lifestyle SUNDAY, MAY 8, 2016

Features John von Soosten, TV Exec and Former NATPE President, Dies at 71 ohn von Soosten, a veteran programming exec for as the organization set off on a growth spurt with the West Hempstead, N.Y., and Nantucket. New York TV and radio stations and former president expansion of the national first-run syndication business. He “He had a deep passion the music and artists, and spent Jof NATPE, died April 13 on Long Island after a short ill- also served on NATPE’s board of directors and on its execu- his life sharing that passion with us throughout his illustri- ness. He was 71. tive committee. ous broadcasting career,” the station said in a statement. A native of New York, Von Soosten began his career as After WNYW, Von Soosten moved to Katz Television as Survivors include his wife of 45 years, Linda Baron, and two an engineer at what was then WOR-TV. He moved to what senior VP and director of programming for the national nephews. — Reuters is now WNYW-TV in the era when the station was owned advertising rep firm, which works with local TV stations by John Kluge’s MetroMedia. He rose through the ranks around the country. Von Soosten also worked for New York from assistant production manager to working in the pro- radio stations WQEW and WNSW, and he hosted the pop motions department to the post of VP and director of pro- music programs “Frank’s Place” and “On Broadway” for XM gramming for the station that became the flagship O& O of Satellite Radio. NEW YORK: Television Rupert Murdoch’s Fox network. For the past three years, von Soosten hosted “The Great Executive John von In 1985, von Soosten was elected president of the American Songbook” program for Nantucket’s NPR affiliate, Soosten. — AFP National Association of Television Program Executives, just WNCK. Von Soosten divided his time between homes in

Annette Bening Starring in Romance for Bond Producer Barbara Broccoli

nnette Bening, Jamie Bell and Julie tion in London and Liverpool. The story is for support when she reached the terminal Walters will star in the romance “Film based on the memoir by British actor Peter stage of stomach cancer in 1981. The AStars Don’t Die in Liverpool” for Turner and follows the playful but passion- screenplay is written by Matt Greenhalgh, James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli and ate relationship between Turner and the whose credits include “Control” and Colin Vaines. eccentric Academy Award-winning actress “Nowhere Boy.” Broccoli and her brother IM Global is co-financing the film, which Gloria Grahame. What starts as a vibrant Michael G. Wilson own EON Productions has acquired international distribution affair between a legendary femme fatale and have produced the last eight Bond films rights. It will launch sales next week at the and her young lover grows into a deeper together, including “Skyfall” and “Spectre.” Cannes Film Festival. Shooting will begin in relationship. Pan Macmillan will republish the book in the UK on June 27 with Paul McGuigan Grahame won an Oscar for her perform- June in the UK The news was first reported (“Sherlock”) directing. The production will ance in “The Bad and the Beautiful.” The by Screen. — Reuters Actress Annette Bening take place at Pinewood Studios and on loca- book focuses on Graham turning to Turner

‘The Revenant’ Exec Nia Vardalos, Meg Ryan, Geena Producers Form Facing Davis Talk Sexism in Hollywood East, Back ‘Inversion’ orking together on “Tootsie,” Dustin Hoffman gave Wedding 2” screened at Bentonville, encountered similar lighting.’ I don’t temper how I feel. I’m Greek. I’ve got emo- Geena Davis wise career advice that she has fol- experiences while starting out in Hollywood. “I had worked tions. I just say it: ‘No.’” arkus Barmettler and Philip Lee, exec pro- Wlowed ever since. “One of the things he told me for ten years in theater, I had worked at Second City in “I remember when I got ‘Father of the Bride and I first ducers of “The Revenant,” have formed was ‘Work on getting your own material. Read books. Read Chicago. Then I got to Hollywood and I was like, naively, hired ‘people’ (to help me) and I was trying to find out who Mproduction-financing company Facing articles, get the rights,’” says Davis. “So from the very begin- ‘Where’s my pilot?’” she said. “And I went to my agent, who I was-I was 19,” said Williams-Paisley. “One of the people I East and are backing sci-fi adventure “Inversion.” ning that was in my mind. In fact, I tried to get the rights to also represented by husband, who was going out for nine hired suggested, maybe your character is obsessed with The company, which plans three to four major ‘The Accidental Tourist’ when I read it and somebody bought to ten auditions a week, and I said to her, ‘Why am I not trashy lingerie. I was like, ‘Really? That’s my thing?’ And she productions every two years, is based in Beijing and the rights a long time ago and I was so bummed because I getting auditions?’ And she said, ‘Because you’re not pretty was a woman. I didn’t do that.” Hong Kong. It announced Friday that “Inversion” thought somebody is going to get to play that part.” enough to be a leading lady and you’re not fat enough to Per Ryan, there’s also this notion in Hollywood that has attached Peter Segal as director with Segal Davis, of course, ultimately did get to play that role in be a character actress.’ I held off for a bit to see if she was actresses simply aren’t as smart as their male counterparts- working on the screenplay with “Casino Royale” Lawrence Kasdan’s 1988 drama, ‘The Accidental Tourist,’ going to say, ‘Just kidding.’ But no, she was not kidding, not that they just can’t take care of themselves. “I’m come scribe Paul Haggis. Principal photography is set to winning the Academy Award for best supporting actress. one bit. And I had real sadness for this woman because I across more infantilization than sexism,” says Ryan, whose commence in August. The story follows a street- But snagging an Oscar didn’t preclude Davis from encoun- realized she was hating on her own gender and that years directorial effort “Ithaca,” also screened at Bentonville. “It’s wise American con man and a young Chinese tering sexism in Hollywood, a topic up for discussion at of Hollywood had turned her so jaded.” more likely for an actress to be considered dumb. It’s much physicist as they race against the clock to save the Friday’s “In Control of Her Own Destiny” panel held during In response, Vardalos borrowed a friend’s computer and more convenient. I did a movie once that a lot of people earth from a terrifying loss of gravity. the second annual Bentonville Film Festival, which Davis penned the semi-autobiographical “My Big Fat Greek didn’t like, and I went to England to do press for it, and the Michael Nozik is also set to produce, with the co-founded and that aims to increase diversity and gender Wedding,” which went on to earn over $368 million dollars interviewer hated it so much, he kept saying that I screenplay credited to Bragi Schut, David Arata and parity in media. at the U.S. box office. “I called myself with a job offer,” said shouldn’t have played such a sexualized character. Like a Paul Haggis. Mark Damon’s Foresight Unlimited has Meg Ryan, Nia Vardalos and Kimberly Williams-Paisley Vardalos of her decision to take matters into her own dad who was incredibly disappointed that his daughter been handling pre-sales and will sell the film in joined Davis for the spirited event, which took place at the hands. “I jumped on stage and started to do that material had had sex. When I directed ‘Ithaca’ I got really aware of Cannes next week. “The Revenant” grossed $60 mil- Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark. as a one woman show. The agents never came. But Rita that idea that actresses just aren’t supposed to be smart.” lion in China. Barmettler and Lee have also been “One day (on the set of ‘Thelma & Louise’) as we’re walk- Wilson and Tom Hanks and Tom Hank’s partner Gary But producing your own projects is one of the best ways involved in “Cloud Atlas,” “Forbidden Kingdom” and ing to lunch, Ridley (Scott) says, ‘Hey, Geena, I’m thinking lat- Goetzman came. And they said, this should be a movie.” to maintain creative control, said Vardalos. “During the “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” er in the scene today, what if you were to just sit up in the While new inroads have been made for women and focus group process for ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2’ the They helped develop the multi-picture agree- back of the chair in your car and just take your shirt off?’” minorities in TV and film, all four panelists agreed that gen- teenage girl character wasn’t testing well and the studio ment between Guangdong Alpha Animation and Davis told the crowd. “And I run over and find Susan der inequality continues to pervade the entertainment said, ‘can you make her more likeable?’” she said. “And we Culture Company, Catchplay Inc. and New Regency. (Sarandon) and I tell her there’s a scene this afternoon and business. “I’ve had lots of moments in development of my said absolutely not. I will not make her more likable. This is Facing East also has profit participation in “Assassins Ridley wants me to take my top off and she says, ‘Oh, for scripts where a director doesn’t quite understand that I’m an actual depiction of a female girl and look how well she’s Creed” and “Splinter Cell.” heaven’s sake.’ She throws her silverware down and goes trying to be a voice for all women,” said Vardalos. “Quite been received. So they can suck it.”— Reuters Facing East is also developing “Chinatown” with over to Ridley and says, ‘Ridley, Geena’s not taking her top often they will suggest a scene where my character is Ronny Yu directing from a screenplay with James off.’ It was like, oh, wait a minute. Women are actually going lingerie shopping and wearing a bra. And I’ll say, DiLapo about Chang Apana, who fought the sys- allowed to say what they think and express what they want.” ‘Listen, when a woman is not feeling sexy the last thing temic corruption of the Honolulu elite at the turn of Vardalos, whose new comedy “My Big Fat Greek we’re going to do is subject ourselves to that fluorescent the 20th Century and became the first Chinese police detective in Hawaii. — Reuters

Kiefer Sutherland’s ‘Designated Survivor’ to Premiere This Fall on ABC iefer Sutherland will return to television with ABC’s “Designated Survivor,” a political conspiracy thriller in which Khe will play the President. Though Variety reported last year that “Designated Survivor” landed a straight-to-series order, ABC confirmed for the first time today that the series has officially been picked up with an initial order of 13 episodes. “Designated Survivor” is set to premiere this fall. Related Kiefer Sutherland Returning to TV in ABC Political Conspiracy ThrillerAmy B. Harris, who was originally set as show runner on the series, has departed and the search for a new show runner is underway. In the first teaser, released Friday by ABC, Sutherland is back in action as leading man. The “24” alum plays Tom Kirkman, a lower cabinet member who unexpectedly becomes president after a devastating attack on Washington. He will struggle to prevent the country and his own family from falling into chaos, as he is thrust into one of the most difficult presidencies in history. “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States-so help me God,” Sutherland says iN the trailer. Along with Sutherland, “Designated Survivor” stars Natascha McElhone, Maggie Q, Kal Penn, Adan Canto, Italia Ricci, LaMonica Garrett and Tanner Buchanan. The Mark Gordon Company and ABC Studios is behind “Designated Survivor” with creator David Guggenheim exec producing with Simon Kinberg who developed the show with Guggenheim. Mark Gordon, Nick Pepper, Suzan Bymel, Aditya Sood and Sutherland are also exec producers. Paul McGuigan directed the first episode. Sutherland’ is gearing up for a busy 2016-2017 season. Though he has no on- screen role at this point, he is attached to Fox’s “24” spinoff “24: Legacy” as an exec producer. — Reuters

NEW YORK: Geena Davis, Meg Ryan, Nia Vardalos and Kimberly Williams at a press conference promoting their latest joint movie project. — AFP