Producers list their nominees
THE feature films “Babel,” “The Departed,” “Dreamgirls,” “Little Miss Sunshine” and “The Queen” were nominated Wednesday by the Producers Guild of America for the Darryl F. Zanuck producer of the year award.
The producers’ organization has been one of the most reliable bellwethers for the best picture Oscar. Over the last 14 years only four films that didn’t win the Producers Guild award -- 1992’s “Unforgiven,” 1995’s “Braveheart,” 2004’s “Million Dollar Baby” and 2005’s “Crash” -- went on to receive the best picture Oscar.
Wednesday’s nominations are likely to set the stage for a series of “credit wars.” The guild, for example, has determined that all five of “Little Miss Sunshine’s” credited producers do indeed deserve their credits.
But because an Oscar rule stipulates only three producers can be nominated for best picture, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences must overlook some of those names if the film is nominated.
The Producers Guild also nominated “Cars,” “Flushed Away,” “Happy Feet,” “Ice Age: The Meltdown” and “Monster House” for the producer of the year award in animated theatrical motion pictures.
The five contenders for the David L. Wolper award in long-form television are “Bleak House,” “Elizabeth I,” “Flight 93,” “High School Musical” and “Mrs. Harris.”
Nominees for the award in nonfiction television are “The Amazing Race 9,” “American Idol,” “Dancing With the Stars,” “Project Runway” and “60 Minutes.”
The Danny Thomas award in episodic television comedy contenders are “Arrested Development,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “My Name Is Earl,” “The Office” and “Weeds.”
“Grey’s Anatomy,” “House,” “Lost,” “The Sopranos” and “24” are nominated for the Norman Felton award in episodic television drama.
Nominees for the producer of the year award in variety television are “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” “The Late Show With David Letterman,” “Real Time With Bill Maher” and “The XX Olympic Winter Games: Opening Ceremony.”
Also scheduled to be honored at the 18th annual Producers Guild of America Awards on Jan. 20 at the Hyatt Regency will be Ron Meyer (Milestone Award), Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher (David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures), Jerry Bruckheimer (Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television), Ken Ehrlich (Visionary Award) and Will Wright (Vanguard Award).
The documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” will be presented with the Stanley Kramer Award.
