Daily Variety articles from November 2005

Daily Variety archives from November 2005

ICM fills its coffers from Rizvi reservoir.(International Creative Management, Suhail Rizvi )
November 1, 2005... International Creative Management has completed a deal to make Connecticut-based equity fund operator Suhail Rizvi a substantial investor in the talent agency. Deal gives chairman-CEO Jeff Berg an immediate $75 million with which to retire...

Peacock takes a hostage.('Kidnapped' television program)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... NBC has snatched the pilot "Kidnapped," which follows abduction over the course of a season. The one-hour drama comes from scribe Jason Smilovic ("Karen Sisco"), who will exec produce along with Michael Dinner. Sony TV, 25C Prods., which...

Blighty alrighty: as Europe B.O. drops, U.K. holds steady.
November 1, 2005... As box office continues to dip and dive in so many foreign markets this year, it's looking like the U.K. is one piece of turf that might offer a Hollywood ending. For the Jan. 3-Oct. 30 period, box office grosses were down 20% in Germany,...

Case closed on TW board.
November 1, 2005... Steve Case is ankling Time Warner's board of directors, five years after the conglom's disastrous marriage with America Online, the company he co-founded and ran. Case said he wants to focus on his new company, Revolution. "Leaving...

ABC's 'Grey's' bowled over.("Grey's Anatomy", American Broadcasting Companies Inc.)
November 1, 2005... Hit medical drama "Grey's Anatomy" has beat out all comers to score the winning post-Super Bowl XL timeslot. It's a big coup for "Grey's," which has become a huge asset for the Alphabet web--and now stands as the fourth-highest ranked TV...

Helmer is lord of 'Flies'.(Shannon Burke novel Black Flies)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Paramount Pictures has made a preemptive acquisition of the Shannon Burke novel "Black Flies," and the studio is negotiating with Darren Aronofsky to direct it. Lorenzo di Bonaventura will produce with Eric Watson, Aronofsky's partner in...

Stranger than fiction: N.Y.'s future debated.(New York)
November 1, 2005... Presidential candidates Matt Santos and Arnie Vinnick found themselves waiting for their stage cues in the kitchen of the Waldorf Astoria on Sunday's episode of "The West Wing." Without handlers in tow, they found themselves spontaneously...

L'Oreal, Weinsteins look good.
November 1, 2005... The Weinstein Co. and L'Oreal Paris have inked a two-year marketing and product-placement partnership, with the cosmetic company set to provide beauty products for the company's pics and co-host preems and other events. In return, L'Oreal...

FSG's top editor books his exit.(Farrar, Straus and Giroux's John Glusman)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The editor-in-chief of one of the country's major literary publishers is ankling his post. John Glusman, the No. 2 at Farrar, Straus and Giroux, announced Monday that he will step down at the end of the year. No replacement has been named....

NBC spins Web version for 'Nightly News' aud.(National Broadcasting Company Inc)
November 1, 2005... NBC News will oiler its flagship "Nightly News With Brian Williams" online, in its entirety, in a bid to broaden the audience for the newscast. It will be made available, along with an archive of previous newscasts, at the Web address of...

'Lost' finds new method of synergy.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Can you have product-placement for a product that doesn't exist? ABC thinks so. In an eerie synergy, scribes for ABC's "Lost" will soon be writing a subplot about a character named Gary Troup who didn't survive the crash but left behind a...

More face time for Cooper?(Cable News Network)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... CNN is weighing another primetime shuffle in a bid to highlight its marquee talent, Anderson Cooper. Net is considering making Cooper a permanent fixture at 10 p.m. and moving Aaron Brown to 7 p.m., a drastic shift that would again change...

Torch passed at CBS Sports.(Tony Petitti )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Four days after he landed the job of president of CBS News, Sean McManus has named Tony Petitti as the executive who'll succeed him in running CBS Sports. Petitti will keep his title of executive producer but add the new one of executive...

'Christmas' shopping: Dimension to distrib 2929's horror remake.(Dimension Films, "Black Christmas")(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Dimension Films has bought up U.S. distrib rights to 2929 Prods.' horror remake "Black Christmas," from the filmmaking team James Wong and Glen Morgan. Pic, which will begin lensing in January, is slated for a Christmas 2006 release. Wong...

'Grey's' gold in solo run.("Grey's Anatomy")(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... "Desperate Housewives" helped make "Grey's Anatomy" one of television's most popular programs, but the latter ABC drama proved Sunday that it's a hit in its own right. Despite airing behind a repeat of "Housewives," the second-year medical...

'Woman' lights up B.O. on the Great White Way.(The Woman in White)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... "The Woman in White" is no wallflower. The latest Andrew Lloyd Webber tuner to arrive on Broadway roared out of the starting gate, taking in a boffo $351,682 for its first three previews. Attendance was up at 95.7% of capacity. That's...

Trinity Rep discovers Columbus.(Trinity Repertory Company appoints Curt Columbus)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Curt Columbus, the associate artistic director at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theater, has been appointed artistic director of Trinity Repertory Company. He succeeds longtime theater head Oskar Eustis, who left the Providence, R.I., company last...

Lions stock on tear: 'Saw II' bow pumps shares.(Lions Gate Entertainment Corp)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... After pushing it to the top of the box office, "Saw II" helped Lions Gate to an 8% boost in its stock price Monday. Jump was particularly significant as Lions Gate, like most media companies, has seen its stock fall substantially this year...

TNT shoots hoop chat to broadband.(Turner Network Television)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... TNT's roster of National Basketball Assn. analysts, led by Charles Barkley, will get lots more screen time this season--only the screen will be the one on your computer. The network has created what David Levy, president of Turner Sports,...

Stations rule in favor of 'Lopez'.('Judge Maria Lopez')(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The TV-syndication marketplace is heating up, ignited by news that Sony Pictures TV has cleared "Judge Maria Lopez," its proposed daily syndicated TV courtshow, on TV stations in seven of the top 10 markets. The "Lopez" clearances follow...

Apple seeds 1 million in vid sales for iPod.(Apple Computer Inc., videos)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Apple has hit the 1 million sales mark for video content in its iTunes Music Store three weeks after launching. It's just a fraction of the company's online music sales, which now total more than 1 million per day. Video-enabled iPods...

WGA armistice ends money, turf disputes.(Writers Guild of America)
November 1, 2005... Peace has broken out between the WGA West and WGA East with the two unions agreeing to settle their bitter battle over money and jurisdiction. In a joint communication sent Monday to the 13,000 WGA members, new presidents Chris Albers and...

Showbiz stocks: Monday, October 31, 2005.(Illustration)
November 1, 2005... Showbiz Stocks Monday, October 31, 2005 YTD Name Tkr PE Last Chg %Chg AccessIT AIX ... 8.91 -.39 +129.0 Acmecm ACME ... 3.91 +.01...

Film box office wrap: for the weekend of Oct. 28-30.(Illustration)
November 1, 2005... Weekend Stats Domestics Box Office $102.1 million October 28-30, 2005 vs. last week +14% vs. last year +1% Daily Breakdown (in millions of $) FRI. $34.1 SAT. $41.1 SUN. $26.9 ...

The Feast of the Flying Cow and Other Stories of War.(Theater Review)
November 1, 2005... (Adrienne Theater, Philadelphia, 106 seats; $25 top) An InterAct Theater Company presentation of a play in three acts by Jeni Mahoney. Directed by Seth Rozin. Sets, Jorge Cousineau; costumes, Karen Ledger; lighting, Peter Whinnery; sound,...

After the Quake.(Theater Review)
November 1, 2005... (Steppenwolf Upstairs Theater; Chicago; 250 seats; $60 top) A Steppenwolf Theater presentation of a play in one act by Frank Galati, adapted from stories by Haruki Murakami. Directed by Galati. Sets, James Schuette; lighting, James Ingalls;...

ACLU makes Court date.(American Civil Liberties Union partners with Courtroom Television Network Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Court TV and the American Civil Liberties Union will partner on a programming initiative aimed at civil rights issues called "The ACLU Freedom File." Created by Robert Greenwald's Brave New Films and directed and produced by Jeremy Kagan,...

Top 10 films in Manhattan: for the weekend of October 28-30, 2005.(Illustration)
November 1, 2005... Top 10 Films In Manhattan For the weekend of October 28-30, 2005 % change vs. last Week Rank Wknd. B.O. Film (distributor) wknd....

Broadway top 10: Oct. 24-30, 2005.(Illustration)
November 1, 2005... Broadway Top 10: Oct. 24-30, 2005 Week's Show Net Receipts (Theater)(Prod. Potential Prev Week's $Change Category)(Seats) Net Receipts Net Receipts...

Fest not at its best: organizers throw in towel on Montreal event.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... This might be the end of the road for the fledgling New Montreal FilmFest after just one edition. Organizer L'Equipe Spectra wants to merge the event with the smaller, well-established Montreal Festival du Nouveau Cinema. If that fails,...

ER buys stake in Express papers.(Express Newspapers, Entertainment Rights)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Classic children's character Rupert the Bear will soon rub shoulders with Postman Pat, Basil Brush and He-Man after U.K.'s Entertainment Rights bought a controlling stake from Express Newspapers in a deal valued at 6 million [pounds sterling]...

BSkyB bows TV pack.(UNITED KINGDOM)(British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... British paybox BSkyB will today launch a 19-channel TV package for mobile phone users in the U.K. The service, available to Vodaphone's 250,000 3G customers, includes CNN, Discovery, live coverage of the English cricket team's tour of...

Topper hangs up Hat.(Denise O'Donoghue quits Hat Trick Productions)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... One of the pioneers of Blighty's TV indie sector is quitting after two decades at the helm of Hat Trick. Denise O'Donoghue, who co-founded the outfit in 1986 with Jimmy Mulville, ankles in January. "It is time for something different,"...

MTV exports Logo.(LATIN AMERICA)
November 1, 2005... MTV is bringing its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender-oriented net Logo TV to Latin America, its first launch outside the U.S. Logo will bow on pay-per-view targeting auds ages 25-49. The six-hour programming block launches Friday in...

TNZ CEO Fraser quits.(NEW ZEALAND)(Ian Fraser of Television New Zealand )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Kiwi pubcaster Television New Zealand is searching for a new CEO after topper Ian Fraser stepped down Sunday, saying he had lost confidence in the board. The final straw for Fraser came last week when the board asked him to negotiate...

EM.TV says no go.(GERMANY)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Sports and entertainment TV group EM.TV has nixed paybox Premiere's offer to buy its free-to-air sports channel DSF. Premiere recently bought pay- and free-TV rights to UEFA Champions League soccer and said it planned to buy a terrestrial...

The Screening Room.
November 1, 2005... The Screening Room runs Tuesdays and Fridays. Screenings are open to Academy and guild members. For a complete list, visit Variety.com/screenings. The Screening Room The Screening Room runs Tuesdays and Fridays. Screenings are open to...

Exclusives report: for the weekend of October 28-30, 2005.(Illustration)
November 1, 2005... Exclusives Report For the weekend of October 28-30, 2005 NEW YORK NEW THIS WEEK Film Weekend (distributor) Circuit Theater, city ...

CPB accused of hiring partisans.(Corporation for Public Broadcasting)
November 1, 2005... Watchdog groups accused Corp. for Public Broadcasting topper Patricia Harrison of hiring fellow partisans for senior jobs. Groups also demanded that CPB make public a soon-to-be-released Inspector General's report about possible malfeasance and...

Romeo and Juliet Get Married.(O Casamento De Romeu E Julieta)(Movie Review)
November 1, 2005... (O CASAMENTO DE ROMEU E JULIETA) (Brazil) A Buena Vista Home Entertainment release (in Brazil) of an LC Barreto, Miravista, Globofilmes production. (International sales: Grupo Novo de Cinema e TV, Rio de Janeiro.) Produced by Paula...

Floating with 'Hi Hi Puffy'.("Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi" )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... Kicking off the Cartoon Network's latest merchandising effort for its original children series "Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi," net will re-create toon as a float for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Nov. 24. "Hi Hi Puffy," which debuted in 2004,...

Whistle stop: Weinstein Co. bows pic and logo.(V)
November 1, 2005... WHAT: The Weinstein Co.'s "Derailed" train whistled through Gotham Sunday for the thriller's preem. WHO: Harvey Weinstein and Bob Weinstein; director Mikael Hafstrom; pic's Jennifer Aniston, Clive Owen, Vincent Cassel, Melissa George,...

'Jarhead' mans the war zone.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- "It's an archetypal journey: A young man goes to war. It's Holden Caulfield having his rite of passage in the Saudi desert," producer Doug Wick said of "Jarhead" Thursday at the ArcLight preem. Wick's wife and producing...

Sutherland takes 'Pride" in Austen.("Pride and Prejudice", Donald Sutherland)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- The American Cinematheque's unspooling of "Pride and Prejudice" Friday at the Aero Theater enticed throngs to the Santa Monica landmark to see Donald Sutherland, who proved a lively raconteur. Thesp told the full house that...

Broadway reunites 'Couple'.('The Odd Couple')(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... WHAT: Thursday's opening night bash for "The Odd Couple"--the Broadway revival that was a sold-out smash even before it began performances. WHO: Neil Simon, who took a bow alongside Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick; show's Brad Garrett;...

BET grooves to silver tune.(Robert Johnson quits Black Entertainment Television Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... HOLLYWOOD -- "Thank you, Bob Johnson" was uttered time and again at the taping of BET's silver-anni fete and salute to outgoing founder Robert Johnson Wednesday at the Shrine Auditorium. Donnie Simpson kicked off the show, and Earth, Wind &...

"The Weather Man" scribe Steven Conrad sat down with Variety Screening Series Q&A moderator Pete Hammond Thursday at the ArcLight in Hollywood.(V)
November 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: "The Weather Man" scribe Steven Conrad sat down with Variety Screening Series Q & A moderator Pete Hammond Thursday at the ArcLight in Hollywood. COnrad, who has been off the radar since 1993's "Wrestling...

Donald Trump, with Al Sharpton and boxing promoter Don King, emceed a Friars Club.(V)
November 1, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Donald Trump, with Al Sharpton and boxing promoter Don King, emceed a Friars Club roast for King on Friday, at the New York Hilton.

A funnyman for all seasons.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... There is magic, as well as genius, in the work of Harold Lloyd. Not only does his comedy play to any audience of any age in any country, but it's just as funny today as it was in the 1920s. That's no small achievement. I base this...

New Line Home Entertainment introduces Harold Lloyd DVD set.(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... Harold Lloyd was one of Hollywood's first true movie stars, ranking alongside Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton as one of the most popular and influential film comedians of the silent film era. "Lloyd played a seminal rote in film history as...

The thrill of it all: the man who dared.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... Harold Lloyd teeters perilously on a high ledge of an office building. There's nothing below him but the pavement. Desperately, he tries to enter the closest window. As he approaches safety, the window suddenly opens... outward, knocking him...

All-American boy makes good: the life of Harold Lloyd.(Biography)
November 1, 2005... Aug. 24, 1919, was supposed to be a good day. Twenty-six-year-old Harold Lloyd was in the studios of Witzel Photographers in Los Angeles, sitting for a series of portraits to publicize his comedies. His life seemed to be just beginning. Yet...

It's not a competition.(greatest silent film comedian)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... Who was the greatest silent film comedian, Harold Lloyd, Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin? The debate rages on. But should it? All three made great films that have stood the test of time. All three made people laugh in the 1920s and...

From silent to sound: conquering the entertainment universe.(Harold Lloyd )(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... If Harold Lloyd were still around today, it's a sure bet he would be experimenting in new media, making movies on his home computer, designing Web sites or using digital technology, because whatever came along, Harold Lloyd explored it. ...

The look of Lloyd.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT)(Harold Lloyd )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... The glasses stayed the same, but Harold Lloyd played many characters in his feature films. With each successive picture, he portrayed a different type of boy, both in motivation and in appearance. Whether he was rich or poor, cowardly or flip,...

The father of romantic comedy and the grandfather of the sitcom.(Harold Lloyd)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... You know the scene. The wedding is taking place, but the gift is being forced to marry the wrong guy. Suddenly, the desperate hero bursts in to break up the nuptials, carrying off the bride in all her finery. It's the ending to a famous...

How Grandma's Boy changed the face of comedy.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT)(Biography)
November 1, 2005... "Grandma's Boy told much more of a story than we ever had put in a picture before," Harold Lloyd remembered. It was 1921, short comedies were big business, and Harold Lloyd was one of the major stars of the short comedy field. The story...

After the films: Harold Lloyd's other life.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT)
November 1, 2005... Life was never dull for Harold Lloyd. When he wasn't making movies, he plunged into other interests, giving them as much attention as he had his films. "The real pleasure of a hobby," said Lloyd in 1966, "lies in its ability to obsess you, to...

The boy with the classes.(Harold Lloyd )(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... "There is... magic in a pair of horn-rimmed glasses,... With them I am Harold Lloyd.... Without the glasses I can stroll unrecognized down any street in the land." What set Harold Lloyd apart from other comedians of the silent screen...

The Lloyd gag.(Harold Lloyd)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... What is a Harold Lloyd gag? What did he do to make audiences laugh? To find the heart of Lloyd and his approach to comedy, think of a small bit of business in his last silent film, Speedy. Harold and his girlfriend (played by Ann Christy)...

Locations, locations, locations.(silent movies)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... Hidden in and around the Los Angeles of today is the Los Angeles of 100 years of moviemaking. On the surface, Los Angeles seems to be a city that is constantly redefining itself--a modern city bearing little resemblance to the place where...

Harold Lloyd's family of comedy.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT)(Advertisement)(Biography)
November 1, 2005... "We." When Harold Lloyd talked about the films he starred in, he always used the word "we." He knew how important it was to have good people around him, and he made sure everyone else knew he didn't do it alone. He worked with a talented team,...

The public is the doctor: Harold Lloyd and the preview.(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... Can you imagine being able to get a superstar to change his film--reshooting, even deleting scenes--based on your outlook? Think it's impossible? Think again. Think Lloyd. Harold Lloyd's modus operandi was to show an unsuspecting audience...

Greenacres: the estate built by laughter.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... As he lay dying of prostate cancer, Harold Lloyd felt the unmistakable tremor of a major earthquake. The date was Feb. 9, 1971. What he felt was the powerful Sylmar earthquake, which killed 65 people and caused millions of dollars' worth of...

Daddy's little girl: growing up with Harold Lloyd in the 1920s.(Gloria Lloyd)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... "Like angels that sing, a heavenly thing... you're daddy's little girl." The year Gloria Lloyd was born, 1924, was the year her daddy began producing his own films. In the first decade of her life, Gloria's father made nine films. He was...

Grandpa's girl: growing up with Harold Lloyd in the 1950s.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2005... "I called Harold 'Daddy,' and to me he will always be just that... the man who loved me, raised me as his own daughter, and who introduced me to the most exciting world any child could hope to experience." --Suzanne Lloyd The only...

The mentor: Harold Lloyd and his circle of influence.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... Harold Lloyd was a modest man, slow to praise himself and quick to share credit. Once, when asked to describe his success, he merely answered, "I attribute my success to being born." Although he may have had an idea that he had contributed to...

Lloyd in Variety.(Harold Lloyd)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
November 1, 2005... Three days after the explosion that nearly destroyed Harold Lloyd's career, Variety ran this short one-paragraph story. Variety was the only publication to mention the seriousness of Lloyd's injuries. "If Harold Lloyd has topped the...

Fun with Harold Lloyd, and preserving his films, too.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT)
November 1, 2005... Harold Lloyd was sometimes criticized for hoarding his films. Yet his hoarding has proved to be a gift to us. The upcoming DVDs will present pristine prints of films that are now, in some cases, more than 80 years old. Harold Lloyd began...

The extraordinary skill of Harold Lloyd.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT)
November 1, 2005... Whenever I want to convert someone to silent pictures, I simply run a Lloyd feature. It works every time. Lloyd made 11 in the 1920s--compared to Chaplin's four--and all of them are superb. It has been a source of mystery to me why Lloyd has...

The Lloyd legacy lives on.(SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT)(Harold Lloyd)
November 1, 2005... As a teenager, Suzanne Lloyd attended Harold Lloyd film tributes, listened to her grandfather speak at colleges and even helped rewind nitrate prints. Raised by her grandparents, Harold and Mildred Lloyd, at their home, Greenacres, she was...

Dimension abuzz with 'Saw' guy.(Dimension Films has tapped Darren Lynn Bousman for its next movie 'Saw II')(Brief Article)
November 2, 2005... Dimension Films has set a two-picture deal with "Saw II" director Darren Lynn Bousman that will include his next film. Both movies will be produced by Twisted Pictures principals Mark Burg, Oren Koules and Gregg Hoffman, who produced and...

Berman: comedy is king: par ramps up laffers to fill lean pipeline.(Gaff Berman, Paramount Pictures Corp.)
November 2, 2005... A funny thing's happening at Paramount--new studio president Gaff Berman wants to boost its output of comedies. "Comedy, comedy, comedy, comedy," Berman responded Tuesday when asked what kind of projects she's seeking. "I love comedies."...

Wolf is big dog at MTV.(Michael J. Wolf, MTV Networks Inc.)
November 2, 2005... Michael J. Wolf, a managing partner with McKinsey & Co. who has spent part of the last decade analyzing the business of MTV Networks, has joined the company as its president and chief operating officer. "I've spent a lot of time burrowing...

ICM adds Merrill coin.(International Creative Management Inc., Merrill Lynch's Asset Based Finance Group)
November 2, 2005... ICM closed its recapitalization deal with Connecticut-based investor Suhail Rizvi, as expected, but the surprise is that ICM chairman-CEO Jeff Berg also has completed a funding deal with Merrill Lynch's Asset Based Finance Group. The combined...

Pics revive Viacom revs.(Paramount Pictures Corp.)
November 2, 2005... A revamped Par fired up Viacom as studio profits surged last quarter on a combo of higher theatrical, domestic homevideo and worldwide pay TV. And, as media giants including Time Warner pursue belt tightening, Viacom chief financial...

AFM shoppers seek bargains.(American Film Market)
November 2, 2005... First Cannes was panned, then Toronto was toast. Now the eyes of hungry acquisitions execs are on the 2005 American Film Market, which unspools today in Santa Monica. North American buyers say they aren't expecting much from the new...

Shyer on daddy track.(New Line Cinema Corp. tapped Charles Shyer for 'Father Knows Less' )(Brief Article)
November 2, 2005... New Line Cinema has set Charles Shyer to direct Dustin Hoffman in the comedy "Father Knows Less." Hoffman will play a successful executive who suddenly finds himself stuck with running the day-to-day affairs of his family, a thankless task...

Vegas and high culture? Don't bet on it.(Column)
November 2, 2005... Is tourism campaigns go, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" is probably unparalleled. Yet as far as the effort to transform Sin City into an entertainment Mecca is concerned--something akin to Broadway West--a more honest slogan would be...

New content at NATPE Nexus.(National Association of Television Program Executives)
November 2, 2005... NATPE '06 organizers Tuesday unveiled a confab agenda that places heavy emphasis on producing, distributing and protecting new content. "We're about everybody watching, wherever they watch, as long as their rights are protected," said...

F/x org lauds Pixar maven.(Pixar Animation Studios's John Lasseter receives George Melies Award )(Brief Article)
November 2, 2005... Pixar Animation Studios toon maven John Lasseter will receive the Visual Effects Society's George Melies Award for creative excellence. Lasseter, who oversees all of Pixar's films, directed "Toy Story," "Toy Story 2," "A Bug's Life" and...

Tribeca slates Marrakech tie.(Tribeca Film Institute and Morocco's Marrakech International Film Festival Foundation)(Brief Article)
November 2, 2005... Filmmakers Martin Scorsese and Abbas Kiarostami will topline the upcoming launch of a new exchange program inked between the Tribeca Film Institute and Morocco's Marrakech Intl. Film Festival Foundation. The pioneering program, which will...

30 Rock takes N.Y. to top.(Brief Article)
November 2, 2005... Gotham's 30 Rock just became a room with a view again. Rockefeller Center, the arguable heart of Manhattan's commercial and cultural district, reopened its Top of the Rock observation deck and multimedia visitor experience Tuesday at 30...

Helfant suits up as Marvel preps slate.(Michael Helfant joins Marvel Studios)(Brief Article)
November 2, 2005... Michael Helfant has ankled his post as chief operating officer of Beacon Pictures to join Marvel Studios as Avi Arad's No. 2. He comes to Marvel as the comicbook publisher is developing a slate of 10 films it will finance and produce...