Daily Variety articles from December 2003

Daily Variety archives from December 2003

Building a bitter mouse flap: Roy Disney ankles board and asks Eisner to step down.
December 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- A high-profile boardroom battle has flared anew at Disney. Roy Disney, nephew of Mouse House founder Walt Disney and one of the conglom's biggest investors, has resigned as Disney vice chairman and called on Michael Eisner to...

Family values drive b.o.(movies)
December 1, 2003... "The Haunted Mansion," an Eddie Murphy laffer from the Mouse House, seared off three other wide openers as well as last week's champ, "The Cat in the Hat," to bow as the box office's top dog over the long Thanksgiving session. "Mansion,"...

Quick screener fix nixed.
December 1, 2003... The studios' muscle dwarfed indiedom's righteous anger Wednesday in New York at a preliminary bearing on the lawsuit brought by a coalition of indie producers against the studiobacked awards screener ban. After hearing initial arguments...

Taking a shot at Winchester.(ContentFilm merges with Winchester Entertainment)
December 1, 2003... Ed Pressman and John Schmidt's Gotham-based independent production banner ContentFilm will an nounce plans in London today for a merger with publicly listed U.K. sales and distribution company Winchester Entertainment. Deal is structured...

Billy Bob's cool, cruel yule: mean-spirited 'Bad Santa' might just kill the warm and fuzzy Christmas movie genre.(The Back Lot)
December 1, 2003... WHEN A SEMINAL FILM like "Bad Santa" arrives on the scene, it deserves more than a quick review. Many movies reflect the fixation of their film makers on a particular genre. Kevin Costner and Ron Howard, for example, are both aficionados of...

The Reagans.(Television Program Review)
December 1, 2003... (Movie; Showtime, Sun., Nov. 30, 8p.m.) Filmed in Toronto by Storyline Entertain ment in association with Sony Pictures Television. Executive producers, Craig Zadan, Neil Meron; co-exec producers, Dave Mace, Robert Allan Ackerman; producer,...

Tartikoff Awards honor 6.(National Association of Television Program Executives)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Six key TV execs have been chosen to receive the inaugural Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Awards. Fox Broadcasting entertainment proxy Gall Berman, reality pioneer Mark Burnett, Scripps CEO-prexy Ken Lowe and producers Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner...

DVD kudos tap Bay for pioneer prize.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- Michael Bay will be presented with the Pioneer Award by Jerry Bruckheimer tit Tuesday's 2003 DVD Exclusive Awards. Kudos will be presented at this year's annual event at the Wiltern LG Theater, hosted by Jenny McCarthy and...

Fox falls under the spell of biz's 'Bee' obsession.(Inside Moves)(Celebrity Spelling Bee)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- Fox is staking its territory in the suddenly sizzling spelling-bee-on-TV genre. Net has greenlit production on the tentatively titled "Celebrity Spelling Bee," a two-hour special whose title pretty much explains itself....

Endemol raises Young.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- There's a new reality for Eugene Young, who's been upped to senior VP of programming and development at unscripted powerhouse Endemol USA. Gig puts Young ill charge of selling and adapting existing Endemol international...

'Lost Girls' finds home at MTV.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Two divisions of MTV are betting they've made a discovery in Alex McAulay's first novel, "The Lost Girls," a thriller about a group of privileged female teen troublemakers who are running for their lives. The book has been simultaneously...

Lampoon goes 'Greek': Game Show net greenlights spec on frat sports.
December 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- Game Show Network has greenlit "National Lampoon's Greek Games," a twohour special pitting fraternities and sororities against each other in a slew of absurd sports. Event is a co-production with college-centric web National...

Mick Foley's grappling with CBS actioner deal.
December 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- World Wrestling Entertainment star Mick Foley best--known as "Mankind," the wrestler who would enter the ring wearing a straitjacket and muzzle--is close to partnering with scribe Teddy Tenenbaum to develop an action hour at CBS....

Yeager exits U for PR gig.(Dozoretz/Yeager )
December 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- Jim Yeager, senior veep of worldwide publicity for Universal Parks & Resorts, is ankling U to form a praisery with Linda Dozoretz, president of Linda Dozoretz Communications. Focus of Dozoretz/Yeager will be entertainment,...

Angels in America.(Television Program Review)
December 1, 2003... (Miniseries; HBO, Part 1, "Millenium Approaches," Sun. Dec. 7, 8 p.m.; Part 2, "Perestroika," Sun. Dec. 14, 8 p.m.) Filmed in New York and Italy by Avenue Entertainment Group. Executive producers, Cary Brokaw. Mike Nichols; co-executive...

Caroline, or Change.(Theater Review)
December 1, 2003... (Public Theater/Newman Theater, 299 seats; $60) A Public Theater presentation of a musical in two acts with book and lyrics by Tony Kushner, music by Jeanine Tesori Directed by George C. Wolfe Choreography, Hope Clarke. Sets, Riccardo...

'Corporate' creed: mouse shells out 6 figures for laffer spec.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- Disney has paid in the region of mid-six figures to pick up the spec script "'Corporate Retreat" from scribe Brad Copeland. Comedy will be produced by Tollin-Robbins Prods., which has a TV deal with Touchstone TV and a...

Britney disc spears top chart slot.
December 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- Britney Spears charged to the top of the nation's album sales chart as her fourth Jive album, "'In the Zone," went home with 609,000 buyers in the week ended Nov. 23, according to SoundScan. Spears, seemingly never out of the...

Lin finds 'Luck' with WB drama.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- Sundance sensation Justin Lin is jumping into TV, teaming up with Aaron Spelling for an hourlong drama set up at the WB. Lin, who wrote and directed the youth-gone-bad indie pic "'Better Luck Tomorrow" is working on a...

Thanksgiving 'Survivor' roasts the competish.
December 1, 2003... CBS concluded its strong November sweep in winning fashion Wednesday behind a special episode of "Survivor: Pearl Islands," which was far and away the night's top draw. Thanksgiving eve is generally a lower-level viewing night, as many...

WABC goes for 3 in Gotham.
December 1, 2003... With one day remaining in the November sweeps, WABC was poised to pull off a rare trifecta in the Gotham news market. ABC O&O has the 5 and 6 p.m. races locked up, but 11 p.m. could come down to a photo finish. (Final results were delayed...

Bronfman retunes: Warner Music deal may shake VU hangover.(news Analysis)
December 1, 2003... He may be 48, but Edgar Bronfman Jr. is the comeback kid. Third-generation scions who pulverize the family biz don't usually get such high-stake second chances. With the Vivendi deal behind him, Bronfman is Bronfman putting up $250 million...

Windfall savings from ITV merger.(Business)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... LONDON -- The ITV merger that should see Granada and Carlton united in one company on Feb. 2 now is expected to deliver almost double the originally anticipated cost savings. The two outfits claim the tie-up will save them 100 million...

Judge OKS Viv U suits.(Business)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The shareholder suits that have piled up against Vivendi Universal are headed for the courtroom. A Manhattan federal court late last month decided there is sufficient evidence to allow most of the shareholder complaints against the French...

Univision taps corporate VP.(Business)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... MIAMI -- Spanish-lingo media group Univision Communications has tapped Cesar Conde VP of network corporate development. Conde will develop initiatives to focus the network on enhancing growth and profitability. Based in Miami, he will...

Cablevision restates earnings in 5 quarters.(Business)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- Cablevision Systems, the largest cable operator in the New York area will restate its earnings for five quarters in 2002 and 2003, the company said last week in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. In June,...

Showbiz stocks.(Business)(Illustration)
December 1, 2003... SHOWBIZ STOCKS Friday, November 28, 2003 YTD Name Tkr PE Last Chg % Chg AMC AEN ... 15.15 +.05 +71.2 AcmeCm ACME 2 ...

The Last Samurai.(Movie Review)
December 1, 2003... A Warner Bros. release of a Radar Pictures, Bedford Falls Co., Cruise-Wagner production. Produced by Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskowvitz, Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner, Scott Kroopf, Tom Engelman. Executive producers, Ted Field, Richard Solomon,...

Big Fish.(Movie Review)
December 1, 2003... A Sony Pictures Entertainment release of a Columbia Pictures presentation of a Jinks/Cohen Co.. Zanuck Co. production. Produced by Richard D. Zanuck, Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks. Executive producer, Arne L. Schmidt. Directed by Tim Burton....

Cheaper by the Dozen.(Movie Review)
December 1, 2003... A 20th Century Fox release of a Robert Simonds production. Produced by Robert Simonds, Michael Barnathan, Ben Myron. Coproducer, Ira Shuman. Directed by Shawn Levy. Screenplay, Sam Harper, Joel Cohen, Alec Sokolow, based on the novel by...

'X2' excels on homevideo.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- The movie consumers spent the most money on over the Thanksgiving weekend wasn't in theaters; it was Fox's DVD mad VHS versions of "X2: X-Men United," which generated an estimated $107 million, or about half its entire theatrical...

Film production chart.
December 1, 2003... PRODUCTION CHART KEY Abbreviations: EXP, Executive producer; PROD-Producer; COP-Co-producer; DIR-Director; AD-First assistant director; 2DIR-Second-unit director; SCR-Screenwriter; DP-Cinematographer; ED-Editor; PD-Production designer;...

The screening room.(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... THE SCREENING ROOM Screening are open to Academy and guild members only. To RSVP for a screening, call the appropriate numbers below. List runs on Mondays and Thursdays. Submit screening schedules five days prior to screening date to...

Births.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Alison and Adam Nelson, a girl, Lulu Scout Nelson, Oct. 15, Manhattan. Mother's a playwright; father's an actor, screenwriter and a producer of bicoastal "24 Hour Plays" to benefit the New York State WTC Relief Fund. Nancy Dubuc and...

Syndie vet back at work.(J. Stuart Stringfellow)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... J. Stuart Stringfellow is returning to syndication as prexy of domestic sales for Byron Allen's CF Entertainment. Stringfellow was prexy of King World's domestic TV sales until he opted early retirement in January 2002. Since then, he has...

'Sharon' strip shares the pain of staff cuts.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Roughly 20 staffers ankled fledgling strip "The Sharon Osbourne Show" last week. While cuts are rarely a good sign, a spokesman for Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution explained that the changes were "normal post startup." ...

Panorama paints indie 'Artworks'.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Panorama Entertainment has picked up North American rights to "Artworks," Jim Amatulli's directorial debut. Pic stars Virginia Madsen as a home security expert-turned-art thief. "Artworks" preemed at Worldfest Houston, where it took the...

A Mouse exodus: Gold ankles Disney board, rips Eisner.(Stanley Gold announces resignation from board of Walt Disney Co.)
December 2, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- Michael Eisner is still in charge at the House of Mouse, but nobody's calling Disney the happiest place in the world these days. Another Disney director ditched his seat Monday, even as the Mouse board was set to convene today...

Tightening the reins.(Michael Eisner's management of Walt Disney Co.)
December 2, 2003... Thus far in Walt Disney's latest board game, Mouse chief Michael Eisner's outspoken foes are the ones resigning their posts, not he. While Disney shares popped higher, presumably on hopes its chairman-CEO might be toast, the struggle may in...

Sundance sked goes up close & personal.(Sundance Film Festival)
December 2, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- "This is the first year when I feel we have films from a real post-9/11 world," noted lest director Geoffrey Gilmore about the lineup of the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. "Just as we did after the 1950s, we've lost a degree of...

Berlin fest finds 'Missing'.(Berlin International Film Festival)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... BERLIN -- Ron Howard's "The Missing" and Vinko Bresan's Yugoslavian war pic "Svjedoci" (Witnesses) will be among the films in competition at next year's Berlin Intl. Film Festival. In announcing the first five titles of the main section,...

Court targets indie toppers.(independent movie company heads called to testify in screener video controversy)
December 2, 2003... The specialty division studio heads were subpoenaed Monday to appear in court Wednesday in New York to testify in the ongoing screeners battle. Move followed last Wednesday's emergency hearing in New York after a coalition of indie...

Just for Variety.
December 2, 2003... GOOD MORNING: "MASH" fanatics will be happy to hear that CBS is sitting on a proposed special, "MASHback." The scribe is Gary Markowitz, who has called Larry Gelbart "dad"--"since I was 6 years old." The show tells the story from Gelbart's...

B'way B.O. stuffing: Thanksgiving sets a record despite turkeys.(Broadway theater box office report)
December 2, 2003... There were a few raspberries floating in the Thanksgiving champagne. First, the bubbly news: Broadway's 34 shows set a Thanksgiving-week record of $18,921,763, up $3,817,307, or 25.27%, from the week-earlier nonholiday session. That lofty...

Jury flows $1.9 million from Franchise to Creek.(Morgan Creek Productions wins lawsuit against Franchise Pictures)
December 2, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- A Los Angeles Superior Court jury has awarded Morgan Creek Prods. $1.9 million in a lawsuit against Franchise Pictures. The sum stems from a lawsuit originally filed in July 2001, when Morgan Creek alleged that Franchise owed...

McGregor a 'Valiant' bird.(Ewan McGregor to voice lead in animated film 'Valiant' )(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- Ewan McGregor will voice the title character in Vanguard Animation's CG-animated feature "Valiant." Story concerns a wood pigeon (McGregor) who becomes a hero in Great Britain's Royal Air Force Homing Pigeon Service during...

Affils sop up Eye's dribble in hoop deal.(affiliates to share cost of CBS basketball contract)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- After months of discussions, CBS announced Monday that its affils have agreed to share the cost of the net's $6.2 billion NCAA basketball deal over the next decade. The Eye cut one of the most expensive sports deals in TV...

Times legit critic Weber out of mix.(Margo Jefferson named theater critic at New York Times)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... Margo Jefferson will replace Bruce Weber as a theater critic at the New York Times, effective Jan. 1. Weber, who has held the second-string position since March 2000, will return to his reporter duties. A spokesman for the Times confirmed...

Jackson, de Rossi, Mya, 'Cursed' for pic reshoot.(cast assembled for Wes Craven film, 'Cursed')
December 2, 2003... Joshua Jackson, Portia de Rossi, "Smallville" regular Michael Rosenbaum and singer Mya have joined Christina Ricci in the cast of horrormeister Wes Craven's "Cursed," the troubled Dimension Films project that resumed shooting last month after...

Zwick, artist biopic click.(Ed Zwick developing movie about artist Henry Darger)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- Ed Zwick, director of "The Last Samurai," is developing a biopic based on the life of Chicago artist Henry Darger through his Bedford Falls production shingle. Zwick, assisted by producer Susan Adler, has acquired film rights...

Rival access key to DirecTV sale OK.(Business)
December 2, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The Federal Communications Commission plans to tie Rupert Murdoch's hands--albeit loosely--when the agency greenlights a merger between News Corp. and DirecTV as expected later this month. A source familiar with the final...

Showbiz stocks: Monday, December 1, 2003.(Business)(Illustration)
December 2, 2003... SHOWBIZ STOCKS Monday, December 1, 2003 YTD Name Tkr PE Last Chg %Chg AMC AEN ... 15.35 +.20 +73.4 AcmeCm ACME 2 ...

TWC tugs on cable: Comcast deal sets stage for eventual breakup.(Business)(Time Warner Cable, Comcast Corp. come to new agreement on joint venture companies Texas Cable Partners and Kansas City Cable Partners)
December 2, 2003... Time Warner took the first, tentative step toward unwinding its cable alliances with rival Comcast on Monday, agreeing to merge their two jointly owned systems in Texas and Kansas City, Mo., and restructure the joint venture to enable either...

DVD boom narrows losses to 48% for TV-Loonland.(Business)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... BERLIN -- German TV and home entertainment rights trader TV-Loonland managed to narrow its losses in the first nine months of the year, thanks to the DVD success of feature "'Donnie Darko" and re-launched tyke titles "G.I. Joe" and...

Lloyd Webber eyes tune pub.(Business)(Andrew Lloyd Webber considers acquisition of Warner Chappell Music Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... LONDON -- Composer and entrepreneur Andrew Lloyd Webber has declared his interest in buying Warner Chappell, the publishing arm of Time Warner's music operations. Lloyd Webber has contacted the consortium, beaded by Edgar Bronfman Jr.,...

MPA in action in Oz: org taps Pecotic to lead anti-piracy charge.(World News)(Motion Picture Association hires Adrianne Pecotic to Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... SYDNEY -- The Motion Picture Assn. has tapped Adrianne Pecotic, former chief of Grundy Worldwide's Australian operation, to head its new anti-piracy banner Down Under. Pecotic will sign on Jan. 5 as exec director of the MPA's Australian...

Bergman skips bigscreen.(World News)(Ingmar Bergman denies permission for theatrical release of television movie "Saraband")(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... Swedish helmer Ingmar Bergman has refused to give permission for a theatrical release of his telepic "Saraband," which bowed Monday in primetime on Swedish pubcaster SVT1. Parent SVT will lose $1 million in sales revenue, according to...

'Max eyes India prod'n-distrib.(World News)(Miramax Film Corp. considers movie distribution and production in India)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... NEW DELHI -- Miramax is set to join 20th Century Fox in mulling distribution and production in India. Miramax international sales and distrib head Michael Rothstein told the Hindustan Times that the company will market Hollywood productions...

U.K. post-prod'n biz ups value 4%.(World News)(video post production industry, United Kingdom)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
December 2, 2003... LONDON -- The U.K. post-production business was worth more than 1.39 billion [pounds sterling] ($2.36 billion) in 2002, up 4% over the previous year, according to a report published by the U.K. Film Council. Feature films make up 30%, or...

WMA set to ride SBS' Brain train.(Holland)(William Morris Agency to represent SBS Broadcasting's production company Brain Station in the United States)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... The William Morris Agency has inked with European TV and radio chain SBS Broadcasting to represent its creative think tank the Brain Station in the U.S. SBS unveiled the Brain Station in spring to create original ideas for reality...

Oneile stacks deck.(Australia)(Paul Oneile hried as chief executive officer of Aristocrat Leisure Proprietary Ltd.)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... Paul Oneile, former chairman-chief exec of United Intl. Pictures, has hit the jackpot, hired as CEO of Australian poker machine manufacturer Aristocrat Leisure. Oneile, who started at Aristocrat on Monday, has signed a three-year deal said...

Sr. veep Robinson will say goodbye to Disney.(World News)(senior vice president Paul Robinson to leave Walt Disney Co., United Kingdom)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... LONDON -- Paul Robinson, senior VP, worldwide programming strategy, ABC Cable Networks Group, mad senior VP/managing director Disney U.K. Branded Television, will leave the Walt Disney Co. Robinson, a high-profile, popular figure on the...

'Rings' off the hook.(Scandinavia)(Denmark phone network collapses due to activity around release of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... Parts of Denmark's national phone network collapsed for three hours on Monday as Svensk Filmindustri's local distrib, SF Film, started presales for "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," which bows Dec. 17. Film buffs began...

Weir, Boyd honored.(Poland)(Peter Weir, Russell Boyd receive awards at International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography, Poland)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... Helmers Peter Weir and Russell Boyd were presented with the director-cinematographer award at the opening of the Intl. Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography in Lodz on Saturday. Some 13 cinematographers will compete for the Golden...

Bauer joins Viva.(Germany)(Ludwig Bauer, Viva Media)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... Former ProSiebenSat 1 exec Ludwig Bauer has been tapped head of TV at Viva Media, the German music TV group controlled by Warner Music and Universal Music. Bauer, who was in charge of TV programming at ProSiebenSat 1, left in October...

The Tracy Morgan Show.(Television Program Review)
December 2, 2003... (Series; NBC, Tue. Dec. 2, 8 p.m.) Taped in L.A. by Carsey-Werner-Mandabach and Broadway Video Television in as sociation with NBC Studios. Executive producers. David M. Israel, Jim O'Doherty, Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner, Caryn Mandabach,...

Line of Fire.(Television Program Review)
December 2, 2003... (Series: ABC, Tue. Dec. 2, 10 p.m.) Filmed in L.A. and Richmond. Va., by DreamWorks Television in association with Touchstone Television. Executive producers, Rod Lurie, Marc Frydman, Jeff Melvoin; Producer, Mel Efros; co-producer, James...

Pride & Prejudice.(Movie Review)
December 2, 2003... An Excel Entertainment Group release of a Camera 40 production in association with Bestboy Pictures. Produced by Jason Failer. Executive producer, Daniel Shanthakumar. Co producer, Kynan Griffin. Directed by Andrew Black. Screenplay, Anne...

Fred J. Brown.(Obituaries)(award-winning sound effects editor dies)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
December 2, 2003... Fred J. Brown, award-winning sound effects editor, died Nov. 9 in Los Angeles of multiple organ failure. He was 68. Brown began his film career at Technicolor and then apprenticed at Columbia Pictures in 1954. After serving in the Marine...

Lesley Savage.(Obituaries)(actress-director-producer dies)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
December 2, 2003... Actress-director-producer Lesley Savage died Oct. 8 in New York City. She was 90. Savage founded two innovative regional Equity theater companies, Long Island's Gateway Playhouse and the Theatre-Go-Round in Virginia Beach, Va. Before...

'Samurai' lenser draws kudos.(cinematographer John Toll honored by National Board of Review of Motion Pictures)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures will present its 2003 Career Achievement Award for Cinematography to John Toll, whose latest work is Warner's "The Last Samurai," opening Friday. Award marks the second NBR honor this year to...

WGA pens health care Rx for talks.(Writers Guild of America)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- Continuing to lay the groundwork for upcoming negotiations, Writers Guild of America West prexy Victoria Riskin has signaled the guild will place a high priority on increased health care contributions from producers. In her...

Weekend stats.(movie industry box office report)(Illustration)
December 2, 2003... Domestic Box Office $161.0 million Nov. 28-30 vs. last week vs. last year +19% +8% Daily Breakdown (in millions of $) FRI. SAT. SUN. $65.4 $62.9 $32.7 ...

Exclusives report: for the weekend of Nov. 28-30.(Illustration)
December 2, 2003... EXCLUSIVE REPORT For the weekend of Nov. 28-30 Nielsen EDI NEW YORK NEW THIS WEEK Weekend Film ...

Film box office wrap.(Illustration)
December 2, 2003... FILM BOX OFFICE WRAP FOR THE WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER 28-30 Ranking Reported This Last Weekend $ Pct. Week Week Title...

Top 10 films in Manhattan: for the weekend of Nov. 28-30.(Brief Article)(Illustration)
December 2, 2003... TOP 10 FILMS IN MANHATTAN Nielsen EDI FOR THE WEEKEND OF NOV. 28-30 % change vs. last Week Rank Wknd. B.O. Film...

Broadway top 10: Nov. 24-30, 2003.(Illustration)
December 2, 2003... BROADWAY TOP 10: Nov. 24-30, 2003 Show Week's Net Receipts (Theater)(Prod. Category) Potential Net Prev Week's (Seats) Receipts Net Receipts The Lion King ...

Kiwis Lord over final 'Rings' shot.('The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' opens in New Zealand)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... WELLINGTON, N.Z. -- A three-hour street parade for the world premiere of "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" drew more than 100,000 on-lookers into the streets of New Zealand's capital Monday night. It was an emotional...

Hustons usher in fest.(tribute to late movie director John Huston)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... PUERTO VALLARTA -- Mexico's film biz luminaries and members of the John Huston clan gathered in Puerto Vallarta over the weekend to pay tribute to the late helmer, who put the seaside town on the map when he filmed "The Night of the Iguana"...

Alicia Keys paused with Stevie Wonder during a recent bash.
December 2, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Alicia Keys paused with Stevie Wonder during a recent bash for Keys' sophomore album at the Highlands in Hollywood.

"X2" stars Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Hugh Jackman and Famke Janssen trod the silver carpet in Gotham.
December 2, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: "X2" stars Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Hugh Jackman and Famke Janssen trod the silver carpet in Gotham last week for a Fox homevid bash at Club 40/40.

Merv Griffith showed off his baton to Carl Reiner.
December 2, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Merv Griffith showed off his baton to Carl Reiner during the Command Performance gala for Young Musicians Foundation at the BevHilton last month.

"Honey" co-stars David Moscow and Zachary Isaiah Williams made the scene for Universal.
December 2, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: "Honey" co-stars David Moscow and Zachary Isaiah Williams made the scene for Universal's pre-Thanksgiving preem in Gotham last week.

Millennium Films lights up 'Edison'.(casts Kevin Spacey)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... HOLLYWOOD -- Kevin Spacey will star opposite Morgan Freeman and LL Cool J in his next picture, "Edison," for Millennium Films and Emmett/Furla Films. Production on the $25 million-budgeted pic is scheduled to begin in Vancouver Feb. 27....