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Archive: October 2009 (281-290 of 459)

Oct 14 2009 04:36 PM ET

Fox extends 'The Cleveland Show' into 2011

Fox announced today that the network is renewing The Cleveland Show through the 2010-11 television season, Variety reports. The Family Guy spinoff focusing on Cleveland Brown’s return to his Virginia hometown is the no. 1 new show among adults 18-49. The animated series, already in production on the first 13 episodes of its second season, gets a full 22-episode order with the renewal. The Cleveland Show averages 9 million viewers in its 8:30 pm Sunday timeslot.

Oct 14 2009 11:09 AM ET

'Dancing with the Stars' tribute to Michael Jackson scheduled for Tuesday

by Tanner Stransky

Tags: In Memoriam, Musics, Television

ABC’s Dancing with the Stars is set to honor Michael Jackson with a ballroom tribute on next Tuesday’s results show, EW has confirmed. The dance tribute will feature all the show’s professional dancers and longtime DWTS pro dancer Cheryl Burke will be one of the choreographers. Michael’s sister La Toya, who’s working as a DWTS correspondent for Access Hollywood was surprised and happy about the decision to honor her brother. “Here? You’re kidding! Oh that’s gonna be wonderful,” La Toya told the entertainment show. “I’m so excited. I can’t wait to see that. I’m really looking forward to that. That’s gonna be fabulous.”

Oct 14 2009 05:59 AM ET

Justin Long to collaborate with Robert Redford in 'The Conspirator'

by Tanner Stransky

Tags: Movie, Movie Biz

Justin Long has joined the cast of the Robert Redford-directed film The Conspirator, according to The Hollywood Reporter. James McAvoy and Robin Wright Penn have already been cast. The Conspirator revolves around a Confederate sympathizer (Wright Penn), who was tried for the Lincoln assassination, and her defender (McAvoy). Long will play the role of a Civil War soldier who is a friend to McAvoy’s character. The film is on track to shoot in Georgia this month.

Oct 14 2009 05:58 AM ET

'Godfather' singer Al Martino dies at age 82

by Tanner Stransky

Tags: In Memoriam, Movie, Movie Biz, Musics

Al Martino, the singer who played the Frank Sinatra-type role of Johnny Fontane in The Godfather, died Oct. 14 at his childhood home in Springfield, Pa., according to the Associated Press. No cause was given. He was 82. In addition to acting in the The Godfather, Martino provided vocals for the movie’s title score, “The Love Theme From The Godfather.” In the movie, Martino’s character Fontane was a singer, occasional actor, and the godson of Brando’s character, Don Vito Corleone.

Oct 14 2009 05:57 AM ET

Jeffrey Tambor, wife welcome twin boys

by Tanner Stransky

Tags: Celebrity Babies!, Television, Celebrity Babies!

Arrested Development and Larry Sanders Show star Jeffrey Tambor and his wife of eight years, Kasia, welcomed twins—Hugo Bernard and Eli Nicholas—on Oct. 4, according to People. The couple already has two children, Eve Julia, 2, and Gabriel Kasper, 3, and Jeffrey has adult daugthers from previous relationships.

Oct 14 2009 05:56 AM ET

Rashida Jones brings her graphic novels to the big screen

by Tanner Stransky

Tags: Book, Movie, Movie Biz, Television

Rashida Jones, who stars on NBC’s Parks and Recreation, is bringing her graphic novel miniseries Frenemy of the State to the big screen, according to Variety. Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment have bought rights to the project, which centers on a young heiress who works undercover for the CIA.

“It’s intended for a girl much younger than me, about age 20, an interesting age for girls as they make that scary jump to adulthood,” Jones told Variety. “There is a comic element to it, this girl who is so conscious of social standing and wearing the right shoes, suddenly becoming responsible for these dangerous, life-threatening missions.”

Oct 14 2009 05:55 AM ET

'Burn Notice' writer sets up female-centric drama at Fox

by Tanner Stransky

Tags: Television

Ben Watkins, a writer on USA’s Burn Notice, is working on a new project for Fox, a drama about an undercover female investigator with identity issues, according to Variety. The woman at the center of the series is set to be in her late 20s and of mixed-race heritage with her identity issues stemming from the fact that she was adopted as an infant. Watkins, who’ll write the pilot, is executive producing with One Tree Hill and Smallville producer Mark Tollin.

Oct 14 2009 04:00 AM ET

Producer, studio head Daniel Melnick dies at 77

by Wendy Mitchell

Tags: In Memoriam, Movie

Producer and former head of MGM Daniel Melnick died Tuesday in Los Angeles, according to Variety. He was 77 and recently had surgery for lung cancer. During his time as MGM chief, the studio worked on films such as Network, The Goodbye Girl and The Sunshine Boys. He also served as executive producer on That’s Entertainment. At Columbia, Melnick worked on films including Kramer vs. Kramer and Midnight Express.

Oct 14 2009 04:00 AM ET

Robert Rodat to write 'Warcraft' for Sam Raimi

by Wendy Mitchell

Tags: Movie

Saving Private Ryan writer Robert Rodat has been hired to pen Warcraft, the live-action film based on the game franchise World of Warcraft, Variety reports. Sam Raimi will direct.

Oct 14 2009 04:00 AM ET

Tommy Lee Jones in talks to join Matthew McConaughey's 'Lawyer'

by Wendy Mitchell

Tags: Movie

Tommy Lee Jones is in talks to direct and co-star in The Lincoln Lawyer, which will star Matthew McConaughey. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project (adapted from Michael Connelly’s 2005 novel) is about a struggling Los Angeles lawyer who lands the case of a lifetime. McConaughey will play the lawyer and it’s not yet known which role Jones would take on.