Tom Mankiewicz News

The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens presents its LATINO HERITAGE CELEBRATION on Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27, 2015, 10 am to 4 pm, at the Zoo.  Held in honor of Latino Heritage Month and sponsored by ScholarShare, this weekend-long cultural celebration features performances by the Grammy Award-winning Mariachi Divas and Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company, a visit from Nickelodeon's Dora the Explorer, crafts, storytelling, a spotlight on native Latin American animals throughout the Zoo -- including keeper talks, mini-tours and up-close animal encounters -- and other fun.

The Los Angeles Zoo presents World Elephant Day Weekend, two days of opportunities to explore and learn about elephants, especially the challenges they face in the wild, today, August 8 and tomorrow, August 9, 2015, 10am to 4pm. World Elephant Day (August 12) is an international effort celebrating Asian and African elephants and bringing attention to the urgent threat of their extinction.

The final installment of the Los Angeles Zoo's 2015's ROARING NIGHTS summer music series takes guests back to the 1980s for an evening of music, high-profile food trucks and fun 'to the max' on Friday, August 21, 2015, 7 to 11 pm,  at the L.A. Zoo. 

The 5th Annual Brew at the L.A. Zoo, one of summer's most popular events for guests 21 and over, returns on Friday, August 7, 2015, 7 to 11 pm, featuring an after-hours visit to the Zoo with beer samples from 55+ local craft and microbreweries and an eclectic music lineup including 'the best of the worst of the '80s' with The Spazmatics; The Noble Gasses surf band; The Black Canyon dance band; live karaoke with Casual Encounters; and something completely different from Der Burgermeister Boys, a German Polka band. New this year is a special VIP Lounge with complimentary food, including a bountiful buffet offering early 6 pm access, hors d'oeuvres, snacks, specialty cocktails and exclusive access to several breweries. Other highlights are dancing with DJ Johnny Hawkes, an array of 'pub grub' food for purchase, photos with the celebrated 'Beer Girls,' zookeeper talks, up-close encounters with some of the Zoo's smaller residents and visits to animal habitats. Adding to the brew mix is Wreck Check, which will be on standby to provide breathalyzer services. With sell-out crowds at the four previous Brew at the L.A. Zoo evenings, advance ticket purchase is strongly suggested.

The Los Angeles Zoo presents World Elephant Day Weekend, two days of opportunities to explore and learn about elephants, especially the challenges they face in the wild, on Saturday, August 8 and Sunday August 9, 2015, 10am to 4pm. World Elephant Day (August 12) is an international effort celebrating Asian and African elephants and bringing attention to the urgent threat of their extinction.

Springtime Carnivore starring Greta Morgan, whose music has been acclaimed as 'amazing pop pieces with intelligence,' headlines ROARING NIGHTS 2015, the Los Angeles Zoo's annual summer music series for ages 18 and up, on Friday, July 24, 2015, 7 to 11 pm. The July Roaring Nights brings an uncommon call of the wild to the Zoo as it also features DJ Johnny Hawkes spinning tunes, L.A.'s favorite food trucks, full-service bars, and a Game Zone with tabletop games and life-size versions of Jenga and Kerplunk. The fun also includes pop-up zookeeper talks, animal encounters, visits to the Zoo's new jaguar home (along with other animal habitats), and an 'Animal Artistry Paint Party' where guests can express their creativity by painting a favorite animal (or whatever inspiration strikes them) on a small canvas to take home as a souvenir. Among the high-profile food trucks are Coolhaus, Komodo, Lobsta Truck, Mandoline Grill, Ragin Cajun, The Grilled Cheese Truck, Urban Oven, Baby's Badass Burgers, Bakery Truck, Border Grill, Dogtown Dogs, India Jones, Rice Balls of Fire, Son of a Bun, The Hungry Nomad, The Bakery Truck and The Pudding Truck. The summer's third Roaring Nights evening takes place on Friday, August 21 with headline band The Pac Men, which performs all-80s hits including dance, rock, pop, new wave, and R&B, and whose motto is 'BIG SONGS, BIG HAIR & BIG FUN.' The series is media-sponsored by KCRW and Pasadena Magazine.

Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens officials announce the opening of a new habitat for the Zoo's three jaguars, offering guests the opportunity to see jaguars as never before and marking the momentous completion of the $180 million Master Plan Phase 1 that has transformed the Zoo, placing it at the vanguard of animal care and conservation. 

Sizzling summer nights just got a lot cooler at the Los Angeles Zoo, which brings people together through music, food, craft beer and wildlife at five unforgettable evenings for adults and one for families, including the popular three-part 'Roaring Nights' Summer Music Series, 'Family Jam at the L.A. Zoo,' and 'Brew at the L.A. Zoo.'  Guests at all six evenings will experience after-hours viewing of popular animal exhibits and up-close encounters with smaller creatures.

KCETLink Media Group, a leading national independent non-profit public broadcast and digital network, has joined forces with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and its 96 Elephants campaign and the Los Angeles Zoo to raise awareness around the illegal poaching and wildlife trafficking crisis.

The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association's (GLAZA) 45th Annual Beastly Ball honors Los Angeles City Council Member Tom LaBonge (District 4) and 99 Cents Only Stores, led by President and CEO Stéphane Gonthier, while bestowing the Tom Mankiewicz Leadership Award on singer, dancer, actor, film and television producer, author and philanthropist Lance Bass, who shot to fame as a member of pop band 'NSYNC, on Saturday, June 20, 2015, 6 pm, under the stars at the Los Angeles Zoo. LaBonge is being celebrated for his 14 years of advocacy for the Zoo, its animals and the people it serves. 99 Cents Only stores is being recognized for their exceptional support of the Zoo and the spirit in which the company and its employees participate and work collaboratively with the Zoo to meet community needs.

Elmo, one of Sesame Street Live's most popular characters, makes a personal appearance at the Los Angeles Zoo to greet visitors and pose for pictures during SESAME STREET LIVE WEEKEND, Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22, 2015. Guests may take family photos with the furry red monster between 11 am and 3 pm, included free with paid Zoo admission, can enter to win a family 4-pack of tickets to area performances of Sesame Street Live 'Let's Dance!”, and will receive an exclusive offer to save $3 on tickets. Sesame Street Live 'Let's Dance!” is playing at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live May 30-31 and City National Grove of Anaheim June 26-27. For more information visit SesameStreetLive.com.

Spring is the perfect time to see new life in the animal and ocean world at the Los Angeles Zoo and at the Aquarium of the Pacific in LA County's coastal city of Long Beach. You can visit baby sharks and baby penguins at the Aquarium of the Pacific this spring. You'll see a baby hippo, giraffe, and chimps at the Los Angeles Zoo. The aquarium and the zoo are offering visitors the chance to visit both places with a discounted combo ticket, which can be purchased online or at either attraction and used on different days.

The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association's (GLAZA) 44th Annual Beastly Ball, honoring animal advocate Heather Mycoskie and Tom Mankiewicz Leadership Award recipient Ken Ziffren, is set for Saturday, June 14, 2014, 6 pm, under the stars at the Los Angeles Zoo. In keeping with the Zoo's role as an international leader in the preservation of endangered species and a conservation center for the care and study of wildlife, this year's Beastly Ball also celebrates the 50th anniversary of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Beastly Ball guests, invited to dress in casual or safari attire, stroll through the Zoo after hours observing its inhabitants, watching animal feedings, chatting with keepers, viewing small animals up close, and enjoying entertainment, dancing, and dining on bountiful fare provided by some of L.A.'s most popular restaurants. Also featured are live and silent auctions comprised of hundreds of remarkable items and one-of-a-kind opportunities. Comedian Jimmy Pardo oversees the program with his signature humor as MC and live auctioneer. The Beastly Ball, known as 'one of L.A.'s biggest and most popular fund-raisers' (FOX News) and 'one of the best parties in Los Angeles' (KCBS/KCAL TV News), traditionally attracts nearly 1,000 attendees and raises more than $1 million annually for the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens.

The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association's (GLAZA) 43rd Annual Beastly Ball, celebrating the Zoo's forthcoming Rainforest of the Americas habitat and honoring Wells Fargo and actress Pauley Perrette, is set for tonight, June 15, 2013, 6 pm, under the stars at the Los Angeles Zoo, announces GLAZA President Connie Morgan.

The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association's (GLAZA) 43rd Annual Beastly Ball, celebrating the Zoo's forthcoming Rainforest of the Americas habitat and honoring Wells Fargo and actress Pauley Perrette, is set for Saturday, June 15, 2013, 6 pm, under the stars at the Los Angeles Zoo, announces GLAZA President Connie Morgan. Beastly Ball guests, invited to dress in casual or safari attire, stroll through the Zoo after hours observing its inhabitants, watching animal feedings, chatting with keepers, viewing small animals up close, enjoying entertainment by Central and South American music groups, dancing, and dining on bountiful fare provided by some of L.A.'s most popular restaurants. Also featured are silent and live auctions comprised of hundreds of remarkable items and one-of-a-kind opportunities, with comedian Jimmy Pardo serving as MC and auctioneer. New this year is 'Bash Before The Ball,' a pre-party soiree featuring animals, hors d'oeuvres, cocktails and a 'meet and greet' with Perrette. The Beastly Ball, known as 'one of L.A.'s biggest and most popular fund-raisers' (FOX News) and 'one of the best parties in Los Angeles' (KCBS/KCAL TV News), traditionally attracts 1,000+ attendees and raises more than $1 million annually.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is proud to announce that the four-time Academy Award winning* classic CLEOPATRA, will be released on Blu-ray Disc for the first time today, May 21 in a special golden anniversary edition and is available for pre-order at major retailers.

Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC), a leading motion picture exhibitor owning and operating the largest theatre circuit in the United States, announces that the Twentieth Century Fox epic Cleopatra will return to the big screen to commemorate its 50th anniversary. Tickets are on sale now online and at 75 participating Regal Cinemas, United Artists and Edwards Theatres for the May 22 triumphant return of this cinematic treasure.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, in partnership with Bulgari, is pleased to announce a global celebration fit for a queen to commemorate CLEOPATRA's 50th anniversary and pay tribute to the enduring legacy of its stars, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is proud to announce that the four-time Academy Award winning* classic CLEOPATRA, will be released on Blu-ray Disc for the first time May 21 in a special golden anniversary edition and is available for pre-order at major retailers.