VIDEO: Ring Within the Year with New Girl Zooey Deschanel and Frederick Gordon-Levitt

Zooey Deschanel and Frederick Gordon-Levitt Because of the prosperity of New Girl, Zooey Deschanel had a significant banner year. Now 2011's most "adorkable" TV star wants to be aware what you are doing to celebrate the beginning of 2012. Inside a video published by Deschanel herself, the actress and she or he and Him singer reunites together with her (500) Times of Summer time co-star Frederick Gordon-Levitt to have an acoustic duet entitled "What's Happening New Year's Eve?" Discover the shocking truth here: Would you need to spend new year's eve with Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt? (Yeah, enter line.)

'Dragon Tattoo' Clips: When Blomkvist Met Salander

by Lauren Kearney It is time to show from the Christmas music and set lower your charge cards: "The Lady Using the Dragon Tattoo" hits theaters today. And you have to take a look, most famously before MTV referred to it as the very best movie of 2011. But when a visit to the movies does not appear to stay in them today, do not worry. We have a couple of clips to help keep you up to date. Within this first clip, Mikael Blomkvist first meets Lisbeth Salander. Blomkvist gives Salander a run on her money, after barging into her apartment and stifling a hookup session (awkward), crossing limitations that Salander doesn't take well. Here you receive an up-close-and-personal ending up in Salander, who despite her "different" appearance is the best investigator. She walks in, clad in leather, indicators along with a mohawk, blunt by having an "I do not provide a s--t" attitude, essentially declaring that boss how it's. It provides you with just a little concept of who you will be coping with through the movie. Throughout Blomkvist's first ending up in Henrik Vanger, that old guy provides the journalist an idea concerning the analysis where he's going to embark. Vanger shows him his display of presented flowers he's collected through the years, the very first bunch from his niece and also the relaxation, he assumes, from the one who killed her. Salander is definitely an investigative genius, in a position to search up grime in your soul that nobody however your own mother knows. Within this clip, Blomkvist confronts Salanders boss, Dragan Armansky, and asks how Salander could discover certain details about him and why none of her details are on file, threatening him having a suit. Armansky discloses that they is really a warden from the condition and asks him to not make her existence any harder of computer already is. Inform us that which you think about the "Dragon Tattoo" clips within the comments section as well as on Twitter!

Take part in the Hunger Games Puzzle Challenge!

Hunger Games The Hunger Games movie is 100 days away and also to get fans excited, TVGuide.com is taking part within the Hunger Games 100 Poster Puzzle Search! Below you will find puzzle piece No. 94 that are obtainable on this link. The choice is yours to gather all 100 - which is distributed on various sites. (Hint: Search Twitter using the hash tag #HungerGames100) Once you have collected the pieces, place them together and upload the photo on Facebook, make certain to tag the Hunger Games Official Movie Page. VIDEO: Watch the very first full-length trailer for that Hunger Games The Hunger Games, a Lionsgate film, hits theaters March 23.

Efron's Pfeiffer Crush, Swank's De Niro Moment, and 7 Other Revelations from the New Year's Eve Junket

With the year 2011 drawing to a close, the stars of Garry Marshall’s New Year’s Eve were a sentimental — and cheeky — bunch talking up the portmanteau rom-com recently in Los Angeles. “When I stopped wanting my New Year’s Eve to be perfect, to ring in the New Year right, is when it started working out right,” admitted Hilary Swank, seated at a podium about as long as the credit roll for the star-studded holiday pic. At the other end of the panel, Zac Efron faux-wooed co-star Michelle Pfeiffer. “You’re coming out with me this year,” he winked at her. “I’ll show you how we do it.” Like the wide-ranging press conference itself, New Year’s Eve is jam-packed with an assortment of stars (Sarah Jessica Parker! Halle Berry! Yeardley Smith!) a la Valentine’s Day, director Marshall’s first effort in the holiday-themed ensemble franchise. Just try and guess which disparate plot threads will run into another as a host of NYers from all walks of life (A bike messenger! A rock star! The lady in charge of dropping the ball at midnight!) despair, rejoice, and collide on the biggest night of the year. The unifying theme, of course, is self-reflection and hope for the future, and the idea that on New Year’s Eve, everyone in the world is sharing the same experience. Even, it seems, Hollywood’s biggest stars. Read on to find out who’ll be watching the ball drop in their jammies just like you this year. 1. Worst. New Year’s Eve. Ever? (Or, how to have a better time with lowered expectations.) The stars and filmmakers agree: Manage your expectations of the big night and you’ll be much happier when midnight rolls around. “When I stopped wanting my New Year’s Eve to be perfect, to ring in the New Year right, is when it started working out right,” said Swank. “I always found when I was young I was looking for the next best party to be at to ring in the new year and I always ended up in a car going, ‘Happy New Year.’” Marshall added his own disappointing New Year’s memory: “I got to kiss the girl I really liked… and she turned around and kissed seven other people. Not a good night.” 2. Ever hear master raconteur Hector Elizondo tell one of his stories? Here’s your chance. “I think that restriction leads to imagination, and imagination leads to reinvention. Having everything you want is not a good thing, usually. Usually what you want is not good for you anyway.” “I did have one lousy New Year’s, because I expected something from it, you see. I used to be a jazz musician; I was playing with a quintet and this was in the days of rocks and caves, before they knew the world was round. We had our jazz quintet… anybody heard of Carl Tjader? Four people, OK. Piano, vibes, conga, bass, timbales. Very hip, beautiful group. And we had a gig! New Year’s Eve was the big gig, that’s when you made $50! So we got to go to a place called Greenwich, CT… we usually gigged around NY City and the environs, the metropolitan area. People knew how to dance on two, as they say in NY. You know what ‘Dance on two’ means? [Silence] O-K! So we’re here in Greenwich, CT and we kick it off: [Makes jazz percussion sounds] Great little mambo, man. It was a trolley song, great little arrangement. And it was like an oil painting, looking at us. I realized, ‘We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.’ We’re not in Harlem. We kept on playing our best tunes, man, and nothing. Not a foot tap, nothing, they just kept staring at us. Until we finally said, ‘OK, get out the brushes.’ The timbale player got out the brushes. We started playing Lawrence Welk, everybody danced! By the end of the evening they were snookered, they were doing a conga line, which is about as corny as can be, but smashed they would dance to anything. [Pause] That was a big letdown for us.” 3. Working with Robert De Niro was on Hilary Swank’s ‘bucket list,’ but going deep Method with him in a scene didn’t quite turn out as expected. “I got to work with Robert De Niro, and for me he’s on my bucket list, he’s at the top of the people I have to work with before it’s all said and done,” Swank explained. “So I got to check that off.” Walking into her first scene with the legendary De Niro, Swank felt an intense connection as they plunged into character. “I’m just trying to get a sense of the vibe. I walk in and Robert’s in the bed. He’s kind of laying there. I hear he’s Method; you hear all this stuff about Robert De Niro, and this is a comedy, but he’s dying! Their eyes meet. They get into the mood. “I’m going deep with De Niro!” Until… his head snaps up, and he asks for a coffee. “And I realized, ‘Oh my god, he was sleeping!’” 4. Lea Michele, who spent two weeks working in an elevator with Ashton Kutcher, came home to research world news every night so they’d have something to talk about. “He’s really smart and would talk about everything going on in the world, which I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. So I would go home and Google everything and try to brush up on everything that’s going on in our world and come in the next day and try to have a conversation.” 5. In the middle of the press conference, Zac Efron betrays his longtime crush on Hairspray co-star Michelle Pfeiffer, who convinced him to come onboard New Year’s Eve by suggesting a very enticing script tweak. “I met Michelle a few years ago doing Hairspray, and had a huge crush on her from Day One. Back then I was very, very young and very bashful, and around her I tended to put my foot in my mouth a lot. I didn’t really know what to say to her and everything just came out wrong. It was like, ‘Do you want to rehearse… the scene?’ I didn’t know what to do, I was very shy. But then I got to talk on the phone with [Pfeiffer] about this part, and she said ‘I think we should take this to the next level… let’s get a kiss in there.’ And I was like, ‘I’m in. I’m in this movie! Sign me up.’ [Efron turns to Pfeiffer] Every second with you was amazing. 6. When it comes to New Year’s Eve plans, stars are just like us! Meaning they drink champagne at home in their PJs and fall asleep early. Michele will be watching the 5K marathon in Central Park, as she does every year. “I did the Times Square thing once, and I’ll never do it again.” Swank will have an even more low-key evening: “While Lea and those other people are running, I’m eating pie and drinking champagne. I stopped trying to chase the perfect place to be and realized the perfect place is with your loved ones and your closest friends, around a dinner table, talking about the past year and the year to come and the things that you want to change in your life, hearing their stories and what you’d like to see happen in the world… and I never make it to midnight. Ever.” Pfeiffer has the right idea: “I celebrate New Year’s at 9pm West Coast time. I watch the ball drop in my jammies with some champagne, maybe some pie… I stopped setting those unrealistic expectations for New Year’s Eve many years ago.” …but this year, Efron might shake things up: “We’re gonna change that. You’re coming out with me this year… I’ll show you how we do it, Michelle.” 7. Meanwhile, Abigail Breslin’s mom will not let her spend New Year’s Eve in Times Square unsupervised. “I don’t think that’s going to be happening any time soon.” 8. Read what you will into this Hilary Swank reflection on New Year’s optimism in light of the year she’s had (i.e. Attending that Chechan human rights offender party and the PR nightmare that followed): “The idea of this woman who takes her job really seriously and is responsible, I felt very in touch with that. I take a lot of things pretty seriously. But I also love that speech that I have, because it’s certainly universal. I can’t imagine one person not thinking about the year that just passed and the optimism for the next year, and the idea of being able to have a second chance to be a better person. To love more, and to forgive. Essentially that’s life in a nutshell, right in that monologue.” 9. Finally, enjoy yet more Efron-on-Pfeiffer flirting as the charismatic young Efron waxes poetic about their big kiss. “Every actor performs three scenes: There’s the one you rehearse the night before, in your bedroom. There’s the one you actually get to do when you’re filming. And there’s the one you wish you would have done afterward. I was in my hotel room the night before imagining how I was going to kiss [Pfeiffer], and it was awesome. I was the man, in every way. It was glorious. Confetti started to come up, the wind swept up, newspapers, there was electricity, a big dip. I went to execute on the day, and right when I came to the crucial moment… a huge piece of confetti flew into my mouth. It was everywhere. It was in our eyes.” Pfeiffer: “It wasn’t sexy.” Efron: “Yes, it was! [Pause] I thought it was awesome.”

Ken Russell Was Hoping to Remake 1976 X-Rated Alice Musical... with Lady Gaga

When the late filmmaker Ken Russell passed away last week at the age of 84, he’d been planning to remake the infamous 1976 X-rated Alice in Wonderland musical in which Alice is taken on a tour of Wonderland by a randy White Rabbit. Ahem. And who had Russell hoped to bring along on his naughty trip down the rabbit hole? Lady Gaga, of course! Well, kinda; The Guardian reports that Russell, according to producers who are still moving forward with the project, had hoped to bring Gaga and Rihanna aboard to contribute songs to the musical, penned by composer Simon Boswell. Roger Daltry, who starred in Russell’s film adaptation of The Who’s Tommy, had been asked to play the Mad Hatter; is it much of a stretch to envision Lady Gaga as the White Rabbit, guiding young Alice along in an erotic romp through Wonderland? The producers are currently seeking a new director to take over from Russell, who left behind a near-complete script. More details over at The Guardian, but in the meantime, check out a peek at the infamous 1976 Alice (Sample ditty: “What’s a nice girl like you doing/on a knight like me?”) for a taste of the raunchy fantasy that inspired the project: Raunchy Alice musical could be Ken Russell’s final legacy [Guardian]

Magic Johnson to Bid to Buy Los Angeles Dodgers

This article appears in the Dec. 9 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.our editor recommendsThe Making of Steven Spielberg's 'War Horse'From 'The Artist' to 'War Horse,' 23 Awards Contenders That Prominently Feature Animals (Photos)'War Horse': Newest Trailer Heavy on Orchestration, Heartstring Pulling (Video)'War Horse' Star Jeremy Irvine to Play Young Colin Firth in 'The Railway Man' (Exclusive)Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson: The Titans Behind 'The Adventures of Tintin' In October 2010, Steven Spielberg fell in a hole. "I was walking in a trench with my viewfinder and the crew following me, and all of a sudden I disappeared," recalls the director of the time when he was shooting War Horse just outside London. "It was a hole dug for explosive charges, and a storm had washed away the warning cones and filled it up. I was totally under ice water. I threw my hands over my head, and two big grips pulled me out." Now, 13 months after wrapping his World War I epic, Spielberg can laugh about "the murder hole." But that was only one of the challenges involved in bringing his movie to the screen, along with fighting freezing weather, dealing with an army of 5,800 extras and about 300 horses, and turning to filmmaker Peter Jackson for crucial wartime artifacts from his private collection -- all within a 63-day shoot and with an exceptionally tight $70 million budget ($65 million after tax breaks). PHOTOS: The Making of 'War Horse' Spielberg first heard about War Horse in the summer of 2009. That's when his longtime producer Kathleen Kennedy mentioned the West End adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's 1982 novel, which centers on a British horse named Joey that we follow from birth through four years of war. During that time, he is enlisted by the army, captured by Germans and hidden by French farmers, all while being trailed by Albert, the young Englishman who raised him. When Kennedy spoke of the project, Spielberg was on the scoring stage for The Adventures of Tintin. Having finished 31 days of motion-capture work, he was in a yearlong holding pattern until animation was completed and he could return to the film. To his surprise, he discovered that the book's movie rights had not been optioned, so Kennedy flew to England, where she had breakfast with Morpurgo, then hired Billy Elliot scribe Lee Hall to craft an initial draft. COVER STORY: Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson -- The Titans Behind 'Tintin' "What was irresistible for me had nothing to do with global war," says Spielberg. "It was how Joey linked disparate characters together and the length to which Albert went to find him." After working briefly with Hall, Spielberg moved on to a second writer, Four Weddings and a Funeral's Richard Curtis, in an attempt to bring the screenplay closer to the book. Curtis was nervous: He'd met Spielberg only once before, at France's César Awards in 1995, when the presenter declared Spielberg's Schindler's List a masterpiece and said, "If any other film wins, it will be a disgrace to the honor of France" -- only for Four Weddings to pick up the best foreign film trophy. PHOTOS: Steven Spielberg on Set But Spielberg was more interested in the new picture, and he was clear it should focus on the horse -- like the novel, the movie was to be told from the horse's point of view -- rather than intercutting that story with the boy's. Curtis became convinced this would work when he read the book aloud to his 14-year-old daughter while she was in bed, awaiting an operation. "I found it hard to read the last 10 pages to her because they were so emotional," he recalls, declining to say more about the operation. "I thought immediately, 'If it works in the book, we can do it in the film.' " PHOTOS: 'The Adventures of Tintin' Now he moved fast, whipping through more than a dozen drafts in three months while conducting two-hour telephone conversations with Spielberg. On one occasion, he had to hide in a hospital medicine cabinet while discussing the script, "surrounded by syringes and pills, because I couldn't talk in my daughter's room." As he wrote, a research team plowed through troves of artifacts at England's Imperial War Museum, frequently copying photos that would be used to stage scenes. Spielberg was fascinated by their discoveries. "I was not prepared for how many millions of horses perished during the Great War -- it was over 4 million," he says. "And it wasn't all in close combat; a lot was just through malnutrition and mistreatment. But don't forget that the Humane Society was born out of the First World War, and it was a huge turning point in technological warfare that supplanted the horse once and forever." PHOTOS: 23 Awards Contenders Featuring Animals In addition to the material his researchers found, Spielberg drew on an unexpected source: his Tintin producer Jackson, who collects war memorabilia. "He's even got about 15 working biplanes, which we didn't need," marvels Spielberg. "He sent about three cargo containers to the U.K., free of charge. He pretty much lent me his entire World War I collection." As all of that fell into place, a critical matter loomed: finding the right actor to play Albert, who ages from 15 to 21. "I looked for months and months," says Spielberg. "I was running out of hope, then Jeremy Irvine came in toward the last third of the casting process." There was one snag: The 20-year-old Irvine's most extensive acting experience had been playing a tree in the chorus of the Royal Shakespeare Company. "I had a couple of months of going in to audition two or three times a week, sometimes doing videotape and knowing it would be shown to Steven," he says. "It was quite intense." Weeks after his first audition, adds Irvine: "I got a call at about 8 p.m. or 9 p.m., saying, 'Can you meet Steven for tea in a hotel in London tomorrow morning?' I did what any actor would do: I freaked out." He won the role regardless, and shooting commenced Aug. 6, 2010, in Dartmoor, in the south of England. Production designer Rick Carter had searched for British locations that would be convincing, such as the bucolic farm where Joey's story begins and the no-man's-land where the war is fought. A crew of 750 worked ferociously so each location would be ready when filming took place. Operations revolved around seven locales, ranging from the untamed moors of Dartmoor to a derelict airfield in Surrey, England (where land could be dug up to look like a battlefield) to the Duke of Wellington's storied estate west of London. Each had its share of difficulties. In Dartmoor, a nature preserve, the land couldn't be touched. "We had to put down netting and bring the dirt in and plant what looked like rocks and dig into that," says Carter. The appalling weather created some "nail-biting situations," he adds. Right before the shoot, a terrific storm blew away part of a thatched roof on Albert's farmhouse -- in actuality, made of Styrofoam. "We had to have a crew repaint it every day because it was falling apart," Carter notes. For one shot, in which men and horses emerge like ghosts from a field of reeds, the plants were moved from another part of the country and set in place individually. "There was a marsh somewhere in the south of London still in bloom; we went there and paid a farmer to cut his whole field down, then we put the reeds in Styrofoam." Even the 250 yards of trenches Carter dug, which might seem a simple task but involved laying down an infrastructure to keep them in place and allow tracking shots, required six weeks of preparation alone. "It was like a construction site, with 20 Caterpillars running around," he says. Creating clothing for the men who would inhabit those locations was no easier. "[Costume supervisor] Dave Crossman would trawl through eBay, seeing what we could get -- the hardware and the insignias," says costume designer Joanna Johnston, a longtime Spielberg collaborator. Beyond the beauty of the uniforms, she was surprised at the real-life parallels she discovered with the movie. "The great-grandfather of a girl who worked with us was a milkman whose horse was taken during the war -- and amazingly, the horse made it back," she says. As far as the present horses were concerned, Kennedy brought one huge advantage: Having produced 2003's Seabiscuit, she knew the ins and outs of working with equines. "That was one of the biggest departments on the film, with 200 to 300 people," she says of the animal unit. "You'd sometimes have as many as 180 to 280 horses in a scene. You'd have groomers and drivers to haul the horses and the feed, people to set up portable barns, vets and everyone else who handled the tack and the horses' makeup." Fourteen horses in all played Joey, the most prominent being one named Finder, which had starred in Seabiscuit. "We had bought horses for Seabiscuit, then we sold them -- and Bobby Lovgren, our lead trainer, bought Finder," says Kennedy. "He turned out to be one of the best horses Bobby had ever worked with, so he brought Finder with him to England." Except for one notable shot in which the horse stumbles and falls into a trench, most of the work was done without CGI effects. That added pressure to the shoot, as did the ever-changing British weather. "It was unbelievably rainy and cold," says Kennedy. "Even when you had your wellies on, sometimes you'd just take a step and one would be left stuck in the mud. It was freezing and raining, but then there would be these amazing skies and the whole crew would stop and gaze out at the landscape because it was so beautiful." Moments like these vanished during the hardest part of filming, when the trench warfare took place. "As soon as your big woolen uniform gets wet, the weight is unbelievable," says Irvine, "and you'd be running across no-man's-land, right through the mud and dirt. There were sequences where explosions would take place next to me and three or four stuntmen would fly through the air -- and then there'd be other scenes where you're just soaking wet. I got trench foot [a medical condition contracted through lengthy contact with dampness]. The soldiers used to get it all the time. And then there were the rats." Several dozen rodents were released into the trenches with the actors, much to their horror. But the rats were even more of a nightmare for the producers. "When you put mud on a rat, it immediately starts to clean itself. We could never keep them covered in mud," says Kennedy with a laugh. Shooting wrapped Oct. 27, 2010, following five days of studio work. Audiences will see the finished movie when Disney releases it domestically on Christmas Day through its distribution pact with DreamWorks, which financed the film through its partnership with Reliance Entertainment. (The picture unfurls internationally starting Dec. 26 in Australia.) The U.S. opening comes four days after the Dec. 21 North American release of Tintin, which already has proved an international blockbuster. In some ways, War Horse is more important for DreamWorks -- Tintin, a joint venture between Sony and Paramount, wasn't financed by the company. The former's success is critical for the studio, which has had some recent disappointments along with one megahit, The Help. Spielberg says he'll cherish the memories of making the film -- the tenderness of working with the horses, the miracle of the sunsets and the chance to bring history to life -- despite all the obstacles he encountered. "The thing about filming is, [almost] everything goes wrong," he says. "It's using the parts that go right in the finished film that counts." PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery The Making of Steven Spielberg's 'War Horse' Related Topics Steven Spielberg International Kathleen Kennedy War Horse Awards Season Preview

Sony Releasing ups Adrian Smith

Adrian Smith has been upped to exec VP and general sales manager at Sony Pictures Releasing.Smith will report to Jim Amos, prexy of Sony Pictures Releasing.In his new role, Smith -- in concert with Amos and worldwide distribution prexy Rory Bruer -- will oversee the domestic sales of all Sony Pictures films. He's currently working with exhibitors to book such titles as Columbia Pictures' "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance," "21 Jump Street," "Men in Black 3," "I Hate You Dad," "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "Total Recall," as well as Screen Gems' "Underworld Awakening," "The Vow" and "Think Like a Man.""Adrian has been a respected member of our sales and distribution team for more than 20 years," Amos said. "He has been crucial to our success with a wealth of knowledge and experience that few can match. As we look ahead to 2012 and beyond, our exhibition partners are as excited as we are about our upcoming slate of films and we look forward to relying on Adrian's skills as we bring this high-profile slate to the marketplace.""I could not be more pleased to have Adrian in this new role," added Bruer. "He has made me look good for years at TriStar and Sony Pictures Western Division, and he continues to be the consummate professional."Smith is a veteran of hundreds of release campaigns, having joined the studio's TriStar Pictures in 1989 as Western district manager. He later became managing director -- West for Sony Pictures Releasing and since 2000 has served as SPR's senior VP and Western division manager. Prior to joining the studio, Smith held posts at 20th Century Fox and Cannon Releasing. He began his career at Mann's Westwood theaters, then joined United Artists Releasing in 1979, starting as a booker before becoming the Detroit branch manager. Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com

GALLERY: 30+ Chilling Images from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Forget all that love for The Artist and Spielberg’s Oscar-readyWar Horse; sometimes you need a jolt of pure Fincherian grime and menace to snap you out of the awards season doldrums. Enter these 30+ images from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, here to remind us that the Rooney Mara-Daniel Craig starrer is the feel-bad movie of the year. Shudder and shiver your way through Movieline’s gallery and count down the days to December 21. Click to launch the gallery for peeks at Lisbeth Salander, menacing close-ups of antique journals, and more tidbits of muted-colored mayhem. Read more about The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo at Movieline. [Images via The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo official website]

'A.N.T. Farm' will return

'A.N.T. Farm'Disney Channel has renewed "A.N.T. Farm" for a second season after the freshman half-hour became the No. 1 series on TV among the 6-11 and 9-14 demos.China Anne McClain stars in the skein, which has averaged 2.0 million viewers among kids 6-11 and 1.6 million in kids 9-14 since its premiere in May. Dan Signer created "A.N.T. Farm" and exec produces with Stephen Engel for It's A Laugh Prods. Sierra McCormick, Jake Short, Stefanie Scott and Carlon Jeffery co-star. The renewal enhances McClain's status as Disney Channel's latest signing-acting prodigy, following the likes of Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez. McClain performs often on the series and, at age 13, is already signed to a Hollywood Records contract. She is working on an album with her sisters Sierra and Lauryn.An "A.N.T. Farm" soundtrack album released in October spent five weeks atop the Billboard kids album rankings. Contact Jon Weisman at jon.weisman@variety.com

Wyclef Jean Defends Charity in Wake of Questionable Spending Report

This article appeared in the Dec. 2 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.our editor recommendsJimmy Fallon Apologizes to Michele Bachmann for 'Late Night' Song IntroGOP Presidential Debate on CNN: What Hollywood Is SayingMitt Romney Is First GOP Presidential Hopeful to Book Hollywood Fundraiser (Exclusive)Related Topics•Politics As Sarah Palin demonstrated after the 2008 election, failure on the campaign trail doesn't mean you have to disappear from the public eye. In fact, she proved the opposite, parlaying her unsuccessful run on the Republican ticket into a high profile -- and very lucrative -- career as a pundit, with earnings estimated at more than $1 million a year just from her gig on Fox News. So which of the current crop of Republican candidates -- some of whom could rake in $500,000 to $700,000 a year on the high end as a pundit -- is the most likely to pull a Palin? PHOTOS: 10 Entertainers Democrats and Republicans Love to Hate THR surveyed agents and cable news insiders, many of whom believe Texas Gov. Rick Perry has the makings of a great TV pundit once his term in office is over. "The look, the Southern base, the religion -- he's perfect for Fox News," says Nick Kahn, a broadcasting agent at ICM. But CNN analyst Paul Begala, who made the leap from Bill Clinton advisor to pundit almost 20 years ago, disagrees. Perry is "definitely in the top 10 dumbest people I've met in my life," he says, noting that TV personalities must think quickly and remember their cues, a sore spot for Perry in the wake of his recent debate fumble. "There's just no hope for him as a pundit." PHOTOS: Actors Who've Played Politicians Begala thinks Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann has the goods to be the next Palin. The traits that hurt Bachmann as a candidate -- a speaking style that doesn't bother to "clear the holster before you pull the trigger," he says -- might help her on TV. "The ability to offer something interesting and provocative on a moment's notice is definitely a talent," argues Begala. Most observers dismiss the chances of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman ("more at home on PBS" says Begala) and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney to find TV success. One insider suggests Romney is "too mainstream" for Fox News, but might make a nice fit for CNN or even MSNBC if the network is looking to add a conservative to its liberal-leaning lineup. PHOTOS: Best Movie and TV Presidents The wild card seems to be Herman Cain. The sexual harassment allegations against the former pizza executive might be "a real problem," says one executive, though CNN hired Eliot Spitzer in the wake of his call-girl scandal. Still one agent thinks Cain's folksy humor might play well on Fox, saying, "He's unpredictable, and in TV that's a good thing." PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Michele Bachmann: The Politics of Fashion Related Topics Politics Michele Bachmann Rick Perry Herman Cain

Kimberly McCullough Departing General Hospital

Kimberly McCullough Kimberly McCullough is departing General Hospital, Cleaning soap Opera Digest reviews.The actress, who plays Robin Scorpio, will exit the cleaning soap early the coming year to pursue pointing. Fans can get a "poignant and should-watch" narrative for Robin and husband Patrick (Jason Thompson), a show repetition stated. Exclusive: Jonathan Jackson talks about his shocking exit from General HospitalThe news comes per week after Jonathan Jackson (Lucky) introduced he'll leave General Hospital the following month.McCullough came from the role of Robin in 1985 when she was 7. She left the show in 1996 making periodic guest looks before rejoining full-time in 2005. She's won two Daytime Emmys on her work.Are you going to miss McCullough?

'Artist,' 'Tomboy,' 'War' chase Louis-Delluc

PARIS -- Michel Hazanavicius' "The Artist," Celine Sciamma's "Tomboy" and Valerie Donzelli's "Commitment of War" are the nine photos set to compete for your Louis-Delluc award. Headed by Cannes Film Festival's prexy Gilles Jacob, the jury comprises about 20 experts and film journos. As they are frequently the problem, the choice features many films that bowed at Cannes inside the Official Selection, particularly "The Artist," Aki Kaurismaki's "Le Havre," Bertrand Bonello's "House of Tolerance," Pierre Schoeller's "The Minister," Bruno Dumont's "Outdoors Satan" and Alain Cavalier's "Pater." "War" carried out in Directors' Week. However, Maiwenn's "Polisse," which nabbed Cannes' jury prize, remarkably didn't ensure it is towards the list. Teddy Lussi-Modeste's "Jimmy Riviere" and "17 Women," helmed by Muriel Coulin and Delphine Coulin, will vie for your first film jerk, along with three other photos. The award was created in 1937 in homage to film journalist Louis Delluc. Individuals who win will probably be introduced inside a ceremony in Paris on 12 ,. 16. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Soderbergh ankles 'Man From U.N.C.L.E.'

SoderberghSteven Soderbergh has ankled from pointing Warner Bros.' spy pic "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." Studio confirmed Friday that Soderbergh had departed within the project. Warner Bros. did not have further comment but an origin near the situation established the director as well as the studio had couldn't agree over budget issues. It's uncertain whether Warner Bros. continues to develop "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," good sixties TV series starring Robert Vaughn and David McCallum as superagents Napoleon Solo and Ilya Kuryakin, agents for your United states . Network Command for Law & Enforcement. Project's seen Matt Damon, The Actor-kaira Pitt and Bradley Cooper spread charge role vacated by George Clooney several several days ago. Scott Z. Burns has written the newest version in the script. Warner Bros. acquired Soderbergh's drama "Miracle Mike" late lately and hang up it for release June 29. Cinemax acquired Soderbergh's Liberace film "Behind the Candelabra" lately as well as the TV pic will star Michael Douglas since the artist and Damon as Liberace's lover, Scott Thorson. News of Soderbergh departing "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." was reported with the Playlist. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

It's Official: NBC Orders 'The Munsters' to Pilot

NBC is returning towards the well using the Munsters.our editor recommendsCBS Twitches Nose, Orders 'Bewitched' ScriptNBC Gives Existence to 'Frankenstein' Reboot The network has acquired the pilot, that is charged being an imaginative reinvention from the classic comedy series like a aesthetically spectacular one-hour drama. STORY: 'The Munsters': 'Pushing Daisies' Creator Takes Second Stab at Remake With NBC The project, that is being producedby Universal Television, is going to be written and executive producedBryan Larger (Dead Much Like Me, Pushing Daisies). Larger and NBC first made an effort to bring back the sixties CBS sitcom this past year, using the network ultimately passing. Fuller's change is stated to become an edgier and more personal and slightly more dark take exploring roots of Herman and Lily Munster (initially performed byFred GwynneandYvonne P Carlo) and just how they showed up in the famous 1313 Mockingbird Lane address. The initial series, created by Universal Galleries, broadcast 70 episodes from 1964-66 on CBS. The series has demonstrated strong in distribution, ultimately creating a spinoff,The Munsters Today, which went from 1988-91 and survived 72 episodes. An element film,Munster, Go Back Home, along with a 1981 NBC telefilm,The Munsters' Revengewith the initial cast,also turned in the original property. Larger is repped by WME. Related Subjects NBC TV Aircraft pilots

Katie Couric Show Eyes Ad Rates close to $50,000 (Report)

NY - Katie Couric's planned syndicated talk show Katie positioning itself to meet the increasing demand left through the finish of The famous host oprah Winfrey's syndicated show and it is searching for advertising rates above individuals of large established shows. Distribution company Disney-ABC Domestic TV together with Couric and executive producer Shaun Zucker is making the models on Madison Avenue and requesting something around $50,000 for any 30-second ad place within the yet misguided show that's set to produce in September, the NY Publish reported. That might be about 50 % from the $100,000 that spots on Winfrey's show came before it ended, but which was following a 25-year run of the beloved show. However, the ad cost could be over the costs for such shows as Ellen and Accept Regis and Kelly, which command about $35,000-$40,000, based on the paper. Gary Carr, mind of TV purchasing at small ad firm TargetCast, told the Publish the misguided Couric show might be shooting high when it comes to the ad rates it targets. "Katie Couric was fine around the Today show, but she did not exactly set the planet burning in the CBS Evening News," he contended. The Publish stated that professionals are telling ad agencies that Couric's show will film live from NY and have topical conversation in the news during the day together with inspiring tales. The show is anticipated to produce inside a 3pm slot on Disney-possessed ABC stations and also at various occasions on affiliated stations. The distribution company rejected to discuss ad prices along with other plans. Ad sales are required to occur next summer time following a systems' upfront presentations. The 2009 week, Disney-ABC Domestic Television stated that Katie has offered to 55 from the top 60 marketplaces, covering a lot more than 80 % of the nation. Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Subjects Shaun Zucker Katie Couric

'Hobbit' Trailer Looms, Gandalf Speaks, Bilbo Rises

Apparently, when it rains in Hobbiton, it pours. With anticipation so high for the two-part fantasy epic, "The Hobbit," fans everywhere eagerly await each piece of news from the New Zealand set, usually living from production diary to production diary. Three interesting pieces of news about the upcoming films showed up online today, so click on for a rundown of everything currently happening in the world of "The Hobbit." A Trailer for Christmas? Andy Serkis certainly has come a long way since his humble, but unforgettable beginnings as the man behind Gollum. Speaking with IGN UK about his massively popular role as Caesar in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," Serkis mentioned when he thought a trailer for his return to Middle Earth might show up. "There will be a trailer fairly soon, actually. Around Christmas time, I believe," Serkis said. The article from IGN guesses that Serkis' prediction means either a debut before "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" or the more likely choice of "The Adventures of Tintin." Bilbo Rising For the main character of the films, Martin Freeman's Bilbo hasn't shown up that much in the materials released from the film so far. Eric Vespe, Ain't It Cool's embedded reported and one lucky bastard, filed his third report from the location shoots in Matamata, aka Hobbiton, with a brand new picture of Freeman as Bilbo speaking with director Peter Jackson. Technically, there is nothing new about Bilbo's look from the photo, but every glance at the reluctant hero is worth mentioning. The Blogging Wizard Ian McKellen gave "The Hobbit" and Jackson a brief shout out in his most recent blog. "In The Hobbit, Gandalf is part old duffer but more he's a soldier. Peter Jackson, who likes to see the old guys fighting it out, reminded me the other day that Gandalf is a commander, a general," McKellen wrote. "Having slain the Great Goblin I was being a bit too indulgent with the dwarves who meanwhile had mislaid Bilbo in the goblin tunnels. I've played enough soldiers to see that PJ was right and in the next take I was very stern." What do you want to see from the first trailer for "The Hobbit"? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

Panel: Focus on 'horse race' is misguided

When it comes to how bizzers judge a film's success, participants in a Tuesday panel on the state of the film industry had a few choice words for entertainment journos."The media focuses on the weekend box office way too dramatically," said Rick Nicita, co-chairman and COO of Morgan Creek Prods. "A movie can be seen in many different ways. The initial one is theatrical."Nicita echoed the sentiment of other speakers at Variety's Future of Film Summit on Tuesday, who lamented the intense media scrutiny of a film's opening weekend box office irrespective of that pic's costs and risks."It's got to be about the profits, it's not about this constant horse race," said Endgame Entertainment CEO Jim Stern during the panel moderated by Variety editor in chief Tim Gray. "If you come into the film and you have a small exposure and the film does $30 million, you have an enormous success. We don't measure the performance of Chrysler by gross revenue, we base it on profit."Stern and Nicita, along with panelists David Glasser, chief operating officer of the Weinstein Co., and Mark Sourian, co-prexy of production for DreamWorks Studios, argued that bizzers need to rethink the categorization of more "modest" performers -- especially if they were made for a price."They did it with 'Insidious" and 'Paranormal' there have been some very smart price points," Glasser said. "Dimension, for years, would make movies for $10 million or $12 million dollars and we do $30 million box officewe're running around the office high-fiving each other."These smaller budgets, coupled with the current economic climate and new digital revenue streams, is contributing to an increased openness at the studios to the opportunity to finance smaller pics. "Without those entities, studios are going to make fewer and fewer movies," Sourian said.Above all, with consumers facing so many entertainment options, moviemakers need to focus on the quality of the product to move the turnstiles."You really have to give people a reason to go to the movies," Sourian said. "What I have to ask myself is, 'Is there a compelling enough reason for somebody to get in their car, get a babysitter and get to the movie?' That bar has been (raised) by VOD, by social networking, by the economic climate."And while change can be scary for many business models, the panelists agreed that there's a silver lining."One version of it is a burden, the other version is an opportunity to create must-see movies," Sourian said. Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com

So Much For #RatnerFreeOscars! AMPAS Stands by Producer: 'It Will Not Happen Again'

I’m still waiting for anyone from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to bother replying to my request for comment about yesterday’s Brett Ratner “rehearsing is for fags” imbroglio, but AMPAS president Tom Sherak has officially weighed in on the controversy: “He knew it was wrong and he issued that response as quickly as any human being ever has. The bottom line is, this won’t and can’t happen again. It will not happen again.” So much for the #RatnerFreeOscars; it was nice to imagine while it lasted. Specifically, some of our Twitter followers’ replacement producer suggestions were fantastic: .bbpBox{background:url(http://a3.twimg.com/profile_background_images/227739115/WHO_IS_EL_KABONG_TITLE_CARD.jpg) #9AE4E8;padding:20px;}Baz Luhrmann! RT @Movieline: Anyone have alternative Oscar-producer suggestions? #RatnerFreeOscarsMon Nov 07 23:27:24 via EchofonAlonso DuraldeADuralde .bbpBox{background:url(http://a1.twimg.com/images/themes/theme6/bg.gif) #709397;padding:20px;}Uwe Boll? RT @Movieline Anyone have alternative Oscar-producer suggestions? #RatnerFreeOscarsMon Nov 07 23:24:42 via webChristopher Rosen42inchtv .bbpBox{background:url(http://a2.twimg.com/profile_background_images/254788281/night_caller_crop.jpg) #1A1B1F;padding:20px;}David Lynch. RT @Movieline: Anyone have alternative Oscar-producer suggestions? #RatnerFreeOscarsMon Nov 07 23:30:26 via Twitter for iPhoneCult & horror moviesBlackHoleMovies .bbpBox{background:url(http://a0.twimg.com/profile_background_images/124247834/x6dfd1408b859ebc6056e63ebf83d8b9.png) #E8DDCB;padding:20px;}Bela Tarr! RT @Movieline: Anyone have alternative Oscar-producer suggestions? #RatnerFreeOscarsMon Nov 07 23:54:27 via TweetDeckJenni OlsonJenniOlsonSF .bbpBox{background:url(http://a1.twimg.com/images/themes/theme9/bg.gif) #0c0e0c;padding:20px;}@Movieline Tarantino. The women who either won or presented would have to be barefoot.Tue Nov 08 01:13:54 via TweetCaster for AndroidKevin Scott ThompsonKevinScottT .bbpBox{background:url(http://a1.twimg.com/images/themes/theme5/bg.gif) #352726;padding:20px;}Tommy Wiseau. RT @Movieline: Anyone have alternative Oscar-producer suggestions? #RatnerFreeOscarsTue Nov 08 00:53:53 via Echofonjason hickeyjason_hickey .bbpBox{background:url(http://a0.twimg.com/profile_background_images/200050367/twitterbackdrop.jpg) #131516;padding:20px;}@Movieline. Michael Bay, he’s used to displeasing critics & if your speech goes long: BOOM!! Explosive podiums!Tue Nov 08 01:05:10 via webDuncan MacMasterFuriousDShow Superb work, all. Now on to damage control for the Oscarcast’s embattled host, who this week faces such charming headlines as: “Tower Heist: Is Eddie Murphy’s tank finally on empty?” It’s gonna be a long season.

Dish profit rises 30%

Dish Network, the smaller of the nation's two satellite broadcasters, saw profit and revenue rise last quarter but lost 111,000 subscribers, citing intense competition -- including heavy discounting by rivals -- a weak housing market and lower discretionary spending by consumers. The Englewood, Colo.-based company, which had nearly 14 million subs as of Sept. 30, said profit rose 30% to $319 million on lower costs from adding fewer subscribers. Revenue was up 12% to $13.6 million. "As the pay TV industry matures, we and our competitors increasingly must seek to attract a greater proportion of new subscribers from each other's existing subscriber bases rather than from first-time purchasers of pay TV services," the company said. "Some of our competitors have been especially aggressive by offering discounted programming and services for both new and existing subscribers. In addition, programming offered over the internet has become more prevalent as the speed and quality of broadband networks have improved." CEO Joe Clayton said that going forward Dish plans to build on the momentum of its Blockbuster-branded programming service, which allows its customers to stream movies and TV shows and receive DVDs by mail. The quarter was the first one to fully incorporate Blockbuster, which Dish acquired out of bankruptcy for about $240 million. At the end of the three-month period, Blockbuster still operated over 1,500 retail stores in the U.S. Dish said it has negotiated flexible termination provisions in the leases of more than 900 of these stores. Larger rival DirecTV last week said it added 327,000 subscribers in the third quarter, due in part to its exclusive NFL Sunday Ticket. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Benicio Del Toro Wanted for 'Star Trek' Follow up

Apparently J.J. Abrams did not take what Universal chief Ron Meyer stated about Benicio Del Toro's 'Wolfman' performance to heart. ("Benicio stunk," stated Meyer.) Variety reviews that Abrams wants Del Toro to experience the villain within the follow up to 'Star Trek,' which a deal may go out sometime within the next couple of days. What villain Del Toro would play remains a mysterious, but -- as Kyle Buchanan posits at Vulture -- possibly he or she is Khan? In the end, the follow up to 'Star Trek: The Film,A was 'Wrath of Khan,' so that's something! Or possibly not. Speculate as extremely as you would like within the comments below. [via Variety] [Photo: FilmMagic] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

New Hobbit Video From Peter Jackson

PJ updates on the 3DIt's been four months since we last had an update from the set of The Hobbit, so at long last here's a new video from Peter Jackson, replete with Hobbity goodness and, specifically this time, all things 3D.Jackson's fourth Hobbit video-blog seems designed to allay any fears we may have about 3D, and especially the limitations that often drain colour and light from the screen. As a bit of a showcase we get a good look at the sinister forest of Mirkwood, which is currently looking like a Roger Dean album cover. The over-saturated headache-inducing psychedelia is to compensate for the fact that the RED camera "eats colour". Similar problems have to be overcome in the make-up department, and we're given a demo with Graham McTavish as Dwalin, whose face looks crazily sunburned so that it doesn't show as yellow on screen. He's got pale arms though. "I've barely seen daylight for six months", he sobs.We also get a proud tour of the camera department, and Jackson's collection of cutting-edge RED Epics: four dozen of them, named after Jackson family members, dogs (Tricky-Woo? Really?) and The Beatles. There are crane cameras and handhelds, with Jackson insisting that the system isn't as cumbersome as you might have heard, and that he's shooting as he more-or-less normally would (apart from having to do it through mirrors). The 3D effects can actually be achieved and adjusted "live". Alan Lee and John Howe are even doing 3D concept art!There's talk of negative and positive space, interocular and convergence, and 48-frames per second: twice the normal shooting and projection speed.But for those who couldn't give a longbottom leaf about the tech stuff, there are more exciting glimpses in the ten-minute clip. Mirkwood aside, we get to see a green-screen "polystyrene and plaster pine forest"; Andy Serkis doing a bit of directing and Elijah Wood looking on and enthusing;Stephen Hunter's Bombur knocked off his feet; quick shots of Elrond (Hugo Weaving) and a sword-wielding Gandalf (Ian McKellen); and Bilbo (Martin Freeman) allowing dwarfs to spill through his iconic round front door. And is that Last Bridge we see the company approaching, near where the encounter with the trolls happens?"Just about everything we've been talking about, - the 3D, the 48 frames - you can't actually see," Jackson apologises. "But you will..."The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is out next December. And if you fancy casting your mind back, there's a rather nifty tenth-anniversary Lord Of The Rings feature in the current Empire.

Werner Herzog Talks One Shot, Tom Cruise: 'He Means Business'

Renowned for his prolific, fearless filmmaking, Werner Herzog is in fact nothing if not a polymath: Opera director, guerrilla film-school proprietor, diarist and author, septi-continental gadabout, and actor for hire (among other interests). It’s this latter quality that he and I discussed briefly today as he made the rounds for his new capital-punishment doc Into the Abyss — a diametric opposite to the biggest onscreen gig he’s taken to date. Word came down last month that Herzog would co-star in One Shot, writer-director Christopher McQuarrie’s adaptation of the bestselling thriller by novelist Lee Child. The ninth in the series of Child’s thrillers featuring ex-military investigator Jack Reacher, One Shot centers around the tough guy’s attempt to hunt down the cold-blooded sniper responsible for five murders in a small town, and as if the project didn’t attract enough notoriety for having Tom Cruise as its leading man and co-producer, McQuarrie intensified the spotlight by casting Herzog as Reacher’s trigger-happy adversary known simply as The Zec. The role will supply Herzog with his highest-profile screen performance yet, one about which we spoke today in NY. So I’ve read that you’re acting again? Yes, I am acting again. I’m fairly good as an actor when it comes to roles of hostile or dangerous guys, or violent and debased and dysfunctional characters. And of course, since this is a big Hollywood film, they have studied my performance in other films. So I was not involved in any casting; I was just invited. Why do you think that was? Because I’m good! You see, when it comes to an expensive film, you can’t fool around and make a choice of somebody who is known as a filmmaker. If you are bad as an actor, it may really damage the film. So they apparently took a very close look — I mean, the director, the producer, Tom Cruise — they took a good look at what I am onscreen as an actor. But why do you think you’re so good at it? I don’t know. Well, I like everything that has to do with cinema: writing, directing, editing, acting… Just everything. And of course I know what I should do and what I should not do. I wouldn’t accept a part in a movie where I thought I couldn’t manage it. In a way, for example, this is why I accepted a guest part in The Simpsons. And I’m good in there. I’m the voice of the plastic bag in Ramin Bahrani’s film Plastic Bag. And I’m good in Harmony Korine’s Julien Donkey Boy. Cruise is an interesting actor to me — someone who’s never directed, but who’s instead worked with some of the foremost filmmakers of the last half-century: Kubrick, Scorsese, Coppola, Spielberg, and many others. Have you met him? Yes. What do you think of his regard for filmmakers? Do you think his wanting to work with you in this context was because he probably wouldn’t have the chance otherwise? No, he does not work with me. He works with the director, Chris McQuarrie. I’m only a partner in crime onscreen. But let me try to describe him: Yes, he has worked with some very, very good — very good — serious filmmakers. But what strikes me is that sometimes you can tell from five miles’ distance: “This is a professional man. He means business.” He’s extremely well-prepared, very good to work with, very respectful — a very kind human being. And you can tell, strangely enough, from five miles’ distance. McQuarrie aside, being on this set is probably as close to working with you as Tom Cruise is going to get, considering the films you make. Not necessarily, because the kind of films he has been into — like Mission: Impossible — I’m convinced that… I don’t even know who made Mission: Impossible. Who directed Mission: Impossible? The first one was Brian De Palma. OK. Brian De Palma is certainly the better director than me. Really? If I had tried to make Mission: Impossible, I wouldn’t have come up with a film as intense as Brian De Palma. I mean this very film, for example. There are other people who do that better. Fair enough. In any case, you’re looking forward to this? Yes! I’m going to have a good time. And I love Pittsburgh. My first time ever in America was Pittsburgh; I chose Pittsburgh. I left my scholarship that I had after four or five days, and then I was literally homeless. I was picked up by an absolutely wonderful family and became part of a household of six children between 17 and 27. I was adopted — I was literally adopted from walking in the street a the outskirts. So I have seen the best of America. I’ve seen it right away. Drop back by Movieline next week for more with Werner Herzog about Into the Abyss. Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter. [Photo: Getty Images]

DirecTV Reviews Strong 3Q Sub Growth And Revenues But Misses Earnings Anticipation

The satellite company’s ambitious National football league Sunday Ticket promotions and expansion efforts in Latin America virtually shipped in 3Q. The organization reported net gain of $516M, up 8% versus the quarter this past year, on revenues of $6.84B, up 14%. That revenue figure capped the $6.74B the Street expected. Earnings, at 70 cents a share, fell lacking the 73 cent forecast. The organization states its profit required popular from greater programming costs, including its new National football league contract, and greater subscription acquisition costs. But a minimum of the client acquisition effort compensated off: DirecTV ended the quarter with 19.76M U.S. clients — up 4% from this past year, causeing this to be the organization’s best 3Q in seven years. Simultaneously, average monthly customer obligations elevated 3.6% versus this past year to $92.21. Priceincreases for DirecTV programming and leased digital tuners outweighed the National football league promotion discount rates. In Latin America, DirecTV ended 3Q with 7.28M clients, up 34% from this past year.Boss Mike Whitened states that “we intend to develop this momentum by debuting several compelling new items and services together with a greatly enhanced DirecTV Anywhere offering which will enable customers to stream live-TV programming as well as on-demand movies for their mobile products, in addition to a completely new HD interface and also the much anticipated launch in our home media center.”

Exclusive Sneak Look Video: Grimm Assumes Goldilocks

David Giuntoli In the world of Grimm, everyday crimes like breaking and entering can unlock some surprising dangers. On Friday's episode (9/8c, NBC) Nick and Hank (David Giuntoli and Russell Hornsby) investigate a home-invasion situation and come across a family group getting a cultural background plus a crude history possibly that's better left formerly. Ratings: Grimm's debut isn't Look at this start searching: Err. The episode is titled "Bears Will Probably Be Bears" and features a blonde named Gilda (Amy Gumenick) who's been in the house that's clearly not hers. It sure appears like "Goldilocks as well as the Three Bears," but because this is Grimm, we're expecting a few twists. Porridge is probably not involved! Grimm airs Fridays at 9/8c on NBC. Are you currently presently searching toward this episode? How perhaps you have like the premiere?

Exclusive First Look: Jaime Pressly Under Attack in I Hate My Teenage Daughter

I Hate My Teenage Daughter Jaime Pressly spent four years and won an Emmy for terrorizing on-screen ex-husband Earl on My Name is Earl, but now she's bearing the brunt of the abuse on her new series I Hate My Teenage Daughter. The series, premiering on Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 9:30/8:30c, follows single moms Annie (Pressly) and Nikki (Katie Finneran), who realize that by raising their daughters to be cool (as opposed to the nerds they were in high school), they have actually created two bratty monsters. "The relationship between Annie, my character, and my daughter Sophie is actually a really good one," Pressly says. Adds Kristi Lauren, who plays Annie's daughter: "Annie let Sophie grow up without a lot of rules and so Sophie thinks, 'Oh, I can do whatever I want.' They always have this struggle for power." Mark Consuelos joins I Hate My Teenage Daughter The question is whether both women can (finally) start disciplining their daughters, but also keeping those mother-daughter bonds intact. "My problem is that I always want my daughter to love me so much," Finneran says with a laugh. Watch an exclusive first look at I Hate My Teenage Daughter:

Sierra Towers: The Methods of L.A.'s Strange, Sexy Celebrity Condo

The means by which real estate agent Russ Filice recalls it, eventually at the begining of 2000s, he gave an trip from the Sierra Towers condominium to Eddie Fisher, the first sort teen idol and singer, and also the kids Tricia Leigh Fisher and Joely Fisher. The late artist's brood wanted him to move into the 31-story West Hollywood high-rise, as well as the visit reduce recollections for Fisher, former husband to both Darlene Reynolds and Bette Davis, then within the 70s. "Once we were touring him along with his kids, he mentioned, 'Oh, Used to do formerly party here constantly with Yul Brynner, doing cocaine.' And so they mentioned, 'We know, Father, everyone knows,' " Filice recalls. "I believed, 'How interesting.' If these walls could talk."our editor recommendsHollywood's Finest Property Deals every week: Matthew Perry, Val Kilmer, Jesse Trump (Photos) Indeed, Sierra Towers -- extended a choice of Celebs, rock 'n' roll gods and showbiz moguls alike -- is packed with colorful tales that have only put in its appeal and mystique. There's hardly any other residential building in La that has situated this kind of various and many notables: former people include David Geffen, Sidney Poitier and Lindsay Lohan(see chart below).Cher, Elton John and Joan Collins are current people, and THR finds that Courteney Cox recently bought a 2-mattress room, upper-floor unit within the 9255 Doheny Road tower. They've all clustered with a building that's recognized for its jaw-losing sights, sharp midcentury architecture, discreet staff and prime location round the eastern side of Beverly Slopes at the end from the Hollywood Slopes (Sierra Towers is nearby from Soho House). The structure is effectively not avoidable because current zoning restrictions can make it tough to create this kind of tower in West Hollywood, where it is the greatest building. These factors make Sierra Towers among L.A.'s most pricey high-increases and aided fuel an outburst in prices and interest there because the boom in the mid-2000s. It is among only numerous L.A. condo structures where models routinely sell more than $1,000 per sq foot ., a company benchmark. PHOTOS: Matthew Perry's $Thirty Dollars million in solid Estate -- Two Records, One Purchase, One Purchase All Inside A few days Even though Fisher never wound up buying at Sierra Towers, his fascination with it's illustrative: The 146-unit property draws in all decades -- it is a place where celebrity Lily Collins could share a dip inside the pool or possibly a lift ride with Joan Collins or her Empire enemy, Diahann Carroll. "You have to be entirely makeup whatsoever occasions when you're getting inside the elevator -- you never know who you will come across,In . states Nikki Haskell, the StarShape weight reduction guru together with a Sierra Towers resident since 1990. She's testing the waters and contains put her two-mattress room unit in the marketplace for $3.2 million. Still, Haskell states selling it "would totally break my heart." You will discover several apocryphal tales in regards to the building's beginning that only increase its legend. People condition the website for Sierra Towers was situated in Beverly Slopes, however, if that city balked within the recommended height, the house was annexed by La County, which allowed construction to move forward. You will discover also tales of advantages by organized crime to neighbors in nearby structures and houses who grumbled regarding sights being destroyed another story involves Frank Sinatra helping to obtain the building completed after construction postponed as they wanted a place for his mother to reside in. The structure may also be mentioned to acquire its plural title from scuttled original expects to build up another tower. (The urban centers of Beverly Slopes and West Hollywood together with the La Conservancy haven't any records or information that validate these tales.) PHOTOS: Hollywood's Finest Property Deals every week: Matthew Perry, Val Kilmer, Jesse Trump What's known in regards to the building's history is much more straightforward. Sierra Towers was produced for $12 million by Walter and Leo Minskoff, whose family firm also built NY's Minskoff Theatre. The structure opened up up in 1966, similar to the adjacent Sunset Strip was roaring to existence, and increased being the greatest residential structure in La. The architect, Jack A. Charney, who examined under Richard Neutra and Rudolph Schindler, mentioned in the 1965 La Occasions article he designed the structure "to think about obtain the most of sights of city, hills and ocean." Compared to that finish, models inside the building, including one-, two- and three-mattress room houses, feature true floor-to-ceiling home home windows and expansive balconies. Sierra Towers was operated just like a apartment, but following its purchase by NY property investor Helmsley Spear Corporation., the structure was changed into condos in 1974. In individuals days, single-mattress room condo may be had for $70,500 together with a 3-mattress room unit for $152,500, with different 1974 La Occasions story. The structure came stars, socialites and entertainers The Fugitive star David Janssen settled in, as did star jockey Willie Shoemaker after which, Tawny Kitaen. Nowadays, Sierra Towers condos routinely fetch prices typically limited to houses in Beverly Slopes or Brentwood. This fall, for example, Matthew Perry unloaded a couple-mattress room unit for slightly under $3 million he'd bought from John in 2005 for $3.2 million. According to data within the Mls, 10 models are actually offered this season, by getting a typical price of $2.millions of ($1,080 per sq foot .). That's up from 2010, when eight were offered with an average price of $1.6 000 0000 ($850 per sq foot .). Still, pricing is reduced the boom years, when models offered more than $2,000 per sq foot . at the peak in the recession this past year, only one unit exchanged hands. But Filice cautions that recent sales figures don't tell the whole story because some deals are completed in the market and don't are available in sales databases. He mentioned there's been three such sales this year. EXCLUSIVE: Hollywood's Historic Taft Building available Filice knows the structure well. A San Francisco Bay Area transplant, he bought one within the month of the month of january 2002 for $725,000 after being intrigued with the sights, locale and -- possibly first of all -- an chance. The Sotheby's Worldwide Realtor felt your building, which in those days had fallen from favor while using celebrity set, may be repositioned to another generation of Hollywood players. According to him that his grassroots advertising campaign introduced a slew of latest people for the tower, altering it in to a hotspot for youthful Hollywood. Throughout yesteryear decade, Lohan and Rachel Zoe moved in, among others. Inside the boom years, some flippers -- including Vincent Gallo -- developed a fortune, turning models quickly for profits inside the millions. People condition that the building functions just like a true community: A-listers are friendly inside the hallways, quick use a smile or retain the elevator. "Everybody inside the building includes a great deal of privacy -- it's don't assume all guy for themselves," Haskell states. Nevertheless the building's number of outsize personas has produced memorable moments for a lot of people. Numerous tales, really, focus on the structure's elevators, which you'll find just two -- an oversight with the developer that, Kitaen states, handled to obtain cumbersome to redesign her many houses (she were living in five models in early eighties to 2008). With only two elevators, strange excursions sometimes happens. Filice, for example, recalls one ride he needed that ended while using entrance doors opening on Lohan, outfitted only inside an unbuttoned males's dress shirt, during the time of the argument with then-boyfriend Scott Storch, accurate documentation producer. (Filice, who states he's offered greater than 100 models within the building, forget about lives there.) One former resident recalls working out throughout a good work out session and searching to go to a "catfight between Alex Carrington and Dominique Deveraux" -- the Empire figures referred to by Collins and Carroll, correspondingly. (It didn't happen.) With time, entrepreneurs have scammed the structure's design to re-imagine their models. Because Sierra Towers was built with crawl space between flooring, entrepreneurs receive great flexibility in rerouting plumbing together with others to numerous places in models. Among people who've place their own stamp on things: Charles S. Cohen, who is the owner of the Off-shoreline Design Center, which has combined three models. Cher's unit might be the only real two-story condo inside the building -- it absolutely was formerly possessed by Gallo and earlier, Geffen. For his part, John has created a residence for his 10-month-old boy, Zachary, that's near the singer's pad. Kitaen, Haskell while others your building's staff of 37 -- including security personnel, porters and 11 valets, distinguishes it off their high-finish condo characteristics, including Wilshire Corridor cornerstones such as the Blair House and new additions like the Century. That sentiment is echoed by Sotheby's agent Josh Greer, furthermore a resident. "You will discover newer, glossier, fancy structures round the Corridor, but they are cent-a-dozen," states Greer, which has possessed several models inside the tower over time and offered seven there formerly six several days. "I recieve home and so they hands me my FedEx packages and take my vehicle, that's perfectly washed with the valets. I am not likely to leave." Clearly, homeowner association dues are dear: A fee of roughly $1.20 per sq foot . monthly suggests that who is the owner of a few,100-square-ft, three-mattress room unit forks over about $2,520 monthly. Greer likens Sierra Towers with a top-tier NY co-op, such as the Dakota. But unlike Manhattan, where you will discover several residential towers preferred with this city's elite, in L.A., a confluence of timing, location and Hollywood glamour has allowed Sierra Towers to manage alone. News that five models are really in the marketplace -- plus a $9.5 million penthouse -- excites Kitaen, who desires she could return to the structure she extended referred to as home. The onetime Whitesnake music video star longingly recounts her days at Sierra Towers, saying she energizes "thinking about it every single day, going 'Goddamn it, why did I sell my place?'" Email: Daniel.Burns@THR.com Twitter: @DanielNMiller Related Subjects Property

Len Blavatnik's Warner Music Closing in on EMI's Artists Division (Report)

LONDON - Warner Music looks like favorite to win control of EMI's recorded music business after entering a bid of between $1.5-$1.6 billion for the division, with BMG Rights/ KKR bidding between $1.8 billion and $2 billion for EMI's publishing arm, according to Bloomberg.our editor recommends'Glee' Cast Joins Viral Star Keenan Cahill for Katy Perry TrackApple Posts Steve Jobs Memorial Video Featuring Al Gore, Coldplay, Norah Jones (Video) PHOTOS: Grammys: Top 10 Must-See Moments If the deal goes through, it would see Warner taking control of a catalog of artists including Coldplay and Katy Perry, while BMG Rights - a joint venture between Bertelsmann and private equity house KKR - would control the publishing catalog of artists including David Bowieand The Arctic Monkeys. Citing people close to the deal, Bloomberg said that EMI-owner Citigroup is still looking at options to split the British music company - which had proved such a disastrous $6 billion buy for maverick investor Guy Handsin 2007. Citigroup took control of the business after Hands' invesment firm Terra Firma defaulted on its loans with the bank. On the way he caused a slew of artists including Radiohead, Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones to leave the label dispirited by the Terra Firma management approach. PHOTOS: Billboard Music Awards Nominees Bloomberg said that Warner Music - which was bought by Len Blavatnik'sAccess Industries for $3.3 billion in June - is still negotiating around EMI's pension liabilities. Meanwhile, Reuters reported that the deal announcement thought likely this week has now been pushed forward to next week. Reuters said Warner Music was now in "pole position" after Universal Music dropped out of the auction, apparently concerned that the pension costs would overweigh the deal. PHOTOS: American Music Awards: Red Carpet A merge between EMI and Warner Music has been talked about for the better part of the past decade and could yet create a global player capable of taking on Universal and Sony. Related Topics International Warner Music Group EMI

Arbitration clauses upset creatives

Charlie Sheen's lawyers searched for a public trial, however the situation visited arbitration anyway. Charlie Sheen's situation against Warner Bros. has settled, the theatrics from the dispute changed with a conciliatory tone. Only one problem remains a continuing supply of discontent within the legal community: arbitration. Before Sheen and Warner Bros. found terms to have an undisclosed amount, they squared off in the court, with Sheen's reps anxious to possess his situation heard inside a public proceeding and also the studio going to enforce a clause in the contract that will have place it at the disposal of an arbitrator, typically a upon the market judge, with most everything completed in private. Even though Sheen situation is yesterday's news, it uncovered a lengthy-residual flashpoint between talent's legal reps and studio general counsels. The entire reason for arbitration ended up being to get disputes with the system at greater speed minimizing cost. Litigants, i.e., stars and designers suing galleries, usually over their share from the after sales, say it will neither. The machine, they are saying, has morphed into one which favors the galleries, specially when it involves accounting and distribution of profits, which explains why it is a studio standard to demand that contracts include arbitration clauses. "Will we really obtain a fair shake as representing talent and that we don't have any jury, and that we have punitive damages waived and that we have many of the other activities which are triggered by getting arbitrations rather than lawsuit? I do not think so," Michael J. Plonsker of Robins, Kaplan stated in a recent panel of litigators which i moderated prior to the Beverly Hillsides Bar Assn. Within the Sheen situation, his attorney Marty Singer contended that his contract's arbitration provision was "unconscionable." Quite simply, despite the fact that Sheen was among the greatest-compensated stars on tv, he did not have choice but to simply accept an arbitration provision in the contract. John Spiegel, who repped Warner Bros., challenged the concept Sheen did not have leverage to barter, observing he commanded $two million a chapter and could demand such things as a personal hairstylist and employ of the private jet. Sheen, Spiegel stated, did not even mention an arbitration clause within the lengthy listing of things he wanted when his contract emerged for renewal this year. The judge wound up delivering the situation to arbitration, and for the question of if the arbitration clause was "unconscionable," he stated that that may be left at the disposal of ... the arbitrator. This is exactly why, in the Beverly Hillsides Bar Assn. panel, Plonsker stated the option inside a contract settlement is always to obtain a studio to really say, "Go or let it restInch for an arbitration clause. "Send them an e-mail or perhaps a letter saying, 'We do not want arbitration,' making them say, 'You don't have any choice.' Then, as litigators, we'll obtain the chance to express, it's 'unconscionable,'" he stated. Also irking these legal reps is the fact that contract disputes settled in arbitration don't have any precedential value. Plonsker indicates a central repository to a minimum of glean details about arbitration honours. But considering the fact that discretion is frequently a rationale for arbitration to begin with, have fun with that. "We will don't have any input in the courts as to the these contracts mean, and each time we begin a new proceeding, it will end up like 'Groundhog Day,' which isn't good, for that industry or people representing talent," Plonsker stated. "I do not know if it's great for the galleries." He found agreement from two others around the panel, Ray Stein of Lining Law and Bonnie Eskenazi of Greenberg, Glusker. Speak with studio reps and they'll insist that although arbitration clauses have grown to be a typical, they're still up for grabs in settlement, and it is faulty to visualize that arbitration favors their side. "We negotiate, and not every one of our arbitration provisions stay the same,Inch Warner Bros. general counsel John Rogovin stated within an interview. One industry source stated that "it was once talent that requested the supply, and also the galleries opposed. They did not want time, money and delay of the court proceeding." Frequently reported like a help to each side is the fact that an arbitrator can devote "undivided attention," while idol judges in the courtroom system are overstressed. Galleries have reason to prevent the dynamic of the court trial: Jury consultants claim that whenever a jury needs to choose from a star or content creator along with a major media conglom, David will get a far more supportive ear than Goliath. In the panel, Martin Katz of Sheppard Mullin, that has repped galleries in lots of high-profile cases, stated, "As we return to exactly what the primary objectives really were on arbitration, that is cost containment and speed to judgment, and that we agree with regard to argument it does not work so excellent ten years later, now you ask , what's the fix? May be the fix scrapping it, or perhaps is the fix determining how you can have arbitration provisions which are enforceable but do actually streamline the procedure?Inch Until such issues are addressed, there will be lots of rancor on the clause made to bring relief. Contact Ted Manley at ted.manley@variety.com

Zynga Eyes November IPO (Report)

NY - Social gaming giant Zynga, the company behind such Facebook games as CityVille, FarmVille and Mafia Wars, is planning to price its initial public offering and have its shares trading the week before Thanksgiving on November 24, Reuters reported, citing sources briefed on the plans. It said though that the IPO plan has not been finalized and could change depending on such factors as market trends. Fellow dotcom company Groupon, for example, hopes to price its shares in early November. That would make the online coupon firm the first major IPO since a market slump that started this summer, meaning it could become a test case for future offerings, including Zynga's. Reuters said Zynga is looking to start its IPO marketing efforts, known as the road show, soon after Groupon's stock market debut. Zynga this summer filed for an IPO looking to raise as much as $1 billion. However, amid the summer's market turmoil, a slew of IPOs have been delayed, while others were scrapped. Earlier this month, Zynga disclosed in a regulatory filing that it will trade on Nasdaq under ticker symbol "ZNGA." Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Topics Zynga

River Phoenixs Family Wants Nothing Related To Re-Discharge Of Unseen Film Dark Bloodstream

The household recently actor River Phoenix is arguing a director’s claim inside a trade paper report that they're aboard for any suggested re-discharge of Dark Bloodstream, the 1993 film that Phoenix was shooting when he died of the drug overdose in 2009 . while watching Viper Room nightclub in West Hollywood. Within the report, director George Sluizer stated he was reediting the film, planned to request Joaquin Phoenix to overdub the voice of his brother which Sluizer had remained in contact with the household. All of this is news towards the Phoenix clan, per a representative. “Despite George Sluizer’s declare that he's been interacting with River Phoenix’s family regarding delivering River’s last film, Joaquin Phoenix and the family haven't experienced communication using the director nor can they participate by any means.”

Avengers Trailer On iTunes: 10M Downloads In 24 Hours

In the first 24 hours following its debut Tuesday on iTunes the trailer for Marvel’s The Avengers was downloaded more than 10 million times, Marvel announced today. The trailer surpassed iTunes’ previous record set by Transformers: Dark of the Moon, with 6.4 million downloads in the first 24 hours. The movie that brings together Marvel super heroes Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). Led by S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson), the dream team fights to save the world from super villain Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Written and directed by Joss Whedon, it opens May 4, 2012.

The Mountaintop

Samuel L. Jackson is Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior. on his last evening in the Memphis motel and Angela Bassett can be a maid inside the Mountaintop. An exhibit of Jean Doumanian Sonia Friedman Prods., Ambassador Theater Group, Boost the Roof 7, Ted Snowdon, Alhadeff Prods./Lauren Toy, B Square, 4 Prods./Broadway Across America, Jackie Barlia Florin/Cooper Federman, Ronnie Planalp/Moellenberg Taylor and Marla Rubin Prods./Blumenthal Undertaking Arts, in colaboration with Scott Delman, from the play in one act by Katori Hall. Directed by Kenny Leon.Rev. Martin Luther King Junior. - Samuel L. Jackson Camae - Angela BassettUnlike people warts hpv warts-and-all biodramas that humiliate the celebrated figures they profess to humanize, Katori Hall's imaginative two-hander "The Mountaintop" does, indeed, burnish the legend in the Rev. Martin Luther King Junior. Occur Memphis round the eve of his murder, this soul-stirring drama finds King confiding his doubts, fears and morbid premonitions with a sassy motel maid -- a stealthily trite situation that Hall transforms into an psychologically effective and theatrically stunning moment of truth. Aspect in the double dose of charisma from certifiable stars Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett, which show has wings. Play involves town after bowing inside a small London theater and moving for the West Finish, where it won this year's Olivier Award for top play. Nevertheless the show is almost at its midpoint before it unveils what motivated everything overseas adulation. Under Kenny Leon's helming, the creative staff has already established a seriously naturalistic approach to the factual area of the material, that's grounded inside the shabby motel room (a regrettable hole inside the wall, in David Gallo's design) where King (Jackson) spent the evening of April 3, 1968. The evening is dark, there's bad weather outdoors (nice appear work from Serta Moses Schreier), and perils of violence are keeping King within the room. Nevertheless the motel doesn't offer much if this involves little luxuries, and he's tired, hungry willing and able for any cigarette. In Jackson's physically imposing and psychologically honest perf, the fantastic guy may also be greatly weary -- along with a little lonely -- after delivering his inspiring "I've Visited the Mountaintop" speech with a rapt congregation at Mason Temple. When a stylish maid named Camae (Bassett, whose range stretches from adorable to breathtaking) appears with coffee around the tray (and cigarettes together with a flask of liquor on her behalf account person), he triggers the charm to acquire her to stay a while. It's Camae's first evening at the office and she's striving to impress, as well as the sexy relationship they begin is simply the type of component that the playwright might seize onto "humanize" popular figure like King. Indeed, Camae reassures the preacher, "You just a man,Inch when she catches him hoping to get her up. "Essentially was you, I'd be starin' at me, too," she notifies him with appealing candor. Jackson does absolutely the very best factor by King, playing all the defects which will make him human without gradually wrecking him of his fundamental dignity. Bassett's comedy capabilities show up when Camae teases him about people defects -- the vanity about his looks, the swaggering pride within the own oratory, the holes within the socks. She will also fall behind Camae when the sassy maid taunts King while using memory in the virtuous Malcolm X, who didn't, she states, "Drank. Smoke. Cuss. Or cheat. On. His Wife." Fun since it is, this light banter continues too extended, dragging out what appears to become famous man's rather awkward seduction from the irresistible maid. However, if Hall is finally ready to drop her cover and declare her true intentions, she accomplishes this in the large, large way. Getting a magisterial wave of her hands plus an abrupt alternation in theatrical style, the scribe enables it's known this is not any regular evening. Today King walks to their own Garden of Gethsemane and falls on his knees to handle his terror and despair, to confess his fears and doubts about his mission, also to pray for your strength to just accept his martyrdom. But throughout King's extended evening of existential darkness, one youthful playwright has seen in it that he's one of many.Organized and predictions, David Gallo costumes, Constanza Romero lighting, John MacDevitt original music, Branford Marsalis appear, Serta Moses Schreier hair and hair pieces, Charles G. LaPointe production stage manager, Jimmie Lee Cruz. Opened up up March. 13, 2011. Examined March. 8. Running time: 1 hour, 35 MIN. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

What the Industry Has to Say About Back Stage Turning 50

What the Industry Has to Say About Back Stage Turning 50 October 12, 2011 Ken Howard "Back Stage was my bible during my acting days from 1960 to 1970. It has been my studio's bible since the inception of the T. Schreiber Studio in 1969. Between our weekly ads and many articles over the years, we wouldn't be where we are today without you. This goes back to 1969, when I had just started teaching but I was a bit financially challenged. I wanted to advertise in Back Stage as 'The Terry Schreiber Studio' but didn't have a lot of money to spend and could only afford a small ad. Charlotte Harmon, who was in charge of advertising then, suggested that with my limited funds she could give me an ad for 'T. Schreiber Studio.' Before that, I had never been called 'T' in my life. But the title has remained the same for these 43 years. Thank you, Back Stage. Have a joyous 50th. You deserve it!" Terry Schreiber, acting teacher, T. Schreiber Studio and Theatre, NY"Fifty years ago, publishers saw the need for an informative, reliable, and comprehensive resource for acting professionals. Today, Back Stage magazine has become a staple for the working actor, not only as a news source but as a guide for finding work and sustaining a career. Congratulations on your golden anniversary! On behalf of the 125,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild, thank you for helping actors navigate the ever-changing entertainment industry."Ken Howard, president, Screen Actors Guild"The 50th anniversary is as much a tribute to Back Stage as it is to the legacy and vision of its co-founders, Ira Eaker and Allen Zwerdling. Realizing in 1961 there was a need to fill a void in the actors' marketplace, Back Stage was created. For the past five decades, Back Stage's impact on the entertainment industry has been invaluable [as it has] assisted actors in furthering their careers by offering them access to a clearinghouse of show business information on both craft and commerce. Back Stage's longevity is a testament to its ability to evolve and stay current in both its content and its online delivery in an ever-changing theatrical and commercial workplace. Here's to the next 50 years!"Michael Katz, Michael Katz Talent Management, NY"As a member of three performer unionsAFTRA, Equity, and Screen Actors Guildthroughout my career, Back Stage has been an important resource for the news and information I need as a working professional actor. As AFTRA's national president, I have enjoyed working with Back Stage to share AFTRA's story with its readers. I am very pleased to congratulate Back Stage on its 50th anniversary, and I applaud you on 50 years of outstanding service to the acting community."Roberta Reardon, president, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists"I first picked up Back Stage in (eeeeek!) 1993. Back Stage helped me get one of my first professional acting jobs. I remember the magazine coming out every Thursday, and I would be at my favorite NY newsstand first thing in the morning to get my copy. I'd come home and circle every possible casting I thought I was right foreven many I wasn'tjust for the opportunity to be seen. I had no agent or manager at the time, and my only way to get seen and get work was through the casting postings in Back Stage. There were always so many open calls for Broadway shows and regional theaters, and I'd get up at the crack of dawn to be one of the first people in line to be seen. If you waited to get there by, like, even 7 a.m., the line of actors generally stretched out the building and around the block. You'd be lucky if you got a time slot to audition. Getting an Equity time slot was like being in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory ('I've got the golden ticket!'). I remember seeing a casting for 'The Tempest,' being done at North Shore Music Theatre. I got a time slot, auditioned, and got cast. I should have commissioned Back Stage. For a long time, that magazine was the only way I got work. Thank you, Back Stage."Anthony Meindl, acting teacher and director, Los Angeles"Back Stage has been a key part of the savvy actor's research and preparation for the past half-century. I well remember getting up extra early on Thursday mornings almost 40 years ago to be among the first to scour Back Stage for the audition notices. When I talk to young actors about the 'business of the business,' I always stress the necessity of regularly reading Back Stage."Nick Wyman, president, Actors' Equity Association"When I first came to NY years ago, I heard that Back Stage was the actor's bible. I was told that you had to get it every week to find out what was casting, what was going on in the theater community, etc. It was the lifeline, the connecting link, everything the actor needed to know. Every Thursday, I'd be up early and run out to the newspaper stand to get my weekly copy. The interview articles with actors who'd 'made it' and invaluable advice from casting directors and agents filled me with hope, possibility, and basic know-how. Over the years, Back Stage became my weekly Thursday breakfast friend. I'd read it, check the castings I was right for, and plan my week by it. Today, in this age of everything online, I still live by it. Yes, I know a lot of the information is online, but maybe because I'm a writer, I love the visceral feeling of turning paper pages. I like holding a newspaper in my hand. Today, the articles may be a bit more sophisticated, the stars interviewed may be more famous, but it's the tradition of the paper that draws me to the newsstand. Back Stage had matured with the times. Now, because I'm an acting coach, I look to see what is required (monologues, cold readings, etc.) at the different auditions. As a playwright, I look to see which of my friends has something in production. And as a teacher, I enjoy the interviews with agents and acting teachers for their insights and viewpoints. Sometimes their advice becomes my advice. It's still the same paper, yes, but better."Glenn Alterman, acting coach, book writer, and playwright, Glenn Alterman Studio, NY"Back Stage has helped meand my businessby being both the go-to source and resource for actors who understand that a career in the business of acting isn't just about performing. The smart actor is a great client, which is why I am so appreciative of Back Stage and the team that writes and produces it each week. By helping to educate actors (my clients included) and keeping them informed about the business, [Back Stage allows] readers to consistently come away armed with information that helps them be proactive in launching and building their careers all along their journeys. Happy 50th!"Brad Lemack, talent manager and author ("The Business of Acting: Learn the Skills You Need to Build the Career You Want" and "The New Business of Acting: How to Build a Career in a Changing Landscape"), Los Angeles"How do you know something is useful? By how long it stays visible in the marketplace. Back Stage has been around for a long time because it is as important to an actor as The Wall Street Journal is to someone investing on Wall Street. Each time a client of mine has appeared in Back Stage (either reviewed or appearing in something like Ask an Actor), it raises their profile. I have been flattered to have been profiled on the Industry Insider page as well as being a contributor to Ask a Manager. Many of my contributions and those of my colleagues have helped answer a young actor's questions before they knew what to ask."Seth Greenky, Green Key Management, NY"As a stuntwoman, stunt coordinator, and actress, Back Stage has been invaluable to me. It keeps me in the loop, working, and I always feel connected to the heart of the industry! Thanks, Back Stage, and happy 50th!"Elle Alexander, vice president, Stuntwomen's Association of Motion Pictures, SAG/AFTRA"My first job, as an actress on the film 'Armageddon for Andy,' was the result of an ad I saw in Back Stage. On it, I worked with actors who would go on to star on soaps, television, and in films, and we all came together because of Back Stage. I've read it religiously since then, examining it for insights, tips, stories, and of course the [Readers' Choice] L.A. and NY issues. There is no finer magazine out there for actors who want to be in the know!"Kristen Caldwell, co-owner, The Actor's Key, Los Angeles"Back Stage celebrates talent and is consistent in achieving honesty in its updated info!"Chadwick Struck, casting director, Los Angeles"I can never say it enough, how important Back Stage is to the acting community, and am forever telling every actor I meet to subscribe. Congratulations on 50 years of excellence! Back Stage is an outstanding resource for the beginner as well as the seasoned pro. Back Stage's reporting on casting information, articles on finding representation, along with other informative stories are extremely beneficial to the acting community. Fifty years of innovative, groundbreaking journalismBack Stage is my resource to help my clients start and maintain a career in the entertainment business."Arthur Massei, Massei Management, NY"I've been reading Back Stage since I became serious about acting about nine years ago. I would always flip right to the back and check out the latest casting calls. I booked my first jobs from those ads. Combine that with all the great articles that I've learned so much from, and you figure I'd probably be nowhere without it! I now get a booth at Actorfest every year for my headshot business. Back Stage has and continues to find great ways to further the career of an actor."Jeff Ellingson, photographer, Jeff E Photo, Los Angeles"Back Stage is an essential tool for any NY actor. The invaluable resource that [it] is for information and projects is something I recommend to every client I have."Josselyne Herman, manager, Josselyne Herman & Associates, and author ("So You Wanna Be a NY Actor?"), NY"I have been a producer and playwright in Los Angeles for 14 years, with both Neo Ensemble Theatre and the All Roses Company. I have been reading Back Stage as long as I have been in Los Angeles, and have posted audition notices for most of my productions on your pages. As both a playwright and producer,I appreciate Back Stage reviewing as many plays as they are able. Reviews are invaluable tools for raising audience awareness and promoting the script after a run has closed. Thank you, Back Stage, for fighting the good fight."Ralph Tropf, producer and playwright ("The Animal Within" opens Nov. 4 at the Elephant Theatre), Los Angeles"I first opened a copy of Back Stage West in 1985 as a young actress having just moved from NY. It was at that time the major source of information for actors. It was a necessity. Thank you, Back Stage! Congrats on a great 50 years!"Warner Loughlin, acting teacher, Warner Loughlin Studios, Los Angeles"I rely on Back Stage as a resource for finding actors. I have placed casting notices and had wonderful results. I also love having one comprehensive source for reviews."Doug Haverty, playwright, Los Angeles"Back Stage has been reviewing shows and going behind the scenes since the Crucifixion but is still as relevant as it always was. We now live in a world where television and cable are being eclipsed by the Internet and where anyone with a cheap camera can make a movie. Network execs will be more likely serving you coffee at Starbucks than reading your script, and A-list actors, judging from this summer's box office, better hope someone brings back 'Hollywood Squares.' More than ever, everyone in the business needs Back Stage as a guide to survive this changing landscape."Barney Oldfield, Barney Oldfield Management, NY"I have been reading Back Stage since 1971, when I was a fledgling singer and nonunion actress after studying with the renowned Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. I have been a member of all the acting unions for 35 years and teaching acting classes for over 15. I encourage my students to subscribe to Back Stage and become acquainted with the castings and articles, since it is still the original, reliable, comprehensive resource for an actor/singer/performer. In 1987, I had the good fortune to receive one of the first Back Stage Bistro Awards, as well as wonderful reviews from John Hoglund and the late Curt Davis and Bob Harrington during my many years singing in cabaret. Thank heavens Back Stage remains an ally and anchor for up-and-coming artists seeking to fulfill their dreams."Nina Murano, acting teacher, NY"As a native NYer, I've known about Back Stage forever. Back in the 1980s, it was my connection to the world I wanted to be a part of. It was because of Back Stage that I started my theater company in the year 2000. SALAAM Theatre is the first South Asian American multidisciplinary theater company in America."Geeta Citygirl, founder and artistic director, SALAAM Theatre, New York"Back Stage has always given vital information for everyone in the business above and below the line. Its longevity is due in large part to its tremendous power of keeping us all in the know in the performing arts. Back Stage was and will always be the ultimate guide to all things theatrical. Back Stage is the staple in your cupboard of dreams. Happy 50th anniversary, Back Stage. Can't have a career without you."Karen Gunn, manager, Soiree Fair, Montclair, N.J."I must say that my headshot career started with my ads I ran with you guys. I feel it couldn't be what it is today had I not advertised in Back Stage. I do think that it's an invaluable tool for actors and am so glad that they turned to Back Stage to find headshot photographers. Fifty years is very impressive. Wow! I hope you keep going for another 50!"Peter Hurley, photographer, Peter Hurley Photography, NY"I am happy to see Back Stage celebrate such a monumental achievement. I remember, before I became a casting director, that Back Stage was my main resource of auditions and information as a young actor. I am glad to see it is still a great resource. Here's to 50 more!"Mark Teschner, casting director, "General Hospital""Back Stage is a vital resource for actors across the country. In this day and age, information is not only knowledge, it is power, and the ability to navigate your career is enhanced with access to such information. The successful actor has to also understand the business side of the career, and Back Stage does a great job at giving them insights into how a successful actor has built his or her career, intel on how to find a great teacher, what a casting director looks for, and so much more. What I have come to enjoy and appreciate in both the printed and online publications is that Back Stage is giving actors a point of view and offering articles that go beyond what's casting and who's who in the business. It is a neighborhood paper for the community of actors, both working and aspiring to. I vcannot stress enough how important it is to connect to your community and take charge of your career. As both a casting director and the developer of the app Actor Genie, I have come to rely on Back Stage as the pulse of the actor's business. I only hope that, like an actor's performance, the paper will dig deeper and continue to be a major presence in the shrinking world of newspapers."Heidi Levitt, casting director, Heidi Levitt Casting, Los AngelesReported by Jessica Gardner, Simi Horwitz, and Daniel Holloway What the Industry Has to Say About Back Stage Turning 50 October 12, 2011 Ken Howard "Back Stage was my bible during my acting days from 1960 to 1970. It has been my studio's bible since the inception of the T. Schreiber Studio in 1969. Between our weekly ads and many articles over the years, we wouldn't be where we are today without you. This goes back to 1969, when I had just started teaching but I was a bit financially challenged. I wanted to advertise in Back Stage as 'The Terry Schreiber Studio' but didn't have a lot of money to spend and could only afford a small ad. Charlotte Harmon, who was in charge of advertising then, suggested that with my limited funds she could give me an ad for 'T. Schreiber Studio.' Before that, I had never been called 'T' in my life. But the title has remained the same for these 43 years. Thank you, Back Stage. Have a joyous 50th. You deserve it!" Terry Schreiber, acting teacher, T. Schreiber Studio and Theatre, NY"Fifty years ago, publishers saw the need for an informative, reliable, and comprehensive resource for acting professionals. Today, Back Stage magazine has become a staple for the working actor, not only as a news source but as a guide for finding work and sustaining a career. Congratulations on your golden anniversary! On behalf of the 125,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild, thank you for helping actors navigate the ever-changing entertainment industry."Ken Howard, president, Screen Actors Guild"The 50th anniversary is as much a tribute to Back Stage as it is to the legacy and vision of its co-founders, Ira Eaker and Allen Zwerdling. Realizing in 1961 there was a need to fill a void in the actors' marketplace, Back Stage was created. For the past five decades, Back Stage's impact on the entertainment industry has been invaluable [as it has] assisted actors in furthering their careers by offering them access to a clearinghouse of show business information on both craft and commerce. Back Stage's longevity is a testament to its ability to evolve and stay current in both its content and its online delivery in an ever-changing theatrical and commercial workplace. Here's to the next 50 years!"Michael Katz, Michael Katz Talent Management, NY"As a member of three performer unionsAFTRA, Equity, and Screen Actors Guildthroughout my career, Back Stage has been an important resource for the news and information I need as a working professional actor. As AFTRA's national president, I have enjoyed working with Back Stage to share AFTRA's story with its readers. I am very pleased to congratulate Back Stage on its 50th anniversary, and I applaud you on 50 years of outstanding service to the acting community."Roberta Reardon, president, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists"I first picked up Back Stage in (eeeeek!) 1993. Back Stage helped me get one of my first professional acting jobs. I remember the magazine coming out every Thursday, and I would be at my favorite NY newsstand first thing in the morning to get my copy. I'd come home and circle every possible casting I thought I was right foreven many I wasn'tjust for the opportunity to be seen. I had no agent or manager at the time, and my only way to get seen and get work was through the casting postings in Back Stage. There were always so many open calls for Broadway shows and regional theaters, and I'd get up at the crack of dawn to be one of the first people in line to be seen. If you waited to get there by, like, even 7 a.m., the line of actors generally stretched out the building and around the block. You'd be lucky if you got a time slot to audition. Getting an Equity time slot was like being in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory ('I've got the golden ticket!'). I remember seeing a casting for 'The Tempest,' being done at North Shore Music Theatre. I got a time slot, auditioned, and got cast. I should have commissioned Back Stage. For a long time, that magazine was the only way I got work. Thank you, Back Stage."Anthony Meindl, acting teacher and director, Los Angeles"Back Stage has been a key part of the savvy actor's research and preparation for the past half-century. I well remember getting up extra early on Thursday mornings almost 40 years ago to be among the first to scour Back Stage for the audition notices. When I talk to young actors about the 'business of the business,' I always stress the necessity of regularly reading Back Stage."Nick Wyman, president, Actors' Equity Association"When I first came to NY years ago, I heard that Back Stage was the actor's bible. I was told that you had to get it every week to find out what was casting, what was going on in the theater community, etc. It was the lifeline, the connecting link, everything the actor needed to know. Every Thursday, I'd be up early and run out to the newspaper stand to get my weekly copy. The interview articles with actors who'd 'made it' and invaluable advice from casting directors and agents filled me with hope, possibility, and basic know-how. Over the years, Back Stage became my weekly Thursday breakfast friend. I'd read it, check the castings I was right for, and plan my week by it. Today, in this age of everything online, I still live by it. Yes, I know a lot of the information is online, but maybe because I'm a writer, I love the visceral feeling of turning paper pages. I like holding a newspaper in my hand. Today, the articles may be a bit more sophisticated, the stars interviewed may be more famous, but it's the tradition of the paper that draws me to the newsstand. Back Stage had matured with the times. Now, because I'm an acting coach, I look to see what is required (monologues, cold readings, etc.) at the different auditions. As a playwright, I look to see which of my friends has something in production. And as a teacher, I enjoy the interviews with agents and acting teachers for their insights and viewpoints. Sometimes their advice becomes my advice. It's still the same paper, yes, but better."Glenn Alterman, acting coach, book writer, and playwright, Glenn Alterman Studio, NY"Back Stage has helped meand my businessby being both the go-to source and resource for actors who understand that a career in the business of acting isn't just about performing. The smart actor is a great client, which is why I am so appreciative of Back Stage and the team that writes and produces it each week. By helping to educate actors (my clients included) and keeping them informed about the business, [Back Stage allows] readers to consistently come away armed with information that helps them be proactive in launching and building their careers all along their journeys. Happy 50th!"Brad Lemack, talent manager and author ("The Business of Acting: Learn the Skills You Need to Build the Career You Want" and "The New Business of Acting: How to Build a Career in a Changing Landscape"), Los Angeles"How do you know something is useful? By how long it stays visible in the marketplace. Back Stage has been around for a long time because it is as important to an actor as The Wall Street Journal is to someone investing on Wall Street. Each time a client of mine has appeared in Back Stage (either reviewed or appearing in something like Ask an Actor), it raises their profile. I have been flattered to have been profiled on the Industry Insider page as well as being a contributor to Ask a Manager. Many of my contributions and those of my colleagues have helped answer a young actor's questions before they knew what to ask."Seth Greenky, Green Key Management, NY"As a stuntwoman, stunt coordinator, and actress, Back Stage has been invaluable to me. It keeps me in the loop, working, and I always feel connected to the heart of the industry! Thanks, Back Stage, and happy 50th!"Elle Alexander, vice president, Stuntwomen's Association of Motion Pictures, SAG/AFTRA"My first job, as an actress on the film 'Armageddon for Andy,' was the result of an ad I saw in Back Stage. On it, I worked with actors who would go on to star on soaps, television, and in films, and we all came together because of Back Stage. I've read it religiously since then, examining it for insights, tips, stories, and of course the [Readers' Choice] L.A. and NY issues. There is no finer magazine out there for actors who want to be in the know!"Kristen Caldwell, co-owner, The Actor's Key, Los Angeles"Back Stage celebrates talent and is consistent in achieving honesty in its updated info!"Chadwick Struck, casting director, Los Angeles"I can never say it enough, how important Back Stage is to the acting community, and am forever telling every actor I meet to subscribe. Congratulations on 50 years of excellence! Back Stage is an outstanding resource for the beginner as well as the seasoned pro. Back Stage's reporting on casting information, articles on finding representation, along with other informative stories are extremely beneficial to the acting community. Fifty years of innovative, groundbreaking journalismBack Stage is my resource to help my clients start and maintain a career in the entertainment business."Arthur Massei, Massei Management, NY"I've been reading Back Stage since I became serious about acting about nine years ago. I would always flip right to the back and check out the latest casting calls. I booked my first jobs from those ads. Combine that with all the great articles that I've learned so much from, and you figure I'd probably be nowhere without it! I now get a booth at Actorfest every year for my headshot business. Back Stage has and continues to find great ways to further the career of an actor."Jeff Ellingson, photographer, Jeff E Photo, Los Angeles"Back Stage is an essential tool for any NY actor. The invaluable resource that [it] is for information and projects is something I recommend to every client I have."Josselyne Herman, manager, Josselyne Herman & Associates, and author ("So You Wanna Be a NY Actor?"), NY"I have been a producer and playwright in Los Angeles for 14 years, with both Neo Ensemble Theatre and the All Roses Company. I have been reading Back Stage as long as I have been in Los Angeles, and have posted audition notices for most of my productions on your pages. As both a playwright and producer,I appreciate Back Stage reviewing as many plays as they are able. Reviews are invaluable tools for raising audience awareness and promoting the script after a run has closed. Thank you, Back Stage, for fighting the good fight."Ralph Tropf, producer and playwright ("The Animal Within" opens Nov. 4 at the Elephant Theatre), Los Angeles"I first opened a copy of Back Stage West in 1985 as a young actress having just moved from NY. It was at that time the major source of information for actors. It was a necessity. Thank you, Back Stage! Congrats on a great 50 years!"Warner Loughlin, acting teacher, Warner Loughlin Studios, Los Angeles"I rely on Back Stage as a resource for finding actors. I have placed casting notices and had wonderful results. I also love having one comprehensive source for reviews."Doug Haverty, playwright, Los Angeles"Back Stage has been reviewing shows and going behind the scenes since the Crucifixion but is still as relevant as it always was. We now live in a world where television and cable are being eclipsed by the Internet and where anyone with a cheap camera can make a movie. Network execs will be more likely serving you coffee at Starbucks than reading your script, and A-list actors, judging from this summer's box office, better hope someone brings back 'Hollywood Squares.' More than ever, everyone in the business needs Back Stage as a guide to survive this changing landscape."Barney Oldfield, Barney Oldfield Management, NY"I have been reading Back Stage since 1971, when I was a fledgling singer and nonunion actress after studying with the renowned Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. I have been a member of all the acting unions for 35 years and teaching acting classes for over 15. I encourage my students to subscribe to Back Stage and become acquainted with the castings and articles, since it is still the original, reliable, comprehensive resource for an actor/singer/performer. In 1987, I had the good fortune to receive one of the first Back Stage Bistro Awards, as well as wonderful reviews from John Hoglund and the late Curt Davis and Bob Harrington during my many years singing in cabaret. Thank heavens Back Stage remains an ally and anchor for up-and-coming artists seeking to fulfill their dreams."Nina Murano, acting teacher, NY"As a native NYer, I've known about Back Stage forever. Back in the 1980s, it was my connection to the world I wanted to be a part of. It was because of Back Stage that I started my theater company in the year 2000. SALAAM Theatre is the first South Asian American multidisciplinary theater company in America."Geeta Citygirl, founder and artistic director, SALAAM Theatre, NY"Back Stage has always given vital information for everyone in the business above and below the line. Its longevity is due in large part to its tremendous power of keeping us all in the know in the performing arts. Back Stage was and will always be the ultimate guide to all things theatrical. Back Stage is the staple in your cupboard of dreams. Happy 50th anniversary, Back Stage. Can't have a career without you."Karen Gunn, manager, Soiree Fair, Montclair, N.J."I must say that my headshot career started with my ads I ran with you guys. I feel it couldn't be what it is today had I not advertised in Back Stage. I do think that it's an invaluable tool for actors and am so glad that they turned to Back Stage to find headshot photographers. Fifty years is very impressive. Wow! I hope you keep going for another 50!"Peter Hurley, photographer, Peter Hurley Photography, NY"I am happy to see Back Stage celebrate such a monumental achievement. I remember, before I became a casting director, that Back Stage was my main resource of auditions and information as a young actor. I am glad to see it is still a great resource. Here's to 50 more!"Mark Teschner, casting director, "General Hospital""Back Stage is a vital resource for actors across the country. In this day and age, information is not only knowledge, it is power, and the ability to navigate your career is enhanced with access to such information. The successful actor has to also understand the business side of the career, and Back Stage does a great job at giving them insights into how a successful actor has built his or her career, intel on how to find a great teacher, what a casting director looks for, and so much more. What I have come to enjoy and appreciate in both the printed and online publications is that Back Stage is giving actors a point of view and offering articles that go beyond what's casting and who's who in the business. It is a neighborhood paper for the community of actors, both working and aspiring to. I vcannot stress enough how important it is to connect to your community and take charge of your career. As both a casting director and the developer of the app Actor Genie, I have come to rely on Back Stage as the pulse of the actor's business. I only hope that, like an actor's performance, the paper will dig deeper and continue to be a major presence in the shrinking world of newspapers."Heidi Levitt, casting director, Heidi Levitt Casting, Los AngelesReported by Jessica Gardner, Simi Horwitz, and Daniel Holloway