Showbiz411

from the Academy: Howard Koch, Jr., a popular producer of commercial films, has been named the new prez of AMPAS. He has a long history in the film business, producing everything from “Heaven Can Wait” to a 1990 movie I personally love, “The Long Walk Home” and right now is making Naomi Foner’s “Very Good Girls.”  His father, Howard Koch, who died in 2001 at age 84, produced many of the Oscar telecasts of the past and many hit movies, as well. His first order of business, after the Oscars themselves and piracy: bring back the turkey sandwiches on sale at the bar in the Dolby Theater during the Academy Awards.

Beverly Hills, CA – Producer Hawk Koch was elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences tonight (July 31) by the organization’s Board of Governors. This will be his first term in the office.

Koch, who is beginning his ninth year as a governor representing the Producers Branch, has served as first vice president of the Academy during the past year. He previously served three one-year terms as treasurer and one term as vice president.

In addition, Public Relations Branch governor Cheryl Boone Isaacs was elected first vice president; Producers Branch governor Kathleen Kennedy was elected to one vice president post and Writers Branch governor Phil Robinson was re-elected to the other vice president post; Public Relations Branch governor Rob Friedman was elected treasurer; and Executives Branch governor Robert Rehme was elected secretary.

Koch’s producer credits include “Losing Isaiah” and “Gorky Park.” He recently served as executive producer on “Source Code” and is executive producer on the upcoming “Very Good Girls.”

Academy board members serve three-year terms, while officers serve one-year terms, with a maximum of four consecutive terms in any one office.

Roger Friedman

Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News. Friedman previously wrote the Intelligencer column at New York Magazine, He writes for Parade magazine and has written for Details, Vogue, the New York Times, Post, and Daily News and many other publications. He is the writer and co-producer of a film about R&B Music called “Only the Strong Survive,” which was released by Miramax in 2003 and was a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals.