ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION’S PRESS.
MOVIES
And Then There Were Three ‘Rings’ Producers
Settling a credits controversy that foreshadowed next month’s Oscar presentation, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has officially dropped one of four producers who could have been eligible to receive statuettes should New Line Cinema’s sprawling fantasy epic, “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” be named best picture. According to academy rules, no more than three producers can be nominated or receive statuettes.
Director Peter Jackson, co-screenwriter Frances Walsh and producer Barrie M. Osborne--all listed as producers of the film--were ruled eligible by the academy. Removed from the list was New Zealand producer Tim Sanders, a longtime friend and colleague of Jackson and Walsh, who left the production three months into its 15-month shoot.
Dylan Ponders Taking a Role on the Big Screen
Music legend Bob Dylan, buoyed by a resurgence in his career, is in talks for what would be his first major film role in 15 years.
The 60-year-old singer would star as Jack Fate, a wandering troubadour who is brought out of prison by his former manager for one last concert. Dylan would perform his own music in the film.
The Intermedia Films drama, tentatively titled “Masked & Anonymous,” is the directorial debut of writer-director-producer Larry Charles, whose credits include TV’s “Mad About You” and “Seinfeld.”
The project is due to go into production in July.
TELEVISION
Elaine, er, ‘Ellie,’ Makes a Decent Ratings Splash
Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ new sitcom, “Watching Ellie,” premiered to strong ratings Tuesday, with an estimated audience of 16.7 million sampling the show, second to CBS’ “JAG” in its time slot.
NBC sandwiched the comedy between “Frasier” reruns and promoted it heavily during the Winter Olympics.
The tally for the premiere surpassed initial ratings for two previous sitcoms featuring former “Seinfeld” co-stars: “The Michael Richards Show” (which debuted to 13.2 million viewers in October 2000) and the Jason Alexander vehicle “Bob Patterson” (9.8 million last year).
Viewership of those programs subsequently dropped, and each was canceled in its first season.
Network Responds to Sorkin’s Comments
NBC said Tuesday that it stands by Aaron Sorkin’s right to speak his mind, after “The West Wing” creator’s comments in this week’s New Yorker. Sorkin said the country and the media are pretending that President Bush is competent and brave, and he called Tom Brokaw’s recent White House special a “valentine.”
“Obviously we respect Aaron’s right to say whatever he thinks,” NBC Entertainment President Jeff Zucker said in a conference call with reporters.
“We would never get in the way of his right to speak his mind. The only place we disagreed with him was about Tom Brokaw. He was just wrong when he said Tom let [Bush] pad the schedule with events. Aaron and Tom spoke last night. Aaron apologized to Tom.”
NBC did not chastise Sorkin, added Zucker, who at one time produced Brokaw’s “NBC Nightly News.”
QUICK TAKE
Robert Downey Jr. is set to star in a remake of the BBC series, “The Singing Detective.” Shooting starts in April.