 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
In the news
By Times staff writer Bye bye BialystockHenry Goodman, who took over last month from Nathan Lane as conniving producer Max Bialystock in The Producers, was fired from the Broadway musical hit after four weeks. The show's more than a dozen producers, including author Mel Brooks, were mum Monday, leaving director-choreographer Susan Stroman to comment. "I have the utmost respect for Henry Goodman," Stroman said. "He is a wonderful actor, and I would happily work with him again on another project. Henry has been well received nightly by audiences, but the producers have decided to pursue a different quality for the role." Goodman, who could not be reached for comment, played the role darker and more serious than Lane, the Associated Press said, citing people who saw him. Goodman was given notice after the Sunday matinee. The British actor will be replaced today by Lane's understudy, Brad Oscar, who portrays Nazi playwright Franz Liebkind in the show. Goodman joined the musical March 19 along with Steven Weber, who replaced Matthew Broderick as accountant Leo Bloom. Weber still has his job. TV notesMia Farrow has joined CBS' comedy pilot Julie Lydecker, returning to series TV after almost 40 years, the Hollywood Reporter says. She will play the mother of the title character, played by Mary McCormack, in the project centering on a mother-daughter relationship. . . . ABC is putting Who Wants to Be a Millionaire on hiatus this summer, TVGuide.com says. It will return in August in "short bursts," ABC said. . . . Fox has renewed The Bernie Mac Show, its highest-rated new series, TVGuide.com reports. . . . Comedy Central has renewed Beat the Geeks and Primetime Glick, Variety says. PeopleBen Stiller and his wife, actor Christine Taylor, are celebrating the birth of their first child. Taylor gave birth to a girl last week in Los Angeles, publicist Kelly Bush said Monday. Bush gave no other details. . . . Actor Julianne Moore and her longtime companion, director Bart Freundlich, are parents for a second time. Moore had a girl last week, TVGuide.com says. . . . Actors Benjamin Bratt and Talisa Soto are engaged, Entertainment Tonight reported Monday. No wedding date has been set. . . . Bratt's ex Julia Roberts and cameraman boyfriend Danny Moder have broken up, according to several reports.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From the wire |
