R.I.P.
Thursday, June 19th, 2008
Her legs were worth millions
By Brian Frederick
LOS ANGELES, CA (Hollywood Today)
6/19/08 - -
“Ms Charisse died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after suffering an apparent heart attack on Monday,” publicist Gene Schwam said.
You may not remember her dance musicals unless you are a movie buff of Hollywood’s golden age but Cyd Charisse was the talent that made some of Hollywood’s great classic musical movies in the 1950s.
She starred in the musical hit ‘Singin’ in the Rain,’ with Gene Kelly and ’Silk Stockings,’ with Fred Astaire.
Not only was she a star in her own right, Charisse was known for having the nicest legs in Hollywood
Guinness Book reportedly listed her legs as being the most expensive in the world due to a $5 million insurance policy taken out on them.
After the 1960s, movie musicals began to decline and the demand for long legged ballet dancers declined with them.
Before her decline in musicals, her celebrity status was sealed as one of the best dancers in Hollywood.
Cyd had a supporting role in ‘Something’s Got To Give,’ starring Marilyn Monroe.
The film is one of Hollywood’s most notorious unfinished films.
Monroe died during production.
The Texas native was born Tula Ellice Finklea in Amarillo.
Her nickname was Sid as a child and she changed it to Cyd when she arrived in Hollywood.
Sid is a variation of Sis given to her by her brother.
In 2006, she was presented with the National Medal of the Arts and Humanities by President Bush in 2006.
The medal is officially highest U.S. honor for the arts.
Charisse is survived by her second husband Tony Martin and her two sons Tony Martin Jr. from her second marriage and Nico “Nicky” Charisse from her first marriage to her dance instructor, Nico Charisse.
Thursday, June 19th, 2008
Music biz can still put out a big CD premiere in Internet Age, Coldplay also a winner
By Emily Smith
HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today)
6/19/08 —
Hip Hop legend, NAS, was once quoted as saying “Hip Hop is dead”…well that doesn’t quite seem to be the case, as New Orleans rapper, Lil Wayne, proved last week by selling over a million copies of his latest album “Lil Wayne’s Carter III”.
On its first day of release, official sales figures hit 423,000 units – other established artists with recent album releases have barely met those figures in their first week.
It is the first Hip Hop album to top 1 million, since 2005 when 50 Cent released “The Massacre”.
And has been the most talked about Hip Hop project since last year’s Kanye West vs. 50 Cent album release battle, where Kanye was declared the winner with sales of 957,000 to 50 Cent’s, still respectful - 691,000 copies.
And it isn’t just the Hip Hop genre receiving some positive sales, the band – Coldplay – just released their new album –Viva La Vida, with first day sales of 316,000 – and is projected, by Billboard, to sell up to 750,000 by the end of the 1st week.
So there is hope, if you release the right album, at the right time, the industry could make a recovery.
Lil Wayne’s success does not stop there, he has also sold 2.14million downloads of his single, “Lollipop”, and can currently claim to have the Top selling ringtone of the year so far, with 2 million, as reported by Nielsen Soundscan.
He has used an interesting marketing technique, according to Vibe Editor, Danyel Smith.
Lil Wayne’s album was leaked on the Internet 2 weeks early, and in the past he has constantly given away his music, increasing his fan base in the process.
Billboard charts director, Geoff Mayfield, said retailers showed confidence, when they ordered shipments of around 1.8 million copies, which is much higher than usual.
The album sales mostly came from retail chains, and digital sales were at 9.9%.
The album boosted up overall record sales for the week by 23%.
The figures are refreshing, for an industry that is still suffering, with music sales down 11% on last year.
The current state of the economy, and increased costs for the average consumer, has meant there is less disposable income overall, so people are looking for alternatives to actually paying for music – which leads to an increase in illegal downloads.
Published by Carolina on June 19th, 2008 (3 hours ago)
That’s right.
Janet Jackson will join the ranks of celebrities turning to a reality show out of desperation and/or boredom.
Why else would she need to do reality?
She’s obviously very talented.
The show, scheduled to launch this fall, will show Janet as a mentor while a group of aspiring singers and dancers compete for an undisclosed prize.
According to Variety, the untitled show on 25/7 Productions for MTV will begin filming this summer, as Jackson gets ready to go on tour September 10th.
Executive producer Dave Broome explains the show,
It’s really about finding who’s the next Janet Jackson or Justin Timberlake or Usher.
And we’ll find it from a pool of people who you wouldn’t typically find them from.
We’ll go to YMCAs, church groups, local community centers and try to cast the show.
The Box Office
1. Iron Man - $50,500,000
2. Speed Racer - $20,200,000
3. What Happens In Vegas - $20,000,000
4. Made of Honor - $7,600,000
5. Baby Mama - $5,800,000
While we wait for the twins…
Angelina Jolie's new movie, Wanted, hits theaters next Friday, June 27th, and the film is getting GREAT reviews
The debut American feature by successful Russian director Timur Bekmambetov ("Night Watch" and its record-smashing 2006 sequel,
"Day Watch"), this over-the-top, ultraviolent, hyperkinetic action thriller pretty much has it all.
That would include engagingly offbeat source material in the form of Mark Millar and J.G. Jones' comic book series, a decent adaptation by Michel Brandt and Derek Haas
(last year's "3:10 to Yuma" remake) and Chris Morgan ("Cellular"), a terrific cast and jaw-dropping stunt work.
Can't wait to see it!!!!
Are U going to see Wanted???
That's Keira Knightley and her mother, Sharman Macdonald, a writer, at the premiere of The Edge Of Love, Wednesday at the 62nd Edinburgh International Film Festival.
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