Rare small-screen role for Kingsley after Tut, Mrs Harris, episode of The Sporanos.
Us premium cable network Epix has ordered Our Lady, Ltd, a 10-episode drama series from MGM Television to star Ben Kingsley.
Described as “modern noir,” the series will feature Kingsley as a pastor who turns out to be more dangerous than he seems when he is preyed upon by a young grifter.
Steve Conrad, creator and director of Amazon series Patriot, and Bruce Terris, a writer and producer on Patriot, will serve as executive producers and showrunners, with Conrad also directing six episodes.
Escape Artists partners Todd Black,...
Us premium cable network Epix has ordered Our Lady, Ltd, a 10-episode drama series from MGM Television to star Ben Kingsley.
Described as “modern noir,” the series will feature Kingsley as a pastor who turns out to be more dangerous than he seems when he is preyed upon by a young grifter.
Steve Conrad, creator and director of Amazon series Patriot, and Bruce Terris, a writer and producer on Patriot, will serve as executive producers and showrunners, with Conrad also directing six episodes.
Escape Artists partners Todd Black,...
- 8/28/2018
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
Epix has given a formal 10-episode series order to Our Lady, Ltd, a modern noir drama starring Oscar winner Ben Kingsley, from Patriot creator Steve Conrad and Epix’s sister studio MGM Television. Production is slated to begin this fall in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with an eye toward a 2019 premiere.
Written by Conrad and Patriot co-producer Bruce Terris, Our Lady, Ltd (fka Our Lady of Perpetual Grace), follows James, a young grifter, as he attempts to prey upon Pastor Byron Brown (Kingsley), who turns out to be far more dangerous than he suspects.
Conrad and Terris serve as executive producers and showrunners, with Conrad directing six episodes. Also executive producing are Escape Artists’ Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch. The series will be produced by MGM Television and internationally distributed by MGM.
Our Lady, Ltd had been in the works for months and actively casting for awhile, with...
Written by Conrad and Patriot co-producer Bruce Terris, Our Lady, Ltd (fka Our Lady of Perpetual Grace), follows James, a young grifter, as he attempts to prey upon Pastor Byron Brown (Kingsley), who turns out to be far more dangerous than he suspects.
Conrad and Terris serve as executive producers and showrunners, with Conrad directing six episodes. Also executive producing are Escape Artists’ Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch. The series will be produced by MGM Television and internationally distributed by MGM.
Our Lady, Ltd had been in the works for months and actively casting for awhile, with...
- 8/28/2018
- by Nellie Andreeva and Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Sir Ben Kingsley is set to star in a drama series that has been given the greenlight at Epix, Variety has learned.
The series–currently titled “Our Lady, Ltd”–is described as a modern noir drama that follows James, a young grifter, as he attempts to prey upon Pastor Byron Brown (Kingsley), who turns out to be far more dangerous than he suspects. Epix has ordered a 10-episode first season, with shooting set to begin this fall in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for a 2019 launch.
The series is expected to commence principal photography in Santa Fe, New Mexico this fall with an eye towards a 2019 premiere on Epix. Steve Conrad and Bruce Terris serve as executive producers and showrunners, with Conrad also directing six episodes. Escape Artists’ Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch will also executive produce. The series will be produced by MGM Television and internationally distributed by MGM.
The series–currently titled “Our Lady, Ltd”–is described as a modern noir drama that follows James, a young grifter, as he attempts to prey upon Pastor Byron Brown (Kingsley), who turns out to be far more dangerous than he suspects. Epix has ordered a 10-episode first season, with shooting set to begin this fall in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for a 2019 launch.
The series is expected to commence principal photography in Santa Fe, New Mexico this fall with an eye towards a 2019 premiere on Epix. Steve Conrad and Bruce Terris serve as executive producers and showrunners, with Conrad also directing six episodes. Escape Artists’ Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch will also executive produce. The series will be produced by MGM Television and internationally distributed by MGM.
- 8/28/2018
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Every week, the CriticWire Survey asks a select handful of film and TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday morning. (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?” can be found at the end of this post.)
This week’s question: As you may be aware, America is fixing to elect a new President later this year. If you could cast your vote this November for any movie President (real or fictional), who would it be and why?
Christopher Campbell (@thefilmcynic), Nonfics/Film School Rejects
If I had to choose fictional, I’d go with Jackson Evans in “The Contender.” He comes off as so perfect that he’s clearly just a product of the movies. But I can choose someone real, so I go with the John F. Kennedy of “Primary” and “Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment” (and the Drew...
This week’s question: As you may be aware, America is fixing to elect a new President later this year. If you could cast your vote this November for any movie President (real or fictional), who would it be and why?
Christopher Campbell (@thefilmcynic), Nonfics/Film School Rejects
If I had to choose fictional, I’d go with Jackson Evans in “The Contender.” He comes off as so perfect that he’s clearly just a product of the movies. But I can choose someone real, so I go with the John F. Kennedy of “Primary” and “Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment” (and the Drew...
- 7/19/2016
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Justin Hochberg has entered an exclusive multiplatform deal with Endemol Shine North America. Under the agreement, Hochberg and his Just Entertainment Studio will “develop the next generation of global TV formats and digital branded content for Endemol Shine North America,” the company said Tuesday. Hochberg helped develop and launch “The Apprentice” and “The Contender” franchises, and created TNT’s “Great Escape” and CNBC’s “The Profit.” Also Read: Endemol Shine USA Sets New Unscripted Team “We’re excited to have Justin on our Endemol Shine team to develop the next generation of global TV formats and branded digital content,” Eden Gaha,...
- 7/21/2015
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Endemol Shine has signed an exclusive multi-platform agreement with Justin Hochberg’s Just Entertainment that will see Hochberg develop digital branded content and global tv formats for Endemol. Eden Gaha, President, Unscripted Television for Endemol Shine USA made the announcement. Previously, Hochberg helped develop and launch NBC’s The Apprentice, and The Contender, and created TNT’s Great Escape as well as The Profit for CNBC. Through Just Entertainment, Hochberg…...
- 7/21/2015
- Deadline TV
Former British boxing champ Anthony Small -- who was 23-2 as a pro -- is on trial in England for allegedly trying to sneak off to Syria to join Isis ... this according to the BBC. The 33-year-old boxer was arrested in England along with two other men after authorities say they were trying to forge documents to illegally enter Syria. Small and the two men have all been charged with engaging in conduct in preparation...
- 6/15/2015
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Filmdom’s erstwhile Rocky Balboa will step back into the reality-tv ring as an executive producer of NBC’s S.T.R.O.N.G., a fitness competition from The Biggest Loser creator Dave Broome, our sister site Deadline reports.
RelatedSylvester Stallone’s The Expendables to Become Event Series at Fox
Similar to Biggest Loser, S.T.R.O.N.G. (Start To Realize Our Natural Greatness) will challenge six men and six women to become their best, buffest selves, working with trainers to evolve from average Joes and Jills into tight-n-toned physical specimens.
RelatedPilot Season ’15: Scoop on...
RelatedSylvester Stallone’s The Expendables to Become Event Series at Fox
Similar to Biggest Loser, S.T.R.O.N.G. (Start To Realize Our Natural Greatness) will challenge six men and six women to become their best, buffest selves, working with trainers to evolve from average Joes and Jills into tight-n-toned physical specimens.
RelatedPilot Season ’15: Scoop on...
- 3/13/2015
- TVLine.com
He launched “Survivor” and boxing competition series “The Contender,” among other reality series, and now Mark Burnett is turning to the popular Mexican sport of Lucha Libre wrestling. The reality show will follow wrestlers in the sport, known for its colorful masks, from Mexican wrestling promotion Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (Aaa) and the growing American independent Lucha Libre circuit. Also read: Eva Longoria, Mario Lopez to Co-Host Alma Awards Honoring ‘Orange Is the New Black’ and Guillermo del Toro In this exclusive preview clip (above), Burnett and his fellow showrunners take viewers behind the scenes and into the ring as colorfully masked.
- 10/3/2014
- by Linda Ge and Jethro Nededog
- The Wrap
wwe.com
Aaa continues to be the talk of the wrestling world following Alberto Del Rio and Rey Mysterio’s participation with the Mexican promotion. The company held their largest event of the year, Triplemania, opposite WWE’s SummerSlam and drew a sellout crowd to the Arena Ciudad in Mexico City. Now, Aaa has officially announced a new television show to air in the United States on the El Rey Network.
The show — which is titled “Lucha Underground” — will premiere on October 8th of this year. Aaa will make their American debut on El Rey — a network started by famed filmmaker, Robert Rodriguez. Together, the two companies are hyping a revolutionary wrestling product, which is to be produced by One Three Media — owned by Emmy-winning reality television producer Mark Burnett.
Burnett, the show’s Executive Producer, stated that, “Not since ‘The Contender’ premiere has a new series combined this level of drama and athletic competition.
Aaa continues to be the talk of the wrestling world following Alberto Del Rio and Rey Mysterio’s participation with the Mexican promotion. The company held their largest event of the year, Triplemania, opposite WWE’s SummerSlam and drew a sellout crowd to the Arena Ciudad in Mexico City. Now, Aaa has officially announced a new television show to air in the United States on the El Rey Network.
The show — which is titled “Lucha Underground” — will premiere on October 8th of this year. Aaa will make their American debut on El Rey — a network started by famed filmmaker, Robert Rodriguez. Together, the two companies are hyping a revolutionary wrestling product, which is to be produced by One Three Media — owned by Emmy-winning reality television producer Mark Burnett.
Burnett, the show’s Executive Producer, stated that, “Not since ‘The Contender’ premiere has a new series combined this level of drama and athletic competition.
- 8/29/2014
- by Douglas Scarpa
- Obsessed with Film
Oxygen Media announced that world-famous supermodels Karolina Kurkova and Coco Rocha will join renowned supermodel and businesswoman Naomi Campbell on “The Face,” a new reality competition series that features aspiring female models in their quest to win the opportunity of becoming “the face” for a well-known brand. This powerhouse trio of supermodel coaches will be responsible for molding, nurturing and transforming the promising contestants as they compete for the career opportunity of a lifetime. Additionally, famed fashion photographer and former model Nigel Barker will host the series. Oxygen has also tapped Andrew Frank, a veteran showrunner (“The Amazing Race” and “Survivor”), as executive producer. Produced by Shine America, “The Face” is scheduled to air in 2013 and casting for the aspiring models is currently underway. For more information, visit www.oxygen.com and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/OxygenPR.
Oxygen viewers will gain access inside the world of modeling with “The Face,” which features three teams of models, each led by supermodel coaches Campbell, Kurkova and Rocha. The coaches will scout and choose their teams from aspiring young models nationwide before guiding them through assignments, which include photo shoots, runway shows and commercials for some of America’s best known brands. Throughout the series, the supermodel coaches will mentor these young hopefuls taking the lessons and skills they have learned and using them to guide their teams through challenges that accurately depict what it takes to have a career as a model and be the face of a brand. During the process, these young models will be exposed to the very best photographers, stylists and designers in the fashion world. In the end, one girl will be chosen to become ‘The Face’ of a well-known brand, earning a real contract as the brand ambassador. As the image of this brand, the winner will become a spokesperson for that company, representing it from all angles – in print, on-air and at brand-hosted events.
Naomi Campbell (Supermodel Coach)
One of the five original supermodels, Campbell was born in London and caught her break when she was 15 years old. She has graced the covers of more than 500 magazines during her career, and has been featured in campaigns for Burberry, Prada, Versace, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino. She was the first black model to appear on the cover of Time magazine, French Vogue and Russian Vogue as well as the first British black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue. The runway was her domain as she showcased the collections of top designers, including Chanel, Azzedine Alaϊa, Christian Dior and Versace.
Additionally, Campbell has appeared in countless TV shows, music videos and films, including “The Cosby Show,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” Madonna’s “Erotica," Bob Marley's "Is This Love" and Michael Jackson's "In The Closet." Campbell is also responsible for an incredible amount of fundraising and charity work in South Africa and across the globe. She began charity work with Nelson Mandela in 1993, and in 1997 he named her “Honorary Granddaughter” for endless activism. In 2005, she established Fashion For Relief and hosted its first charity fashion show to raise funds for victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Since its conception in 2005, Fashion For Relief has presented shows in New York, London, Cannes, Moscow, Mumbai and Dar es Salaam, and has raised millions of dollars for various causes. Additional shows and events are scheduled to take place in Beijing and Hong Kong.
Karolina Kurkova (Supermodel Coach)- @karolinakurkova
Often called one of the last true supermodels, the Czech-born Kurkova has established herself as a fashion and entertainment icon, most notably gracing best-selling covers of fashion magazines worldwide, starring in numerous high-fashion campaigns, co-starring in a hit film franchise, and producing/starring in an international reality TV series. After becoming the youngest model to grace the cover of American Vogue at age 16, and being lauded as the "next supermodel" by its famed editor Anna Wintour, Kurkova walked the runways of haute couture fashion shows including Alberta Ferretti and Alexander McQueen. In 2005, she was named one of Victoria Secret's Angels and subsequently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007. In 2009, Kurkova starred in the live action film “GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra” and went on to play guest-starring roles on NBC's TV series “Chuck” and “30 Rock.”
More than a beautiful face, Kurkova received an award from the non-profit organization "Women Together" for her humanitarian work. She continues to campaign for the welfare of children through organizations such as AmFar, New Yorkers for Children and Global Youth Action Network. She has also done work on behalf of the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund and Wounded Warriors. Married in 2009, Kurkova's proudest accomplishment is the role of mom to her two year-old son, Tobin Jack.
Coco Rocha (Supermodel Coach)- @CocoRocha
Canadian born Supermodel Coco Rocha, a muse to designers Karl Largerfeld, Zac Posen and legendary photographer Steven Meisel, has been a favorite cover girl for high-fashion magazines around the world for the better part of the last decade. One of the world’s most versatile models, Rocha has been featured in campaigns as diverse as Balenciaga, Chanel, Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, H&M, Gap and Banana Republic. The 5’10” blue-eyed stunner, represented by Wilhelmina Models in New York, is a bold-faced name. She is as well known for strutting runways all over the world as she is for her tireless work with children's charities in Haiti and Cambodia. Rocha is an avid blogger and has positioned herself as one of the most digitally savvy models of her generation with her widely followed blog, Twitter and Facebook. She was the first high fashion model to surpass one million followers on the social media platform Google+.
Nigel Barker (Host)- @NigelBarker
Barker, best known for his participation as a judge and photographer on the reality show “America’s Next Top Model,” is an English author, spokesperson, filmmaker, fashion photographer and former model. A natural fit to host “The Face,” Barker himself modeled for 10 years in London, Milan, Paris and New York City. Because of his modeling, Barker's love for fashion grew, and in 1996 he decided he wanted to become a photographer and opened his own photo studio, StudioNB, in Manhattan. Barker's photo credits include GQ, Interview, Lucky, Tatler, Cover, Town & Country, Seventeen, Nicole Miller, Ted Baker, Lands' End, Nine West, Lexus, Leviev, Jordache, Beefeater, Pamella Roland, Ford and Sony. Additionally, Barker is involved with the Uso and is a celebrity ambassador for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Do Something organization, the United Nations Foundation and Fashion Targets Breast Cancer.
Andrew Frank (Executive Producer)
“The Face” is produced by Shine America with Andrew Frank and Eden Gaha serving as executive producers. Frank recently was the Co-Executive Producer of Expedition Impossible for Mark Burnett Productions and ABC. Having forged a successful career in both film and Television, Frank has collaborated on such groundbreaking shows as “The Amazing Race,” “Survivor,” “The Contender,” and “Rock Star:inxs,” and has produced more than 100 hours of network television.
About Shine America
Shine America is a world leader in producing and distributing compelling scripted and unscripted television and digital content, building brands through the leveraging of its intellectual property and creating integrated marketing opportunities for advertisers. Shine America is known for popular and award-winning original hit series including “The Biggest Loser,” “Tabatha Takes Over,” “Shear Genius” and “The Buried Life;” adaptations of Shine Group formats “Master Chef,” “One Born Every Minute” and “Parental Control;” long-running scripted hits “The Office,” “Ugly Betty” and “The Tudors,” and over 20 groundbreaking original online series on MSN, Yahoo!, YouTube premium channels and other platforms, many of these produced in partnership with global brands such as Toyota, Kraft Foods, Subway and Microsoft. Through its distribution arm, Shine International, Shine America distributes its extensive library of programming to more than 150 countries.
About Oxygen Media
Oxygen Media is a multiplatform lifestyle brand that delivers relevant and engaging content to young women who like to "live out loud." Oxygen is rewriting the rulebook for women's media by changing how the world sees entertainment from a young woman's point of view. Through a vast array of unconventional and original content, including “The Glee Project,” "Best Ink," "Bad Girls Club" and "Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood," the growing cable network is the premier destination to find unique and groundbreaking unscripted programming. “The Glee Project” is a winner of a 2012 Gracie Award which honors programming created for women, by women and about women for “Outstanding Reality Show.” A social media trendsetter, Oxygen is a leading force in engaging modern young women, wherever they are, with popular, award winning features online including www.OxygenLive.com the real time social viewing party that is also available as an app for the iPhone and iPad. Oxygen is available in 80 million homes, and can be found online and on mobile devices at www.oxygen.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/OxygenPR. Oxygen Media is a service of NBCUniversal.
Oxygen viewers will gain access inside the world of modeling with “The Face,” which features three teams of models, each led by supermodel coaches Campbell, Kurkova and Rocha. The coaches will scout and choose their teams from aspiring young models nationwide before guiding them through assignments, which include photo shoots, runway shows and commercials for some of America’s best known brands. Throughout the series, the supermodel coaches will mentor these young hopefuls taking the lessons and skills they have learned and using them to guide their teams through challenges that accurately depict what it takes to have a career as a model and be the face of a brand. During the process, these young models will be exposed to the very best photographers, stylists and designers in the fashion world. In the end, one girl will be chosen to become ‘The Face’ of a well-known brand, earning a real contract as the brand ambassador. As the image of this brand, the winner will become a spokesperson for that company, representing it from all angles – in print, on-air and at brand-hosted events.
Naomi Campbell (Supermodel Coach)
One of the five original supermodels, Campbell was born in London and caught her break when she was 15 years old. She has graced the covers of more than 500 magazines during her career, and has been featured in campaigns for Burberry, Prada, Versace, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent and Valentino. She was the first black model to appear on the cover of Time magazine, French Vogue and Russian Vogue as well as the first British black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue. The runway was her domain as she showcased the collections of top designers, including Chanel, Azzedine Alaϊa, Christian Dior and Versace.
Additionally, Campbell has appeared in countless TV shows, music videos and films, including “The Cosby Show,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” Madonna’s “Erotica," Bob Marley's "Is This Love" and Michael Jackson's "In The Closet." Campbell is also responsible for an incredible amount of fundraising and charity work in South Africa and across the globe. She began charity work with Nelson Mandela in 1993, and in 1997 he named her “Honorary Granddaughter” for endless activism. In 2005, she established Fashion For Relief and hosted its first charity fashion show to raise funds for victims of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Since its conception in 2005, Fashion For Relief has presented shows in New York, London, Cannes, Moscow, Mumbai and Dar es Salaam, and has raised millions of dollars for various causes. Additional shows and events are scheduled to take place in Beijing and Hong Kong.
Karolina Kurkova (Supermodel Coach)- @karolinakurkova
Often called one of the last true supermodels, the Czech-born Kurkova has established herself as a fashion and entertainment icon, most notably gracing best-selling covers of fashion magazines worldwide, starring in numerous high-fashion campaigns, co-starring in a hit film franchise, and producing/starring in an international reality TV series. After becoming the youngest model to grace the cover of American Vogue at age 16, and being lauded as the "next supermodel" by its famed editor Anna Wintour, Kurkova walked the runways of haute couture fashion shows including Alberta Ferretti and Alexander McQueen. In 2005, she was named one of Victoria Secret's Angels and subsequently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007. In 2009, Kurkova starred in the live action film “GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra” and went on to play guest-starring roles on NBC's TV series “Chuck” and “30 Rock.”
More than a beautiful face, Kurkova received an award from the non-profit organization "Women Together" for her humanitarian work. She continues to campaign for the welfare of children through organizations such as AmFar, New Yorkers for Children and Global Youth Action Network. She has also done work on behalf of the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund and Wounded Warriors. Married in 2009, Kurkova's proudest accomplishment is the role of mom to her two year-old son, Tobin Jack.
Coco Rocha (Supermodel Coach)- @CocoRocha
Canadian born Supermodel Coco Rocha, a muse to designers Karl Largerfeld, Zac Posen and legendary photographer Steven Meisel, has been a favorite cover girl for high-fashion magazines around the world for the better part of the last decade. One of the world’s most versatile models, Rocha has been featured in campaigns as diverse as Balenciaga, Chanel, Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, H&M, Gap and Banana Republic. The 5’10” blue-eyed stunner, represented by Wilhelmina Models in New York, is a bold-faced name. She is as well known for strutting runways all over the world as she is for her tireless work with children's charities in Haiti and Cambodia. Rocha is an avid blogger and has positioned herself as one of the most digitally savvy models of her generation with her widely followed blog, Twitter and Facebook. She was the first high fashion model to surpass one million followers on the social media platform Google+.
Nigel Barker (Host)- @NigelBarker
Barker, best known for his participation as a judge and photographer on the reality show “America’s Next Top Model,” is an English author, spokesperson, filmmaker, fashion photographer and former model. A natural fit to host “The Face,” Barker himself modeled for 10 years in London, Milan, Paris and New York City. Because of his modeling, Barker's love for fashion grew, and in 1996 he decided he wanted to become a photographer and opened his own photo studio, StudioNB, in Manhattan. Barker's photo credits include GQ, Interview, Lucky, Tatler, Cover, Town & Country, Seventeen, Nicole Miller, Ted Baker, Lands' End, Nine West, Lexus, Leviev, Jordache, Beefeater, Pamella Roland, Ford and Sony. Additionally, Barker is involved with the Uso and is a celebrity ambassador for the Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Do Something organization, the United Nations Foundation and Fashion Targets Breast Cancer.
Andrew Frank (Executive Producer)
“The Face” is produced by Shine America with Andrew Frank and Eden Gaha serving as executive producers. Frank recently was the Co-Executive Producer of Expedition Impossible for Mark Burnett Productions and ABC. Having forged a successful career in both film and Television, Frank has collaborated on such groundbreaking shows as “The Amazing Race,” “Survivor,” “The Contender,” and “Rock Star:inxs,” and has produced more than 100 hours of network television.
About Shine America
Shine America is a world leader in producing and distributing compelling scripted and unscripted television and digital content, building brands through the leveraging of its intellectual property and creating integrated marketing opportunities for advertisers. Shine America is known for popular and award-winning original hit series including “The Biggest Loser,” “Tabatha Takes Over,” “Shear Genius” and “The Buried Life;” adaptations of Shine Group formats “Master Chef,” “One Born Every Minute” and “Parental Control;” long-running scripted hits “The Office,” “Ugly Betty” and “The Tudors,” and over 20 groundbreaking original online series on MSN, Yahoo!, YouTube premium channels and other platforms, many of these produced in partnership with global brands such as Toyota, Kraft Foods, Subway and Microsoft. Through its distribution arm, Shine International, Shine America distributes its extensive library of programming to more than 150 countries.
About Oxygen Media
Oxygen Media is a multiplatform lifestyle brand that delivers relevant and engaging content to young women who like to "live out loud." Oxygen is rewriting the rulebook for women's media by changing how the world sees entertainment from a young woman's point of view. Through a vast array of unconventional and original content, including “The Glee Project,” "Best Ink," "Bad Girls Club" and "Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood," the growing cable network is the premier destination to find unique and groundbreaking unscripted programming. “The Glee Project” is a winner of a 2012 Gracie Award which honors programming created for women, by women and about women for “Outstanding Reality Show.” A social media trendsetter, Oxygen is a leading force in engaging modern young women, wherever they are, with popular, award winning features online including www.OxygenLive.com the real time social viewing party that is also available as an app for the iPhone and iPad. Oxygen is available in 80 million homes, and can be found online and on mobile devices at www.oxygen.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/OxygenPR. Oxygen Media is a service of NBCUniversal.
- 7/27/2012
- by Jessica Just
- Sydney's Buzz
Sugar Ray Leonard says ... in his prime, he could've taken Manny Pacquiao. It's a great theoretical match up -- here's the tale of the tape:Sugar Ray Leonard (36-3-1)Height -- 5 ft 10 inReach -- 74 inNotable victories -- Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, Marvin HaglerFun Fact -- Served as host and mentor on "The Contender" Manny Pacquiao (54-4-2)Height -- 5 ft 6 inReach -- 67 inNotable victories -- Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Shane MosleyFun Fact -- Loves Karaoke.
- 7/12/2012
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Bruce Beresford-Redman, the former "Survivor" producer accused of killing his wife Monica two years ago, is speaking out for the first time -- and claims he is innocent.
Beresford-Redman said on "48 Hours Mystery" in an episode airing Saturday at 10 Pm, "Everyone seems to have decided that I killed my wife. I didn't kill my wife. I really didn't."
The reality show producer, whose past credits also include "The Contender," is currently in a Cancun jail...
Beresford-Redman said on "48 Hours Mystery" in an episode airing Saturday at 10 Pm, "Everyone seems to have decided that I killed my wife. I didn't kill my wife. I really didn't."
The reality show producer, whose past credits also include "The Contender," is currently in a Cancun jail...
- 2/25/2012
- Extra
Chicago – Have all reality shows merely become hybrids of programs that came before? Doesn’t it feel like it? Put two to three former hits in a blender and try and create a new hit. This week’s latest mash-up (and we’ll have another much-more-obnoxious one in a few days) combines elements of “The Amazing Race” and “Survivor” into ABC’s “Expedition Impossible,” another mediocre summer offering.
Television Rating: 1.5/5.0
Mark Burnett has developed a reputation as a reality TV icon. He produced “Survivor,” “The Apprentice,” “The Contender,” “The Voice,” and many, many more. It’s almost impossible that you haven’t seen a show that he had something to do with. He’s become one of the most influential producers in all of television over the last few decades. He often knows exactly how to make the most ridiculous concepts work as escapist entertainment.
Expedition Impossible
Photo credit: ABC
Often,...
Television Rating: 1.5/5.0
Mark Burnett has developed a reputation as a reality TV icon. He produced “Survivor,” “The Apprentice,” “The Contender,” “The Voice,” and many, many more. It’s almost impossible that you haven’t seen a show that he had something to do with. He’s become one of the most influential producers in all of television over the last few decades. He often knows exactly how to make the most ridiculous concepts work as escapist entertainment.
Expedition Impossible
Photo credit: ABC
Often,...
- 6/23/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Sylvester Stallone’s great marketing lie managed to pull in worldwide box-office around the $266 million mark for The Expendables last year, thanks mainly to a campaign that proudly exclaimed; ‘The greatest action movie cast ever assembled.’ Of course, upon actually watching the film I was dissapointed to discover (though fully expecting) that the much tooted Arnie/Sly/Bruce scene amounted to little more than an awkward skit shoe-horned into a film that was a disjointed shambles where only Dolph Lundgren (Ma in Chemical Engineering) and Jason Statham (12th place 1992 World Diving Championships) emerged with their charisma in tact.
But thanks to that immense success the inevitable The Expendables sequel has been announced, and it comes tantilisingly close to the news that Arnie is about to reboot his acting career. Can the film finally make good on its promise of assembling the ‘greatest action movie cast’ for more than five minutes?...
But thanks to that immense success the inevitable The Expendables sequel has been announced, and it comes tantilisingly close to the news that Arnie is about to reboot his acting career. Can the film finally make good on its promise of assembling the ‘greatest action movie cast’ for more than five minutes?...
- 3/12/2011
- by Owain Paciuszko
- Obsessed with Film
Sylvester Stallone was always a Hall of Famer in my book, but today it became official, as he was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Officially, he enters the Hall as a Screenwriter — he was nominated for an Oscar for writing Rocky — but that doesn’t really begin to describe his role as an all-around boxing ambassador during the last 35 years. If anything, I have to ask, What took them so long? Rocky Balboa has been an American hero since he went the distance with Apollo Creed in 1976; he went on to win the Cold War in 1985 when...
- 12/7/2010
- by Jeff Labrecque
- EW.com - PopWatch
When I first heard about A&E's plan to air a reality series starring Who's the Boss star and The Contender 4 host Tony Danza that followed him as he taught high school English for a year, I was skeptical and suggested it might be a colossal joke. As it turns out, Teach, which debuts tonight at 10 p.m. Et, is a pretty watchable series that is the opposite of a joke. In August, I interviewed...
- 10/1/2010
- by Andy Dehnart
- Reality Blurred
Mark Burnett is one of those eccentric, highly self-motivated idea guys who'll design a keg that doubles as a jet pack and then crash it into a ferris wheel.
Before building his reality TV empire, Burnett made his way as a commander in the British army, a Hollywood nanny and a boardwalk T-shirt salesman. When it comes to reality TV, he's a mad genius, but sometimes the madness overtakes the genius with disturbing results.
For the most part, Burnett's track record is sterling (Survivor, The Apprentice, The Contender) except for a few small blemishes. Two of those missteps come to mind; Our Little Genius, a high-stakes academic bowl type show where presumably overachieving kids with underachieving parents would compete to win money to save the family farm and Recovery, a docu-reality series about ex-military/police operatives searching for kidnapped children. Neither series made it to air, although both got dangerously close.
Before building his reality TV empire, Burnett made his way as a commander in the British army, a Hollywood nanny and a boardwalk T-shirt salesman. When it comes to reality TV, he's a mad genius, but sometimes the madness overtakes the genius with disturbing results.
For the most part, Burnett's track record is sterling (Survivor, The Apprentice, The Contender) except for a few small blemishes. Two of those missteps come to mind; Our Little Genius, a high-stakes academic bowl type show where presumably overachieving kids with underachieving parents would compete to win money to save the family farm and Recovery, a docu-reality series about ex-military/police operatives searching for kidnapped children. Neither series made it to air, although both got dangerously close.
- 8/10/2010
- UGO TV
A veteran reality TV producer is a suspect in the death of his wife in Cancun. Bruce Beresford-Redman, who has worked as a producer and co-executive producer on Survivor and an executive producer of The Contender, and co-created MTV's Pimp My Ride, is being investigated by Mexican authorities over the death of his wife, Monica Beresford-Redman, whose birthday is today. She "was found Thursday morning after having been reported missing Monday" and "was staying at...
- 4/8/2010
- by Andy Dehnart
- Reality Blurred
Bruce Beresford-Redman was a supervising producer on CBS' 'Survivor' for four seasons.
By Josh Wigler
"Survivor: Marquesas"
Photo: CBS
A former "Survivor" producer was detained Thursday (April 8) in Cancun, Mexico, as a suspect in his wife's death, a Mexican police spokesman said.
Bruce Beresford-Redman, an American reality-television producer whose credits include "Survivor," "The Contender" and "The Restaurant," was arrested after his wife Monica Beresford-Redman's body was discovered in a sewer on the grounds of the Moon Palace Golf and Spa Resort in Cancun at 9 a.m. Initial reports suggest that the woman "died of strangulation because of the bruising," according to regional police spokesman Adrian Cardena.
According to CNN, Beresford-Redman reported his wife missing on Tuesday of this week. A friend of the family's told CNN that the couple was in Cancun to reconcile marital difficulties after Beresford-Redman's wife discovered that he was having an affair. Last week,...
By Josh Wigler
"Survivor: Marquesas"
Photo: CBS
A former "Survivor" producer was detained Thursday (April 8) in Cancun, Mexico, as a suspect in his wife's death, a Mexican police spokesman said.
Bruce Beresford-Redman, an American reality-television producer whose credits include "Survivor," "The Contender" and "The Restaurant," was arrested after his wife Monica Beresford-Redman's body was discovered in a sewer on the grounds of the Moon Palace Golf and Spa Resort in Cancun at 9 a.m. Initial reports suggest that the woman "died of strangulation because of the bruising," according to regional police spokesman Adrian Cardena.
According to CNN, Beresford-Redman reported his wife missing on Tuesday of this week. A friend of the family's told CNN that the couple was in Cancun to reconcile marital difficulties after Beresford-Redman's wife discovered that he was having an affair. Last week,...
- 4/8/2010
- MTV Music News
International content and production company, Bulldog Media & Entertainment and Percept Picture Company will be co-producing the action sport reality television show franchise, The Contender in India. The show will be hosted by Olympic bronze medalist and second ranked boxer in the world, Vijender Singh. Bulldog will bring this television series produced and owned by Mark Burnett Productions to be adapted in the Indian format.Bulldog Entertainment vice chairman and managing director Akash Sharma said, "At Bulldog, it has been our constant ...
- 9/19/2009
- BusinessofCinema
Rappers Three 6 Mafia are teaming up with reality producer Adam Briles for a new cooking show. DJ Paul and Juicy J of Three 6 Mafia will be bringing friends, fans and celebrity guests to the show filmed in their Hollywood mansion.
The new series "Cookin' Ain't Easy!" will have the two cooking everything from Indian, Italian, Asian, and Middle-Eastern to different types of food found across the world. There are sure to be some good laughs as the dinner parties and cooking tutorials combine with funny guests, cocktails and brutally honest critiques.
"It is a completely fresh approach to a cooking show," said Briles in a press release. "You get much of the same take-away information that viewers expect from the genre, but it is served up in such a unique, relatable and funny way that it is just flat out entertaining."
Briles has produced shows such as "Survivor,...
The new series "Cookin' Ain't Easy!" will have the two cooking everything from Indian, Italian, Asian, and Middle-Eastern to different types of food found across the world. There are sure to be some good laughs as the dinner parties and cooking tutorials combine with funny guests, cocktails and brutally honest critiques.
"It is a completely fresh approach to a cooking show," said Briles in a press release. "You get much of the same take-away information that viewers expect from the genre, but it is served up in such a unique, relatable and funny way that it is just flat out entertaining."
Briles has produced shows such as "Survivor,...
- 7/15/2009
- icelebz.com
A deputy district attorney, boxer and single dad take their lives after participating on popular reality programs.
By Wrap Staff
Boxer Najai Turpin
“The Contender,” NBC
Deceased: Feb. 14, 2005
The 23-year-old shot himself to death just weeks before his scheduled bout on the series, which chronicles boxers trying to win a TV tournament with a first prize of $1 million. In joining the show, Turpin hoped to earn money to support his family, but participants were not allowed to fight in any other bouts until the live...
By Wrap Staff
Boxer Najai Turpin
“The Contender,” NBC
Deceased: Feb. 14, 2005
The 23-year-old shot himself to death just weeks before his scheduled bout on the series, which chronicles boxers trying to win a TV tournament with a first prize of $1 million. In joining the show, Turpin hoped to earn money to support his family, but participants were not allowed to fight in any other bouts until the live...
- 6/2/2009
- by admin
- The Wrap
Versus will air the fourth season of The Contender starting early this December. Tony Danza will host the 11 new 60m episodes as well as a two-hour season finale. The Contender is produced by Mark Burnett Productions and DreamWorks Television and this edition will be produced in Singapore in association with Mark Burnett Productions Asia. The series will feature 16 Cruiserweights from multiple countries who will fight each other in successive bouts with a final boxer taking the title of Contender Champion. Tony will also mentor the contestants as well as host while Tommy Brooks and John Bray will serve as trainers.
http://enews.cynopsis.com/html.asp?XZY1189683UTF59...
http://enews.cynopsis.com/html.asp?XZY1189683UTF59...
- 10/1/2008
- by cynthia@cynopsis.com
- Cynopsis.com/
Mark Burnett is setting Season 4 of "The Contender" in Singapore, taking production of his flagship reality television show outside the U.S. for the first time.
- 9/29/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Contender boxing competition series started its run on NBC back on March 7, 2005. Produced by Mark Burnett and hosted by Rocky veteran Sylvester Stallone and boxer/trainer Sugar Ray Leonard, the reality show followed 16 middle-weights as they competed for a million dollar prize. The show garnered low-ratings and viewership wasn't likely helped by the suicide of one of the eliminated competitors. the series was cancelled after one season.
A few months later, Espn picked up the series. The cable channel dropped most of the show's extraneous elements and focused on the boxer training and matches. The Contender has aired on Espn for two seasons but now the sports channel says that they're finished with it as well.
Espn vice president of series development and production Ron Wechsler tells Espn.com, "It was a hard decision to make. We were talking to [promoter Tournament of Contenders] about a renewal but we couldn't come to terms.
A few months later, Espn picked up the series. The cable channel dropped most of the show's extraneous elements and focused on the boxer training and matches. The Contender has aired on Espn for two seasons but now the sports channel says that they're finished with it as well.
Espn vice president of series development and production Ron Wechsler tells Espn.com, "It was a hard decision to make. We were talking to [promoter Tournament of Contenders] about a renewal but we couldn't come to terms.
- 4/11/2008
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
When it comes to Sylvester Stallone's career, there ain't nothin' over till it's over.
The boxoffice comeback champ has just inked a lucrative deal to direct and star in two action films with his Rambo producers Danny Dimbort, Avi Lerner and Trevor Short of Nu Image/Millennium Films.
Stallone also will produce the films with Kevin King-Templeton and Lerner. Dimbort, Short and Boaz Davidson will serve as executive producers.
Several scripts are being considered for follow-ups to his surprise hit sequels to First Blood and Rocky. With Nu Image/Millennium's new WGA interim deal speeding up the process, the first script is expected to be locked and loaded by the fall, with production set to begin shortly thereafter.
"The past year and a half of working with Avi, his partners Danny and Trevor and his film family has been nothing but a high point for me and my career and an extremely rewarding experience," Stallone said. "Avi is a real gentleman and a man of his word."
It's a deal few would have expected just a few years ago, when Stallone followed up his role in Spy Kids 3D: Game Over with a failed network boxing reality TV series, The Contender. But in 2006, Stallone wrote, directed and starred in Rocky Balboa, the sixth Rocky film after a 16-year gap between sequels.
The boxoffice comeback champ has just inked a lucrative deal to direct and star in two action films with his Rambo producers Danny Dimbort, Avi Lerner and Trevor Short of Nu Image/Millennium Films.
Stallone also will produce the films with Kevin King-Templeton and Lerner. Dimbort, Short and Boaz Davidson will serve as executive producers.
Several scripts are being considered for follow-ups to his surprise hit sequels to First Blood and Rocky. With Nu Image/Millennium's new WGA interim deal speeding up the process, the first script is expected to be locked and loaded by the fall, with production set to begin shortly thereafter.
"The past year and a half of working with Avi, his partners Danny and Trevor and his film family has been nothing but a high point for me and my career and an extremely rewarding experience," Stallone said. "Avi is a real gentleman and a man of his word."
It's a deal few would have expected just a few years ago, when Stallone followed up his role in Spy Kids 3D: Game Over with a failed network boxing reality TV series, The Contender. But in 2006, Stallone wrote, directed and starred in Rocky Balboa, the sixth Rocky film after a 16-year gap between sequels.
The FX unscripted series 30 Days opened its second season Wednesday on par with its first-year results. The 10 p.m. Morgan Spurlock vehicle drew 1.5 million total viewers and 1 million in the 18-49 demo, the same as it did in its first season. Its 18-49 concentration was slightly down from last year, but its median age, 31.8, was the youngest of any Days episode to date. FX's Rescue Me had better news Tuesday at 10 p.m., delivering 3 million, slightly above average season-to-date. ESPN saw the second season of The Contender perk up in the same time slot by gaining over last week's premiere numbers, climbing 20% to 1.5 million.
- 7/28/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- After a disappointing run on broadcast TV and a season on ESPN, The Contender will take another round of swings on the sports cabler. The second season of Contender will premiere at 10 p.m. ET July 18 with a two-hour episode. The series will continue through the summer, with the season finale the title fight Sept. 26 from Staples Center in Los Angeles and televised live on ESPN. Content from the show also will appear on ESPN.com, ESPN Motion, Mobile ESPN and ESPN360 broadband. Former world champion Sugar Ray Leonard will return as host of the series, which will follow the lives of 16 boxers who will vie to win the competition. Trainers include New Yorker Tommy Gallagher, a 1959 Golden Gloves title winner, and Northridge, Calif., cruiserweight Jeremy Williams.
- 6/14/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The number of product placements on network primetime television jumped about 30% in 2005 to 106,808, up from 82,014 the previous year, according to Nielsen Media Research's product placement tracking service Place Views. The total duration of product placements on network primetime rose 22%, from 157 hours in 2004 to about 191 hours last year. Visual onscreen placements increased 33.5%, from 64,920 to 86,668, while brand mentions rose 24%, from 19,876 to 24,723. The 10 TV shows with the most product placement in 2005, measured in terms of total duration, were The Contender (NBC), Fear Factor (NBC), American Idol (Fox), The King of Queens (CBS), Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC), The Apprentice (NBC), The Amazing Race Family Edition (CBS), What I Like About You (WB Network), The Amazing Race (CBS) and Yes, Dear (CBS). Contender, from reality and brand integration maven Mark Burnett, scored a total of 7,514 brand occurrences in just 15 telecasts, compared with American Idol's 3,497 occurrences in 43 telecasts and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition's 3,318 occurrences in 73 telecasts.
Fox Reality Channel has greenlighted its first original series. The News Corp.-owned channel, which subsists largely on reruns of unscripted classics like Joe Millionaire, has ordered eight hourlong episodes of Solitary from executive producers Lincoln Hiatt (The Contender) and Andrew Golder (Win Ben Stein's Money). Expected to premiere in the first quarter of next year, Solitary subjects its contestants to all sorts of tough conditions, ranging from solitary confinement to sleep deprivation.
- 11/21/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Contender will make its television comeback Oct. 15 with a live fight card featuring a championship rematch, ESPN said Thursday. The former NBC reality series is being delivered to the sports network by original producers Mark Burnett Prods. and DreamWorks (HR 8/12), who convened a press conference at Los Angeles' Staples Center, site of the event. " 'The Contender' is back," said Burnett, who was joined by his partners in the venture, Sugar Ray Leonard and Sylvester Stallone. "We said it wouldn't go away". The ESPN telecast will feature a fight between Contender champion Sergio "The Latin Snake" Mora and Peter "The Pride of Providence" Manfredo Jr., whom Mora defeated in the finale of the series in May. The event also will reunite other fighters from the first season on the undercard. ESPN also plans to carry a second season of Contender as early as April.
- 8/18/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- ESPN hopes to deliver a knockout punch in the ratings with a cable version of The Contender. The Mark Burnett Prods. boxing reality series starring Sylvester Stallone didn't make it to the ring for a second season after getting roughed up in the ratings while on NBC. But like every good boxer, The Contender climbed back into it with the long-awaited deal with ESPN. Twelve hourlong episodes will begin in April on ESPN; the last episode will be live. Three two-hour specials with a boxing theme will start on ESPN beginning Oct. 15. The Contender will operate under the banner of ESPN Original Entertainment with executive producers Mark Burnett, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Stallone.
- 8/12/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NEW YORK -- ESPN hopes to deliver a knockout punch in the ratings with a cable version of The Contender. The Mark Burnett Prods. boxing reality series starring Sylvester Stallone didn't make it to the ring for a second season after getting roughed up in the ratings while on NBC. But like every good boxer, The Contender climbed back into it with the long-awaited deal with ESPN. Twelve hourlong episodes will begin in April on ESPN; the last episode will be live. Three two-hour specials with a boxing theme will start on ESPN beginning Oct. 15. The Contender will operate under the banner of ESPN Original Entertainment with executive producers Mark Burnett, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Stallone.
- 8/11/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ESPN confirmed Monday that it was close to acquiring the rights for a second season of The Contender, the Mark Burnett-Sylvester Stallone boxing reality series that ran on NBC last season. It was unclear whether Stallone would work on a second season of The Contender if it is acquired by ESPN. Some details remain to be worked out, the network said. Meanwhile, ESPN Original Entertainment has acquired the rights to the recent book Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning.
- 7/19/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Call it a tale of two series. The Apprentice and The Contender, two reality shows loaded with product integrations this past season, had very different outcomes for advertisers who paid record fees for their products to be featured in the programs executive produced by Mark Burnett, widely considered to be the king of reality TV and brand integration. Despite a double-digit decline in ratings for The Apprentice in its second year on the air, representatives for many of the brands integrated in the series at a cost of $1 million-$4 million per episode say they had some of the most astounding marketing successes to date that could be directly tied to branded entertainment. The brands featured in The Contender had more of an uphill climb in reaching a broad audience, given the show's weaker-than-expected ratings, but it turns out that at least some of Contender's integration sponsors had a safety net built into their deals that is quite unusual in the branded entertainment realm. " 'The Apprentice' is the best platform on television today for brands," said Keith Ferrazzi, CEO of marketing consulting firm Ferrazzi Greenlight and author of the New York Times best-seller Never Eat Alone. "What they've done is made brand watching good entertainment. It's fully integrated, and at the same time the brand gets a full hour to do their infomercial."...
On the penultimate night of the 2004-05 television season, Fox's American Idol topped the chart again Tuesday in the first half of its two-part finale. Meanwhile, NBC's The Contender went out swinging, if not with huge Nielsen numbers, with a two-hour live telecast that crowned Sergio Mora, a 24-year-old middleweight from East Los Angeles, as the heavyweight of the boxing reality series. ABC's Trump Unauthorized biopic flopped as did the debut of UPN's new Jenny McCarthy sitcom, The Bad Girl's Guide. Given the competition, CBS did decent numbers with its two-hour special Rob and Amber Get Married, featuring the nuptials of the former contestants from CBS' Survivor and The Amazing Race.
- 5/25/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Mark Burnett wants to make somebody's day, and then some. The uber-producer behind CBS Survivor and NBC's The Apprentice and The Contender is developing a project loosely inspired by the long-running CBS series Touched by an Angel. He's even eyeing Angel stars Roma Downey and Della Reese as participants in the show. "It's an unscripted show that will be about bringing hope to people," Burnett said in an interview Friday.
- 4/25/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A swarm of locusts hit CBS on Sunday, but the insect invasion was no match for a clip-show recap episode of ABC's Desperate Housewives. ABC easily won the night, as usual, with a solid performance from a special Sorting out the Dirty Laundry highlight reel episode of Housewives that lured in 23.7 million viewers and 10.0 rating/23 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research. ABC also dominated at 8 p.m. hour with a fresh episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (16.7 million, 6.7/17) and at 10 p.m. with fledgling drama Grey's Anatomy (18.2 million, 8.1/20). CBS had a good night with 8 p.m. drama Cold Case (16.5 million, 3.7/10) building significantly on its 60 Minutes lead-in (12.4 million, 2.5/8). The eye network's heavily promoted 9-11 p.m. telepic Locusts! (12.8 million, 3.9/9) did OK but won't go down in the Nielsen annals as one of primetime's great made-for plagues. NBC's regular 8 p.m. edition of The Contender (5.5 million, 2.5/7) produced modest numbers but an extra helping of the boxing reality show at 9 p.m. (6.4 million, 3.3/7) improved despite the Housewives competition. At 10 p.m., a fresh episode of NBC's Crossing Jordan (8.8 million, 3.3/8) had trouble keeping up with the ABC and CBS competition. Fox was on the sidelines for the night with its 8-10 p.m. telecast of the American Top 40 Awards special yielding only 4 million viewers and 1.6/4 in adults 18-49. For the night, ABC towered over the pack with an average of 16.7 million viewers and 6.9/18 in the key demo. CBS was second in both measures (13.6 million, 3.5/9).
- 4/25/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
CANNES -- French pay TV channel Canal Plus unveiled its latest acquisitions at a MIPTV dinner Tuesday, including Mark Burnett's boxing reality show The Contender and Sex Traffic, the U.K. miniseries about European prostitution networks, from Granada. The channel also has picked up the paranormal drama After Life, co-produced by the BBC for U.K. network ITN. The company also announced Monday that it had picked up the big-budget miniseries Speer and Hitler -- The Devil's Architect from Bavaria Media TV. It also confirmed that it has taken Over There, Steven Bochco's upcoming series about the war in Iraq.
- 4/13/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy were once again an unbeatable combination for ABC on Sunday. Both drama series topped the 18-49 demo numbers of their broadcast competition combined in their respective 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. time slots. Housewives delivered a solid 25.1 million viewers and 10.9 rating/25 share in the adults 18-49 demographic at 9 p.m., according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research. Anatomy followed at 10 p.m. with 18.4 million viewers and 7.7/19 in the demo. At 8 p.m., ABC was on top even with a repeat of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (12.4 million, 5.0/14). NBC's The Contender (6.4 million, 2.7/7) was on par with its recent deliveries -- and as usual took a big leap in its second half-hour as the boxing commenced -- despite the lighter repeat competition from Makeover.
- 4/12/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy were once again an unbeatable combination for ABC on Sunday. Both drama series topped the 18-49 demo numbers of their broadcast competition combined in their respective 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. time slots. Housewives delivered a solid 25.1 million viewers and 10.9 rating/25 share in the adults 18-49 demographic at 9 p.m., according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research. Anatomy followed at 10 p.m. with 18.4 million viewers and 7.7/19 in the demo. At 8 p.m., ABC was on top even with a repeat of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (12.4 million, 5.0/14). NBC's The Contender (6.4 million, 2.7/7) was on par with its recent deliveries -- and as usual took a big leap in its second half-hour as the boxing commenced -- despite the lighter repeat competition from Makeover.
- 4/11/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The return of Desperate Housewives and the premiere of the drama Grey's Anatomy rocketed ABC back to the top of the Nielsen rankings Sunday. Meanwhile, the premiere of the new-model Kojak looked sharp for USA Network on Friday. With its first original episode in five weeks, Housewives ruled Sunday, drawing 24 million viewers and a 10.7 rating/24 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research. At 10 p.m., Grey's Anatomy (16.3 million, 7.2/18), a new ensemble drama about a group of female medical residents, lost ground from its Housewives lead-in but still held on to a larger chunk of that audience than the previous occupant of the time slot, Boston Legal. ABC also was rock solid in the 8 p.m. hour with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (16.2 million, 6.5/16). NBC had another see-saw performance from boxing competition series The Contender (7.1 million, 3.2/8), which posted modest overall numbers but took a leap at the half-hour mark (from 6.2 million, 2.8/7 in its first half-hour to 8 million, 3.6/9 from 8:30-9 p.m.) as the combatants stepped into the ring. A special bonus episode of Contender (4.3 million, 1.6/5) didn't do much for NBC in the 7 p.m. hour.
- 3/29/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With a big lead-in assist from the NCAA basketball tournament, CBS took a bite out of the lighter Sunday primetime competition with its popcorn thriller Spring Break Shark Attack and 8 p.m. drama Cold Case. NBC had an interesting night with its second regular time-slot airing of The Contender, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research. The boxing competition series started off with modest turnout in the 8 p.m. half-hour, with an average of 7 million viewers and 3.0 rating/7 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, but jumped to 8.7 million viewers and 4.0/10 in the second half-hour featuring the action in the ring. CBS appeared to narrowly win the night overall, though the eye network's lineup got off to a delayed start due to a roughly half-hour overrun (in East Coast markets) of its live college hoops coverage into the 7 p.m. start of primetime. Shark Attack averaged roughly 11.5 million viewers and 4.0 demo rating in the 9:30-11 p.m. period, according to rough estimates from CBS. (Reliable national estimates for CBS' primetime lineup, skewed by the live game coverage, won't be available until Tuesday.)...
- 3/21/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ABC's new comedy Jake in Progress got off to a fair-to-middling start Sunday in the time slot usually reserved for Desperate Housewives. NBC had little traction with the time-period debut of The Contender, and Fox didn't do much business with the premiere of Kelsey Grammer's The Sketch Show. The big mover of the night was NBC's Law & Order: Criminal Intent, which saw its viewership perk up significantly as it consistently has this season whenever Desperate Housewives is out of its way. ABC had no trouble winning the night on the strength of its 7-9 p.m. block of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which brought in an average of 14.3 million viewers and a 5.8 rating/15 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research.
- 3/15/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ABC's new comedy Jake in Progress got off to a fair-to-middling start Sunday in the time slot usually reserved for Desperate Housewives. NBC had little traction with the time period debut of The Contender, nor did Fox do much business with the premiere of Kelsey Grammer's The Sketch Show. The big mover of the night was NBC's Law & Order: Criminal Intent which saw its viewership perk up significantly as it has consistently this season whenever Desperate Housewives is out of its way. ABC had no trouble winning night on the strength of its 7-9 p.m. edition of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which brought in an average of 14.3 million viewers and 5.8 rating/15 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research.
- 3/14/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A preview of The Contender didn't pack much of a ratings punch Monday for NBC, which took some hits from Fox and CBS. But the night was a success for Showtime, which saw new series Fat Actress deliver the premium cable channel's highest premiere ratings in five years. The 90-minute Contender drew 8.1 million total viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research, below the lead-in of a 90-minute Fear Factor as well as new episodes of CBS' CSI: Miami and Fox's 24. The ratings are not exact because Factor actually ran 96 minutes, sounding the opening bell for Contender at 9:36 p.m. With American Idol still thriving, Fox edged CBS to win the night, drawing 18.5 million total viewers to CBS' 15.9 million. NBC came in third with 8.7 million, followed by ABC (7.3 million), the WB Network (3.2 million) and UPN (2.7 million).
Boxing-themed reality show The Contender did not come out swinging in its first round Monday, as NBC watched the first preview of its boxing-themed reality show get roughed up by CBS and Fox. The 90-minute Contender drew 8.4 million total viewers, according to overnight ratings, below the lead-in of a 90-minute Fear Factor as well as new episodes of CBS' CSI: Miami and Fox's 24. The ratings are not exact because Factor actually ran 96 minutes, sounding the opening bell for Contender at 9:36 p.m. With American Idol still thriving, Fox edged out CBS to win the night, drawing 18.4 million total viewers to CBS' 16 million. NBC came in third with 8.7 million, followed by ABC (7.3 million), WB (3.1 million) and UPN (2.7 million).
In the acclaimed 1956 film Somebody Up There Likes Me, director Robert Wise traces the real-life ascent of Rocky Graziano from New York street kid to world boxing champion. In one scene early in the story, Sal Mineo says to Paul Newman (as Graziano), "Guys like us, we ain't got no chance, have we?" Graziano did indeed get his chance, and it's that opportunity to overcome sociological barriers to achieve success that has made boxing and its gladiators rich material for some of Hollywood's most celebrated storytelling. Fresh off Million Dollar Baby's knockout performance at the Academy Awards, reality TV guru Mark Burnett looks to bring the tried-and-true elements of the fight game to success on the small screen with his series The Contender, which debuts tonight on NBC. Burnett acknowledges that a big part of the show's appeal is the theme of upward social mobility that has been the backdrop of many a Hollywood boxing film.
Sylvester Stallone refuses to accept his upcoming reality TV show The Contender is to blame for the apparent suicide of promising boxer Najai Turpin. Turpin, a contestant on the Rocky star's boxing reality show, shot himself last week, to the astonishment of both producers and his fellow contenders. And while Stallone, who attended Turpin's funeral with Sugar Ray Leonard on Friday, is shocked by the incident, he doubts his show is linked to the tragedy. He says, "This unfortunate occurrence seems to have nothing to do with boxing but other personal issues that we really don't know much about." Stallone says Turpin's presence will remain throughout the series, which is set to premiere in America on March 7. The actor adds, "I loved this man. I loved what he stood for. He was incredibly brave. When he was with his child, you saw the child in him come out."...
- 2/22/2005
- WENN
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