THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. THURSDAY. AUGUST 23, 1990 3 Briefs Odyssey caught in capital crunch Negative publicity Odyssey Entertainment Ltd., the nounced merger goes through as revenues." "The Cosby Show's" Lisa Bonet Los Angeles-based independent film planned. The year-ago loss was restated to wants a federal judge to order the company, said it faces a capital Simultaneously, the company re- reflect discontinuation of Odyssey's National Enquirer to hand over a shortfall that may force it to curtail ported on Wednesday improved TV commercial arm. Also, the cur- negative of her baby daughter. She operations or possibly even fold, ac- earnings for the first quarter ended rent figures include a $500,000 man- alleges the negative showing her cording to company documents. June 30, posting net income of agement service fee to Double Helix then month-old daughter, Zoe "The company has incurred sub- $263,916. or 6 cents a share, vs. a net Films Inc. Company shareholders Kravitz, was stolen by a drug store stantial operating losses since its in- loss of $948,721, or a loss of 21 cents — continued on page 34 clerk from the Remits Calif., phar- ception that raise substantial doubt a share, in the same period a year macy that developed her photo- about its ability to continue as a earlier. Think grows up graphs. Bonet has sued the Ameri- going concern," said Odyssey in fil- Revenue soared to $4.8 million can Drug Stores Inc chain for ing with. the Securities and Ex- from $435,733 a year ago, lifted by with 'Amendment' unspecified compensatory dam- change Commission. "Cash flow returns from "Q&A," which Tri- By PAULA PARISI ages and S5 million in punitive from foreign sales and distribution Star Pictures released. Regarding In a move to broaden its scope be- damages. operations is not sufficent to finance the murder drama "Q &A," Odyssey yond the children's fare for which it current operations, and the company said in a statement that it "has for- has become known, Shelley Duvall's Dallas theater saved has a substantial and immediate eign distribution rights and partici- Think Entertainment has acquired The Dallas movie theater where need for additional financing ..." pates through a joint venture in a TV rights to the adult-themed novel Let Harvey Oswald was captured whether or not a previously an- percentage of the domestic "The Amendment," which deals with following the assassination of Presi- the subject of abortion. dent John F. Kennedy has been "We're branching out into more saved from demolition. The Italian Lee rebuts anti-Semite claim, adult fare, and we loved the title and renaissance-style Texas Theatre the concept of this," said Think pres- was built by billionaire Howard lashes out at 'double standard' ident Dennis Miller. Hughes and opened in 1931. But Director-writer-actor Spike Lee and film critics. Taking note of the The novel, by Sue Robinson, re- the fate of the building had been in made a formal reply to charges of fact that he gets "more heat from volves around a mother whose doubt since United Artists The- anti-Semitism made against him black people about my depictions of daughter has been killed by the au- atres Inc. closed it in December for and his most recent film, "Mo' Bet- blacks than I do from white people," thorities in an illegal abortion clinic financial reasons. This week, UA ter Blues" — with a formal op-ed Lee wondered why no one has writ- in a future America where abortion agreed to sell it to the Texas The- piece in Wednesday's New York ten "about the racist images in Walt — continued on page 34 atre Historical Society for Times. Disney films like 'Song of the South' S175,000. Lee, who is based in Brooklyn, and 'Dumbo.' Bean in for Smith defended his portrayal of Jewish Lee also mentioned film writers' Wagoner gatecrasher nightclub owners in "Mo' Better lionization of the 1915 D.W. Grif- as CFO at LIVE A woman driving a pickup truck Blues" by noting that "all Jewish fith film "Birth of a Nation," and LIVE Entertainment has hired crashed through the gate at the nightclub owners are not (exploit- asked why those journalists who Theodore Bean as executive vp and Nashville, Tenn, home of Grand ative), that's MC. but these two scrutinize his work "don't write long, chief financial officer, replacing Rog- Ole Opry star Porter Wagoner and are." critical articles" about a film Lee er Smith, who will move to LIVE's then fled, police said. Officers ob- The filmmaker, currently in pro- said "was used as a recruiting tool by controlling shareholder. Carole* Pic- tained warrants charging Glenda duction on "Jungle Fever," also de- the Ku Klux Klan?" tures, as executive vp. Kniphfer with trespassing and van- cried the "double standard" by "If we're gonna play the game of Bean is expected to join LIVE, the dalism, both misdemeanors, after which he is measured by journalists — continued on page 36 Los Angeles-based music and home the incident late Tuesday. She was video marketer, around Sept. 10. He being sought Wednesday. Polite is executive vp and chief financial said she had been ordered off the New World gets Irving TV rights officer of PACE Membership Ware- property before. Ncw World Entertainment and Howard Hughes. The book turned house, a unit of K mart Corp. producers Diane and Mel Sokolow out to be a fake and Irving spent 17 LIVE chairman Wayne Patter- Shoot start have bought the rights to Clifford months in fail for fraud. - continued on page 36 Paramount Pictures' danceable Irving's "Trial" to develop as a two- "Trial" is the first project to be comedy "Stepping Out," starring part miniseries for NBC. produced under the Sokolows' new VH-1 buys vintage Liza Minnelli, has started principal John Gay ("Fatal Vision," "Blind exclusive television deal with New shooting in Toronto, with Lewis Gil- Faith") has been set to write the World for the production of miniser- ABC news specials bert ("Shirley Valentine") produc- teleplay based on the novel to be ies, telefilms and series. NEW YORK — VH-1 has ac- ing and directing Richard Harris' published by Simon & Schuster this Among other projects under way quired nine one-hour original ABC adaptation of his own play. John fall. are "Guest of Emperor," based on News programs highlighting top Dark is serving as co-producer. Bill Irving gained notoriety in the ear- the novel by Janice Young Brooks, news stories from the 1960s, '70s and Kenwright is executive producer. ly I970s, when he wrote and sold to a which is being developed as a tele- '80s. Release is .slated for spring 1991. publisher what he claimed was an film for NBC, with Walter Halsey The programs, "Great TV News autobiography of the late billionaire — continued on page 36 Stories," reinforce VH- l's commit- Shoot start II ment to its target 25-49 age group Principal photography also be- audience, which grew up during the gan this week in Moscow for Andre BAFTA salute delayed by crisis — continued on page 37 Konchalovsky's "The Projection- The British Academy of Film and "The volatile and potentially very ist," starring Tom Hulce and Louts Television Arts has notified the dangerous situation in the Middle Davidovich. Shooting in the Soviet Academy of Television Arts & Sci- East makes postponement of our 'sa- 47-1ra.0. Union will continue for four ences that it has postponed its plans lute' inevitable," said BAFTA direc- Grove months, with several scenes to be for a "Salute to American Televi- tor Tony Tyrne in a letter to ATAS TV, Film trams shot behind the walls of the Krem- sion" in October. "It would be inappropriate and Obituaries lin. Claudio Bonivento produces That scuttles the plans of 100 insensitive to proceed with a salute, Leiters to the Editor from an original screenplay by ATAS members, led by ATAS pres- intended to be a happy celebration Business/Mooks Korichalovsky and Mainly Usov ident Leo Chaloukian. to journey morainic *de party, that might well coincide with Peopie on the Move for Bonivento Film Prods and from Hollywood to London to wit- the United States, supported by Syndication news Mcafilm. ness and participate in the sa- Britain and other allies, being en- George Christy's Greet LW U lute. gaged in an horrific war situation."