film grossed $25,857,416 domestically and $8,728,000 abroad for a worldwide gross of $34,585,416.[1]

text: The film is recognized by the American Film Institute in this list:

text:
2004: AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:

"That Thing You Do!" – Nominated[14]

text: Home media[edit]

text: Initial release[edit]

text: That Thing You Do! was first released in mid-1997 on VHS. In 1998, the film became available in the DIVX format (as with all 20th Century Fox films), rather than DVD.

text: First DVD[edit]

text: After DIVX failed, the film was released onto DVD on June 5, 2001. It included the featurette "The Making of That Thing You Do!," and two music videos.

text: Extended Edition DVD[edit]

text: On May 8, 2007, Tom Hanks' Extended Edition was released on DVD. The film's theatrical cut and an extended cut with 39 additional minutes of deleted scenes are included.

text: Many of the deleted scenes are devoted to character development. A tastefully steamy look at Guy's "make-out" session with Tina at his apartment is included. The extended version also goes more in-depth with Guy's developing relationship with Faye (via mild flirting) and his deteriorating relationship with Tina, as well as Tina's budding relationship with her dentist, Dr. Collins. It also suggests that the character portrayed by Tom Hanks (Mr. White) is not only gay but in a relationship with a man played by former NFL defensive lineman Howie Long.

text: More camera time is also devoted to the romance between the bass player and one of the singers of the Chantrellines. In the theatrical cut, this romance was depicted mainly as an unrequited crush on the part of the bass player; in the extended cut it is clearly shown that his efforts were successful.

text: At the end of the Extended Edition, rather than becoming a studio drummer on the recommendation of Del Paxton, Guy becomes a disc jockey for the jazz station KJZZ and records a documentary series of interviews with legendary jazz musicians.

text: 2007 DVD repackage re-release[edit]

text: That Thing You Do! was packaged with Bachelor Party and The Man with One Red Shoe in the Tom Hanks Triple Feature DVD anthology set. The actual DVD appears to be the original 2001 disc, with the featurette and music videos.

text: Blu-ray release[edit]

text: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment released the film on Blu-ray on April 2, 2013. The Blu-ray includes the Theatrical and Extended cuts as well as all of the bonus features found on the 2-Disc DVD.


document_title: Inside No. 9

question_text: inside no 9 series 4 episode 3 cast

root

text: Inside No. 9

text: Format[edit]

text: Inside No. 9 is an anthology series, with each episode featuring a new story, with a new setting and new characters.[3] Episodes last around half an hour, with the self-contained story reaching a conclusion.[4][5] The stories are linked primarily by the fact that each takes place in number 9, be that a mansion, a dressing room or a flat. Every episode stars at least one of Shearsmith or Pemberton, and normally both.[6] Each episode is effectively a short play. Some episodes take place in real-time, following half an hour in the lives of the characters.[7] Every episode of Inside No. 9 features an ornamental hare somewhere on-screen.[8][9][10] According to Pemberton, "Because each episode is so wildly different there was nothing really linking them other than the fact they were all inside a Number Nine, I just thought it would be nice to have an object that you could hide and just have there on every set."[8] There is, however, no particular significance to the hare itself.[9][10]

tag: p

text: As is typical of Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton's work,[4] the scripts address dark topics, with, for instance, the first episode touching upon incest, child sexual abuse and murder.[5] The plotlines make use of twists and surprises of various sorts,[11][12] though in some cases the surprise is the lack of twist.[7] In an interview, Pemberton said that "there is always a desire to wrong-foot the viewer. That's what you strive to do".[13] The tone varies episode-by-episode. For example, while gothic horror was a major component in one case, other times slapstick comedy was used extensively;[13] the humour, however, is typically dark and British.[3][14] The episodes generally begin with scenes of "utter banality", before the darker elements are revealed.[15] Despite the various episodes featuring unrelated plots and characters, one reviewer said that they are all linked "by a mercurial synthesis of morbid comedy, wicked social commentary and a genuine creepiness".[3]

text: Inside No. 9 is somewhat more grounded and realistic than the writers' previous work, such as Psychoville and The League of Gentlemen.[3][16] Pemberton said that he and Shearsmith decided not to mix the worlds of Inside No. 9 and their previous projects, but nonetheless include the occasional reference; for example, a character called "Ollie" is mentioned in one Inside No. 9 episode, and the writers imagined that this was Ollie Plimsoles of Legz Akimbo, a character from The League of Gentlemen.[17] Similarly, Inside No. 9 was referenced in the 2017 reunion specials of The League of Gentlemen. Tubbs and Edward are seen living in flat number 9, and the Inside No. 9 hare is visible on their shop counter.[9]

text: Production and development[edit]

text: In 2012, after the cancellation of their Psychoville, writers Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith were commissioned to produce two series for the BBC by controllers Janice Hadlow and Cheryl Taylor, partially in response to Sky beginning to produce comedy. At the time, it was unclear whether this would be two series of Inside No. 9, then known by the working title Happy Endings, or a series of Inside No. 9 and a series of some other programme.[18] Inside No. 9 was to be produced by a BBC team,[18] which was later revealed to be David Kerr (director), Jon Plowman (executive producer) and Adam Tandy (producer).[19]

text: Pemberton and Shearsmith took inspiration for Inside No. 9 from "David and Maureen", episode 4 of the first series of Psychoville, which was in turn inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Rope. This episode took place entirely in a single room, and was filmed in only two shots.[5] The writers were keen to explore other stories in this bottle episode or TV play format, and Inside No. 9 allowed them to do this.[20] At the same time, the concept of Inside No. 9 was a "reaction" to Psychoville, with Shearsmith saying that the two of them had "been so involved with labyrinthine over-arcing, we thought it would be nice to do six different stories with a complete new house of people each week. That's appealing, because as a viewer you might not like this story, but you've got a different one next week."[19] Elsewhere, Shearsmith explained that the pair returned to writing macabre stories as they "always feel slightly unfulfilled if [they] write something that's purely comedic, [as] it just feels too frivolous and light".[21] The first story that the pair wrote specifically for Inside No. 9 was about a birthday party. BBC producers felt that this story would work as the opening episode of a sitcom, but, given the script's events, Pemberton and Shearsmith were not happy to develop the idea into its own programme. The script was consequently shelved and revisited during the planning process for the second series, becoming "Nana's Party", the fifth episode of the series and eleventh overall.[22] During the filming Inside No. 9, Shearsmith professed excitement to be working on the programme, saying that "[b]eing in the middle of filming a third series of Psychoville would be utterly depressing".[19] Pemberton and Shearsmith aimed for a simpler experience with Inside No. 9 than they had experienced with Psychoville, describing "Sardines", Inside No. 9's first episode, by saying that it was "just about some good actors in a wardrobe with a good story."[19]

text: At the time of Inside No. 9's production, the anthology series was a rare genre for British television programmes. Previous horror anthologies include Tales of the Unexpected, The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents; while these would sometimes use comedic elements, they are more prominent in Inside No. 9. Murder Most Horrid followed a similar format, but was far more comedic than horrific. Other anthology-like series on British television include Seven of One and Comedy Playhouse, though these programmes lacked horror elements, and, unlike Inside No. 9, served as pilots for potential series.[6] However, the British anthology show Black Mirror, which also features elements of comedy and horror, was very popular around the time of Inside No. 9.[23] For Pemberton, the 1970s and 1980s were "full of" anthology shows; other examples included Play for Today, Beasts and Armchair Thriller.[7] More recently, anthologies have become less popular with television executives,[6] but the writers hope that they may be able to contribute to a "renaissance" for the genre.[20] According to journalist and broadcaster Mark Lawson, this is because anthologies can fail to motivate viewers to stay with a series, and, further, new sets and casts must be paid for each episode, meaning that a six-part anthology series will generally be more expensive than a six-part series in a more standard format. For Lawson, Inside No. 9 was able to overcome these problems through the "pleasing coherence" offered by the fact each episode was set in a number 9, and "the wit and inventiveness" of the opening episodes, which could sufficiently engage viewers.[6] Pemberton and Shearsmith had originally considered alternative ways to link the stories, such as all the settings having a shared post man, but then decided that such a strong relationship between stories was not needed.[20]

text: Inspiration and production varied from instalment to instalment, and each was filmed separately, taking less than a week per episode.[7] After Shearsmith and Pemberton had decided that each episode would be about confinement, and having written some of the later episodes, they were inspired by a wardrobe in their working space for "Sardines". The writers were keen to see how confined they could make the characters,[24] aiming to induce feelings of claustrophobia in viewers.[21] The anthology format allowed Pemberton and Shearsmith to revisit prior ideas, which is what they did with "A Quiet Night In" and "Tom & Gerri". The former was inspired by the writers' efforts to include a long segment without dialogue in an episode of Psychoville. Both episodes followed break-ins.[25] The Pinteresque "Tom & Gerri" was based upon a play written by Pemberton and Shearsmith while the pair were living together and job seeking. The setting was based upon their own flat, while the character Tom's development evoked the experience of job-hunting.[26][27] "Last Gasp" was inspired by a person Pemberton had seen on Multi-Coloured Swap Shop who collected jars of air, as well as the death of Michael Jackson and the death of Amy Winehouse.[28] "The Understudy", the plot of which is partially based upon and concerns Macbeth, took longer to write than any other episode; the writers rewrote the script several times, as they were unsure of whether the characters should be amateur or professional actors.[29][29] "The Harrowing" was the writers' attempt to produce a gothic horror episode. They made use of more horror tropes than previous episodes, but the setting allowed them to include modern elements.[2][3][30][31]

text: The BBC ordered a second series of Inside No. 9 before the first episode had aired.[32] The second series was written in 2014, and then filmed from the end of 2014 into early 2015.[33][34] The writers were permitted two sets for the second series, and so a fake train compartment and a fake flat (for "La Couchette" and "The 12 Days of Christine" respectively) were built at Twickenham Studios.[35][36][37] The other episodes were filmed on location; for example, "The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge" was filmed in a barn at the Chiltern Open Air Museum.[38] David Kerr was unable to stay on as director for the second series. Guillem Morales and Dan Zeff each took on directorial duties for two episodes, and Pemberton and Shearsmith, in addition to continuing to write and star in the episodes, jointly directed the other two. The writers had hoped to direct for some time, and this represented a good opportunity to make their directorial debut.[39][40] While writing for the series, the pair did not know which episodes they would be directing;[17] in an interview, Shearsmith said that the pair had considered directing episodes in which they did not appear much, but scheduling concerns left them with "Cold Comfort" and "Nana's Party"; the episodes feature the writers quite heavily.[40]

text: The six episodes of the second series derived inspiration from a variety of sources. "La Couchette" aimed to explore the intimacy of sleeper carriages; specifically, the unusual problems associated with sleeping in close proximity to strangers.[35][41] "The 12 Days of Christine" follows a woman over the course of 12 years, with scenes displaying key moments in her life.[37][42] "The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge" was inspired by genuine witch trials, some transcripts of which Pemberton and Shearsmith had read as part of the writing process.[43][44] "Cold Comfort" began with the idea of a call centre,[17] and was filmed in the style of a CCTV feed.[45] With "Nana's Party", the writers aimed for a feeling of suburban darkness, reminiscent of the work of Alan Ayckbourn.[46] "Séance Time" began with the idea of a séance, an idea the writers had wanted to explore for some time.[17][47]

text: A third series has been filmed and began broadcasting in February 2017,[48] with a Christmas special, "The Devil of Christmas", airing on 27 December 2016.[49][50] Settings for the third series include an art gallery, a restaurant and an alpine cabin, while guest stars include Keeley Hawes, Jessica Raine, Felicity Kendal, Tamzin Outhwaite, Fiona Shaw, Jason Watkins, Mathew Baynton, Rula Lenska, Philip Glenister, Sarah Hadland, Javone Prince, Montserrat Lombard, Morgana Robinson, and Alexandra Roach.[48][51][52]

text: A fourth series was confirmed after the airing of "The Devil of Christmas", and began broadcast in 2018.[53] Pemberton has said that he would be interested in an online spin-off, perhaps called No. 9A, with less experienced comedy writers. In an interview, he said "The format has so many opportunities and can incorporate so many styles, as long as you stick to the small cast, single location constraint. I think it's really important to bring through fresh voices."[17]

text: Episodes[edit]

text: Series overview[edit]

text:
Series
Episodes
Originally aired

First aired
Last aired

1
6
5 February 2014 (2014-02-05)
12 March 2014 (2014-03-12)

2
6
26 March 2015 (2015-03-26)
29 April 2015 (2015-04-29)

3
6
27 December 2016 (2016-12-27)
21 March 2017 (2017-03-21)

4
6
2 January 2018 (2018-01-02)
6 February 2018 (2018-02-06)

tag: table

text: Series 1 (2014)[edit]

text:
Overall
no.
Season
no.
Title
Location
Director
Original broadcast date
Viewers
(in millions)

1
1
"Sardines"
Bedroom in a country estate
David Kerr
5 February 2014 (2014-02-05)
1.06

Rebecca (Katherine Parkinson) and Jeremy (Ben Willbond) hold an engagement party at Rebecca's family's mansion. The guests play the parlour game sardines, in which one person hides and the other players have to join them in their hiding place once they are found. As Rebecca's friends and family are packed into a wardrobe, secrets are gradually revealed.

2
2
"A Quiet Night In"
Modernist house
David Kerr
12 February 2014 (2014-02-12)
0.94

Hapless cat burglars Eddie (Pemberton) and Ray (Shearsmith) break into a luxury house to try to steal a painting while Gerald (Denis Lawson) and Sabrina (Oona Chaplin), the couple who live in the house, argue. The episode progresses almost entirely without dialogue.

3
3
"Tom & Gerri"
Flat
David Kerr
19 February 2014 (2014-02-19)
1.0

Tom (Shearsmith) is a frustrated primary school teacher and aspiring author. One night, a homeless man named Migg (Pemberton) returns Tom's lost wallet, and Migg ends up living with Tom, to the frustration of Tom's girlfriend Gerri (Gemma Arterton). Tom's life changes dramatically as a result.

4
4
"Last Gasp"
Suburban house
David Kerr
26 February 2014 (2014-02-26)
0.87

Pop star Frankie J Parsons (David Bedella), accompanied by assistant Si (Adam Deacon) and WishmakerUK representative Sally (Tamsin Greig), visits the poorly Tamsin (Lucy Hutchinson) on her ninth birthday, but suddenly collapses – and appears to have died – while blowing up a balloon. Graham (Pemberton), Tamsin's father, realises that Frankie's last breath could be highly valuable, and he, Sally and Si argue over ownership of the balloon.

5
5
"The Understudy"
Dressing room
David Kerr
5 March 2014 (2014-03-05)
0.72

Successful West End actor Tony (Pemberton) is starring in a production of Shakespeare's Macbeth. His understudy Jim (Shearsmith) has always wanted a starring role, and Jim's fiancée Laura (Lyndsey Marshal) encourages him to push for Tony's job. The episode is written in five acts, and is loosely based upon the plot of Macbeth.

6
6
"The Harrowing"
Gothic mansion
David Kerr
12 March 2014 (2014-03-12)
0.83

Katy (Aimee-Ffion Edwards) is hired to housesit the Gothic mansion where Hector (Shearsmith) and Tabitha (Helen McCrory) live, while the pair attend an important event. The house is filled with paintings depicting Hell, and kept below freezing for Hector and Tabitha's heavily disabled brother, Andras (Sean Buckley), who is staying in his bedroom upstairs. Andras is not to be disturbed.

text: Online episode[edit]

text: A special online-only episode of Inside No. 9, "The Inventors", was launched by the BBC on 12 February 2014. "The Inventors" stars Tom Verall and Dan Renton Skinner as brothers who lost their mother in the Great Storm of 1987. The story is told through a series of cinemagraphs with dialogue. The episode is interactive, advancing only with input from the viewer. "The Inventors" was developed by media agency Kanoti, and produced by Jon Aird,[54] who had previously produced BAFTA-winning online content for Psychoville,[55] with executive producer Will Saunders.[54] It was directed by Martin Stirling.[56]

text: Series 2 (2015)[edit]

text:
Overall
no.
Season
no.
Title
Location
Director
Original broadcast date
Viewers
(in millions)

7
1
"La Couchette"
Sleeper car
Guillem Morales
26 March 2015 (2015-03-26)
1.69

English doctor Maxwell (Shearsmith) attempts to settle in a French sleeper carriage. He is disturbed first by drunk, flatulent German Jorg (Pemberton), then by English couple Kath (Julie Hesmondhalgh) and Les (Mark Benton). When Australian backpacker Shona (Jessica Gunning) brings the posh Hugo (Jack Whitehall) back to the carriage, they make a discovery.

8
2
"The 12 Days of Christine"
Flat
Guillem Morales
2 April 2015 (2015-04-02)
1.69

Christine (Sheridan Smith) meets Adam (Tom Riley) at a New Year party. Her life begins to unravel around her as events seem to take place out of sequence and she is haunted by visions of an unknown man. The episode takes place over twelve holidays and important occasions in Christine's lifetime, at intervals of 13 months.

9
3
"The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge"
Barn
Dan Zeff
9 April 2015 (2015-04-09)
1.41

In the 17th century, villager Elizabeth Gadge (Ruth Sheen) stands accused of witchcraft; she will be burnt at the stake if found guilty. Magistrate Sir Andrew Pike (David Warner) summons renowned witch-finders Mr Warren (Shearsmith) and Mr Clarke (Pemberton) to investigate, planning to use the trial to increase interest in the village.

10
4
"Cold Comfort"
Call centre
Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith
16 April 2015 (2015-04-16)
1.46

Andy (Pemberton) starts work at the Comfort Support Line, a crisis support line with manager George (Shearsmith), the gossipy Liz (Jane Horrocks) and the officious Joanne (Nikki Amuka-Bird). A difficult call from a suicidal teenage girl leads to a series of problems. The episode is filmed in the style of a CCTV feed.

11
5
"Nana's Party"
Suburban house
Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith
23 April 2015 (2015-04-23)
1.53

Angela (Claire Skinner) hosts a birthday party for her 79-year-old mother, Maggie (Elsie Kelly), while Angela's husband Jim (Pemberton) plans to play a practical joke on Pat (Shearsmith), the husband of Angela's alcoholic sister Carol (Lorraine Ashbourne). The episode opens with the arrival of a paramedic, before flashing back to before the beginning of the party.

12
6
"Séance Time"
Victorian villa
Dan Zeff
29 April 2015 (2015-04-29)
1.14

Young woman Tina (Sophie McShera) visits a medium for a séance. After being shown in to a room in a Victorian villa by "Hives" (Shearsmith), she is introduced to "Madam Talbot" (Alison Steadman), an elderly woman shrouded in black.

text: Series 3 (2016–17)[edit]

text:
Overall
no.
Season
no.
Title
Location
Director
Original broadcast date
Viewers
(in millions)

13
1
"The Devil of Christmas"
Alpine chalet
Graeme Harper
27 December 2016 (2016-12-27)
1.03

In a film within the episode, an English family (Pemberton, Rula Lenska, Jessica Raine and George Bedford) travel to an Austrian chalet in December 1977. They are told the story of the Krampus by their guide (Shearsmith). Meanwhile, the film's director (Derek Jacobi) provides audio commentary.

14
2
"The Bill"
Restaurant
Guillem Morales
21 February 2017 (2017-02-21)
1.47

The northerners Archie (Shearsmith), Malcolm (Pemberton) and Kevin (Jason Watkins) take the southerner Craig for a tapas meal, but an argument breaks out over who should pay the bill. To the consternation of the waitress (Ellie White), all men attempt to pay.

15
3
"The Riddle of the Sphinx"
Professor's study
Guillem Morales
28 February 2017 (2017-02-28)
1.37

Nina (Alexandra Roach) breaks into the office of the classicist Professor Nigel Squires (Pemberton), who publishes cryptic crosswords in the Varsity as "The Sphinx". Squires proceeds to teach Nina how to solve cryptic crosswords using the next day's puzzle.

16
4
"Empty Orchestra"
Karaoke booth
Guillem Morales
7 March 2017 (2017-03-07)
1.26

Greg (Shearsmith), Fran (Sarah Hadland), Connie (Tamzin Outhwaite), Janet (Emily Howlett) and Duane (Javone Prince) enter a karaoke booth in fancy dress to celebrate the promotion of their manager Roger (Pemberton). The character's relationships are revealed both through their explicit interactions and their karaoke performances.

17
5
"Diddle Diddle Dumpling"
House (the 9 was a shoe size)
Guillem Morales
14 March 2017 (2017-03-14)
1.5

David (Shearsmith), a stay-at-home dad, finds a man's shoe while out jogging. He becomes fixated on finding the shoe's owner, straining his relationship with his wife Louise (Keeley Hawes).

18
6
"Private View"
Gallery space
Guillem Morales
21 March 2017 (2017-03-21)
1.16

Carrie (Morgana Robinson), Patricia (Felicity Kendal), Maurice (Shearsmith), Kenneth (Pemberton) and Jean (Fiona Shaw) attend a private retrospective art exhibition. They are met by the waitress Bea (Montserrat Lombard), but none know why they have been invited.

text: Series 4 (2018)[edit]

text:
Overall
no.
Season
no.
Title
Location
Director
Original broadcast date
Viewers
(in millions)

19
1
"Zanzibar"
Hotel corridor (on Floor 9)
David Kerr
2 January 2018 (2018-01-02)
1.81

Told through the style of iambic pentameter, various guests arrive at Hotel Zanzibar where they find themselves interacting with one another in a variety of ways, from murder to a proposal.

20
2
"Bernie Clifton's Dressing Room"
Church hall (The 9 was a wicker basket)
Graeme Harper
9 January 2018 (2018-01-09)
1.6

Double-act, Cheese (Shearsmith) and Crackers (Pemberton), have reunited after 30 years to perform in front of an audience, but an incident that caused them to fall out comes back into the limelight.

21
3
"Once Removed"
Country farmhouse (Actually a 6 disguised as a 9)
Jim O'Hanlon
16 January 2018 (2018-01-16)
1.76

Removal man Spike (Nick Moran) arrives to help May (Monica Dolan) move house, leading him into bizarre circumstances which unfold through reverse chronology.

22
4
"To Have and to Hold"
Suburban terrace house
David Kerr
23 January 2018 (2018-01-23)
1.69

When a wedding photographer (Pemberton) seems bored by his marriage, instead focusing on jigsaws and Pot Noodles, his wife desires to renew their wedding vows, yet instead finds something far more sinister...

23
5
"And the Winner Is..."
Meeting room (The 9 was the name of the jury)
Graeme Harper
30 January 2018 (2018-01-30)
TBC

We join the jury of a television awards company as they decide on who is going to win the Best Actress award. But only one of the eight actresses can be chosen.

24
6
"Tempting Fate"
Flat
Jim O'Hanlon
6 February 2018 (2018-02-06)
1.6

Council contractors Keith (Pemberton), Nick (Shearsmith) and Maz (Weruche Opia) have to clear out the flat of a dead hoarder but when they unveil the content of the man's safe, their lives will never be the same again.

text: Cast[edit]

text: As each episode of Inside No. 9 features new characters, the writers were able to attract actors who may have been unwilling to commit to an entire series.[5] The writers' reputation also helped attract writers, with journalist David Chater saying that they "have developed such a track record over the years that many of the finest actors in the country jump at the chance to appear in their dark imaginings".[57] The fact that Pemberton and Shearsmith only played a single character in each story was a change for them; in The League of Gentlemen, the pair have played some 30 characters each, while, in Psychoville, they had played around five each.[20] Though Pemberton and Shearsmith generally starred in each episode, they did not necessarily take on the main roles. Shearsmith explained this by saying that they "didn't write this for us to be in. We wrote the stories first then thought, could we be in them?"[5] Pemberton appears in all episodes other than "The Harrowing", while Shearsmith appears in all episodes other than "Last Gasp".

text:
Inside No. 9 guest stars

Series 1
Series 2
Series 3
Series 4

1. "Sardines"[58]

Katherine Parkinson
Tim Key
Luke Pasqualino
Ophelia Lovibond
Anne Reid
Julian Rhind-Tutt
Anna Chancellor
Marc Wootton
Ben Willbond
Timothy West

2. "A Quiet Night In"[59]

Denis Lawson
Oona Chaplin
Joyce Veheary
Kayvan Novak

3. "Tom & Gerri"[60]

Gemma Arterton
Conleth Hill

4. "Last Gasp"[61]

Lucy Hutchinson
Sophie Thompson
David Bedella
Tamsin Greig
Adam Deacon

5. "The Understudy"[62]

Lyndsey Marshal
Julia Davis
Rosie Cavaliero
Roger Sloman
Di Botcher
Richard Cordery
Bruce Mackinnon
Jo Stone-Fewings

6. "The Harrowing"[63]

Aimee-Ffion Edwards
Helen McCrory
Poppy Rush
Sean Buckley

1. "La Couchette"

Julie Hesmondhalgh
Mark Benton
Jessica Gunning
Jack Whitehall
George Glaves

2. "The 12 Days of Christine"

Sheridan Smith
Tom Riley
Stacy Liu
Michele Dotrice
Jessica Ellerby
Paul Copley
Joel Little
Dexter Little

3. "The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge"

David Warner
Ruth Sheen
Sinead Matthews
Jim Howick
Trevor Cooper
Paul Kaye

4. "Cold Comfort"

Jane Horrocks
Nikki Amuka-Bird
Tony Way
Edward Easton
Vilma Hollingbery
Kath Hughes
James Meehan
Vicky Hall

5. "Nana's Party"

Christopher Whitlow
Claire Skinner
Eve Gordon
Elsie Kelly
Lorraine Ashbourne

6. "Seance Time"

Sophie McShera
Alison Steadman
Dan Starkey
Cariad Lloyd
Alice Lowe
Caden-Ellis Wall

1. "The Devil of Christmas"

Rula Lenska
Jessica Raine
George Bedford
Derek Jacobi
Cavan Clerkin
Naz Osmanoglu

2. "The Bill"

Philip Glenister
Jason Watkins
Ellie White
Callum Coates

3. "The Riddle of the Sphinx"

Alexandra Roach

4. "Empty Orchestra"

Tamzin Outhwaite
Sarah Hadland
Javone Prince
Emily Howlett
Rebekah Hinds

5. "Diddle Diddle Dumpling"

Keeley Hawes
Mathew Baynton
Danny Baker
Rosa Strudwick

6. "Private View"

Fiona Shaw
Morgana Robinson
Felicity Kendal
Peter Kay (uncredited)
Montserrat Lombard
Johnny Flynn
Muriel Gray

1. "Zanzibar"

Jaygann Ayeh
Rory Kinnear
Bill Paterson
Marcia Warren
Hattie Morahan
Helen Monks
Tanya Franks
Kevin Eldon

2. "Bernie Clifton's Dressing Room"

Sian Gibson

3. "Once Removed"

Nick Moran
Monica Dolan
Emilia Fox
David Calder
Rufus Jones

4. "To Have and To Hold"

Nicola Walker
Miranda Hennessy
Magdalena Kurek
Tom Mulheron

5. "And the Winner Is..."

Kenneth Cranham
Fenella Woolgar
Zoe Wanamaker
Noel Clarke
Phoebe Sparrow

6. "Tempting Fate"

Weruche Opia
Nigel Planer
Ruben Cryer

text: Distribution[edit]

text: The first series of Inside No. 9 was shown in the UK on BBC Two (and BBC Two HD) between 5 February and 12 March 2014.[64][65] It was aired in Australia on BBC First, premiering on 5 January 2015.[66] The second series aired in the UK from 26 March to 29 April 2015,[citation needed] and aired in Australia from 27 July 2015.[67]

text: The first series was released on DVD on 17 March 2014. In addition to the six episodes, the DVD featured the making of feature "Inside Inside No. 9", including unseen interviews with Pemberton, Shearsmith and Kerr, and a photo gallery with previously unreleased photos.[68] Published by 2 Entertain,[69] the DVD was rated 18 by the British Board of Film Classification.[68] To publicise the DVD, the writers appeared at the Oxford Street, London, branch of HMV for a signing event on 20 March.[70] The DVD was reviewed by David Upton for webzine PopMatters, who gave the main feature an 8/10 rating, and the extras a 5/10 rating,[3] and Ben Walsh for The Independent, who gave the DVD overall 4/5.[69] Phelim O'Neill, reviewing the release for The Guardian, described the boxset as "very lendable", suggesting that it would help Inside No. 9 reach a wider audience.[71] South African newspapers The Sunday Times and The Star both published positive reviews of the DVD, with The Star's anonymous review saying the DVD "makes a great prezzie for cynics, so if you know any lawyers or journalists...".[72][73] The second series was released on DVD on 4 May 2015.[44] A review in the Leicester Mercury awarded it four out of five stars.[74] The advent of Series 3 saw Series 1&2 released on Blu-ray on 13 February 2017. Series 3 has a 27 March 2017 release on DVD and Blu-ray.

text: Reception and performance[edit]

text: Critical reception[edit]

text:
External video

 "Boo"
Carl (Pemberton) finds Rebecca (Katherine Parkinson) and Ian (Tim Key) in the wardrobe. Taken from episode 1, "Sardines".

 "A canine inconvenience"
Burglars Eddie (Pemberton) and Ray (Shearsmith) are almost revealed by a barking dog. Taken from episode 2, "A Quiet Night In".

 "I'm not a vampire"
Katy (Aimee-Ffion Edwards) is introduced to Hector (Shearsmith) by Tabitha (Helen McCrory). Taken from episode 6, "The Harrowing".

text: Many critics responded very positively to Inside No. 9. After the final episode of the first series, the comedic critic Bruce Dessau said on his website that it had "really set an early benchmark to beat for comedy of the year. It has been consistently compelling as each week we entered an entirely different world."[2] On the same day, David Chater, writing in The Times, said of the series as a whole that "[i]t's hard to know which to admire more – the rich and perverse imaginations of Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith or the extraordinary range of acting talent that has brought this strange and memorable series to life."[75] Chater had previously described "A Quiet Night In", the second episode of Inside No. 9, as "the funniest, cleverest, most imaginative and original television I have seen for as long as I can remember – one of those fabulous programmes where time stands still and the world around you disappears".[76] Mark Jones (The Guardian) considered the whole series, saying that the Inside No. 9 was "never less-than-captivating",[1] while a review in the Liverpool Echo described every episode as "intriguing and lovingly-crafted", though it was felt that the first three episodes were stronger than the latter three.[77] In December 2014, Metro television critic Keith Watson named Inside No. 9 the twentieth best television programme of 2014,[78] and in January 2015, Daily Star Sunday columnist Garry Bushell named Inside No. 9 the best comedy TV programme of 2014.[79]

text: Writing before Inside No. 9 was televised, broadcaster and journalist Mark Lawson suggested that, among anthology series, the programme possessed "the potential to be remembered as a singular achievement".[6] Commending both the acting and writing of Inside No. 9, New Statesman television critic Rachel Cooke offered a positive verdict of the programme after seeing the first half of the series. Cooke expressed particular admiration of Pemberton and Shearsmith's ability to squeeze "perfectly formed narratives – characters with proper backstories, scenarios that are complicated and unwind relatively slowly – into just 30 minutes".[80] Also writing mid-series, journalist Gareth Lightfoot called Inside No. 9 "hands down the best, freshest thing on [television] at the moment" in the Evening Gazette, though he doubted whether it could truly be considered comedy.[27]

text: Donal Lynch, of Irish newspaper the Sunday Independent, suggested that, like the previous work of Pemberton and Shearsmith, Inside No. 9 may be something of "a cult hit/acquired taste".[81] Barry Didcock, of The Herald, expressed a similar sentiment, calling Inside No. 9 "probably the most Marmitey programme on television".[82] The Times published a response to a complaint received from a viewer, who was unhappy with Chater's positive reviews of Inside No. 9, suggesting that "A Quiet Night In" was more traumatic than humorous.[83] Sam Wollaston, television critic for The Guardian, noted that humour is extremely personal, and though he could appreciate much about Inside No. 9, he had never liked Pemberton and Shearsmith's work: "I'm sure I'll be crucified – probably quite rightly – but I don't love Inside No 9."[84] Some tabloid columnists also expressed dissatisfaction with the programme. Virginia Blackburn, of the Daily Express, wrote a highly critical review of "Last Gasp". Blackburn considered Inside No. 9 an example of the weakness of contemporary television comedy, saying that the episode is "not funny, it's not clever and is so utterly, irredeemably, naffly silly that it ends up being incredibly irritating and nothing else".[85] Another journalist unimpressed was the Daily Mirror columnist Kevin O'Sullivan, who dismissed the programme by saying simply "BBC2's alleged comedy Inside No. 9: didn't even smile".[86]

text: Cooke observed the difficulty in reviewing Inside No. 9 as a whole due to the fact that each episode is different from the last.[80] "Sardines" was commended for its cast and acting,[32][87][88][89] as well as the scripting,[87][88] but critics had a mixed response to the twist ending.[4][16][88][89] "A Quiet Night In" was a change in approach, relying on physical comedy,[90] but it was well received as funny,[76][91] and inventive.[76][92] "Tom & Gerri" was less comedic but darker than previous episodes;[93][94][95] critics commended the plot,[96][97] but disagreed about the portrayal of mental illness in the episode.[93][96] Less horrific than other episodes in the series,[3] "Last Gasp" dealt with themes of celebrity culture and fandom,[98][99][100] and was considered a weaker instalment.[98][101][102] Critics called "The Understudy" a "return to form".[103][104][105] While it was based upon Macbeth, a knowledge of the play was not necessary for enjoyment,[103][106] and the plot's divergence from the play was praised.[107][108][109] "The Harrowing" was the most horrific episode of the series,[3][110][111] and was considered genuinely scary by critics.[2][3][31][112]

text: "La Couchette" was characterised by critics as strong and funny, with praise directed at the cast and script.[113][114][115][116] "The 12 Days of Christine" was hailed as "masterpiece" and "a quiet elegy, terse and polished, in many ways perfect".[117][118] The emotional script, poignancy of the ending and performance of the cast, especially Smith, was highly praised.[117][118][119] "The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge" was compared unfavourably with the previous two episodes by some critics,[120][121] though the writers were characterised as having displayed their versatility and ability with the atypical setting and language.[44][122] Critics had a mixed response to the episode's humour,[123][124][120] but praised the performance of the cast.[44][120][125] "Cold Comfort" was generally praised, though also characterised as weaker than other episodes in the series.[126][127][128][45] The unusual filming style was commended,[123][129][130] but there was a mixed response to the episode's ending.[127][131] "Nana's Party" received high praise for its script and characters, and for the cast's performances.[131][132][133][134] "Séance Time" was praised as well written and genuinely frightening, while Alison Steadman's performance being picked out for commendation by many critics.[135][136][137][138]

text: Viewing figures[edit]

text: Despite the generally positive reception among critics and viewers,[139] the viewing figures for the first series were poor.[2] The average viewing figures for the series were 904,000 people, or 4.9% of the audience, lower than the slot average of 970,000 (5.1% of the audience).[65] The series had a strong start,[2] with 1.1 million viewers, which was 5.6% of the audience, watching "Sardines".[64] The series low was the fifth episode, "The Understudy", which attracted 720,000 viewers (4.1% of the audience).[65][140][141]

text: Awards and nominations[edit]

text: People[edit]

text: Thanks to their work on Inside No. 9, Pemberton and Shearsmith jointly won the 2014/2015 Royal Television Society Programme award for best comedy performance. The other nominees were Harry Enfield, for his performance in Harry and Paul's Story of the Twos, and Sarah Hadland, for her performance in The Job Lot.[142][143][144] The pair were also jointly nominated for the 2015 British Academy Television Craft Award for comedy writer for their work on Inside No. 9, but lost to Mackenzie Crook for his work on Detectorists. Arthur Matthews and Matt Berry (Toast of London) and Mathew Baynton and James Corden (The Wrong Mans) were the other nominees.[145][146] The following year, Guillem Morales was nominated for the Television Craft Award for Breakthrough Talent for his work on "The 12 Days of Christine", but lost to Michaela Coel, who wrote Chewing Gum. The other nominees were D. C. Moore (Not Safe for Work) and Marcus Plowright (Muslim Drag Queens).[147][148]

text: At the 2013/2014 Royal Television Society Craft and Design Awards, Lisa Cavalli-Green was nominated for the "Make Up Design – Drama" award for her work on Inside No. 9, but lost to Davy Jones, for his work on In the Flesh. Loz Schiavo (Peaky Blinders) was the other nominee.[149][150] Due in part to her role in "The Harrowing", Aimee-Ffion Edwards was shortlisted for WalesOnline's "Daffta" award for best actress, but lost to Eve Myles. The Dafftas celebrate Welsh television talent and prizes are awarded based on a public vote.[151]

text: At the 2018 Writers' Guild Awards, administered by the Writers' Guild of Great Britain, Shearsmith and Pemberton won the Best TV Situation Comedy award for their work on "The Bill". The award was presented by Brenda Gilhooly.[152] The other nominees were Daisy May Cooper and Charlie Cooper, the writers of This Country, and Simon Blackwell, for his work on Back.[153]

text: Programme[edit]

text: Inside No. 9 won the award for "Best TV Comedy Drama" at the Comedy.co.uk Awards in 2014,[154] 2015,[155] 2016,[156] and 2017,[157] beating Cold Feet, Flowers, Fresh Meat, Jonathan Creek and Stag in 2016,[158] and Cold Feet, Doc Martin, Eric, Ernie and Me, Murder on the Blackpool Express and No Offence.[159] In 2017, Inside No. 9 was named the Comedy.co.uk "Comedy of the Year".[159]

text: Inside No. 9 won the Sketch and Comedy prize at the 35th annual Banff World Media Festival Rockie Awards.[160] The other nominees were Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?, It's a Date, Tiny Plastic Men, Gangsta Granny and The Revolution Will Be Televised.[161] In response to the nomination, Shearsmith tweeted that he was "[t]hrilled", joking that the programme was "in 'Comedy'. I knew it was one".[162] Inside No. 9 was also nominated for Best TV Sitcom at the 2014 Freesat Awards,[163] which celebrate the best of free British television. The programme lost to BBC2's The Wrong Mans, as determined by a panel made up of television experts and commentators.[164][165] The other nominees were Birds of a Feather, Mrs. Brown's Boys and Toast of London.[163] In November 2014, it was announced that Inside No. 9 had been shortlisted for the 2015 Broadcast Award for Best Original Programme. The other nominees were Crackanory, Glasgow Girls, Release the Hounds, Suspects and The Island with Bear Grylls.[166] At the award ceremony in London on 4 February 2015, Glasgow Girls was granted the award, but Inside No. 9 was highly commended.[167] Inside No. 9 won the TV award at the 2015 Chortle Awards.[168] The programme was longlisted for the Best Comedy prize in the 2015 TV Choice Awards.[169] The programme won the 2016 comedy Rose d'Or, beating the Finnish Pyjama Party and the German Der Tatortreiniger.[170][171]

text: At the 2014 British Comedy Awards, Inside No. 9 was nominated in the Best New Comedy Programme and the Best Comedy Drama categories. In the former category, it lost to Toast of London. The other nominees were The Wrong Mans and Man Down. In the latter category, it lost to Rev, and the other nominees were The Wrong Mans and Uncle.[172] For Chater (The Times), the comedy drama category was the strongest of the awards,[173] but for Ben Williams (Time Out), Inside No. 9 should have won.[174] Writing in The Independent, journalist Alice Jones said she was "sorry to see the relentlessly innovative Inside No 9 go unrewarded".[175]


document_title: Kilwa Kisiwani

question_text: who was the palace of husuni kubwa built for

text: Kilwa Kisiwani

text: History and archaeology[edit]

text: Kilwa Kisiwani is an archaeological city-state site located along the Swahili Coast on the Kilwa archipelago. It was occupied from at least the 8th century AD and became one of the most powerful settlements along the coast. The seasonal wind reversals would affect trade circulations.[1] Trade connections with the Arabian Peninsula as well as India and China influenced the growth and development of Kilwa, and, though there are Islamic words and customs that have been adapted to the culture, the origins are African.[2] Many of the Swahili settlements showed complex layouts that reflected social relations between groups, however at Kilwa, there are many questions still left unanswered about the town layout. The cemeteries were located on the edge of the town, which was common for the region, and large, open spaces were likely used for social gatherings.[3] An important city for trade, around the 13th century there were increased fortifications and a greater flow of goods. For these to take place, there would need to be a form of political administration overseeing the city, controlling the movement of goods. Much of the trade networks were with the Arabian peninsula. Kilwa Kisiwani reached its highest point in wealth and commerce between 13th and 15th centuries AD.[2]

text: Evidence of growth in wealth can be seen with the appearance of stone buildings around the 13th century AD, before which all of the buildings were wattle-and-daub. The socio-economic status of the individuals residing there could be clearly seen in the type of structure they were living in. Among Kilwa's exports were spices, tortoiseshell, coconut oil, ivory, and aromatic gums, as well as gold and slaves.[1] At around this time, Kilwa had seized control over the trade of gold at Sofala. The wealthy also possessed more commercial goods than the individuals who were of the lower class did. Luxury cloths and foreign ceramics were among a few of the items they would have owned, though some items, such as luxury clothes, do not preserve in the archaeological record.[2] For approximately 500 years, Kilwa was minting coins. This lasted from about A.D 1100-1600 and the coins have been found across the region, including Great Zimbabwe.[4]

text: Marine resources were abundant and utilized for food. Food sources would also come from the surrounding land. But because of the huge impact the sea, with all of the resources and trade opportunities, had on Kilwa, the archaeological investigation of the harbors and ports is considered to be quite important. The soil at Kilwa that was found over the limestone was of poor quality, so the land food sources came from the areas of higher ground. However, the soil in the Kilwa region would have been suitable for growing cotton, which could be used in sail manufacturer. 12th century spindle whorls have been found, indicating that cotton was used and processed in this area.[2]

text: Ceramics[edit]

text: At first, most of the focus was placed on the archaeology of Kilwa's ports and harbors, however, more and more emphasis is being placed on Kilwa's hinterlands. Ceramic artifacts are plentiful at the site and can be divided into two groups: regional and coastal. All of the ceramics with regional distribution were locally produced, but the area of distribution is limited. These unglazed ceramics were referred to as Kitchen Wares, though their uses were not necessarily just as cooking vessels. It is important to note that all of the varieties of locally produced pottery found in the region were also uncovered at the site of Kilwa itself.[5]

text: While the Kitchen Wares could be seen throughout the region, there were ceramics that were mostly seen within Kilwa itself. These included modeled forms and red-burnished wares. The distribution pattern of the red-burnished wares was coastal. Other ceramic types that were seemingly restricted to town were the imported ceramic vessels from the Arabian peninsula and China. Imported ceramic materials are not found in rural areas. They were used as a sign of social status by the elite. They were kept in wall niches made just for the purpose of displaying them. These imported ceramics played important symbolic roles along the Swahili Coast. The symbolism attached to the imported ceramics was so strong that it carried on to modern Swahili culture. The lack of imported goods in the hinterlands indicates that, while Kilwa was undergoing a process of urbanization, the local communities did not undergo a dramatic transformation.[5]

text: Preservation[edit]

text: In 2004, Kilwa Kisiwani was inscribed on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger. There is a serious rapid deterioration of the archaeological and monumental heritage of these two islands due to various agents like erosion and vegetation. The eastern section of the Palace of Husuni Kubwa, for example, is progressively disappearing. The damage to the soil caused by rainwater wash is accentuating the risks of the collapse of the remaining structures on the edge of the cliff. The vegetation that proliferates on the cliff has limited the progression of the rain-wash effect but causes the break-up of the masonry structures. The World Monuments Fund included Kilwa on its 2008 Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites, and since 2008 has been supporting conservation work on various buildings.

text: Notable features[edit]

text: Great Mosque[edit]

text: The Great Mosque of Kilwa is a congregational mosque on the island of Kilwa Kisiwani, in Tanzania. It was likely founded in the tenth century, but the two major stages of construction date to the eleventh or twelfth and thirteenth century, respectively. It is one of the earliest surviving mosques on the Swahili Coast.

text: The smaller northern prayer hall dates to the first phase of construction. It contained a total of 16 bays supported by nine pillars, which were originally carved from coral but later replaced by timber. The structure was entirely roofed, and was perhaps one of the first mosques in the area to have been built without a courtyard.

text: In the early fourteenth century, Sultan al-Hasan ibn Sulaiman, who also built the nearby Palace of Husuni Kubwa, added a southern extension which included a great dome. This dome was described by Ibn Battuta after he visited Kilwa in 1331.

text: Palace of Husuni Kubwa[edit]

text: Husuni Kubwa (the "Great Fort"), situated outside the town, was an early 14th-century sultan's palace and emporium. Other defining features include causeways and platforms at the entrance of the Harbour made from blocks of reef and coral nearly a meter high. These act as breakwaters, allowing mangroves to grow which is one of the ways the breakwater can be spotted from a distance. Some parts of the causeway are made from the bedrock, but usually the bedrock was used as a base. Coral stone was used to build up the causeways with sand and lime being used to cement the cobbles together. Some of the stones were left loose.[6]

text: The Palace of Husuni Kubwa is a ruined structure on the island of Kilwa Kisiwani, in Tanzania. The majority of the palace was erected in the 14th century by Sultan al-Hasan ibn Sulaiman, who also built an extension to the nearby Great Mosque of Kilwa, although portions may date back to the 13th century. The palace was inhabited only for a brief period of time, and abandoned before its completion.

text: The structure was built out of coral stone on a high bluff overlooking the Indian Ocean. It consists of three major elements: a south court, used primarily for commerce; a residential complex including over one hundred individual rooms; and a wide stairway leading down a mosque that was situated on the beach. Other notable features include pavilion, which likely served as a reception hall, and an octagonal swimming pool. All of Husuni Kubwa spans across approximately two acres. The coral rag was set in limestone mortar and cut stone was used for decorative pieces, door jams, and vaults. The rooms were about 3 meters tall. The roof was made from cut limestone blocks laid across cut timbers and the floors were white plaster. The main entrance to Husuni Kubwa is from the shore. Most of the imported glazed pottery recovered at the site was Chinese celadon, though there were a few Ying Ch'ing stoneware sherds present. A Yuan dynasty flask dated to about A.D. 1300. It is interesting to note that neither the Kilwa Chronicle nor any Portuguese accounts describe a building comparable to Husuni Kubwa.[7]

text: Husuni Ndogo[edit]

text: Husuni Ndogo ("Little Fort") is built from coral rubble and limestone mortar. The rectangular enclosure wall surrounds the complex and at each corner stands a tower. The foundations extend two meters below ground level. It appears to have been built as a fort, but the exact purposes and uses are somewhat unknown. There is some evidence that it, for at least a time, was used as a mosque. Architecturally, it appears to be different from other buildings along the coast, resembling buildings constructed under the Caliphs of the Umayyad at around A.D. 661-750. However, whether or not the structure is related or even dates to the Arabic buildings remains uncertain, though it seems unlikely.[7]

text: Outside influence[edit]

text: This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: A document written around AD 1200 called al-Maqama al Kilwiyya, discovered in Oman, gives details of a mission to reconvert Kilwa to Ibadism, as it had recently been affected by the Ghurabiyya Shia doctrine from southern Iraq.

text: According to local oral tradition, in the 11th century the island of Kilwa Kisiwani was sold to Ali bin Hasan, son of the "King" of Shiraz, in Persia. Another tradition relates that his mother was Abyssinian (Habesha). Ali bin Al-Hasan is credited with founding the island city and with marrying the daughter of the local king. Though he was credited with the founding, he had arrived at an already inhabited area. He did, however, come to power and is credited with fortifying the city and increasing trade.[1] Tradition also relates that it was the child of this union who founded the Kilwa Sultanate. Archaeological and documentary research has revealed that over the next few centuries, Kilwa grew to be a substantial city and the leading commercial entrepôt on the southern half of the Swahili Coast (roughly from the present Tanzanian-Kenya border southward to the mouth of the Zambezi River), trading extensively with states of the Southeast African hinterland as far as Zimbabwe. Trade was mainly in gold, iron, ivory and other animal products of the interior for beads, textiles, jewelry, porcelain and spices from Asia.

text: By the 12th century, under the rule of the Abu'-Mawahib dynasty, Kilwa had become the most powerful city on the Swahili Coast. At the zenith of its power in the 15th century, the Kilwa Sultanate claimed authority over the city-states of Malindi, Mvita (Mombasa), Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Mafia Island, Comoro, Sofala and the trading posts across the channel on Madagascar.

text: Ibn Battuta recorded his visit to the city around 1331, and commented favorably on the generosity, humility, and religion of its ruler, Sultan al-Hasan ibn Sulaiman. Ibn Battuta also describes how the sultan would go into the interior and raid the people taking slaves and other forms of wealth. He was also particularly impressed by the planning of the city and believed that it was the reason for Kilwa's success along the coast.[8] From this period date the construction of the Palace of Husuni Kubwa and a significant extension to the Great Mosque of Kilwa, which was made of coral stones—the largest mosque of its kind. Kilwa was an important and also wealthy city for the trade of gold, because of this some of the people who lived in Kilwa had a higher standard of living, but many others were also poor. The wealthy enjoyed indoor plumbing in their stone homes and the poor lived in mud huts with thatched roofs.[9]

text: In the early 16th century, Vasco da Gama extorted tribute from the wealthy Islamic state. In 1505 another Portuguese force commanded by D. Francisco de Almeida took control of the island after besieging it. It remained in Portuguese hands until 1512, when an Arab mercenary captured Kilwa after the Portuguese abandoned their outpost. The city regained some of its earlier prosperity, but in 1784 was conquered by the Omani rulers of Zanzibar. After the Omani conquest, the French built and manned a fort at the northern tip of the island, but the city itself was abandoned in the 1840s. It was later part of the colony of German East Africa from 1886 to 1918.

text: Tourism[edit]

text: The town is located within the Kilwa District of the Lindi Region.

text: It is possible to visit the island of Kilwa Kisiwani and most people base themselves in Kilwa Masoko. The town Kilwa Masoko can be reached by bus from Dar es Salaam (leaving Mbagala bus stop), and is served by Coastal Aviation. There are numerous basic guesthouses and a handful of tourist hotels, mostly spread along Jimbiza beach and the beautiful and highly regarded Masoko Pwani.

text: A permit is needed to visit the ruins of Kisiwani itself, and can be easily obtained from the local government building on the main road in Kilwa Masoko. Once the permit has been obtained it is easy to arrange dhow transport over the narrow channel to Kisiwani.

text: Notes[edit]

text:
^ Jump up to: a b c Elkiss, Terry A. (1973). "Kilwa Kisiwani: The Rise of an East African City-State". African Studies Review. 16 (1): 119–130. doi:10.2307/523737.
^ Jump up to: a b c d Pollard, Edward John (2008). "THe maritime landscape of Kilwa Kisiwani and its region, Tanzania, 11th to 15th century AD". Journal of Anthropological Archaeology. 27: 265–280. doi:10.1016/j.jaa.2008.07.001.
Jump up ^ Fleisher, Jeffery; Wynne-Jones, Stephanie (2012). "Finding Meaning in Ancient Swahili Spatial Practices". Afr Archaeol Rev. 29: 171–207. doi:10.1007/s10437-012-9121-0.
Jump up ^ Chami, Felix A. (1998). "A Review of Swahili Archaeology". African Archaeological Review. 15 (3): 199–218. doi:10.1023/a:1021612012892.
^ Jump up to: a b Wynne-Jones, Stephanie (2007). "Creating urban communities at Kilwa Kisiwani, Tanzania, AD 800-1300". Antiquity. 81: 368–380. doi:10.1017/s0003598x00095247.
Jump up ^ Pollard, Edward (2008). "Inter-Tidal Causeways and Platforms of the 13th- to 16th-Century City-States of Kilwa Kisiwani, Tanzania". The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology. 1 (37): 98–114. doi:10.1111/j.1095-9270.2007.00167.x.
^ Jump up to: a b Chittick, Neville (1963). "Kilwa and the Arab Settlement of the East African Coast". The Journal of African History. 4 (2): 179–190. doi:10.1017/s0021853700004011. JSTOR 179533.
Jump up ^ Dunn, Ross E. (2005). The adventures of Ibn Battuta, a Muslim traveler of the fourteenth century (Rev. ed. with a new pref. ed.). Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0520243854.
Jump up ^ The Travels of Ibn Battuta

tag: ol

text: Further reading[edit]

text: Chittick, H. Neville (1974), Kilwa: an Islamic trading city on the East African coast (2 Vols), Nairobi: British Institute in Eastern Africa . Volume 1: History and archaeology; Volume 2: The finds.

tag: ul


document_title: Toiletry bag

question_text: what is a dopp kit called a dopp kit

question_tokens: what is a dopp kit called a dopp kit

text: Toiletry bag

text: This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: A toiletry bag (also called a toiletry kit, ditty bag, dopp kit, bathroom kit, sponge bag, toilet bag, toilet kit, body hygiene kit, travel kit, wash bag, or wet pack), is a portable container—usually a pouch with a zippered closure[citation needed]—which holds body hygiene and toiletry supplies such as toothbrush and toothpaste, dental floss, cotton swabs, deodorant, nail clippers, tweezers, soap, shaving supplies, hair brush, tampons, contact lenses and supplies, condoms, and similar items while travelling and in other circumstances where permanent shelves and cupboards are unavailable or impractical for use.

text: Dopp kit[edit]

text: Dopp kit is a term particularly in use in America[citation needed] for toiletry bags. The name derives from the early 20th century leather craftsman Charles Doppelt, whose company designed the case in 1919.[1] While the case is named after Doppelt, it appears that the case was actually designed by Doppelt's nephew, Jerome Harris.[2]

text: Dopp kits became widely known during World War I[3] and World War II[4] when they were issued to GIs. The Dopp brand name was purchased by Samsonite in the early 1970s[5], and was acquired by Buxton in 1979.[6]

text: The trademark Dopp was filed by Samsonite for registration at the U.S. Trademark Office on Mar. 24, 1980.[7] The class of goods for which it was applicable was “toilet cases sold empty, briefcases, briefcase type portfolios, sample and catalog cases sold empty, luggage identification tags, and traveling bags”. An additional filing for the trademark Dopp Kit was made on April 3, 1980 for the class of goods “travel kits, sold empty”.[8] In both of those applications Samsonite stated that the trademarks were first used in July 1936. The registration for “Dopp Kit” was cancelled in March 2003 when no one filed a required (Section 8) Declaration of Continued Use, but the required declarations have been filed for “Dopp”. The marks were assigned to DHP Limited Partnership (dba Buxton) in 1990; the current owner of the “Dopp” trademark is listed as Buxton Acquisition Co., LLC, of Chicopee, Massachusetts.[citation needed]


document_title: Joseph Gordon-Levitt

question_text: who did joseph gordon levitt play in beethoven

text: Joseph Gordon-Levitt

text: Early life[edit]

text: Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt[3] was born in Los Angeles, California[3] on February 17, 1981.[4][5][6] He was raised in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles.[7] He is Jewish, from a family that is "not strictly religious";[8][9] his parents were among the founders of the Progressive Jewish Alliance.[10][11][12] Gordon-Levitt's father, Dennis Levitt, was once the news director for the Pacifica Radio station, KPFK-FM.[13][14] His mother, Jane Gordon, ran for the United States Congress in California during the 1970s for the Peace and Freedom Party; she met Dennis Levitt while she was working as the program guide editor for KPFK-FM.[13] His maternal grandfather, Michael Gordon (1909–1993), was a Hollywood film director.[13] Gordon-Levitt had an older brother, Dan,[15][16] a photographer and fire spinner who died in 2010 at the age of 36.[17] Gordon-Levitt attended Van Nuys High School and graduated in 1999.[18]

text: Career[edit]

text: Early acting work[edit]

text: Gordon-Levitt joined a musical theater group at the age of four and played the Scarecrow in a production of The Wizard of Oz. Subsequently, he was approached by an agent and began appearing on television and in commercials for Sunny Jim peanut butter, Cocoa Puffs, Pop-Tarts, and Kinney Shoes.[13]

text: At age six, he starred in several made-for-television films. In 1991, he played both David Collins and Daniel Collins in the Dark Shadows 1991 television series, and appeared in the movie A River Runs Through It .[19] During 1992–93, he played in The Powers That Be, a sitcom starring John Forsythe, as a clever young boy named Pierce Van Horne. Also in 1992, he portrayed Gregory Kingsley in the made-for-TV film Switching Parents, based on Kingsley's real life case of "divorcing" his parents. In 1994, he starred in the Disney film Angels in the Outfield as an orphan who sees angels. In 1996, he began playing Tommy Solomon on the sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun. The series ran for six seasons. The San Francisco Chronicle noted that Gordon-Levitt was a "Jewish kid playing an extraterrestrial pretending to be a Jewish kid".[20] During the 1990s, he was frequently featured in teenage magazines. He also made an appearance as Buddy in the episode "Eric's Buddy" on That '70s Show.

text: Gordon-Levitt starred in the 1999 film 10 Things I Hate About You, a modern-day adaptation of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and voiced Jim Hawkins in Treasure Planet (2002), a Disney adaptation of the novel Treasure Island.[21] In 2000, he began attending Columbia University School of General Studies.[13][22] He studied history, literature, and French poetry.[13] He became an avid Francophile and a French speaker.[13] He said that moving to New York City from his hometown forced him to grow as a person.[20] He dropped out in 2004 to concentrate on acting again.[13]

text: Later acting work[edit]

text: Gordon-Levitt has said that he made a conscious decision to "be in good movies" after returning to acting.[22] His films include 2001's drama Manic, which was set in a mental institution, Mysterious Skin (2004), in which he played a gay prostitute and child sexual abuse victim, and Brick (2005), a modern-day film noir set at a high school, in which he had the lead role of Brendan Frye, a teen who becomes involved in an underground drug ring while investigating a murder. Brick received positive reviews, with The Minnesota Daily's critic commenting that Gordon-Levitt played the character "beautifully", "true to film's style", "unfeeling but not disenchanted", and "sexy in the most ambiguous way."[22][23] Another reviewer described the performance as "astounding".[24] He also starred opposite Steve Sandvoss as a young judgmental missionary in Latter Days (2003), a film that centers on a sexually repressed Mormon missionary (Sandvoss) who falls for his gay neighbor. He had roles in Havoc and Shadowboxer.[25]

text: His next role was in 2007's The Lookout, in which he played Chris Pratt, a janitor involved in a bank heist. In reviewing the film, The Philadelphia Inquirer described Gordon-Levitt as a "surprisingly formidable, and formidably surprising, leading man",[26] while New York magazine stated that he is a "major tabula rasa actor ... a minimalist", and that his character worked because he "doesn't seize the space ... by what he takes away from the character."[27] The San Francisco Chronicle specified that he "embodies, more than performs, a character's inner life."[20] His 2008 and 2009 films include Stop-Loss, directed by Kimberly Peirce and revolving around American soldiers returning from the Iraq War, and Killshot, in which he played a hoodlum partnered with a hired killer played by Mickey Rourke.[22]

text: Gordon-Levitt played a lead role opposite to friend Zooey Deschanel in 500 Days of Summer, a well-received 2009 release about the deconstruction of a relationship.[25] His performance, described as "the real key" to what makes the film work, credits him with using "his usual spell in subtle gradations."[28] Variety's Todd McCarthy praised his performance, saying he "expressively alternates between enthusiasm and forlorn disappointment in the manner Jack Lemmon could".[29] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone said the movie "hits you like a blast of pure romantic oxygen" and credited both lead actors for playing "it for real, with a grasp of subtlety and feeling that goes beyond the call of breezy duty."[30] He was subsequently nominated for a Golden Globe Award.[31]

text: He later played villain Cobra Commander in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.[32] On November 21, 2009, he hosted Saturday Night Live.[33] In 2010, he replaced James Franco[34] to star alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Christopher Nolan's science fiction thriller Inception, which received favorable reviews.[25]

text: In 2011, Gordon-Levitt began filming Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises, in which he played John Blake, a police officer who emerges as a key ally of Batman.[35] Also released in 2012, he played the starring role of a bicycle messenger in the action film Premium Rush; the younger version of the lead role, shared with Bruce Willis, in the time-travel thriller Looper;[36] and the supporting role of Robert Todd Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's biopic Lincoln.[37]

text: Gordon-Levitt played a new character, Johnny, in the sequel Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014), described by the filmmakers as "a cocky gambler who disguises a darker mission to destroy his most foul enemy at his best game".[38] In October 2013, it was reported that he was one of the frontrunners to play the lead character for Marvel Studios's superhero film Ant-Man, which eventually went to Paul Rudd.[39]

text: In 2015, Gordon-Levitt starred as Philippe Petit in the biographical drama The Walk, directed by Academy Award-winning director Robert Zemeckis. Gordon-Levitt then played National Security Agency surveillance leaker Edward Snowden in Snowden, directed by Oliver Stone.[40] The film was released in North America on September 16, 2016, and co-starred Shailene Woodley, Melissa Leo, Zachary Quinto, Tom Wilkinson, and Nicolas Cage.

text: Directing and producing[edit]

text: Gordon-Levitt's first film as director, the 24 minute-long Sparks, an adaptation of a short story by Elmore Leonard starring Carla Gugino and Eric Stoltz, was selected for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival as part of a new program for short films.[41] In 2010, he directed another short film, Morgan and Destiny's Eleventeenth Date: The Zeppelin Zoo.[42] It premiered at two houses during the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.[42]

text: He was one of the many producers of the Broadway show Slava's Snowshow.[43]

text: In 2013, Gordon-Levitt wrote, directed, and starred in his screenwriting and directorial debut, Don Jon. The film also stars Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, and Tony Danza, and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2013. Following the premiere, the film was acquired by Relativity Media and Gordon-Levitt stated: "I always intended this to be a movie for a mass popular audience. Everyone told me it was a long shot ... I couldn't possibly be more grateful."[44]

text: HitRecord[edit]

text: HitRecord (pronounced /ˈhɪt rɪˈkɔːrd/; often stylized as hitREC●rd) is an online collaborative production company founded and owned by Gordon-Levitt. The company uses a variety of media to produce such projects as short films, books, and DVDs.[45] HitRecord has produced such short films as Morgan M. Morgansen's Date with Destiny and its sequel Morgan and Destiny's Eleventeenth Date: The Zeppelin Zoo.

text: Personal life[edit]

text: In October 2013, Gordon-Levitt identified himself as a feminist, giving credit to his mother: "My mom brought me up to be a feminist. She was active in the movement in the '60s and '70s. The Hollywood movie industry has come a long way since its past. It certainly has a bad history of sexism, but it ain't all the way yet."[46]

text: In December 2014, Gordon-Levitt married Tasha McCauley.[47][48] Their first child, a son, was born in August 2015.[49] Their second son was born in June 2017.[50]

text: Filmography[edit]

text: Film[edit]

text:
Year
Title
Role
Notes

1992
Beethoven
Student No. 1

1992
River Runs Through It, AA River Runs Through It
Young Norman

1992
Switching Parents
Gregory Kingsley / Shawn Russ

1994
Holy Matrimony
Zeke

1994
Roadflower
Rich Lerolland

1994
Angels in the Outfield
Roger Bomman

1996
Juror, TheThe Juror
Oliver Laird

1998
Sweet Jane
Tony

1998
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
James "Jimmy" Howell

1999
10 Things I Hate About You
Cameron James

2000
Picking Up the Pieces
Flaco

2000
Forever Lulu
Martin Ellsworth

2001
Manic
Lyle Jensen

2002
Treasure Planet
Jim Hawkins
Voice role

2003
Latter Days
Elder Paul Ryder

2004
Mysterious Skin
Neil McCormick

2005
Brick
Brendan Frye

2005
Havoc
Sam

2005
Shadowboxer
Dr. Don

2007
The Lookout
Chris Pratt

2008
Stop-Loss
Tommy Burgess

2008
Miracle at St. Anna
Tim Boyle

2008
Brothers Bloom, TheThe Brothers Bloom
Bar Patron
Uncredited cameo[51]

2009
Killshot
Richie Nix

2009
Big Breaks
Todd Sterling
Short film

2009
(500) Days of Summer
Tom Hansen
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy

2009
Uncertainty
Bobby

2009
Women in Trouble
Bert Rodriguez

2009
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Rexford "Rex" Lewis / Cobra Commander
Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Villain

2010
Hesher
Hesher

2010
Morgan M. Morgansen's Date with Destiny
Morgan M. Morgansen / Narrator
Short film; also director and editor

2010
Elektra Luxx
Bert Rodriguez

2010
Morgan and Destiny's Eleventeenth Date
Morgan M. Morgansen / Narrator
Short film; also director and editor

2010
Inception
Arthur

2011
50/50
Adam Lerner
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy

2012
The Dark Knight Rises
Robin John Blake

2012
Premium Rush
Wilee

2012
Looper
Young Joe
Also executive producer

2012
Lincoln
Robert Todd Lincoln

2013
Don Jon
Jon "Don Jon" Martello
Also director and writer

2014
The Wind Rises
Jiro Horikoshi
Voice role; English dub[52]

2014
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
Johnny

2014
The Interview
Himself
Uncredited cameo[53]

2015
The Walk
Philippe Petit

2015
The Night Before
Ethan

2016
Snowden
Edward Snowden

2017
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Slowen Lo
Voice role; cameo[54]

2018
7500
Tobias Ellis
Filming[55]

text: Television[edit]

text:
Year
Title
Role
Notes

1988
Stranger on My Land
Rounder
TV movie

1988
Family Ties
Dougie
2 episodes

1989
Settle the Score
Justin
Movie

1990
Murder, She Wrote
Boy No. 1
Episode: "Shear Madness"

1991
Changes
Matthew "Matt" Hallam
Movie

1991
Hi Honey – I'm Dead
Josh Stadler
Movie

1991
Plymouth
Simon
Movie

1991
Dark Shadows
Daniel Collins (and David Collins)
11 episodes

1991
China Beach
Archie Winslow, age 9
Episode: "Quest"

1991
Quantum Leap
Kyle
Episode: "Permanent Wave" (season 4)

1991
L.A. Law
Rick Berg
Episode: "Lose the Boss"

1992
Powers That Be, TheThe Powers That Be
Pierce Van Horne
13 episodes

1993
Gregory K
Gregory Kingsley
Movie

1993
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
Zack Lawson
Episode: "The Secret"

1993–1995
Roseanne
George
4 episodes

1995
Great Elephant Escape, TheThe Great Elephant Escape
Matthew
Movie

1996–2001
3rd Rock from the Sun
Tommy Solomon
131 episodes

1998
That '70s Show
Buddy Morgan
Episode: "Eric's Buddy"

2000
Outer Limits, TheThe Outer Limits
Zach
Episode: "Something About Harry"

2005
Numb3rs
Scott Reynolds
Episode: "Sacrifice"

2009
2012
Saturday Night Live
Himself (host)
2 episodes

2013
Lady Gaga and the Muppets Holiday Spectacular
Himself
Special

2014–2015
HitRecord on TV
Himself (host)
Also executive producer

2015
Comedy Bang! Bang!
Himself
Episode: "Joseph Gordon-Levitt Wears a Heart T-Shirt and Blue Jeans"

2015
The Mindy Project
Matt Sherman
Episode: "While I Was Sleeping"

2015
The Muppets
Himself
Episode: "Going, Going, Gonzo"

2017
Comrade Detective
Iosif Baciu (voice)

text: Video games[edit]

text:
Year
Title
Voice role

2009
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
Cobra Commander[56]

text: Discography[edit]

text: Awards and nominations[edit]