Daily Variety articles from December 2004

Daily Variety archives from December 2004

Spirit Awards hoist a glass to 'Sideways'.(Independent Spirit Awards)
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- With 14 nominations, Fox Searchlight leads the contenders for the 20th annual Independent Spirit Awards, paced by "Sideways," which received a nom in each of the six major categories Tuesday. Runner-up for an individual film...

'Dance card goes 'Deep'.(Sundance Film Festival)
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- New films by Thomas Vinterberg, Don Roos, John Maybury, Rebecca Miller, Hal Hartley, Michael Hoffman, Kevin Bacon and Mike Binder are among the 24 titles set to unspool in the Premieres section of the 2005 Sundance Film Festival,...

CBS' November to remember: eye lashes rivals in demos.
December 1, 2004... In what Leslie Moonves called a "watershed moment" for his network, CBS has scaled to the top of Demo Mountain, sweeping November in all key ratings categories. The Eye remains the oldest-skewing of the networks, but its big-tent strategy...

Litvack: no cause for axing Ovitz.(Michael Ovitz)(Sanford Litvack)
December 1, 2004... Walt Disney's former chief counsel Sanford Litvack--who once quipped that he had to follow Michael Ovitz around with a shovel--acknowledged an intense distaste for the former Mouse prexy but said the uberagent had done nothing to warrant a...

'Q' marks spot for reality TV crossroads.(Tuning In)
December 1, 2004... FOR MANY, the letter "Q" evokes images of the guy who equipped James Bond with gadgets, but not much else. Those in the know, however, recognize Q scores--once mentioned only in hushed whispers--as an intriguing barometer of attitudes toward...

Euros click WB pix: Telecom Italia first to tap H'wood downloads.
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- In a first-of-its-kind deal, Warner Bros. will provide such hits as "The Matrix Revolutions" and "Mystic River" via broadband connections in Europe. Warner Bros. Intl. TV Distribution recently signed the Movielink-like...

Thesps cue Monday start to contract talks.
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- The Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists have set next Monday as the launch for the likely contentious film-TV contract negotiations with studios and networks. The performers unions and...

'Pillowman' tucked in for run on Broadway.(Broadway Television Network, new program)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Boyett Ostar and Robert Fox will bring Martin McDonagh's "The Pillowman" to Broadway. Opening night is April 20 at the Booth Theater, with previews beginning March 21. Billy Crudup, Jeff Goldblum, Zeljko Ivanek and Michael Stuhlbarg...

Pam plots bad-boy laffer with sitcom vet.(Pamela Anderson, Steven Levitan, Twentieth Century Fox Television)(partnership)
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- TV siren Pamela Anderson is plotting a return to the sitcom world, partnering with Steven Levitan ("Just Shoot Me") to develop a laffer. Project is being developed through 20th Century Fox TV, where Levitan has a large overall...

First Look polishes 'Chrystal'.(Ray McKinnon, First Look Media)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- First Look Media has acquired all North American rights to Ray McKinnon's Southern Gothic pic "Chrystal." Billy Bob Thornton, Lisa Blount, Harry Dean Stanton, McKinnon and Walton Goggins co-star in the, story of a man...

Sci Fi seeing 'Ghosts' again.(Sci-Fi Channel Inc. renewed the reality show 'Ghost Hunters')(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Sci Fi Channel has renewed the reality series "Ghost Hunters" six episodes into its first season. Cabler has greenlit 13 new one-hour episodes, building on the initial order of 10. Production on fresh segs will begin early next...

FX adds 'Days' to its calendar.(new documentary '30 Days' from FX Networks L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- FX has picked up Morgan Spurlock's documentary series pilot "30 Days," ordering six one-hour episodes. Spurlock, who created, hosts and narrates the series, exec produces with Ben Silverman and Howard Owens. Show is slated for...

Angels in America.(Theater Review)
December 1, 2004... (Theatre du Chatelet. Paris, 2,010 seats: Ell4 ($151) top) A Chatelet Theater Musical de Paris presentation of an opera in two acts, with music by Peter Eotvos, libretto by Marl Mezei, based on the Tony Kushner play. Directed by Philippe...

The Librarian: Quest for the Spear.(Television Program Review)
December 1, 2004... (Movie: TNT, Sun. Dec. 5. 8 p.m.) Filmed in Mexico City by Electric Entertainment. Executive producer, Dean Devlin: co-executive producers, Marc Roskin, Kearie Peak; producers, Phillip M. Goldfarb, Jorg Westerkamp, Kai Schurman; director,...

Eye holds off 'Housewives.'.(ratings of television programs, 'Desperate Housewives')
December 1, 2004... Record ratings by "Desperate Housewives" nearly helped ABC steal last week's primetime ratings race, but CBS emerged with another victory in key demographics. Getting a nice assist from an NFL overrun that spilled into the first half-hour...

Rather replacement could come in pairs.(Dan Rather resigned from CBS Inc.)
December 1, 2004... CBS is considering multiple newscasters to replace Dan Rather in the anchor's chair when he steps down in March. Viacom co-prexy/co-chief operating officer Leslie Moonves said an anchor partnership is being considered as part of a broad...

Malone takes Liberty to form Japanese co.
December 1, 2004... Moving to increase control over Japan's leading cabler, John Malone's Liberty Media Intl. on Tuesday said it is forming a holding company with Sumitomo Corp. to pool their respective stakes in Jupiter Telecommunications. Under the pact,...

Showbiz stocks: Tuesday, November 30, 2004.(showbusiness)(Illustration)
December 1, 2004... SHOWBIZ STOCKS Tuesday, November 30, 2004 Name Tkr PE Last Chg YTD %Chg AMC AEN ... 19.33 -.01 +27.1 AcmeCm ACME ... 5.88...

'Bee' in their bonnet: Lions Gate, 2929 set to team for a spell.(Lions Gate Films)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Lions Gate Films has teamed with Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner's 2929 Entertainment to co-finance and distribute "Akeelah and the Bee." Pic, to star Laurence Fishburne and Keke Palmer, concerns an 11-year-old from South Los...

NBC laffer adds Liu to guest list.(Lucy Liu)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Lucy Liu has signed to guest in at least two upcoming episodes of NBC's "Joey," reuniting her with "Charlie's Angels" love interest Matt LeBlanc. Liu will play Lauren, a tough-talking TV exec producer for the nighttime soap...

ABC Family ramps up slate with 'Normal'.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- ABC Family is quickly building up its comedy brand, ordering up a laffer pilot from Brad Grey and Barry Wernick ("The Stones") and inking a development deal with New Yorker staff cartoonist Roz Chast. Pilot, tentatively titled...

Canucks offer TV incentive.
December 1, 2004... OTTAWA -- Broadcasters that air more Canadian drama will be rewarded with more ad time, the Canuck broadcast regulator said Monday. Incentive was introduced by Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission topper Charles...

'Vera' big night in U.K.: Leigh pic tops Brit indie kudos with six nods.(World News)(Mike Leigh's Vera Drake win awards at seventh British Independent Film Awards)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... LONDON -- Mike Leigh's abortion drama "Vera Drake" swept the board at the seventh British Independent Film Awards on Tuesday evening, winning six prizes including film, director and actress honors for Imelda Staunton and actor for Phil Davis....

Zhang back to roots along 'Riding' path.(World News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... SHANGHAI -- Turning his back on martial arts, helmer Zhang Yimou is returning to the quieter themes of his earlier work for his latest picture, "Qian li zou dan ji" (Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles), which has started shooting in southwest...

Japan film fund starting strong.(World News)
December 1, 2004... TOKYO -- Japan's first film fund for private investors was off to a strong start Tuesday, when shares in the [yen] 1.5 billion ($14.4 million) Shochiku production "Shinobi" (Heart Under Blade) went on sale through three securities firms. ...

Canal Plus extends Fox film deal to 2012.(World News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... PARIS -- The Canal Plus Group has inked a five-year, multimillion-dollar output deal with 20th Century Fox, extending the two companies' partnership to 2012. Deal gives Canal Plus exclusive first- and second-window and broadcasting and...

Thesps of 'Like' mind joining Collette.(World News)(Toni Collette)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... SYDNEY -- Richard Roxburgh ("Van Helsing") and British teenager Tom Sturridge ("Being Julia," "Vanity Fair") have joined the cast of "Like Minds," a psychological thriller starring Toni Collette, which starts shooting today in Adelaide, South...

Scribe carries on Van Gogh trilogy.(World News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... AMSTERDAM -- Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the Dutch parliamentarian who wrote the script for murdered filmer Theo Van Gogh's short pic "Submission," is working on the second part of what was intended as a trilogy on the treatment of women in Islamic...

Fox pilots 'Peep'.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Fox has greenlit a comedy pilot based on the randy U.K. hit "Peep Show." Project comes from Carsey-Werner and will be created by "That '70s Show" exec producers Jeff and Jackie Filgo. The scribes will take cues from the...

Par, BSkyB plan Brit 'ET'.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Paramount Intl. TV has engineered a deal with Rupert Murdoch's British satcaster BSkyB to produce a version of "Entertainment Tonight" that will focus on British celebrities. Kicking off on Sky One Jan. 7 at 8 p.m., the weekly hourlong...

Fox Channels ups Martinez.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... MEXICO CITY -- Fox Latin America Channels has upped Carlos Martinez to VP and deputy managing director. Announcement was made by Hernan Lopez, senior veep and director general at Fox Latin America. Martinez was previously Fox's regional...

AFI's quotable spec: film institute sets next centenary category.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Movie quotes, quips, comebacks and catchphrases will be the focus of the American Film Institute's next installment of its annual "100 Years" TV spesh. Three-hour program, to air on CBS in June, will be dubbed "AFI's 100 Years...

They'll take Manhattan: December date catapults indie fete into kudo season. (Eye on the Oscars: indies/Gotham Awards).
December 1, 2004... Is New York's film industry finally getting an awards presentation it can be proud of? After 13 years of playing second fiddle to a host of kudocasts and annual accolades, the Independent Feature Project New York's Gotham Awards is moving into...

Shouting match: In screener ban's wake, indies are intent on making noise.(Eye on the Oscars: indies/Gotham Awards)
December 1, 2004... There may be small movies at this year's Academy Awards, but there are no small Oscar campaigns. Specialty divisions have dominated much of the year's campaigning, with Warner Independent Pictures kicking it up a notch for "A Very Long...

Screener war vets bond post-ban: Indie producers build coalition after triumphing as a unit against MPAA's edict.(Eye on the Oscars: indies/Gotham Awards)
December 1, 2004... I'm thrilled that this year, screeners are going out," says producer Ted Hope from his cell phone while tooling along a Florida freeway. He is there wrapping his latest film, "The Hawk Is Dying," starring Paul Giamatti. "And it's nice that (the...

Gothams gaga over grads: NYU-trained helmers abound at this year's indie bash.(Eye on the Oscars: indies/Gotham Awards)(New York University)
December 1, 2004... The nominees up for the Gotham Awards' breakthrough director category are an eclectic group whose works stretch from the ghettos of New Jersey to small towns in Colombia. Yet four of the five directors have one thing in common: they all got...

Foreign films cross kudo category boundaries.(Eye on the Oscars: indies/Gotham Awards)
December 1, 2004... Spanish helmer Pedro Almodovar's dual Oscar noms (original screenplay and director) for 2002's "Talk to Her"--a film that was not Spain's foreign-language submission that year--put the spotlight on what has become an embarrassing trend at the...

Festival faves.(Eye on the Oscars: indies/Gotham Awards)(Illustration)
December 1, 2004... FESTIVAL FAVES Major awards won by pics at the five leading film fests around the world in 2004 SUNDANCE BERLIN Born Into Brothels Audience docu Clean The Corporation ...

Mike Leigh.(Filmmaker Lifetime Achievement)(Biography)
December 1, 2004... Today's movie world doesn't offer up many genuine mavericks, which makes one doubly grateful to count English director Mike Leigh among the few. Now 61, the writer-director has been fashioning films (and plays) his way for more than three...

Don Cheadle.(Gotham Actor Award)
December 1, 2004... No one can say this year's Gotham actor honoree, Don Cheadle, lacks work. He is in no less than four films this winter--"Hotel Rwanda," "The Assassination of Richard Nixon," "After the Sunset" and "Ocean's Twelve." And "Hotel Rwanda" has the...

Gotham Awards: best feature nominees.(Eye on the Oscars: indies/Gotham Awards)
December 1, 2004... BEFORE SUNSET DIRECTOR: Richard Linklater PRODUCER: Anne Walker-McBay IN SHORT: The follow-up to Linklater's 1995 "Before Sunrise," piC catches up with Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) nine years after their talky...

Dan Talbot.(Industry Lifetime Achievement)
December 1, 2004... The stealth king of the New York film biz is not a producer, financier or agent. Dan Talbot manages a single asset: the Lincoln Plaza Cinemas. The six-screen venue on Broadway between 62nd and 63rd sits on some of the most valuable real estate...

Gotham Awards: documentary nominees.(Eye on the Oscars: indies/Gotham Awards)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... THE AGRONOMIST DIRECTOR: Jonathan Demme PRODUCERS: Demme, Peter Saraf, Bevin McNamara IN SHORT: Jean Dominique, the charismatic hero of "The Agronomist," was the firebrand leader of Haiti's free press movement until his...

Gotham Awards: breakthrough actors.(Eye on the Oscars: indies/Gotham Awards)
December 1, 2004... ENSEMBLE CAST "EVERYDAY PEOPLE" PERFS: Even for the experienced actors, this film about race relations at a down-on-its-luck Lower East Side deli is a breakthrough. Director Jim McKay treated his thesps like a theater ensemble and they...

Live from New York, it's the Gothams.(Eye on the Oscars: indies/Gotham Awards)
December 1, 2004... With a set that takes inspiration from a construction zone, it might seem like somebody is trying to lower expectations for the first live broadcast of the Gotham Awards. But that is not the case. To the producers of the show from...

Gotham Awards: breakthrough directors.(Eye on the Oscars: indies/Gotham Awards)
December 1, 2004... RODNEY EVANS FILM: "Brother to Brother," about an elderly black writer, Bruce Nugent, who reminisces about his Harlem Renaissance heyday and helps a young, gay artist find his voice. STYLE: Pie draws inspiration from the history of...

Pic turns N.Y. into 'Sunshine' state.(Celebrate New York Tribute)
December 1, 2004... Of all the movies I've written," says Charlie Kaufman, '"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' might have the strongest sense of place." With many of the locations in the film preserved from the original script, keeping the production in New...

Netflix, IFP link screeners.
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- In order to make films accessible to its voting members, IFP/Los Angeles has teamed with Netflix to create an official online viewing site for pics nominated for this year's Independent Spirit Awards. Partnership is the first...

Lear's Concord spins Fantasy label.(Norman Lear, Concord Music Group)(acquisition of Fantasy Records by Concord Records)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Norman Lear's Concord Records has completed its purchase of Saul Zaentz's Fantasy Records and changed the entity's name to the Concord Music Group. The $83 million purchase was financed by Tailwind Capital Partners along with...

E! to broadcast starry concert for Nobel winner.(E! Entertainment Television Inc., Wangari Maathai)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai of Kenya will be feted at a Dec. 11 concert to be hosted by Tom Cruise and Oprah Winfrey that will air on E! Festivities will be held in Oslo the day after the award ceremony, where...

Liberty Media ups Clasen to CEO.( )(Bob Clasen promoted as chief executive officer)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Liberty Media has upped Bob Clasen from president and chief operating officer of the Starz Entertainment Group to prez and CEO. Robert Bennett, president and CEO of Liberty Media, said that since Clasen joined Starz as president of sales...

Henry's Film Corner.(Television Program Review)
December 1, 2004... (Series; IFC. Sat. Dec. 4, midnight ET/9 p.m. PT) Filmed in Los Angeles by Swift River Prods. Executive producers, Rhett Bachner, Kevin Morra, Paul J. Morra; producer, Richard Bishop: director, Rhett Bachner; writer, Kristian House:...

John D. Barrymore.(Obituaries)(John Drew Barrymore)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
December 1, 2004... Actor John Drew Barrymore, the father of Drew Barrymore, died Monday, the actress announced through a publicist. He was 72. "He was a cool cat. Please smile when you think of him," Drew Barrymore said in a statement issued by the office of...

Philippe de Broca.(Obituaries)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
December 1, 2004... Philippe de Broca, French director best-known for eccentric comedy "King of Hearts," died of cancer Friday in Paris. He was 71. President Jacques Chirac said French cinema had lost "one of its most talented servants" and an "imaginative and...

John Stix.(Obtuaries)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
December 1, 2004... John Stix, a theater and film director, acting teacher and faculty member of the Juilliard School since 1974, died Oct. 2 of complications from a heart attack in New Jersey. He was 83. Originally from St. Louis, Stix graduated from the Yale...

Adam Young.(Obituaries)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
December 1, 2004... Adam Young, a broadcast pioneer who started as a page with NBC radio before co-founding one of the nation's 25 largest television station groups, died Nov. 15 in Palm Beach, Fla., after suffering a stroke. He was 91. Young launched his...

Fund lauds praiser pair.(praise to Dale Olson and Eugene Harbin)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- The Actors' Fund of America has dedicated the lobby of its Hollywood offices to publicists Dale Olson and Eugene Harbin. Olson, founder-prexy of the PR firm Dale C. Olson & Associates, is a member of the charity's board of trustees...

Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt.(Movie Review)
December 1, 2004... (Docu) A Palm Pictures release (in the U.S.) of a Rake Films production. (International sales: Rake Films, Austin, Texas.) Produced by Sam Brumbaugh, Margaret Brown. Executive producers, Louis Black, Chris Mattsson, Paul Stekler. ...

The Parisians.(Movie Review)
December 1, 2004... (LES PARISIENS) (France) A Les Films 13 Distribution release of a Les Films 13 production with participation of Canal Plus. (International sales: Les Films 26, Paris.) Produced, directed, written by Claude Lelouch. Additional...

Independent Spirit Award nominees.
December 1, 2004... FEATURE "Baadasssss!"--Mario Van Peebles, producer "Kinsey"--Gail Mutrux, producer "Maria Full of Grace"--Paul Mezey, producer "Primer"--Shane Carruth, producer "Sideways"--Michael London, producer DIRECTOR Shane...

Primetime scorecard.(Brief Article)(Illustration)
December 1, 2004... Nov. 22-28, 2004 PRIMETIME SCORECARD WEEK 10 Viewers * A18-49 A25-54 A18-34 abc 11.05(+23%) 4.1/11(+28%) 4.7/11(+27%) 3.4/10(+31%) eye 13.91(+5%) 4.2/11(+11%) 5.1/12(+6%) ...

Ratings report.(Television Program)(Illustration)
December 1, 2004... TOP 25 SHOWS IN 18-49 1. Desperate Housewives (ABC) 12.5/26 2. CSI (CBS) 8.4/22 3. CSI: Miami (CBS) 8.1/20 4. Extreme... Home (ABC) 7.5/17 5. Two and a Half Men (CBS) ...

Despite its rep, L.A. is legit.(Guest Column)
December 1, 2004... You'll hear the notion that "L.A.'s not a theater town" from so many different people that it can easily become a self-fulfilling prophecy. I certainly felt that way only a few months ago, but having performed "Caroline, or Change" on both...

Meet the press.(A Variety Of Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2004... To the Editor: For 21 years I've held down full-time PR positions with some of America's largest companies. But before I entered the field, I began, along with a childhood friend, Tom Johnson, as an "intrepid cub reporter" for my...

Tubes tied.(Editorial)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2004... Walk into any electronics store this holiday season and you'll find a bewildering selection of home-entertainment gizmos with competing claims, formats and services. Consumers are looking for assurance both from manufacturers and...

ICM crowns new czar for indie pics.(International Creative Management Inc. hires Hal Sadoff )
December 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- International Creative Management has hired film financier and "Hotel Rwanda" executive producer Hal Sadoff to head its international and independent film department. Sadoff fills a key role at the agency, one that's been...

'Never' Lands NOD: film board lauds Bening, Foxx.
December 2, 2004... Awards season kicked off in earnest Wednesday as Miramax Films' Johnny Depp starrer "Finding Neverland" was voted best film of the year by the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures. "Neverland"--which centers on the life of "Peter...

IFP kudos lean 'Sideways'.(Brief Article)
December 2, 2004... Helmer Alexander Payne and Fox Searchlight's "Sideways" continued its awards-season run with the IFP Wednesday night when the org's New York branch named the pic the year's best at its 14th annual Gotham Awards. Earlier this week, the arty...

WB prefers 'Blondes'.(Warner Bros. Television's new television program)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- The WB is looking to turn Plum Sykes' bestselling novel "Bergdorf Blondes" into a comedic drama series. Debut novel from Vogue contributing editor Sykes recently spent four months on the New York Times bestseller list. Novel...

Lies under scrutiny in Ovitz trial.(Sanford Litvack)
December 2, 2004... Walt Disney's formal general counsel Sanford Litvack seemed mostly testy, at times downright furious Wednesday, as the plaintiffs' lawyer pelted him with questions about events, meetings and conversations held eight years ago when Michael Ovitz...

Just for variety.
December 2, 2004... GOOD MORNING: "I can't do it, I'm pregnant." That was Julie Andrews' reply to Walt Disney when he went backstage after seeing her in "Camelot" in 1961 and offered the unknown (to movies) Andrews the lead in "Mary Poppins." Disney did indeed...

Juicing the Big Apple: showbizzers rally 'round N.Y. prod'n tax credit.
December 2, 2004... Showbiz heavyweights mobbed New York City Hall in lower Manhattan Wednesday to cheer a proposed 5% tax credit for Gotham film and TV production. "Without the passage of this bill, you're looking at a living dinosaur. Apres moi--nothing,"...

'Sideways' star to follow 'Paper' trail with tyros.(Paul Giamatti stars in Paper Man)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2004... "Sideways" star Paul Giamatti is attached to topline "Paper Man," a comedy mobilizing for an April start. The film will mark the directorial debut of scribes Michele and Kieran Mulroney. Film-Colony's Richard Gladstein and Management 360's...

U2's 'Bomb' lights fire at top of charts.(soundtracks)
December 2, 2004... U2 sold 839,000 copies of "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" (Interscope) in its first week, and Eminem's latest disc crossed the 2 million sold mark last week, but hopes of a significant bounce from last year's sales appear to be dwindling. ...

Ving rings in with 'Animal'.(Ving Rhames)(film production)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2004... Ving Rhames and Kip Konwiser have launched a deal to produce films together, beginning with "Animal," a gritty urban drama that stars Rhames. David Burke directs the film that has begun shooting in Puerto Rico; David C. Johnson ("Woo")...

Sundance vet hangs banner.(Brief Article)
December 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- After five years at Sundance Channel, senior VP of film programming Paola Freccero is ankling at the end of the year to launch an independent consulting company. She will be replaced by VP of acquisitions Christian Vesper....

Rachael Leigh Cook.(Players)(works for DreamWorks Television)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2004... Rachael Leigh Cook has secured a role in TNT's epic 12-hour limited series "Into the West," from executive producer Steven Spielberg and DreamWorks TV. Keri Russell, Josh Brolin, Skeet Ulrich and Matthew Settle are among the thesps cast in...

Chiwetel Ejiofor.(Players)(stars in Harbour Pictures/BVI production's The Kinky Boot Factory)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2004... "Dirty Pretty Things" star Chiwetel Ejiofor will star alongside Joel Edgerton in the Harbour Pictures/BVI production "The Kinky Boot Factory." Julian Jarrold will helm the Brit comedy feature, to be produced by Nick Barton and Suzanne...

3 nets abstain from hot-button church ad.(United Church of Christ's advertising deal)
December 2, 2004... NBC, CBS and UPN have rejected as too controversial a 30-second spot from the United Church of Christ emphasizing that it accepts gays and minorities but suggesting that other churches do not. Ad is part of a broad identity campaign...

Rodney's Wife.(theater review)(Theater Review)
December 2, 2004... Rodney's Wife (Playwrights Horizons; 198 seats; $55 top) A Playwrights Horizons presentation of a play in one act written and directed by Richard Nelson. Sets and costumes, Susan Hilferty; lighting, David Weiner: sound, Scott Lehrer:...

The Real Gilligan's Island.(television program review)(Television Program Review)
December 2, 2004... The Real Gilligan's Island (Series; TBS, Tue. Nov. 30, 8 p.m.) Produced by Telepictures Prods. in association with Next Entertainment. Executive producers, Mike Fleiss, Sherwood Schwartz, Lloyd J. Schwartz: co-executive producers, Lisa...

Filling a war chest? News Corp. may use loans in Liberty buyback.(The News Corporation Ltd.)
December 2, 2004... Wall Street wondered Wednesday whether News Corp.'s move to raise a massive $1.7 billion in debt could be part of a plan to wrest stock back from John Malone, who has sharply upped his stake in Rupert Murdoch's generally well-guarded empire....

Nintendo playing in pic arena.(Nintendo Company Ltd., movie production)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2004... HOLLYWOOD -- Mario and friends are on their way to the bigscreen, this time in their own way. Japanese vidgame giant Nintendo is preparing to get into the film biz, likely by creating an in-house unit to develop animated features based on the...

B'buster boosts bid, mulls hostile play.(Blockbuster Entertainment Group, Hollywood Entertainment Corp)
December 2, 2004... The bidding war for Hollywood Entertainment grew more fierce Wednesday as Blockbuster sweetened its offer, but also refused to rule out a hostile takeover. Blockbuster announced it is willing to increase its $11.50 per share offer, but...