Quick Takes: Jerry Lee Lewis to jam with ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ cast

Jerry Lee Lewis will join his likeness onstage when he performs with the cast of the hit Broadway musical “Million Dollar Quartet” for a one-time jam session during the finale Sept. 10.

Levi Kreis won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Lewis, and they recently recorded the classic 1959 song “Money” for Lewis’ upcoming album “Mean Old Man.”

“Million Dollar Quartet” tells the story of an actual impromptu jam session in 1956 among Sun Recording artists Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley. The 74-year-old Lewis is the only one still living.

—Associated Press

Eminem album back on top

Sales of Arcade Fire’s “The Suburbs” dropped 66% in its second week of release and fell to No. 2 on the album charts, Billboard reported Wednesday, with Eminem reclaiming the top spot with the aptly titled “Recovery.”

“Recovery” sold 133,000 units last week versus 52,000 for “The Suburbs,” according to data supplied by Nielsen SoundScan.

It was the eighth consecutive week that “Recovery” had sold at least 100,000 copies, Billboard said, and lifted total sales to 2.1 million — only the second time this year that an album has hit that level. Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” is currently the bestselling album of 2010 at 2.5 million.

—From a Times staff writer

SAG to honor Ernest Borgnine

Ernest Borgnine, who won an Oscar for his performance in the 1955 film “Marty” and went on to star in “McHale’s Navy” on TV, will be honored by the Screen Actors Guild next year for lifetime achievement.

SAG National President Ken Howard said in a statement Wednesday that Borgnine has boundless energy “which, at 93, is still a hallmark of his remarkably busy life and career.”

The actor has appeared in more than 200 movies and was nominated for an Emmy for his guest role last year in the final episode of “ER.”

The award will be presented at the 17th annual SAG Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 30.

—Associated Press

Theatergoers value ‘Family’

“The Addams Family” opened on Broadway in April to horrible reviews and looked like a $16.5-million bomb. The musical’s prospects seemed to grow even dimmer when it was shut out at the Tony Awards in June.

Somehow, ticket buyers never got the message.

Last week, the three top-performing shows in average ticket price were “The Lion King” ($122.44), “Wicked” ($119.81) and “The Addams Family” ($114.31). Some of the more critically acclaimed musicals to open last season — including “American Idiot,” “Fela!” and the best musical Tony winner “Memphis” — have sweated to fill seats this summer, with discounted tickets selling in the $75 to $88 range.

“The Addams Family” has repaid investors almost 50% of their money after just 18 weeks, according to members of the producing team who declined a request to release precise figures.

The show stars Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth as Gomez and Morticia, the ghoulish characters created by cartoonist Charles Addams, but the show isn’t being sold as a star vehicle. Its success is attributed to the television sitcom that ran from 1964 to 1966 — prime baby boomer time.

“While audiences definitely want to see both Nathan and Bebe, the primary motivating factor for those who have bought tickets and those inclined to see the show is their affection for the characters — in a very nostalgic, fun sense — due to the TV series primarily,” said a member of the production team.

—Bloomberg News

Two-book deal for Betty White

The next stage in Betty White’s ever-rising career: books.

The 88-year-old actress has a two-book deal with G.P. Putnam’s Sons, starting in 2011 with “Listen Up!”

The publisher said Wednesday that the book will include what White has learned over “her incredibly varied, decades-long career.” The second book will reflect her well-known love of animals: “The Zoo and I: Betty and Her Friends.”

White, known for such sitcoms as “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “Golden Girls,” this year became the oldest person to host “Saturday Night Live.” She’s starring in the new TV Land original sitcom, “Hot in Cleveland.”

—Associated Press

Shepherd lands ‘Newlywed’ gig

Sherri Shepherd, co-host of the ABC daytime talk show “The View,” will join “The Newlywed Game” as host when it begins its fourth season on the GSN channel.

The game show, which previously was hosted by Carnie Wilson, is moving from L.A. to New York and will tape 65 episodes with Shepherd. The new season starts Nov. 1.

“I get to have fun. I’m not going to be arguing with anybody about whether we should pull the troops out of Afghanistan,” Shepherd said.

—Associated Press