Norman Lear News

The National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) announced today that the recipients of NATPE's 17th Annual Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award are award-winning actress Christine Baranski, ABC Entertainment President Karey Burke, prolific television creator, producer and writer Courtney A. Kemp, President of NBCUniversal's Telemundo Global Studios, Marcos Santana, and Chairman, WarnerMedia News and Sports & President, CNN Worldwide Jeff Zucker. They will receive the prestigious award during the NATPE Miami 2020 convention during a dinner gala on January 22, 2020, at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. The dinner, with its A-list attendees, benefits the NATPE Educational Foundation, with a portion going to the Broadcasters Federation of America (BFOA). Bob Holmes is returning as Executive Producer of the show.

Following a wildly successful run last summer that propelled ABC to rank No. 1 across all key adult demos, the network has announced the return of seven shows from its popular “Summer Fun & Games” lineup, including “The $100,000 Pyramid” (season five), “Card Sharks” (season two), “Celebrity Family Feud” (season six), “Match Game” (season five), “Press Your Luck” (season two), “To Tell the Truth” (season five), and as previously announced, the second season of “Holey Moley.”

The Paley Center for Media today announced a star-studded lineup of presenters and guests who will participate in this year's The Paley Honors: A Special Tribute to Television's Comedy Legends. The event will take place on Thursday, November 21 at 6:30pm at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Pasadena Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman announces the Los Angeles premiere of Ann - written by and starring Holland Taylor and directed by Benjamin Endsley Klein from May 27 to June 28, 2020, and the on-sale of tickets for The Father, written by Florian Zeller and starring Alfred Molina, translated by Christopher Hampton and directed by Jessica Kubzansky, from February 5 to March 1, 2020.

Take Me Out has found its full Broadway cast! Second Stage Theater has announced full casting for the Broadway production of Richard Greenberg's Tony Award-winning play, Take Me Out. Julian Cihi, Hiram Delgado, Brandon J. Dirden, Will Harrison, Carl Lundstedt, Ken Marks, Michael Oberholtzer, and Joél Pérez will join previously announced stars Patrick J. Adams, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jesse Williams. Directed by Scott Ellis, Take Me Out will begin previews April 2, 2020 and officially open on April 23, 2020 at Second Stage's Hayes Theater (240 West 44th Street).

Today's top stories: Slava's Snowshow officially opens tonight, and more!

Kerry Washington was a guest on Monday night's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live where she talks about what it was like shooting the movie American Son for Netflix after performing it on Broadway for four months. Washington also spoke about having Michelle Obama come to see the show!

The Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild (MUAHS, IATSE Local 706) has announced nominations for the 7th Annual MUAHS Guild Awards honoring outstanding achievements in make-up and hair styling in motion pictures, television, commercials and live theater. Winners will be honored at the black-tie gala on Saturday, January 11, 2020 at The Novo by Microsoft at L.A. Live. Today's announcement was made by MUAHS President Julie Socash.

“Live in Front of a Studio Audience,” the live broadcast television event that captivated audiences with its all-star cast recreating episodes of “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons” last spring, is set to return to ABC on Wednesday, Dec. 18, with newly recreated, live installments of Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin's Emmy® Award-winning series “All in the Family” and groundbreaking sitcom “Good Times,” created by Mike Evans, Eric Monte and developed by Lear. The holiday-inspired live event produced by Sony Pictures Television, will reunite executive producers Norman Lear, Jimmy Kimmel, Brent Miller, Will Ferrell and Justin Theroux. Kerry Washington, who portrayed Helen Willis of “The Jeffersons” in the original special in the spring, will join as an executive producer.

José Rivera will discuss his career as a writer in theater, film, and TV with Ben Snyder, the Dramatic Writing Coordinator for St. Francis College's MFA Program, on November 9, 2019 from 5 to 7pm at St. Francis College's Brooklyn Heights campus: 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn.

The British Academy Britannia Awards presented by American Airlines and Jaguar Land Rover was held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills on October 25, 2019.

The British Academy Britannia Awards presented by American Airlines and Jaguar Land Rover was held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills on October 25, 2019.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles (BAFTA Los Angeles) has engaged British artist Lincoln Townley for the fifth year in succession to create a suite of portraits in celebration of the 2019 British Academy Britannia Awards honorees – Jackie Chan, Steve Coogan, Jane Fonda, Norman Lear, Jordan Peele and Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Townley has generously donated the proceeds of these works of art which will be sold immediately following the event to raise funds for BAFTA Los Angeles' ongoing educational and community outreach programming through their Access for All campaign. If you are interested in purchasing any of the portraits, please contact sara.linfoot@baftala.org.

NBC News has reported on the death of beloved sitcom star Bill Macy, who was best known for his role on 70s sitcom 'Maude.' The character actor was 97.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles (BAFTA Los Angeles) has announced today that renowned British comedian James Veitch will host the 2019 British Academy Britannia Awards. Veitch will be joined on stage by this year's presenters – Vin Diesel, Donald Glover, Lupita Nyong'o, John C. Reilly and Kerry Washington – who will present each honoree with a newly redesigned Britannia Award created by former BAFTA Los Angeles Newcomer, Gary McMonnies. 

 The British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles (BAFTA Los Angeles) is pleased to announce that five-time EMMY®-winning television pioneer Norman Lear will receive the Britannia Award for Excellence in Television at the 2019 British Academy Britannia Awards. He joins previously announced honorees Jackie Chan, who will receive the Albert R. Broccoli Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Entertainment, Steve Coogan, who will receive the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award for Excellence in Comedy Presented by Jaguar Land Rover, Jane Fonda, who will receive the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film, Jordan Peele, who will receive the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing Presented by Cunard and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who will receive the Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year.

Nine original independent pilots and their 14 creators, will benefit from holistic support and development at Sundance Institute's sixth annual Episodic Lab, taking place at Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah October 10-15, 2019. With topics that span genres --  from provocative reimaginings of the American dream to  visionary and epic supernatural dramas-- the scope of this year's projects, along with the diverse backgrounds of their creators, speaks to the Institute's broad and visionary support of the episodic format as the industry develops and grows; the Episodic Lab is the centerpiece of the Institute's year-round support program for emerging television writers.

Nine original independent pilots and their 14 creators, will benefit from holistic support and development at Sundance Institute's sixth annual Episodic Lab, taking place at Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah October 10-15, 2019. With topics that span genres --  from provocative reimaginings of the American dream to  visionary and epic supernatural dramas-- the scope of this year's projects, along with the diverse backgrounds of their creators, speaks to the Institute's broad and visionary support of the episodic format as the industry develops and grows; the Episodic Lab is the centerpiece of the Institute's year-round support program for emerging television writers.

The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica presents The Broad Stage debut of Rita Moreno, with her trio, on Saturday, November 9 at 7:30pm. The Emmy, GRAMMY, Oscar and Tony winning legend is one of the busiest stars in show business.