Dennis Farina Dead at 69

Dennis Farina, a former police officer who became a star of LAW & ORDER, died today at the age of 69, his publicist Lori De Waal confirmed.

Farina died Monday morning in a Scottsdale, Arizona, hospital after suffering a blood clot in his lung. He was 69.

Born February 29, 1944, in Chicago, he was a city police officer before turning to acting in his late 30s.

Farina appeared in films including Get Shorty, Saving Private Ryan and Midnight Run.

Among his many TV portrayals was Det. Joe Fontana on LAW & ORDER. He also starred in the 1980s cult favorite, CRIME STORY and most recently was in the HBO drama series LUCK.

WINNERS: 27th Annual Imagen Awards

The Imagen Foundation announced on Friday the winners of the 27th Annual Imagen (Spanish for “image”) Awards, honoring positive portrayals of Latinos and Latino cultures in entertainment.  The awards were presented at a gala black-tie dinner at the Beverly Hilton Hotel International Ballroom.  

Winners were selected by an independent panel of entertainment industry executives and Latino community leaders and announced at the awards gala.  Below is the winner's list:

NOMINATIONS: 27th Annual Imagen Awards

The Imagen Foundation has announced the nominees for the 27th Annual Imagen (Spanish for “image”) Awards, honoring positive portrayals of Latinos and Latino cultures in entertainment.  The awards will be presented at a gala black-tie dinner on Friday evening, August 10th, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel International Ballroom.  The Imagen Awards will air as a one hour special on PBS SoCal on Sunday, September 23^rd.                                                      

Winners will be selected by an independent panel of entertainment industry executives and Latino community leaders and announced at the awards gala.

Best Primetime Program

• • CASTLE (ABC Studios)
  • GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC Studios)
  • LAW & ORDER SVU (Wolf Films in association with NBC Universal Television)
  • PRIVATE PRACTICE (ABC Studios)
  • SWITCHED AT BIRTH (Prodco, Inc. in association with ABC Family)

WHAT TO WATCH: Sunday, April 1, 2012

What's new in the world of soaps? Serialized scripted content is everywhere in 2012, The Year of the Soap, and we have your guide to the new episodes airing on Sunday, April 1, 2012.

Click the links below for previews.

(All times are ET)

8 p.m.		ONCE UPON A TIME (ABC)
		THE KILLING (AMC)
		(Season Premiere)

WHAT TO WATCH: Sunday, March 18, 2012

What's new in the world of soaps? Serialized scripted content is everywhere in 2012, The Year of the Soap, and we have your guide to the new episodes airing on Sunday, March 18, 2012. The Indie Soap Awards telecast is finally here. Set your DVRs for your favorite soaps and watch the best in web series celebrate the evolution of the medium. You might catch a number of your daytime favorites as well.

Click the links below for previews.

(All times are ET)

9 a.m.		MAKE IT OR BREAK IT MARATHON (SOAPnet)
		(10 Episodes)
8 p.m.		ONCE UPON A TIME (ABC)
9 p.m.		3RD ANNUAL INDIE SOAP AWARDS (The SFN)
		(6 p.m. PT)
		DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
		THE WALKING DEAD (AMC)
		(Season Finale)
		THE GOOD WIFE (CBS)
		ARMY WIVES (Lifetime)
		LUCK (HBO)
		SHAMELESS (Showtime)
10 p.m.		GCB (ABC)
		HOUSE OF LIES (Showtime)
		EASTBOUND & DOWN (HBO)
		COMIC BOOK MEN (AMC)
10:30 p.m.		CALIFORNICATION (Showtime)
		LIFE'S TOO SHORT (HBO)

Remember to use #yearofthesoap on Twitter to promote your favorite serialized shows.

RELATED: 
- Why 2012 Will Be "The Year Of The Soap" (Part 1) 
- Why 2012 Will Be "The Year Of The Soap" (Part 2): DARK SHADOWS, RAGGED ISLE, DALLAS, Univision Telenovelas and More
- Why 2012 Will Be "The Year Of The Soap" (Part 3): Promising Fall Pilots

NEWS ROUNDUP: GCB's White Marriage, Kristin Responds To Newt, HOLLYWOOD HEIGHTS, TRIC Awards

'GCB' introduces concept of 'a white marriage'
The premiere episode of "GCB" clued viewers in that Blake is gay and Sunday night's episode revealed Blake's wife, Cricket (Miriam Shor), signed on to the marriage with the understanding that he'd be having sex with men on the side. The couple even share opposite sides of an extra-wide bed.

Kristin Chenoweth Defends GCB from Newt Gingrich Attacks: ‘Don’t Talk About My Show!’
Chenoweth was shocked by Gingrich’s comments, considering the actress is a Christian herself. “I was like, 'No, Newt, don’t talk about my show!'” Chenoweth told Broadway.com. “I would never do anything that would make fun of my own religion! I don’t think [GCB] does that.”

WHAT TO WATCH: Sunday, March 11, 2012

What's new in the world of soaps? Serialized scripted content is everywhere in 2012, The Year of the Soap, and we have your guide to the new episodes airing on Sunday, March 11, 2012.  Daytime TV, primetime, broadcast, cable, web series, we've got it all in our daily listings.

Click the links below for previews.

(All times are ET)

7 p.m.		WE LOVE SOAPS TV
		(The Southside Red Carpet)
8 p.m.		ONCE UPON A TIME (ABC)
9 p.m.		DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
		THE WALKING DEAD (AMC)

WHAT TO WATCH: Sunday, March 4, 2012

What's new in the world of soaps? Serialized scripted content is everywhere in 2012, The Year of the Soap, and we have your guide to the new episodes airing on Sunday, March 4, 2012.  Daytime TV, primetime, broadcast, cable, web series, we've got it all in our daily listings.

Click the links below for previews.

(All times are ET)

8 p.m.		ONCE UPON A TIME (ABC)
9 p.m.		DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
		THE WALKING DEAD (AMC)
		THE GOOD WIFE (CBS)
		ARMY WIVES (Lifetime)
		(Season Premiere)

WHAT TO WATCH: Sunday, February 19, 2012

What's new in the world of soaps? Serialized scripted content is everywhere in 2012, The Year of the Soap, and we have your guide to the new episodes airing on Sunday, February 19, 2012.  Daytime TV, primetime, broadcast, cable, web series, we've got it all in our daily listings.

Click the links below for previews.

(All times are ET)

8 p.m.		ONCE UPON A TIME (ABC)

WHAT TO WATCH: Sunday, February 12, 2012

What's new in the world of soaps? Serialized scripted content is everywhere in 2012, The Year of the Soap, and we have your guide to the new episodes airing on Sunday, February 12, 2012.  Daytime TV, primetime, broadcast, cable, web series, we've got it all in our daily listings.

Click the links below for previews.

(All times are ET)

3 p.m.		GENERAL HOSPITAL Robin & Patrick Marathon
		(Four episodes)

WHAT TO WATCH: Sunday, February 5, 2012 Super Bowl, Soaps & Alternatives

What's new in the world of soaps? Serialized scripted content is everywhere in 2012, The Year of the Soap, and we have your guide to the new episodes airing on Sunday, January 29, 2012.  Daytime TV, primetime, broadcast, cable, web series, we've got it all in our daily listings.

Click the links below for previews.

(All times are ET)

6:30 p.m.		SUPER BOWL XLVI (NBC)
9 p.m.		DOWNTON ABBEY (PBS)
		LUCK (HBO)

PREVIEW: HBO Sunday Night Soap LUCK

The Year of the Soap continues on HBO on Sunday, February 5 at 9 p.m. ET as the second episode of LUCK is finally here.

Chafing under his parole conditions but eager to move forward in the racetrack deal, Ace (Dustin Hoffman) shows off his famous temper during a contentious meeting with one-time colleague Nick DiRossi (Alan Rosenberg) and a possible investor, Isadore Cohen (Ted Levine).

Although Marcus (Kevin Dunn) is wary about flaunting his newfound Pick Six wealth, his three partners have no such qualms, as Jerry (Jason Gedrick) sits in at higher-stakes poker games, Renzo (Ritchie Coster) sets his sights on claiming one of Escalante’s (John Ortiz) mystery horses and Lonnie (Ian Hart) parties with two unscrupulous women.

NEWS ROUNDUP: Barbara Hershey On ONCE UPON A TIME, "Scruples" Pilot Ordered, GOSSIP GIRL Reveal

ONCE UPON A TIME: Barbara Hershey Cast as Evil Queen's Mother
Hershey will first appear as the queen’s mum, Cora, later this season, with the option of also having a short arc in Season 2 (if/when the fantastical drama conjures up a renewal this spring).

ABC orders adaptation of '70s novel 'Scruples'
The book was a bestseller and follows the life of Wilhelmina Hunnewell Winthrop, aka Billy, a previously plump woman who loses weight, becomes fabulously cool, and survives a very rich (and very old) first husband. She ends up opening up a Beverly Hills clothing boutique called “Scruples.”

WHAT TO WATCH: Sunday, January 29, 2012

What's new in the world of soaps? Serialized scripted content is everywhere in 2012, The Year of the Soap, and we have your guide to the new episodes airing on Sunday, January 29, 2012.  Daytime TV, primetime, broadcast, cable, web series, we've got it all in our daily listings.

Click the links below for previews.

(All times are ET)

8 p.m.		ONCE UPON A TIME (ABC)
9 p.m.		DOWNTON ABBEY (PBS)
		THE GOOD WIFE (CBS)
		LUCK (HBO)
		(Pilot re-airs)
		SHAMELESS (Showtime)
10 p.m.		HOUSE OF LIES (Showtime)
10:30 p.m.		CALIFORNICATION (HBO)

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and PAN AM are not being aired this week.

HBO is re-airing the pilot episode of LUCK which it previewed after the season finale of BOARDWALK EMPIRE.

The SAG Awards will air on TNT/TBS tonight at 8 p.m. ET.

Remember to use #yearofthesoap on Twitter to promote your favorite serialized shows.

RELATED: 
- Why 2012 Will Be "The Year Of The Soap" (Part 1) 
- Why 2012 Will Be "The Year Of The Soap" (Part 2): DARK SHADOWS, RAGGED ISLE, DALLAS, Univision Telenovelas and More
- Most Fascinating People of 2011

Sunday Night Nielsen Ratings: ONCE UPON Down, GOOD WIFE Up, BOARDWALK Steady, LUCK Premieres & WHEELS Up

Here's a look at the preliminary Nielsen ratings for Sunday, December 11, 2011.

ONCE UPON A TIME was down over 6% to a 2.9 Adults 18-49 rating on an audience of about 8.9 million viewers.

PREVIEW: Sunday Night's BOARDWALK EMPIRE & LUCK on HBO (with Video Sneak Peeks)

The season finale of BOARDWALK EMPIRE, "To The Lost," airs on Sunday, December 11 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

With Nucky's trial looming, Jimmy looks to make amends.

After weighing an offer from Esther Randolph, Margaret makes a decision that will change the course of her future - and Nucky's.

Watch a preview below.