TV
Five Questions with The Office’s Kate Flannery
Kate Flannery participates in a brief Q&A regarding her role as Meredith Palmer on NBC’s The Office.
RIP, Charlton Heston (1923-2008)
Charlton Heston died Saturday night, at the age of 84. While an official cause of his death has yet to be released, the actor revealed in 2002 that he was battling Alzheimer’s disease.
The respected thespian, likewise known as a civil rights leader and political activist, was born October 4, 1923, in Evanston, Ill. Following a Broadway debut opposite legendary stage actress Katharine Cornell in Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, Heston found steady work in television.
He eventually starred in theatrical films, where he claimed his most well-known roles. The actor provided celebrated performances in such classics as The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), The Ten Commandments (1956), Touch of Evil (1958), The Big Country (1958), Ben-Hur (1959), El Cid (1961), Major Dundee (1965), The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), The War Lord (1965) and Planet of the Apes (1968). Among his numerous awards, the actor received two Academy Award honors: one for his turn as Judah Ben-Hur and a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
For more information on the life and death of Charlton Heston, recommended obituaries may be found at the The Los Angeles Times and the Internet Movie Database. To read the Heston family’s statement regarding the beloved actor’s death, please visit Coming Soon.
6Apr2008 | Josh E Armstrong | ContinuedGough, Millar leaving Smallville
Coming Soon has obtained the letter Alfred Gough and Miles Millar sent out regarding their exit from television’s Smallville. The message begins, “As the creators of Smallville we look back at 7 amazing years. We look back at 152 episodes. We look back knowing that the show will continue into Season 8 without us. After much heartache and debate we have decided it is time for us to move on.”
Magnum McConaughey?
Entertainment Weekly has learned that Matthew McConaughey has been offered the role of Thomas Magnum in Universal Pictures’ adaptation of Magnum P.I. The film is inspired by the ’80s television series starring Tom Selleck as “a former Navy Seal turned reluctant detective.” Apparently, McConaughey has yet to make a decision about the offer, as he is reading the project’s screenplay from writer/director Rawson Thurber (Dodgeball).
Roker in a Feud with NBC?
Sources for Variety say that Al Roker may host the celebrity edition of Family Feud for NBC. The Today Show weatherman has been in negotiations with FremantleMedia North America about the gig for more than a week. The new edition of Feud is aiming to air on NBC possibly this summer.
Office and spin-off to follow Super Bowl XLIII
NBC has decided to place The Office and its spin-off in the coveted time slot following Super Bowl XLIII, reports Coming Soon. The first Office episode will be an original one, leading up to the premiere of the new Greg Daniels comedy. Daniels, executive producer of The Office, commented, “Who would have ever thought that Americans would be subjected to a mock-documentary after the Super Bowl? What has happened to this country?” The subject and cast of the Office spin-off have yet to be revealed.
NBC unveils 52-week programming
Coming Soon has the announcement from NBC regarding the network’s complete 52-week programming. The lineup includes such new series as Kath & Kim, Knight Rider, My Own Worst Enemy and Crusoe. Furthermore, the season will hold such items as the 15th and final season of ER, as well as the brand-new spin-off for The Office.
Romano to act his Age
Ray Romano is re-teaming with Everybody Loves Raymond writer-producer Mike Royce for a drama pilot to air on TNT, indicates The Hollywood Reporter. Titled Men of a Certain Age, the hourlong show was written by Romano, who will star, as well as executive produce with showrunner Royce. “The character-based project is described as taking a wry look at what it means to be a guy approaching midlife while also exploring the unique bonds of male friendship through the eyes of three guys who have been best friends since college but are now in their 40s.”
ABC reveals summer schedule
ABC has announced it plans for this summer. Delivered by Variety, the schedule includes such reality-based series as The Bachelorette, The Mole, Wipeout, I Survived A Japanese Game Show, Hopkins, Dance Machine, High School Musical: Summer Session and Wanna Bet.
NBC leaves Lights on
TV Worth Watching writes that NBC has renewed Friday Night Lights for a third season. The news comes courtesy of series star Kyle Chandler, who confirmed that a deal to spread costs and keep the show going has been made. The actor will return to Austin, Texas in June to start filming season three on location.
ABC reads Extraordinary Atlas
ABC has picked up the fantasy pilot Captain Cook’s Extraordinary Atlas from Tom Wheeler. Supplied by Warner Bros. TV, the drama is described as a blend of Harry Potter and Pan’s Labyrinth. “It centers on a young girl who finds a magical atlas that reveals a secret world underneath our world,” explains The Hollywood Reporter.
Callies returning to Prison Break
Sarah Wayne Callies is returning to Prison Break as Dr. Sara Tancredi, says E! Online. According to executive producer Matt Olmstead, the character has been alive, just not necessarily well. He told the site, “It wasn’t because of the fans that we did that, but it was the combination of the fans’ reactions on the boards and emails, and people we, the writers, know personally would ask about it. And that led us all to have conversations internally, about the fact that there were a lot of people out there asking, ‘Is she really dead?’”
Children of Men TV pilot in the works
Bionic Woman executive producer David Eick has revealed to SCI FI Wire that he’s working on a pilot script for a proposed TV series based on P.D. James’ novel Children of Men. The book was previous adapted into a movie by director Alfonso Cuaron. Of his vision for the television series, Eick explains, “It’s really taking root more in the origins of the novels in that it will focus on the cultural movement in which young people become the society’s utter focus.”
Emmy goes to court
Variety writes the National Academy of TV Arts & Sciences has finally added a category for the court genre to its list of groups represented at the Daytime Emmys. The decision came with the realization of the number of television shows in the genre, as well as how long that number of shows has existed.
Feud continues in primetime
NBC and American Idol producer FremantleMedia North America are preparing a celebrity edition of Family Feud, to air in primetime as early as this summer. Although the series is more than thirty years old, this will mark the first time that Feud has been converted into a regular primetime network show. Word has yet to arrive on which celebrities will appear on the show or how they will be grouped. For instance, could viewers see the Baldwin’s take on the Lohan’s? Or is a battle between the casts of Lost and Heroes soon to take place? Variety has more on this story.
Jimmy Kimmel Live celebrating 1,000th episode
Coming Soon spreads the announcement from ABC that Jimmy Kimmel Live will celebrate its 1,000th episode with an extended, 90-minute special on Thursday, April 3, at approximately 11:35 p.m. - 1:05 a.m., ET. Nightline will return to its regular timeslot the following night.
HBO readies Shootout, hires Call Girl
The Hollywood Reporter confirms that HBO has greenlit the pilot Suburban Shootout, penned by Michelle Ashford and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. “Shootout is a dark comedy about a woman who escapes the city for suburban bliss only to find herself caught between two rival gangs of homicidal housewives as they vie for control of their idyllic town.” The report also informs that HBO has given pilot orders to Darren Star’s Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl, explained as “an ensemble show that takes a look at how power, sex and money collide through the eyes of a group of Manhattan’s highest-paid escorts.”
Bassett gets star on Walk of Fame
On Thursday, Angela Bassett received the 2,358th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Attending the event for the Oscar-nominated actress were her husband Courtney B. Vance, their children and guests Forest Whitaker, Laurence Fishburne and Rick Fox. Yahoo!/Associated Press has coverage of the celebration.
WGA strike gives series new seasons
Variety examines the ratings-challenged primetime series that will particularly end up benefiting from the Writer’s Guild of America strike. ER, Scrubs, Smallville and According to Jim were expected this end this year. However, with the strike reducing the amount of episodes this season, the noted shows will likely return for at least one more year.
CBS nukes Jericho
Producers for Jericho have been told that the series will end its run on CBS this Tuesday, says The Hollywood Reporter. Unsure if the network would pick up the show again, producers shot two finales for this season, with one of the endings being a cliffhanger. However, the finale that will air Tuesday gives closure to Jericho, in case the show is not resurrected via cable or direct-to-video projects.
