Dane Morck, the co-creator of the CW series All American, has signed with Zero Gravity. He will serve as the Executive Consultant going into Season 3 of the sports drama.
Prior to All American Morck worked in the unscripted space under Vin di Bona on America’s Funniest Home Videos and was a development exec at di Bona’s production banner Fishbowl Worldwide Media. While at Fishbowl, he worked on Bravo’s Toned Up, Animal Planet’s Insane Pools: Off the Deep End as well as projects for Travel, HGTV, Nat Geo Wild, and NFL Network.
Morck and his producing partner/ex NFL player, Spencer Paysinger established Moore Street Productions in 2019. The company worked on many projects including an original sports and entertainment podcast with Lebron James’ Uninterrupted.
Morck continues to be repped by Gochman Law Group.
Producer and Black List screenwriter Evan Mirzai has signed with Innovative Artists across all departments.
Prior to All American Morck worked in the unscripted space under Vin di Bona on America’s Funniest Home Videos and was a development exec at di Bona’s production banner Fishbowl Worldwide Media. While at Fishbowl, he worked on Bravo’s Toned Up, Animal Planet’s Insane Pools: Off the Deep End as well as projects for Travel, HGTV, Nat Geo Wild, and NFL Network.
Morck and his producing partner/ex NFL player, Spencer Paysinger established Moore Street Productions in 2019. The company worked on many projects including an original sports and entertainment podcast with Lebron James’ Uninterrupted.
Morck continues to be repped by Gochman Law Group.
Producer and Black List screenwriter Evan Mirzai has signed with Innovative Artists across all departments.
- 10/8/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
This classy Fox production was considered the epitome of sick film subject matter in the pre- Psycho year of 1959, the true story of jazz-age thrill killers Leopold & Loeb. Dean Stockwell and Bradford Dillman are the nihilistic child murderers; Orson Welles stops the show with his portrayal of Clarence Darrow, going under a different name.
Compulsion
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1959 / B&W / 2:35 widescreen / 103 min. / Street Date March 7, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Orson Welles, Dean Stockwell, Diane Varsi, Bradford Dillman, E.G. Marshall, Richard Anderson, Robert F. Simon, Edward Binns, Gavid McLeod, Russ Bender, Peter Brocco.
Cinematography: William C. Mellor
Film Editor: William Reynolds
Original Music: Lionel Newman
Written by Richard Murphy from a novel by Meyer Levin
Produced by Richard D. Zanuck
Directed by Richard Fleischer
Movies about serial killers and psychos with exotic agendas were much different before Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, which hit America in 1960 like a thrown brick.
Compulsion
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1959 / B&W / 2:35 widescreen / 103 min. / Street Date March 7, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring: Orson Welles, Dean Stockwell, Diane Varsi, Bradford Dillman, E.G. Marshall, Richard Anderson, Robert F. Simon, Edward Binns, Gavid McLeod, Russ Bender, Peter Brocco.
Cinematography: William C. Mellor
Film Editor: William Reynolds
Original Music: Lionel Newman
Written by Richard Murphy from a novel by Meyer Levin
Produced by Richard D. Zanuck
Directed by Richard Fleischer
Movies about serial killers and psychos with exotic agendas were much different before Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, which hit America in 1960 like a thrown brick.
- 3/12/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Robert Siodmak’s superb noir classic pits two graduates of Little Italy against one other: a crook who can deceive relatives and seduce strangers into helping him, and the cop who wants to put him out of business. Starring the great Richard Conte, with Victor Mature in what might be his best role.
Cry of the City
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1948 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 95 min. / Street Date November 15, 2016 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring Victor Mature, Richard Conte, Fred Clark, Shelley Winters, Betty Garde, Berry Kroeger, Tommy Cook, Debra Paget, Hope Emerson, Roland Winters, Walter Baldwin, Mimi Aguglia, Kathleen Howard, Konstantin Shayne, Tito Vuolo.
Cinematography Lloyd Ahern
Original Music Alfred Newman
Written by Richard Murphy from the novel The Chair for Martin Rome by Henry Edward Helseth
Produced by Sol C. Siegel
Directed by Robert Siodmak
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Perhaps because of a legal or rights issue, Robert Siodmak...
Cry of the City
Blu-ray
Kl Studio Classics
1948 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 95 min. / Street Date November 15, 2016 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95
Starring Victor Mature, Richard Conte, Fred Clark, Shelley Winters, Betty Garde, Berry Kroeger, Tommy Cook, Debra Paget, Hope Emerson, Roland Winters, Walter Baldwin, Mimi Aguglia, Kathleen Howard, Konstantin Shayne, Tito Vuolo.
Cinematography Lloyd Ahern
Original Music Alfred Newman
Written by Richard Murphy from the novel The Chair for Martin Rome by Henry Edward Helseth
Produced by Sol C. Siegel
Directed by Robert Siodmak
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Perhaps because of a legal or rights issue, Robert Siodmak...
- 12/3/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Fox is teaming up with Tracy Katsky for two new projects. Deadline reports the network is developing two comedies from the producer called Otis the Potus and Linda from Hr.Written by Richard Murphy, Otis the Potus centers on Otis Chucker, a man who becomes a presidential impersonator after his doppelgänger is elected president. Meanwhile, Linda from Hr is being written by Geoff Barbanell and follows an ordinary Hr employee who becomes involved in a scandalous affair.Read More…...
- 11/17/2016
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
Elia Kazan's third picture is a hard-hitting noir, a true story that honors the efforts of a noble States' Attorney when confronted with a murder case that was a little too open-and-shut. But a close read of the movie uncovers a miasma of social criticism, hiding behind the self-congratulating official narration. A great show. Boomerang! Blu-ray Kl Studio Classics 1947 / B&W / 1:37 flat full frame / 88 min. / Street Date November 15, 2016 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95 Starring Dana Andrews, Jane Wyatt, Lee J. Cobb, Sam Levene, Arthur Kennedy, Cara Williams, Ed Begley, Taylor Holmes, Robert Keith. Cinematography Norbert Brodine Art Direction Richard Day, Chester Gore Film Editor Harmon Jones Original Music David Buttolph Written by Richard Murphy from an article in The Reader's Digest by Anthony Abbot (Fulton Oursier) Produced by Louis De Rochemont, Darryl F. Zanuck Directed by Elia Kazan
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
In just his second movie, director...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
In just his second movie, director...
- 11/15/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Fox has put in development two more single-camera comedy projects, Otis the Potus, written by Richard Murphy, and Linda From Hr, written by Geoff Barbanell and Itai Grunfeld. The projects hail from Tracy Katsky’s Kat Co., under the company’s production partnership with Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment, and 20th Century Fox TV. Otis the Potus, which has received a script commitment plus penalty, centers on Otis Chucker. After his doppelgänger is elected president…...
- 11/7/2016
- Deadline TV
Edward Dmytryk's big-scale cattle empire saga sees paterfamilias Spencer Tracy drive away his sons and bull his way into a modern civil dispute that can't be resolved with force. Robert Wagner is the loyal son and Richard Widmark the resentful son impatient for Dad to cash in his chips. Fox's early CinemaScope and stereophonic sound western is a transposition of a film noir mystery thriller. Broken Lance Blu-ray Twilight Time Limited Edition 1954 / Color / 2:55 widescreen / 96 min. / Ship Date November 10, 2015 / available through Twilight Time Movies / 29.95 Starring Spencer Tracy, Robert Wagner, Jean Peters, Richard Widmark, Katy Jurado, Hugh O'Brian, Eduard Franz, Earl Holliman, E.G. Marshall, Carl Benton Reid, Philip Ober. Cinematography Joseph MacDonald Film Editor Dorothy Spencer Original Music Leigh Harline Written by Richard Murphy, Philip Yordan Produced by Sol C. Siegel Directed by Edward Dmytryk Reviewed by Glenn EricksonSome of the early 'big' westerns that aspire to epic status are...
- 11/14/2015
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
A stunnning arts venue seamlessly blending the old with the new
This week's Cine-files is from Jamie Neish, who writes abhout film at HeyUGuys.co.uk. If there's a cinema you'd like to cover for a future Cine-files blog, email adam.boult@guardian.co.uk.
Location
Set within the city's burgeoning cultural quarter, Dundee Contemporary Arts – otherwise known as Dca to its patrons – is minutes from the city centre, and a short walk to the waterside, which is currently experiencing a £1 billion transformation.
The building
Designed by Richard Murphy Architects and opened in 1999, Dca is a stunning and original multi-storey arts venue constructed around an open-plan café bar and meeting space. Large windows and open spaces are used effectively to emphasise space, and the building incorporates different materials – from the original brickwork of the former garage that once occupied its plot through to the modern steel beams used to support...
This week's Cine-files is from Jamie Neish, who writes abhout film at HeyUGuys.co.uk. If there's a cinema you'd like to cover for a future Cine-files blog, email adam.boult@guardian.co.uk.
Location
Set within the city's burgeoning cultural quarter, Dundee Contemporary Arts – otherwise known as Dca to its patrons – is minutes from the city centre, and a short walk to the waterside, which is currently experiencing a £1 billion transformation.
The building
Designed by Richard Murphy Architects and opened in 1999, Dca is a stunning and original multi-storey arts venue constructed around an open-plan café bar and meeting space. Large windows and open spaces are used effectively to emphasise space, and the building incorporates different materials – from the original brickwork of the former garage that once occupied its plot through to the modern steel beams used to support...
- 11/5/2013
- by Guardian readers
- The Guardian - Film News
Boomerang
Written by Richard Murphy
Directed by Elia Kazan
U.S.A., 1947
Elections are won and lost for a multitude of reasons, many of which are of public knowledge.. Even so, the tactics of certain politically oriented manoeuvres in campaigns are just as frequently a secret to the public eye, inviting constant speculation as to what is transpiring behind the well guarded curtain. In a reasonably fair and free democracy, public pressure will, in the event of an election, encourage politicians and their staff to venture down whatever avenue necessary to secure a term in office. Said avenues may not necessarily be kosher, nor morally justified, but then again, all seems fair in politics when the prize is power. Boomerang, directed by the much celebrated Elia Kazan, is another of the auteur’s many projects that took an unflinching look at the various errors of human ways, in this case...
Written by Richard Murphy
Directed by Elia Kazan
U.S.A., 1947
Elections are won and lost for a multitude of reasons, many of which are of public knowledge.. Even so, the tactics of certain politically oriented manoeuvres in campaigns are just as frequently a secret to the public eye, inviting constant speculation as to what is transpiring behind the well guarded curtain. In a reasonably fair and free democracy, public pressure will, in the event of an election, encourage politicians and their staff to venture down whatever avenue necessary to secure a term in office. Said avenues may not necessarily be kosher, nor morally justified, but then again, all seems fair in politics when the prize is power. Boomerang, directed by the much celebrated Elia Kazan, is another of the auteur’s many projects that took an unflinching look at the various errors of human ways, in this case...
- 5/31/2013
- by Edgar Chaput
- SoundOnSight
Panic in the Streets
Written by Richard Murphy and Daniel Fuchs
Directed by Elia Kazan
U.S.A., 1950
-
Some directors make their careers by telling the sort of stories and using the cinematic techniques which best suit them. This lack of diversity is by no means sufficient grounds for criticism. In fact, it is often quite the contrary insofar as such directors are often (but not always) heralded as important voices for specific genres and styles. Harmony Korine explores the oft avoided subcultures of the United States, John Carpenter’s greater strengths lie in sharing thriller and horror tales and Elia Kazan’s most famous and respected projects were those which directly concentrated on critical social issues affecting the United States during this time, issues which far too many preferred to either shove under the rug or virulently disagreed to reach compromise on. Gentleman’s Agreement, Pinky and On the Waterfront come to mind.
Written by Richard Murphy and Daniel Fuchs
Directed by Elia Kazan
U.S.A., 1950
-
Some directors make their careers by telling the sort of stories and using the cinematic techniques which best suit them. This lack of diversity is by no means sufficient grounds for criticism. In fact, it is often quite the contrary insofar as such directors are often (but not always) heralded as important voices for specific genres and styles. Harmony Korine explores the oft avoided subcultures of the United States, John Carpenter’s greater strengths lie in sharing thriller and horror tales and Elia Kazan’s most famous and respected projects were those which directly concentrated on critical social issues affecting the United States during this time, issues which far too many preferred to either shove under the rug or virulently disagreed to reach compromise on. Gentleman’s Agreement, Pinky and On the Waterfront come to mind.
- 5/10/2013
- by Edgar Chaput
- SoundOnSight
Panic in the Streets
Written by Richard Murphy and Daniel Fuchs
Directed by Elia Kazan
U.S.A., 1950
-
Some directors make their careers by telling the sort of stories and using the cinematic techniques which best suit them. This lack of diversity is by no means sufficient grounds for criticism. In fact, it is often quite the contrary insofar as such directors are often (but not always) heralded as important voices for specific genres and styles. Harmony Korine explores the oft avoided subcultures of the United States, John Carpenter’s greater strengths lie in sharing thriller and horror tales and Elia Kazan’s most famous and respected projects were those which directly concentrated on critical social issues affecting the United States during this time, issues which far too many preferred to either shove under the rug or virulently disagreed to reach compromise on. Gentleman’s Agreement, Pinky and On the Waterfront come to mind.
Written by Richard Murphy and Daniel Fuchs
Directed by Elia Kazan
U.S.A., 1950
-
Some directors make their careers by telling the sort of stories and using the cinematic techniques which best suit them. This lack of diversity is by no means sufficient grounds for criticism. In fact, it is often quite the contrary insofar as such directors are often (but not always) heralded as important voices for specific genres and styles. Harmony Korine explores the oft avoided subcultures of the United States, John Carpenter’s greater strengths lie in sharing thriller and horror tales and Elia Kazan’s most famous and respected projects were those which directly concentrated on critical social issues affecting the United States during this time, issues which far too many preferred to either shove under the rug or virulently disagreed to reach compromise on. Gentleman’s Agreement, Pinky and On the Waterfront come to mind.
- 4/12/2013
- by Edgar Chaput
- SoundOnSight
The British actor has 'had enough' of pot-holed roads, and the closure of hospitals and fire stations, he has said in a radio interview. So what are his tax-and-spend ideas?
Actors and musicians tend to look like spoilt brats when they moan about tax, but Ray Winstone may not actually be the worst offender.
The actor's threat to quit the country because of the way the government spends our taxes is a familiar gripe. Less familiarly, the 56-year-old put it in language that might have come straight from the lips of his numerous geezer turns, from Sexy Beast to those lucrative bet365 adverts (which must have particularly delighted the taxman).
"I can see myself leaving here quite soon. I love this country but I've had enough of it. I don't see what we're being given back. I just see the country being raped," he announced rather incongruously when invited to...
Actors and musicians tend to look like spoilt brats when they moan about tax, but Ray Winstone may not actually be the worst offender.
The actor's threat to quit the country because of the way the government spends our taxes is a familiar gripe. Less familiarly, the 56-year-old put it in language that might have come straight from the lips of his numerous geezer turns, from Sexy Beast to those lucrative bet365 adverts (which must have particularly delighted the taxman).
"I can see myself leaving here quite soon. I love this country but I've had enough of it. I don't see what we're being given back. I just see the country being raped," he announced rather incongruously when invited to...
- 3/12/2013
- by Patrick Barkham
- The Guardian - Film News
Heather Headley and Lloyd Owen lead the cast in new musical The Bodyguard, directed by Thea Sharrock. Other cast members include Debbie Kurup, Mark Letheren, Ray Shell, Nicolas Colicos, Mark McKerracher, Sean Chapman, David Page and Oliver Le Sueur. They are joined by Luis Buddy, Caius Duncombe, Jayden Fowora Knight, Kwame Kandekore, Taylor Lockhart and Malakai Paul who will share the role of Fletcher, Rachel Marrons young son. Ensemble members are Nigel Barber, Jordan Darrell, Yasmin Harrison, Shanay Holmes, Holly James, Robert Jezek, Melissa Keyes, Gil Kolirin, Janet Kumah, Nick Maude, Richard Murphy, Gloria Onitiri, Ashley J Packer, Dharmesh Patel, Lucinda Shaw, Paul Smethurst, Charlotte Watts and James Wooldridge.
- 12/6/2012
- by Review Roundups
- BroadwayWorld.com
Thirtysomething creators Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick, who recently returned to television with an overall deal at 20th Century Fox TV, have sold their first project under that pact, an adaptation of Richard Murphy’s novel Confessions Of A Contractor, which has landed a script commitment plus penalty at Fox, with Chaos creator Tom Spezialy writing. Additionally, Fox has bought a comedy penned by Wedding Crashers co-writer Steve Faber. Confessions of a Contractor is described as a soap about the combustible mix that results when you blend desire, jealousy, and home renovation. Spezialy, Herskovitz and Zwick will executive produce. This 20th TV’s second stab at developing a TV series based on Murphy’s novel. During the 2008-09 season, a drama written by Murphy and executive produced by Shawn Ryan was set up at CBS. Steve Faber’s comedy, tentatively titled Merry Go Round, will be written by Faber, who...
- 10/14/2011
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Krysten Ritter, star of ABC’s upcoming comedy series Apartment 23, has sold her first TV project as a producer, the hourlong drama Cassandra French’s Finishing School For Boys based on Eric Garcia’s novel of the same name. Garcia (Matchstick Men) will write the adaptation, described as being in the tone of Heathers. It centers on a 22-year-old overachiever who gets her dream job as a lawyer for a Hollywood studio but can’t find a guy ready for a real, mature relationship. After the latest disappointment, she locks a guy up in her basement in order to train him to become the perfect gentleman. Ritter and Garcia are executive producing. Ritter, repped by Wme, the Group Entertainment and Sanders/Armstrong/Caserta, co-wrote, produced and stars in the indie Life Happens. Garcia, repped by Wme and Ipg, is writing Wheel Of Time for Universal and The Prize Of Peril for Sony.
- 10/6/2011
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
The story of the Russian spies undercover in suburbia is almost a film already. So just help us flesh out the casting details and we can send it over to Hollywood asap
Let's just cut to the chase here. This story about the Russian spy-ring living undetected in American suburbia will end up being turned into a film. It has to be. It's got everything - the long shadows and uncomfortable paranoia of a classic cold-war film, the hidden identities and dark secrets of an introspective Stephen Poliakoff piece and the zany, fish-out-of-water antics of, say, Uncle Buck. What more could anybody possibly want?
Sure, there'll be problems along the way, but they're nothing we need to worry about. With so many families spread out across so many Us states, the film runs the risk of becoming sprawling and disparate. While all the alleged spies will play a part, the film needs a focus.
Let's just cut to the chase here. This story about the Russian spy-ring living undetected in American suburbia will end up being turned into a film. It has to be. It's got everything - the long shadows and uncomfortable paranoia of a classic cold-war film, the hidden identities and dark secrets of an introspective Stephen Poliakoff piece and the zany, fish-out-of-water antics of, say, Uncle Buck. What more could anybody possibly want?
Sure, there'll be problems along the way, but they're nothing we need to worry about. With so many families spread out across so many Us states, the film runs the risk of becoming sprawling and disparate. While all the alleged spies will play a part, the film needs a focus.
- 6/30/2010
- by Stuart Heritage
- The Guardian - Film News
"Chappelle's Show" alum Charlie Murphy is launching a new sketch-comedy series on Sony's Crackle.com video network.
The comedian will debut "Charlie Murphy's Crash Comedy" on the site starting March 20. The show will consist of sketches, parodies and infomercials. Murphy is best known from Comedy Central's "Chappelle's Show," where he performed in sketches like "Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories." Murphy also has a famous sibling, Eddie.
The series is part of the Sony site's lineup of shows targeting men 18-34 with action, sci-fi, horror, music and reality projects. The site is run a bit like a network, rolling out a new cluster of programs every 13 weeks.
Charlie Murphy, Richard Murphy and Lance Rivera serve as executive producers for "Crash Comedy"; Sony Pictures Television is the distributor.
From Crackle: Keep Slapping them Chickenheads...
The comedian will debut "Charlie Murphy's Crash Comedy" on the site starting March 20. The show will consist of sketches, parodies and infomercials. Murphy is best known from Comedy Central's "Chappelle's Show," where he performed in sketches like "Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories." Murphy also has a famous sibling, Eddie.
The series is part of the Sony site's lineup of shows targeting men 18-34 with action, sci-fi, horror, music and reality projects. The site is run a bit like a network, rolling out a new cluster of programs every 13 weeks.
Charlie Murphy, Richard Murphy and Lance Rivera serve as executive producers for "Crash Comedy"; Sony Pictures Television is the distributor.
From Crackle: Keep Slapping them Chickenheads...
- 3/3/2009
- by By James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A trio of pilots -- CBS' drama "Confessions of a Contractor" and two ABC comedies, single-camera "Funny in Farsi" and "Planet Lucy" -- have been pushed.
The projects, all three of which are based on books, were picked up with contingencies (cast-contingent for "Contractor" and "Lucy" and director-contingent for "Farsi").
They were put on hold after the contingencies could not be met by the networks' Friday deadlines.
The 20th TV-produced "Confessions of a Contractor," based on Richard Murphy's book, is an insider's look at the sexy and provocative world of L.A. seen through the eyes of a successful contractor. Murphy penned the script and is exec producing with Shawn Ryan and Jeff Okin.
"Funny in Farsi," from ABC Studios, is based on a memoir by Firoozeh Dumas about an Iranian-born girl's experiences growing up in Newport Beach in the 1970s. It was written by Jeffrey Hodes and Nastaran Dibai.
The projects, all three of which are based on books, were picked up with contingencies (cast-contingent for "Contractor" and "Lucy" and director-contingent for "Farsi").
They were put on hold after the contingencies could not be met by the networks' Friday deadlines.
The 20th TV-produced "Confessions of a Contractor," based on Richard Murphy's book, is an insider's look at the sexy and provocative world of L.A. seen through the eyes of a successful contractor. Murphy penned the script and is exec producing with Shawn Ryan and Jeff Okin.
"Funny in Farsi," from ABC Studios, is based on a memoir by Firoozeh Dumas about an Iranian-born girl's experiences growing up in Newport Beach in the 1970s. It was written by Jeffrey Hodes and Nastaran Dibai.
- 2/21/2009
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
CBS added two more drama pilots to its development slate Wednesday.
The network picked up medical drama "The Eastmans" and the Shawn Ryan-produced "Confessions of a Contractor."
"Eastmans," from writer-executive producer Margaret Nagle and Warner Bros. TV, is a medical show centered around a complicated family of doctors.
It marks the third medical drama pilot for CBS this pilot season. The network, which has been focused on finding a new medical franchise for fall, also ordered "Three Rivers," about organ transplants, and the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced "Miami Trauma," about trauma surgeons.
"Contractor," from 20th TV, is based on Richard Murphy's book of the same name and centers on a successful L.A. contractor.
Murphy wrote the pilot and serves as co-exec producer with Jeff Okin and Paul Green. Ryan will exec produce.
The network picked up medical drama "The Eastmans" and the Shawn Ryan-produced "Confessions of a Contractor."
"Eastmans," from writer-executive producer Margaret Nagle and Warner Bros. TV, is a medical show centered around a complicated family of doctors.
It marks the third medical drama pilot for CBS this pilot season. The network, which has been focused on finding a new medical franchise for fall, also ordered "Three Rivers," about organ transplants, and the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced "Miami Trauma," about trauma surgeons.
"Contractor," from 20th TV, is based on Richard Murphy's book of the same name and centers on a successful L.A. contractor.
Murphy wrote the pilot and serves as co-exec producer with Jeff Okin and Paul Green. Ryan will exec produce.
- 2/11/2009
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The impending end of "The Shield" marks a new beginning for Shawn Ryan at FX. In his first post-"Shield" project at the cable network that gave him his big break, Ryan has teamed with "Ocean's Eleven" writer Ted Griffin for a comedic private eye one-hour that has been fast-tracked by FX.
Another Ryan collaboration, a cop drama with author James Ellroy, created strong interest from several networks before landing at A&E. Titled "The Lead Sheet," it chronicles the hunt for the infamous Hillside Strangler in 1970s Los Angeles.
In a return to his comedy roots, Ryan has signed on to pen "Millionaires Club," a comedy for Fox, with "Semi-Pro" helmer Kent Alterman attached to direct.
It has been a whirlwind of activity at Ryan's MiddKid Prods., which has sold four projects in the past few weeks, including the drama "Confessions of a Contractor" at CBS.
The shows have been developed under Ryan's overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV, that he inked in September, when he also launched Midd Kid and tapped Marney Hochman Nash to run it. The two broadcast projects are being produced by 20th TV, while the cable projects are done through its Fox21 unit.
"I'm striving to stretch myself as a writer and producer," said Ryan, noting that his background as a writer-showrunner has helped set MiddKid apart.
"There are a lot ot producing entities out there populated by nonwriting producers," he said. "We strive to be very writer-friendly and writer-centric."
The idea for the FX project came from Griffin, a "Shield" fan who penned an episode of the gritty cop drama and also will write the new project.
Ryan mentioned it to FX topper Landgraf in a chance hallway meeting.
"I could see his eyes brightening up," Ryan said. "It was a lucky break because that's an arena he wanted to mine next."
For Landgraf, there was more than chance involved in getting back in business with Ryan.
"When you have Shawn's hit and critically acclaimed show go through seven years and change the shape of ad-supported television, it's meaningful to do another series with him," he said.
Coming off "Shield," Ryan said the one thing he knew he didn't want to do was another cop show.
That is, until he met Ellroy, whose pitch for "Sheet" left him "spellbound."
The Hillside Strangler was the media's nickname for a prolific serial killer who tortured, raped and killed young women in 1977-78 in the hills above Los Angeles. Cousins Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono were convicted of the crimes.
"Sheet" follows three police officers and two DAs as they investigate the killer, with each episode of the crime procedural starting with a tip leading to a violent crime that may or may not be related to the Strangler.
A&E's head of drama Tana Nugent Jamieson said she never had to fight so much to land a project as she did for "Sheet."
"Cop procedurals do well for us, but there is an additional layer of this being a period drama that adds richness to it," she said.
In addition to writing, Ellroy will exec produce "Sheet" with his manager Joel Gotler and Ryan.
One thing Ryan planned to do after the end of "Shield" was to take a crack at a comedy.
The single-camera "Club," which has received a premium script commitment from Fox, revolves around a ragtag group of wannabe millionaires who keep coming up with ill-fated plots to get rich.
Ryan got his start in comedy, winning a national college comedy playwriting award and landing an internship with TriStar TV, where he was able to observe the writers on the NBC comedy "My Two Dads."
He penned comedy and drama spec scripts and scored a couple of blind script commitments for comedy projects but his first full-time job on "Nash Bridges" steered him toward the one-hour genre where he made his mark with "Shield."
However, Ryan said, " 'The Shield' is a much bleaker and darker show than I am as a person."
Leaving his drama comfort zone is a big risk. "It puts me back at square one with everything to prove," he said.
Based on Richard Murphy's book, "Confessions of a Contractor" is a "soapy, funny and smart" look at the world of building contractors, Ryan said. Murphy is adapting his book for CBS, which has given the project a put pilot commitment.
After having a steady job on "Shield" for seven years, Ryan admitted that the future is "a little scary."
"But it also infuses you with a real enthusiasm for television, with real hope of what's possible," he said.
Ryan, who also exec produces CBS' David Mamet-created "The Unit," is repped by Endeavor, manager Larry Shuman and attorney Michael Gendler.
Another Ryan collaboration, a cop drama with author James Ellroy, created strong interest from several networks before landing at A&E. Titled "The Lead Sheet," it chronicles the hunt for the infamous Hillside Strangler in 1970s Los Angeles.
In a return to his comedy roots, Ryan has signed on to pen "Millionaires Club," a comedy for Fox, with "Semi-Pro" helmer Kent Alterman attached to direct.
It has been a whirlwind of activity at Ryan's MiddKid Prods., which has sold four projects in the past few weeks, including the drama "Confessions of a Contractor" at CBS.
The shows have been developed under Ryan's overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV, that he inked in September, when he also launched Midd Kid and tapped Marney Hochman Nash to run it. The two broadcast projects are being produced by 20th TV, while the cable projects are done through its Fox21 unit.
"I'm striving to stretch myself as a writer and producer," said Ryan, noting that his background as a writer-showrunner has helped set MiddKid apart.
"There are a lot ot producing entities out there populated by nonwriting producers," he said. "We strive to be very writer-friendly and writer-centric."
The idea for the FX project came from Griffin, a "Shield" fan who penned an episode of the gritty cop drama and also will write the new project.
Ryan mentioned it to FX topper Landgraf in a chance hallway meeting.
"I could see his eyes brightening up," Ryan said. "It was a lucky break because that's an arena he wanted to mine next."
For Landgraf, there was more than chance involved in getting back in business with Ryan.
"When you have Shawn's hit and critically acclaimed show go through seven years and change the shape of ad-supported television, it's meaningful to do another series with him," he said.
Coming off "Shield," Ryan said the one thing he knew he didn't want to do was another cop show.
That is, until he met Ellroy, whose pitch for "Sheet" left him "spellbound."
The Hillside Strangler was the media's nickname for a prolific serial killer who tortured, raped and killed young women in 1977-78 in the hills above Los Angeles. Cousins Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono were convicted of the crimes.
"Sheet" follows three police officers and two DAs as they investigate the killer, with each episode of the crime procedural starting with a tip leading to a violent crime that may or may not be related to the Strangler.
A&E's head of drama Tana Nugent Jamieson said she never had to fight so much to land a project as she did for "Sheet."
"Cop procedurals do well for us, but there is an additional layer of this being a period drama that adds richness to it," she said.
In addition to writing, Ellroy will exec produce "Sheet" with his manager Joel Gotler and Ryan.
One thing Ryan planned to do after the end of "Shield" was to take a crack at a comedy.
The single-camera "Club," which has received a premium script commitment from Fox, revolves around a ragtag group of wannabe millionaires who keep coming up with ill-fated plots to get rich.
Ryan got his start in comedy, winning a national college comedy playwriting award and landing an internship with TriStar TV, where he was able to observe the writers on the NBC comedy "My Two Dads."
He penned comedy and drama spec scripts and scored a couple of blind script commitments for comedy projects but his first full-time job on "Nash Bridges" steered him toward the one-hour genre where he made his mark with "Shield."
However, Ryan said, " 'The Shield' is a much bleaker and darker show than I am as a person."
Leaving his drama comfort zone is a big risk. "It puts me back at square one with everything to prove," he said.
Based on Richard Murphy's book, "Confessions of a Contractor" is a "soapy, funny and smart" look at the world of building contractors, Ryan said. Murphy is adapting his book for CBS, which has given the project a put pilot commitment.
After having a steady job on "Shield" for seven years, Ryan admitted that the future is "a little scary."
"But it also infuses you with a real enthusiasm for television, with real hope of what's possible," he said.
Ryan, who also exec produces CBS' David Mamet-created "The Unit," is repped by Endeavor, manager Larry Shuman and attorney Michael Gendler.
- 8/7/2008
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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