Photo Flash: Zeta-Jones, Zadan, Meron at Hollywood Film Fest

On October 23, Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron received the Hollywood Film Festival's Producers of the Year Award for Hairspray from their Chicago Oscar-winning star Catherine Zeta-Jones at the Awards Gala Ceremony held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Craig Zadan and Neil Meron received the Hollywood Producers of the Year Award.  John Travolta, who starred as Edna Turnblad, won the prize for Hollywood Supporting Actor of the Year.  Plus the cast of Hairspray garnered the Hollywood Ensemble Musical Comedy of the Year Award.  For more information on the Hollywood Film Festival and Award winners, visit HollywoodAwards.com

Craig Zadan and Neil Meron also produced the Academy-Award winning musical film Chicago, which starred Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma Kelly, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress (2002) in the role.

The cast of Hairspray included John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, Allison Janney, Jerry Stiller, Paul Dooley and Nikki Blonsky.

"Hairspray, written by Leslie Dixon, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron and directed by Adam Shankman, is the story of Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, who has only one passion -- dancing. Her dream is to appear on 'The Corny Collins Show,' Baltimore's hippest dance party on TV. Tracy (Nikki Blonsky) seems a natural fit for the show except for one not-so-little problem -- she doesn't fit in. However, when big hair meets big dreams anything can happen -- and does," state press notes.   The film features a screenplay by Leslie Dixon, who adapted it from Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell's original book, as well as a score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, who contributed new songs to their existing Tony Award-winning score.

Hairspray is reported as the 3rd most successful movie musical in 30 years, beneath films Grease and Chicago.  Hairspray debuted in theaters on July 20 with the largest opening weekend gross ever for a musical film.

Photo courtesy New Line Cinema

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