Jazzman Red-colored-colored Holloway dies

James "Red-colored-colored" Holloway, a noted saxophonist who carried out while using very best in the big band era through bebop, blues, R&B and modern jazz, died from kidney failure and complications from the stroke in Morro Bay, Calif., on Saturday, Feb. 25. He was 84. Throughout work that spanned nearly seven decades, Holloway's versatility and driving swing style saved him much desired. He completed with tales for instance Billie Holiday, B.B. King, Lionel Hampton and Aretha Franklin. He carried out for jazz fans around the globe and completed in Europe as late as last October. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Lay offs at Summit begin: 3 professionals out

Inside the wake of the acquisition by Lionsgate, Summit Entertainment began lay offs early now, as mind of TV distribution Alex Fragen, home cinema mind Steve Nickerson and Bobby Gerber, EVP home cinema sales, are coming out, Variety knows. The trio of professionals got what is the news midday Monday, sources near the organization mentioned. They were prone to remain using the organization until early later. Fragen, Nickerson and Gerber all started with Summit in 2007, similar to the organization was finding its footing just like a full service production and distribution studio. The lay offs were just the to start several expected as Lionsgate begins to integrate its methods with Summit, the small-major acquired in the The month of the month of january cash-and-stock deal gathering $412.5 million. Lionsgate co-chairman and Boss Jon Feltheimer acknowledged in those days that overlap would cause lay offs. Monthly later, Summit co-founder and leader of worldwide David Garrett began planning his exit, as Variety first reported Feb. 12. Lionsgate wouldn't browse the lay offs Monday. "The integration of Lionsgate and Summit is ongoing," a studio representative mentioned. "We will not discuss specific people until our key management team is fully in place.In . Fragen, who was simply well-loved at Summit and was responsible for its lucrative deal with Cinemax, was named leader of domestic television distribution right after Summit relaunched itself in 2007. He was responsible for controlling distribution totally free and pay TV, video-on-demand, pay-per-view, and hotel and airline travel sales. His duties would evidently transfer to Jim Packer, Lionsgate's prexy of worldwide TV distribution and digital. Nickerson, someone electronics and homevid vet, also came on in individuals days, and was designated with creating Summit's homevid arm with Gerber, who labored with Nickerson at Toshiba and Warner Bros. Nickerson came off eight years at Warners homevid throughout time of his hire, including senior V . p . of worldwide high-definition media. Nearly all Summit's homevideo releases are compiled by Fox, a deal that's vulnerable to sunset as Lionsgate's robust home video arm will get control Summit game game titles. More shakeups and lay offs were expected within the lately merged companies. The departure of Garrett - a effective and beloved foreign-sales maven resides working in london - leaves a substantial hole to fill for Lionsgate, which specific Summit simply on the potency of its overseas sales division. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Matt Lauer to Interview Lindsay Lohan on Today

Jan Berenstain Jan Berenstain, who wrote and illustrated the Berenstain Bears childrens books with her husband Stan, has died. She was 88.Berenstain suffered a stroke on Thursday and died Friday, her son, Mike Beresnstain, told The Associated Press.See other celebs we lost this yearBoth Philadelphia natives, Stan and Jan met at age 18 in 1941 on their first day of art school. Twenty-one years later, they published the first Berenstain Bears book, The Big Honey Hunt.Since then, the books have become preschool staples, with more than 300 titles being published in 23 languages. More than 260 million copies have been printed."They say jokes don't travel well, but family humor does," Jan Berenstain told the AP last year. "Family values is what we're all about."Get the rest of today's newsAfter Stan's death at 82 in 2005, Mike, an illustrator, collaborated with his mother on recent books, which focused on such modern issues as online safety and childhood obesity. "Every day she was very productive," Mike said. "She was working on two books and had been doing illustrations until the day before she passed away."Besides Mike, Berenstain is survived by her elder son, Leo, a writer who oversees the business end of the family franchise, and four grandchildren.What are your favorite Berenstain Bears books?

Tuner 'Garage Band' gets reading

DolenzProducer Ken Davenport has pulled together an industry reading of developing musical "Garage Band" with a cast that includes legit vets as well as former Monkees member Micky Dolenz.Beth Leavel ("The Drowsy Chaperone"), Alexander Gemignani ("Sweeney Todd," "Sunday in the Park with George"), Andy Karl ("Legally Blonde," "9 to 5") and Amy Spanger ("Elf") also are among the thesps to appear in the reading.Storyline of "Garage Band" centers on an out-of-work 40-year-old forced by his high school rival to participate in a battle-of-the-bands re-match. Mark Allen, composer of "Tinyard Hill" and a co-writer of the score to "Band Geeks," pens the music, with a book by the Grundleshotz, an improv-based group of a dozen collaborators including Sebastian Arcelus ("Elf") and Sarah Saltzman ("The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee").Davenport's resume includes the current Broadway revival of "Godspell" as well as Off Broadway outings "Altar Boyz," "My First Time" and "Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating and Marriage."Reading of "Garage Band" is set for March 2. Future plans for the new tuner are still up in the air. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

President's Day Weekend Receipts: Safe House Leads Lucrative Holiday

It absolutely was indeed a very happy President's Day Weekend in Hollywood, where art galleries loved the rare treat of 5 wide February releases raking in $20 million or maybe more. Unhealthy news? The Two latest ones elevated a corner. Sorry, Nicolas Cage and Reese Witherspoon - your Holiday Weekend Receipts are here. [All figures are four-day weekend estimations.] 1. Safe House Gross: $28,40,000 ($82,600,000) Screens: 3,121 (PSA $9,100) Days: 2 (Change: -29.3%) You'll find a few large individuals who win among this weekend's accomplishments, but I'll go for Ryan Reynolds since the finest: On one for reds, the guy can't open anything no matter how anxiously his agents or producers want him to be capable of. Alternatively, there is no better box-office second fiddle alive missing maybe Jeremy Renner, who wouldn't hold that distinction for extended anyway with both Avengers as well as the Bourne Legacy on deck to refine both his blockbuster ensemble and leading-guy creds. So continue, Hollywood! Let Reynolds support your 57-year-old action star today! 2. The Vow Gross: $26,600,000 ($88,527,000) Screens: 2,958 (PSA $8,993) Days: 2 (Change: -35.4%) Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams aren't shabby artists, either, both in order to their leading their first non-franchise $100 million grosser. Unless of course obviously The Vow 2 is in route starring a specific rat together with a churro, that we am unsure counts, however, you tell me. 3. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island Gross: $26,400,000 ($59,516,000) Screens: 3,500 Days: 2 (Change: -3.4%) There's undoubtedly that merely scraping below $60 million in 10 days of release can be a let-lower for individuals involved (apart from Michael Caine, I guess, as extended since the check removed), but a 3.four percent drop? Yowza. Very good whatsoever, especially opposite... 4. Ghost Driver: Spirit of Vengeance Gross: $25,700,000 (new) Screens: 3,174 (PSA $6,397) Days: 1 I am unsure where this creative development lands Nicolas Cage on his mission being screen acting's version of Introduced Zeppelin. Maybe it may be better to interrupt it lower to Zeppelin song-title analogues, like, "What's and What's Going To Not BeInch or "Sick Again." Any others? 5. This Means War Gross: $20,400,000 (new) Screens: 3,189 (PSA: $6,397) Days: 1 Needs less Pine, more pudding. [Figures via Box Office Mojo] Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

Vital-MGM Valley Girl Musical Redo Being Helmed By Clay Weiner. Who?

EXCLUSIVE: Vital has grew to become part of MGM’s effort to mount a musical film remake of 1983′s Valley Girl, the film that aided launch the place of Nicolas Cage. The remake will launch a completely new feature pointing career, since the art galleries chose Clay Weiner over numerous well-established helmers who wanted the job. Who's Clay Weiner and the way did this happen? Weiner can be a prolific ads director — he helmed the Super Bowl spot for Time Warner Cable with Ough Gervais and Mary Louise Parker — but his primary credit might be the Nickelodeon film Fred: The Film. He would win the Valley Girl job, and also the reps could include him among lots of helmers who met with studio professionals just before the vacation. Weiner was alone who spent the two-week holiday getaway putting together a 3-minute demo reel, taken proper care of using their own pocket, that featured choreographed dance programs set with a mash-in the eighties tunes which will be sang inside the film. He proven the spirit, design, costuming and camera work that reflected his vision for your film. It told the studio professionals everything they need to know. Now, they gave Weiner the job plus it was the reel that won it for Weiner. Discussions are really getting ongoing involving the art galleries and Weiner’s reps at UTA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners. This version of Valley Girl stay with the initial story from the punk guy with no profit the incorrect side in the tracks who sets his sights on winning the affection from the Valley girl getting a loutishly preppy boyfriend. Inside the musical, the heavens will sing 󈨔s New Wave tunes from bands like the Go Go’s as well as the Cars. MGM remains concentrating on that certain for a while that is now around the steps for achievement. A script by Amy Talkington continues to be rewritten by Rachel Marriage scribe Jenny Lumet. Now the film features a director who, greatly like the Valley Girl protagonist, changed extended odds through persistence to acquire what he wants. MGM is around the remake tear, since the studio is approaching start dates round the Jose Padilha-directed Robocop, Joe Carnahan-directedDeath Wish, together with a Kim Peirce-directed Barbara.

Philip Bruns dies at 80

Philip Bruns, who co-starred inside the seventies comedy series "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman," died in La on Wednesday, Feb. 8, of natural causes. He was 80.Bruns came out on two seasons in the series, playing Mary's father round the cleaning cleaning soap-opera parody. More youthful crowd spent three years with Jackie Gleason on his comedy-variety show inside the mid-sixties.Born in Pipestone, Minn., Bruns attended Yale University's drama school, then began his career in NY round the stage to ensure that being an abundant actor in TV ads.He later visited La, turning up in than 40 movies, including "Flashdance," "The Stunt Guy" and "The Most Popular Year."Bruns is managed to get by his wife, actress Laurie Hotdogs. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Private Practice Scoop: Sam's Sister Has Showed up!

Anika Noni Rose and Taye Diggs Sam's sister has showed up! Corrine, performed by Tony champion Anika Noni Rose, designed a brief appearance in last week's episode when Mike (Taye Diggs) bailed her from jail after she conned convenient store. First impressions aside, she's no common criminal, and despite exactly what the promotions make you believe, she's not only some drugged out, desperate lady. She's really psychologically ill. Exclusive: Paul Adelstein to direct a chapter of non-public Practice "She's bipolar," Rose informs TVGuide.com. "She does not know she's bipolar, she has been wrongly diagnosed many occasions. Nobody really knows what her deal is. She has been drugged for such a long time as well as on the roads for such a long time, as well as self-medicating to try and feel good, however it works out that they is bipolar and they are looking for a method to treat her." Since Mike has her in the care, he'll use Sheldon (John Benben) to try and determine exactly wrong together with her. "She's just a little skeptical from the diagnosis because she has been identified before the ones happen to be wrong," she states. "She has been given medication before also it has not labored, so that's difficult, particularly for an individual who's fighting having a mental illness since the moment you begin to feel good, you believe you are better." So as to the brothers and sisters will ultimately have the ability to reunite. "These were close at some point, after which estranged that'll be revealed more because the episodes progress," Diggs states. "They are attempting to make up for lost some time and reintroduce themselves to one another." Obtain the exclusive particulars around the Grey's Anatomy-Private Practice crossover Due to their new found connection, Mike come in denial over his sister's illness. "Using the people who are nearest for you, you won't want to consider the truth," Diggs states. 'It's the problem where it may happen to everyone else however, you. In cases like this, something clearly is happening together with his sister and that he just does not wish to accept is as true.Inch Though Addison (Kate Walsh) and Mike are split up, she'll be there to aid him through this hard time. "She lives right on the doorstep, so she sees first-hands what is happening and transpiring," Walsh states. "She's attempting to be uncle and become there for him." Private Practice airs Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC.

Fox 21 lands 'Hung' co-creators

Fox 21 has signed a two-year overall deal with Dmitry Lipkin and Collette Burson. The husband-and-wife duo that created the HBO series "Hung" are seguing from their pact with the pay cabler, which ended in November, to a pod deal with the cable-centric arm of 20th Century Fox TV, where they will write and executive produce series and supervise other writers as well. Pact is one of the first of a string of deals being engineered this year by Fox 21 president Bert Salke, who wants to add to a lineup of in-house creatives capable of breaking through the cluttered TV marketplace. "When you look at shows like (FX's) 'The Riches' and 'Hung,' these guys have gone outside the box with interesting characters and ideas," said Salke. "And that's why we think they're the future for cable studios like us." Fox 21 has already scored cable hits in recent months like Showtime's highly touted "Homeland," from the studio-signed pair of Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa, and Kurt Sutter, who recently reupped on the strength of FX hit "Sons of Anarchy." Last month, Salke also signed Andre Nemec and Josh Applebaum, the scribes behind "Mission Impossible 4," and he indicated the next entry to his growing stable--he expects to sign as many as 6-7 pod deals this year--could be locked down later this week. Burson is represented by UTA and attorney Tara Kole at Gang Tyre Ramer & Brown. Lipkin is represented by CAA and attorney Ken Richman at Hansen, Jacobson. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

RAI to shutter North American arm

ROME -- RAI Corporation, the North American arm of Italian pubcaster RAI, is set to shutter in April due to budget cuts, which are also threatening several of its other global offshoots. RAI's board has voted unanimously to shut down its NY studios, where TV and radio reports are produced; 66 employees have been pink-slipped, and talks are reportedly underway with the Associated Press to use their TV services instead. Planned closure of RAI's Tribeca-based offices, after decades in activity, is just the first of a series of shutterings of the pubcaster's foreign units on the agenda, including RAI International, which distributes RAI content worldwide, and RAI Med, which airs to the Arab world. RAI, which has more than 13,000 staffers and debts of some 200 million ($270 million), is pushing through cuts as part of austerity measures dictated by technocrat prime minister Mario Monti. RAI Corporation is first on the list because, being incorporated in the U.S., management is seeking to apply American labor laws rather than Italian ones, which make it more difficult to fire. RAI Corporation employees who, besides news, produce cultural content for Italians living abroad, are disputing this and taking legal action against the RAI board, whose mandate expires in May. Meanwhile, at home, RAI is currently under fire for agreeing to pay Italo rockstar Adriano Celentano a whopping $461,000 for a single appearance on top-rated Sanremo Song Fest. Celentano has justified demanding such an exorbitant amount by saying he will give it all to charity. Contact Nick Vivarelli at nvivarelli@gmail.com