Quick Takes: Peter O’Toole takes a final bow

Screen legend Peter O’Toole announced Tuesday that he is retiring from acting.

“It’s time for me to chuck in the sponge,” he said in a statement. “To retire from stage and screen. The heart for it has gone out of me; it won’t come back.”

O’Toole, who turns 80 on Aug. 2, achieved international stardom and his first Oscar nomination for David Lean’s 1962 “Lawrence of Arabia,” an Academy Award-winning epic. O’Toole was 27 when he earned the coveted title role.

He went on to earn best actor nominations — but no wins — for 1964’s “Becket,” 1968’s “The Lion in Winter,” 1969’s “Goodbye, Mr. Chips,” 1972’s “The Ruling Class,” 1980’s “The Stunt Man,” 1982’s “My Favorite Year” and 2006’s “Venus.” He earned an honorary Oscar in 2003.

—Susan King

Hungry for November

Lionsgate plans to make its next three “Hunger Games” movies an annual event every November from 2013 through 2015.

The Santa Monica studio announced Tuesday that it will release “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1” on Nov. 21, 2014, and “Mockingjay Part 2” on Nov. 20, 2015.

The company has already scheduled the second picture, “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” for Nov. 22, 2013.

The news demonstrates how critical it has become for Hollywood studios to stake out the best release dates for their event movies as early as possible. “Mockingjay Part 2” now has the distinction of being scheduled the furthest into the future of any upcoming Hollywood picture, according to a release calendar supplied by Rentrak Corp.

—Ben Fritz

A Run-DMC reunion of sorts

They haven’t performed together in more than a decade, but the surviving members of Run-DMC are set to reunite this fall at the Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, Texas.

Joseph Simmons, now known as Rev. Run, and Darryl “DMC” McDaniels retired the group after their DJ, Jam Master Jay, was killed in 2002. But it was announced Tuesday that the band will be among the performers for the Nov. 2-4 event. Festival organizers say they plan to donate some of the proceeds to the JMJ Foundation for Music, which works to give youth access to the arts.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group is best known for hits such as “Walk This Way,” “It’s Like That” and “My Adidas.”

—Associated Press

La Mirada hits a sales record

At a time when economic hand-wringing for the arts seems ubiquitous, La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts is riding high with a new sales record for the 2011-12 season.

“This is not just your grandmother’s La Mirada Theatre,” crowed producing artistic director Brian Kite in an announcement on the theater’s website, citing more than $1.3 million in single-ticket sales (that is, nonsubscribers) over the past season. By comparison, in 2010-11 the theater barely cleared more than $500,000.

The difference can perhaps best be summarized in four words: “Miss Saigon” and “Peter Pan” — though the latter could be better captured with “Cathy Rigby,” who marked her fourth appearance as Peter.

The production was the top-selling show in the history of the theater and was directly followed in sales numbers by “Miss Saigon,” marking a popular one-two punch at the box office. Rigby’s “Peter Pan” is also touring nationally through spring 2013.

—Chris Barton

Meyers says no to ‘Live!’

It seems “Saturday Night Live” funnyman Seth Meyers is not looking to become an early worm. The “SNL” writer and Weekend Update anchor is denying reports he’ll take over Regis Philbin’s role on “Live!”

Meyers, according to a report last week, was said to be the front-runner to get the permanent job of sitting alongside Kelly Ripa (others on the list included singer Josh Groban and ex-football player Michael Strahan).

“No, no, no, no, no,” the 38-year-old comedian told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel this week, even while serving as a guest host on the syndicated morning show.

“I know [Regis’ replacement] is a very important thing down there,” he added. “But, right now, what I would say to you: I’m really in love with the job I have. I’m very excited to be going back [to ‘SNL’] for the election season, which is always fun.”

—Yvonne Villarreal

Finally

Tyrrell memorial: A memorial service for Susan Tyrrell, the Oscar-nominated actress who died June 16 at 67, will be held Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. at the Silent Movie Theatre, 611 N. Fairfax Ave., L.A. The public is invited.