French actress turned director Barbara Schulz’s Treasure Hunters: On the Tracks Of Khufu, has been acquired by France’s Snd which is launching sales on the French take on Indiana Jones at the European Film Market later this month
The film is Schulz’s directorial debut and will star Fabrice Luchini as an archaeologist who joins forces with his daughter and grandson in a race against time to find a hidden treasure in locations from Cairo to Paris. Julia Piaton will co-star.
Schulz’s acting credits include roles in Léa Domenach’s Bernadette/
Snd is also producing the film with Bonne Pioche Cinema,...
The film is Schulz’s directorial debut and will star Fabrice Luchini as an archaeologist who joins forces with his daughter and grandson in a race against time to find a hidden treasure in locations from Cairo to Paris. Julia Piaton will co-star.
Schulz’s acting credits include roles in Léa Domenach’s Bernadette/
Snd is also producing the film with Bonne Pioche Cinema,...
- 2/8/2024
- ScreenDaily
Grimm alum Sasha Roiz is one of two recurring guest stars announced for Season 8 of NBC’s Chicago Med.
Per our sister site Deadline, Roiz will appear on #OneChicago’s medical drama as Jack Egan, a multimillionaire renaissance man.
More from TVLineShocker: NBC May Bail on 10 pm HourWednesday Ratings: The Resort's NBC Outing Places 5th for the NightFormer Law & Order: Svu Boss Reacts to Kelli Giddish Exit Bombshell, Thanks Her for 'Defining Rollins'
Additionally, Lilah Richcreek Estrada will fill the role of Nellie Cuevas, a psych fellow working alongside Oliver Platt’s Dr. Charles.
In addition to his run as Grimm‘s Captain Renard,...
Per our sister site Deadline, Roiz will appear on #OneChicago’s medical drama as Jack Egan, a multimillionaire renaissance man.
More from TVLineShocker: NBC May Bail on 10 pm HourWednesday Ratings: The Resort's NBC Outing Places 5th for the NightFormer Law & Order: Svu Boss Reacts to Kelli Giddish Exit Bombshell, Thanks Her for 'Defining Rollins'
Additionally, Lilah Richcreek Estrada will fill the role of Nellie Cuevas, a psych fellow working alongside Oliver Platt’s Dr. Charles.
In addition to his run as Grimm‘s Captain Renard,...
- 8/25/2022
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
1968: The Doctors' Nick proposed to Althea.
1980: Texas' Justin rescued Rikki from a burning race car.
1981: Edge of Night's Sky plotted with Gunther against Gavin.
1991: Young and the Restless' Traci helped Brad with a Jabot ad."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."
― Anselm Kiefer
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1946: Prolific radio soap opera writer Elaine Sterne Carrington (Pepper Young's Family; Rosemary) was featured in Time magazine.
1968: On The Doctors, while at dinner, Dr. Nick Bellini (Gerald Gordon) asked Dr. Althea Davis (Elizabeth Hubbard) to marry him.
Thanks to Scott for sending in the item above.
1980: Texas' Justin rescued Rikki from a burning race car.
1981: Edge of Night's Sky plotted with Gunther against Gavin.
1991: Young and the Restless' Traci helped Brad with a Jabot ad."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."
― Anselm Kiefer
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1946: Prolific radio soap opera writer Elaine Sterne Carrington (Pepper Young's Family; Rosemary) was featured in Time magazine.
1968: On The Doctors, while at dinner, Dr. Nick Bellini (Gerald Gordon) asked Dr. Althea Davis (Elizabeth Hubbard) to marry him.
Thanks to Scott for sending in the item above.
- 8/26/2019
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
Joseph Baxter Nov 22, 2019
NBC crime drama Lincoln Rhyme adapts The Bone Collector, the 1999 crime thriller based on the novel by Jeffery Deaver.
The Bone Collector is about to be collected by NBC. The Peacock Network is set to debut a serial television adaptation of the Jeffery Deaver crime novel-turned 1999 movie, which starred Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. However, the small screen adaptation will brandish the formal title, Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector, after its main character.
NBC is bringing the murky murder mystery of The Bone Collector to television with a premium script – adapting Deaver’s original 1997 novel of the same name – by the duo of VJ Boyd and Mark Bianculli. The series – a production of Universal Television and Sony Pictures Television in association with Keshet Studios – will see the scribes joined by executive producers in Avi Nir, Alon Shtruzman, Peter Traugott, and Rachel Kaplan.
Serving as director...
NBC crime drama Lincoln Rhyme adapts The Bone Collector, the 1999 crime thriller based on the novel by Jeffery Deaver.
The Bone Collector is about to be collected by NBC. The Peacock Network is set to debut a serial television adaptation of the Jeffery Deaver crime novel-turned 1999 movie, which starred Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. However, the small screen adaptation will brandish the formal title, Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector, after its main character.
NBC is bringing the murky murder mystery of The Bone Collector to television with a premium script – adapting Deaver’s original 1997 novel of the same name – by the duo of VJ Boyd and Mark Bianculli. The series – a production of Universal Television and Sony Pictures Television in association with Keshet Studios – will see the scribes joined by executive producers in Avi Nir, Alon Shtruzman, Peter Traugott, and Rachel Kaplan.
Serving as director...
- 11/16/2018
- Den of Geek
1968: The Doctors' Nick proposed to Althea.
1980: Texas' Justin rescued Rikki from a burning race car.
1981: Edge of Night's Sky plotted with Gunther against Gavin.
1991: Young and the Restless' Traci helped Brad with a Jabot ad."The best prophet of the future is the past."
― Lord Byron
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1946: Prolific radio soap opera writer Elaine Sterne Carrington (Pepper Young's Family; Rosemary) was featured in Time magazine.
1968: On The Doctors, while at dinner, Dr. Nick Bellini (Gerald Gordon) asked Dr. Althea Davis (Elizabeth Hubbard) to marry him.
Thanks to Scott for sending in the item above.
1980: On Texas, Terry Dekker (Shanna Reed...
1980: Texas' Justin rescued Rikki from a burning race car.
1981: Edge of Night's Sky plotted with Gunther against Gavin.
1991: Young and the Restless' Traci helped Brad with a Jabot ad."The best prophet of the future is the past."
― Lord Byron
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1946: Prolific radio soap opera writer Elaine Sterne Carrington (Pepper Young's Family; Rosemary) was featured in Time magazine.
1968: On The Doctors, while at dinner, Dr. Nick Bellini (Gerald Gordon) asked Dr. Althea Davis (Elizabeth Hubbard) to marry him.
Thanks to Scott for sending in the item above.
1980: On Texas, Terry Dekker (Shanna Reed...
- 8/27/2018
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
Exclusive: Veteran drama showrunner John Eisendrath has signed a new two-year overall deal with Sony Pictures Television. Under his previous overall pact with Sony, Eisendrath most recently helped develop Jon Bokenkamp’s drama project The Blacklist for NBC and served as executive producer/showrunner on the pilot. He continues as executive producer/showrunner on The Blacklist, which was picked up to series after the pilot became NBC’s best testing pilot in 10 years and landed the network’s best slot on the fall schedule, behind The Voice on Monday. ICM Partners-repped Eisendrath created and exec produced the praised 2003 Espn drama series Playmakers. He also served as executive producer/showrunner on NBC’s Outlaw and My Own Worst Enemy and executive produced ABC’s Alias, Fox’s Beverly Hills, 90210 and the WB’s Felicity.
- 6/7/2013
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Grimm
“Cat and Mouse” Air Date: 4/20/12
Along with Once Upon A Time, Grimm was heralded as another harbinger for the fairy tale boom to come. But, after breezing through the first seventeen episodes in short order to catch up, I found that that’s a misnomer. Yes, this series, set in Portland, Oregon (great to have a show set there besides Portlandia), revolves around Detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli), a descendant of the Grimm family (the brothers that wrote them books), who has the ability to see if someone is really a supernatural creature, or a Wesen (pronounced vessen), and is tasked with hunting them down. He is referred to as a “grimm” by these very creatures. But he doesn’t stumble upon any fairy tale characters or premises like in Ouat, he merely finds that there’s a lot of bad guys muddying up his case load that are really furry beasts.
“Cat and Mouse” Air Date: 4/20/12
Along with Once Upon A Time, Grimm was heralded as another harbinger for the fairy tale boom to come. But, after breezing through the first seventeen episodes in short order to catch up, I found that that’s a misnomer. Yes, this series, set in Portland, Oregon (great to have a show set there besides Portlandia), revolves around Detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli), a descendant of the Grimm family (the brothers that wrote them books), who has the ability to see if someone is really a supernatural creature, or a Wesen (pronounced vessen), and is tasked with hunting them down. He is referred to as a “grimm” by these very creatures. But he doesn’t stumble upon any fairy tale characters or premises like in Ouat, he merely finds that there’s a lot of bad guys muddying up his case load that are really furry beasts.
- 4/23/2012
- by Andy Greene
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
There hasn't been a lot of information released about Grimm, the final NBC fall show to make its premiere. Aside from the concept (a sort of Law & Order: Fairy Tales Unit, if you will), a few photos, and the requisite trailer that accompanied the series announcement, it has been hard to get a read on the show.
Unfortunately, the three recently released sneak peeks aren't that informative, though they've visually striking to say the least. Juxtaposing beloved fairy tale figures (Cinderella, Prince Charming, Sleeping Beauty) into crime drama scenarios, the three promos may not illuminate much about what Grimm will truly be about, but if their goal was to quickly get your attention, each succeeded quite wonderfully.
The promos branch off nicely from the show's trailer (posted below), with their eerie atmosphere, vivid colors, and interesting use of music. In the trailer, we met homicide detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli,...
Unfortunately, the three recently released sneak peeks aren't that informative, though they've visually striking to say the least. Juxtaposing beloved fairy tale figures (Cinderella, Prince Charming, Sleeping Beauty) into crime drama scenarios, the three promos may not illuminate much about what Grimm will truly be about, but if their goal was to quickly get your attention, each succeeded quite wonderfully.
The promos branch off nicely from the show's trailer (posted below), with their eerie atmosphere, vivid colors, and interesting use of music. In the trailer, we met homicide detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli,...
- 10/9/2011
- by Shilo Adams
- TVovermind.com
The Scorecard Review news
News: Snoop Dogg is attached to star in a biopic of Fillmore Slim (aka Clarence Sims). He’s a blues singer and guitarist who was also a pimp in the ’60s and ’70s.
Source: Deadline.com
Thoughts by Tsr: Snoop Dogg isn’t really known for being an actor so much as a rapper/personality/pot legalization supporter. The only thing I could think of him in offhand was Starsky and Hutch, and no one looked good in that. No, that’s not true, the car looked great. But after a quick check on IMDb, looks like he’s been on quite a few things. Notably he was on Playmakers, a great show from Espn that got cancelled because the NFL didn’t like it. I think he was mainly cast for the notoriety, I haven’t heard of anyone else involved in the making of the film.
News: Snoop Dogg is attached to star in a biopic of Fillmore Slim (aka Clarence Sims). He’s a blues singer and guitarist who was also a pimp in the ’60s and ’70s.
Source: Deadline.com
Thoughts by Tsr: Snoop Dogg isn’t really known for being an actor so much as a rapper/personality/pot legalization supporter. The only thing I could think of him in offhand was Starsky and Hutch, and no one looked good in that. No, that’s not true, the car looked great. But after a quick check on IMDb, looks like he’s been on quite a few things. Notably he was on Playmakers, a great show from Espn that got cancelled because the NFL didn’t like it. I think he was mainly cast for the notoriety, I haven’t heard of anyone else involved in the making of the film.
- 9/16/2011
- by Megan Lehar
- The Scorecard Review
Michael Antinoro has joined Dick Clark Prods. as Evp programming. Working with dcp president Orly Adelson, Antinoro will focusing on developing reality and scripted projects for TV and online. He will work out of dcp’s Manhattan and Los Angeles offices and, because he is expected to spend more time in New York, will be reporting to New York-based dcp CEO Mark Shapiro. Antinoro, who most recently served as Evp of entertainment and marketing for Six Flags Entertainment Corp., did two stints at Espn, most recently as executive producer of Espn’s then-newly created division, Espn Original Entertainment. There he worked on such series as Playmakers, which was executive produced by Adelson, World Series of Poker, Dream Job, and Rome Is Burning.
- 1/26/2011
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Exclusive: Veteran drama writer-producer John Eisendrath has inked a two-year overall deal with Sony Pictures Television. The seven-figure pact starts in June. Eisendrath was most recently under an overall deal at Universal Media Studios. Under the pact, he served as executive producer/showrunner on the NBC series My Own Worst Enemy starring Christian Slater and developed the NBC legal drama Outlaw. The pilot starring Jimmy Smits came from behind to score a series order in May but the show never found its footing on Friday nights and was eventually canceled. For the next few months until his Sony TV deal kicks in, Eisendrath is considering joining an existing series or doing off-cycle/cable development. Any new projects he develops would be produced by Sony. Icm-repped Eisendrath created and exec produced the praised 2003 Espn drama series Playmakers. He also has worked on ABC's Alias, Fox's Beverly Hills, 90210 and the WB's Felicity,...
- 11/17/2010
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
hollywoodnews.com: The New Fall Schedule Features All-Drama Lineups on Mondays and Wednesdays and All Comedies on Thursdays, Plus Unscripted Programming into Compatible Dramas on Tuesdays and Fridays New Comedies Include “Friends With Benefits,” “Outsourced,” “Perfect Couples, “Love Bites” and “The Paul Reiser Show.”
New Dramas Are “Undercovers,” “The Event,” “Chase,” “Law & Order: Los Angeles,” “Outlaw,” “The Cape” and “Harry’s Law”; And New Alternative Show “School Pride”
NBC announced today its 2010-11 primetime schedule that is highlighted by five new comedies, seven new drama series and one new alternative program, including shows from such innovative hit-makers as J.J. Abrams, Jerry Bruckheimer and David E. Kelley, among others.
The high-quality series include new comedies such as “Outsourced,” Love Bites,” “Perfect Couples,” “Friends With Benefits” and “The Paul Reiser Show.” The new dramas are “The Cape,” “Harry’s Law,” “Outlaw,” “Undercovers,” “The Event,” “Chase” and “Law & Order: Los Angeles.”
The schedule...
New Dramas Are “Undercovers,” “The Event,” “Chase,” “Law & Order: Los Angeles,” “Outlaw,” “The Cape” and “Harry’s Law”; And New Alternative Show “School Pride”
NBC announced today its 2010-11 primetime schedule that is highlighted by five new comedies, seven new drama series and one new alternative program, including shows from such innovative hit-makers as J.J. Abrams, Jerry Bruckheimer and David E. Kelley, among others.
The high-quality series include new comedies such as “Outsourced,” Love Bites,” “Perfect Couples,” “Friends With Benefits” and “The Paul Reiser Show.” The new dramas are “The Cape,” “Harry’s Law,” “Outlaw,” “Undercovers,” “The Event,” “Chase” and “Law & Order: Los Angeles.”
The schedule...
- 5/17/2010
- by HollywoodNews.com
- Hollywoodnews.com
Chicago – NBC announced their fall schedule and fans of “Heroes,” “Law & Order,” “Trauma,” and “Mercy” will shed a tear while on-the-bubble shows like “Chuck,” “Parenthood,” and “Community” will return with “Parks and Recreation” coming back later in the season. Most notably, the peacock network filled the now-vacant five hours of programming after “The Jay Leno Show” debacle with eight new fall shows and five more scheduled for midseason.
NBC has called in the starpower to help save the sinking network, bringing in new programs by J.J. Abrams, Jerry Bruckheimer, and David E. Kelley with recognizable TV veterans like Blair Underwood, Jimmy Smits, Laura Innes, and more.
The network has scheduled their fall 2010 season with thematic evenings. Mondays and Wednesdays will feature drama, Thursdays will be all comedy, and the rest of the week will include reality leading into similar dramas.
Jeff Gaspin, Chariman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment said, “This new...
NBC has called in the starpower to help save the sinking network, bringing in new programs by J.J. Abrams, Jerry Bruckheimer, and David E. Kelley with recognizable TV veterans like Blair Underwood, Jimmy Smits, Laura Innes, and more.
The network has scheduled their fall 2010 season with thematic evenings. Mondays and Wednesdays will feature drama, Thursdays will be all comedy, and the rest of the week will include reality leading into similar dramas.
Jeff Gaspin, Chariman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment said, “This new...
- 5/17/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
The Fall TV Season presentations for all the new network shows take place this week with the first announced today. Here's a full breakdown of which concepts have made the final list over on NBC.
While the Peacock has struggled in recent years, those were like a cakewalk compared to this past season as the network became a very public punching bag over the debacle of its 10pm Jay Leno show experiment, the Leno/Conan media wars, and ultimately the general failure of its shows which all struggled in the ratings - most visibly its two new medical dramas and the once proud "Heroes".
By the end of the season the only real success stories to talk about were the network's well-regarded but not spectacularly-rated Thursday night comedy block (Community, 30 Rock, Office), and "Chuck" which only just got renewed last season and is proving to be one of the network's...
While the Peacock has struggled in recent years, those were like a cakewalk compared to this past season as the network became a very public punching bag over the debacle of its 10pm Jay Leno show experiment, the Leno/Conan media wars, and ultimately the general failure of its shows which all struggled in the ratings - most visibly its two new medical dramas and the once proud "Heroes".
By the end of the season the only real success stories to talk about were the network's well-regarded but not spectacularly-rated Thursday night comedy block (Community, 30 Rock, Office), and "Chuck" which only just got renewed last season and is proving to be one of the network's...
- 5/17/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
BRISTOL, Conn. -- After such ratings and creative successes as "Playmakers" and "3," ESPN is taking a timeout from the scripted business. With the end this week of the eight-part miniseries "The Bronx Is Burning", nothing else is planned or likely to be green-lighted any time soon, ESPN executives said Thursday.
Instead, the company will spend more time on its bread and butter sports properties and news-oriented shows while announcing plans to run selected documentaries. And in the fall, it's launching an investigative series titled "ESPN Reports".
That amounts to a holding pattern in terms of the Hollywood-style development in what used to be called ESPN Original Entertainment, responsible for those types of shows and a short-lived daily news program titled "ESPN Hollywood". And it's a marked shift from the days of former executive vp Mark Shapiro, who sought to broaden the company's appeal to more than just sporting events and scores.
Today, ESPN executives say that sports and strictly sports-related content are what its audience wants. John Skipper, who as executive vp content for ESPN is in charge of content across ESPN's many platforms, said it's not about broadening the audience but instead about giving their current audience more of what they crave.
"I'm a little less interested in the intersection of where entertainment and sports combine," Skipper said.
Instead, the company will spend more time on its bread and butter sports properties and news-oriented shows while announcing plans to run selected documentaries. And in the fall, it's launching an investigative series titled "ESPN Reports".
That amounts to a holding pattern in terms of the Hollywood-style development in what used to be called ESPN Original Entertainment, responsible for those types of shows and a short-lived daily news program titled "ESPN Hollywood". And it's a marked shift from the days of former executive vp Mark Shapiro, who sought to broaden the company's appeal to more than just sporting events and scores.
Today, ESPN executives say that sports and strictly sports-related content are what its audience wants. John Skipper, who as executive vp content for ESPN is in charge of content across ESPN's many platforms, said it's not about broadening the audience but instead about giving their current audience more of what they crave.
"I'm a little less interested in the intersection of where entertainment and sports combine," Skipper said.
- 8/31/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- A longer-than-normal home run derby live from San Francisco delayed by more than an hour the debut of ESPN's much-anticipated miniseries The Bronx Is Burning.
The first episode of the miniseries focusing on the 1977 New York Yankees and starring John Turturro and Oliver Platt was supposed to get started at 10 p.m. EDT. But it didn't start until 11:05 p.m. EDT thanks to the home run derby that eventually was won by the Angels' Vladimir Guerrero.
Bronx averaged 2.2 million viewers, according to data released late Tuesday by Nielsen Media Research. That was comparable with a previous ESPN miniseries, Tilt, that averaged 2 million viewers in January 2005. But it was below the Aug. 26, 2003, debut of the controversial football series Playmakers, which averaged 2.6 million viewers.
Even before the big delay, ESPN planned to replay the first episode of Bronx at 10 p.m. Wednesday and again two hours later on ESPN. It also will air at 10 p.m.
The first episode of the miniseries focusing on the 1977 New York Yankees and starring John Turturro and Oliver Platt was supposed to get started at 10 p.m. EDT. But it didn't start until 11:05 p.m. EDT thanks to the home run derby that eventually was won by the Angels' Vladimir Guerrero.
Bronx averaged 2.2 million viewers, according to data released late Tuesday by Nielsen Media Research. That was comparable with a previous ESPN miniseries, Tilt, that averaged 2 million viewers in January 2005. But it was below the Aug. 26, 2003, debut of the controversial football series Playmakers, which averaged 2.6 million viewers.
Even before the big delay, ESPN planned to replay the first episode of Bronx at 10 p.m. Wednesday and again two hours later on ESPN. It also will air at 10 p.m.
- 7/12/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- ESPN on Wednesday announced a broad reorganization of its content division, including the renaming of ESPN Original Entertainment and expanding its reach from only TV to all platforms.
EOE, as it was known, brought to the network original movies like 3, such series as Playmakers and Tilt as well as the series Cold Pizza and Pardon the Interruption and the forthcoming eight-part miniseries The Bronx Is Burning.
ESPN also has named Keith Clinkscales, who joined the sports giant in 2004, as senior vp content development and strategies.
Reporting to Clinkscales will be Ron Semiao, senior vp original events, who will oversee such content as the ESPYs and the X Games. Senior vp Rick Alessandri will continue to focus on the X Games and ESPN's consumer products business. Content development vp Bob Wallace is working on ESPN Reports as well as other projects.
Clinkscales said Wednesday that the creative community that works with ESPN to develop shows, movies and miniseries isn't going to see a scaling down of what he called the "phenomenal history" of EOE.
EOE, as it was known, brought to the network original movies like 3, such series as Playmakers and Tilt as well as the series Cold Pizza and Pardon the Interruption and the forthcoming eight-part miniseries The Bronx Is Burning.
ESPN also has named Keith Clinkscales, who joined the sports giant in 2004, as senior vp content development and strategies.
Reporting to Clinkscales will be Ron Semiao, senior vp original events, who will oversee such content as the ESPYs and the X Games. Senior vp Rick Alessandri will continue to focus on the X Games and ESPN's consumer products business. Content development vp Bob Wallace is working on ESPN Reports as well as other projects.
Clinkscales said Wednesday that the creative community that works with ESPN to develop shows, movies and miniseries isn't going to see a scaling down of what he called the "phenomenal history" of EOE.
- 6/21/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- Sam Shepard and Frank Whaley have been cast in the ESPN original telefilm Ruffian. The horse racing drama is set to premiere on ABC in June 2007, in conjunction with ABC's coverage of the Belmont Stakes, after which it will air on ESPN and other Walt Disney Co.-owned outlets. Shepard plays trainer Franky Whiteley, who guides a filly racehorse through the 1970s. Whaley will play sportswriter Bill Nack. Production on the project is expected to begin March 20 in Shreveport, La. Orly Adelson is executive producing Ruffian, penned by Jim Burnstein, Garrett K. Schiff and Ross Parker. Yves Simoneau (USA Network's The 4400 and FX's 44 Minutes) is on board to direct. Adelson and her Orly Adelson Prods. have done a number of original series and telepics for ESPN, including CodeBreakers and the series Playmakers.
Omar Gooding (Playmakers) has been cast in the lead role of the new Showtime series Barbershop. A continuation of the MGM movie franchise, the series' cast will including Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Wire), Anna Brown (If Tomorrow Comes) and John Wesley Chatham (Girlfriends). Barbershop will premiere Aug. 11 alongside new series Weeds on Showtime.
- 5/12/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- Tilt, ESPN's second original series that highlights the behind-the-scenes world of poker, debuted higher than the network's average in the time slot but rated lower than the 2003 debut of Playmakers. Thursday night's premiere averaged a 1.6 coverage area rating, according to data released Friday by Nielsen Media Research. It was higher than the 9-10 p.m. time period but down 32% from the premiere of Playmakers, ESPN's first scripted series. Playmakers had a 2.41 household coverage rating when it debuted on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2003. Tilt averaged 2 million total viewers, compared with 2.6 million viewers for the Playmakers debut, according to data from Nielsen Media Research.
- 1/15/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- Tilt, ESPN's second original series that highlights the behind-the-scenes world of poker, debuted higher than the network's average in the time slot but rated lower than the 2003 debut of Playmakers. Thursday night's premiere averaged a 1.6 coverage area rating, according to data released Friday by Nielsen Media Research. It was higher than the 9-10 p.m. time period but down 32% from the premiere of Playmakers, ESPN's first scripted series. Playmakers had a 2.41 household coverage rating when it debuted on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2003. Tilt averaged 2 million total viewers, compared with 2.6 million viewers for the Playmakers debut, according to data from Nielsen Media Research.
- 1/14/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Writer-executive producer John Eisendrath has inked a new two-year overall deal with Touchstone TV. Under the seven-figure pact, the Alias executive producer will co-create, co-write and executive produce with Alias creator/exec producer J.J. Abrams The Catch, a drama pilot set in the world of bounty hunters that stars Greg Grunberg and Orlando Jones. Additionally, Eisendrath has set up three projects at different networks. At ESPN, where Eisendrath created and executive produced the critically acclaimed Playmakers, he is developing another series set in the world of boxing. At ABC, Eisendrath has received a script commitment for Wanted, a drama about the FBI's Most Wanted list and the agents who track down the dangerous criminals on the list. And Fox Broadcasting Co. has given the writer-producer a premium script commitment for a show about a female divorce lawyer. Eisendrath, who has served as exec producer/showrunner on such series as Fox's Beverly Hills, 90210 and on Abrams' Alias and Felicity on the WB Network, is repped by Ted Chervin of the Broder-Webb-Chervin-Silbermann Agency and attorney Tom Collier.
- 12/7/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ESPN is back in the scripted-series game with a new drama set in the world of high-stakes poker. The sports network has ordered 13 episodes of Tilt from executive producers Brian Koppelman and David Levien, who last delved into the poker world in Rounders, the 1988 film they co-wrote. The pair previously had a pilot script order from ESPN for a different series (HR 1/12). Tilt is ESPN's first scripted-series bet since Playmakers, the controversial football drama benched after one season in part because of criticism from the National Football League, which didn't take kindly to the show's unflattering depiction of professional athletes (HR 2/5).
- 8/24/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ESPN said Wednesday that it will not renew Playmakers, the drama series that drew public criticism from the NFL for its harsh depiction of professional football. "We have decided that 'Playmakers' will not resume production," said Mark Shapiro, ESPN executive vp programming and production. "Many considerations went into this decision, not the least of which was the reaction from a longtime and valued partner." Playmakers drew the ire of NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue for its portrayal of a fictional football team whose members indulge in illegal activities including drug abuse. ESPN, which has two years left on its eight-year $4.8 billion deal with the NFL, promoted the series during its Sunday evening broadcasts of NFL games. "It was ESPN's decision, and now we can all move on," an NFL spokesman said. "We are looking forward to another great season with ESPN in 2004."...
Despite being blitzed by the National Football League over its controversial series Playmakers, ESPN is still game for gridiron-based original programming. The sports network has commissioned a pilot script for a series set in the worlds of gambling and college football, sources said. Titled The Fix, the script will be written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien, sources said, the screenwriting team whose credits include Runaway Jury and Rounders. The original concept came out of discussions between producer Bruce Nash (Meet My Folks) and ESPN brass. Nash would still serve as an executive producer on the show, sources said. It remains to be seen how the NCAA, which partners with ESPN on the programming of a wide variety of sports including football, would react to such a program should it receive a green light. The NFL publicly criticized Playmakers for its unflattering depiction of professional football even though it was a fictional series.
- 1/12/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ESPN said Wednesday that it has revved up development on original telefilms with a slate that includes a biopic of late auto-racing star Dale Earnhardt. During its portion of the Television Critics Assn. winter press tour in Hollywood, the sports network also reaffirmed its commitment to producing original series but deferred any decision on the renewal of its controversial football drama Playmakers. Scheduled to bow in late summer, 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story, chronicling the life of the NASCAR star who died in a crash at the 2001 Daytona 500, will be ESPN's third original longform production, following 2002's A Season on the Brink and The Junction Boys.
ESPN's first original series, Playmakers, finished its freshman season with its highest-rated episode since the series' premiere. Nearly 2 million households viewed the finale Tuesday, which capped a solid showing for the football-minded series. Playmakers averaged 2.2 million total viewers during the course of its first season, with more than 1 million from ESPN's core men 18-49 demographic tuning in each episode. However, the potential for a second season remains shrouded in doubt amid reports that the NFL, which counts the sports network among the rights holders to its games, is displeased by the graphic depictions of illegal activities by the series' fictional characters. No decision has been made about greenlighting a second season, an ESPN spokeswoman said.
- 11/13/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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