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For Immediate Release on Entertainment Drive
Released by Beck/Smith
Stallone Movie Redefines Action Genre?
Hollywood -- April 29, 1996 -- At least one person who'd be sorry to
see Sylvester Stallone give up action movies -- as he's sworn he'll
do -- is Joe Singer, one of the producers of Sly's upcoming
"Daylight." "After having watched Sly work and seeing the dailies on
this film I think it would be really awful for everyone if he gave up
the action genre," says Singer. "In this movie you just love seeing
him be heroic and save people." Singer insists "Daylight" (in which
Stallone rescues people from a tunnel after a catastrophe strikes)
"has the potential to redefine the action genre. He doesn't confront
any bad guys, it's just a man against a tunnel. He's got to use his
brains to get people out of it. It really shows the kind of stuff he
showed in 'Rocky'...the emotion is really something." Stallone, who
turns 50 July 6, has reportedly said "Daylight" will be his "farewell
to this [action] kind of film." But Singer believes he'll end up
doing more action fare if it's more character driven. "If stars like
Sly say we're not going to do action pictures anymore, it forces
people to not do the same old terrorist stories but come up with some
real characters...like in 'Daylight.' Anybody can find themselves in
that situation and find a way to be heroic." For "Daylight," Singer
reveals, "We got a lot of our ideas from all these confidential
plans the FBI had on how they would get people out of a tunnel if
they were trapped. And we have to give the city of New York a lot of
credit for being surprisingly cooperative. We built a tunnel for the
movie but we did rent the Midtown Tunnel for Saturday and Sunday
morning shoots."
VH-1 Gala for Worthy Cause
Hollywood -- April 30, 1996 -- It was a night of high contrast at
Sunday's VH-1 Honors. The poshest of Hollywood/Music Industry galas
glittered -- yet much of the talk focused on human rights abuses on
children. The show benefitted Witness, the international
organization that provides video equipment to human-rights groups in
hopes of helping to open the world's eyes to such abuses. The star
turnout was blinding -- Peter Gabriel, Joan Osborne, Laurence
Fishburne, Michael Stipe, Gloria Estefan, Susan Sarandon, and of
course host Tim Robbins, etc., etc. Even brand-newlyweds Sean Penn
and Robin Wright put in a brief appearance. Among the first
honorees was Bruce Harris, who was recognized by VH-1 for his work as
the executive director of Casa Alianza, a child-welfare agency
operated by Covenant House. Casa Alianza shelters provide help to
thousands of youngsters in Latin America. "ER's" Anthony Edwards
escorted Harris into the backstage press area, and when they came in,
the media members there were very subdued and quiet. Asked whether
he had any anxieties about becoming involved with a political cause
when some entertainers have been criticized for doing so, Edwards
replied with passion. He noted that the murder and abuse of children
is not a political cause and he could not understand how anyone could
see it that way. (Edwards also said he would be returning to start
production of the fall season of "ER" on Aug. 12, and at the moment
he had no plans for the summer.) Natalie Merchant commented
backstage that she first became socially conscious when she was about
seven or eight years old -- while watching TV and seeing kids in Northern
Ireland being hit by rubber bullets. The very suave Laurence
Fishburne talked about artists becoming involved in causes, and said,
"Artists get involved because politicians follow people" -- and
people are often inspired to rise up for good causes and against
injustice by the arts. When Peter Gabriel and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
came to the press room, the Pakistani music sensation hovered shyly
in the doorway to the press room as if he were uncomfortable with all
the attention. When Gabriel realized what was happening he went over
and escorted Nusrat up to the podium. Then the rock great, a
champion of Witness, noted that ordinary citizens can help the cause
on a local level, via writing letters to legislators and opinion
makers, and so forth. The after-show party was lavish -- with tables
featuring a fabulous spread of food set up under a large tent on the
grounds of the Universal City, CA, City Walk mall. There were
large video screens everywhere -- playing music videos, naturally.
Revising Travolta's Past
Hollywood -- May 1, 1996 -- Talk about revisionist history. John
Travolta's manager Jonathan Krane -- who's also producer of most of
his movies -- feels it's ridiculous that people refer to the actor as
a "comeback kid." As Krane recalls Travolta's past, "He was always in
demand, he could have been working all the time. And he made a
tremendous amount of hits -- 'Grease,' 'Saturday Night Fever,' 'Urban
Cowboy,' 'Pulp Fiction,' 'Look Who's Talking.'" He's right about the
first five. As far as the latter, well, as Time Magazine wrote of
"Look Who's Talking," "It was an object of contempt in all the better
circles." And then there were the embarrassing losers like "Moment
to Moment" and "Perfect" -- but mostly the unexplainable fact that
the industry just didn't seem very interested in John Travolta after
a while. Even Travolta has told this column that he's particularly
grateful for his current success, because of his knocks in the past.
If he doesn't forget that his career has been a roller-coaster ride,
why does Krane choose to? When this question is posed to Krane, he
moonwalks and says, "Well, I know one thing, John is his same humble
self." Indeed. Travolta is a fine actor, a fine person -- and no
one questions his latest round of success, just the reasons for
Krane's short memory.
Tim Conway Has New "Dorf" Video in Works
Hollywood -- May 2, 1996 -- Tim Conway reports his next "Dorf-on-Sports"
video will be on "baseball -- in conjunction with the Little
League." When he's told we've gotten inquiries from people wanting
to know where they can get his "Dorf" videos, the veteran comedic
actor jokes, "Just tell me where they live, I'll come to their houses
and deliver them, or, if they have six or more for dinner, I'll come
over and demonstrate personally." Actually, Conway's comedy videos --
in which he portrays Derk Dorf by standing in holes in the ground so
he appears to be a four-foot-tall midget with 14-inch legs -- have
been a success from the beginning. His first video, "Dorf on Golf,"
is one of the seven all-time most popular comedy home videos and the
most popular sports home video; subsequent "Dorf on..." videos have
been top sellers as well. Before he can start work on the latest
"Dorf..." project, Conway has to finish shooting the big-screen
comedy "Dear God" with Laurie Metcalf and Greg Kinnear. He says the
Paramount film is the first chance he's had to work with director
Garry Marshall. "I was thrilled with the opportunity to do so," says
Conway, who also does a guest turn on the May 20 episode of "Cybill."
He adds, "Garry is great to work with. You show up, he gives you an
idea and you go out and just do it....You get a chance to improvise a
little bit."
Leslie Nielsen as Mr. Magoo?
Hollywood -- May 3, 1996 -- Leslie Nielsen, in Toronto filming the
TV movie adaptation of "Harvey" with Harry Anderson, could be playing
"Mr. Magoo" next. He tells this column, "I'm taking a look at the
latest script. Hopefully everything will come together. I'll tell
you this: When Disney sets its mind to something, there's action --
and 'Mr. Magoo' is a Disney project." He adds, "I hope it does come
together. I love the character, and making the movie would be a
challenge." Nielsen, whose Disney "Spy Hard" big-screen spoof opens
this month, isn't just sitting around waiting for his next film
project. He's bought rights to the play "Clarence Darrow," and
intends to go on a mini-tour with the one-man show in September.
"The serious side of my nature will be satisfied," he says. For
those more interested in his funny side, remember that his latest
book of advice to golfers -- "Bad Golf My Way" -- will be published
around Father's Day.
Copyright (c) 1996 Beck/Smith Ent.
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