AUGUST 5 • 2021 | 49

MR. CORMAN, DETECTIVE 
TURNER, NANNY NIXERS
Mr. Corman is a 10-episode 
series that premieres on 
Apple TV+ on Aug. 6. Joseph 
Gordon-Levitt, 40, created 
the series, directs it, writes it 
and stars as the title character. 
It follows Josh Corman, a 
former musician who teaches 
fifth grade in Los Angeles. As 
the series starts, his fiancée 
has just moved out and she’s 
replaced by his high school 
buddy. The advance publicity 
says: “He knows he has a lot 
to be thankful for, but finds 
himself struggling neverthe-
less through anxiety, loneli-
ness and a sinking suspicion 
that he sucks as a person. 
Darkly funny, oddly beautiful 
and deeply heartfelt, this relat-
able dramedy speaks for our 
contemporary generation of 
30-somethings.”
The hit Tom Hanks’ com-
edy/action film, Turner and 
Hooch (1989), about a U.S. 
Marshal and the unruly dog 
he inherits, is now a Disney 
+ series of the same name 
(began streaming on July 21). 
Josh Peck, 34, stars as Turner. 
Peck is best known as the 
co-star of Nickelodeon teen 
comedy Drake & Josh (2004-
2007). But he’s remained 
busy in other projects since. 
While most of his roles have 
been in short-lived sitcoms, I 
particularly liked his dramatic 
film The Wackness (2008). He 
gave a strong performance 
as a troubled but likeable 
Manhattan teen who bicycles 
around delivering marijuana 
to customers to help support 
his family. The co-starring cast 
is terrific (Ben Kingsley and 
Olivia Thirlby, 34).
Peck was raised in 
Manhattan by his Jewish 
mother and grandmother and 
was a bar mitzvah. He never 

knew his biological father, but 
did a DNA test a few years 
ago, and found out his father 
is Jewish, too.
Peck’s story differs greatly 
from so many young actors 
who “crash” after getting early 
fame. He was a pudgy guy 
when Drake & Josh began 
but made a conscious effort 
to slim-down and stay healthy 
when the fourth season of 
the series began, and he’s 
remained slim and healthy. 
(Sadly, his co-star, Drake Bell, 
now 35, fits the “crash” story 
— multiple arrests for serious 
things and personal bankrupt-
cy.) 
I’ve seen Peck in several 
recent interviews, and I can 
see why he got the Turner 
role. He projects the same 
“good guy” charm and upbeat 
“vibe” that Tom Hanks often 
exudes. 
The Nanny star, Fran 
Drescher, is in a tough fight 
for the presidency of SAG-
AFTRA, the actors’ union. The 
sad news is that her Nanny
co-stars are not lining-up 
behind her. Drescher, 63, 
is running against Matthew 
Modine for the presiden-
cy. Deadline, a show biz 
site, reports Nanny co-stars 
Charles Shaughnessy and 
Madeline Zima are back-
ing the Modine slate. They 
played, respectively, Mr. 
Sheffield, Fran’s boss, and 
Grace, the youngest child. 
Renee Taylor, 88, who played 
Fran’s Jewish mother, is stay-
ing neutral. 

CELEBRITY NEWS

NATE BLOOM COLUMNIST

ARTS&LIFE

BY BFVSGF VIA WIKIPEDIA

Josh Peck

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