Daily Variety articles from August 2005

Daily Variety archives from August 2005

The son sets on Rupe's family plan.(Lachlan Murdoch)
August 1, 2005... Lachlan Murdoch, Rupert's oldest son and News Corp.'s deputy chief operating officer, is the latest heir apparent to be knocked from the executive dais of the Aussie-founded media conglom. His abrupt departure, five years after the exit of...

GE greenlights courtship.(General Electric approves NBC Universal's acquisition of DreamWorks)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... General Electric's board of directors gave Bob Wright's NBC Universal a formal nod Friday to pursue an acquisition of DreamWorks. A purchase would include DreamWorks' 60-title library and would safeguard and expand lucrative distribution...

Action anemia: 'Wedding' yuks trump high-octane titles.('Wedding Crashers')
August 1, 2005... New Line celebrated good times yet again this weekend, as "Wedding Crashers" finally locked up the No. 1 spot in its third week of release with $20.5 million. Take reps a drop of just 20% from last week and brings cume to $116 million. Pic...

Fox turns Blu in disc war.
August 1, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Any hope of a near-term settlement in the looming high-def digital disc war went up in smoke on Friday, when Fox picked a side, opting to cast its lot with Sony's Blu-ray Disc format. Fox is the second major studio to join...

Firm loses talent grip.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Suffering its second high-profile defection in as many months, the Firm has lost longtime manager JoAnne Colonna to Brillstein-Grey Management. Her departure appears to leave the management company without a head of its talent department, at...

'Charlie' an o'seas sweetie.('Charlie and the Chocolate Factory')
August 1, 2005... "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" was plenty sweet overseas, particularly in the U.K., handily winning a moderate offshore B.O. with $19.8 million al 2,300 playdates in 15 markets over the weekend. "The Island" proved again somewhat less...

The Dukes of Hazzard.(Movie Review)
August 1, 2005... A Warner Bros. release, presented in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, of a Bill Gerber production. Produced by Gerber. Executive producers, Eric McLeod, Dana Goldberg, Bruce Berman. Directed by Jay Chandrasekhar. Screenplay, John...

Modern Noh Plays.(Theater Review)
August 1, 2005... Modern Noh Plays (Rose Theater: 1.109 seats; $100 top) A Lincoln Center Festival presentation of two plays ("Sotoba Komachi" and "Yoroboshi") in two acts by Yukio Mishima. Directed by Yukio Ninagawa. Choreography, Uran Hirosaki. Original...

Auds fight the 'Law': NBC reality show finishes third in debut.('The Law Firm')(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... The early verdict is in, and viewers are guilty of apathy when it comes to NBC's new unscripted skein "The Law Firm." It's been a bleak summer for NBC reality, and that continued with the first competition series from David E. Kelley, which...

'Waitress' on menu.(Keri Russell to act in movie for Night and Day Pictures)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Keri Russell will topline indic project "Waitress" for Michael Roiff's Night & Day Pictures and helmer Adrienne Shelly. Romantic comedy, skedded to shoot later this year, follows a baker who's missing the perfect recipe for love. ...

42 DVDs pass U screen test.(Screen Media Films extends distribution deal with Universal Studios Home Entertainment)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... LAS VEGAS -- Screen Media Films has extended its North American distribution deal with Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Screen Media anticipates acquiring or co-producing 42 additional DVD titles under the pact. U will manage all sales...

Digital pic push lands Goldwater.(Chuck Goldwater)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Looking to add executive heft to their plan to lead the rollout of digital cinema now that the studios have agreed on technical specs for the nascent technology, Access IT and Christie have tapped former Digital Cinema Initiatives...

SAG board approves TV toon contract.(Screen Actors Guild )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- SAG's national board on Saturday ratified a new, three-year TV animation contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that runs retroactively from July 1 through June 30, 2008. New agreement includes...

New prexy for Italy's RAI.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... ROME -- Claudio Petruccioli has been appointed prexy of Italo pubcaster RAI, ending a 15-month management crisis at the country's top web. A senator and prominent member of Italy's Democratic Party of the Left, Petruccioli, 64, is a former...

Benderspink boosts Scott.(promotion of Vanessa Scott )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Production/ management company Benderspink has upped Vanessa Scott to creative executive. Scott will help develop the New Line-based shingle's production slate, which includes "Just Friends" and "The Butterfly Effect 2" at the...

Fox clocks in new regulars for '24'.(Fox Television)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Fox is keeping a tight lid on the plot and cast for the upcoming fifth season of hit drama "24," but some details are starting to leak out. Thesps Jean Smart ("Garden State"), Brady Corbet ("Mysterious Skin") and Connie...

Fox 2000 sets 'Wolf' scribe.(Fox 2000 Pictures signs deal with John Fusco to adapt 'Wolf Brother')(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Fox 2000 Pictures has inked a seven-figure deal with "Young Guns" scribe John Fusco to adapt "Wolf Brother," the first book in the "Chronicles of Darkness" books by British author Michelle Paver. First optioned by Fox 2000...

Landis takes 'Dogs' leash.(John Landis to act in 'Show Dogs' for New Line Cinema Corp.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- John Landis is going to the dogs. New Line has tapped the comedy/horror helmer to direct laffer "Show Dogs," a "Pygmalion" story about a homeless Jack Russell terrier thrust into the competitive world of dog shows. Hire of...

Lighting up Mexico: GE plugs in with plan to bolster ailing Canal 40.
August 1, 2005... MEXICO CITY -- Mexico's TV duopoly may soon be over. General Electric and its subsidiary Telemundo aim to rescue Mexico's bankrupt Canal 40 and challenge broadcasting powerhouses Televisa and TV Azteca. From GE's perspective, such a...

'Amy' chief sticks 'Close to Home'.(Carol Barbee signs deal with Paramount Network Television)
August 1, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Former "Judging Amy" showrunner Carol Barbee is setting up shop at Paramount Network Television. Thesp-turned-scribe/producer has inked a two-year, seven-figure pact with the studio to create, develop and exec produce series...

Brits revise tax credits.
August 1, 2005... LONDON -- The U.K. government has proposed a new system of film tax credits designed to boost British talent and production companies while also attracting Hollywood pics to shoot in the U.K. New regime, intended to begin in April, will...

Marcia Gay Harden.(PLAYERS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Marcia Gay Harden has joined the cast of Universal's political satire "American Dreamz," playing a first lady character inspired by Laura Bush. Paul Weitz is writing and helming the project, which stars Dennis Quaid as the president of the...

Sarah Joy Brown.(PLAYERS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Sarah Joy Brown ("General Hospital") is the newest detective on CBS' "Cold Case." Brown will play Josie Sutton, a cop in her late 20s. She'll appear in the skein's third-season premiere, airing this fall. Thesp also has an upcoming...

Audrey Marie Anderson.(PLAYERS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Audrey Marie Anderson ("Moonlight Mile") has joined the cast of CBS' midseason drama "The Unit." She'll play the wife of Scott Foley's character on the David Mamet-created skein. Anderson recently starred in the WB's pilot "Haley's Comet"...

Cote de Pablo.(PLAYERS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Cote de Pablo ("The Jury") will have a recurring role as an agent on "NCIS." She'll join Mark Harmon, Sasha Alexander and Michael Weatherly in the CBS skein, which returns for its third season this fall.

Black Eyed Peas.(Concert Review)
August 1, 2005... Black Eyed Peas (Greek Theater, Hollywood; 5800 seats; $49.50 top) Presented by Nederlander Concerts and KIIS-FM Band: will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo, Fergie, Printz Board (musical director), George Pajon, Timothy Izo, Keith Harris. Also...

MSNBC pushes Carlson to latenight.(Tucker Carlson's "Situation")(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... MSNBC is shuffling Tucker Carlson's "Situation" to latenight in a bid to save the flagging talkshow and bring Rita Cosby into primetime. The news net is moving "The Situation With Tucker Carlson" from 9 to 11 p.m., in hopes the show will...

CNBC anchor to biz editor.(Tyler Mathisen)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... CNBC's "Closing Bell" co-host Tyler Mathisen is leaving the anchor's chair to become managing editor of the news net's business news. It's the first major management change for CNBC prexy Mark Hoffman, who took the helm of the net in...

Miami fest reins to Brown.(Miami Film Festival taps Dwight Brown)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... MIAMI -- The Miami Film Festival has tapped nationally syndicated film critic and former HBO exec Dwight Brown as programming director, a newly created position. Programming had been handled by fest director Nicole Guillemet with support...

Syndie 'Tom Joyner' lines up L.A., N.Y.('The Tom Joyner Show', now on WABC-TV and KABC-TV)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... WABC-TV New York and KABC-TV Los Angeles have signed up for "The Tom Joyner Show," a weekly music/variety hour that kicks off in firstrun syndication in October. Distributor Litton Entertainment has cleared the show on TV stations...

Showbiz stocks: Friday, July 29, 2005.(Illustration)
August 1, 2005... SHOWBIZ STOCKS Friday, July 29, 2005 YTD Name Tkr PE Last Chg %Chg AccessIT AIX ... 10.59 +.04 +172.2 AcmeCm ACME ... ...

The Ugly American.(Theater Review)
August 1, 2005... The Ugly American (Berkeley Rep; Berkely, Calif.; 40l seats; $35 top) A Berkeley Repertory Theater presentation of a play in two acts written and performed by Mike Daisey. Directed by Jean-Michele Gregory. Lighting, Jim Cave; sound, Robyn...

Siggraph fires up high-tech weapons.
August 1, 2005... There's an old saying that goes, "Good, fast and cheap--choose any two." Nowadays, though, producers don't want to hear that. Visual effects and animation pros are being told they need to do their jobs better, faster and cheaper That's one...

Indie toon-up: cheaper software means more players in the game.
August 1, 2005... The costs of custom software and maintaining large animation teams has kept CG filmmaking a pricey venture. But a flotilla of cost-conscious competitors has set sail to race alongside the big-budget flagships of Pixar, Disney, PDI-DreamWorks...

Staying alive: congloms and competition follow cash to indie toon market.
August 1, 2005... With plummeting software and tech costs making it cheaper to get into the animation biz, there's a downside to the toon boom: Now that anyone can afford to get into the animation biz, standing out is harder than ever. And once you do get...

Dip in the deep end: low-tech animation, offbeat comedy shorts make 'Adult Swim' fly.(ANIMATION MASTERS)
August 1, 2005... Creating animation for TV can be tricky with all the new technology out there--and coming up with new ideas can be tough. So what if you ran cartoons with simple, almost tacky animation, written with no discernable A or B storylines, edited...

Character comes first: West follows knack for mimicry to top of voice acting field.(ANIMATION MASTERS)
August 1, 2005... He's been both Ren and Stimpy. He's done dozens of characters on Howard Stern's radio show, Bugs Bunny in "Space Jam" and too many characters and creatures to mention on "Futurama." The vocal stylings of Billy West have been right in front of...

The next wave: feature toons look to wash over silver screen in the coming year.
August 1, 2005... VALIANT (Disney) Director: Gary Chapman Voices: Ewan McGregor, Tim Curry, Jim Broadbent, John Cleese, John Hurt Release Date: Aug. 19 The Ink: A brave, undersized pigeon named Valiant joins Britan's elite Royal Homing Pigeon...

Cuatro joins party: Sogecable launches terrestrial net in Spain.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... MADRID -- Spain has its first new major terrestrial broadcaster in 15 years: Cuatro. Owned by Spanish pay TV giant Sogecable, Cuatro will launch this fall as a totally free-to-air analog commercial network using the private TV license...

U.S. reality skeins find Latin accent.(Promofilm tapped to produce local versions of "Wife Swap" and "While You Were Out")(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... MIAMI -- Discovery Networks Latin America has tapped Buenos Aires-based Promofilm to produce local versions of "Wife Swap" and "While You Were Out." "Cambiemos esposas" (Wife Swap) and "Mientras no estabas" will air on feevee People &...

Silva, Mojto return to mob scene.(Sergio Silva and Jan Mojto to make "La moglie cinese")(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... COLOGNE -- Producers Sergio Silva and Jan Mojto have reteamed for another Mafia drama, following up on their cooperation in the 1980s and '90s on Italian TV classic "La piovra" (The Octopus). Their new project, which just wrapped lensing,...

Oz studio having 'Nightmares'.(Coote-Hayes Productions to film 'Nightmares and Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King' at Victoria)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... SYDNEY -- Coote-Hayes Prods. will shoot horror skein "Nightmares and Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King" at Melbourne's Central City Studios, the first U.S. production company to use Victoria's extended tax incentives. The...

Lake view for Oz prod'n.(Trish Lake elected to Screen Producers Association of Australia)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... SYDNEY -- Film producer Trish Lake has been elected prexy of the Screen Producers Assn. of Australia. Effective September, she will replace Stephen F. Smith, managing director of Frameworks post-production house, who Lake is stepping down...

RSPCA delivers reality check.(Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty To Animals)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... SYDNEY -- Oz reality TV is in hot water with animal rights group RSPCA for the third time in recent weeks. The group has written to Channel 10 and production company Grundy Television to protest a segment that showed an "Australian Idol"...

Kayo Hatta.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
August 1, 2005... Kayo Hatta, an independent filmmaker whose 1995 film "Picture Bride" won an audience award for dramatic film at the Sundance Film Festival, died July 20 in a drowning accident in the San Diego area. She was 47. Hatta chronicled Hawaiian...

Jules Herman.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
August 1, 2005... Jules Herman, a longtime band leader and former trumpet player for Lawrence Welk, died July 22 of heart failure in West St. Paul, Minn. He was 93. Herman taught music in Gardner, N.D., but quit when fellow North Dakotan Welk asked him to...

Steven Schmidt.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
August 1, 2005... Former V.P. of development at Viacom Steve Schmidt died in Los Angeles July 24. He was 50. Schmidt worked as a story editor at various independents including Vestron, PSO and Carolco, and also worked at the Directors Guild of America,...

Carol Scott.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
August 1, 2005... Four-time Daytime Emmy Award-winning TV producer-director Carol Scott Caramadre died June 24 of cancer in Studio City. She was 56. Scott was one of a handful of females breaking ground in the television industry during the 1970s, '80s and...

Dickson Hughes.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
August 1, 2005... Pianist, composer and cabaret entertainer Dickson Hughes died June 18 in Palm Springs. He was 82. With writing partner Richard Stapley, Hughes wrote the first musical version of "Sunset Boulevard" in 1953 for Gloria Swanson, although the...

Roots.(Movie Review)
August 1, 2005... Roots (BEDNIYE RODSTVENNIKI) (Russia-France) A CDP/Russian Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography/Onyx (Russia)/Arte France Cinema (France) production, in association with Canal + and CNC. (International sales: Onyx, Moscow.)...

Univision taps marketing VP.(Univision Network LP hires Lori Morley)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... MIAMI -- Lori Morley has been named VR marketing and business development, national sales/Western region for Spanish-language broadcaster Univision Network. An eight-year Univision employee, Morley moves to national sales from her most...

All in the family: O'seas auds favor kidpix over actioners.
August 2, 2005... Now that the smoke has cleared on many of Hollywood's day-and-date actioners--which have invaded international territories with mixed results this summer a pair of slow-rolling family films are quenching auds' thirsts for something less...

'Sex' becoming pricier.(price for "Sex and the City" DVD)
August 2, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- HBO is pushing the envelope yet again--this time with its DVD repackaging. Having gotten lucky with big pricetags on miniseries such as "Band of Brothers" and "From the Earth to the Moon," HBO Video has created a massive and...

Capital idea for First Look.(Capital Entertainment Group merges with First Look Media)
August 2, 2005... After calling off its planned merger with ContentFilm a year ago this week, First Look Media has pacted to merge with Henry Winterstern's burgeoning indie banner Capital Entertainment. The two entities will be combined to create First Look...

Scott shingle reins in prexy.(Scott Free Productions appoints Michael Costigan)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Capping weeks of negotiations, Ridley and Tony Scott have named Michael Costigan prexy of their Fox-based Scott Free production shingle. The hiring of the Sony-based producer is effective immediately. Costigan had served for nearly a...

Exec gets piece of Arch.(Jeff Sagansky, Peace Arch Entertainment Group Inc.)
August 2, 2005... Veteran TV and film exec-turned-investor Jeff Sagansky is opening his wallet once again, this time for a hefty stake in Canadian film and television company Peace Arch Entertainment. Sagansky, Kerry McCluggage and Drew Craig, former CEO and...

WB unearths 'Invasion'.(Nicole Kidman to star in science fiction thriller for Warner Bros.)
August 2, 2005... In a payday said to be worth close to $16 million, Nicole Kidman is set to star in "Invasion," a sci-fi thriller for Warner Bros. Pic will mark the first English-language studio feature for Oliver Hirschbiegel, the German helmer of...

NBC U grows digital: Gaspin will take reins at cable division.(NBC Universal Inc.'s Jeff Gaspin)
August 2, 2005... NBC Universal cable topper Jeff Gaspin will oversee digital initiatives for the entire television group. The move marks a significant investment in digital under prexy Deborah Reif. Aside from Gaspin, Reif is adding several execs to NBC U's...

Broadway closes July with a box office blast.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Broadway had no trouble setting a B.O. record for the end of July. Twenty-eight shows brought in $16,335,384 as receipts improved $122,088, or 0.75%, over the previous week. More impressive, the current tally dwarfs last year's take by $1.5...

Edgy 'Awakening' headed to Atlantic.(Spring Awakening, Atlantic Theater )
August 2, 2005... After a few false starts, the much-anticipated musical by rocker Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater has finally found a Gotham home. Atlantic Theater will give their "Spring Awakening," based on Frank Wedekind's controversial first play, a...

'Luck' to open N.Y. film fest.(Good Night, and Good Luck)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... George Clooney's sophomore directorial outing, "'Good Night. And, Good Luck" will kick off the 43rd New York Film Festival on Sept. 23. Pic follows iconic broadcaster Edward R. Murrow and his on-air confrontations with Sen. Joseph...

'Gunsmoke' rides again.(1950s television program to be aired on Encore Western channel)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... John Malone's Encore Western channel has engineered a 50-hour marathon the weekend of Aug. 26 for its staple "Gunsmoke," which will celebrate its 50th anniversary. "Gunsmoke" debuted on CBS on Sept. 10, 1955, and stayed on the Eye's...

Huston plays doctor on Showtime skein.(Anjelica Huston, Showtime Entertainment Inc., 'Huff')(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Anjelica Huston and Matthew Perry have been cast in a pair of separate high-profile cable projects. Huston has signed to do a three-episode are on the second season of Showtime drama "Huff." She will play Dr. Lena Markova, a...

Clinton staffer now speaks for Sony Pix.(Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.'s Jim Kennedy )(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Jim Kennedy is joining Sony Pictures Entertainment as senior VP of corporate communications. He will develop and direct the company's communications strategy; oversee media relations and issues management; and serve as...

Showbiz stocks: Monday, August 1, 2005.(Illustration)
August 2, 2005... SHOWBIZ STOCKS Monday, August 1, 2005 YTD Name Tkr PE Last Chg %Chg AccessIT AIX ... 10.50 -.09 +169.9 AcmeCm ACME ... ...

Focus on Int'l sales: ex-Pathe exec Thompson joins U specialty arm.(Pathe Pictures Intl., Universal Studios Inc. Focus Features, Alison Thompson)
August 2, 2005... Longtime overseas sales and distribution exec Alison Thompson has ankled U.K.-based Pathe Pictures Intl. to become prexy of Focus Intl., the sales division of Universal's Focus Features. At Pathe, Thompson's longtime second-in-command, Mike...

BVI ups marketing exec Mitchell.(Buena Vista Home Entertainment UK, Robert Mitchell )(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- Robert Mitchell has been promoted to senior VP-managing director, Buena Vista Intl. (U.K.). He reports to BVI prexy Mark Zoradi and to Stuart Salter, exec VP-general manager of BVI Europe. Mitchell will be responsible for...

Home pact gives Criterion rights to Image.(Home Vision Entertainment, Image Entertainment Inc., Criterion Collection )(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- DVD distributor Image Entertainment has acquired 19-year-old Chicago-based publisher-distrib Home Vision Entertainment. The $8 million deal also gives the former laserdisc company exclusive distribution rights to the Criterion...

Film box office wrap: for the weekend of July 29-31.(Illustration)
August 2, 2005... WEEKEND STATS Domestic Box Office $123.0 million July 29-31, 2005 vs. last week -12% vs. last year -22% Daily Breakdown (in millions of $) FRI. $38.5 SAT. $47.3 SUN. $37.2 Note: Table...

American Buffalo.(Theater Review)
August 2, 2005... (Berkshire Theater Festival, Stockbridge, Mass.; 415 seats; $58 top) A Berkshire Theater Festival presentation of a play in two acts by David Mamet. Directed by Anders Cato. Sets, Carl Sprague; costumes, Olivera Gajic; lighting, Jeff...

The Member of the Wedding.(Theater Review)
August 2, 2005... (Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, Conn.; 575 seats; $65 top) A Westport Country Playhouse presentation of a play in three acts by Carson McCullers. Directed by Joanne Woodward. Sets, James Noone; costumes, Laurie Churba; lighting,...

A TW cable shuffle: CFO Hobbs lifted to chief operating officer.(Time Warner Inc.'s Landel Hobbs )(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... In a flurry of announcements late Monday, Time Warner Cable upped Landel Hobbs to chief operating officer from chief financial officer. Parent Time Warner's head of investor relations John Martin will move to the cabler to take the CFO...

Satmex restructures U.S. debt in Mexico.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... MEXICO CITY -- Troubled Mexican satellite firm Satmex, which defaulted on $520 million in U.S.-issued debt, has reached an agreement with American creditors to restructure its debt under Mexican jurisdiction. Deal avoids a legal showdown...

Hitched.(Jessica Pilch and Mark Samuel tied knot)(Lisa Levin and David Beaubaire tied knot)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... Jessica Pilch and Mark Samuel, July 3, Beverly Hills. Bride is a motion picture talent agent at ICM; groom is non-pro. Lisa Levin and David Beaubaire, May 21, Santa Barbara. Bride is an attorney at O'Melveny and Myers; groom is a film...

ABC, CNN VID to Yahoo!(ABC News Inc., Cable News Network)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... ABC News and CNN announced content agreements with Yahoo! on Monday under which the nets will provide daily video feeds to the portal starting in September. Both will make available a selection of on-demand programming. CNN will offer...

Schroeder reels out $110 mil film fund.(German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder)
August 2, 2005... BERLIN -- German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has greenlit a 90 million [euro] ($110 million) government fund to support the local film industry over the next three years. Venture, unveiled in May after the government introduced plans to...

Changing channels: BBC Worldwide plucks Childs for global TV.(BBC Worldwide, Darren Childs)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... LONDON -- After a protracted process, BBC Worldwide has announced chat its new director of global TV channels is Darren Childs, whom it has poached from Sony. Formerly senior VP, international networks, Sony Pictures, Childs is expected to...

Tribunal blasts London CNN.(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... LONDON -- The management at the London office of CNN failed to consider the health of its staff by adopting an inflexible attitude to working night shifts. Upholding a claim for unfair dismissal by former CNN news producer Elena Cosentino,...

Monsoons muddy Bollywood.(Mumbai under water)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... NEW DELHI -- The monsoons that brought Mumbai to a near halt last week also brought a flood of woes for Bollywood, which lost an estimated 500 million rupees ($11.5 million) in box office and production costs. "Entertainment will take a...

Reveille call for Oz's Ten.(television program distribution)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... SYDNEY -- Network Ten has announced a multiyear supply deal with the distrib arm of Reveille, U.S.-based producer of reality skeins such as "The Biggest Loser." Deal gives Ten exclusive broadcasts rights to new Reveille skeins developed...

Aussie 'Alice' takes a dip.(The Alice, television drama)(Brief Article)
August 2, 2005... SYDNEY -- Nine Network's new drama series "The Alice" has not been able to reach the heady heights of its previous outing as a miniseries, which drew more than 1.8 million viewers in August last year. Preem of the new series peaked at just...

Meet Mister Mom.(Television Program Review)
August 2, 2005... (Series, NBC. Tue. Aug. 2, 8p.m.) Produced by Reveille, Full Circle Entertainment and James Bruce Prods. Executive producers, Ben Silverman, Robert Riesenberg, Bruce; co-executive producers, John Feist, Tracy Dorsey, H.T. Owens, Mark...

Top 10 films in Manhattan: for the weekend of July 29-31, 2005.(Brief Article)(Illustration)
August 2, 2005... TOP 10 FILMS IN MANHATTAN For the weekend of July 29-31, 2005 % change vs.last Week Rank Wknd. B.O. Film (distributor) ...

Exclusives report: for the weekend of July 29-31, 2005.(movie industry)(Illustration)
August 2, 2005... EXCLUSIVES REPORT For the weekend of July 29-31, 2005 NEW YORK NEW THIS WEEK Film Weekend (distributor) Circuit Theater, city B.O....