Laughter and Heartwarming moments in the World Premiere of Jimmy & Sam

THEATRE 40 will present THE WORLD PREMIERE of JIMMY & SAM, a charming and heartfelt new comedy by MICHAEL RHODES, PAT HARRINGTON and HOWARD STORM, as the second production in their 2011-2012 Season, opening on September 29th in their Reuben Cordova Theatre on the Beverly Hills High School Campus.

In JIMMY & SAM , Jimmy, a retired Irish dockworker and Sam, a retired Jewish barber, have been friends for 40 years. Both of their wives are deceased and through circumstances they end up living together in Jimmy's apartment. They play pinochle, go to dances and meet new people. Their life is "good!" But when a lovely lady comes into their lives, Jimmy and Sam will have to make a choice about the future of their relationship. This wonderful and touching new play will keep you laughing while at the same time tug at your heartstrings.

PAT HARRINGTON has been nominated 6 times, winning an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a Dramalogue Critics Award. In addition to numerous guest-starring roles, his work has created not one, but two legendary characters on Television. Harrington became famous in the 1950s as a member of Steve Allen's TV comedy troupe, the Men on the Street. Then for one of his 58 performances on the Jack Paar Show he created his landmark characterization of Guido, an articulate and discerning Italian visitor to America. His character was so believable that the United States Immigration Service called the show, explaining they had no Date or Port of Entry for any Guido Panzini! They requested Guido's presence at a hearing, downtown in the Federal Building! For this landmark work, Pat received the 1959 Radio/TV Daily Best Male Newcomer Award and very nearly became the first Irish-American in history to be deported to Italy! His second legendary success was as Dwayne Schneider on One Day At A Time reigning with top TV ratings for 10 years. His work on this Series earned him 3 nominations and his 'Emmy!' A sampling of his theatrical credits includes: THE PAJAMA GAME, THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES (Dramalogue Award), SHOWBOAT, LOVE LETTERS, BLACKOUT, FALLING UPWARD and FATHER OF THE BRIDE.

HOWARD STORM (Sam) is one of television's reigning directors of comedy, having been snatched from the comedy club circuit to direct Valerie Harper in her starring series RHODA, her first TV assignment. He subsequently helmed such popular long-running sitcoms as LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY, MORK AND MINDY, TAXI, MAJOR DAD, ALF and EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, to name a few. The roster of stars he's directed lists Robin Williams, Penny Marshall, Billy Crystal, Steve Martin, Tony Danza, and Howie Mandel, among others. And he's written scripts for such shows as All In The Family, The Partridge Family and the original Bob Newhart Show. Howard also directed Once Bitten, Jim Carrey's feature film debut. Beginning in theatre as an actor/comedian, he guested on the Johnny Carson, Steve Allen and Merv Griffin Shows and he assisted Woody Allen in Allen's early directorial efforts on Take the Money and Run and Bananas. Later, in Hollywood, Storm's impeccable comedy credentials earned him a spot with The Committee, a group which specialized in performing improvisationally. He also teaches improvisation technique and frequently teaches 'directing for writers' in USC's film department.

CLEMENT E. BLAKE (Jimmy) is originally from New York. He has performed in an interesting array of theatrical productions in Los Angeles including Twelve Angry Men, Zoo Story, The Johnstown Vindicator and his Award-winning performance of Al in Bukowski's Decline and Fall. Among his many film credits are Superbad, Minority Report, Magnolia, The One and Bread And Roses. Clement has also appeared in numerous TV shows including CSI, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Bones, NYPD Blue. Monk and Seinfeld. Last year, Clement receivef the Rotten Tomatoes Lifetime Achievement Award for Hoboing.

KATHERINE HENRYK (Carol) received her formal theatre training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Her classical background has taken her from Joe Papp's N.Y Shakespeare in the Park where she starred as Rosalind in As you Like It to several seasons at San Diego's Old Globe and to regional theatres from Massachusetts, Texas, Colorado and the State of Washington. In Los Angeles she has appeared at the Mark Taper Forum, the Ahmanson, the Doolittle, Pasadena Playhouse and numerous Hollywood theatres. Miss Henryk is one of the founders of Theatre 40. At T40 she received a Drama Logue Award for her portrayal of Mrs. Alving in Ghosts and a Robby for best supporting actress in Both Your Houses. Some of her more recent portrayals on our stage are the Diva in Quartet and Queen Eleanor in Lion in Winter. As always, she dedicates this performance to the memory of her parents both of whom were leading actors in Leon Schiller's famed Warsaw Theatre.

TIM BYRON OWEN (DIRECTOR) has produced, directed, or appeared in over 60 theatrical productions with various LA theater companies and venues. In 1985, Tim became a founding member of The Celtic Arts Center Theater and served as president of the board. In 1984, he began working for television production companies creating six television shows that were optioned for development by CastleRock Ent., Dick Clark prods, HBO and Ralph Edwards Prods. Tim founded The Sarah Fulton Group with American Academy classmate Nick Cassavetes, serving as Artistic Director since 1990. It has produced multiple theater productions, and two films: A Far Cry From A Distant Land, co-directed by BAFTA member Angela Lubbock, and the EMMY AWARD winning Where's Joe? for the American Heart Association. In 2002, Tim directed A Night In November, at the Celtic Arts Center, winning a DRAMA CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD for Best Performance. At the Edinburgh Festival 2002, A Night In November won the SPIRIT OF THE FRINGE AWARD for Best Production and the TAPWATER AWARD for Best Actor. After a hit run at Dublin's Gaiety Theatre, the production moved to the Liberty Hall Theatre in Dublin, Then Owen and Maguire brought their production back to LA earning two Ovation Award nominations, Best Play and Best Performance, followed by a hit run at the Irish Arts Center in New York, and then a three month run in Boston at Jimmy Tingle's Off-Broadway Theater. Tim directed the West Coast premiere of Fighting Words, a play about Johnny Owen, which opened to rave reviews for a nine week run at the Celtic Arts Center of Los Angeles. Tim also directed Ray Bradbury's Falling Upward at Theater West, in 2007, and again at the El Portal Theater in 2009, earning Critic's Choice from LA Times, and Critic's Pick from LA Weekly.

Technical Staff for JIMMY & SAM includes: Set Designer - JEFF G. RACK; Lighting Designer - ELLEN MONOCROUSSOS; Sound Designer - BILL FROGGATT; Costume Designer - MICHELE YOUNG; Prop Master - EVAN PAVLICA; Assistant Director - RHONDA LORD and Producer - DAVID HUNT STAFFORD.