INFORMATION (page 2 of 2)
One of Hollywoods
hottest rising stars, MANDY MOORE (Sandy) is quickly
making her mark on the big screen while she continues her
success as a solo recording artist.
Moore recently completed production on John
Turturros musical Romance and Cigarettes, starring
opposite James Gandolfini, Susan Sarandon, Kate
Winslet and Mary-Louise Parker. She also recently starred
in Brian Dannellys acclaimed film Saved, produced
by Michael Stipe and Sandy Stern and co-starring Jena
Malone, Eva Amurri, Macaulay Culkin, Patrick Fugit and
Mary-Louise Parker.
Moore starred in Andy Cadiffs Chasing Liberty for
Warner Bros. Pictures and Clare Kilners How to Deal
for New Line. She also starred opposite Shane
West in Adam Shankmans box-office success, A Walk
to Remember for Warner Bros. Pictures. Walk was
based on the best-selling novel by Nicholas Sparks.
Additionally, Mandy performed four songs which were
featured on the Walk soundtrack.
Moore made her feature film debut playing a haughty,
cruel and popular high school cheerleader in the smash
hit comedy The Princess Diaries. Directed by
Garry Marshall, the film also starred Julie Andrews, Anne
Hathaway and Hector Elizondo.
Moores critically acclaimed album, Coverage, was
released in October of 2003. On the album, she is
featured singing contemporary versions of songs by Elton
John, Joan Armatrading, Todd Rundgren and Cat Stevens,
among many others. It was Moores idea to
bring these songs to a younger generation.
Moore came to national attention with the 1999 release of
her debut album, So Real, which reached platinum status
in a remarkable three months and produced the top ten
single Candy. Moores second album, I
Wanna Be With You (Special Edition) was released in May,
2000 and also went platinum. Her self-titled third
album is currently in stores and features the hit single
Cry.
Additionally, Moore launched an exclusive line of
contemporary tees called MBLEM in August 2004.
MBLEM is available in over 100 various trend setting
boutiques across the nation.
Moore was raised in Orlando, Florida and currently lives
in Los Angeles.
MICHAEL CLARKE DUNCAN (Clydesdale) is probably best known
for his role opposite Tom Hanks in The Green Mile, for
which his performance garnered an Academy Award
nomination. Duncan first came to prominence in
Armageddon, and re-teamed with Bruce Willis in the comedy
The Whole Nine Yards. He also starred with Mark Wahlberg
in Tim Burtons Planet of the Apes, and received
critical acclaim for his performance in the Showtime
original drama They Call Me Sir. Most recently, he
starred as the voice of Tug in the animated
film Brother Bear; as the villainous Kingpin,
opposite Ben Affleck in the big screen adaptation of
Marvel Comics Daredevil; and opposite The Rock in
the adventure picture The Scorpion King. Duncans
other motion picture credits include See Spot Run,
Bulworth, The Players Club and Night at the
Roxbury.
Born and raised in Chicago, Duncan studied communications
at Alcorn State University in Mississippi. After a stint
in security, he worked in commercials before making his
feature debut in F. Gary Grays comedy, Friday.
Duncan will soon be seen in the hit thriller Pursued,
co-starring Christian Slater and Estella Warren, the
indie flic D.E.B.S and Sin City, directed by Robert
Rodriguez. He recently wrapped production on the film
American Crude alongside Jennifer Esposito, Ron
Livingston and Rob Schneider and on the fantasy film
George and the Dragon with Patrick Swayze. He is
currently in production on Michael Bays The Island.
JEFF FOXWORTHY (Reggie) is one of the most respected and
successful comedians in the country. He is the largest
selling comedy-recording artist in history, a multiple
Grammy Award nominee and best selling author of 11 books.
Foxworthy stars in and executive produces the television
series Blue Collar TV, which he created for the WB
network. Blue Collar TV came about due to the success of
the film Blue Collar Comedy Tour, The Movie and the
highly successful concert tour. The movie premiered on
Comedy Central and was the highest rated movie in the
channels history. The movie is now available on
DVD/VHS and to date has sold more than 2.5 million units.
The soundtrack for this movie was RIAA certified gold and
continues to chart in the Billboard Comedy Charts
top 10.
The sequel Blue Collar Comedy Tour Rides Again will be
available on DVD December 7, 2023 and will premiere on
Comedy Central on February 13, 2005. Warner Bros. Records
recently released the soundtrack.
Jeff also hosts The Foxworthy Countdown, a weekly
syndicated three-hour radio show. The show, featuring
Jeff bringing fans the current Top 25 country hits, as
well as interviews with stars, is carried in over two
hundred and twenty markets across the United States. Jeff
received a CMA nomination in 2001 for Broadcast
Personality of the Year.
Jeff also has an HBO special and two Showtime specials to
his credit. With critical acclaim and rave reviews from
the first special, Jeff landed his second Showtime
special, which earned a CableACE Award nomination. Jeff
has also been bestowed with a Peoples Choice Award
as Favorite Male Newcomer for The Jeff
Foxworthy Show. He also won TNNs Comedian of
the Year three years in a row.
Currently, Jeff has a line of greeting cards and
specialty products through American Greetings that are
available at all Wal-Mart stores. In October 2003, The
Nevada Gaming Commission granted approval for Aristocrat
Technologies, Inc. to place its Jeff Foxworthy™ You
Might Be A Redneck If
� video slot games in Nevada
casinos.
Away from the stage, an interest which Jeff holds near
and dear is the Duke University Childrens Hospital
in Durham, NC. Jeff is the Honorary Chairman of the Duke
Childrens Classic Golf Tournament. With Jeffs
help, the hospital, which specializes in treating
children with cancer, has raised over $4 million in the
last four years.
JOSHUA JACKSON (Trentons Pride) has been working
non-stop since the hit series Dawsons Creek ceased
production.
Jackson will soon make his West End (London) stage debut
in A Life In The Theatre alongside Patrick Stewart. This
acclaimed comedy by the Pulitzer Prize and Olivier Award
winning playwright and Oscar nominated screenwriter,
David Mamet, will be directed by Lindsay Posner and will
open at the Apollo Theatre Shaftesbury Avenue in London
at the end of January. This hilarious and poignant play
is inspired by Mamets early backstage experiences
and his own brief career as an actor.
On the feature film front, Jackson will soon star in
Cursed, opposite Christina Ricci for director Wes Craven,
which will be released in February of 2005. He has also
completed production on three independent films including
Americano, with Dennis Hopper; Shadow Dancer, alongside
Harvey Keitel; and Aurora Borealis, with Donald
Sutherland and Juliette Lewis.
Well known as Dawsons Creeks fast-talking,
self-deprecating Pacey Witter, Jackson has
been working in front of the camera for over fifteen
years. His first feature film was Michael Bortmans
Crooked Hearts, which was quickly followed by the Mighty
Ducks trilogy, Digger and Andre the Seal. Jacksons
other credits include The Skulls, Rose Troches
acclaimed drama The Safety of Objects, the HBO Films
version of Moises Kaufmans groundbreaking play The
Laramie Project, Gossip, Bryan Singers Apt Pupil
and Cruel Intentions. He has also had noted cameos in
Steven Soderberghs Oceans 11, Scream 2, Urban
Legend and I Love Your Work.
During the sixth season of Dawsons Creek, Jackson
made his directorial debut on the episode Lovelines. The
Vancouver native divides his time between his hometown
and Los Angeles.
Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, JOE PANTOLIANO (Goose)
landed his first professional role in 1972 when he played
Billy Bibbit in the national touring company
of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. He worked
in regional theater and has appeared in over 40
Off-Broadway productions. In 2003, he starred on
Broadway, opposite Rosie Perez in Frankie and Johnny.
After his move to Hollywood, Pantoliano landed the plum
role of Angelo Maggio in the NBC miniseries From Here to
Eternity, starring Natalie Wood, Kim Basinger, Peter
Boyle and William Devane. He returned to the stage in Los
Angeles, winning a Dramalogue Award and a Drama
Critics Circle Award for Best Actor in Orphans. He
received his second Dramalogue Award as Best Actor for
Italian American Reconciliation, written and directed by
John Patrick Shanley, and he was nominated for a CableACE
Award for one of the original episodes of the horror
series Tales From the Crypt, directed by Richard Donner.
His other television credits include the highly acclaimed
CBS drama EZ Streets, for which he was nominated for a
Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Actor; The
Handler on CBS; and The Sopranos, for which he won the
2003 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a
drama series.
Pantoliano has appeared in over 40 films including Risky
Business, The Goonies, La Bamba, Steven Spielbergs
Empire of the Sun, Midnight Run, The Fugitive, U.S.
Marshals, Bad Boys I & II, Bound and Daredevil.
Pantoliano has also produced and starred in several
movies, including Taxman and Second Best.
Following his starring role in Bound in 1997, Pantoliano
re-teamed with the Wachowski brothers in 1999,
co-starring opposite Keanu Reeves and Laurence Fishburne
in Warner Bros. Pictures smash hit The Matrix. He
also starred in Christopher Nolans hit film
Memento, which was nominated for an Academy Award for
Best Screenplay and won Best Director, Best Feature and
Best Screenplay at the Independent Spirit Awards in 2002.
Pantoliano has also published his first book,
Whos Sorry Now: The True Story of a Stand-up
Guy (Dutton Publishing), which was a New York Times best
seller.
He will next be seen in spring 2005 in The Moguls,
starring opposite Jeff Bridges, Ted Danson, Tim Blake
Nelson and Glenne Headly.
MICHAEL ROSENBAUM (Ruffshod) was voted one of People
Magazines Most Eligible Bachelors of 2002 and stars
on the hit television series Smallville on The WB, where
he plays the popular Lex Luthor of this
Sci-Fi drama.
Rosenbaum will also be seen in the upcoming Wes Craven
film Cursed, with Christina Ricci, and was recently seen
in Bringing Down the House with Steve Martin. He
also starred in Sorority Boys, co-starring Barry Watson
and Harland Williams.
Additionally, Rosenbaum starred in the feature Urban
Legend opposite Jared Leto, Alicia Witt, Josh Jackson and
Rebecca Gayheart. He also starred in the television
sitcom Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane, opposite Selma Blair
on The WB.
Rosenbaum took on lead roles while pursuing a theater
degree at Western Kentucky University and doing summer
stock in North Carolina. He moved to New York to
pursue acting and quickly landed roles in Off Broadway
productions and small independent films. Rosenbaum
then segued into guest-starring appearances on several
sitcoms and a recurring role in the Amsterdam Kids skit
on The Conan OBrien Show. In the same month,
he landed both the series regular role of
Jonathan on the WB show Tom and a role in
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, directed by
Clint Eastwood.
Despite ending his seven-year run as host of Its
Showtime at the Apollo and his six-year run of The
WBs The Steve Harvey Show, the Grammy nominated,
original King of Comedy, STEVE HARVEY (Buzz), remains one
of the busiest and most talented comedians in Hollywood
today, gracing stage, screen, television and radio
audiences worldwide.
With great anticipation, Harvey returned to primetime
television in 2003 as host and executive producer of The
WBs Steve Harveys Big Time and returned for
the second season in Fall 2004, expanding to a one hour
talk/variety/comedy/music show. Harvey also hit the
silver screen with 4 movie releases
The Fighting
Temptations, with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Beyonce Knowles,
Warner Bros. Pictures Love Dont Cost A Thing,
the box office smash You Got Served, starring B2K, and
Johnson Family Vacation, re-uniting Steve Harvey and
Cedric the Entertainer.
And if film and TV arent enough, Steve Harvey
continues steering the helms of his popular daily morning
drive radio show in Los Angeles, California and
syndicated in Dallas, Texas. The Steve Harvey Morning
Show, now in its fourth year, continues to boast top
ratings with loyal listeners, chart topping artists,
award winning celebrities and American Idols on
Harveys A.M. shift.
Always known for his impeccable and undeniable style,
designers on all fronts have joined forces with Harvey in
the creation of The Steve Harvey Collection,
featuring suits, shirts, ties, hats and shoes coming soon
to stores around the country.
A native of Cleveland Ohio and the youngest of five
children, Harvey makes his home in Dallas with his
family. He and his wife continue their unending pursuit
and commitment to further opportunities in local schools
in both cities with their generous contributions to the
Steve and Mary L. Harvey Foundation. Mr. Harvey has been
chosen as the National Spokesperson for Burger King and
is currently a Spokesperson for GMC Yukon Denali.
Nominated for a 1999 Emmy Award for his memorable role as
Dennis Finch, the wise-cracking, power-hungry
assistant on Just Shoot Me, DAVID SPADE (Scuzz) was
previously best known for his five-year stint as a cast
member of NBCs Saturday Night Live. Nominated for a
Golden Globe in 1999 and 2000, and an American Comedy
Award in 1999 for his work on Just Shoot Me, Spades
film career also continues to grow.
Last year, Spade joined the cast of the popular ABC
comedy 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter.
This year, Spade created his own Comedy Central show,
which he will executive produce and write along with pal
Hugh Fink (former SNL writer). The show is a
half hour comedy spoof on Hollywood, ala Spades
famed Saturday Night Live sketch Hollywood
Minute. The show will premiere in January of 2005.
Spade was last seen starring in Dickie Roberts: Former
Child Star, which he co-wrote with Fred Wolf. Previously,
Spade starred and co-wrote Joe Dirt. He is also the lead
voice in the animated holiday classic, The Emperors
New Groove with Eartha Kitt, John Goodman and Wendie
Malick.
Born in Birmingham, Michigan, and raised in Scottsdale,
Arizona, Spade began his career by performing stand-up
comedy in clubs, theaters and colleges across the
country. He made his television debut on SNL
and was soon named the Hot Stand-Up Comedian of the Year
by Rolling Stone magazine. In addition to
SNL, Spade has guest-starred on the
critically acclaimed The Larry Sanders Show and appeared
in HBOs 13th Annual Young Comedians Special. In
1999, he headlined his own HBO special, David Spade: Take
the Hit.
Spade co-starred with SNL alumnus Chris
Farley in the films Tommy Boy and Black Sheep, and the
pair won a 1996 MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo
for the former. His other feature credits include Reality
Bites, Light Sleeper and Coneheads. In 1999, Spade
starred in the romantic comedy Lost & Found, for
which he also co-wrote the screenplay.
A musical and cultural icon, hip-hop Renaissance man,
entrepreneur, and Hollywoods newest leading man,
SNOOP DOGG (Lightning) is quickly becoming the hottest
commodity in the world of entertainment.
Snoops music fans wont be disappointed this
year with two new projects on the rise. He has just
released his anticipated solo record Snoop Dogg R&G:
Rhythm & Gangsta The Masterpiece (Geffen Records).
The first single, Drop It Like Its Hot, has already
achieved great success. Additionally, Snoop re-connected
with his childhood friends, Nate Dog and Warren G on the
successful album 213: The Hard Way.
Furthering his entrepreneurial status, Snoop is
partnering with leading modern fashion performance brand
Pony, to create a shoe collection called The One
and Only. The collection will be available in
exclusive stores globally for the Fall/Winter 2005
collection.
Snoop recently wrapped the independent film The Tenants
with Dylan McDermott. He was last seen on the big screen
starring in the comedy hit Soul Plane. Earlier this year,
he appeared as the powerful, but extremely lovable
gangster Huggy Bear in the hit comedy Starsky
& Hutch, starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson.
Snoops other film credits include Half Baked, John
Singletons Baby Boy, the critically acclaimed
Training Day, opposite Denzel Washington, The Wash with
Dr. Dre and Todd Phillips Old School. Snoop could
also be heard as the voice of Ronnie Rizzat
in Malibus Most Wanted starring Jamie Kennedy. His
first feature role in a major motion picture was as the
title character in the urban horror film Bones,
co-starring Pam Grier. In addition to his film career,
Snoop was recently featured in his own comedy/variety
show Doggy Fizzle Televizzle, on MTV.
Snoop Dogg was born Calvin Broadus in Long Beach, CA in
October 1971. His rise to fame began in 1993 with the
release of his debut album Doggystyle. Fueled by the
rappers street credentials and criminal infamy, the
anticipation for the album was unprecedented
selling 1.5 million albums in advance of the release. It
was the first debut rap album to hit the charts at number
one. His sixth and most recent studio album is entitled
Paid Tha Cost To Be Da Boss. In addition, he has
contributed songs to a number of movie soundtracks
including Bad Boys II, Charlies Angels: Full
Throttle, Dr. Doolittle II and Save the Last Dance.
FRED DALTON THOMPSON (Sir Trenton), former United States
Senator, prosecutor and accomplished film and television
actor, reprises his recognized Law & Order character
of District Attorney Arthur Branch, in
NBCs Law & Order: Trial by Jury, the new drama
series from executive producer Dick Wolf.
After growing up in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, Thompson
attended Memphis State University, where he earned an
undergraduate degree in philosophy and political science.
He went on to receive a law degree from Vanderbilt
University. Two years later, Thompson was named an
assistant United States attorney and later served as
minority counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee. His
experience with the Watergate scandal is detailed in his
memoir, At That Point in Time. In 1994, Thompson was
elected to the United States Senate and was re-elected
for a second term in 1996.
In addition, Thompson is also a scholar at the American
Enterprise Institute, a Washington think-tank.
Thompson first appeared on screen in the feature film
Marie in 1985, portraying himself in the fact-based story
of a high-profile case he handled in Tennessee. Since
then, he has appeared in numerous other movies and
television programs, including the features In the Line
of Fire, Die Hard II, The Hunt for Red October and the
television series China Beach, Wiseguy and Matlock.
Thompson will retain his dual starring role as
Branch on the original series Law &
Order.
A two-time Oscar winner and seven-time nominee, DUSTIN
HOFFMAN (Tucker) is distinguished as one of the
cinemas most acclaimed leading actors.
Hoffman caught the worlds attention for his role as
Benjamin Braddock in Mike Nichols
Academy Award nominated film, The Graduate. Since
then, he has been nominated for six more Academy Awards,
for such diverse films such as Midnight Cowboy, Lenny,
Tootsie (a film he also produced through his company,
Punch Productions) and Wag the Dog. Hoffman won the Oscar
in 1979 for his role in Kramer Vs. Kramer and again in
1988 for Rain Man.
Hoffman currently stars in David O. Russells comedy
I Heart Huckabees with Jude Law, Naomi Watts, Mark
Wahlberg, Lily Tomlin and Jason Schwartzman. A
husband-and-wife team (Hoffman and Tomlin) play
detectives, but not in the traditional sense. Instead,
the happy duo helps others solve their existential
issues, the kind that keep you up at night, wondering
what it all means.
Additionally, he currently stars in Marc Forsters
Finding Neverland opposite Johnny Depp and Kate
Winslet. Finding Neverland is a tale of magic and
fantasy inspired by the life of James Barrie, the
real-life author of the childrens classic Peter
Pan. Set in London in 1904, the film follows
Barries creative journey to bring Peter Pan to
life, from his first inspiration for the story up until
the plays life changing premiere. Finding
Neverland premiered at the 2004 Venice Film Festival.
Hoffman will soon star in Jay Roachs Meet the
Fockers, the sequel to Meet the Parents, opposite Ben
Stiller, Robert De Niro, Barbara Streisand, Blythe Danner
and Teri Polo. The film is about the hell that
breaks loose when the Byrnes family meets the Focker
family for the first time. Hoffman plays Mr.
Focker, the father of Gaylord Focker
(Ben Stiller). Meet the Fockers will be released on
December 22, 2004.
Hoffman recently starred in Gary Fleders Runaway
Jury, opposite John Cusack, Gene Hackman and Rachel
Weisz; James Foleys Confidence, opposite Edward Burns and
Rachel Weisz and Brad Silberlings Moonlight Mile,
opposite Jake Gyllenhaal and Susan Sarandon.
His other film credits include: Little Big Man, Straw
Dogs, Papillon, All the Presidents Men, Marathon
Man, Straight Time, Agatha, Ishtar, Dick Tracy, Billy
Bathgate, Mad City, Hero, Sleepers, Sphere, American
Buffalo, Hook and Outbreak.
On stage, Hoffman has had an equally impressive
career. His first stage role was in the Sarah
Lawrence College production of Gertrude Steins Yes
is For a Very Young Man. His performance in this
play led to several roles Off Broadway for which he won
the Obie and Drama Desk Award for Best Actor. His
success on stage caught the attention of Mike Nichols,
who cast him in The Graduate. In 1974, Hoffman made
his broadway directorial debut with All Over Town. In
1984, Hoffman garnered a Drama Desk Award for Best Actor
for his portrayal of Willy Loman in the
Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman, which he also
produced. In addition to starring in the Broadway
production, a special presentation aired on television
and Hoffman won the Emmy Award. Additionally,
Hoffman received a Tony Award Nomination for his role as
Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, which he
reprised from his long run on the London Stage.
As a producer, Hoffman produced Tony Goldwyns
feature film A Walk on the Moon starring Diane Lane,
Viggo Mortensen, Liev Schreiber and Anna Paquin. He
executive produced The Devils Arithmetic, which won
two Emmy Awards.
Hoffman was born in Los Angeles and attended Santa Monica
Community College. He later studied at the Pasadena
Playhouse before moving to New York to study with Lee
Strasberg.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG (Franny) began performing at age eight in
New York with the Childrens Program at the Hudson
Guild and the Helena Rubenstein Childrens Theatre.
Later, she moved to the Bay Area and joined the Blake
Street Hawkeyes Theatre in Berkely, partnered with David
Schein. Moving shortly into solo performances, Goldberg
created The Spook Show which she toured throughout the
United States and Europe. It was at this 1983 performance
that Whoopi caught the attention of Mike Nichols, who
offered to present her in her own Broadway show. An
evening of original material, written and created by
Whoopi, the show opened to the Lyceum Theatre to critical
acclaim, which was later taped for the HBO special Whoopi
Goldberg: Direct from Broadway, and the record album of
her Broadway show won a Grammy Award as Best Comedy
Recording of the year in 1985.
Whoopis Broadway show also turned out to be an
audition for Steven Spielberg, who casting the film
version of Alice Walkers The Color Purple. The film
launched her film career and, in addition to an Academy
Award nomination, earned her the 1985 Golden Globe Award
for Best Performance by an Actress in a Dramatic Motion
Picture, as well as the NAACP Image Award for Best
Actress in a Motion Picture. Since The Color Purple,
Whoopi has starred in such motion pictures as
Jumpin Jack Flash, Burglar, Fatal Beauty (for which
she won a second Image Award), Claras Heart, Ghost,
The Long Walk Home (earning her a third Image Award),
Soapdish, and Robert Altmans The Player. Her
performance as Oda Mae Brown in Ghost
the highest grossing movie of 1990 earned her the
Academy Award for Best Actress, the Golden Globe Award,
the NAACP Image Award, the British Academy (BAFTA) Award,
the Movie Award, an American Comedy Award and the Saturn
Award (presented by The Academy of Science Fiction,
Fantasy & Horror Films).
Her other credits include the box-office hit Sister Act
which garnered her yet another Golden Globe Award
nomination, and the NAACP Image Award for Best Actress in
a Motion Picture, in addition to winning the Image Award
for Motion Picture of the Year. Her film credits also
include her Image Award-nominated performance in
Sarafina!, Made in America, Sister Act 2: Back in the
Habit and Corinna, Corinna.
She appeared in a cameo role in The Little Rascals and in
the feature film, Star Trek: Generations. She went on to
star in Warner Bros. Pictures Boys on the Side,
Moonlight and Valentino, Eddie and Bogus, The Associate,
Ghost of Mississippi, How Stella got her Groove Back, The
Deep End of the Ocean, Girl, Interrupted, Kingdom Come
and Rat Race.
Whoopi commemorates the 20th anniversary of her
original one-woman show with a limited engagement
production on Broadway. Whoopi
The 20-Year
Anniversay is currently running on Broadway at the Lyceum
Theatre through January. Whoopi is also executive
producer of Lifetimes Strong Medicine and its
forthcoming spin-off series, as well as
Nickelodeons Whoopis Littleburg and an
upcoming series about the world of girls soccer.
---
ABOUT THE
FILMMAKERS
FREDERIK DU CHAU (Director/Story) studied at the film
department of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in his
native Belgium from 1984 to 1988. He simultaneously
traveled the world as a camera assistant for several
major European news organizations until his graduation
from film school, when he worked as an animator/director
for television and commercials in Europe.
In 1989, his short film The Mystery of The Lamb was
selected for the Los Angeles Animation Celebration film
festival, which brought him to the United States. At the
Baer Animation Studio in Los Angeles, he worked as an
animator on numerous commercials, which featured
animation, combined with live action. He then co-directed
the animation/live action short film Sony Wonder, with
Hoyt Yeatman of Dreamquest, and directed the animation
for the direct to video hit Land Before Time: Time of the
Great Giving.
After spending time working as a storyboard artist for
animation legend Chuck Jones, he directed the feature
animation film Quest for Camelot for Warner Bros.
Pictures. This film received a Vision Award for Best
Picture in 1999.
He also directed a pilot presentation for Forest
Whitakers Spirit Dance Entertainment entitled
Stripped, for which he created a new look that transforms
live action into animation in real time.
In 2000, Du Chau, along with Kirk DeMicco, wrote Hong
Kong Phooey, a live action comedy about a Kung Fu
fighting dog, based on the popular Hanna-Barbera cartoon.
This project was sold to Alcon Entertainment.
Also with Kirk DeMicco, Du Chau wrote Sky Boys in 2002, a
drama about two Irish brothers who fall in love with the
same woman while building the Empire State Building. The
project is set up at Ascendant Pictures.
Co-Presidents ANDREW A. KOSOVE and BRODERICK JOHNSON
(Producers) founded Alcon Entertainment in 1997 (named
after the ally of Hercules a mythological archer
who never missed his target) to develop, package, finance
and produce feature length theatrical motion pictures and
television programming, backed financially by Frederick
W. Smith, founder, chairman and chief executive officer
of Federal Express Corporation.
Kosove and Johnson draw from common professional goals
and a shared alma mater, Princeton University, where they
were classmates beginning in 1989. Kosove graduated magna
cum laude with a joint degree in politics and economics.
Johnson, who earned his degree in economics, later worked
as a quantitative analyst for Saloman Brothers in New
York.
Since its launch seven years ago, Alcon has quickly risen
to prominence by successfully attracting top veteran
filmmakers and up-and-coming talent alike, and was
featured in the 2000 Entertainment Weeklys
Power 100 issue. Following its maiden effort
for Warner Bros. Pictures, the David Spade and Sophie
Marceau comedy Lost & Found, Warner Bros. Pictures
released Alcons second film, My Dog Skip, a $7.5M
production that was the #1 family film in America for
four consecutive weeks. The film, which starred Kevin
Bacon, Diane Lane and then-unknown Frankie Muniz, grossed
$35M domestically and became one of the most profitable
films of the year. Alcon followed with the hit comedy
Dude, Wheres My Car? starring Ashton Kutcher.
Shortly after the success of My Dog Skip, Warner Bros.
Pictures and Alcon entered into a $300m exclusive,
long-term worldwide distribution agreement. Alcons
next project under its new relationship with Warner Bros.
Pictures was The Affair of the Necklace, directed by
Charles Shyer and starring Oscar-winning actress Hilary
Swank. The period drama earned an Academy Award
nomination for Best Costume Design. Recently, Alcon saw
Warner Bros. Pictures release the $67M hit Insomnia,
directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Al Pacino,
Robin Williams and Hilary Swank. Following Racing
Stripes, Alcons next release will be The Sisterhood
of the Traveling Pants, based upon the New York Times
bestseller, starring Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel,
America Ferrera and Blake Lively. The company also
announced that it will team up with Brett Ratner and his
Rat Entertainment partner Jay Stern to produce the
live-action/CGI family comedy Hong Kong Phooey, based on
the beloved childrens property. Most recently,
Denzel Washington has agreed to direct and produce
Alcons Brothers in Arms: The Story of the 761st,
based upon Kareem Abdul-Jabbars book of the same
title.
After deciding that Investment Banking wasnt his
game, ED McDONNELL (Producer) boarded a flight to Los
Angeles with $200 and was hired as a secretary at United
Artists, then MGM, and moved on to become an executive
for nine years at Paramount.
He started as an assistant in low budget productions, and
then joined Henry Winkler as an executive and was
involved in such pictures as Young Sherlock Holmes.
McDonnell went on to join Steven Segal, and spent the
next six years producing his movies, such as Under Siege,
Under Siege 2, Dark Territory, On Deadly Ground and
Glimmer Man. He then joined Paul Witt at Warner Bros.
Pictures where he produced such movies as Three Kings and
Insomnia.
In 2001, McDonnell formed Maple Shade Films and has since
produced Original Sin, A Walk to Remember, Shanghai
Knights and Catwoman.
LLOYD PHILLIPS (Producer) motion picture credits
include The Legend of Zorro, which is currently in
production, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Antonio
Banderas; Vertical Limit, starring Chris ODonnell
and Bill Paxton, directed by Martin Campbell; and Beyond
Borders, directed by Martin Campbell, starring Angelina
Jolie and Clive Owen. He also served as Executive
Producer on Sergei Bodrovs Running Free, produced
by Jean-Jacques Annaud. Phillips also co-produced Terry
Gilliams Twelve Monkeys, starring Bruce Willis and
Brad Pitt; Heart of High Country; Lee Tamahoris The
Edge, starring Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin; Ruby
Cairo (aka Deception), starring Andie MacDowell, Liam
Neeson and Viggo Mortensen; Nate and Hayes, and Warlords
of the 21st Century (aka Battletruck).
STEVEN P. WEGNER (Executive Producer/Story) is the Vice
President of Development for Alcon Entertainment, the
motion picture production and finance company headed by
producers Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove.
Steven has been heading motion picture development for
Alcon for the past six and half years and currently
supervises their entire 14 picture slate. He set up the
Christopher Nolan-directed feature film, Insomnia,
starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank, at
Alcon, which went on to gross $120 million worldwide.
He also supervised the development and co-produced the
teen comedy Love Dont Cost a Thing starring Nick
Cannon and Steve Harvey, as well as the romantic-comedy
Chasing Liberty, starring Mandy Moore. In addition, he is
the co-producer of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,
which is due for release in the summer of 2005.
Steven is presently overseeing the development of the
live-action version of Hanna-Barberas cult cartoon
Hong Kong Phooey, and the black comedy The Whole
Pemberton Thing.
Steven also developed the feature film comedies Lost
& Found and Dude, Wheres My Car?
Prior to arriving at Alcon, Steven worked as a freelance
script analyst for production companies such as New Line,
Largo, JVC, Woods Entertainment and Summit Entertainment.
Steven got his start in the business as an intern for
Arnold Kopelson Productions and is a graduate of the USC
School of Cinema-Television.
PHILIP A. PATTERSON (Co-Producer/1st Assistant Director)
began his career in Australia making television
advertisements in the early 80s. He started working
on feature length productions in 1984 and the lessons
learned on films such as Crocodile Dundee, Crocodile
Dundee II, A Cry in the Dark and The Rescue offered the
opportunity to work on American based productions, The
Mosquito Coast and At Play in the Fields of the Lord.
Moving to the U.S. in 1991 led to work on Lorenzos
Oil, Mr.Wonderful, The Getaway, Little Big League, Beyond
Rangoon, Empire Records, Twelve Monkeys, Flipper,
Switchback, The Edge, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,
Running Free, Vertical Limit, Lost in La Mancha, Scooby
Doo and Beyond Borders.
KIRA DAVIS (Co-Producer) began her film career in 1994 on
a small film called Love Is All There Is, starring
Angelina Jolie. It was on this production that she met
the two co-presidents of Alcon Entertainment, and began
working with them as an assistant in 1997. A year later,
Davis was promoted to production executive and now serves
as Vice President of Production and Marketing for the
company. During her tenure at Alcon, she has overseen the
productions of Lost & Found, My Dog Skip, The Affair
of the Necklace, Insomnia, Love Dont Cost A Thing,
Chasing Liberty and most recently is executive producing
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, based on the
best-selling book of the same name.
Davis is a native of Santa Fe, New Mexico. She studied
theatre with an emphasis in directing and graduated magna
cum laude from New Mexico State University. After
graduating, she worked in a series of professional
theatres, including La Jolla Playhouse and the Mark Taper
Forum, before becoming Alcons first official
employee.
KIRK DE MICCO (Co-Producer/Story) is currently co-writing
a script with John Cleese for Dreamworks Animation. He
and Cleese recently co-wrote a script based on the Roald
Dahl novel The Twits to be directed by Mark Mylod.
After selling his first script A Day in November to
Arnold Kopelson Pictures and Warner Bros Pictures, he
worked on the Warner Bros. Pictures animated features
Quest for Camelot and New Gods, which was based on the
comic book by Jack Kirby. He also wrote Sky Boys, which
is set up at Ascendant Pictures. In addition to
uncredited studio rewrites, he has also sold pitches for
a Looney Tunes movie entitled Rock Jam to Warner Bros.
Pictures, a pitch entitled Splitting Adam and
the feature film version of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon
Hong Kong Phooey.
He has recently executive produced a two hour documentary
for the Discovery Channel and his script Space Chimps is
in pre-production.
Director of Photography DAVID EGGBY (A.C.S.) began his
career in stills, serving as a Naval Airman Photographer
with the Royal Australian Navy for 6 years. He then
worked on several police TV dramas, commercials, mini
series, and made for television movies.
His first feature film was George Millers
groundbreaking futuristic adventure Mad Max in 1977.
Since then, he has established himself and is well known
in the U.S. and overseas for his visually innovative
style. His talent for visual effects & action movies
has garnered him repeat collaborations with several
directors including Rob Cohen (Daylight, Dragonheart,
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story) and Simon Wincer (Harley
Davidson & the Marlboro Man, Quigley Down Under,
Lightning Jack).
Eggby recently completed filming the comedy movie
Ugly Americans. Some of his other film credits
include Scooby Doo, Pitch Black, Horseplay, Blue
Streak, Virus, Fortress, Warlock, The Blood of
Heroes and The Naked Country, Buddies and Kansas.
TOM FINAN (Editor) has worked on a host of notable films
including Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas, The
Emperors New Groove, Stuart Little, Hercules, The
Lion King, Pet Cemetery II, Grand Isle, Problem Child, It
Had to Be You and The Wizard. His television credits
include Theyve Taken Our Children: The Chowchilla
Kidnapping, Writers Block, Tales From the Crypt and
Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
As an associate editor, Finan worked on Oliver
Stones Platoon, which won Oscars for Best Picture,
Best Director and Best Editing, and Salvador. Among his
assistant editor credits are Gremlins and the Academy
Award-nominated film Coal Miners Daughter.
WOLF KROEGER (Production Designer) received a BAFTA Award
nomination in 1992 for Best Production Design for his
work on Last of the Mohicans. He also garnered a Genie
Award for Best Achievement in Art Direction for Shadow of
the Wolf in 1993, and another in 1985 for The Bad Boy. In
1986, he received another Genie Award nomination for his
work on It Rained All Night the Day I Left.
Kroegers motion picture credits in art direction
and production design include Beyond Borders,
Equilibrium, Reign of Fire, Enemy at the Gates, Running
Free, The 13th Warrior, The Edge, The Three Musketeers,
Casualties of War, The Year of the Dragon, Ladyhawke and
In Praise of Older Women.
Born in Mesa, Arizona, DAVID F. SCHMIDT
(Screenplay/Story) grew up in Mission Viejo,
California. In 1975, he was the second round draft
choice of the Boston Red Sox and signed with the
organization straight out of high school. He played in
the position of catcher from 1975-1982, with a brief
stint in the big leagues in 1981.
Following his professional baseball career, Schmidt went
into the insurance business for a few years, until he got
sick of wearing a suit. Over the next several years
he worked at a variety of odd jobs, including installing
cabinets and delivering for Sears three days a week
while attending college.
About 10 years ago, his cousin (Daniel Knauf, creator of
the HBO series Carnivale) showed him a script he had
written called Blind Justice. Schmidt thought hed
give screenwriting a try, so he read a couple of books on
the craft and took a crack at it.
Schmidts first script, Highrider, was optioned by
Alcon Entertainment. He subsequently pitched them
another idea about a half-breed horse who dreamed of
running against the thoroughbreds. Alcon had him
write the screenplay, and later on the protagonist was
changed from a horse to a zebra. The title of the movie
was also changed to Racing Stripes.
Highrider has recently been optioned again, as well
as another of Schmidts scripts, Dog Gone Genius,
about a dog that bites through a computer cable and
becomes a genius.
Schmidt currently lives in Laguna Beach.
DEVA ANDERSON (Music Supervisor) began her career in
Amherst, Massachusetts working both as a DJ and in music
sales while attending Hampshire College. At Hampshire,
Deva was awarded the prestigious Threshold Grant to
research African American music from slavery times to
rap. After graduation, upon returning to the West coast,
Deva landed a job at the Concrete Foundations Forum,
planning their acclaimed annual convention. She then made
the move to the music trade journal Hits Magazine where
she co-wrote a column, promoted music to radio stations,
managed bands and worked in concert promotions. From
there, Deva was asked to music supervise Tom Hanks
directorial debut That Thing You Do! for Play-Tone, the
development company headed by Gary Goetzman and Hanks.
After the film, Deva was asked to head the music
department for Play-Tone Productions and established her
own company, Deva Anderson Music Supervision. She has
supervised a diverse group of feature films including My
Big Fat Greek Wedding, My Dog Skip, Anywhere But Here,
Murder By Numbers, The Truth About Charlie, Star Maps and
Beloved. Deva has also music supervised various
television films/mini-series including Tuesdays With
Morrie, Their Eyes Were Watching God and HBOs From
The Earth To The Moon. Her current projects include the
upcoming films Because of Winn Dixie and Last Holiday.
She is a favorite with directors Wayne Wang and Jonathan
Demme, as well as Oprah Winfreys production company
Harpo Productions.
Deva was also tapped as the head executive of Play-Tone
Records which is distributed through Sony Soundtracks.
She has been the soundtrack executive on My Big Fat Greek
Wedding, as well as certified Gold soundtracks Bring It
On, Band of Brothers, Josie & The Pussycats, The
Sopranos and Sex & The City.
MARK ISHAMS (Composer) dynamic and diverse musical
career has included a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award and
multiple Grammy, Academy Award and Golden Globe
nominations for his material both as a composer and as a
recording artist/instrumentalist. His wide range of
talents and eclectic musical interests have produced over
50 film scores and several albums of electric jazz,
classic acoustic jazz and New Age music, in addition to
dozens of special projects and recordings. As a trumpet
player, he is in high demand and has been a guest soloist
for some of todays top recording artists in jazz,
pop, rock, classical and country music.
Born in New York, Isham began his musical career as a
trumpet player, first in classical music and then in
jazz. His mother was a violinist and his father taught
music and history, and Isham began his studies in
classical piano, violin and trumpet at an early age. As a
young man, he played trumpet in the Oakland and San
Francisco Symphonies and the San Francisco Opera
Orchestra. He went on to play in various jazz and rock
bands and in his early 20s he forged into
electronic music, becoming a renowned synthesizer
programmer. Yet trumpet remained Ishams primary
focus as he established parallel careers as a classical
trumpeter, jazz stylist, rock guest artist and solo
instrumentalist. Since then, he has evolved into one of
the busiest film composers in Hollywood. Whatever the
creative outlet, Mark Isham continues to be one of the
most fascinating, prolific and provocative artists on the
scene.
As a film composer, Ishams credits number over 50
including The Cooler, Miracle, Twisted, Life As A House,
October Sky, Kiss the Girls, Varsity Blues, At First
Sight, Blade, Fly Away Home, A River Runs Through It,
Rules Of Engagement, Men Of Honor, Save the Last Dance,
Point Break, Nell, Of Mice and Men, The Net, The
Majestic, Crash and In Her Shoes. Since his first film
score for the critically acclaimed film Never Cry Wolf in
1983, Ishams musical capability has led him to
compose scores for every combination, from large
orchestras to intimate jazz ensembles to electronic
instruments. His musical versatility is well utilized; he
composes in any style often using classical, jazz,
and pop throughout a single score, threading these
elements together into the story.
< previous
|