Lynn Loring, who appeared as a young actress on Search for Tomorrow, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and The F.B.I. before becoming one of the highest-ranking female executives in Hollywood at the time, has died. She was 80.
Loring died Dec. 23 at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center after a series of chronic illnesses, her son, Chris Thinnes, told The Hollywood Reporter. Her family chose not to make public her death until now.
Loring also acted in a few movies, including Elia Kazan’s Splendor in the Grass (1961), Pressure Point (1962) and, alongside then-husband Roy Thinnes, Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969).
When she was 7, Loring joined the new CBS soap opera Search for Tomorrow in September 1951 for the first of its 35 seasons. She would portray Patti Barron, daughter of Mary Stuart’s Joanne Gardner, for a decade until she graduated from the Calhoun School for Girls and entered Barnard College...
Loring died Dec. 23 at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center after a series of chronic illnesses, her son, Chris Thinnes, told The Hollywood Reporter. Her family chose not to make public her death until now.
Loring also acted in a few movies, including Elia Kazan’s Splendor in the Grass (1961), Pressure Point (1962) and, alongside then-husband Roy Thinnes, Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969).
When she was 7, Loring joined the new CBS soap opera Search for Tomorrow in September 1951 for the first of its 35 seasons. She would portray Patti Barron, daughter of Mary Stuart’s Joanne Gardner, for a decade until she graduated from the Calhoun School for Girls and entered Barnard College...
- 4/2/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Particularly in the age of streaming, it's hard to imagine another show living a life like the one that "Three's Company" did throughout the late '70s and early '80s. Spanning eight seasons and more than 170 episodes, it's the kind of run that relatively few scripted TV shows can ever claim, but especially now. It also made absolute stars of its cast, perhaps most notably Suzanne Somers, who recently passed away at the age of 76. She played the lovable Chrissy Snow alongside John Ritter's Jack Tripper and Joyce DeWitt's Janet Wood. But it turns out that Somers' life-changing casting happened essentially by accident.
Former President of ABC Entertainment Fred Silverman, speaking in an archival interview shared by the FoundationINTERVIEWS YouTube channel, discussed his lengthy career in television. When the subject of "Three's Company" came up, the executive explained that he "was very involved in the casting of Suzanne Somers.
Former President of ABC Entertainment Fred Silverman, speaking in an archival interview shared by the FoundationINTERVIEWS YouTube channel, discussed his lengthy career in television. When the subject of "Three's Company" came up, the executive explained that he "was very involved in the casting of Suzanne Somers.
- 10/18/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
At age 93, producer George Schlatter has a lifetime of memories to look back at. Producing the groundbreaking and iconic TV comedy show Laugh-in is just one facet. There’s also presidential inaugurations, countless TV specials with big-name talent, running the Jerry Lewis Labor Day telethons, and hanging with Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra among them.
All of that and more is captured in a memoir just-released via Unnamed Press/Rare Bird Books, Still Laughing: A Life in Comedy.
Already a well-regarded producer of television specials and variety shows by 1967, Schlatter pitched NBC on an idea that was a radical departure: a comedy special inspired by the hippie counter-culture, one which would take the idea of sit-ins, love-ins, and be-ins and manifest that politicized, sexualized, consciousness-raising energy into comedic sketches. The special that emerged, Laugh-in, was so successful it became a regular television series, running from January 1968 to March 1973 and eventually becoming the #1 show on TV.
All of that and more is captured in a memoir just-released via Unnamed Press/Rare Bird Books, Still Laughing: A Life in Comedy.
Already a well-regarded producer of television specials and variety shows by 1967, Schlatter pitched NBC on an idea that was a radical departure: a comedy special inspired by the hippie counter-culture, one which would take the idea of sit-ins, love-ins, and be-ins and manifest that politicized, sexualized, consciousness-raising energy into comedic sketches. The special that emerged, Laugh-in, was so successful it became a regular television series, running from January 1968 to March 1973 and eventually becoming the #1 show on TV.
- 7/16/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Cindy Williams, the energetic actress who appeared in a pair of Oscar best picture nominees before starring as the idealistic Shirley Feeney on the beloved ABC sitcom Laverne & Shirley, has died. She was 75.
Williams died in Los Angeles on Wednesday after a brief illness, her children, Zak and Emily Hudson, said in a statement released Monday.
“The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed,” the statement said. “Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a glittering spirit that everyone loved.”
After popping up as a pot-smoking hippie in the Maggie Smith-starring Travels With My Aunt (1972), one of the last films directed by George Cukor, Williams took her first big turn in the spotlight when she portrayed Laurie,...
Williams died in Los Angeles on Wednesday after a brief illness, her children, Zak and Emily Hudson, said in a statement released Monday.
“The passing of our kind, hilarious mother, Cindy Williams, has brought us insurmountable sadness that could never truly be expressed,” the statement said. “Knowing and loving her has been our joy and privilege. She was one of a kind, beautiful, generous and possessed a brilliant sense of humor and a glittering spirit that everyone loved.”
After popping up as a pot-smoking hippie in the Maggie Smith-starring Travels With My Aunt (1972), one of the last films directed by George Cukor, Williams took her first big turn in the spotlight when she portrayed Laurie,...
- 1/31/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Abbott Elementary’s” Quinta Brunson will be honored by the 60th International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards with the 2023 Showperson Award at The Beverly Hilton on March 10.
As showrunner, creator, headwriter, executive producer and star, Brunson has received a series of accolades for her mockumentary series, “Abbott Elementary,” including one of Time Magazine’s “Time 100: The Most Influential People of 2022” honorees.
As the sophomore season continues to air, Brunson’s groundbreaking series has been regarded and rewarded as one of the best comedy series, receiving three Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes, the Critics Choice Award for “Best Comedy Series,” as well as Screen Actors Guild Awards, Writers Guild of America Awards, GLAAD Media Awards, NAACP Image Awards, Film Independent Spirit Awards and Producers Guild of America Awards.
“As publicists we applaud Quinta Brunson’s passion as creator, executive producer, showrunner, headwriter and star of Abbott Elementary. We’re excited to...
As showrunner, creator, headwriter, executive producer and star, Brunson has received a series of accolades for her mockumentary series, “Abbott Elementary,” including one of Time Magazine’s “Time 100: The Most Influential People of 2022” honorees.
As the sophomore season continues to air, Brunson’s groundbreaking series has been regarded and rewarded as one of the best comedy series, receiving three Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes, the Critics Choice Award for “Best Comedy Series,” as well as Screen Actors Guild Awards, Writers Guild of America Awards, GLAAD Media Awards, NAACP Image Awards, Film Independent Spirit Awards and Producers Guild of America Awards.
“As publicists we applaud Quinta Brunson’s passion as creator, executive producer, showrunner, headwriter and star of Abbott Elementary. We’re excited to...
- 1/30/2023
- by Charna Flam
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Barbara Walters, the glass-ceiling-shattering newswoman whose intimate television interviews with celebrities and world figures blended show business and journalism and induced many a tear, has died. She was 93.
Walters, the first female co-host of the Today show, the first evening news anchorwoman in broadcast history and a co-creator and co-host of The View, died Friday evening at her home in New York, ABC News announced.
Walters revealed in May 2013 that she would retire from journalism upon the conclusion of The View season in 2014. “I thought it was better to go when people are saying, ‘Why is she leaving?’ than, ‘Thank goodness she’s leaving!’” she said.
Yet Walters soldiered on with exclusive interviews, like one with Peter Rodger, the father of Elliot Rodger, the Uc Santa Barbara student who killed seven people in May 2014.
Walters also was known for co-hosting the ABC news...
Barbara Walters, the glass-ceiling-shattering newswoman whose intimate television interviews with celebrities and world figures blended show business and journalism and induced many a tear, has died. She was 93.
Walters, the first female co-host of the Today show, the first evening news anchorwoman in broadcast history and a co-creator and co-host of The View, died Friday evening at her home in New York, ABC News announced.
Walters revealed in May 2013 that she would retire from journalism upon the conclusion of The View season in 2014. “I thought it was better to go when people are saying, ‘Why is she leaving?’ than, ‘Thank goodness she’s leaving!’” she said.
Yet Walters soldiered on with exclusive interviews, like one with Peter Rodger, the father of Elliot Rodger, the Uc Santa Barbara student who killed seven people in May 2014.
Walters also was known for co-hosting the ABC news...
- 12/31/2022
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
John Oliver has a few words for his soon-to-be new bosses at Discovery. And even those may be more than enough.
The HBO host, who launches a new season of the comedy-meets-investigative-journalism series “Last Week Tonight” on Sunday, has for the past several years teased the owner of HBO and its parent WarnerMedia with great relish. “You’re a terrible company. You do bad things and you make the world worse,” he said about AT&T in October. Ever since the telecom giant began working to acquire the former Time Warner in 2018 for $85.4 billion, Oliver has treated the company mercilessly. “AT&T: It’s the top telecom company around –- alphabetically, and nothing else,” he said before the company made its big buy.
No one from AT&T has ever talked to him about the content of his program, says Oliver, and he hopes that continues once Discovery takes control of...
The HBO host, who launches a new season of the comedy-meets-investigative-journalism series “Last Week Tonight” on Sunday, has for the past several years teased the owner of HBO and its parent WarnerMedia with great relish. “You’re a terrible company. You do bad things and you make the world worse,” he said about AT&T in October. Ever since the telecom giant began working to acquire the former Time Warner in 2018 for $85.4 billion, Oliver has treated the company mercilessly. “AT&T: It’s the top telecom company around –- alphabetically, and nothing else,” he said before the company made its big buy.
No one from AT&T has ever talked to him about the content of his program, says Oliver, and he hopes that continues once Discovery takes control of...
- 2/17/2022
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Herbert Schlosser, a longtime NBC executive who oversaw the development of Saturday Night Live and was credited with bringing Johnny Carson to The Tonight Show has died at his home in New York City. He was 95.
NBC released the following statement:
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Herb Schlosser. His ingenuity, creativity and integrity as president and CEO of NBC during the ’70s made an indelible mark on the network and its legacy, including bringing Johnny Carson to ‘The Tonight Show’ and helping to shape what ultimately became ‘Saturday Night Live.’”
The Johnny Carson saga and “Saturday Night Live” were tied together. In 1974, Schlosser was president of NBC and learned that Carson no longer wanted reruns of his show on the weekends. His financial clout made pleasing him imperative.
So Schlosser went to work, and wrote a memo early in 1975 proposing an original program that would be carried...
NBC released the following statement:
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Herb Schlosser. His ingenuity, creativity and integrity as president and CEO of NBC during the ’70s made an indelible mark on the network and its legacy, including bringing Johnny Carson to ‘The Tonight Show’ and helping to shape what ultimately became ‘Saturday Night Live.’”
The Johnny Carson saga and “Saturday Night Live” were tied together. In 1974, Schlosser was president of NBC and learned that Carson no longer wanted reruns of his show on the weekends. His financial clout made pleasing him imperative.
So Schlosser went to work, and wrote a memo early in 1975 proposing an original program that would be carried...
- 8/6/2021
- by Denise Petski and Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
For decades, a TV rite of passage took place every September at the Hollywood Radio & TV Society’s entertainment presidents’ luncheon. On the eve of the fall season, the three, then four, then six heads of programming at the broadcast networks would gather on the Hrts dais and set the tone for the year: They’d share insights on the freshman shows they were keen on, which potential hits they wished they could steal from a rival and the latest trends to look out for.
Those were the days when entertainment presidents were practically household names — figures like Fred Silverman, Brandon Tartikoff, Bob Iger, Leslie Moonves and Warren Littlefield. It was the perch that almost everyone in TV aspired to, the job of being one of the most powerful buyers in the biz.
But as the industry began to change, TV’s org charts got more complicated. The networks were...
Those were the days when entertainment presidents were practically household names — figures like Fred Silverman, Brandon Tartikoff, Bob Iger, Leslie Moonves and Warren Littlefield. It was the perch that almost everyone in TV aspired to, the job of being one of the most powerful buyers in the biz.
But as the industry began to change, TV’s org charts got more complicated. The networks were...
- 4/14/2021
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Every year Hollywood looks to the Producers Guild Awards winner to forecast the Best Picture Oscar. That’s because in the 12 years since both groups expanded their top award list and adopted the preferential ballot, only three times have the winners not aligned — PGA winners “1917,” “La La Land” and “The Big Short” did not land Best Picture.
Those differences made sense, as in each case a smaller, lower-budget movie took home the Oscar over a movie of scale and scope. And as expected, this year’s Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of a Motion Picture went to Chloé Zhao’s magic-hour road trip “Nomadland,” as voted on by the guild’s 8,000 members. Searchlight’s frontrunner looms large in a field of small movies, as it keeps racking up wins on its way to multiple Oscars come April 25.
“We’re proud to have produced a film about community and what connects us,...
Those differences made sense, as in each case a smaller, lower-budget movie took home the Oscar over a movie of scale and scope. And as expected, this year’s Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of a Motion Picture went to Chloé Zhao’s magic-hour road trip “Nomadland,” as voted on by the guild’s 8,000 members. Searchlight’s frontrunner looms large in a field of small movies, as it keeps racking up wins on its way to multiple Oscars come April 25.
“We’re proud to have produced a film about community and what connects us,...
- 3/25/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Every year Hollywood looks to the Producers Guild Awards winner to forecast the Best Picture Oscar. That’s because in the 12 years since both groups expanded their top award list and adopted the preferential ballot, only three times have the winners not aligned — PGA winners “1917,” “La La Land” and “The Big Short” did not land Best Picture.
Those differences made sense, as in each case a smaller, lower-budget movie took home the Oscar over a movie of scale and scope. And as expected, this year’s Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of a Motion Picture went to Chloé Zhao’s magic-hour road trip “Nomadland,” as voted on by the guild’s 8,000 members. Searchlight’s frontrunner looms large in a field of small movies, as it keeps racking up wins on its way to multiple Oscars come April 25.
“We’re proud to have produced a film about community and what connects us,...
Those differences made sense, as in each case a smaller, lower-budget movie took home the Oscar over a movie of scale and scope. And as expected, this year’s Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of a Motion Picture went to Chloé Zhao’s magic-hour road trip “Nomadland,” as voted on by the guild’s 8,000 members. Searchlight’s frontrunner looms large in a field of small movies, as it keeps racking up wins on its way to multiple Oscars come April 25.
“We’re proud to have produced a film about community and what connects us,...
- 3/25/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The Producers Guild of America Awards awarded Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland” with their top prize, one of the key indicators for the Academy Awards, particularly the best picture category. Edging out its closest competitors including Emerald Fennell’s “Promising Young Woman,” Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari” and Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” this might just end any questions about whether or not the moving drama is running away with the Oscars’ big prize.
All the acceptance speeches were pre-recorded with “Nomadland” giving a more produced, glitzier presentation than what we’ve seen at other award shows.
It should be noted that last year’s “1917” from Sam Mendes lost the Oscar after wins from PGA and DGA to “Parasite,” which only had the coveted SAG cast ensemble prize under its belt. Coincidentally, “Nomadland” is not nominated at SAG in their top category, leaving an opening for...
All the acceptance speeches were pre-recorded with “Nomadland” giving a more produced, glitzier presentation than what we’ve seen at other award shows.
It should be noted that last year’s “1917” from Sam Mendes lost the Oscar after wins from PGA and DGA to “Parasite,” which only had the coveted SAG cast ensemble prize under its belt. Coincidentally, “Nomadland” is not nominated at SAG in their top category, leaving an opening for...
- 3/25/2021
- by Clayton Davis and Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
As we finally turn the calendar on the Cruelest Year, let’s take a moment to reflect on some of the memorable people we lost from the world of entertainment. Click through the photo gallery above.
Among those who passed during 2020 were big-screen Hollywood legends from Kirk Douglas and Olivia de Havilland to Sean Connery and Chadwick Boseman, sitcom favorites Jerry Stiller and Dawn Wells and two of the all-time showbiz multihyphenates in Carl Reiner and Buck Henry. Other actors who left us include Diana Rigg, Max Von Sydow, Brian Dennehy, Kelly Preston, Fred Willard, Naya Rivera, Nick Cordero, Monty Python’s Terry Jones and Indian stars Irrfan Khan and Soumitra Chatterjee.
The movie world also mourns filmmakers Alan Parker, Joel Schumacher and Kim Ki-duk, along with a man who would be on a Mount Rushmore for film composers: Ennio Morrocone.
Also gone this past year were such admired TV personalities as Regis Philbin,...
Among those who passed during 2020 were big-screen Hollywood legends from Kirk Douglas and Olivia de Havilland to Sean Connery and Chadwick Boseman, sitcom favorites Jerry Stiller and Dawn Wells and two of the all-time showbiz multihyphenates in Carl Reiner and Buck Henry. Other actors who left us include Diana Rigg, Max Von Sydow, Brian Dennehy, Kelly Preston, Fred Willard, Naya Rivera, Nick Cordero, Monty Python’s Terry Jones and Indian stars Irrfan Khan and Soumitra Chatterjee.
The movie world also mourns filmmakers Alan Parker, Joel Schumacher and Kim Ki-duk, along with a man who would be on a Mount Rushmore for film composers: Ennio Morrocone.
Also gone this past year were such admired TV personalities as Regis Philbin,...
- 12/31/2020
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Scooby-Doo co-creator Ken Spears died on Friday, November 6. He co-founded Ruby-Spears Productions with Joe Ruby, who died in August. Spears was 82.
Spears’ son Kevin confirmed his death to Variety, saying that he died from complications related to Lewy body dementia.
A Los Angles native, Spears co-created the iconic animated series Scooby Doo with Ruby. He was born Charles Kenneth Spears in L.A. on March 12, 1938. He befriended the son of animation producer William Hanna of Hanna-Barbera fame. This was his way into the animation space.
In 1959, he was hired to work at Hanna-Barbera Productions as a sound editor. It was here he met Ruby and they forged a bond and became writing partners. They wrote teleplays for projects at Hanna-Barbera as well as Sid and Marty Krofft Television Productions and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises.
In addition to Scooby-Doo, the duo created Dynomutt, Dog Wonder, Jabberjaw and other programs. While at Depatie-Freleng, they...
Spears’ son Kevin confirmed his death to Variety, saying that he died from complications related to Lewy body dementia.
A Los Angles native, Spears co-created the iconic animated series Scooby Doo with Ruby. He was born Charles Kenneth Spears in L.A. on March 12, 1938. He befriended the son of animation producer William Hanna of Hanna-Barbera fame. This was his way into the animation space.
In 1959, he was hired to work at Hanna-Barbera Productions as a sound editor. It was here he met Ruby and they forged a bond and became writing partners. They wrote teleplays for projects at Hanna-Barbera as well as Sid and Marty Krofft Television Productions and DePatie-Freleng Enterprises.
In addition to Scooby-Doo, the duo created Dynomutt, Dog Wonder, Jabberjaw and other programs. While at Depatie-Freleng, they...
- 11/9/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Ken Spears, co-creator of the beloved animated series “Scooby-Doo” and co-founder of Ruby-Spears Productions along with the late Joe Ruby, died Friday. He was 82.
Spears’ son, Kevin Spears, tells Variety that he died from complications related to Lewy body dementia.
“Ken will forever be remembered for his wit, his story-telling, his loyalty to family, and his strong work ethic,” Kevin Spears says. “Ken has not only made a lasting impression on his family, but he has touched the lives of many as co-creator of ‘Scooby-Doo.’ Ken has been a role model for us throughout his life and he will continue to live on in our hearts.”
Born Charles Kenneth Spears on March 12, 1938, Spears grew up in Los Angeles, Calif., where he befriended the son of animation producer William Hanna. Spears was later hired at Hanna’s company, Hanna-Barbera Productions, in 1959 as a sound editor. While working in the editing department,...
Spears’ son, Kevin Spears, tells Variety that he died from complications related to Lewy body dementia.
“Ken will forever be remembered for his wit, his story-telling, his loyalty to family, and his strong work ethic,” Kevin Spears says. “Ken has not only made a lasting impression on his family, but he has touched the lives of many as co-creator of ‘Scooby-Doo.’ Ken has been a role model for us throughout his life and he will continue to live on in our hearts.”
Born Charles Kenneth Spears on March 12, 1938, Spears grew up in Los Angeles, Calif., where he befriended the son of animation producer William Hanna. Spears was later hired at Hanna’s company, Hanna-Barbera Productions, in 1959 as a sound editor. While working in the editing department,...
- 11/9/2020
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Many TV legends and contributors were included for the “In Memoriam” segment on Sunday’s Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony for ABC. But producers are always forced to omit some of the 100+ insiders who died since the last ceremony. Who was left out of the group that was honored?
With dozens of television veterans having died since last year’s mid-September ceremony, people certainly included were these six TV Academy Hall of Fame members:
Diahann Carroll
Leonard Goldberg (executive at 20th Century Fox and ABC; producer of “Charlie’s Angels” and more)
Jim Lehrer (anchor/reporter of “MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour)
Regis Philbin
Carl Reiner
Fred Silverman
SEECelebrity Deaths 2020: In Memoriam Gallery
Even though he wasn’t known for his TV work, blockbuster film actor Chadwick Boseman was featured in the final slot. NBA Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant was not mentioned, even though the event was being held in the Staples Center.
With dozens of television veterans having died since last year’s mid-September ceremony, people certainly included were these six TV Academy Hall of Fame members:
Diahann Carroll
Leonard Goldberg (executive at 20th Century Fox and ABC; producer of “Charlie’s Angels” and more)
Jim Lehrer (anchor/reporter of “MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour)
Regis Philbin
Carl Reiner
Fred Silverman
SEECelebrity Deaths 2020: In Memoriam Gallery
Even though he wasn’t known for his TV work, blockbuster film actor Chadwick Boseman was featured in the final slot. NBA Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant was not mentioned, even though the event was being held in the Staples Center.
- 9/21/2020
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
For Sunday’s Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony on ABC, producers will have the always difficult task of assembling a memoriam segment. Even though the event hosted by Jimmy Kimmel will be virtual, it’s a certainty they will include the popular “In Memoriam” on the show.
With over 100 television veterans having died since last year’s mid-September ceremony, those expected to be honored would include such TV legends and TV Academy Hall of Fame members:
Diahann Carroll
Leonard Goldberg (executive at 20th Century Fox and ABC; producer of “Charlie’s Angels” and more)
Jim Lehrer (anchor/reporter of “MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour)
Regis Philbin
Carl Reiner
Fred Silverman
SEECelebrity Deaths 2020: In Memoriam Gallery
Even though they weren’t known for their TV work, it’s very likely NBA Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant and blockbuster film actor Chadwick Boseman will be honored. Also among the dozens most likely included since they...
With over 100 television veterans having died since last year’s mid-September ceremony, those expected to be honored would include such TV legends and TV Academy Hall of Fame members:
Diahann Carroll
Leonard Goldberg (executive at 20th Century Fox and ABC; producer of “Charlie’s Angels” and more)
Jim Lehrer (anchor/reporter of “MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour)
Regis Philbin
Carl Reiner
Fred Silverman
SEECelebrity Deaths 2020: In Memoriam Gallery
Even though they weren’t known for their TV work, it’s very likely NBA Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant and blockbuster film actor Chadwick Boseman will be honored. Also among the dozens most likely included since they...
- 9/20/2020
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Joe Ruby, best known for co-creating the cartoon Scooby-Doo, died of natural causes at his home on Wednesday Aug. 26, according to Variety. He was 87.
Ruby along with his partner Ken Spears, also made Dynomutt and Jabberjaw, and the 1988 animated Superman series, as well as making cartoons out of Pac-Man, Rubik The Amazing Cube, Donkey Kong. They masterminded Space Ace, Dink the Little Dinosaur, It’s Punky Brewster, and TV movies Bunnicula, the Vampire Rabbit and The Cabbage Patch Kids First Christmas.
Joseph Clemens Ruby was born on March 30, 1933. He grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from Fairfax High School. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Ruby trained as a music editor at the Walt Disney Studios animation program in the 1950s. He became a sound editor at Hanna-Barbera Productions, where he first partnered with Spears. They wrote a spec script and were hired as staff writers in the 1960s.
Ruby along with his partner Ken Spears, also made Dynomutt and Jabberjaw, and the 1988 animated Superman series, as well as making cartoons out of Pac-Man, Rubik The Amazing Cube, Donkey Kong. They masterminded Space Ace, Dink the Little Dinosaur, It’s Punky Brewster, and TV movies Bunnicula, the Vampire Rabbit and The Cabbage Patch Kids First Christmas.
Joseph Clemens Ruby was born on March 30, 1933. He grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from Fairfax High School. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Ruby trained as a music editor at the Walt Disney Studios animation program in the 1950s. He became a sound editor at Hanna-Barbera Productions, where he first partnered with Spears. They wrote a spec script and were hired as staff writers in the 1960s.
- 8/27/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Animation writer and executive Joe Ruby, who created cartoon series including “Scooby-Doo” along with his partner Ken Spears, died of natural causes Wednesday in Westlake Village, Calif. He was 87.
At Hanna-Barbera, Ruby and Spears created series including “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?,” “Dynomutt” and “Jabberjaw.”
“He never stopped writing and creating, even as he aged,” said his grandson Benjamin Ruby.
“Scooby-Doo” launched on CBS in 1969 after going through a number of versions. It was launched as a gentler series partly in response to complaints about violence in cartoons such as “Space Ghost.” Together with character designer Iwao Takamoto, Ruby and Spears tried a number of titles and approaches, such as making the characters part of a rock band, before settling on the now-classic combo of Freddie, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy and a Great Dane named Scooby-Doo.
Ruby and Spears wrote the first five episodes, supervising and story editing the rest of the first season.
At Hanna-Barbera, Ruby and Spears created series including “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?,” “Dynomutt” and “Jabberjaw.”
“He never stopped writing and creating, even as he aged,” said his grandson Benjamin Ruby.
“Scooby-Doo” launched on CBS in 1969 after going through a number of versions. It was launched as a gentler series partly in response to complaints about violence in cartoons such as “Space Ghost.” Together with character designer Iwao Takamoto, Ruby and Spears tried a number of titles and approaches, such as making the characters part of a rock band, before settling on the now-classic combo of Freddie, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy and a Great Dane named Scooby-Doo.
Ruby and Spears wrote the first five episodes, supervising and story editing the rest of the first season.
- 8/27/2020
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Lorne Michaels knows when to take cover: The April 11 “quarantine edition” of Saturday Night Live was a brave and bizarre disaster and there was no follow-up last weekend. Through the 45 years of SNL, Michaels’ shows have careened from brilliance to idiocy, success to debacle, and his beleaguered troupe will be back for more this weekend.
“Lorne seems to feast on debacles,” one of his early mentors told me (more about him later). “SNL even owes its start to a Johnny Carson debacle.”
More from Deadline'Saturday Night Live' To Air Second 'At Home' BroadcastSNL's Michael Che Honors His Late Grandmother By Paying One Month Rent For Her Housing Complex'Saturday Night Live' Scores Strong Ratings In Return With At Home Edition
Michaels’ formidable resilience has earned him heroic standing in Hollywood’s creative pantheon, whose denizens live with a pathological fear of failure. A star like Ben Affleck earns empathy for plunging from Argo,...
“Lorne seems to feast on debacles,” one of his early mentors told me (more about him later). “SNL even owes its start to a Johnny Carson debacle.”
More from Deadline'Saturday Night Live' To Air Second 'At Home' BroadcastSNL's Michael Che Honors His Late Grandmother By Paying One Month Rent For Her Housing Complex'Saturday Night Live' Scores Strong Ratings In Return With At Home Edition
Michaels’ formidable resilience has earned him heroic standing in Hollywood’s creative pantheon, whose denizens live with a pathological fear of failure. A star like Ben Affleck earns empathy for plunging from Argo,...
- 4/23/2020
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
In a different era, the episode of “Saturday Night Live” that was broadcast last night would never be shown again.
“SNL” took itself out of a weeks-long production hiatus spurred by the coronavirus pandemic and tried to give the world a substitute for its more traditional efforts. The show was filled with attempts to emulate the look and feel of a regular “SNL” gig, with a quick introduction by Tom Hanks, a Bob Dylan cover by Chris Martin, a low-fi “Weekend Update” with a Zoom-infused laugh track, and a series of quick sketches that had no in-studio audience to help them bounce along between commercial breaks. Of all the offerings, only Chloe Fineman’s “MasterClass” impressions of Timothee Chalmaet, JoJo Siwa and “Tiger King” figure Carole Baskin even approached the production quality of a “real” episode.
“That’s our show. We hope it gave you something to do for a while,...
“SNL” took itself out of a weeks-long production hiatus spurred by the coronavirus pandemic and tried to give the world a substitute for its more traditional efforts. The show was filled with attempts to emulate the look and feel of a regular “SNL” gig, with a quick introduction by Tom Hanks, a Bob Dylan cover by Chris Martin, a low-fi “Weekend Update” with a Zoom-infused laugh track, and a series of quick sketches that had no in-studio audience to help them bounce along between commercial breaks. Of all the offerings, only Chloe Fineman’s “MasterClass” impressions of Timothee Chalmaet, JoJo Siwa and “Tiger King” figure Carole Baskin even approached the production quality of a “real” episode.
“That’s our show. We hope it gave you something to do for a while,...
- 4/12/2020
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Since the coronavirus is an equal opportunity disease, Hollywood stars, media and politicians are all on lockdown with the common folk this weekend. That leaves plenty of time for social media outreach and advice.
With pressure mounting on governments to mandate confinement instead of merely suggesting it, it’s likely more celebrities will jump in with updates on what they’re doing to stave off the stir crazy.
More from DeadlineHollywood Reacts To Pete Buttigieg Dropping Out Of Presidential RaceHollywood Remembers Fred Silverman: "Bless His Every Memory", Norman Lear Says; Jimmy KimmelHollywood Remembers Leonard Goldberg: Jaclyn Smith, Scott Rudin, Barry Diller Pay Tribute
We’ll monitor the outpourings as they roll in. But here’s an early sample of what’s on the minds of some of the famous people:
I know I did not see the same people who have been panic buying and leaving empty shelves in grocery stores,...
With pressure mounting on governments to mandate confinement instead of merely suggesting it, it’s likely more celebrities will jump in with updates on what they’re doing to stave off the stir crazy.
More from DeadlineHollywood Reacts To Pete Buttigieg Dropping Out Of Presidential RaceHollywood Remembers Fred Silverman: "Bless His Every Memory", Norman Lear Says; Jimmy KimmelHollywood Remembers Leonard Goldberg: Jaclyn Smith, Scott Rudin, Barry Diller Pay Tribute
We’ll monitor the outpourings as they roll in. But here’s an early sample of what’s on the minds of some of the famous people:
I know I did not see the same people who have been panic buying and leaving empty shelves in grocery stores,...
- 3/15/2020
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Fred Silverman never stopped pitching.
He never stopped thinking about television and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the networks he once ran, as well as the dozens of outlets that came to prominence after his storied run as a top executive ended in the early 1980s.
Silverman, a seminal figure in TV who died Jan. 30 at 82, knew that the first line of his obituary would identify him as the only person — so far — to have served as head of programming for ABC, CBS and NBC.
But after scaling the heights, he made a successful shift into producing at a time when that path was not as nearly common as it is today for former senior executives. His success in the 1980s and ’90s as a producer of such series as “Matlock” and “In the Heat of the Night,” and later “Diagnosis Murder,” was a testament to his instincts and experience,...
He never stopped thinking about television and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the networks he once ran, as well as the dozens of outlets that came to prominence after his storied run as a top executive ended in the early 1980s.
Silverman, a seminal figure in TV who died Jan. 30 at 82, knew that the first line of his obituary would identify him as the only person — so far — to have served as head of programming for ABC, CBS and NBC.
But after scaling the heights, he made a successful shift into producing at a time when that path was not as nearly common as it is today for former senior executives. His success in the 1980s and ’90s as a producer of such series as “Matlock” and “In the Heat of the Night,” and later “Diagnosis Murder,” was a testament to his instincts and experience,...
- 2/4/2020
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
When I was growing up, there weren’t too many household names in this business. Fred Silverman was one of them. The thing that made him so famous was that he ran all three networks — and there were only three networks then, so he ran the entire business. And he turned two of those networks around. It was incredible. He was the guy you aspired to be if you were heading into the business.
It was The Hollywood Reporter that came up with the idea of interviewing him and me together [in 2010]. He was one of the legends, and I ...
It was The Hollywood Reporter that came up with the idea of interviewing him and me together [in 2010]. He was one of the legends, and I ...
- 1/31/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
George Cheeks has been appointed president and CEO of CBS Entertainment Group, ViacomCBS said on Friday. Effective March 23, 2020, he’ll succeed Joe Ianniello, who was chairman and CEO of CBS.
Ianniello is leaving the company today.
Cheeks joins ViacomCBS from NBCUniversal, where he most recently served as vice chairman of NBCUniversal Content Studios. In his new role, Cheeks will lead CBS-branded assets, including CBS Television Network, which encompasses CBS Entertainment, CBS News and CBS Sports, CBS Television Studios and CBS Television Stations and CBS’ first-run syndication business.
He will also partner with the ViacomCBS digital organization on the CBS-branded digital assets, including CBS All Access. Cheeks will report to Bob Bakish, president and CEO of ViacomCBS.
Also Read: 'The Young and the Restless' Renewed by CBS for 4 More Years
“I am thrilled to welcome George back to the family at this exciting moment for ViacomCBS,” Bakish said in a statement accompanying the announcement.
Ianniello is leaving the company today.
Cheeks joins ViacomCBS from NBCUniversal, where he most recently served as vice chairman of NBCUniversal Content Studios. In his new role, Cheeks will lead CBS-branded assets, including CBS Television Network, which encompasses CBS Entertainment, CBS News and CBS Sports, CBS Television Studios and CBS Television Stations and CBS’ first-run syndication business.
He will also partner with the ViacomCBS digital organization on the CBS-branded digital assets, including CBS All Access. Cheeks will report to Bob Bakish, president and CEO of ViacomCBS.
Also Read: 'The Young and the Restless' Renewed by CBS for 4 More Years
“I am thrilled to welcome George back to the family at this exciting moment for ViacomCBS,” Bakish said in a statement accompanying the announcement.
- 1/31/2020
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Joyce Sevilla, an entertainment and nightlife publicist who previously worked in the music industry, died Thursday from undisclosed causes. She was 47.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Sevilla was found dead in her West Hollywood apartment by officers conducting a wellness check. Foul play is not suspected.
The Los Angeles coroner’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TheWrap.
Sevilla was the founder of Sevilla Strategic Communications, formerly Joyce Sevilla Public Relations, a company described on its Facebook page as a “full-service agency providing a 360-holistic approach to communications for clients in the consumer lifestyle, entertainment, and media space.” The company’s offered services includes Event PR & Execution, Talent Procurement, Lifecycle Brand Strategy and Seo among others.
Also Read: Fred Silverman, Former CBS Executive and President of NBC and ABC, Dies at 82
Sevilla established the company in 2018; prior to that, she spent 10 years at Entertainment Fusion Group,...
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Sevilla was found dead in her West Hollywood apartment by officers conducting a wellness check. Foul play is not suspected.
The Los Angeles coroner’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TheWrap.
Sevilla was the founder of Sevilla Strategic Communications, formerly Joyce Sevilla Public Relations, a company described on its Facebook page as a “full-service agency providing a 360-holistic approach to communications for clients in the consumer lifestyle, entertainment, and media space.” The company’s offered services includes Event PR & Execution, Talent Procurement, Lifecycle Brand Strategy and Seo among others.
Also Read: Fred Silverman, Former CBS Executive and President of NBC and ABC, Dies at 82
Sevilla established the company in 2018; prior to that, she spent 10 years at Entertainment Fusion Group,...
- 1/31/2020
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
Refresh for updates Hollywood today remembered Fred Silverman, the visionary TV executive, programmer and producer who headed all of the Big Three broadcast networks to achieve a fame that rivaled the stars of his many shows.
“Fred gave me my first ‘shot’ in TV,” tweeted Jimmy Kimmel, who was hired by Silverman to write and host an ultimately unaired game show called Pop Quiz. “He saw something that even I didn’t. He was a great character, very kind to me and I am grateful to him always.”
See all tweets below.
CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl, in a statement, called Silverman a “titan of the media industry.”
“Fred Silverman was a titan of the media industry and an influence on so many,” said Kahl. “His impact on television was incalculable. All of us at CBS salute his tremendous talent and cultural influence at our network, and throughout broadcast television.
“Fred gave me my first ‘shot’ in TV,” tweeted Jimmy Kimmel, who was hired by Silverman to write and host an ultimately unaired game show called Pop Quiz. “He saw something that even I didn’t. He was a great character, very kind to me and I am grateful to him always.”
See all tweets below.
CBS Entertainment president Kelly Kahl, in a statement, called Silverman a “titan of the media industry.”
“Fred Silverman was a titan of the media industry and an influence on so many,” said Kahl. “His impact on television was incalculable. All of us at CBS salute his tremendous talent and cultural influence at our network, and throughout broadcast television.
- 1/30/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Fred Silverman, the executive who became the only person in TV history to have headed programming for each of the Big Three broadcast networks, died on Thursday at his home in the Pacific Palisades, Calif. He was 82.
Silverman died with his family by his side.
During his prolific career, Silverman was credited with helping to launch some of the most successful shows and miniseries of all time, including “All in the Family,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Happy Days,” “The Waltons” and “Roots.”
After turning both CBS and ABC around in the ratings, Silverman failed to work his magic at NBC in the late 1970s and early ’80s. Once he left the Peacock net to branch out on his own with the Fred Silverman Co., Silverman forged another career as a producer, turning out a number of successful series, including “Matlock,” “In the Heat of the Night,” “Jake and the Fatman” and “Diagnosis Murder.
Silverman died with his family by his side.
During his prolific career, Silverman was credited with helping to launch some of the most successful shows and miniseries of all time, including “All in the Family,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Happy Days,” “The Waltons” and “Roots.”
After turning both CBS and ABC around in the ratings, Silverman failed to work his magic at NBC in the late 1970s and early ’80s. Once he left the Peacock net to branch out on his own with the Fred Silverman Co., Silverman forged another career as a producer, turning out a number of successful series, including “Matlock,” “In the Heat of the Night,” “Jake and the Fatman” and “Diagnosis Murder.
- 1/30/2020
- by Paula Bernstein
- Variety Film + TV
Fred Silverman, the legendary television producer and executive behind such hit shows as “All in the Family,” “Soap” and “Hill Street Blues,” died on Thursday. He was 82.
Silverman was a creative executive at CBS, and would later run both ABC and NBC as those networks’ president. At 25 years old, he was named head of daytime programming CBS. He got his start at Wgn-tv in Chicago and Wpix in New York.
During his long career, Silverman was responsible for CBS shows including “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “M*A*S*H,” “The Waltons,” “Good Times,” “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour,” “Kojak,” “Cannon,” “The Jeffersons” and the animated series “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!”
Also Read: Marj Dusay, Soap Opera Actress Known for 'All My Children,' Dies at 83
With ABC, Silverman greenlit “The Love Boat,” “Laverne & Shirley,” “Family,” “Donny & Marie,” “Three’s Company,” “Eight is Enough,” “The Bionic Woman” and “Good Morning America.” His...
Silverman was a creative executive at CBS, and would later run both ABC and NBC as those networks’ president. At 25 years old, he was named head of daytime programming CBS. He got his start at Wgn-tv in Chicago and Wpix in New York.
During his long career, Silverman was responsible for CBS shows including “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “M*A*S*H,” “The Waltons,” “Good Times,” “The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour,” “Kojak,” “Cannon,” “The Jeffersons” and the animated series “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!”
Also Read: Marj Dusay, Soap Opera Actress Known for 'All My Children,' Dies at 83
With ABC, Silverman greenlit “The Love Boat,” “Laverne & Shirley,” “Family,” “Donny & Marie,” “Three’s Company,” “Eight is Enough,” “The Bionic Woman” and “Good Morning America.” His...
- 1/30/2020
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Fred Silverman, the legendary television producer and executive behind such groundbreaking shows as All in the Family, Soap and Hill Street Blues, and the only executive to creatively run CBS, ABC and NBC, died Thursday at his home in Pacific Palisades. He was 82.
Silverman’s knack for identifying hit shows in the making and programming them into memorable primetime nights led Time magazine to crown him “The Man with the Golden Gut” in 1977.
“There are a lot of things that I can point to that I think are proud achievements,” Silverman said in a 2001 interview with the TV Academy Foundation. “Most importantly, I had the opportunity to kind of stretch the medium a little bit, to do some things that had never been done before.”
Watch a clip from his sit-down with Dan Pasternak for the foundation’s “The Interviews” series below.
Born on September 13, 1937, in New York City, Silverman...
Silverman’s knack for identifying hit shows in the making and programming them into memorable primetime nights led Time magazine to crown him “The Man with the Golden Gut” in 1977.
“There are a lot of things that I can point to that I think are proud achievements,” Silverman said in a 2001 interview with the TV Academy Foundation. “Most importantly, I had the opportunity to kind of stretch the medium a little bit, to do some things that had never been done before.”
Watch a clip from his sit-down with Dan Pasternak for the foundation’s “The Interviews” series below.
Born on September 13, 1937, in New York City, Silverman...
- 1/30/2020
- by Erik Pedersen and Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Fred Silverman, whose talent for picking shows like All in the Family, The Waltons, Charlie’s Angels, Roots and Hill Street Blues earned him the nickname "The Man With the Golden Gut" as the only executive to program for CBS, ABC and NBC, has died. He was 82.
One of the most influential executives in television history, Silverman died Thursday at his home in Pacific Palisades, a publicist announced.
Silverman gave David Letterman his first TV show; orchestrated such popular spinoffs as The Jeffersons, Rhoda, Laverne & Shirley, The Bionic Woman and The Facts of Life; brought "Jiggle TV" series like Charlie’s Angels and Three’s Company to the ...
One of the most influential executives in television history, Silverman died Thursday at his home in Pacific Palisades, a publicist announced.
Silverman gave David Letterman his first TV show; orchestrated such popular spinoffs as The Jeffersons, Rhoda, Laverne & Shirley, The Bionic Woman and The Facts of Life; brought "Jiggle TV" series like Charlie’s Angels and Three’s Company to the ...
- 1/30/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Ava DuVerNay will receive the Television Showman of the Year award at the 57th annual Icg Publicists Awards.
“Ava DuVernay is the talented force behind some of the most acclaimed works in television and film,” said Publicists Awards Co-chair Sheryl Main in making the announcement Thursday. “Prior to becoming a filmmaker, Ava was an entertainment publicist for 12 years with her own firm. She appreciates the importance of creative strategic marketing campaigns and supports the roles of publicists in making a movie. We are proud to honor Ava, her expanding career and growing body of work.”
Winner of Emmy, BAFTA and Peabody Awards, Oscar nominee DuVernay’s directorial work includes the historical feature film Selma, the criminal justice documentary 13th, and Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time, which made her the highest grossing black woman director in American box office history. Her limited series When They See Us, based on the...
“Ava DuVernay is the talented force behind some of the most acclaimed works in television and film,” said Publicists Awards Co-chair Sheryl Main in making the announcement Thursday. “Prior to becoming a filmmaker, Ava was an entertainment publicist for 12 years with her own firm. She appreciates the importance of creative strategic marketing campaigns and supports the roles of publicists in making a movie. We are proud to honor Ava, her expanding career and growing body of work.”
Winner of Emmy, BAFTA and Peabody Awards, Oscar nominee DuVernay’s directorial work includes the historical feature film Selma, the criminal justice documentary 13th, and Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time, which made her the highest grossing black woman director in American box office history. Her limited series When They See Us, based on the...
- 12/19/2019
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Ava DuVernay is set to receive the Television Showman of the Year award from the International Cinematographers Guild in February.
The prolific writer, director and producer will be presented the award as part of the 57th Annual Icg Publicists Awards luncheon set for Feb. 7 at the Beverly Hilton. Before she made her mark as a writer and director, DuVernay worked in entertainment PR as the head of her own firm.
“Ava DuVernay is the talented force behind some of the most acclaimed works in television and film. Prior to becoming a filmmaker, Ava was an entertainment publicist for 12 years with her own firm,” said Publicists Awards co-chair Sheryl Main in a statement. “She appreciates the importance of creative strategic marketing campaigns and supports the roles of publicists in making a movie. We are proud to honor Ava, her expanding career and growing body of work.”
DuVernay’s acclaimed Netflix limited...
The prolific writer, director and producer will be presented the award as part of the 57th Annual Icg Publicists Awards luncheon set for Feb. 7 at the Beverly Hilton. Before she made her mark as a writer and director, DuVernay worked in entertainment PR as the head of her own firm.
“Ava DuVernay is the talented force behind some of the most acclaimed works in television and film. Prior to becoming a filmmaker, Ava was an entertainment publicist for 12 years with her own firm,” said Publicists Awards co-chair Sheryl Main in a statement. “She appreciates the importance of creative strategic marketing campaigns and supports the roles of publicists in making a movie. We are proud to honor Ava, her expanding career and growing body of work.”
DuVernay’s acclaimed Netflix limited...
- 12/19/2019
- by Mackenzie Nichols
- Variety Film + TV
The Television Academy Hall of Fame has a new crop of inductees, all of whom have made outstanding contributions in the arts, sciences or management of television throughout their career or via singular achievements.
Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company Bob Iger, TV executive and entrepreneur Geraldine Laybourne, five-time Emmy-winning performer Seth MacFarlane, five-time Emmy-winning director Jay Sandrich, and three-time Emmy winner Cicely Tyson are all included in the 25th Hall of Fame class.
“These contemporary performers, content creators and executives have been pioneers and innovators in so many aspects of television; and they have had a profound impact on their art and on our culture,” said Frank Scherma, chairman and CEO of the Television Academy in a statement. “It’s an honor to welcome this distinguished group of individuals into the Hall of Fame and to acknowledge their remarkable contributions, which continue to shape our industry.”
Iger,...
Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company Bob Iger, TV executive and entrepreneur Geraldine Laybourne, five-time Emmy-winning performer Seth MacFarlane, five-time Emmy-winning director Jay Sandrich, and three-time Emmy winner Cicely Tyson are all included in the 25th Hall of Fame class.
“These contemporary performers, content creators and executives have been pioneers and innovators in so many aspects of television; and they have had a profound impact on their art and on our culture,” said Frank Scherma, chairman and CEO of the Television Academy in a statement. “It’s an honor to welcome this distinguished group of individuals into the Hall of Fame and to acknowledge their remarkable contributions, which continue to shape our industry.”
Iger,...
- 12/3/2019
- by Libby Hill
- Indiewire
Disney boss Bob Iger, Nickelodeon and Oxygen co-founder Geraldine Laybourne, director Jay Sendrich and performers Seth MacFarlane and Cicely Tyson have been chosen as the latest members of the Television Academy’s Hall of Fame.
The 25th Hall class unveiled Tuesday will be inducted in a ceremony January 28 at the TV Academy’s Saban Media Center in North Hollywood. The honors go to those who have made outstanding contributions in the arts, sciences or management of television over a lifetime career or via singular achievements, according to the academy.
The 2020 group of five will join almost 150 current members in the hall, which was founded in 1984.
“These contemporary performers, content creators and executives have been pioneers and innovators in so many aspects of television; and they have had a profound impact on their art and on our culture,” said Frank Scherma, chairman and CEO of the Television Academy, in a statement today.
The 25th Hall class unveiled Tuesday will be inducted in a ceremony January 28 at the TV Academy’s Saban Media Center in North Hollywood. The honors go to those who have made outstanding contributions in the arts, sciences or management of television over a lifetime career or via singular achievements, according to the academy.
The 2020 group of five will join almost 150 current members in the hall, which was founded in 1984.
“These contemporary performers, content creators and executives have been pioneers and innovators in so many aspects of television; and they have had a profound impact on their art and on our culture,” said Frank Scherma, chairman and CEO of the Television Academy, in a statement today.
- 12/3/2019
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Bob Iger, Geraldine Laybourne, Seth MacFarlane, Jay Sandrich and Cicely Tyson have been selected as the next five inductees to the Television Academy’s Hall of Fame.
The 25th Hall of Fame class will be honored at a ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020, at the TV Academy’s Saban Media Center. The Hall of Fame selection committee chooses industry players “who have made outstanding contributions in the arts, sciences or management of television over a lifetime career or via singular achievements.”
Iger, the chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, is being recognized for the growth he’s given the company since taking over as CEO in 2005, acquiring Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and 21st Century Fox. Laybourne is the groundbreaking female executive and entrepreneur who oversaw the creation of Nickelodeon and co-founded Oxygen Media. MacFarlane is a five-time Emmy winner who created “Family Guy” and “American Dad.” Sandrich is a five-time...
The 25th Hall of Fame class will be honored at a ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020, at the TV Academy’s Saban Media Center. The Hall of Fame selection committee chooses industry players “who have made outstanding contributions in the arts, sciences or management of television over a lifetime career or via singular achievements.”
Iger, the chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, is being recognized for the growth he’s given the company since taking over as CEO in 2005, acquiring Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and 21st Century Fox. Laybourne is the groundbreaking female executive and entrepreneur who oversaw the creation of Nickelodeon and co-founded Oxygen Media. MacFarlane is a five-time Emmy winner who created “Family Guy” and “American Dad.” Sandrich is a five-time...
- 12/3/2019
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
Hollywood Radio and Television Society has revealed the lineup for The Network Chiefs, part of its upcoming Newsmaker Luncheon Series.
Karey Burke, President ABC Entertainment; Kelly Kahl, President, CBS Entertainment; Michael Thorn, President of Entertainment, Fox Entertainment; and Lisa Katz and Tracey Pakosta, Co-Presidents of Scripted Programming, NBC Entertainment will be featured at the event, which will be held June 3 at 11:30 am at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The event, which will be held shortly after the networks’ Upfronts in New York City, brings together the network heads for a wide-ranging conversation on the state industry and broadcast TV’s enduring importance amid the proliferation of entertainment options for consumers.
The Network Chiefs panel was first hosted by Hrts in 1980 and has played an important role in gathering contemporary leadership to discuss important issues facing television and media. Over the years, luminaries who have participated in this series included Brandon Tartikoff,...
Karey Burke, President ABC Entertainment; Kelly Kahl, President, CBS Entertainment; Michael Thorn, President of Entertainment, Fox Entertainment; and Lisa Katz and Tracey Pakosta, Co-Presidents of Scripted Programming, NBC Entertainment will be featured at the event, which will be held June 3 at 11:30 am at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
The event, which will be held shortly after the networks’ Upfronts in New York City, brings together the network heads for a wide-ranging conversation on the state industry and broadcast TV’s enduring importance amid the proliferation of entertainment options for consumers.
The Network Chiefs panel was first hosted by Hrts in 1980 and has played an important role in gathering contemporary leadership to discuss important issues facing television and media. Over the years, luminaries who have participated in this series included Brandon Tartikoff,...
- 4/18/2019
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Hollywood is paying close attention to what HBO’s new owners will do with the network now that Richard Plepler’s long run of hits, awards and acclaim is coming to a close.
“HBO is the gold standard. I hope they stick with quality not quantity,” said Judd Apatow, whose shows “Girls” and “Crashing” are among HBO’s critical darlings. “Their choices over the next few days and weeks will tell us a lot about the direction they are choosing to go in.”
Plelper announced Thursday that he will exit the network where he greenlit successes like “Veep” and “Game of Thrones.” HBO is now the property of At&T, overseen by WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey, who has called on HBO to substantially increase subscriptions and the amount of time that viewers spend watching.
Also Read: David Levy Steps Down From Turner: Read His Internal Memo Here
That sounds like a reversal of Plepler’s strategy,...
“HBO is the gold standard. I hope they stick with quality not quantity,” said Judd Apatow, whose shows “Girls” and “Crashing” are among HBO’s critical darlings. “Their choices over the next few days and weeks will tell us a lot about the direction they are choosing to go in.”
Plelper announced Thursday that he will exit the network where he greenlit successes like “Veep” and “Game of Thrones.” HBO is now the property of At&T, overseen by WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey, who has called on HBO to substantially increase subscriptions and the amount of time that viewers spend watching.
Also Read: David Levy Steps Down From Turner: Read His Internal Memo Here
That sounds like a reversal of Plepler’s strategy,...
- 3/2/2019
- by Tony Maglio and Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Greg Berlanti has been selected by Hollywood publicists as Television Showman of the Year.
He will received the honor at the 56th Annual International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards on Feb. 22 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Icg National President Steven Poster said, “Greg Berlanti has produced a prodigious amount of quality television in the 21st century – almost 30 series, over 1,000 episodes, with many more in the pipeline. This year, he set a new record with 15 current live-action scripted series. This is clearly the right time for us to honor Greg and his growing body of work.”
Berlanti said: “I’m truly honored to be receiving this recognition from the Icg Publicists. Throughout my career, the folks in the publicity departments at the various studios I’ve worked with have been some of my favorite people to collaborate with and I can say first hand that without a smart,...
He will received the honor at the 56th Annual International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards on Feb. 22 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Icg National President Steven Poster said, “Greg Berlanti has produced a prodigious amount of quality television in the 21st century – almost 30 series, over 1,000 episodes, with many more in the pipeline. This year, he set a new record with 15 current live-action scripted series. This is clearly the right time for us to honor Greg and his growing body of work.”
Berlanti said: “I’m truly honored to be receiving this recognition from the Icg Publicists. Throughout my career, the folks in the publicity departments at the various studios I’ve worked with have been some of my favorite people to collaborate with and I can say first hand that without a smart,...
- 1/24/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Penny Marshall, who went from starring on the smash Happy Days spinoff Laverne & Shirley to helming such features including Big and A League of Their Own, died Monday night of diabetes complications at her home in the Hollywood Hills. She was 75.
Marshall also directed films including Riding in Cars with Boys, The Preacher’s Wife, Jumpin’ Jack Flash and Renaissance Man, which she also produced along with League of Their Own. She was in postproduction on a feature about basketball Hall of Famer and Kim Jong-un pal Dennis Rodman.
Laverne & Shirley was an out-of-the-box smash after premiere in January 1976 on ABC. The characters appeared on briefly on Happy Days — which was created by her brother Garry Marshall — but made enough of an impression to lead their own series. Also starring Cindy Williams, the midcentury-set sitcom about a pair of lower-class workers at Shotz Brewery in Milwaukee would finish as the No.
Marshall also directed films including Riding in Cars with Boys, The Preacher’s Wife, Jumpin’ Jack Flash and Renaissance Man, which she also produced along with League of Their Own. She was in postproduction on a feature about basketball Hall of Famer and Kim Jong-un pal Dennis Rodman.
Laverne & Shirley was an out-of-the-box smash after premiere in January 1976 on ABC. The characters appeared on briefly on Happy Days — which was created by her brother Garry Marshall — but made enough of an impression to lead their own series. Also starring Cindy Williams, the midcentury-set sitcom about a pair of lower-class workers at Shotz Brewery in Milwaukee would finish as the No.
- 12/18/2018
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
The fall of Les Moonves is stunning for the sheer velocity with which one of the most powerful moguls in the media business got dethroned.
Once regarded as creative executive with few equals, Moonves now leaves a complicated legacy clouded by the allegations of sexual misconduct made this summer by a dozen women. The 68-year-old boss finalized his exit today after weeks of speculation about his fate as chairman and CEO. For CBS — and, really, the entire television industry, which is at the crescendo of Emmy time and on the verge of a new fall season — the question will be how it emerges from one of the longest shadows ever cast by an entertainment executive.
CBS appears eager to publicly distance itself from Moonves, already pulling his bio from the corporate website. It wasn’t that way when Leslie Roy Moonves first came to CBS in 1995 as president of entertainment,...
Once regarded as creative executive with few equals, Moonves now leaves a complicated legacy clouded by the allegations of sexual misconduct made this summer by a dozen women. The 68-year-old boss finalized his exit today after weeks of speculation about his fate as chairman and CEO. For CBS — and, really, the entire television industry, which is at the crescendo of Emmy time and on the verge of a new fall season — the question will be how it emerges from one of the longest shadows ever cast by an entertainment executive.
CBS appears eager to publicly distance itself from Moonves, already pulling his bio from the corporate website. It wasn’t that way when Leslie Roy Moonves first came to CBS in 1995 as president of entertainment,...
- 9/10/2018
- by Dade Hayes, Dawn C. Chmielewski and Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Despite a career that spanned more than 70 years, from radio acting in the 1940s to various stage, film and TV appearances over the decades, there's no denying that the late Charlotte Rae made the greatest impact on television viewers with her portrayal of Edna Garrett. It was the role she introduced on the series Diff'rent Strokes (1978-86) and, then, in its spin-off The Facts of Life (1979-88), which scored her a 1982 Emmy Award nomination in the category of Best Supporting Actress. Charlotte may have died on Aug. 5, 2018, after a battle with bone cancer, but one can imagine the incredible joy she would have gotten from the outpouring of love and memories that were devoted to her, conveying just how much of an impression her portrayal has had on the audience. When asked by the Television Academy Foundation what she hoped her legacy would be, she responded, "If I took people...
- 8/7/2018
- by Ed Gross
- Closer Weekly
Jared Woods Feb 5, 2018
From Bart Simpson's "Eat my shorts" to Rick And Morty's "Wubba lubba dub-dub", we look at the origins of a bunch of cartoon catchphrases...
Ah yes, the cartoon catchphrase. That quote uttered by your favourite character so many times that it has pried open your skull and set up home in your everyday vocabulary. A trademark when executed at precisely the right time, it functions as the laziest punchline in existence, triggering the warm chemicals of familiarity right down into your lungs, knocking out a laugh even though you’ve heard it an immeasurable amount of times already. And before you know it, you find your voice reciting the slogan itself, dropping the phrasing into casual conversation like a winking in-joke that only those who watch the same animations as you will understand, while you scoff at those who raise their eyebrows at your inappropriate response.
From Bart Simpson's "Eat my shorts" to Rick And Morty's "Wubba lubba dub-dub", we look at the origins of a bunch of cartoon catchphrases...
Ah yes, the cartoon catchphrase. That quote uttered by your favourite character so many times that it has pried open your skull and set up home in your everyday vocabulary. A trademark when executed at precisely the right time, it functions as the laziest punchline in existence, triggering the warm chemicals of familiarity right down into your lungs, knocking out a laugh even though you’ve heard it an immeasurable amount of times already. And before you know it, you find your voice reciting the slogan itself, dropping the phrasing into casual conversation like a winking in-joke that only those who watch the same animations as you will understand, while you scoff at those who raise their eyebrows at your inappropriate response.
- 11/9/2017
- Den of Geek
Walter Iuzzolino is an unlikely gold miner. Italian born and a long-time British resident, he has an unusual mid-Atlantic accent and a doctorate in American literature at the University of Genoa. Among other TV jobs, he was commissioning editor for Channel 4, programming and producing prime-time shows for the big UK network. Then, in 2014, he caught the bug. He wanted to launch his own TV channel.
The result is Walter Presents, a subscription video-on-demand channel driven by the curatorial preferences, prerogatives and prowess of one quirky man.
Walter Presents launched on most U.S. digital platforms this week (though not smart TVs yet). The network launched in the United Kingdom a year ago – after Iuzzolino spent 18 months and 4,000 hours watching and licensing all kinds of international dramas – as part of Channel 4’s ad-supported All 4 VOD service.
Walter Presents’ U.S. version debuts with 34 foreign-language TV dramas from 12 countries, including Norwegian thriller Valkyrien,...
The result is Walter Presents, a subscription video-on-demand channel driven by the curatorial preferences, prerogatives and prowess of one quirky man.
Walter Presents launched on most U.S. digital platforms this week (though not smart TVs yet). The network launched in the United Kingdom a year ago – after Iuzzolino spent 18 months and 4,000 hours watching and licensing all kinds of international dramas – as part of Channel 4’s ad-supported All 4 VOD service.
Walter Presents’ U.S. version debuts with 34 foreign-language TV dramas from 12 countries, including Norwegian thriller Valkyrien,...
- 3/17/2017
- by David Bloom
- Tubefilter.com
FX Networks CEO John Landgraf has been named Television Showman of the Year by the publicists' branch of the International Cinematographers Guild, Iatse Local 600. He will be honored at the 53rd Annual International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards at the Beverly Hilton on February 26. Past recipients of the Television Showman of the Year Award include Jerry Bruckheimer, Les Moonves, Peter Roth, Fred Silverman, Aaron Spelling, Nina Tassler, Grant Tinker, Marcy…...
- 12/10/2015
- Deadline TV
Women In Film is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting equal opportunities for women, encouraging creative projects by women, and expanding and enhancing portrayals of women in all forms of global media. Given that women comprise fifty percent of the population, Wif's ultimate goal is to see the same gender parity reflected on and off screen. Founded in 1973, Wif focuses on advocacy and education, provides scholarships, grants and film finishing funds and works to preserve the legacies of all women working in the entertainment community.
Since 1977, Women In Film, Los Angeles has annually honored outstanding women in the entertainment industry – women who lead by example, who are creative, groundbreaking, and who excel at their chosen fields. This year’s Crystal + Lucy Awards® fundraising dinner, in support of Wif La’s educational and philanthropic programs and its advocacy for gender parity for women throughout the industry, is being held on Tuesday, June 16 in the Los Angeles Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Century City. The 2015 Crystal + Lucy Awards is sponsored by Max Mara, BMW of North America, and Tiffany & Co.
This year’s Crystal + Lucy Award honorees are:
2015 Crystal Award for Excellence in Film – Nicole Kidman 2015 Lucy Award for Excellence in Television – Jill Soloway 2015 Dorothy Arzner Directors Award® – Ava DuVernay The Women In Film Max Mara “Face of the Future®” 2015 – Kate Mara Presented by Nicola Maramotti Global Brand Ambassador for Max Mara
2015 Tiffany & Co. / Bruce Paltrow Mentorship Award – Sue Kroll 2015 Sue Mengers Award – Toni Howard
Cathy Schulman , President of Women In Film, Los Angeles, said in making the announcement, “We are proud to celebrate an extraordinary line-up of honorees this year. Each one of these women has made extraordinary contributions to the media art, and as a group they have forged sustainable careers that are emblematic of the positive and long overdue change that is taking root for women in Hollywood.”
Iris Grossman, President Emerita of Women In Film, Los Angeles, returning this year as Chair of the Awards, said “This year’s honorees are all women who have helped change the face of the business. Through their insight, determination, resilience and talent, they add substance and depth to their creative endeavors and to the entertainment industry as a whole.”
About the Honorees
Nicole Kidman / Crystal Award for Excellence in Film
The Crystal Awards were established in 1977 to honor outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry. Past recipients include Cate Blanchett, Laura Linney, Viola Davis, Annette Bening, Donna Langley, Jennifer Aniston, Diane English and the cast of The Women, Renée Zellweger, Jennifer Lopez, Sandra Bullock, Gwyneth Paltrow, Diane Lane, Halle Berry, Laura Ziskin, Jessica Lange, Meryl Streep, Jodie Foster, Angela Bassett, Meg Ryan, Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer, Alfre Woodard, Polly Platt, Lauren Shuler Donner, Diane Warren, Amy Heckerling, Paula Weinstein, Martha Coolidge, Buffy Shutt and Kathy Jones, Gale Anne Hurd, Nancy Malone, Maya Angelou, Lily Tomlin, Ruby Dee, Penny Marshall, Jessica Tandy, Barbara Boyle, Nikki Rocco, Jean Firstenberg, Lee Remick, Lina Wertmuller, Bette Davis, Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, Sherry Lansing, Nora Ephron, Dawn Steel, Fay Kanin, Lillian Gish, Whoopi Goldberg, Glenn Close and Amy Pascal.
Academy Award winning actress Nicole Kidman is internationally-recognized for her range and versatility. In 2002, Kidman was honored with her first Oscar nomination for her performance in the innovative musical, "Moulin Rouge!" For that role, and her performance in the psychological thriller "The Others," she received dual 2002 Golden Globe nominations, winning for Best Actress in a Musical. In 2003, Kidman won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award and a Berlin Silver Bear for her portrayal of Virginia Woolf in Stephen Daldry’s "The Hours." In 2010 Kidman starred in "Rabbit Hole," for which she received Academy Award, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Independent Spirit Award nominations for Best Actress. The film was developed by Kidman’s production company, Blossom Films. In October 2012 Kidman starred in Lee Daniel’s "The Paperboy." Her performance earned her an Aacta, Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe nomination.
Upcoming films include "Strangerland," "The Family Fang" and "Genius." Kidman is currently in production on "The Secret in Their Eyes." Next up, she will being shooting The Weinstein Company’s "Lion."
In January of 2006, Kidman was awarded Australia’s highest honor, the Companion in the Order of Australia. She was also named, and continues to serve, as Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Development Fund for Women, Un Women, whose goals are to foster women’s empowerment and gender equality, to raise awareness of the infringement on women’s human rights around the world and to end violence against women. Along with her husband, Keith Urban, she has helped raise millions over the years for the Women’s Cancer Program which is a world-renowned center for research into the causes, treatment, prevention, and eventual cure of women’s cancer.
Jill Soloway / Lucy Award for Excellence in Television
The Lucy Awards were founded in 1994 by Joanna Kerns, Bonny Dore and Loreen Arbus and are presented in association with the Lucille Ball Estate. They were named for Lucille Ball, who was not only a legendary actress and comedienne, but also a producer, studio owner, creator and director. They are given to recognize women and men and their creative works that exemplify the extraordinary accomplishments she embodied; whose excellence and innovation have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television. Past recipients include: Kerry Washington, The Women Of "Mad Men" (Christina Hendricks, January Jones, Elisabeth Moss, Jessica Paré, Kiernan Shipka), Bonnie Hammer, Nina Tassler, Courteney Cox, Holly Hunter, Salma Hayek, Shonda Rhimes and the women of "Grey’s Anatomy," Geena Davis, Debra Messing and Megan Mullally, Blythe Danner, Lily Tomlin, Rosie O’Donnell, Amy Brenneman, Tyne Daley, Phyllis Diller, Marcy Carsey, Carol Burnett, Barbara Walters, Shari Lewis, Garry Marshall, Angela Lansbury, Marlo Thomas, Gary David Goldberg, Diahann Carroll, Tracey Ullman, Fred Silverman, Imogene Coca, Camryn Manheim, Norman Lear, Bud Yorkin and the casts of "Sex and the City," " If These Walls Could Talk" and "If These Walls Could Talk 2."
Jill Soloway is the creator of Amazon Studios' Golden Globe-winning, "Transparent," a dark, deep, silly family series about boundaries, love and secrets.
Soloway won the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival for her first feature, "Afternoon Delight." She recently founded WifeyTv, an internet brand producing and curating content to ignite the feminist revolution. Soloway is a three-time Emmy nominee for her work writing and producing "Six Feet Under."
She co-created the theater experiences, "Real Live Brady Bunch," "Miss Vagina Pageant," "Hollywood Hellhouse" and "Sit N Spin," and co-founded the community organization East Side Jews. Soloway lives with her family in Silver Lake.
Ava DuVernay / Dorothy Arzner Directors Award
Dorothy Arzner was the first female member of the Directors Guild of America. In her honor, the Dorothy Arzner Directors Award® was established to recognize the important role women directors play in the film and television industries. Past recipients include: Jennifer Lee, Sofia Coppola, Pamela Fryman, Lisa Cholodenko, Catherine Hardwicke, Nancy Meyers, Barbra Streisand, Mimi Leder, Barbara Kopple, Gillian Armstrong, Lian Lunson, Joey Lauren Adams and Nicole Holofcener.
Nominated for two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes, five Critics Choice awards, eight NAACP Image Awards and five Independent Spirit Awards, writer/director Ava DuVernay's most recent film "Selma" chronicles the historic 1965 voting rights campaign led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
She won the Best Director Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012 for her acclaimed feature "Middle of Nowhere." Her previous narrative and documentary work includes the feature film "I Will Follow" and the documentaries Venus Vs.," "My Mic Sounds Nice" and "This is The Life."
In 2010, DuVernay founded the African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement (Affrm), a grassroots collective that distributes work from filmmakers of color. Prior to her directorial career, she worked as a film marketer and publicist for more than 14 years through her company, The DuVernay Agency.
Kate Mara / The Women In Film Max Mara “Face of the Future” Award
The Women In Film Max Mara “Face of the Future” Award® was inaugurated at Women In Film’s 2006 Crystal + Lucy Awards®. As the 13th year as presenting sponsor and longstanding Women In Film partner, Max Mara identifies an actress who is experiencing a turning point in her career through her work in the film and television industries with focus on her contributions to the community at large and recognizes her outstanding personal achievements and embodiment of style and grace. Past recipients include: Rose Byrne, Hailee Steinfeld, Chloë Grace Moretz, Katie Holmes, Zoë Saldana, Elizabeth Banks, Ginnifer Goodwin, Emily Blunt and Maria Bello.
Kate Mara made her feature film debut in "Random Hearts" for director Sydney Pollack. She then co-starred in Ang Lee’s "Brokeback Mountain" in which she portrayed Heath Ledger’s daughter. She also appeared in the Academy Award nominated film "127 Hours" with James Franco for director Danny Boyle and she co-starred in "Transcendence" alongside Johnny Depp and Morgan Freeman, which marked the directorial debut of Academy Award-winning cinematographer Wally Pfister.
Mara recently completed filming on location in Budapest director Ridley Scott’s outer space action film The Martian alongside Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain. Last fall, she completed filming the psychological thriller "Man Down" in which she plays the wife of a war veteran, played by Shia Labeouf and "Captive" in which she stars with David Oyelowo as a single mother struggling with meth addiction in the adaptation of the best-selling book An Unlikely Angel. This summer she will film "Morgan" for director Luke Scott, son of Ridley Scott, who will produce. Audiences will next see her star in "Fantastic Four" alongside Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Bell.
She received an Emmy Award® nomination for her role in David Fincher’s critically acclaimed television series, "House of Cards" in which she co-starred alongside Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright.
Sue Kroll/ Tiffany & Co. / Bruce Paltrow Mentorship Award
The Tiffany & Co. / Bruce Paltrow Mentorship Award was created to honor the late director and great mentor Bruce Paltrow. This year, Wif Presenting Sponsor Tiffany & Co. has joined the Paltrow family in recognizing an entertainment industry professional who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to mentoring and supporting the next generation of filmmakers and executives. Past honorees include Kathleen Kennedy and Sherry Lansing.
Sue Kroll is President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution for Warner Bros. Pictures. As marketing chief, she oversees the strategic creation and implementation of marketing campaigns for the Studio’s global releases and collaborates closely with the Studio’s principals on the strategic development of its slate of films.
Her leadership of global marketing has propelled the studio’s releases to record-breaking box office and myriad awards. Most recently, the Best Picture Oscar nominee "American Sniper" became the top-grossing domestic film release of 2014 and has grossed more than $500 million worldwide. Other recent successes include the "Harry Potter," "Dark Knight," and "The Hobbit" film series, as well as such award-winning pictures as "Gravity," "Argo" and "The Departed."
Kroll joined Warner Bros. in 1994 and headed International Marketing from 2000 to 2008, when she was named to her current role at the studio. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Film Independent, the Los Angeles-based non-profit that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, and is one of the inaugural members of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program.
Toni Howard / Sue Mengers Award
The Sue Mengers Award , named for the legendary agent and given for the first time in 2015, will be presented annually to a representative who is, and has been, instrumental in guiding careers. Sue Mengers was an icon in the entertainment industry. She was one of the most influential talent agents of her time, when women were not the norm, and she was devoted to her clients.
Toni Howard is a partner at ICM Partners. Toni joined the agency’s talent department in 1991 and quickly became a leader in the division, having served as its department head for the better part of a decade. She oversees a celebrated and eclectic group of actors who appear in film, television and on stage and have garnered an astonishing 46 Academy Award® nominations, 148 Emmy® nominations, and 125 Golden Globe® nominations. Among her award-winning clients are Alan Alda, Candice Bergen, Michael Caine, Bobby Cannavale, Edie Falco, Samuel L. Jackson, Topher Grace, Holly Hunter, Michael Keaton, Nathan Lane, Spike Lee, Laura Linney, Catherine O’Hara, Lily Rabe, Christina Ricci, Tim Robbins, Michael Sheen, Maggie Smith, James Spader, Julia Stiles, and Christopher Walken. Throughout her career at ICM Partners, Toni has mentored many young agents to incredibly successful careers of their own.
Prior to joining ICM, Toni was an agent at the William Morris Agency for seven years. She began her entertainment industry career as a casting director, working on such iconic projects as "Tootsie," "Superman," "The Right Stuff" and "Something About Amelia."
Recognized by her distinctive voice, Toni was cast by director Alexander Payne as the voice of agent ‘Evelyn Berman-Silverman’ in the film "Sideways."...
Since 1977, Women In Film, Los Angeles has annually honored outstanding women in the entertainment industry – women who lead by example, who are creative, groundbreaking, and who excel at their chosen fields. This year’s Crystal + Lucy Awards® fundraising dinner, in support of Wif La’s educational and philanthropic programs and its advocacy for gender parity for women throughout the industry, is being held on Tuesday, June 16 in the Los Angeles Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Century City. The 2015 Crystal + Lucy Awards is sponsored by Max Mara, BMW of North America, and Tiffany & Co.
This year’s Crystal + Lucy Award honorees are:
2015 Crystal Award for Excellence in Film – Nicole Kidman 2015 Lucy Award for Excellence in Television – Jill Soloway 2015 Dorothy Arzner Directors Award® – Ava DuVernay The Women In Film Max Mara “Face of the Future®” 2015 – Kate Mara Presented by Nicola Maramotti Global Brand Ambassador for Max Mara
2015 Tiffany & Co. / Bruce Paltrow Mentorship Award – Sue Kroll 2015 Sue Mengers Award – Toni Howard
Cathy Schulman , President of Women In Film, Los Angeles, said in making the announcement, “We are proud to celebrate an extraordinary line-up of honorees this year. Each one of these women has made extraordinary contributions to the media art, and as a group they have forged sustainable careers that are emblematic of the positive and long overdue change that is taking root for women in Hollywood.”
Iris Grossman, President Emerita of Women In Film, Los Angeles, returning this year as Chair of the Awards, said “This year’s honorees are all women who have helped change the face of the business. Through their insight, determination, resilience and talent, they add substance and depth to their creative endeavors and to the entertainment industry as a whole.”
About the Honorees
Nicole Kidman / Crystal Award for Excellence in Film
The Crystal Awards were established in 1977 to honor outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry. Past recipients include Cate Blanchett, Laura Linney, Viola Davis, Annette Bening, Donna Langley, Jennifer Aniston, Diane English and the cast of The Women, Renée Zellweger, Jennifer Lopez, Sandra Bullock, Gwyneth Paltrow, Diane Lane, Halle Berry, Laura Ziskin, Jessica Lange, Meryl Streep, Jodie Foster, Angela Bassett, Meg Ryan, Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer, Alfre Woodard, Polly Platt, Lauren Shuler Donner, Diane Warren, Amy Heckerling, Paula Weinstein, Martha Coolidge, Buffy Shutt and Kathy Jones, Gale Anne Hurd, Nancy Malone, Maya Angelou, Lily Tomlin, Ruby Dee, Penny Marshall, Jessica Tandy, Barbara Boyle, Nikki Rocco, Jean Firstenberg, Lee Remick, Lina Wertmuller, Bette Davis, Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, Sherry Lansing, Nora Ephron, Dawn Steel, Fay Kanin, Lillian Gish, Whoopi Goldberg, Glenn Close and Amy Pascal.
Academy Award winning actress Nicole Kidman is internationally-recognized for her range and versatility. In 2002, Kidman was honored with her first Oscar nomination for her performance in the innovative musical, "Moulin Rouge!" For that role, and her performance in the psychological thriller "The Others," she received dual 2002 Golden Globe nominations, winning for Best Actress in a Musical. In 2003, Kidman won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award and a Berlin Silver Bear for her portrayal of Virginia Woolf in Stephen Daldry’s "The Hours." In 2010 Kidman starred in "Rabbit Hole," for which she received Academy Award, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Independent Spirit Award nominations for Best Actress. The film was developed by Kidman’s production company, Blossom Films. In October 2012 Kidman starred in Lee Daniel’s "The Paperboy." Her performance earned her an Aacta, Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe nomination.
Upcoming films include "Strangerland," "The Family Fang" and "Genius." Kidman is currently in production on "The Secret in Their Eyes." Next up, she will being shooting The Weinstein Company’s "Lion."
In January of 2006, Kidman was awarded Australia’s highest honor, the Companion in the Order of Australia. She was also named, and continues to serve, as Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Development Fund for Women, Un Women, whose goals are to foster women’s empowerment and gender equality, to raise awareness of the infringement on women’s human rights around the world and to end violence against women. Along with her husband, Keith Urban, she has helped raise millions over the years for the Women’s Cancer Program which is a world-renowned center for research into the causes, treatment, prevention, and eventual cure of women’s cancer.
Jill Soloway / Lucy Award for Excellence in Television
The Lucy Awards were founded in 1994 by Joanna Kerns, Bonny Dore and Loreen Arbus and are presented in association with the Lucille Ball Estate. They were named for Lucille Ball, who was not only a legendary actress and comedienne, but also a producer, studio owner, creator and director. They are given to recognize women and men and their creative works that exemplify the extraordinary accomplishments she embodied; whose excellence and innovation have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television. Past recipients include: Kerry Washington, The Women Of "Mad Men" (Christina Hendricks, January Jones, Elisabeth Moss, Jessica Paré, Kiernan Shipka), Bonnie Hammer, Nina Tassler, Courteney Cox, Holly Hunter, Salma Hayek, Shonda Rhimes and the women of "Grey’s Anatomy," Geena Davis, Debra Messing and Megan Mullally, Blythe Danner, Lily Tomlin, Rosie O’Donnell, Amy Brenneman, Tyne Daley, Phyllis Diller, Marcy Carsey, Carol Burnett, Barbara Walters, Shari Lewis, Garry Marshall, Angela Lansbury, Marlo Thomas, Gary David Goldberg, Diahann Carroll, Tracey Ullman, Fred Silverman, Imogene Coca, Camryn Manheim, Norman Lear, Bud Yorkin and the casts of "Sex and the City," " If These Walls Could Talk" and "If These Walls Could Talk 2."
Jill Soloway is the creator of Amazon Studios' Golden Globe-winning, "Transparent," a dark, deep, silly family series about boundaries, love and secrets.
Soloway won the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival for her first feature, "Afternoon Delight." She recently founded WifeyTv, an internet brand producing and curating content to ignite the feminist revolution. Soloway is a three-time Emmy nominee for her work writing and producing "Six Feet Under."
She co-created the theater experiences, "Real Live Brady Bunch," "Miss Vagina Pageant," "Hollywood Hellhouse" and "Sit N Spin," and co-founded the community organization East Side Jews. Soloway lives with her family in Silver Lake.
Ava DuVernay / Dorothy Arzner Directors Award
Dorothy Arzner was the first female member of the Directors Guild of America. In her honor, the Dorothy Arzner Directors Award® was established to recognize the important role women directors play in the film and television industries. Past recipients include: Jennifer Lee, Sofia Coppola, Pamela Fryman, Lisa Cholodenko, Catherine Hardwicke, Nancy Meyers, Barbra Streisand, Mimi Leder, Barbara Kopple, Gillian Armstrong, Lian Lunson, Joey Lauren Adams and Nicole Holofcener.
Nominated for two Academy Awards, four Golden Globes, five Critics Choice awards, eight NAACP Image Awards and five Independent Spirit Awards, writer/director Ava DuVernay's most recent film "Selma" chronicles the historic 1965 voting rights campaign led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
She won the Best Director Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012 for her acclaimed feature "Middle of Nowhere." Her previous narrative and documentary work includes the feature film "I Will Follow" and the documentaries Venus Vs.," "My Mic Sounds Nice" and "This is The Life."
In 2010, DuVernay founded the African-American Film Festival Releasing Movement (Affrm), a grassroots collective that distributes work from filmmakers of color. Prior to her directorial career, she worked as a film marketer and publicist for more than 14 years through her company, The DuVernay Agency.
Kate Mara / The Women In Film Max Mara “Face of the Future” Award
The Women In Film Max Mara “Face of the Future” Award® was inaugurated at Women In Film’s 2006 Crystal + Lucy Awards®. As the 13th year as presenting sponsor and longstanding Women In Film partner, Max Mara identifies an actress who is experiencing a turning point in her career through her work in the film and television industries with focus on her contributions to the community at large and recognizes her outstanding personal achievements and embodiment of style and grace. Past recipients include: Rose Byrne, Hailee Steinfeld, Chloë Grace Moretz, Katie Holmes, Zoë Saldana, Elizabeth Banks, Ginnifer Goodwin, Emily Blunt and Maria Bello.
Kate Mara made her feature film debut in "Random Hearts" for director Sydney Pollack. She then co-starred in Ang Lee’s "Brokeback Mountain" in which she portrayed Heath Ledger’s daughter. She also appeared in the Academy Award nominated film "127 Hours" with James Franco for director Danny Boyle and she co-starred in "Transcendence" alongside Johnny Depp and Morgan Freeman, which marked the directorial debut of Academy Award-winning cinematographer Wally Pfister.
Mara recently completed filming on location in Budapest director Ridley Scott’s outer space action film The Martian alongside Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain. Last fall, she completed filming the psychological thriller "Man Down" in which she plays the wife of a war veteran, played by Shia Labeouf and "Captive" in which she stars with David Oyelowo as a single mother struggling with meth addiction in the adaptation of the best-selling book An Unlikely Angel. This summer she will film "Morgan" for director Luke Scott, son of Ridley Scott, who will produce. Audiences will next see her star in "Fantastic Four" alongside Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Bell.
She received an Emmy Award® nomination for her role in David Fincher’s critically acclaimed television series, "House of Cards" in which she co-starred alongside Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright.
Sue Kroll/ Tiffany & Co. / Bruce Paltrow Mentorship Award
The Tiffany & Co. / Bruce Paltrow Mentorship Award was created to honor the late director and great mentor Bruce Paltrow. This year, Wif Presenting Sponsor Tiffany & Co. has joined the Paltrow family in recognizing an entertainment industry professional who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to mentoring and supporting the next generation of filmmakers and executives. Past honorees include Kathleen Kennedy and Sherry Lansing.
Sue Kroll is President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution for Warner Bros. Pictures. As marketing chief, she oversees the strategic creation and implementation of marketing campaigns for the Studio’s global releases and collaborates closely with the Studio’s principals on the strategic development of its slate of films.
Her leadership of global marketing has propelled the studio’s releases to record-breaking box office and myriad awards. Most recently, the Best Picture Oscar nominee "American Sniper" became the top-grossing domestic film release of 2014 and has grossed more than $500 million worldwide. Other recent successes include the "Harry Potter," "Dark Knight," and "The Hobbit" film series, as well as such award-winning pictures as "Gravity," "Argo" and "The Departed."
Kroll joined Warner Bros. in 1994 and headed International Marketing from 2000 to 2008, when she was named to her current role at the studio. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Film Independent, the Los Angeles-based non-profit that produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival, and is one of the inaugural members of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program.
Toni Howard / Sue Mengers Award
The Sue Mengers Award , named for the legendary agent and given for the first time in 2015, will be presented annually to a representative who is, and has been, instrumental in guiding careers. Sue Mengers was an icon in the entertainment industry. She was one of the most influential talent agents of her time, when women were not the norm, and she was devoted to her clients.
Toni Howard is a partner at ICM Partners. Toni joined the agency’s talent department in 1991 and quickly became a leader in the division, having served as its department head for the better part of a decade. She oversees a celebrated and eclectic group of actors who appear in film, television and on stage and have garnered an astonishing 46 Academy Award® nominations, 148 Emmy® nominations, and 125 Golden Globe® nominations. Among her award-winning clients are Alan Alda, Candice Bergen, Michael Caine, Bobby Cannavale, Edie Falco, Samuel L. Jackson, Topher Grace, Holly Hunter, Michael Keaton, Nathan Lane, Spike Lee, Laura Linney, Catherine O’Hara, Lily Rabe, Christina Ricci, Tim Robbins, Michael Sheen, Maggie Smith, James Spader, Julia Stiles, and Christopher Walken. Throughout her career at ICM Partners, Toni has mentored many young agents to incredibly successful careers of their own.
Prior to joining ICM, Toni was an agent at the William Morris Agency for seven years. She began her entertainment industry career as a casting director, working on such iconic projects as "Tootsie," "Superman," "The Right Stuff" and "Something About Amelia."
Recognized by her distinctive voice, Toni was cast by director Alexander Payne as the voice of agent ‘Evelyn Berman-Silverman’ in the film "Sideways."...
- 4/6/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
It’s iconic – the green van with groovy artwork on the side and a dog and young teenager who are always mysteriously hungry. Even though the original Scooby Doo is from another generation, almost everyone alive today knows the dog, but why? Why do we love the hunky sleuth, the ginger bombshell, the nerdy know-it-all, and the two goof-offs who always manage to solve the crime independently of everyone else? Here’s why.
See, it all began in 1968, when Fred Silverman (an executive in charge of children’s programming for the CBS network) was looking for a new show that would revitalize the stale Saturday morning schedule.
The first attempt was The Archie Show. The show, based on Bob Montana’s classic comic book “Archie” was successful, but it wasn’t enough. He wanted a kid’s mystery show. So, he hired William Hanna and Joseph Barbera to come up with another show.
See, it all began in 1968, when Fred Silverman (an executive in charge of children’s programming for the CBS network) was looking for a new show that would revitalize the stale Saturday morning schedule.
The first attempt was The Archie Show. The show, based on Bob Montana’s classic comic book “Archie” was successful, but it wasn’t enough. He wanted a kid’s mystery show. So, he hired William Hanna and Joseph Barbera to come up with another show.
- 3/18/2015
- by CoF Staff
- City of Films
Joan Rivers, who died on Thursday, was one of late-night television's true pioneers. And inextricably tied to her legacy of trailblazing is her relationship with The Tonight Show, and the long shadow that Johnny Carson cast over her career. In the mid-1950s, at age 23, Rivers ran away from home to become an actress. By 1958, she had decided on comedy. But she auditioned for The Tonight Show seven times - as a favor to her manager's other client, Bill Cosby - before she was put on Carson's show in 1965 as a gag writer. "It was a mercy booking," she told...
- 9/4/2014
- by Alex Heigl, @alex_heigl
- PEOPLE.com
Joan Rivers, who died on Thursday, was one of late-night television's true pioneers. And inextricably tied to her legacy of trailblazing is her relationship with The Tonight Show, and the long shadow that Johnny Carson cast over her career. In the mid-1950s, at age 23, Rivers ran away from home to become an actress. By 1958, she had decided on comedy. But she auditioned for The Tonight Show seven times - as a favor to her manager's other client, Bill Cosby - before she was put on Carson's show in 1965 as a gag writer. "It was a mercy booking," she told...
- 9/4/2014
- by Alex Heigl, @alex_heigl
- PEOPLE.com
Late in the DVD commentary for the pilot episode of "Hill Street Blues," actor Joe Spano marvels at the show's impact on the medium. "It's extraordinary," he says, "the repercussions of this 48 minutes of television." The cop drama's co-creator Steven Bochco follows by suggesting, "It's sort of a family tree, and if you look at the branches of the tree, you'll see 25 years of television." Bochco is, if anything, underselling the importance of "Hill Street," which is on the short list of the most influential TV shows ever made. Whether through shared actors, writers, directors or through stylistic and thematic complexity, its DNA can be found in nearly every great drama produced in the 30-plus years since it debuted. The show was only occasionally interested in the legal trials of the criminals in its unnamed fictional city, but the complete series DVD set (it arrives in stores on Tuesday, for...
- 4/28/2014
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
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