After wrapping up his four-season run on HBO’s acclaimed dark comedy Barry, Henry Winkler has been set to receive USC Comedy’s prestigious Oakie Award for Exceptional Achievements in Film and Television Comedy.
Part of the Jack Oakie and Victoria Horne Oakie Masters of Comedy Lecture Series, the award presentation will take place on Tuesday, March 5 at 7:00 pm and will include an in-depth conversation with Winkler, moderated by Barry‘s co-creator and star, Bill Hader. In addition to Hader, past recipients of the Oakie Award include Catherine O’Hara, Nancy Meyers, Kenya Barris, Steve Carell, James Burrows, Paul Feig, Mel Brooks, James L. Brooks, Judd Apatow, Lisa Kudrow, Barnet Kellman, David Isaacs, Phil Rosenthal, and Tim Story.
In a statement on Winkler’s forthcoming recognition, David Isaacs, Co-Chair of USC Comedy and Chair of the John Wells Division of Writing for Screen & Television, said: “Henry Winkler’s indelible mark...
Part of the Jack Oakie and Victoria Horne Oakie Masters of Comedy Lecture Series, the award presentation will take place on Tuesday, March 5 at 7:00 pm and will include an in-depth conversation with Winkler, moderated by Barry‘s co-creator and star, Bill Hader. In addition to Hader, past recipients of the Oakie Award include Catherine O’Hara, Nancy Meyers, Kenya Barris, Steve Carell, James Burrows, Paul Feig, Mel Brooks, James L. Brooks, Judd Apatow, Lisa Kudrow, Barnet Kellman, David Isaacs, Phil Rosenthal, and Tim Story.
In a statement on Winkler’s forthcoming recognition, David Isaacs, Co-Chair of USC Comedy and Chair of the John Wells Division of Writing for Screen & Television, said: “Henry Winkler’s indelible mark...
- 2/21/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
One of the most quoted pieces of Hollywood wisdom holds that 90 percent of directing is casting. You bring the right actors together, and you're off to the races. This is, of course, laughably simplistic. You could argue that 90 percent of directing is writing because there's no movie or show to make if there's nothing on the page. And many directors will tell you that their films don't truly come together until they're hunkered down with their editor in post-production.
The truth, obviously, is that film and television production is a collaborative process that requires numerous people with expertise in different disciplines to do what they do at the highest level possible. And when it comes to casting, there is absolutely an art to finding, after untold hours of reels and cold reads, the ideal actor for each role — especially if you're trying to launch a successful television series. Because no...
The truth, obviously, is that film and television production is a collaborative process that requires numerous people with expertise in different disciplines to do what they do at the highest level possible. And when it comes to casting, there is absolutely an art to finding, after untold hours of reels and cold reads, the ideal actor for each role — especially if you're trying to launch a successful television series. Because no...
- 1/13/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Actors beloved for a long-running television role carry a funny kind of baggage with them. It didn't matter where Andy Griffth showed up in TV or film, the shadow of amiable Sheriff Andrew Jackson "Andy" Taylor and, during the actor's twilight years, the irascible defense attorney Ben Matlock always hung heavily over his head. Likewise, for all of Angela Lansbury's many, many accomplishments performing on the stage and screen, certain people could only ever look at her and see their favorite cardigan-loving author-sleuth, Jessica Fletcher.
Lucille Désirée Ball was firmly cognizant of just how strongly the masses identified her with her incorrigible onscreen counterpart, Lucille Esmeralda "Lucy" McGillicuddy Ricardo, from "I Love Lucy," having played the iconic trouble-maker across the series' 180 episodes in the 1950s. This was also the main factor that led to her passing on another classic sitcom, "Cheers," decades later.
Despite the show garnering near-catastrophic ratings...
Lucille Désirée Ball was firmly cognizant of just how strongly the masses identified her with her incorrigible onscreen counterpart, Lucille Esmeralda "Lucy" McGillicuddy Ricardo, from "I Love Lucy," having played the iconic trouble-maker across the series' 180 episodes in the 1950s. This was also the main factor that led to her passing on another classic sitcom, "Cheers," decades later.
Despite the show garnering near-catastrophic ratings...
- 12/28/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
"Cheers" is, by several measures, one of the most successful shows in the history of television. It ran for 11 seasons and 275 episodes — a number that is downright unthinkable in the modern age. It also remains beloved to this day, which is not something that can be said of many shows from that same era. So much of it can be boiled down to the lovable characters, and few were more lovable than Norm.
Played by George Wendt, Norm appeared on nearly every episode of the show and was always greeted with a warm welcome. Not just from the audience, but from the other patrons at the bar as well who would, in a running gag, yell "Norm!" in celebration every time he would enter, followed by a joke. It turns out that implementing this running gag all of the time ended up giving the writers a bit of a headache...
Played by George Wendt, Norm appeared on nearly every episode of the show and was always greeted with a warm welcome. Not just from the audience, but from the other patrons at the bar as well who would, in a running gag, yell "Norm!" in celebration every time he would enter, followed by a joke. It turns out that implementing this running gag all of the time ended up giving the writers a bit of a headache...
- 12/3/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
"Cheers," 30 years removed from its series finale, remains one of the most important and beloved shows in the history of television. It made several careers and even spawned the most successful spin-off in history with "Frasier," a show that was revived once again recently. The point is that the legacy of "Cheers" is still very much felt today. While many of the central and supporting cast members still benefit from that legacy, there's one who most certainly doesn't: Jay Thomas. The comedian and disc jokey played Eddie, the husband of Rhea Perlman's Carla on the show.
As fans may well recall, Eddie was killed off during "Cheers" season 8 in the episode "Death Takes a Holiday on Ice." But why did the creators decide to kill off Thomas' character? It had to do with public comments he made about Perlman. Thomas himself was responsible for sealing Eddie's fate.
The actor,...
As fans may well recall, Eddie was killed off during "Cheers" season 8 in the episode "Death Takes a Holiday on Ice." But why did the creators decide to kill off Thomas' character? It had to do with public comments he made about Perlman. Thomas himself was responsible for sealing Eddie's fate.
The actor,...
- 10/21/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
If you caught up with "M*A*S*H" sometime after the beloved wartime sitcom ended its much-lauded original run, you'd be forgiven for having no clue about the series' spinoffs. After all, 50 years after it first aired, "M*A*S*H" remains a major pillar of TV history -- for its rollicking anti-authority spirit and bleeding heart attitude, its genre-blending and experimental episodes, and its record-breaking finale telecast, which is still by some measures the most-watched in the history of television. "AfterMASH," though? Well, not so much.
It's a testament to the flagship series' strengths that decades after it ended, its bizarre and short-lived spinoffs haven't tainted its reputation at all. In fact, they've mostly been forgotten, in part because they're unavailable on streaming and tough to find on home video. Three "M*A*S*H" spinoffs were made in hopes of capitalizing on some of the original series' magic, but only one -- the...
It's a testament to the flagship series' strengths that decades after it ended, its bizarre and short-lived spinoffs haven't tainted its reputation at all. In fact, they've mostly been forgotten, in part because they're unavailable on streaming and tough to find on home video. Three "M*A*S*H" spinoffs were made in hopes of capitalizing on some of the original series' magic, but only one -- the...
- 10/16/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Fasten your seat belts! African streamer Showmax and Canal+ are getting ready to go pedal to the metal.
The streaming company, co-owned by African pay-tv giant MultiChoice Group and Comcast, and the French pay TV giant has released a trailer for the eight-part gangster and extreme sports drama Spinners, which The Hollywood Reporter is revealing exclusively.
The companies’ third co-production, set in South Africa’s Cape Town, became the first African show to take part in CanneSeries’ main competition.
Spinners follows Ethan (Cantona James), a 17-year-old driver working for a gang who is trying to support his younger brother and discovers a possible way out of gang life: spinning, an extreme motorsport that features drivers performing jaw-dropping daredevil stunts. However, a looming gang war jeopardizes his plans.
The cast includes James (Arendsvlei) and Chelsea Thomas (Arendsvlei) in leading roles, along with Elton Landrew (Recipes for Love & Murder); Dillon Windvogel...
The streaming company, co-owned by African pay-tv giant MultiChoice Group and Comcast, and the French pay TV giant has released a trailer for the eight-part gangster and extreme sports drama Spinners, which The Hollywood Reporter is revealing exclusively.
The companies’ third co-production, set in South Africa’s Cape Town, became the first African show to take part in CanneSeries’ main competition.
Spinners follows Ethan (Cantona James), a 17-year-old driver working for a gang who is trying to support his younger brother and discovers a possible way out of gang life: spinning, an extreme motorsport that features drivers performing jaw-dropping daredevil stunts. However, a looming gang war jeopardizes his plans.
The cast includes James (Arendsvlei) and Chelsea Thomas (Arendsvlei) in leading roles, along with Elton Landrew (Recipes for Love & Murder); Dillon Windvogel...
- 8/28/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Eleven seasons. Two hundred and seventy-five episodes. Twenty-eight Emmy Awards. Yes, “Cheers” was one of the longest-running, most successful – and most beloved – situation comedies in television history. And a milestone is about to be reached this weekend: 30 years since the series finale aired on NBC. Saturday marks precisely 30 years since the show bid prime time adieu on May 20, 1993, the last time Sam (Ted Danson) poured Norm (George Wendt) a glass of beer at the famed Boston bar.
To celebrate the event, Pluto TV’s Sitcom Legends channel will be airing a marathon of the entire final “Cheers” season, which comprises a whopping 26 episodes in the era before streaming, this Saturday the 20th. It begins at 7 a.m. Pt/10 a.m. Et with the first episode of Season 11 and continues in order through the finale. The last episode was supersized as the length of three installments, so you might say...
To celebrate the event, Pluto TV’s Sitcom Legends channel will be airing a marathon of the entire final “Cheers” season, which comprises a whopping 26 episodes in the era before streaming, this Saturday the 20th. It begins at 7 a.m. Pt/10 a.m. Et with the first episode of Season 11 and continues in order through the finale. The last episode was supersized as the length of three installments, so you might say...
- 5/19/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
The NBC comedy Cheers attracted several guest stars playing themselves. These were public figures like baseball player Wade Boggs and of course Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. One of the first guest stars in season 1 was politician Tip O’Neill. He was a good sport, but refused to do one joke the writers had written.
Rhea Perlman and Thomas P. ‘Tip’ O’Neill | Frank Carroll/NBCU Photo Bank
Cheers writer Ken Levine revealed the lost Tip O’Neill scene on an episode of his Hollywood & Levine podcast. Here’s the scene that was missing from season 1, episode 18, “No Contest.”
The history of politicians as ‘Cheers’ guest stars
Long before Joint Chiefs Chairman William J. Crowe appeared in season 7, O’Neill came into Cheers as a guest star for a drink. Levine explained who O’Neill was in 1983.
“For Cheers, we got Thomas ‘Tip’ O’Neill as our stunt casting in season 1,” Levine said on Hollywood & Levine.
Rhea Perlman and Thomas P. ‘Tip’ O’Neill | Frank Carroll/NBCU Photo Bank
Cheers writer Ken Levine revealed the lost Tip O’Neill scene on an episode of his Hollywood & Levine podcast. Here’s the scene that was missing from season 1, episode 18, “No Contest.”
The history of politicians as ‘Cheers’ guest stars
Long before Joint Chiefs Chairman William J. Crowe appeared in season 7, O’Neill came into Cheers as a guest star for a drink. Levine explained who O’Neill was in 1983.
“For Cheers, we got Thomas ‘Tip’ O’Neill as our stunt casting in season 1,” Levine said on Hollywood & Levine.
- 1/27/2023
- by Fred Topel
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The NBC comedy Cheers was all about feeling good. Fans don’t associate it with horror. But, for writer Ken Levine, working on Cheers had some scary moments. Levine, with his partner David Isaacs, wrote 40 episodes of Cheers. They were responsible for a “Monster” Norm (George Wendt) joke and integral to the transition from Shelley Long to Kirstie Alley, but those weren’t the scariest times.
L-r: John Ratzenberger, Kelsey Grammer, Rhea Perlmani, Ted Danson,, Kirstie Alley, Woody Harrelson, and George Wendt | NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
Levine revealed his scariest moment on Cheers on an episode of his Hollywood & Levine podcast. If you’re a writer, grab your blankie and night light because Levine’s fear is palpable.
‘Cheers’ classic episode was terrifying to writer Ken Levine
“Bar Wars” became a classic Cheers episode. The Cheers gang goes to war with Gary’s Olde Towne Tavern in season 6. Levine...
L-r: John Ratzenberger, Kelsey Grammer, Rhea Perlmani, Ted Danson,, Kirstie Alley, Woody Harrelson, and George Wendt | NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
Levine revealed his scariest moment on Cheers on an episode of his Hollywood & Levine podcast. If you’re a writer, grab your blankie and night light because Levine’s fear is palpable.
‘Cheers’ classic episode was terrifying to writer Ken Levine
“Bar Wars” became a classic Cheers episode. The Cheers gang goes to war with Gary’s Olde Towne Tavern in season 6. Levine...
- 1/26/2023
- by Fred Topel
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Kirstie Alley, the smokey-voiced actress who replaced Shelley Long in the ensemble cast of “Cheers” in 1987 and went on to establish herself and earn plaudits from critics along with a handful of Emmy nominations, died Monday after a short battle with cancer. She was 71 at the time of her death, and her illness had not been well-known outside of immediate family.
When Long departed “Cheers” after playing fussbudget intellectual waitress Diane Chambers for five seasons that generated an Emmy nomination every year (and a lone win in 1983) to pursue a film career in 1987, the press and industry were skeptical about the show’s ability to remain a ratings juggernaut and weren’t initially terribly impressed with Alley’s casting as the replacement. A relatively swift exit from the NBC schedule was considered a real possibility. Instead, “Cheers” thrived with Alley portraying the Boston bar’s brassy, ambitious and completely neurotic middle manager Rebecca Howe,...
When Long departed “Cheers” after playing fussbudget intellectual waitress Diane Chambers for five seasons that generated an Emmy nomination every year (and a lone win in 1983) to pursue a film career in 1987, the press and industry were skeptical about the show’s ability to remain a ratings juggernaut and weren’t initially terribly impressed with Alley’s casting as the replacement. A relatively swift exit from the NBC schedule was considered a real possibility. Instead, “Cheers” thrived with Alley portraying the Boston bar’s brassy, ambitious and completely neurotic middle manager Rebecca Howe,...
- 12/6/2022
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
As the Emmys approach on Monday, there is an impressive roster of comedy series nominees like “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Abbott Elementary,” “Ted Lasso,” “Hacks,” “Barry,” “Only Murders in the Building.” What do they have in common, besides wit and delightful (or delightfully cranky or murderous) characters? As with virtually every top TV comedy of this millennium, the laughter you hear is your own!
It was not always that way. For decades beginning in the 1950s, TV comedies boosted their punchlines with the use of recorded laughter. In a a time when TV shows were primarily filmed in front of a studio audience (think “I Love Lucy”), CBS sound engineer named Charley Douglass thought that the audience’s organic reactions weren’t good enough. So, he started manipulating the audio levels in postproduction, developing a machine nicknamed the Laff Box.
Even when shows became more sophisticated, most used some form of laugh track for “sweetening.
It was not always that way. For decades beginning in the 1950s, TV comedies boosted their punchlines with the use of recorded laughter. In a a time when TV shows were primarily filmed in front of a studio audience (think “I Love Lucy”), CBS sound engineer named Charley Douglass thought that the audience’s organic reactions weren’t good enough. So, he started manipulating the audio levels in postproduction, developing a machine nicknamed the Laff Box.
Even when shows became more sophisticated, most used some form of laugh track for “sweetening.
- 9/12/2022
- by Mary Murphy and Michele Willens
- The Wrap
USC’s School Of Cinematic Arts (Sca) is partnering with digital studio New Form Digital, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer on a year-long programme to support, sponsor and distribute student film across digital platforms.
Chair of the School’s writing for screen and television division Jack Epps Jr and chair of the film & television production division Michael Fink direct the programme for the school.
New Form Cco Kathleen Grace, entertainment attorney Craig Jacobson, former Tribune Broadcasting president Ed Wilson, former William Morris chief Jim Wiatt and CAA and Imagine co-chairman Michael Rosenberg direct from the studio side.
“This programme is an experiment that we cannot wait to begin,” said Epps and Fink. “We’re excited that New Form is enabling us to offer our students this unique experience, which moves the academic arena closer to the real world experience of working with industry professionals in creating content for various distribution platforms.”
The initiative...
Chair of the School’s writing for screen and television division Jack Epps Jr and chair of the film & television production division Michael Fink direct the programme for the school.
New Form Cco Kathleen Grace, entertainment attorney Craig Jacobson, former Tribune Broadcasting president Ed Wilson, former William Morris chief Jim Wiatt and CAA and Imagine co-chairman Michael Rosenberg direct from the studio side.
“This programme is an experiment that we cannot wait to begin,” said Epps and Fink. “We’re excited that New Form is enabling us to offer our students this unique experience, which moves the academic arena closer to the real world experience of working with industry professionals in creating content for various distribution platforms.”
The initiative...
- 8/11/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Ron Howard and Brian Grazer are setting their sights once more on the young and tech savvy. USC's School of Cinematic Arts and New Form Digital -- a studio created from Discovery Communications, Howard and Grazer -- are partnering on a year-long program that will support the distribution of student-made programming. Under directors Jack Epps Jr. and Michael Fink of USC, 15-20 students during the 2014-2015 school year will develop and pitch their projects. Three will be selected to be developed and produced as web series during the second semester of the program. New Form will evaluate the content and oversee distribution via digital platforms. Sca professors David Goetsch ("The Big Bang Theory") and David Isaacs ("Cheers," "M*A*S*H") will instruct the Writing classes and Sean Mullin ("Sam & Amira") will instruct the Production class. More on New Form here. ...
- 8/11/2014
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Thompson on Hollywood
A review of tonight's "Parks and Recreation" coming up just as soon as I'm checking myself for scoliosis... "I didn't shave it off. It rubbed off... from friction." -Ron One of my favorite sitcoms growing up (and one of "Parks and Rec" co-creator Mike Schur's, as well) was "Cheers," and one of my favorite aspects of that show's later years was the annual "Bar Wars" episode, always written by friend of the blog Ken Levine and his partner David Isaacs, in which Cheers would wage some kind of prank war with their arch-rivals at Gary's Old Towne Tavern. The episodes were...
- 2/11/2011
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Hitfix
In the famous "Chuckles Bites the Dust" episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Lou and Murray and Sue Ann just can't stop laughing at the absurd circumstances that led to their clown colleague's death. At one point Murray asks why they laugh and Lou elegantly responds: It's a release, Murray. A kind of defense mechanism. It's like whistling in a graveyard. You try to make light of something because it scares you. We laugh at death because we know death will have the last laugh on us. The man who wrote that passed away himself Wednesday morning. David Lloyd has died after a long illness. He was a true giant in the industry and one of the major influences on our career (me and my partner, David Isaacs). Proud to say we received our first rejection letter from David Lloyd. Seven...
- 11/12/2009
- by Ken Levine
- Huffington Post
"Milk" emerged with an original screenplay honor at the 2009 WGA awards!
Dustin Lance Black, the film's scriptwriter said:
.I want to thank God for making my dreams come true, and I want to thank God for giving us Harvey Milk.
.Milk. beat the screenplays for "Burn After Reading," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," "The Visitor" and "The Wrestler."
Black was also honored by the WGA with the Paul Selvin award for his work on civil rights. According to Variety, Black revealed:
.We need to dream bigger than Proposition 8...I.m a child of Harvey Milk, and I.m a child of the movies. Those two things can inspire a guy to dream big..
I love that, "a child of the movies." Yay!
Meanwhile, "Slumdog Millionaire" continues to dominate awards circuit. Scriptwriter Simon Beaufoy won for best adapted screenplay. "Slumdog" is based on a Vikas Swarup novel.
Oscar prognosticators take note!
Dustin Lance Black, the film's scriptwriter said:
.I want to thank God for making my dreams come true, and I want to thank God for giving us Harvey Milk.
.Milk. beat the screenplays for "Burn After Reading," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," "The Visitor" and "The Wrestler."
Black was also honored by the WGA with the Paul Selvin award for his work on civil rights. According to Variety, Black revealed:
.We need to dream bigger than Proposition 8...I.m a child of Harvey Milk, and I.m a child of the movies. Those two things can inspire a guy to dream big..
I love that, "a child of the movies." Yay!
Meanwhile, "Slumdog Millionaire" continues to dominate awards circuit. Scriptwriter Simon Beaufoy won for best adapted screenplay. "Slumdog" is based on a Vikas Swarup novel.
Oscar prognosticators take note!
- 2/8/2009
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
It's award time yet again. Now, the 2009 WGA winners have been announced! Took place at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles and the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City. Film-wise, "Milk" won the best original screenplay, "Slumdog Millionaire" once again impressed with Simon Beaufoy winning in the adapted screenplay category. "30 Rock" won again in TV and "Black Radio Month" written by Anthony J. McHugh, won the award in Radio for documentary. As listed, here are the winners of the 2009 Writers Guild Awards: Screen Winners Original Screenplay Milk, Written by Dustin Lance Black, Focus Features Adapted Screenplay Slumdog Millionaire, Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy, Based on the Novel Q & A by Vikas Swarup, Fox Searchlight Pictures Documentary Screenplay Waltz with Bashir, Written by Ari Folman, Sony Pictures Classic Television Winners Dramatic Series Mad Men, Written by Lisa Albert, Jane Anderson, Rick Cleveland, Kater Gordon,...
- 2/8/2009
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Slumdog Millionaire continued its winning streak this awards season, with Simon Beaufoy winning the 2009 Writers Guild of America award this evening for adapted screenplay. Dustin Lance Black won the award for best original screenplay for Milk. Slumdog has already won DGA, SAG, PGA and Golden Globe awards, and is a multi-award favorite for the Oscars. Milk has won SAG and PGA awards and is also a strong Oscar contender in multiple categories.
On the television side, awards went to the writers of Mad Men (drama), 30 Rock (comedy), Recount and John Adams in long-form categories, and In Treatment, Breaking Bad, and The Simpsons in various other fields. Controversially, among other awards was one for videogame writing (to Star Wars: The Force Unleashed). Some publishers declined to submit their titles for consideration, viewing the award as primarily an organizing tool for a guild seeking to gain a foothold in a non-unionized sector.
On the television side, awards went to the writers of Mad Men (drama), 30 Rock (comedy), Recount and John Adams in long-form categories, and In Treatment, Breaking Bad, and The Simpsons in various other fields. Controversially, among other awards was one for videogame writing (to Star Wars: The Force Unleashed). Some publishers declined to submit their titles for consideration, viewing the award as primarily an organizing tool for a guild seeking to gain a foothold in a non-unionized sector.
- 2/8/2009
- by noreply@blogger.com (Jonathan Handel)
Screen Winners Original Screenplay Milk, Written by Dustin Lance Black, Focus Features Adapted Screenplay Slumdog Millionaire, Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy, Based on the Novel Q and A by Vikas Swarup, Fox Searchlight Pictures Documentary Screenplay Waltz with Bashir, Written by Ari Folman, Sony Pictures Classics Television Winners Dramatic Series Mad Men, Written by Lisa Albert, Jane Anderson, Rick Cleveland, Kater Gordon, David Isaacs, Andre Jacquemetton, [...]...
- 2/8/2009
- by Sasha Stone
- AwardsDaily.com
Fox Searchlight's Indian drama "Slumdog Millionaire" put another notch in the kudos-season win column Saturday, copping a WGA Award for best adapted screenplay for Simon Beaufoy.
Focus Features' Harvey Milk biopic "Milk," penned by Dustin Lance Black, won best original screenplay.
"This wasn't the easiest movie to produce, you know -- it's pretty gay!" said a grinning Black, who also was honored with the guild's Paul Selvin Award for championing constitutional rights and civil liberties.
Black added that he prayed a lot during the writing of the "Milk" screenplay.
"Mostly, I'll admit, I prayed for a green light," he said. "So I have to thank God, and I want to thank God for making my dreams come true."
In addition to "Milk," nominees in the original screenplay category included "Burn After Reading, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," The Visitor" and "The Wrestler."
In winning the best-adapted laurels, "Slumdog" overcame competition from...
Focus Features' Harvey Milk biopic "Milk," penned by Dustin Lance Black, won best original screenplay.
"This wasn't the easiest movie to produce, you know -- it's pretty gay!" said a grinning Black, who also was honored with the guild's Paul Selvin Award for championing constitutional rights and civil liberties.
Black added that he prayed a lot during the writing of the "Milk" screenplay.
"Mostly, I'll admit, I prayed for a green light," he said. "So I have to thank God, and I want to thank God for making my dreams come true."
In addition to "Milk," nominees in the original screenplay category included "Burn After Reading, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," The Visitor" and "The Wrestler."
In winning the best-adapted laurels, "Slumdog" overcame competition from...
- 2/7/2009
- by By Carl DiOrio and Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"The Dark Knight," "Slumdog Millionaire," "Doubt," "Frost/Nixon," and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" are among the nominees in the Adapted Screenplay category for the WGA's (Writers Guild Awards) 61st Anniversary awards show.
Winners will be announced February 7th, and will be held simultaneously between two ceremonies -- West Coast at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, and the East Coast at the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City.
What about "Milk" or "The Wrestler?" Click Read More to see full list of nominees!
Original Screenplay
Burn After Reading, Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, Focus Features
Milk, Written by Dustin Lance Black, Focus Features
Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Written by Woody Allen, The Weinstein Company
The Visitor, Written by Tom McCarthy, Overture Films
The Wrestler, Written by Robert Siegel, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Screenplay...
Winners will be announced February 7th, and will be held simultaneously between two ceremonies -- West Coast at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, and the East Coast at the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City.
What about "Milk" or "The Wrestler?" Click Read More to see full list of nominees!
Original Screenplay
Burn After Reading, Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, Focus Features
Milk, Written by Dustin Lance Black, Focus Features
Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Written by Woody Allen, The Weinstein Company
The Visitor, Written by Tom McCarthy, Overture Films
The Wrestler, Written by Robert Siegel, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Screenplay...
- 1/7/2009
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
Genre vets Marc Guggenheim (Eli Stone), Drew Goddard, Brian K. Vaughan (Lost), Marti Noxon, Zack Whedon, and Danny Strong (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) have been nominated by their peers. The Writers Guild of America, West and the Writers Guild of America, East announced their nominees for outstanding achievement in television, radio, news, promotional writing, and graphic animation during the 2008 season to be honored at the upcoming 2009 Writers Guild Awards on February 7, 2009, in Los Angeles and New York.
Television Nominees
Dramatic Series
Dexter, Written by Scott Buck, Daniel Cerone, Charles H. Eglee, Adam E. Fiero, Lauren Gussis, Clyde Phillips, Scott Reynolds, Melissa Rosenberg, Tim Schlattmann; Showtime
Friday Night Lights, Written by Bridget Carpenter, Kerry Ehrin, Brent Fletcher, Jason Gavin, Carter Harris, Elizabeth Heldens, David Hudgins, Jason Katims, Patrick Massett, Aaron Rahsaan Thomas, John Zinman; NBC
Lost, Written by Carlton Cuse, Drew Goddard, Adam Horowitz, Christina M. Kim, Edward Kitsis, Damon L.
Television Nominees
Dramatic Series
Dexter, Written by Scott Buck, Daniel Cerone, Charles H. Eglee, Adam E. Fiero, Lauren Gussis, Clyde Phillips, Scott Reynolds, Melissa Rosenberg, Tim Schlattmann; Showtime
Friday Night Lights, Written by Bridget Carpenter, Kerry Ehrin, Brent Fletcher, Jason Gavin, Carter Harris, Elizabeth Heldens, David Hudgins, Jason Katims, Patrick Massett, Aaron Rahsaan Thomas, John Zinman; NBC
Lost, Written by Carlton Cuse, Drew Goddard, Adam Horowitz, Christina M. Kim, Edward Kitsis, Damon L.
- 12/14/2008
- by Robert Greenberger
- Comicmix.com
Veteran comedy writer-producers David Isaacs and Ken Levine have inked a premium two-script deal with HBO Independent Prods. Under the pact, which stems from Isaacs and Levine's existing relationship with HIP head Tracy Katsky, the two will pen a comedy project for Fox to star award-winning British-Iranian comedian Omid Djalili and will develop a half-hour project for HBO. Isaacs and Levine, who have written for such influential TV series as M*A*S*H, Cheers, Frasier and The Simpsons, first worked with Katsky in 2003 when the duo penned and executive produced the 20th Century Fox TV/Imagine TV comedy pilot The Snobs for Fox, where Katsky was head of comedy.
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