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Prince Rogers Nelson - June 7, 1958 to April 21, 2016.
From YahooNews: Unidentified officials tells the AP and Minneapolis Star Tribune that Prince died of an overdose of painkillers.
From YahooNews: Details from the 911 audio during the emergency landing of Prince's plane is released.
From NYT: Judith Hill was with Prince on the ill-fated flight in which the plane had to make an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois. She gives her first interview since Prince's death to the New York Times.
From YahooMusic: In the first full week after his death, Prince set records on the Billboard LP charts, even breaking a record set by the Beatles.
From YahooMusic: BET promises a proper tribute to Prince on June 26th.
From CNN: New details about Prince's death. He may have been dead for at least 6 hours before his body was found.
From YahooNews: Former Prince drummer, Kirk Johnson, who was also his best friend, is at the center of the death investigation.
From YahooMusic: Prince's "Yellow Cloud" guitar up for auction.
From YahooCelebrity: Prince's ex-wives, Manuela Testolini and Mayte Garcia, hold a star-studded memorial at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater Los Angeles.
From Heavy: Five things about Carlin Q. Willaims, the federal prisoner who claims to be Prince's son.
From YahooNews: Prince's estate has first paternity claim - a gun runner currently serving time in federal prison in Colorado.
From YahooNews: Warrant concerning Prince's death details Minnesota doctor who provided prescriptions to Prince.
From YahooMusic: Law enforcement officials want to interview Prince's California-based doctor.
From YahooNews: Judge authorizes DNA test of Prince's blood.
From YahooNews: Did a medical call for help concerning Prince get the right response ?
From Billboard: Prince's music sales soar in the wake of his death.
From RollingStone: Matt Taibbi says "Goodbye Prince, you were the best of us.
From YahooNews: Prince's half-brother, Alfred Frank Jackson speaks.
From the BostonGlobe: Prince astonished right to the end.
From YahooNews: Prince's music vault of unreleased music is opened.
From TheWrap: Nashville Sports Anchor Claims He Was Fired for On-Air Prince Tribute
From YahooMusic: The Anatomy of Prince’s Legendary 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Guitar Solo
From TheAtlantic: Prince: Gay Icon, Whether He Wanted to Be or Not
From YahooNews: Because of a lack of a will, a judge has appointed a temporary custodian to temporarily oversee Prince's business interest.
From YahooNews: A judge has sealed a search warrant in connection with Prince's death.
From TheVillageVoice: What some consider to be Prince's best movie, "Sing o' the Times," is not available commercially or legally.
From TheVillageVoice: Former Voice critic, J. Hoberman, really dug "Under the Cherry Moon."
From BuzzFlash: Van Jones beautifully describes Prince's legacy of philanthropy.
From TheDailyBeast: No one will ever compare to Prince.
From TheHollywoodReporter: Legendary Artist Prince Found Dead at 57.
From Variety: Prince found dead at 57.
From YahooMusic: Legendary musician Prince found dead.
From NYT: After Prince was cremated, a small group of his family and friends held a private funeral.
From YahooCelebrity: Sheila E. talks about plans to possibly turn Paisley Park into a museum.
From YahooMusic: There was almost an episode of "The Simpsons" with Prince.
From YahooTV: Here’s Prince's Epic 'SNL' 40th Anniversary After-Party Jam Session
From YahooMusic: Prince apparently loved this sketch about him from "Chappelle's Show."
From YahooNews: Sheena Easton, who collaborated with Prince on "U Got the Look" remembers him.
From YahooNews: Longtime Prince keyboardist, Cassandra Neal, talks about the rumored rivalry with Michael Jackson.
From YahooMusic: "Prince's Lyrics Gave Clues to His Personal Politics"
From YahooMusic: 10 times that Prince nailed it on guitar.
From YahooCelebrity: There will be an autopsy on Prince.
From TheMirror: Who were Prince’s family? Late superstar always surrounded by friends - who were his relatives?
From TheDailyMail: What's in Prince's will?
From YahooMusic: Across the United States, fans gather to celebrate the singer's life and music.
From YahooNews: Inside Prince and Mayte Garcia's Tragic Love Affair: 'They Never Recovered From the Death of Their Son,' Says His Dancer.
From Variety: Hollywood Mourns Prince: ‘A Legend Has Fallen’
From HuffingtonPost: The Top 10 Prince Songs You Need To Listen To
From HuffingtonPost: 5 Stories You Didn't Know About Prince
From YahooMusic: Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake & More React to Prince's Death
From Variety: Why Prince’s Super Bowl Performance, ‘New Girl’ Cameo Proved He Was a God
From Variety: Inside Prince’s Emotional Final Concerts Before His Death.
From THR: Prince: The Story Behind His Name(s)
From THR: 10 words from Prince's dictionary.
From THR: Director Antoine Fuqua: "Prince Was a King" (Guest Column).
From THR: One-time Prince Protege Carmen Electra on His Death: "I Will Always Love Him."
From THR: 'Purple Rain' Exec Recalls Traveling the World With Prince, Late Nights on Mulholland (Guest Column) - former Warner Bros. executive Mark Canton.
Wikipedia page: Prince. Album discography. Single discography.
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Review: Amy Schumer Shows Her Brilliance in "Trainwreck"
[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]
Trainwreck (2015)
Running time: 125 minutes (2 hours, 5 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong sexual content, nudity, language and some drug use
DIRECTOR: Judd Apatow
WRITER: Amy Schumer
PRODUCERS: Judd Apatow and Barry Mendel
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jody Lee Lipes
EDITORS: William Kerr, Peck Prior, and Paul Zucker
COMPOSER: Jon Brion
COMEDY/ROMANCE
Starring: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Tilda Swinton, Brie Larson, Mike Birbiglia, Evan Brinkman, LeBron James, Amar'e Stoudemire, Colin Quinn, John Cena, Dave Attell, Vanessa Bayer, Randall Park, Jon Glaser, Ezra Miller, Norman Lloyd, Cliff “Method Man” Smith, Matthew Broderick, Leslie Jones, Marisa Tomei, and Daniel Radcliffe
Trainwreck is a 2015 comedy and romance directed by Judd Apatow and written by and starring Amy Schumer. The film focuses on a woman who prefers sexual encounters instead of committed relations and who then meets the kind of good guy that she cannot simply leave.
Amy Townsend (Amy Schumer) is a party girl who drinks too much, smokes weed, and sleeps around with other guys, even when she has a boyfriend, as her current boyfriend, the muscle-bound gym-addict, Steven (John Cena), is about to discover. Amy learned her promiscuous ways from her father, Gordon Townsend (Colin Quinn), who once told her that monogamy is not realistic. Strangely, Amy's sister, Kim (Brie Larson), is doing just fine with her boyfriend, Tom (Mike Birbiglia), and she is even more of a mother than a stepmother to Tom's son, Allister (Evan Brinkman).
Amy writes for a raunchy men's magazine, “Snuff.” Her boss, Dianna (Tilda Swinton), assigns her to write an article about a sports doctor named Aaron Conner (Bill Hader). After Aaron helps her with a family matter, Amy feels a bond with him and even has sex with him. However, Aaron sees that as the beginning of a romance, while Amy sees the sex as a one-night stand. Amy tries to find a way to avoid monogamy, even when part of her starts to believe that Aaron could be the good guy she needs to keep.
If you like Amy Schumer (and I do), you will like Trainwreck (and I do – for the most part). As a romantic comedy, however, the film really doesn't work. Bill Hader is a comedian and a professional impersonator (at which he is quite good), but he has no business trying to be a romantic lead. There is nothing remotely interesting about him in this film; he delivers what is almost a zombie performance.
I really don't buy Schumer as a romantic lead or as a magazine writer. Schumer is at her best when she is skewering social, sexual, and gender conventions. The character Amy Townsend is at her best when she is being a one-night stand or is mocking other people's ambitions of respectability. When actress Amy tries to make fictional Amy fall in love... well, it's a trainwreck.
Tilda Swinton gives a killer performance as Amy's despicable boss, Dianna. Swinton can disappear behind even the least amount of movie make-up and hair with the best of them. John Cena delivers a sparkling two-scene performance as Steven. Every time Colin Quinn is on screen as Amy's father, Gordon, he is a delight to see. Director Judd Apatow does not do much here, except get out of Amy Schumer's way, which works when it works, but he does nothing to save the last third of this film which is a... trainwreck.
Still, for most of this movie, Amy Schumer proves why she is currently an it-girl. She is brilliant when she is at the top of her game, and in Trainwreck, she occasionally shows off her brilliance.
6 of 10
B
Friday, January 8, 2016
Edited: Tuesday, April 26, 2016
NOTES:
2016 Golden Globes, USA: 2 nominations: “Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical” and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical” (Amy Schumer)
The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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"Nowhere Men #8" Going Somewhere; Image Orders Second Printing
Issue #8 is fast-tracked to a second printing
The second story arc of the bestselling NOWHERE MEN by writer and Publisher at Image Comics, Eric Stephenson, new series artist Dave Taylor, Eisner-award winning colorist Jordie Bellaire, and Fonografiks is flying off the shelves. In order to keep up with customer demand, NOWHERE MEN #8 is being rushed to a second printing.
In NOWHERE MEN #8, the survivors of the World Corp space station disaster struggle to come to grips with their respective transformations.
NOWHERE MEN #8 remains available for purchase across all digital platforms, including the Image Comics website (imagecomics.com), the official Image Comics iOS app, Comixology’s website (comixology.com), iOS, Android, and Google Play.
NOWHERE MEN #8, 2nd printing (Diamond Code MAR168775) will arrive in stores on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. The Final Order Cutoff deadline for retailers is Monday, May 2, 2016.
NOWHERE MEN #9 (Diamond Code JAN160601) is available now.
NOWHERE MEN #10 (Diamond Code FEB160593) will arrive in stores on Wednesday, May 25. The Final Order Cutoff deadline for retailers is Monday, May 2.
ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
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Friday, April 29, 2016
New Cast and Directors Added to Second Season of "Mercy Street"
PBS Announces New Talent and Directors For MERCY STREET Season Two
Brían F. O’Byrne, Patina Miller, Bryce Pinkham Join the Cast
Award-Winning Creative Team Adds Stephen Cragg and Laura Innes
ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PBS announced today that MERCY STREET is adding new actors and directors to the series’ robust talent list for Season Two, which is currently in production in Richmond and Petersburg, Virginia.
“We’re thrilled to welcome a new set of actors, directors and historical advisors to the MERCY STREET family for Season Two, as well as introduce viewers to compelling new characters with captivating story lines”
MERCY STREET’s new cast members:
MERCY STREET’s new directors:
Director of episodes five and six to be announced.
The returning ensemble cast for Season Two of MERCY STREET includes Mary Elizabeth Winstead (10 Cloverfield Lane, “The Returned,” The Spectacular Now) as nurse Mary Phinney, Josh Radnor (“How I Met Your Mother,” Liberal Arts, Broadway’s Disgraced) as Dr. Jedediah Foster, Gary Cole (“Veep,” “The Good Wife,” “Entourage”) as James Green, Sr., Hannah James as Emma Green, Brad Koed Jr. as James Green, Jr., Norbert Leo Butz (“Bloodline”) as Dr. Byron Hale, Tara Summers (“You’re the Worst,” “Rake,” “Boston Legal”) as nurse Anne Hastings, McKinley Belcher III (“Show Me a Hero,” “Chicago PD”) as Samuel Diggs, Jack Falahee (“How to Get Away With Murder”) as Frank Stringfellow, AnnaSophia Robb (“The Carrie Diaries,” The Way, Way Back, Bridge to Terabithia) as Alice Green, Donna Murphy (“Resurrection,” “Hindsight,” Broadway’s Passion and The King and I) as Jane Green, L. Scott Caldwell (“Southland,” “Lost,” “ER,” The Fugitive) as Belinda, Suzanne Bertish (“Rome”) as Hospital Matron Brannan and Luke Macfarlane (“Brothers and Sisters,” “Over There”) as Chaplain Hopkins.
The first season, executive produced by Ridley Scott (The Martian, Gladiator, Thelma and Louise); David W. Zucker (“The Good Wife” and “The Man in the High Castle”) of Scott Free; Lisa Q. Wolfinger (“Desperate Crossing, The untold story of the Mayflower”) and David Zabel (“ER”), drew a 3.85 rating (Nielsen Live + 7) for the January 17, 2016, premiere, reaching more than 5.7 million viewers (persons 2+). The series’ six episodes have streamed more than two million times (from January 14-March 6) across all platforms, including PBS station websites, PBS.org and PBS apps for iOS, Android, FireTV, ROKU, Apple TV, Xbox 360 and Windows 10.
“We are thrilled to add these talented actors and directors to the MERCY STREET production, both behind and in front of the camera,” said co-creator and executive producer Lisa Q. Wolfinger. “They each individually bring a new perspective to the series, and together, will take Season Two to new heights.”
“It has been a privilege for all of us on MERCY STREET to be able to tell these stories at the intersection of drama and history. This new season, with new faces, presents an exciting opportunity to build on all we’ve accomplished in Season One,” said co-creator and executive producer David Zabel. “Having worked with Stephen Cragg and Laura Innes for many years at ‘ER,’ and then on many projects since, I am eager to bring their considerable talents to this great ensemble.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome a new set of actors, directors and historical advisors to the MERCY STREET family for Season Two, as well as introduce viewers to compelling new characters with captivating story lines,” said executive producer David W. Zucker.
“Season One of MERCY STREET received such a positive response, and PBS is delighted to add these new members to our talented and diverse cast and crew for Season Two,” said Beth Hoppe, Chief Programming Officer and General Manager, General Audience Programming, PBS.
To ensure historical accuracy of the first season, the producers engaged a team of advisors headed by noted historian Dr. James M. “Jim” McPherson and including leading experts on Civil War medicine, military history, African-American history, women in the Civil War era and more. McPherson will return for Season Two, along with Shauna Devine (Learning From the Wounded, the Civil War and the Rise of Medical Science), Jane Schultz (Women at the Front: Hospital Workers in Civil War America), Audrey Davis, director of the Alexandria Black History Museum, and Anya Jabour (Scarlett’s Sisters, Young Women in the Old South).
New additions for Season Two include James Downs (Sick From Freedom: African American illness and suffering during the Civil War and Reconstruction), an Andrew Mellon New Directions Fellow at Harvard University; Dr. Anthony Tizzano, a member of the clinical faculty of obstetrics and gynecology at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner College of Medicine; Walton Owen, former curator of the Fort Ward Museum in Alexandria, VA; Dr. Gordon Dammann, founder of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine; and Jay Sexton (Debtor Diplomacy; Finance and American Foreign Relations in the Civil War era), director of the Rothermere American Institute.
MERCY STREET’s first season took place in the spring of 1862 in Alexandria, Virginia, a border town between North and South and the longest-occupied Confederate city of the war. Ruled under martial law, Alexandria was the central melting pot of the region, filled with civilians, female volunteers, doctors, wounded soldiers from both sides, free blacks, enslaved and contraband (escaped slaves living behind Union lines) African Americans, prostitutes, speculators and spies. MERCY STREET follows the lives of all of these characters, who collide at Mansion House, the Green family’s luxury hotel, which has been taken over and transformed into a Union Army hospital.
Season Two picks up directly from the dramatic events at the end of the Season One finale, continuing to explore the growing chaos within Alexandria, the complicated interpersonal dynamics of Dr. Foster, Nurse Mary and the Mansion House staff, the increasingly precarious position of the Green family and the changing predicament of the burgeoning black population. The season will introduce a number of new elements, taking us closer to the fight and into the halls of Confederate power, all set against the intensifying war, starting with the Seven Days’ Battle and culminating with Antietam.
The full second season will be available on Blu-ray and DVD from PBS Distribution: ShopPBS.org; 800-PLAY-PBS, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The film will also be available for digital download. Season One can be purchased now.
Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive premium subscription streaming home for MERCY STREET, with each episode available to Prime members in the U.S. seven days after its broadcast on PBS stations.
MERCY STREET, Season One was made possible by the Anne Ray Charitable Trust, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Virginia Tourism, Visit Alexandria, FAGE and public television viewers.
MERCY STREET is a production of Scott Free Productions and Lone Wolf Media. Executive producers: Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker and co-creators Lisa Q. Wolfinger and David Zabel; co-executive producer Clayton Krueger; producer David Rosemont.
About Scott Free Productions
Scott Free Productions is the film and television production company of acclaimed film director Ridley Scott. In the 20 years since Scott Free was formed, the company has earned over 70 Emmy nominations with 20 wins, and 20 Golden Globe nominations for its highly acclaimed television projects, which include: the Peabody Award-winning “The Good Wife,” which is in its seventh and final season on CBS; a series adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s classic “The Man in the High Castle” for Amazon, now in production on season 2; the Civil War medical drama “Mercy Street,” PBS’ first scripted series in over a decade, now in production on season 2; “BrainDead” a satiric-thriller CBS summer series from Robert and Michelle King; and the acclaimed “Killing” telefilms (“Killing Kennedy” “Killing Lincoln” and “Killing Jesus”) for National Geographic, each of which premiered to record numbers for the channel. Current productions in 2016 include: “Taboo” for FX and BBC; “Killing Reagan” for National Geographic; “The Terror” for AMC; “Sensory” for CBS; and “JCVJ” for Amazon.
Lone Wolf Media
Lone Wolf Media is an independent television production company with a longstanding reputation for developing and producing award-winning programming across a variety of genres. Founded in 1997 by Kirk and Lisa Q. Wolfinger, Lone Wolf Media has grown since then to become a leader in factual entertainment. Recent primetime specials include “D-Day in HD” for History Channel and THE BOMB for PBS. Current projects include two anniversary specials for PBS — one about the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon and the other about Pearl Harbor — also a WGBH/NOVA special about the Holocaust and a World War One special about a secret network of underground caves for Smithsonian Network. President and owner Lisa Q. Wolfinger created the new PBS American drama concept in collaboration with David Zabel, showrunner and lead writer on NBC’s hit series “ER.” MERCY STREET was inspired by the sesquicentennial of the Civil War and a shared passion for history.
About PBS
PBS, with 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches more than 100 million people through television and nearly 33 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS’ premier children’s TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents’ and teachers’ most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.
Learn more about MERCY STREET online by following @MercyStreetPBS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and join the conversation with #MercyStreetPBS.
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Brían F. O’Byrne, Patina Miller, Bryce Pinkham Join the Cast
Award-Winning Creative Team Adds Stephen Cragg and Laura Innes
ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PBS announced today that MERCY STREET is adding new actors and directors to the series’ robust talent list for Season Two, which is currently in production in Richmond and Petersburg, Virginia.
“We’re thrilled to welcome a new set of actors, directors and historical advisors to the MERCY STREET family for Season Two, as well as introduce viewers to compelling new characters with captivating story lines”
MERCY STREET’s new cast members:
- Tony Award-winner and Emmy Award-Nominee Brían F. O’Byrne (“Mildred Pierce,” “Aquarius”) is Allan Pinkerton, head of the Union Intelligence Service, based on the real Pinkerton.
- Tony Award-winner Patina Miller (Pippin, “Madam Secretary,” The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Parts 1 & 2) is Charlotte Jenkins, a black Northern abolitionist and former slave who escaped to freedom years before through the Underground Railroad (a composite of numerous historical figures, most prominently Harriet Jacobs).
- Tony Award-nominee Bryce Pinkham (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, The Heidi Chronicles) is Maj. Clayton McBurney III, the new hospital chief.
MERCY STREET’s new directors:
- Stephen Cragg, who is directing episodes one and two, is an Emmy Award-winning director. His directing credits include episodes of “Scandal,” “Nashville,” “How to Get Away With Murder,” “ER,” “Boston Legal,” “Grey's Anatomy,” “Southland,” “Doogie Howser, MD” and many others.
- Laura Innes, who is directing episodes three and four, is best known for her long-running role as Dr. Kerry Weaver on “ER.” She has directed episodes of “How to Get Away With Murder,” “The Affair,” “Brothers & Sisters,” “The West Wing,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and others.
Director of episodes five and six to be announced.
The returning ensemble cast for Season Two of MERCY STREET includes Mary Elizabeth Winstead (10 Cloverfield Lane, “The Returned,” The Spectacular Now) as nurse Mary Phinney, Josh Radnor (“How I Met Your Mother,” Liberal Arts, Broadway’s Disgraced) as Dr. Jedediah Foster, Gary Cole (“Veep,” “The Good Wife,” “Entourage”) as James Green, Sr., Hannah James as Emma Green, Brad Koed Jr. as James Green, Jr., Norbert Leo Butz (“Bloodline”) as Dr. Byron Hale, Tara Summers (“You’re the Worst,” “Rake,” “Boston Legal”) as nurse Anne Hastings, McKinley Belcher III (“Show Me a Hero,” “Chicago PD”) as Samuel Diggs, Jack Falahee (“How to Get Away With Murder”) as Frank Stringfellow, AnnaSophia Robb (“The Carrie Diaries,” The Way, Way Back, Bridge to Terabithia) as Alice Green, Donna Murphy (“Resurrection,” “Hindsight,” Broadway’s Passion and The King and I) as Jane Green, L. Scott Caldwell (“Southland,” “Lost,” “ER,” The Fugitive) as Belinda, Suzanne Bertish (“Rome”) as Hospital Matron Brannan and Luke Macfarlane (“Brothers and Sisters,” “Over There”) as Chaplain Hopkins.
The first season, executive produced by Ridley Scott (The Martian, Gladiator, Thelma and Louise); David W. Zucker (“The Good Wife” and “The Man in the High Castle”) of Scott Free; Lisa Q. Wolfinger (“Desperate Crossing, The untold story of the Mayflower”) and David Zabel (“ER”), drew a 3.85 rating (Nielsen Live + 7) for the January 17, 2016, premiere, reaching more than 5.7 million viewers (persons 2+). The series’ six episodes have streamed more than two million times (from January 14-March 6) across all platforms, including PBS station websites, PBS.org and PBS apps for iOS, Android, FireTV, ROKU, Apple TV, Xbox 360 and Windows 10.
“We are thrilled to add these talented actors and directors to the MERCY STREET production, both behind and in front of the camera,” said co-creator and executive producer Lisa Q. Wolfinger. “They each individually bring a new perspective to the series, and together, will take Season Two to new heights.”
“It has been a privilege for all of us on MERCY STREET to be able to tell these stories at the intersection of drama and history. This new season, with new faces, presents an exciting opportunity to build on all we’ve accomplished in Season One,” said co-creator and executive producer David Zabel. “Having worked with Stephen Cragg and Laura Innes for many years at ‘ER,’ and then on many projects since, I am eager to bring their considerable talents to this great ensemble.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome a new set of actors, directors and historical advisors to the MERCY STREET family for Season Two, as well as introduce viewers to compelling new characters with captivating story lines,” said executive producer David W. Zucker.
“Season One of MERCY STREET received such a positive response, and PBS is delighted to add these new members to our talented and diverse cast and crew for Season Two,” said Beth Hoppe, Chief Programming Officer and General Manager, General Audience Programming, PBS.
To ensure historical accuracy of the first season, the producers engaged a team of advisors headed by noted historian Dr. James M. “Jim” McPherson and including leading experts on Civil War medicine, military history, African-American history, women in the Civil War era and more. McPherson will return for Season Two, along with Shauna Devine (Learning From the Wounded, the Civil War and the Rise of Medical Science), Jane Schultz (Women at the Front: Hospital Workers in Civil War America), Audrey Davis, director of the Alexandria Black History Museum, and Anya Jabour (Scarlett’s Sisters, Young Women in the Old South).
New additions for Season Two include James Downs (Sick From Freedom: African American illness and suffering during the Civil War and Reconstruction), an Andrew Mellon New Directions Fellow at Harvard University; Dr. Anthony Tizzano, a member of the clinical faculty of obstetrics and gynecology at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner College of Medicine; Walton Owen, former curator of the Fort Ward Museum in Alexandria, VA; Dr. Gordon Dammann, founder of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine; and Jay Sexton (Debtor Diplomacy; Finance and American Foreign Relations in the Civil War era), director of the Rothermere American Institute.
MERCY STREET’s first season took place in the spring of 1862 in Alexandria, Virginia, a border town between North and South and the longest-occupied Confederate city of the war. Ruled under martial law, Alexandria was the central melting pot of the region, filled with civilians, female volunteers, doctors, wounded soldiers from both sides, free blacks, enslaved and contraband (escaped slaves living behind Union lines) African Americans, prostitutes, speculators and spies. MERCY STREET follows the lives of all of these characters, who collide at Mansion House, the Green family’s luxury hotel, which has been taken over and transformed into a Union Army hospital.
Season Two picks up directly from the dramatic events at the end of the Season One finale, continuing to explore the growing chaos within Alexandria, the complicated interpersonal dynamics of Dr. Foster, Nurse Mary and the Mansion House staff, the increasingly precarious position of the Green family and the changing predicament of the burgeoning black population. The season will introduce a number of new elements, taking us closer to the fight and into the halls of Confederate power, all set against the intensifying war, starting with the Seven Days’ Battle and culminating with Antietam.
The full second season will be available on Blu-ray and DVD from PBS Distribution: ShopPBS.org; 800-PLAY-PBS, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The film will also be available for digital download. Season One can be purchased now.
Amazon Prime Video is the exclusive premium subscription streaming home for MERCY STREET, with each episode available to Prime members in the U.S. seven days after its broadcast on PBS stations.
MERCY STREET, Season One was made possible by the Anne Ray Charitable Trust, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Virginia Tourism, Visit Alexandria, FAGE and public television viewers.
MERCY STREET is a production of Scott Free Productions and Lone Wolf Media. Executive producers: Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker and co-creators Lisa Q. Wolfinger and David Zabel; co-executive producer Clayton Krueger; producer David Rosemont.
About Scott Free Productions
Scott Free Productions is the film and television production company of acclaimed film director Ridley Scott. In the 20 years since Scott Free was formed, the company has earned over 70 Emmy nominations with 20 wins, and 20 Golden Globe nominations for its highly acclaimed television projects, which include: the Peabody Award-winning “The Good Wife,” which is in its seventh and final season on CBS; a series adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s classic “The Man in the High Castle” for Amazon, now in production on season 2; the Civil War medical drama “Mercy Street,” PBS’ first scripted series in over a decade, now in production on season 2; “BrainDead” a satiric-thriller CBS summer series from Robert and Michelle King; and the acclaimed “Killing” telefilms (“Killing Kennedy” “Killing Lincoln” and “Killing Jesus”) for National Geographic, each of which premiered to record numbers for the channel. Current productions in 2016 include: “Taboo” for FX and BBC; “Killing Reagan” for National Geographic; “The Terror” for AMC; “Sensory” for CBS; and “JCVJ” for Amazon.
Lone Wolf Media
Lone Wolf Media is an independent television production company with a longstanding reputation for developing and producing award-winning programming across a variety of genres. Founded in 1997 by Kirk and Lisa Q. Wolfinger, Lone Wolf Media has grown since then to become a leader in factual entertainment. Recent primetime specials include “D-Day in HD” for History Channel and THE BOMB for PBS. Current projects include two anniversary specials for PBS — one about the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon and the other about Pearl Harbor — also a WGBH/NOVA special about the Holocaust and a World War One special about a secret network of underground caves for Smithsonian Network. President and owner Lisa Q. Wolfinger created the new PBS American drama concept in collaboration with David Zabel, showrunner and lead writer on NBC’s hit series “ER.” MERCY STREET was inspired by the sesquicentennial of the Civil War and a shared passion for history.
About PBS
PBS, with 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches more than 100 million people through television and nearly 33 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS’ premier children’s TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents’ and teachers’ most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.
Learn more about MERCY STREET online by following @MercyStreetPBS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and join the conversation with #MercyStreetPBS.
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Image Comics Announces "I.D." Trade Paperback
I.D. TO HIT PAPERBACK THIS JUNE
Emma Ríos (MIRROR, ISLAND) will release her dystopian tale I.D. in trade paperback this June.
I.D. analyzes the conflict between perception and identity through the struggle of three people who consider a “body transplant” as a solution to their lives.
“I.D. and ISLAND brought me back to the place in comics I love the most,” said Ríos.
I.D. TP (ISBN 978-1-63215-782-9) hits comic book stores Wednesday, June 22nd and bookstores Tuesday, June 28, and will be available for $9.99. It can be ordered by retailers through Diamond Book Distributors with Diamond code MAR160635. It can be preordered now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, and Indigo.
PRAISE FOR EMMA RÍOS AND I.D.:
“Ríos shows considerable writing talent to go along with her huge skill as an artist.” —The Onion’s A.V. Club
“Her art is nothing short of fantastic.”—The Daily Planet
“Emma Ríos’s I.D. is the most promising story here [in ISLAND], drawn in a naturalistic yet subtly unsettling style done in tones of red that keeps its dystopia in the background—at least until it literally crashes through the front door.”—The Comics Journal
ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
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Image Comics Announces "Mythic" Collection
MYTHIC GETS THE STORYBOOK TREATMENT THIS JUNE
“MYTHIC is a joy to read.”—Rick Remender (LOW, TOKYO GHOST)
Eisner-nominated writer Phil Hester (Green Arrow, INVINCIBLE UNIVERSE) teams up with Eisner-winning artist John McCrea (Hitman, The Boys) for the fascinating folkloric fantasy MYTHIC TP, which collects issues #1-8 into trade paperback this June.
Science is a lie, an opiate for the masses. The truth is, magic makes the world go ‘round. And when magic breaks, MYTHIC fixes it. Apache shaman Waterson, Greek immortal Cassandra, and cell phone salesman Nate Jayadarma are tasked with keeping the gears of the supernatural world turning—and you from ever knowing about it.
MYTHIC TP (ISBN 978-1-63215-736-2) hits comic book stores Wednesday, June 22, 2016 and bookstores Tuesday, June 28, 2016, and will be available for $16.99. It can be ordered by retailers from Diamond Book Distributors with the Diamond code MAR160635. It can be preordered now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, and Indigo.
PRAISE FOR MYTHIC:
“A refreshing dip into the supernatural side of the indie scene.” —Bloody Disgusting
"Mythic is a joy to read. Come and witness the unbridled imagination of two of the best creators in comics. Or don't. I'm not the boss of you. But you should."—Rick Remender (LOW, TOKYO GHOST)
“A rip-roaring adventure to a world full of magic...and it’s not just good. It’s great.”
—Comics Alliance
“I love what these guys do separately and love them even more together.”—Mark Millar (HUCK, JUPITER’S LEGACY)
“Something quite wonderful; one of the most auspicious debuts of the year.” —Nerdspan
"Mix mirth and magic and the result is truly Mythic!”—Dave Gibbons (Watchmen, Kingsman: The Secret Service)
ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
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NBCUniversal Announces Acquisition of DreamWorks Animation
NBCUniversal Announces DreamWorks Animation Acquisition
Acquisition Builds on NBCUniversal’s Presence in Family and Animation Space
DreamWorks Animation to Become Unit of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA), today announced the acquisition of DreamWorks Animation (NASDAQ: DWA). One of the world's most admired family brands, DreamWorks Animation creates animated feature films, television series and specials, live entertainment and related consumer products. The studio will become part of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, which includes Universal Pictures, Fandango, and NBCUniversal Brand Development.
“DreamWorks Animation is a great addition to NBCUniversal”
“DreamWorks Animation is a great addition to NBCUniversal,” said Steve Burke, CEO of NBCUniversal. “Jeffrey Katzenberg and the DreamWorks organization have created a dynamic film brand and a deep library of intellectual property. DreamWorks will help us grow our film, television, theme parks and consumer products businesses for years to come. We have enjoyed extraordinary success over the last six years in animation with the emergence of Illumination Entertainment and its brilliant team at Illumination Mac Guff studio. The prospects for our future together are tremendous. We are fortunate to have Illumination founder Chris Meledandri to help guide the growth of the DreamWorks Animation business in the future.”
Under the terms of the agreement, DreamWorks Animation has an equity value of approximately $3.8 billion. DreamWorks Animation stockholders will receive $41 in cash for each share of DreamWorks Animation common stock. The agreement has been approved by the boards of directors of DreamWorks Animation and Comcast, and the controlling shareholder of DreamWorks Animation has approved the agreement by written consent.
The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2016, subject to receipt of antitrust approvals in the U.S. and abroad, as well as the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.
Following the completion of the transaction, DreamWorks Animation CEO and co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg will become Chairman of DreamWorks New Media, which will be comprised of the company’s ownership interests in Awesomeness TV and NOVA. Katzenberg will also serve as a consultant to NBCUniversal.
“Having spent the past two decades working together with our team to build DreamWorks Animation into one of the world’s most beloved brands, I am proud to say that NBCUniversal is the perfect home for our company; a home that will embrace the legacy of our storytelling and grow our businesses to their fullest potential,” said Katzenberg. “This agreement not only delivers significant value for our shareholders, but also supports NBCUniversal’s growing family entertainment business. As for my role, I am incredibly excited to continue exploring the potential of AwesomenessTV, NOVA and other new media opportunities, and can’t wait to get started.”
The acquisition gives NBCUniversal broader reach to a host of new audiences in the highly competitive kids and family entertainment space, in both TV and film. It includes popular DreamWorks Animation film franchise properties, such as Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon. It also includes a thriving TV operation that is a significant supplier of family programming, with hundreds of hours of original, animated content distributed across linear and SVOD platforms in more than 130 countries. Additionally, DreamWorks Classics, a large library of classic characters, including Where’s Waldo, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, will become part of the NBCUniversal portfolio, along with a successful consumer products business.
Comcast was advised by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP on legal matters. DreamWorks Animation was advised on financial matters by Centerview Partners and on legal matters by Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. DreamWorks Animation's Board of Directors was advised on legal matters by Munger Tolles & Olson LLP.
About NBCUniversal
NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks, and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses. NBCUniversal is a division of Comcast Corporation.
About DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation (Nasdaq: DWA) is a global family entertainment company with business interests that span feature film and television production; licensing and consumer products; location-based entertainment; and new media properties, including the Company’s controlling interest in AwesomenessTV. The Company’s feature film heritage includes many of the world’s most-beloved characters and franchises, including Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon, while its 32 feature film releases have amassed more than $13 billion in global box office receipts. DWA’s television business has quickly become one of the world’s leading suppliers of high-quality family programming, reaching consumers on linear and on-demand platforms in more than 130 countries and winning a total of 25 Emmy™ Awards to date. The Company’s deep portfolio of intellectual property is supported by a robust, worldwide consumer products practice, which includes licensing, and location-based entertainment venues around the world. The Company is also the majority owner of AwesomenessTV, a leading video destination for Generation Z and Millennial audiences, and also owns 45% of Oriental DreamWorks, a world-class animation studio in China that produces family entertainment for both Chinese and global audiences.
NOTE: This press release contains forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include the possible benefits of the proposed DreamWorks Animation acquisition to the NBCUniversal business. Readers are directed to Comcast’s and DreamWorks Animation's periodic and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a description of such risks and uncertainties. Neither Comcast nor DreamWorks Animation undertakes any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
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Acquisition Builds on NBCUniversal’s Presence in Family and Animation Space
DreamWorks Animation to Become Unit of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA), today announced the acquisition of DreamWorks Animation (NASDAQ: DWA). One of the world's most admired family brands, DreamWorks Animation creates animated feature films, television series and specials, live entertainment and related consumer products. The studio will become part of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, which includes Universal Pictures, Fandango, and NBCUniversal Brand Development.
“DreamWorks Animation is a great addition to NBCUniversal”
“DreamWorks Animation is a great addition to NBCUniversal,” said Steve Burke, CEO of NBCUniversal. “Jeffrey Katzenberg and the DreamWorks organization have created a dynamic film brand and a deep library of intellectual property. DreamWorks will help us grow our film, television, theme parks and consumer products businesses for years to come. We have enjoyed extraordinary success over the last six years in animation with the emergence of Illumination Entertainment and its brilliant team at Illumination Mac Guff studio. The prospects for our future together are tremendous. We are fortunate to have Illumination founder Chris Meledandri to help guide the growth of the DreamWorks Animation business in the future.”
Under the terms of the agreement, DreamWorks Animation has an equity value of approximately $3.8 billion. DreamWorks Animation stockholders will receive $41 in cash for each share of DreamWorks Animation common stock. The agreement has been approved by the boards of directors of DreamWorks Animation and Comcast, and the controlling shareholder of DreamWorks Animation has approved the agreement by written consent.
The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2016, subject to receipt of antitrust approvals in the U.S. and abroad, as well as the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.
Following the completion of the transaction, DreamWorks Animation CEO and co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg will become Chairman of DreamWorks New Media, which will be comprised of the company’s ownership interests in Awesomeness TV and NOVA. Katzenberg will also serve as a consultant to NBCUniversal.
“Having spent the past two decades working together with our team to build DreamWorks Animation into one of the world’s most beloved brands, I am proud to say that NBCUniversal is the perfect home for our company; a home that will embrace the legacy of our storytelling and grow our businesses to their fullest potential,” said Katzenberg. “This agreement not only delivers significant value for our shareholders, but also supports NBCUniversal’s growing family entertainment business. As for my role, I am incredibly excited to continue exploring the potential of AwesomenessTV, NOVA and other new media opportunities, and can’t wait to get started.”
The acquisition gives NBCUniversal broader reach to a host of new audiences in the highly competitive kids and family entertainment space, in both TV and film. It includes popular DreamWorks Animation film franchise properties, such as Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon. It also includes a thriving TV operation that is a significant supplier of family programming, with hundreds of hours of original, animated content distributed across linear and SVOD platforms in more than 130 countries. Additionally, DreamWorks Classics, a large library of classic characters, including Where’s Waldo, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, will become part of the NBCUniversal portfolio, along with a successful consumer products business.
Comcast was advised by Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP on legal matters. DreamWorks Animation was advised on financial matters by Centerview Partners and on legal matters by Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. DreamWorks Animation's Board of Directors was advised on legal matters by Munger Tolles & Olson LLP.
About NBCUniversal
NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks, and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses. NBCUniversal is a division of Comcast Corporation.
About DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation (Nasdaq: DWA) is a global family entertainment company with business interests that span feature film and television production; licensing and consumer products; location-based entertainment; and new media properties, including the Company’s controlling interest in AwesomenessTV. The Company’s feature film heritage includes many of the world’s most-beloved characters and franchises, including Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon, while its 32 feature film releases have amassed more than $13 billion in global box office receipts. DWA’s television business has quickly become one of the world’s leading suppliers of high-quality family programming, reaching consumers on linear and on-demand platforms in more than 130 countries and winning a total of 25 Emmy™ Awards to date. The Company’s deep portfolio of intellectual property is supported by a robust, worldwide consumer products practice, which includes licensing, and location-based entertainment venues around the world. The Company is also the majority owner of AwesomenessTV, a leading video destination for Generation Z and Millennial audiences, and also owns 45% of Oriental DreamWorks, a world-class animation studio in China that produces family entertainment for both Chinese and global audiences.
NOTE: This press release contains forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include the possible benefits of the proposed DreamWorks Animation acquisition to the NBCUniversal business. Readers are directed to Comcast’s and DreamWorks Animation's periodic and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a description of such risks and uncertainties. Neither Comcast nor DreamWorks Animation undertakes any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
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