Quick Takes - Oct. 11, 2011

‘Breaking’ precedent

AMC’s “Breaking Bad” wrapped its fourth season Sunday night with the most-watched finale in the show’s history.

An average of 1.9 million viewers tuned in to the 10 p.m. airing, according to Nielsen. That was up 12% from last year’s number and capped a season of record ratings for the show, which stars Bryan Cranston as a high school teacher who turns to meth manufacturing after he’s diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Repeats at 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. pushed the “Breaking Bad” finale to a grand total of 2.9 million viewers.

Those numbers are still niche by broadcast standards.

—Scott Collins

Arts funding is amiss, group says

Billions of dollars in arts funding is serving a mostly wealthy, white audience that is shrinking while only a small chunk of money goes to emerging arts groups that serve poorer communities that are more ethnically diverse, according to a report released Monday.

The report from the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, a watchdog group, shows that foundation giving has fallen out of balance with the nation’s increasingly diverse demographics.

A large portion of funding goes to more traditional sources such as museums, operas and symphonies. But recent surveys show attendance at those institutions is declining, while more people are interested in community-based art initiatives.

—Associated Press

Dennis Lehane now a brand

Dennis Lehane is the latest brand-name publisher.

The author of “Mystic River,” “Moonlight Mile” and other thrillers is overseeing a new imprint at HarperCollins.

The publisher announced Monday that Dennis Lehane Books will issue “a select” number of literary fiction works each year that have “a dark urban edge.”

Other bestsellers with their own imprints include Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Jon Meacham and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain.

—Associated Press

Wayne items sell for $5.4 million

An auction of more than 700 costumes, scripts, awards and memorabilia from the estate of film star John Wayne brought in $5.4 million, organizers reported.

Heritage Auctions said that the auction included Wayne’s last driver’s license, a holster and gun belt from the film “El Dorado” and an eye patch from the 1969 movie “True Grit.”

The green wool beret that Wayne wore in “The Green Berets” went for $179,250 and a cowboy hat worn in “Big Jake” and “The Cowboys” fetched $119,500.

The items had been kept by Wayne’s family since his 1979 death from cancer.

A portion of the proceeds will go to the Newport Beach-based John Wayne Cancer Foundation.

—Associated Press

Winehouse dad will write a book

Amy Winehouse’s father has a book deal.

HarperCollins said Monday that Mitch Winehouse has agreed to terms with the publisher in the United States and Britain for “Amy, My Daughter,” to be released next summer.

Winehouse will write about his daughter’s childhood, her singing career and her well-publicized struggles with substance abuse, the publisher said. Amy

Winehouse died in July at age 27.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Proceeds from the book will be donated to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, which was founded by her father and helps troubled children and young adults.

—Associated Press