Bob Hoskins, the gruff and lovable character actor who starred in a series of terrific movies including “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,” is retiring from acting at age 69. He says he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease last fall, and is now going to concentrate on his health and his family. Hoskins should get a SAG Lifetime Achievement Award for his great work in movies like “Mona Lisa,” “The Long Good Friday,” “Mermaids,” “Parting Shots,” “Hook,” and this year’s “Snow White and the Huntsman.” But he’ll best be remembered for “Roger Rabbit,” still a wonderful film. He played Eddie Valiant to Kathleen Turner’s animated Jessica Rabbit, and they were a hoot. Good luck to Bob, and lots of prayers in fighting Parkinson’s. He will be missed from our screens.
Marvin Hamlisch Last Project: Music for Liberace Movie Completed
Before he died Marvin Hamlisch completed his final full project. Producer Jerry Weintraub confirmed for me tonight that Hamlisch completed all the music for “Behind the Candelabra,” the Michael Douglas and Matt Damon film, directed by Steven Soderbergh. “He finished it all,” Weintraub said. “I can’t believe what happened. He was a great guy.” Weintraub says he’s as much in the dark about what exactly happened to Hamlisch as anyone else this evening. He’d heard, like some others I talked to, that Hamlisch hadn’t felt well in the last few days and may have gone to the hospital. “Behind the Candelabra,” which Weintraub is producing for HBO, tells the story of Liberace’s final years with his lover, Scott Thorson.
Exclusive: Carole Bayer Sager on How She and Marvin Hamlisch Wrote “Nobody Does it Better”
I just put down the phone with legendary Carole Bayer Sager who wrote “Nobody Does it Better” with Marvin Hamlisch, the James Bond theme song from “The Spy Who Loved Me” and a big, big hit for Carly Simon. Hamlisch had already won the Pulitzer and Tony for “A Chorus Line” and a hit with “The Entertainer” from “The Sting.” When the pair met for another writing assignment, Hamlisch was getting ready to leave for London to write the music for “Spy.” Sager says she told him: “You know, ‘Nobody Does It Better’ always struck me as a great title for a Bond movie. He said, I love it and we wrote the chorus that afternoon.”
Hamlisch, she recalls, had to persuade Cubby Broccoli to let her write the song since he usually used movie composers like John Barry. “He convinced Cubby to give me a chance.” Hamlisch and Sager called Carly Simon, and “Marvin went up to see her. She loved it an dI loved her rendition of it. At the end she sings James I love you and we never knew if she was singing about James Bond or James Taylor.” The song was a huge hit, and was nominated for an Oscar. Hamlisch and Sager then wrote another staple, Melissa Manchester’s hit, “Looking Through the Eyes of Love.”
But that wasn’t all for the duo. They were dating and living together when Neil Simon decided to turn their romance into a Broadway musical. The result was the hit, “They’re Playing Our Song,” which starred Lucie Arnaz and Robert Klein. “Our real romance was somewhere between that and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. But there was this weirdness about us both being songwriters. Marvin kept telling Neil that ‘she’s a pop lyricist and I’m an old stodgy Broadway composer’. I said, Are you insane? You have Oscars and a Tony and a Pulitzer Prize! [In 1974, Hamlisch won 3 Oscars in one night– two for “The Way We Were” and one for “The Sting.”] We’d have these crazy disagreements. He told Neil, I get jealous when she has a number 1 song either I feel jealous because I wish I had it, or I get angry because I could have written a better song!”
They were supposed to be working on a musical of Simon’s “The Goodbye Girl.” “But Marvin would walk in and tell him these funny neurotic stories aboiut us, and finally Neil said Would you mind if I have lunch with Carole?” The show became about Hamlisch and Sager’s relationship. “It was a painless, joyful experience.” So much so that just a few weeks ago, Klein and Arnaz joined Hamlisch for one of his concert dates to reprise their songs.
Sager and Hamlisch eventually broke up but remained good friends. When Sager was invited to put on a show to Feinstein’s at the Regency, Hamlisch helped design it, then rehearsed with the band and sat in on piano the first couple of nights. Sager, like everyone who knew Hamlisch, was shocked when she got the news of his death this morning. “I don’t know if he was sick, or what happened,” she told me. “But everyone loved him. That’s what you’re hearing. And it’s true.”
Barbra Streisand, Marilyn & Alan Bergman on Marvin Hamlisch
Barbra Streisand: “I’m devastated. He was my dear friend. He’s been in my life ever since the first day I met him in 1963, when he was my rehearsal pianist for “Funny Girl.” He played at my wedding in 1998… and recently for me at a benefit for women’s heart disease. The world will remember Marvin for his brilliant musical accomplishments, from “A Chorus Line” to “The Way We Were,” and so many others, but when I think of him now, it was his brilliantly quick mind, his generosity, and delicious sense of humor that made him a delight to be around. Just last night, I was trying to reach him, to tell him how much I loved him, and that I wanted to use an old song of his, that I had just heard for the first time. He was a true musical genius, but above all that, he was a beautiful human being. I will truly miss him.”\
Lyricists Alan and Marilyn and Alan Bergman:
“He was more than our collaborator. He was our beloved friend. He was family. The world will miss his music, his humor, his genius. We will miss him every day for the rest of our lives.”
Liza Minnelli on Marvin Hamlisch: “I have lost my first lifelong best friend”
Liza Minnelli on the passing of Marvin Hamlisch: “Marvin Hamlisch and I have been best friends since I was 13 years old. He arranged my first album, my second album, the songs for Judy Garland & Liza Minnelli at the London Palladium and just about everything else.
He was one of the funniest people I knew. I will miss his talent, our laughter & friendship, but mostly I will miss Marvin. My heart is with his wife Terre always.
I have lost my first lifelong best friend, and sadly we have lost a splendid, splendid talent.”
Elton John Waves a Peace Flag: No War With Madonna, Please
You know things are over the top when I’m defending Madonna. But really, enough. Today some DJ remix guy told a German paper that Madge should retired in 1998. Come on!
Now Sir Elton John is waving the peace flag: I’m told by sources close to the great performer and AIDS activist that this latest brouhaha with Madonna is incorrect and should be set straight. Elton’s remarks about Madonna were not meant for broadcast, and he wasn’t looking to start World War Ten. Madonna and Elton used to be rather friendly, in fact. A source says that Elton actually has favorite Madonna songs. “He thinks ‘Holiday’ is brilliant,” says the source. So whatever he said to that TV interviewer, it wasn’t meant for public consumption. Elton and his people can deal with that on their own. Elton John is a man of peace and love. Just read his new New York Times bestseller, and you’ll see that.
In the middle of all this, a fan pointed me to a side project Elton’s done and you can find on iTunes. He allowed the Australian duo of electronic musicians called Pnau to chop up and remix some of his old records and reassemble them. The result is a very cool set of dance songs called “Elton John vs. Pnau.” The duo mixes in some of my favorite lesser known songs like “Harmony.” “Grey Seal,” “High Flying Bird.” and “Solar Prestige Gammon,” whipped them in a Cuisinart with “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” and “Someone Saved My Life Tonight,” made a soothing summer treat. Download these tracks, Elton John fans. (I wish Cirque dul Soleil would do an Elton show like their Beatles show.)
As for Madonna, she probably doesn’t care what anyone thinks. But after her disaster with Raising Malawi, and antics with nipples, swastikas, etc she might consider using a crisis counselor to help her navigate this chapter of her unusual life. And really, no Nazi symbolism at Yankee Stadium. That’s my free, and heartfelt, advice.
Shock: Marvin Hamlisch Dies at 68, Composer of “The Way We Were” and “A Chorus Line”
This just came in from Ken Sunshine’s office. What a terrible shame. I had the pleasure of meeting him several times, and Hamlisch was just one of the nicet, most charming people you could hope to meet.
LEGENDARY COMPOSER/CONDUCTOR MARVIN HAMLISCH DIES
LOS ANGELES —Famed composer and conductor Marvin Hamlisch collapsed after a brief illness and died yesterday, his family announced. He was 68.
Known as the “people’s composer,” Hamlisch won virtually every major award: three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony, and three Golden Globes. He was the youngest student to be admitted by Manhattan’s Julliard School of Music.
Hamlisch composed more than forty motion picture scores, including his Oscar-winning score and song for “The Way We Were,” and his adaptation of Scott Joplin’s music for “The Sting,” for which he received a third Oscar. His prolific output of film scores includes original compositions and/or musical adaptations for “Sophie’s Choice,” “Ordinary People,” “The Swimmer,” “Three Men and a Baby,” “Ice Castles,” “Take the Money and Run,” Bananas,” “Save the Tiger,” “The Informant!,” and his latest effort, “Behind the Candelabra,” a film about the life of Liberace.
On Broadway, Hamlisch wrote the music for his groundbreaking show, “A Chorus Line,” which received the Pulitzer Prize, as well as “They’re Playing Our Song,” “The Goodbye Girl” and “Sweet Smell of Success.” He was scheduled to leave for Nashville later this week to see his hit musical, “The Nutty Professor.” He was also working on a new Broadway musical called “Gotta Dance.”
At the time of his death, Hamlisch held the position of Principal Pops Conductor for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Pasadena Symphony and Pops, Seattle Symphony, and San Diego Symphony. Next week, he was to be announced as the Principal Pops Conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra. Hamlisch was also due to conduct the New York Philharmonic in its upcoming New Year’s Eve concert.
He is survived by Terre, his wife of 25 years.
Joanne Woodward and Jerry Springer Among Obama Fundraisers in Westport
I wonder if Anna Wintour, who helped organize tonight’s Obama fundraiser at Harvey Weinstein and Georgina Chapman’s Westport, Connecticut farm house, has any idea who Jerry Springer is. Or if Joanne Woodward knows who he is, either. But Springer is there, with his $35,580 check. So are Wintour and Woodward, the famed actress and widow of Paul Newman. Weinstein is co-hosting with Anne Hathaway and Aaron Sorkin. So far, the pool reports noted that Obama praised Hathaway and Sorkin in his speech. Weinstein called Obama the “Paul Newman of Presidents.” These fundraisers for small groups-around 50 tonight–are chicken feed compared to the massive boatloads of money being funneled to Mitt Romney via Sheldon Adelson and the Koch brothers. Fair’s fair. I have no info on this, but I could see Harvey Weinstein organizing a Madison Square Garden concert a la 1972 for McGovern with big rock names, comedians, and speakers. Just wait. But Jerry Springer? A check’s a check.
Picture–Joanne Woodward and the late, great Paul Newman. So classy of Harvey to have the First Lady of the Arts from Westport. A nice touch.
Paris Jackson: Wall Mural Tribute to Her Dad, Michael Jackson
How much do I like Paris Jackson? Except for penchant for staying up all night– Paris, go to bed!– she’s got a great attitude. She posted this mural she made on her bedroom wall, on Twitter. It’s all dedicated to her dad, Michael Jackson. She misses him. Great job, Paris. But please, drink some warm milk, take a Harry Potter book and go to bed early tonight.
Warner Bros Pushes Leonardo Di Caprio “Gatsby” Out of Oscar Contention
Yeesh. Warner Bros. has moved Baz Luhrmann’s 3D version of “The Great Gatsby” out of Oscar contention. It’s going to come out in Summer 2013 instead of this Christmas. This means a few things. One is that “Gatsby” is a mess and has no place at the Oscars. Two, Christopher Nolan is insisting on an all out push for ‘The Dark Knight Rises” and doesn’t want “Gatsby” in his way. Or both. And I’ll tell you what: Nolan would be right. With ten films up for Best Picture, I would back “The Dark Knight Rises” for the 10th spot, and Nolan for Best Director. Why not? This is no different than “Lord of the Rings.” WB should go all out for him.
As for “Gatsby”: the trailer looked horrifying. Leo looked horrified in it. Luhrmann has turned F. Scott Fitzgerald’s epic of class distinction into a pop up book about the Roaring 20s. Releasing it in the summer is like saying. We don’t know what do, so on top of “Superman” we’re going to slide this one by you. Too bad. DiCaprio misses a chance at Best Actor. But at least he can go up for Supporting in Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained.” And that’s good news, because– like Cate Blanchett in “The Aviator”–he’s guaranteed that win. The Academy knows how hard he’s worked. So other Best Supporting Actors mau have to accept this. It’s good news and bad news for everyone except F. Scott Fitzgerald, who could never catch a break in Hollywood.