Daily Variety back issues from July 2006:
$106 mil hero's welcome; 'Superman' flies as 'Devil' gets its due.
Jul 05, 2006; ... "Superman Returns" is off to a strong start, albeit not as fast as a speeding bullet. Warner Bros. superhero tent-pole grossed a solid $52.5 million on its opening weekend and $74 million over the five-day Fourth of July frame. Since its Wednesday opening, the Bryan ...
DVD year the strong, silent type.(digital video disks)(sales report of video business)
Jul 05, 2006; ... The vid biz's yearlong funk appears to be over. Just don't expect definitive data outlining how--and exactly when--it turned the corner. Unlike the theatrical biz, which eagerly slices and dices box office returns for public consumption, the homevid sector keeps sales info ...
Acad speaks new language.
Jul 05, 2006; ... Oscar is growing more multilingual. A movie no longer has to be in an official language of the submitting country to qualify for a foreign-language film nomination under the newly approved rules for the 79th Oscar season. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences ...
Clark lights spark o'seas.
Jul 05, 2006; ... "Superman Returns" opened solidly rather than spectacularly in Australia and Asia, leading a moderate foreign box office with $20 million from 1,750 prints in 11 markets in its launch weekend. The Man of Steel finished first in all 11 territories, topping "Batman Begins" in 10 ...
Eye in bed with couple.(Ben Stiller directs half hour comedy for CBS Broadcasting Inc.)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Ben Stiller is returning to television, exec producing and directing a half-hour comedy for CBS that will star his wife, Christine Taylor. Eye has given a pilot commitment to the project, which will be loosely based on Taylor's life. Stiller won't be a series ...
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.(Movie review)
Jul 05, 2006; ... A Buena Vista release of a Walt Disney Pictures presentation in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Films. Produced by Bruckheimer. Executive producers, Mike Stenson, Chad Oman, Bruce Hendricks, Eric McLeod. Directed by Gore Verbinski. Screenplay, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, ...
Monster House.(Movie review)
Jul 05, 2006; ... (Animated) A Sony Pictures Entertainment release of a Columbia Pictures/Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg presentation in association with Relativity Media of an Imagemovers/Amblin production. Produced by Steve Starkey, Jack Rapke. Executive producers, Zemeckis, Spielberg, ...
Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular.(Theater review)
Jul 05, 2006; ... (The Venetian, Las Vegas: 1,800 seats; $150 top) A Really Useful Theater Company, Live Nation and Base Entertainment presentation of the Venetian production of the Cameron Mackintosh/Really Useful Theater Co. musical in one act, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by ...
'Mission' statement squeaks past censors.(Inside Moves)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Chinese censors delayed "Mission: Impossible III" for months because of its negative depiction of urban life in Shanghai. But they missed an even seedier reference in the movie--a genuine cell-phone number spray-painted on a wall that offers to make fake documents. ...
Helmers join Venice jury.(Cameron Crowe)(Park Chan-wook)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Helmet-producer Cameron Crowe and South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook will be on the jury at the Venice Intl. Film Festival, where their pics preemed last year. Spanish director Bigas Luna ("Sound of the Sea"), prolific Portuguese producer Paulo Branco, Russian actress Chulpan ...
NBC punts Arena football.(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Nielsen touchdowns became so rare for arena football during the last four years that NBC has canceled its contract to carry a package of weekly games. What probably doomed the partnership was the anemic household rating for NBC's telecast of the climactic Arena Bowl: a 0.7, 30% ...
H'wood's trump card: the Donald to launch prod'n shingle.(Donald Trump)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... The Donald is going Hollywood. Real estate mogul-turned-TV host Donald Trump is launching an L.A.-based production shingle, tapping staffer Andy Litinsky to run it. Litinsky is a former contestant on "The Apprentice" who's spent the last 2V2 years working for the ...
'Seven Day' siren's set.(Seven Day Itch)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Michelle Monaghan is set to star opposite Ben Stiller in "Seven Day Itch," a DreamWorks comedy inspired by "The Heartbreak Kid." Peter and Bobby Farrelly are directing. Monaghan will play a young woman who causes a honeymooning groom to question his commitment to the woman he ...
'Abby' dear to L.A. fest.(Ira and Abby)(Los Angeles film festival)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Robert Cary's "Ira & Abby," starring and written by Jennifer Westfeldt, picked up the audience award for narrative feature as the Los Angeles Film Festival wrapped Sunday night at its new Westwood locale. Westfeldt is a two-time L.A. lest favorite. In 2001, "Kissing Jessica ...
Nia Long will reprise her "Are We There Yet?" role in Revolution Studios' "Are We Done Yet?," the sequel to Ice Cube starrer.(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Nia Long will reprise her "Are We There Yet?" role in Revolution Studios' "Are We Done Yet?," the sequel to Ice Cube starrer. Also signed on is John C. McGinley, who will play an exuberant ...
Dermot Mulroney, and Garrett Hedlund, have joined the cast of Morgan Creek's "Georgia Rule," lensing in Los Angeles.(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Dermot Mulroney, near right, and Garrett Hedlund, far right, have joined the cast of Morgan Creek's "Georgia Rule," lensing in Los Angeles. Pic, penned by Mark Andrus, is directed by Garry Marshall and stars Jane Fonda, Lindsay Lohan and Felicity Huffman. James ...
Morgan Fairchild.(Players)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Morgan Fairchild has been cast in MyNetworkTV's "Fashion House." Series is set to debut Sept. 5. Bo Derek also ...
Richards helmed 'Raisin'.(Obituary)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Lloyd Richards, the first African-American to direct a Broadway production, died of heart failure Thursday, his 87th birthday, at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York. Richards was a leader in American regional theater and the mentor who guided playwright August Wilson from obscurity ...
Recording pioneer dies.(Obituary)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... HOLLYWOOD -- Irving Green, co-founder of Mercury Records, died Saturday in Palm Springs. He was 90. Green was seen as a pioneer in breaking down color barriers in the music industry. From the beginning, Mercury's roster was racially diverse, and in 1964 Green made Quincy Jones ...
Comic hosted gamers.(Obituary)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006 ... Jan Murray, a Catskills comedian who went on to work in Vegas and later hosted a string of TV gameshows, died Sunday in Beverly Hills. He was 89. Born Murray Jankowski in the Bronx, Murray got his start on the Borscht Belt, the circuit of upstate New York resorts that launched ...
Fired ABC journo wins small victory.(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Richard Gizbert, the London-based journalist who won an unfair dismissal claim against ABC in December after refusing to go to Iraq to cover the war, was awarded $180,000 in compensation on Monday. At the employment tribunal, Gizbert evoked U.K. health and safety legislation in ...
'Sunny's' solid bow looks bright for FX.(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... The second season of FX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" opened Thursday to an average of 1.58 million total viewers for back-to-back half-hour episodes. Number's modest compared with those for hit FX series like "Nip/Tuck" and "Rescue Me," but it reps a double-digit gain ...
ICM seeks compensation.(International Creative Management)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... ICM has sued the Agency Group, claiming it wrongfully induced former ICM agent Keith Naisbitt to break his employment agreement with ICM and take clients with him. Suit, filed Friday in L.A. Superior Court, alleges that Naisbitt, who was a veepee in the international concerts ...
Helmer's ex sues Pellicano.(Anthony Pellicano)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Director John McTiernan's ex-wife, Donna Dubrow, has sued private investigator Anthony Pellicano for invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. In her suit seeking unspecified damages, she alleges that McTiernan paid Pellicano more than $100,000 to ...
Change is beneficial for ContentFilm.(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... ContentFilm, the London-based film and TV sales company, has returned to operating profit after a year of transformation. Content reported an operating profit of 386,000 [pounds sterling] ($713,000) for the year ended March 31, compared with a loss of $12 million in the previous ...
Spain back in gear: Mouse, exhibs on same road for 'Cars'.(conflicts of Walt Disney Productions Inc. and theater chains in Spain)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... The boycott of Disney pics in Spain looks to be over: The distributor has pacted with the theater chains that refused to screen its "Scary Movie 4" on slightly better rental terms for the exhibs. The rebel loops--Yelmo Cineplex, Abaco-Cinebox and Cinesa--look set to bow "Cars," ...
Disney's H.K. chief ankles.(Hong Kong)(Walt Disney Intermational)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Doug Miller has ankled as the Mouse House's top man in Hong Kong and will move to the U.S. by the middle of July. Miller was exec VP-managing director of Walt Disney Intl. for the Asia Pacific region, and that position will not be filled. Instead, Stanley Cheung, Disney's ...
Lygo: Film4 will help C4.(Channel Four Television Company Ltd.)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... LONDON -- The topper of Channel 4, Blighty's commercially funded pubcaster, said its decision to relaunch pay movie web FilmFour as a free service monikered Film4 on July 23 will not affect its scheduling. "Film4 will continue to act as an editor of choice for its viewers, ...
Huge tax bill socks Sony.(World News)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Sony Corp. has been hit with a surprise tax bill of [yen] 27.9 billion ($245 million) from the Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau. Company says it will appeal. Some of the extra taxes are charges against profits that Sony subsidiary Sony Computer Entertainment gained from ...
Sony BMG taps creative type.(appointment of Ged Doherty)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... LONDON -- Sony BMG Music Entertainment has chosen an executive heavily involved in the creative side as chairman-CEO of its U.K. & Ireland operations. Ged Doherty, who was president of the music division, replaces Rob Stringer, who last month became prexy of the Sony Music Label ...
Latam nets cue up for Grammys.(Latin Grammy Awards rights for Latin American broadcasters)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... MEXICO CITY -- Latin American broadcasters have snatched up rights to the seventh Latin Grammy Awards, licensed by Alfred Haber Distribution. Televisa in Mexico, Gamavision in Ecuador, Televicentro in Nicaragua, Compania Televisora in Honduras, Telemicro in the Dominican ...
The Human Comedy.(Theater review)
Jul 05, 2006; ... (Robert Boland Theater at Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield, Mass.; 500 seats; $52 top) A Barrington Stage Company presentation of a musical in two acts with music by Gait MacDermot, book and lyrics by William Dumaresq from a story by William Saroyan. Directed by Julianne ...
Sean Wing.(Players)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Sean Wing has landed a supporting role in indie romantic comedy "10 Inch Hero." Pic, directed by David McKay, concerns a sandwich shop employee who gets involved in her co-workers' love lives. Jensen Ackles and ...
John Eric Bentley.(Players)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... John Eric Bentley ("Less Than Perfect") has joined the cast of Constantin Film's "Resident Evil: Extinction," starring Milla Jovovich and being directed ...
Soccer tops weekend ratings in Gotham.(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Univision scored this holiday weekend in Gotham. When Brazil went foot-to-foot with France in the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday, the match airing on Univision 41 (WXTV) was the top-rated program of the weekend June 30-July 2 among all stations. Some 412,000 New ...
Ferrera cops kidnapping pic.(America Ferrera in "Hacia la oscuridad" )(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... America Ferrera, star of ABC's upcoming "Betty the Ugly," has signed on to star in and exec produce the indie pic "Hacia la oscuridad" (Toward Darkness) for writer-director Antonio Negret. Bilingual thriller concerns the last 90 minutes in the life of a kidnapped Colombian and ...
Editor's tied to tube.(Richard Perez-Feria and Galan Entertainment on deal)(Brief article)
Jul 05, 2006; ... Richard Perez-Feria has inked a first-look deal with Nely Galan's Galan Entertainment for scripted fare and features in Spanish and English targeted at U.S. auds. He has ankled as People en Espanol magazine editor-in-chief to develop a reality show and a gay romantic comedy, ...
ESPN juiced by baseball ratings.
Jul 06, 2006; ... ESPN and ESPN2 are hitting this year's baseball coverage out of the park. Cablers are seeing ratings gains of close to 20% thanks to more marquee teams on Sunday night and fewer primetime blackouts on Monday. Critics took their share of whacks at ESPN late last year ...
Televisa cashes in chips.(Televisa sells stake in Univision Network L.P.)
Jul 06, 2006; ... Smarting from its sale snub last week, Mexican broadcaster Grupo Televisa says it plans to sell its 11% stake in Univision--a move that will allow it to pursue new ventures in the U.S. without its former partner. Televisa, which lost out to a private equity consortium in its bid ...
Swinging singles: downloads offset albums' drop.(album sales report)
Jul 06, 2006; ... Album sales for the first six months of 2006 are down 4% from last year, but digital downloads continue to provide a silver lining. Nielsen SoundScan reported that 281 million individual tracks were sold through online services in the first 26 weeks of the year, a rise of 77% ...
'Santa' redo suits up.(National Broadcasting Company Inc. and Mark Wolper join to produce "The Year Without a Santa Claus")
Jul 06, 2006; ... NBC and producer Mark Wolper are mounting a live-action version of Bass-Rankin's 1974 stop-motion holiday chestnut "The Year Without a Santa Claus." Ron Underwood ("City Slickers") is directing the two-hour pic, which will star John Goodman as Santa. Also cast are Ethan Suplee ...
Bertelsmann family plan.(Bertelsmann AG purchases stakes of Groupe Bruxelles Lambert S.A.)
Jul 06, 2006; ... Bertelsmann's shares will stay in the family. The world's largest private media conglom on Wednesday ensured that none of its shares--and little new information about its business--would be thrown open to the public when it made final its buyout of the 25% stake held by Group ...
Live nation sings blues.(Live Nation Inc. purchases HOB Entertainment Inc.)
Jul 06, 2006; ... The country's largest concert promoter, Live Nation, will purchase its biggest rival, HOB Entertainment, for $350 million. Live Nation made the acquisition to expand its presence in the midsize venue business and fill in geographic gaps in its existing amphitheater network. ...
Picasso's Closet.(Theater review)
Jul 06, 2006; ... (Goldman Theater, Washington, D.C.; 214 seats; $40 top) A Theater J presentation of a play in three acts by Ariel Dorfman. Directed by John Dillon. Sets, Lewis Folden; costumes, Kate Turner Walker; lighting, Martha Mountain; sound, Ryan Rumery. Opened June 25, 2006. Reviewed ...
Psych.(Television program review)
Jul 06, 2006; ... (Series; USA; Fri. July 7, 10 p.m.) Filmed in Vancouver by Tagline Pictures in association with NBC Universal Television Studio. Executive producers, Steve Franks, Kelly Kulchak, Chris Henze; co-executive producer, Mel Damski; director, Michael Engler; writer, Franks; camera, ...
Carter takes creative mantle at Fremantle.(FremantleMedia promotes Gary Carter)
Jul 06, 2006; ... FremantleMedia, the global producer behind "American Idol," has promoted Gary Carter to the newly created post of prexy for its creative networks division. New unit combines the currently separate departments of worldwide drama and worldwide entertainment. Promotion ...
Warner ups distrib exec.(Scott Forman joins Warner Bros. Pictures)(distribution executive)(Brief article)
Jul 06, 2006; ... Scott Forman has been upped to senior VP-assistant general sales manager of domestic distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. He will report directly to domestic distrib prexy Dan Fellman, as well as to exec VP-general sales manager Jeff Goldstein. Most recently, Forman ...
'Seance' a family affair.(Stephen Schwartz's first opera, to be developed)(Brief article)
Jul 06, 2006; ... Composer Stephen Schwartz's first opera, based on the 1964 film "Seance on a Wet Afternoon," will be helmed by his son Scott in their first collaboration. Schwartz pere is writing the work for Opera Santa Barbara, which commissioned the composer of "Wicked," "Pippin" and ...
Acad opens doors to 120 new members.(Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)(Brief article)
Jul 06, 2006; ... "Crash" producer Cathy Schulman and thesps Eric Bana, Dakota Fanning, Terrence Howard, David Strathairn and Rachel Weisz are among the 120 creative individuals invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. The Academy began going public with its annual list of ...
'Kiki' kicks in on Rialto.(Kiki and Herb: Alive on Broadway)(play information)(Brief article)
Jul 06, 2006; ... The lounge act that wouldn't die has finally clawed its way to Broadway. After conquering Carnegie Hall in a 2004 concert, the downtown cult duo will hit the Rialto with "Kiki & Herb: Alive on Broadway." Playing a limited run through Sept. 10 at the Helen Hayes Theater, the ...
FCC seeks to delay case.(Federal Communications Commission)
Jul 06, 2006; ... The Federal Communications Commission has asked the federal court slated to hear legal challenges brought by network affiliates against recent indecency decisions to postpone the start of the case. Affils of NBC, ABC and CBS have endorsed the agency's request, while Fox ...
Correction.(Correction notice)
Jul 06, 2006 ... Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity have had books top the New York Times' ...
Summer heat wave: Fox cooking with reality.(Fox Entertainment Group Inc.)
Jul 06, 2006; ... Auds are going against the script this summer, and Fox has been the biggest beneficiary. On the heels of its dominant finish to the broadcast season in May with "American Idol," the net is the summer leader to date among young adults thanks to "So You Think You Can Dance" and ...
Tuners toast B'way B.O.(broadway)(box office)(gross report of movie industry)(Brief article)
Jul 06, 2006; ... Broadway ticket sales remained healthy over the week ended Sunday, with total grosses of $17,554,076 showing a boost of $1.5 million from the corresponding flame in 2005. "Wicked retained its top B'way grosses rank with a chart, page 8 $1,431,843 haul, while "The Lion King" and ...
Pic weathers distrib pickup.(Zeitgeist Films acquires rights for "Climates")(Brief article)
Jul 06, 2006; ... Zeitgeist Films has acquired all U.S. rights from Istanbul's CO Prods. to Turkish helmer-thesp Nuri Bilge Ceylan's latest, "Climates." Pic, about the fragility of a relationship between a middle-aged professor (Ceylan) and his younger girlfriend (Ebrn Ceylan), premiered in ...
Lane Garrison.(contracts)(Brief article)
Jul 06, 2006; ... Lane Garrison ("Prison Break") has been cast in Antoine Fuqua's "Shooter." Paramount pic, which also stars Mark Wahlberg and Danny Glover, is lensing in Vancouver over the summer. ...
Brian White ("The Family Stone"), and Madison Pettis, have joined the cast of Disney's "The Game Plan.".(Walt Disney Pictures and Television)(Brief article)
Jul 06, 2006; ... Brian White ("The Family Stone"), right and Madison Pettis, far right, have joined the cast of Disney's "The Game Plan." Pic recently had its start delayed when star Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson was injured. Pettis will play Johnson's long-lost ...
Film box office wrap: for the weekend of June 30-July 2.(Statistical table)
Jul 06, 2006 ... <Pre> Film Box Office Wrap FOR THE WEEKEND OF JUNE 30-JULY 2 RankingReported This LastWeekend Week Week Title (Distributor)Boxoffice 1 --Superman Returns (WB) $52,535,096 ...
TV & cable production chart.
Jul 06, 2006 ... PRODUCTION CHART KEY Abbreviations: SUPR EXP-Supervising executive producer(s); EXP-Executive producer(s); CO-EXP-Co-executive producer(s) SUPR PROD-Supervising producer(s); PROD-Producer(s); CO-PROD-Co-producer(s); DIR-Director(s); CASTING-Casting director. Affiliated ...
Showbiz stocks: Wednesday, July 5, 2006.(Statistical table)
Jul 06, 2006 ... <Pre> Showbiz Stocks Wednesday, July 5, 2006 YTD Name Tkr PELastChg %Chg AccessIT AIXD ... 9.85 -.64 -5.1 AcmeCmACME ... 4.99 -.07+40.6 ActvsnATVI ...
Nielsen ratings report.(television audience ratings)(Table)
Jul 06, 2006 ... <Pre> Nielsen Ratings Report Total Viewers June 26-July 2, 2006 abc Monday 4.38 8:00Wife Swap (R)4.90 8:30(5.08) 5.27 9:00Supernanny (R) 4.86 ...
Exclusives report: for the weekend of June 30 - July 2, 2006.(new releases)(Table)
Jul 06, 2006 ... <Pre> Exclusives Report For the weekend of June 30-July 2, 2006 Nielsen EDI A Service of Nielsen Entertainment NEW YORK NEW THIS WEEKWeekend FilmNEW THIS B.O. (distributor)...
Top 10 films in Manhattan: for the weekend of June 30 - July 2, 2006.(rankings of movies)(Statistical table)
Jul 06, 2006 ... <Pre> Top 10 Films In Manhattan% change Wknd.Filmvs. last Week Rank B.O.(distributor) wknd.No. 1. $828,666 Superman Returns (WB) -- 1 2. ...
Broadway top 10: June 26-July 2.(Statistical table)
Jul 06, 2006 ... <Pre> Broadway Top 10: June 26-July 2 Week's Net Receipts ShowPotential (Theater)(Prod.Net Category) (Seats)Receipts Wicked ...
A.J. Buckley.(A.J. Buckley stars in "The Last Sin Eater" and "Walking Tall 2." )(Brief article)
Jul 06, 2006; ... A.J. Buckley ("CSI: NY") has landed roles in "The Last Sin Eater" and "Walking Tall 2." Fox's "Sin Eater," a period drama set in 1850s Appalachia, is written and directed by Michael Landon Jr. and is lensing ...