Tuesday, December 23, 2025
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AM News: RIP David Nelson, Margaret Whiting; Goodbye Jefferson Market

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Two Hollywood deaths to report from yesterday.

David Nelson, Ricky Nelson‘s older brother and the eldest child of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, died at age 74.  Wow–just to think that Ricky Nelson would have turned 71 this spring is frightening.

David was the actor of the two Nelson brothers, not the rock star. He appeared in the family TV show–which may have been the first reality show with celebrities. But he also acted in several prime time shows of the era including “Peyton Place.” It’s sad to think all the original Nelsons are gone now. Rest in peace.

Margaret Whiting--I just mentioned her a couple of weeks ago. Her father, a famous composer, co-wrote “On the Good Ship Lollipop.” Margaret became a pop singer superstar of the 1950s. She was the Celine Dion, let’s say, of her generation. Margaret Whiting worked in to the 1980s, and was married for a long time to porn star Jack Wrangler. (Yes,. it was icky.) She was 86, and beloved by her fans.

JEFFERSON MARKET, GOODBYE AGAIN

The Jefferson Market came to this part of Greenwich Village in 1929. Eighteen months ago, when it was about to close, I asked John Catsimatidis, who owns Gristede’s and Red Apple supermarkets, if he’d come and take a look at it. He did, and bought the lease. John did a valiant job, and I thank him. But time has marched on, and the new store never was able to compete with Citarella and Whole Foods. It’s going to close on Friday, I think, for good.

Until just three years ago, Jefferson Market was a bustling place. Their blue pedal bike carts were staples of our neighborhood, and a throw back to a simpler New York. In the old days–until the mid 80s–the market had no cash registers. They used little manual adding machines to ring up the charges. There were no credit cards, either. John Montuori owned the market for years until his untimely death in 1985 at age 56. His son, Louis, moved the market from the west side of Sixth Avenue to the east, at 10th St., in 1995. The space was too big, and things went downhill from there.

It’s a shame. The fear, of course, is that the large space will become something awful and commercial in a neighborhood that barely has restaurants that deliver food. Even worse: that like so many spaces here, it will remain open and lacking any tenant.

So goodbye, Jefferson Market: the famous butcher, the cooked chickens, exotic fruits always in season, to all the white haired guys who are long gone now. Another part of New York history sinks into memory.

Unreleased Movie, “Beautiful Boy,” Has Eerie Echoes of Tucson Tragedy

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Watching some TV reporters stalking the parents of alleged mass murderer Jared Lee Loughran last night I realized: I’ve seen this movie.

“Beautiful Boy” debuted at the Toronto Film Festival last September. The drama, directed by Shawn Ku, stars Maria Bello and Michael Sheen as parents of an 18 year old boy who kills 21 people on his college campus. Kyle Gallner plays the couple’s son, seen in flashbacks and in TV News scenes from the college campus.

The only difference is, in the movie, the boy then takes his own life.

Anchor Bay, the small film division of Starz Entertainment, picked up this very sad but insightful film at the Toronto International Film Festival for US distribution.

What’s interesting about “Beautiful Boy” is that it tries to get into the minds and lives of the parents, upscale, smart people who knew they had a troubled son but could never get hold of the situation. Their lives fall apart quickly as they’re forced by prying media to move out of their house. No one wants the husband to return to work. And the marriage, which was always shaky, is in peril.

Reading about the Loughrans this morning, and then seeing reporters trying, idiotically, to get comments from and their neighbors, is eerily so much like “Beautiful Boy.” The movie may be too sensitive now to release any time soon, though. It’s worth seeing for the terrific performances, but it’s also a film with no happy ending. It is what it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heAar1UC-UI

“True Grit” Star Has Massive Crush on Justin Bieber; They’ll Present Golden Globes

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“True Grit” star Hailee Steinfeld, 14, has a massive age appropriate crush on…Justin Bieber.

Indeed, when the pair presents an award together on Sunday night at the Golden Globes, that knocking you hear will be Hailee’s knees.

Yes, Justin Bieber, annoying teen pop star who has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with movies, or TV, will be a novelty presenter on the Golden Globes. This is how the Globes keep up their reputation: serious movie stars like Justin Bieber.

Hailee will be thrilled, though, along with all the other 14 year olds who watch the Golden Globes.

Meanwhile, we caught up with Hailee at yesterday’s swellish luncheon at the Four Seasons, just above the fabled pool room, for “The Social Network.” Director David Fincher made it in from Switzerland, where he’s remaking “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” As usual, screenwriter Aaron Sorkin spoke for the group which also included Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, and Armie Hammer. (I’ve never seen Fincher speak; if he wins awards will Sorkin step in?)

Hammer, great-grandson of fabled billlionaire Armand Hammer, did admit that he keeps a box of open baking soda in his fridge.

“Not because I get a royalty from every box, but because it works,” he said. Armie is quite jovial for a six foot five matinee idol. But he just wanted to meet actor Matthew Modine to tell him a family story. “My mom always used to complain about the way my hair looked,” Armie told Modine. “She’d say, Why can’t it look like more like Matthew Modine’s hair?”

She might not have liked Modine’s wind tousled hair yesterday, though. He rode his bike all the way from the West 20s to the East 50s for the lunch.

With so many young people–Eisenberg, Garfield, Steinfeld, Hammer–around, some of the older actors’ fame had to be explained to the new stars. Steinfeld and Garfield, for example, knew the famed TV, movie and Broadway star Michele Lee from “Herbie the Love Bug.” They weren’t yet born when she commanded 14 seasons of “Knots Landing.”

And so on: writer-director James Toback, sporting a walking cast for his broken foot, got a kick out of the proceedings. There was also a weird coincidence at my table, where Garfield–now shooting “Spider Man 4” got to meet Alan Cumming, who was almost the Green Goblin in “Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” on Broadway.  Said Cumming: “I was going to do it because I thought the script was good.”

Kevin Spacey roamed about, and producer Scott Rudin accepted compliments on his new trim look. Looking hot: Amy Pascal, head of Sony/Columbia Pictures, who just renewed her contract. She looks great, and $200 million in the till from “The Social Network” doesn’t hoit, they say!

Michael Jackson: Dr. Murray Stripped of License, Held for Trial

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At last.

Dr. Conrad Murray has been held for trial in the manslaughter of Michael Jackson. He’s also been stripped of his medical license.

Frankly–and this is an emotional response–Murray should be tried for murder.

According to testimony, Murray had been administering Propofol to Michael for six nights a week for two months leading up to his death. Murray told this to a police detective two days after Jackson’s death.

Of all the things that have come out in the preliminary trial, this is by far the worst. Luckily, Judge Michael Pastor realized this, and took away Murray’s right to practice medicine. He deemed Murray a danger to the public. No kidding.

I’ve been thinking about the Propofol a lot recently. Twice — once in November, again in December–yours truly was given Propofol before kidney stone surgery. It was such a big deal that there were many discussions with anesthesiologists, nurses, etc. Each time it was done in a hospital operating room. This was a serious business. Anyone who’s ever been “knocked out” for surgery knows this is not to be taken lightly.

But Dr. Murray did take it lightly. He obviously saw it as an easy way to appease Michael, who was used to getting his way with other doctors. The only difference was, none of them had gone this far.

I still think it’s of no small coincidence that Dr. Murray’s father had issues prescribing medicine. As I reported in July 2009:

Dr. Murray’s biological father, whom he met at age 25, was the late Dr. Rawle Andrews of Houston, Tex. Dr. Andrews died in 2001, but was a respected Houston physician.

However: Dr. Rawle Andrews’ medical license came under review and was severely limited, according to the Texas Medical Board, from 1994 to 1999.

Dr. Andrews was found to have prescribed “controlled substances and substances with addictive potential to [two patients, names reduced to initials] for extended periods of time without adequate indication.”

http://www.showbiz411.com/2009/07/23/20090723michael-jackson-conrad-murray-rawle-andrews

New American Idol: Who’ll Be the Next Simon?

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Randee Dawn reports from Pasadena:

The upcoming, much-touted 10th season of American Idol – a kinder, gentler version?

Sounds like it if you listen to the new judges – Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez – and the show’s producers.

“In the past we may have been accused of offering glib remarks rather than helping contestants through the process,” said EP Nigel Lythgoe during the series’ TCA session today. “But we’re not there just to chop their legs out from under them.”

So who’ll be the next Simon when the show begins airing again Jan. 19? The judge who tells it like it is? Probably not Randy Jackson, though he’s got elder statesman status now: “You’ll see a more assertive dog, a different dog, a little more hair on the dog, if you will – a few less yo’s and a few more no’s,” said Jackson.

And probably not Tyler or J. Lo – who have reputations to protect in the industry and won’t help themselves one bit by being hardasses, a problem no one else seems to have noticed yet.

“We bring a different perspective, we just do,” said Lopez. “There’s nothing like being able to have a discussion with another artist.”

Added Lythgoe: “It’s just as important how they deal with the good ones as the bad ones. They bring a lot of good sense to contestants. It’s more of a critique than just pack your suitcase and go home.”

All very sweet and nurturing – and not really what brings many people to “Idol.” Time – and next season – will see just how much Simon is actually missed. This is one series that seriously needs some edge if it wants to reach another ten seasons.

Producer: James Bond 23 Will Be 50th Anniversay of 007 Franchise

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“James Bond 23” will be released in November 2012, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the James Bond movies.

So says Barbara Broccoli, exclusively. She was having lunch with us at a gathering for “The Social Network” this afternoon at the Four Seasons restaurant. Almost simultaneously the announcement was going out about Bond 23, directed by Sam Mendes.

Deadline Yesterday (as I call it) never had an exclusive on this. A few weeks ago their London correspondent, Tim Adler, lifted a story by Baz Bamigboye out of the Daily Mail and pretended it was his. Indeed, Bamigboye had interviewed Kate Winslet, ex wife of Mendes. She told Baz that she’d be moving her kids to London for the Bond 23 shoot. That was the first time anyone knew that Bond 23 was on. I don’t know why Deadline’s money man, Jay Penske, doesn’t get this.

Anyway. at lunch Broccoli told me that there had to be a Bond movie in 2012 because the major anniversary. Barbara’s father, Cubby Broccoli, was a genius when it came to marketing these films. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Now there will be speculation where Rachel Weisz, who is infamously having an affair with Daniel Craig, will sign  on. That would be a coup.

ABC Waits on “Brothers & Sisters” and “Desperate Housewives”

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Is it the end for Sally Field’s prime time soap, “Brothers & Sisters”? It sure looks like they’re wrapping up their stories. On Sunday night, Patricia Wettig‘s Holly said goodbye and moved to New York. Holly was the show’s antagonist. Without her, there’s no real story. Wettig made for a great villain. So the party may be over.

“Brothers & Sisters” –the story of rich white people who know how to drink expensive wine, cook well, and are extremely PC–could have been a great soap. When it began, it was all about the family’s produce business in Ojai, California. It was also about the patriarch’s secrets (he was so well played by Tom Skerritt) but killed off in the first episode.

Unfortunately, “B&S” has been a lot of b.s since then–countless writers and show runners, lots of internal fighting, the forcing out of creator Jon Robin Baitz. The show has squandered all of its potential faster than any I can think of in recent history. ABC is still waiting to decide whether to renew it. It’s probably time to say goodbye.

ABC is also vacillating on “Desperate Housewives.” It, too, has run its course, but may survive for lack of a replacement. “DH” was always a show that burned through its stories too quickly. It’s like “Knots Landing” with ADD. Plus, Felicity Huffman has been wasted on ridiculous storylines; her character is always pregnant. The show is still narrated by a character who inexplicably committed suicide in the first season–which was really when the show jumped the shark. No one’s taken it seriously since then.

ABC Family: More Underage Sex For At Least Another Season

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ABC, it’s not as easy as 1-2-3. Randee Dawn reports from Pasadena:

Shonda Rhimes and 10 other cast/crew from her new series “Off the Map” took the stage to preview the series; ensemble cast member Mamie Gummer (daughter of Meryl Streep) discussed putting her burgeoning feature career on hold to join a regular series by saying she was a “Grey’s Anatomy” fan, “so I knew the quality of work would be held to account and be good. The opportunity that it afforded me to live with a character for a long time was a good experience … and Hawaii [where the show will be filmed] wasn’t a bad draw.”

Rhimes — creator of “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Private Practice”–also elaborated a bit more on the just-announced pilot ABC is potentially picking up for her next (which will make her fourth series for the network), noting it will “revolve around the life and work of a professional fixer in Washington, D.C.” She also acknowledged it would likely be a procedural….

…“Pretty Little Liars” is now renewed for a second season; “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” will come back for a fourth, meaning there’ll be plenty of underage, questionable sexual behavior all over ABC Family for at least another season. When queried about the dubious nature of a minor dating her teacher in secret, showrunner I. Marlene King decided to emphasize that it was about them being “soulmates” and that it’s all about “romance” and how you never see her sleeping over. So we’re supposed to believe that, you know, a) this is OK and b) they’re not having sex. Now that’s magical kingdom thinking! And naturally, the show’s one of the network’s most popular (four more books are slated to be written in the series, which started out in book format, which means there’ll be loads of this kind of stuff for years to come)….

…President of ABC Entertainment Group Paul Lee may be relatively new in his slot, but has grand ambitions to put his stamp on the Alphabet, including emphasizing showrunners’ roles in series and possibly expanding to a third night of comedy and venturing sitcoms into the 10pm slot, a place traditionally held by dramas. “I have a twinkle in my eye to build another night of comedy,” he noted.

“The Fighter”: Real Life Mother Alice Ward Gravely Ill in Boston

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At last night’s New York Film Critics Circle dinner, actress Melissa Leo revealed that the woman she plays in “The Fighter,” Alice Ward, is gravely ill in Boston.

Ward is the mother of fighter Micky Ward, played by Mark Wahlberg in the film. Leo won Best Supporting Actress last night from the NYFCC, and is on her way to an Oscar nomination and possible win.

Leo told the story of how Alice Ward– depicted in the film as single minded and a survivor– had a massive heart attack last week, and a stroke, “died,” and came back.

According to Boston.com, Ward, now 80, is now able to speak after being dead for an hour or more. If you’ve seen the movie, then it all sounds quite believable.

“She survived after CPR went on for 45 minutes,” Leo said.

Leo, Wahlberg, Christian Bale–who memorably plays Alice’s other son, Dicky–and Amy Adams are likely all headed to the Oscars. Yesterday director David O. Russell received a Directors Guild nomination for his work on “The Fighter,” which means he’s on the path to an Oscar nomination as well. After hearing this story, it wouldn’t surprise me if Alice Ward turns up at the Kodak Theater, too, on February 27th. Speedy recovery!

Spider Man On Broadway Swings As Top Money Maker

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“Spider Man: Turn off the Dark” turns on the money. Last week, “Spider Man”–still in previews–was the number 1 grossing show on Broadway.

The $65 million “Spider Man” –the most expensive Broadway show ever, by far–topped both “Wicked” and “The Lion King” with $1.588 million. It beat “Wicked” by just $58. Both “Spider Man” and “The Lion King” were conceived by Julie Taymor.

You could put an asterisk in and say that Spider Man’s theater is bigger than the one in which “Wicked” plays. But why rob Spidey of this much deserved moment? It’s also playing at 100% capacity.

“Spider Man” opens on February 7th after two delays. Yesterday I heard a whisper of another postponement, but I’m sure it’s not true.

The show has three weeks to make changes–add a much needed ending, and beef up the fun in the relationship between Peter Parker. Spider Man’s alter ego, and Mary Jane.

The ending is the biggest problem–the audience still doesn’t realize the show has concluded. The flourish of a flying Spider Man will instigate a standing ovation.

But what a rebuke to the New York Post’s campaign to kill this show. Box office has just gotten bigger and better. Nicely done. And this week. the New Yorker sends the show up with a clever cartoon cover. That should only add to the publicity.