MORNING REPORT - News from July 28, 2000

THE ARTS

Spacey Supports London Theater: Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey has launched a company that aims to raise more than $1.5 million to finance new British theater venues and productions, the BBC News reported Thursday. In London on Wednesday to promote the new initiative--called Old Vic Productions, for which he will also act as consultant--Spacey revealed that he had also invested more than $150,000 of his own money in the venture. “The Old Vic continues to be the favorite theater I’ve probably ever played in,” Spacey said about the famous London venue. But, he said, it was only when he appeared there last year in “The Iceman Cometh” that he became interested in getting involved in securing its future. Currently busy with film projects, Spacey said his dream would be to eventually return to the London stage in a comedy, ideally co-starring veteran British actor Peter O’Toole.

Noted Curator Retires: Peter Fusco, curator of sculpture and works of art at the J. Paul Getty Museum since 1984 and former curator of sculpture at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, has announced his retirement from the Getty. A renowned scholar who built distinguished collections of European sculpture almost from scratch at both institutions, Fusco organized the critically acclaimed traveling exhibition “Adriaen de Vries (1556-1626), Imperial Sculptor,” which appeared at the Getty last winter.

FILM

Hollywood North? In dismal news for Hollywood, the Toronto Star reported Wednesday that movie and TV production in the city is looking to surpass the record $1.2 billion that poured into the city’s economy in 1999. In the first six months of 2000, the value of production in Toronto experienced a 15.2% hike, the newspaper said--and that doesn’t include commercials, animation and special effects. “It’s basically just raining production,” said Alex Gill, communications director at the Toronto office of the Alliance of Canadian Cinema and Television and Radio Artists. In total, the film office reports 550 new projects (up 5.7% from ‘99), at 1,587 locations (up 23.9%), for 3,229 shooting days (up 10.4%). “Everyone who wants to work is working,” said one union representative.

PEOPLE

Benigni Has a Nose for Roles: Italian funny-man Roberto Benigni is about to play what he calls the role of his life: a puppet who wanted to be a little boy. Italian media said Wednesday that “Pinocchio” will feature the same formula as “Life Is Beautiful”: Benigni co-starring with spouse Nicoletta Braschi as well as co-writing the script with longtime collaborator Vincenzo Cerami. The exuberant Benigni, whose childlike antics captivated Oscar audiences in 1999, often compares himself to Pinocchio, whose nose grew longer every time he lied. “It’s been 20 years, or maybe ever since I was born, that I had a desire that my nose would grow long,” Benigni told the ANSA news agency.

POP/ROCK

Ferrer Gets Boost From PBS: Cuban singer Ibrahim Ferrer, of Buena Vista Social Club fame, got a visible boost to his solo recording career last week when PBS aired a documentary about the group. Ferrer’s album, “‘Buena Vista Social Club Presents: Ibrahim Ferrer,” jumped from No. 29 to No. 11 on Billboard magazine’s Latin album chart to become last week’s “greatest gainer.” His label, Nonesuch Records, credits the TV airing of the documentary for the increased sales of Ferrer’s album.

Pearl Jam Sounds Off: Members of the rock band Pearl Jam issued a statement Wednesday defending their actions at the Denmark rock festival where nine concertgoers were trampled to death. “We feel that we are ‘morally responsible’ to bring out the truth with regard to what happened that night,” the group said, adding that the incident “cannot be written off entirely as a ‘freak accident’ or ‘bad luck,’ as some have called it.” Specifically, the band demanded that authorities probe festival security, the emergency response, the staging setup and alcohol arrangements. A preliminary Danish police investigation had found Pearl Jam “morally responsible” for the tragedy.

TELEVISION

Big Audiences on Land and Sea: CBS’ reality double-header of “Survivor” and “Big Brother” earned record ratings for both shows on Wednesday. The island-bound “Survivor” drew 27.2 million viewers, the biggest audience yet for the summer hit. Almost 17 million viewers stayed tuned for an hourlong live edition of the housebound “Big Brother,” scoring its largest viewership since the series premiered July 5.

QUICK TAKES

Actor Brad Pitt and “Friends” star Jennifer Aniston will get married sometime this weekend at a ceremony on an ocean bluff, their publicist, Cindy Guagenti, confirmed Thursday. . . . In what would be a CBS reality show crossover, “Big Brother” executive producer Douglas Ross told the “First Producers Club” that his show is talking about having some of the booted “Survivor” contestants on as guests.