Friday, March 31, 2006
Best bets on TV tonight
Las Vegas: 9 p.m., NBC. Danny and Mike want to focus on investigating some break-ins. Instead, they also have to pose for a beefcake calendar. Meanwhile, Jillian (Cheryl Ladd) worries that her flawed marriage to Ed (James Caan) is a bad example and has caused their daughter to stay single. Guest stars include Robert Wagner (as an ex-convict), Brooke Burke and Hal Sparks.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
NRMLA Elects Lender Lead Solutions CEO David Peskin to Board
Senior Educational Innovator to Join Premier Reverse Mortgage Group
Lender Lead Solutions, the premier mortgage educator and lead provider, is proud to announce that CEO David Peskin has been elected to the Board of Directors of the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders' Association (NRMLA).
"I'm honored to have been named to NRMLA's board," said Peskin. "I hope to be able to use my new position to build senior awareness about the powerful financial benefits of reverse mortgages."
As the official voice of the reverse mortgage industry, NRMLA is responsible for representing the industry's interests in Congress while promoting reverse mortgage education. As a new member of the board, Peskin will serve a unique role in helping to improve all aspects of the reverse mortgage process from the standpoint of lenders and consumers. Some of the board's current projects include:
* The passage of the "Reverse Mortgages To Help America's Seniors Act,"
which would remove the cap on the number of reverse mortgages that the
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can insure.
* Working with HUD and other agencies to improve reverse mortgage counseling.
* Promoting reverse mortgages in conjunction with the National Council on the Aging.
As the founder of Lender Lead Solutions' Senior Lending Network program, Peskin is no stranger to reverse mortgages. Founded in 2003, the Senior Lending Network was created to educate consumers about reverse mortgages and put them in touch with local lenders.
About Lender Lead Solutions
Lender Lead Solutions (LLS) was launched in 2003 to meet the lead generation needs of the mortgage industry. The company's programs use unique, celebrity-hosted TV advertisements and free DVDs to educate consumers about mortgages, while pairing them with qualified local lenders. LLS' Senior Lending Network campaign, hosted by renowned actor Robert Wagner, was developed to educate seniors about the powerful benefits of reverse mortgages.
About NRMLA
Established in December 1997, NRMLA is a national trade association for firms that originate, service, and invest in reverse mortgages. Its members make and service more than 90 percent of all reverse mortgages in the U.S.
Media Contact:
Ben Abelson
Lender Lead Solutions
Marketing Associate
631-773-5139
babelson@lenderleadsolutions.com
Lender Lead Solutions, the premier mortgage educator and lead provider, is proud to announce that CEO David Peskin has been elected to the Board of Directors of the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders' Association (NRMLA).
"I'm honored to have been named to NRMLA's board," said Peskin. "I hope to be able to use my new position to build senior awareness about the powerful financial benefits of reverse mortgages."
As the official voice of the reverse mortgage industry, NRMLA is responsible for representing the industry's interests in Congress while promoting reverse mortgage education. As a new member of the board, Peskin will serve a unique role in helping to improve all aspects of the reverse mortgage process from the standpoint of lenders and consumers. Some of the board's current projects include:
* The passage of the "Reverse Mortgages To Help America's Seniors Act,"
which would remove the cap on the number of reverse mortgages that the
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can insure.
* Working with HUD and other agencies to improve reverse mortgage counseling.
* Promoting reverse mortgages in conjunction with the National Council on the Aging.
As the founder of Lender Lead Solutions' Senior Lending Network program, Peskin is no stranger to reverse mortgages. Founded in 2003, the Senior Lending Network was created to educate consumers about reverse mortgages and put them in touch with local lenders.
About Lender Lead Solutions
Lender Lead Solutions (LLS) was launched in 2003 to meet the lead generation needs of the mortgage industry. The company's programs use unique, celebrity-hosted TV advertisements and free DVDs to educate consumers about mortgages, while pairing them with qualified local lenders. LLS' Senior Lending Network campaign, hosted by renowned actor Robert Wagner, was developed to educate seniors about the powerful benefits of reverse mortgages.
About NRMLA
Established in December 1997, NRMLA is a national trade association for firms that originate, service, and invest in reverse mortgages. Its members make and service more than 90 percent of all reverse mortgages in the U.S.
Media Contact:
Ben Abelson
Lender Lead Solutions
Marketing Associate
631-773-5139
babelson@lenderleadsolutions.com
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
What Becomes a Legend Most?
Click to enlarge
Robert Wagner (center), celebrates his Copper Wing Award and Tribute at a private party held during the Phoenix Film Festival on March 24, 2006 with filmmakers Brian (left) and Dean Ronalds.
Phoenix film fest draws celebrities, bigger crowds
PHOENIX - Film competition screenings are about to go dark as the Phoenix Film Festival completes this year's event Thursday.
Filmmakers, celebrities and film lovers from throughout Arizona, Hollywood and New York have been participating in the sixth-annual, eight-day movie event at Harkins 101,Scottsdale Road and Loop 101.
There were 850 films submitted this year, 250 features and 600 shorts, 15 percent of which were from Arizona filmmakers.
Program director Greg Hall of Surprise was the final decisionmaker of the festival's 359 feature presentations and 50 shorts. At closing, 200 volunteers will have worked the event, and 20,000 moviegoers will have attended, up by 5,000 from 2005.
The event paid tribute to veteran actor Robert Wagner, who appears in two festival selections, Little Victims and Universal Pictures' Hoot. He received the Copper Wing Award.
Little Victims, which was shot in Phoenix, won the award for Best Arizona Short Film. The eight-minute dark comedy about what lies at the end of the rainbow was produced by local filmmakers, the Ronalds Brothers (Brian and Dean) of Gilbert, and was written by Bruce Dellis of Tempe. It featured Wagner with actress Lori Singer of Los Angeles and Phoenix-area actors Brian Ronalds and Laura Durant.
"I have made several films in Arizona over the years including Broken Lance with Spencer Tracy, Love Among Thieves with Audrey Hepburn and we brought our Hart to Hart show here, too," Wagner said.
"It's wonderful working here," he said. "There is a great film community in Arizona, and I look forward to working with the Ronalds Brothers on their next film here, NetherBeast, in the coming months."
Wagner said he had wanted to be in movies since he was a boy and considered himself very lucky that it happened.
This year's festival was a third bigger than last year in terms of selections, sponsors and programming, according to Chris LaMont, the festival's executive director.
An integral part of the festival is the educational outreach program, according to festival director Jason Carney of El Mirage.
"We had 500 students attending workshops from 20 middle school and high schools throughout Arizona to learn about the business and get experience working with professionals," Carney said.
Workshops are offered in screenwriting, acting, directing, producing, editing, casting and independent filmmaking.
Festival dates have already been set for April 12-19, 2007.
Filmmakers, celebrities and film lovers from throughout Arizona, Hollywood and New York have been participating in the sixth-annual, eight-day movie event at Harkins 101,Scottsdale Road and Loop 101.
There were 850 films submitted this year, 250 features and 600 shorts, 15 percent of which were from Arizona filmmakers.
Program director Greg Hall of Surprise was the final decisionmaker of the festival's 359 feature presentations and 50 shorts. At closing, 200 volunteers will have worked the event, and 20,000 moviegoers will have attended, up by 5,000 from 2005.
The event paid tribute to veteran actor Robert Wagner, who appears in two festival selections, Little Victims and Universal Pictures' Hoot. He received the Copper Wing Award.
Little Victims, which was shot in Phoenix, won the award for Best Arizona Short Film. The eight-minute dark comedy about what lies at the end of the rainbow was produced by local filmmakers, the Ronalds Brothers (Brian and Dean) of Gilbert, and was written by Bruce Dellis of Tempe. It featured Wagner with actress Lori Singer of Los Angeles and Phoenix-area actors Brian Ronalds and Laura Durant.
"I have made several films in Arizona over the years including Broken Lance with Spencer Tracy, Love Among Thieves with Audrey Hepburn and we brought our Hart to Hart show here, too," Wagner said.
"It's wonderful working here," he said. "There is a great film community in Arizona, and I look forward to working with the Ronalds Brothers on their next film here, NetherBeast, in the coming months."
Wagner said he had wanted to be in movies since he was a boy and considered himself very lucky that it happened.
This year's festival was a third bigger than last year in terms of selections, sponsors and programming, according to Chris LaMont, the festival's executive director.
An integral part of the festival is the educational outreach program, according to festival director Jason Carney of El Mirage.
"We had 500 students attending workshops from 20 middle school and high schools throughout Arizona to learn about the business and get experience working with professionals," Carney said.
Workshops are offered in screenwriting, acting, directing, producing, editing, casting and independent filmmaking.
Festival dates have already been set for April 12-19, 2007.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Will Smith in Big Screen Thief Adaptation
Universal Pictures has attached Will Smith to star in a feature adaptation of the TV series It Takes a Thief, reports Variety. The Roland Kibbee-created series, which starred Robert Wagner, ran 1968-70.
Smith will play a charming rogue who is blackmailed by the government into doing covert larceny for the good of his country. The film will put the professional thief in the employment of the CIA.
Smith and his Overbrook Entertainment partner James Lassiter have come aboard to produce the film with Kevin Misher, John Davis and Joe Singer. Four Brothers screenwriters David Elliot and Paul Lovett are set to write the script.
Smith will play a charming rogue who is blackmailed by the government into doing covert larceny for the good of his country. The film will put the professional thief in the employment of the CIA.
Smith and his Overbrook Entertainment partner James Lassiter have come aboard to produce the film with Kevin Misher, John Davis and Joe Singer. Four Brothers screenwriters David Elliot and Paul Lovett are set to write the script.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Ronalds Brothers Take Part in Honoring Robert Wagner at Phoenix Film Festival
Phoenix, AZ - March 20, 2006
The Ronalds Brothers will take part in honoring actor Robert Wagner at this years Phoenix Film Festival. The Festival will recognize the contributions to cinema of the Hollywood Friday, March 24, 2006 at the Harkins Cine Capri at Scottsdale 101, 7000 East Mayo Blvd., Northeast Phoenix, and beginning at 7 p.m.
Wagner, whose Hollywood career lists nearly 200 credits over the past five decades in movies and television, is the quintessential leading actor of the American screen a man who is handsome, charming, and debonair, and whose style and presence invoke intelligence and wit equally. Baby Boomers remember Wagner fondly as the handsome heartthrob from films like THE PINK PANTHER and as the suave millionaire detective Jonathan Hart in the television series HART TO HART, and todays audiences know him as Dr. Evils eye-patched Number Twoin the Austin Powers film trilogy.
Last year, Wagner co-starred as the suave and dapper Howard in the short film Little Victim that was produced and directed by Arizona filmmakers Brian and Dean Ronalds with Kevin Berman as executive producer. Little Victim is an Official Selection of the 2006 Phoenix Film Festival and will be presented at the Harkins Cine Capri at Scottsdale 101 on Saturday, March 25 at 9:05 a.m., March 26 at 3:15 p.m. and March 29 at 5:20 p.m. Other members of the cast include Lori Singer, Laura Durant and Brian Ronalds.
Little Victim has already played as an Official Selection nearly a dozen film festivals world-wide, including: the 2006 Santa Barbara International Film Festival; Garden State International Film Festival; London International Festival of Science Fiction and Fantastic Film; Tiburon International Film Festival; Queens International Film Festival; Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee and Sonoma Valley International Film Festival.
Over the last few years, the Ronalds Brothers have been actively producing short films, television programs, and music videos in the metro Phoenix area. Currently, the brothers are in pre-production for their first feature film Netherbeast Incorporated. The Phoenix Film Festival recognized the Ronald Brothers' contributions to Valley cinema in 2005 by naming them Arizona Filmmakers of the Year. To learn more about the brothers and their films, visit their website at http://www.ronaldsbrothers.com/.
# # #
About The Phoenix Film Festival
The Phoenix Film Festival is an organization that wishes to organize and perpetuate an exciting event that creates a community of film-lovers and filmmakers who encourage and educate the world about filmmaking and the art of the film. The goal is to promote independent filmmaking, with a spotlight on films made for under a million dollars and showcasing Arizona filmmaking. For more information on PFP, please visit the website at http://www.phoenixfilmfestival.com/.
The Ronalds Brothers will take part in honoring actor Robert Wagner at this years Phoenix Film Festival. The Festival will recognize the contributions to cinema of the Hollywood Friday, March 24, 2006 at the Harkins Cine Capri at Scottsdale 101, 7000 East Mayo Blvd., Northeast Phoenix, and beginning at 7 p.m.
Wagner, whose Hollywood career lists nearly 200 credits over the past five decades in movies and television, is the quintessential leading actor of the American screen a man who is handsome, charming, and debonair, and whose style and presence invoke intelligence and wit equally. Baby Boomers remember Wagner fondly as the handsome heartthrob from films like THE PINK PANTHER and as the suave millionaire detective Jonathan Hart in the television series HART TO HART, and todays audiences know him as Dr. Evils eye-patched Number Twoin the Austin Powers film trilogy.
Last year, Wagner co-starred as the suave and dapper Howard in the short film Little Victim that was produced and directed by Arizona filmmakers Brian and Dean Ronalds with Kevin Berman as executive producer. Little Victim is an Official Selection of the 2006 Phoenix Film Festival and will be presented at the Harkins Cine Capri at Scottsdale 101 on Saturday, March 25 at 9:05 a.m., March 26 at 3:15 p.m. and March 29 at 5:20 p.m. Other members of the cast include Lori Singer, Laura Durant and Brian Ronalds.
Little Victim has already played as an Official Selection nearly a dozen film festivals world-wide, including: the 2006 Santa Barbara International Film Festival; Garden State International Film Festival; London International Festival of Science Fiction and Fantastic Film; Tiburon International Film Festival; Queens International Film Festival; Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee and Sonoma Valley International Film Festival.
Over the last few years, the Ronalds Brothers have been actively producing short films, television programs, and music videos in the metro Phoenix area. Currently, the brothers are in pre-production for their first feature film Netherbeast Incorporated. The Phoenix Film Festival recognized the Ronald Brothers' contributions to Valley cinema in 2005 by naming them Arizona Filmmakers of the Year. To learn more about the brothers and their films, visit their website at http://www.ronaldsbrothers.com/.
# # #
About The Phoenix Film Festival
The Phoenix Film Festival is an organization that wishes to organize and perpetuate an exciting event that creates a community of film-lovers and filmmakers who encourage and educate the world about filmmaking and the art of the film. The goal is to promote independent filmmaking, with a spotlight on films made for under a million dollars and showcasing Arizona filmmaking. For more information on PFP, please visit the website at http://www.phoenixfilmfestival.com/.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Festival working to buff its image with moviegoers
There are moviegoers and there are film buffs. The intent of the Phoenix Film Festival is to convert the former into the latter.
The cheese in the trap are "showcase" features starring Bruce Willis, Hugh Grant or Luke Wilson, many of them already scheduled for wide release in coming months. Among the stars appearing at this year's event are Laurence Fishburne, Robert Wagner and Melissa Joan Hart.
"A lot of people who are not familiar with film festivals need to see stars in their movie to make them want to see the film," festival director Chris Lamont says. "Our hope is they'll see all the programming we have and want to see the other films, too."
The showcase movies this year are Fishburne's Akeelah and the Bee, about an inner-city girl who makes it to the National Spelling Bee; Grant's American Dreamz, a spoof on American Idol-style reality TV; and Lucky Number Slevin, a thriller starring Willis, Josh Hartnett, Lucy Liu, Morgan Freeman and Ben Kingsley.
The star power of that last movie alone is enough to attract a crowd, but the sixth annual festival, expanded from four to eight days, has enough variety to satiate the most rabid film buff. Eleven competition features will vie for Copper Wing awards, which include best picture, best director and best screenplay, there's a world cinema competition and a slew of short films.
"The film-festival crowd is a completely different animal," says Chris Gore, who will be in town for the screening of My Big Fat Independent Movie, a spoof on the indie world that he co-wrote and co-produced. "These people seek out movies at festivals . . . that they might not otherwise have the opportunity to see."
"Seeing a movie at a festival is a different experience," says Gore, who's also the creator of the Web site filmthreat.com, "and I think a more intimate one (because) you have access to the filmmakers and actors. It's sort of the difference between going to a stadium to see your favorite band or going to a small dive bar where you can make eye contact."
Of course, most bands that play small dive bars are dreaming of someday filling stadiums, and the bulk of the titles at festivals like this one are by aspiring filmmakers who make shorts to display their talent. This year's festival includes eight shorts programs, in categories for live action, animated, world cinema, Arizona filmmakers, college and high-school/grade-school shorts.
"The shorts programs always sell out, because people love to see fresh talent and new ideas," Lamont says. "And if they don't like the movie they're watching, it's going to be over in five minutes anyway."
The event begins Thursday at the Harkins Scottsdale 101 with a reception at 5 p.m. and the Arizona première of Akeelah and the Bee at 7, followed by a Q&A with Fishburne and writer-director Doug Atchison. Admission to the opening gala is $40 ($30 for students and seniors).
Phoenix Film Festival
When: March 16 through March 30.
Where: Harkins Scottsdale 101, 7000 E. Mayo Blvd. (Scottsdale Road and Loop 101), Phoenix.
Admission: $10 for individual screenings. Package options range from the $30 Flex Pass, good for four films, to the $425 VIP Patron Pass. Discounts for students and seniors.
Details: (602) 955-6444 or phoenixfilmfestival.com.
The cheese in the trap are "showcase" features starring Bruce Willis, Hugh Grant or Luke Wilson, many of them already scheduled for wide release in coming months. Among the stars appearing at this year's event are Laurence Fishburne, Robert Wagner and Melissa Joan Hart.
"A lot of people who are not familiar with film festivals need to see stars in their movie to make them want to see the film," festival director Chris Lamont says. "Our hope is they'll see all the programming we have and want to see the other films, too."
The showcase movies this year are Fishburne's Akeelah and the Bee, about an inner-city girl who makes it to the National Spelling Bee; Grant's American Dreamz, a spoof on American Idol-style reality TV; and Lucky Number Slevin, a thriller starring Willis, Josh Hartnett, Lucy Liu, Morgan Freeman and Ben Kingsley.
The star power of that last movie alone is enough to attract a crowd, but the sixth annual festival, expanded from four to eight days, has enough variety to satiate the most rabid film buff. Eleven competition features will vie for Copper Wing awards, which include best picture, best director and best screenplay, there's a world cinema competition and a slew of short films.
"The film-festival crowd is a completely different animal," says Chris Gore, who will be in town for the screening of My Big Fat Independent Movie, a spoof on the indie world that he co-wrote and co-produced. "These people seek out movies at festivals . . . that they might not otherwise have the opportunity to see."
"Seeing a movie at a festival is a different experience," says Gore, who's also the creator of the Web site filmthreat.com, "and I think a more intimate one (because) you have access to the filmmakers and actors. It's sort of the difference between going to a stadium to see your favorite band or going to a small dive bar where you can make eye contact."
Of course, most bands that play small dive bars are dreaming of someday filling stadiums, and the bulk of the titles at festivals like this one are by aspiring filmmakers who make shorts to display their talent. This year's festival includes eight shorts programs, in categories for live action, animated, world cinema, Arizona filmmakers, college and high-school/grade-school shorts.
"The shorts programs always sell out, because people love to see fresh talent and new ideas," Lamont says. "And if they don't like the movie they're watching, it's going to be over in five minutes anyway."
The event begins Thursday at the Harkins Scottsdale 101 with a reception at 5 p.m. and the Arizona première of Akeelah and the Bee at 7, followed by a Q&A with Fishburne and writer-director Doug Atchison. Admission to the opening gala is $40 ($30 for students and seniors).
Phoenix Film Festival
When: March 16 through March 30.
Where: Harkins Scottsdale 101, 7000 E. Mayo Blvd. (Scottsdale Road and Loop 101), Phoenix.
Admission: $10 for individual screenings. Package options range from the $30 Flex Pass, good for four films, to the $425 VIP Patron Pass. Discounts for students and seniors.
Details: (602) 955-6444 or phoenixfilmfestival.com.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Robert Wagner Golf Videos
View interviews with Robert Wagner at celebritygolf.com.
http://www.celebritygolf.com/celebrity-list.asp?search=Robert+Wagner#
http://www.celebritygolf.com/celebrity-list.asp?search=Robert+Wagner#
Four Designers From Bravo's Project Runway Will Attend FIDM'S L.A. Fashion Gala
FIDM/The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising presents its annual “L.A. Fashion Gala” on Saturday, March 4, 2006 with four very special alumni in attendance, who all appear on the hit Bravo television series Project Runway.
Los Angeles, California (PRWEB) March 2, 2006 --
FIDM/The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising presents its annual “L.A. Fashion Gala” on Saturday, March 4, 2006 with four very special alumni in attendance, who all appear on the hit Bravo television series Project Runway. Guadalupe Vial ’01, Raymundo Baltazar ’04, Daniel Franco ’91 and Satino Rice ’94, who are all FIDM graduates, will attend the gala this Saturday. Additionally, FIDM graduate Nick Verreos, who also appeared in the series, is out of town and unable to attend. An annual event, which benefits the FIDM Scholarship Foundation, a non-profit organization assisting students with completion of their education. The evening’s activities will begin with a cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m. at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California and will be hosted by actor Robert Wagner, with a special guest appearance by Hollywood Mayor Johnny Grant.
The evening is designed to highlight the work of FIDM Theatre Costume Design and Advanced Study Fashion Design graduating students. The Debut Fashion Show is an important part of their learning experience, with graduates showcasing their designs on a 98 foot runway.
Ticket prices for the Scholarship Benefit start at $350 per person. For public information please call: 213-624-1200.
Los Angeles, California (PRWEB) March 2, 2006 --
FIDM/The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising presents its annual “L.A. Fashion Gala” on Saturday, March 4, 2006 with four very special alumni in attendance, who all appear on the hit Bravo television series Project Runway. Guadalupe Vial ’01, Raymundo Baltazar ’04, Daniel Franco ’91 and Satino Rice ’94, who are all FIDM graduates, will attend the gala this Saturday. Additionally, FIDM graduate Nick Verreos, who also appeared in the series, is out of town and unable to attend. An annual event, which benefits the FIDM Scholarship Foundation, a non-profit organization assisting students with completion of their education. The evening’s activities will begin with a cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m. at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California and will be hosted by actor Robert Wagner, with a special guest appearance by Hollywood Mayor Johnny Grant.
The evening is designed to highlight the work of FIDM Theatre Costume Design and Advanced Study Fashion Design graduating students. The Debut Fashion Show is an important part of their learning experience, with graduates showcasing their designs on a 98 foot runway.
Ticket prices for the Scholarship Benefit start at $350 per person. For public information please call: 213-624-1200.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Sinatra tourney swings for valley kids
Children’s Center at Eisenhower Medical reaps event’s rewards
This weekend, celebrities like Joe Mantegna, Robert Wagner and Michael Bolton will tee off at the 18th annual Frank Sinatra Countrywide Celebrity Invitational.
Music legend Smokey Robinson will croon for lucky guests at the annual gala, bringing back tunes of Motown's heyday.
But amid the parties, glitz and glamour, star-gazers should remember the critical importance of this landmark valley event.
Over the years, the star-studded golf tournament, known simply as "The Sinatra," has raised more than $10 million dollars for the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center, a nonprofit organization that counsels physically, sexually and emotionally abused children.
The Children's Center, at the Eisenhower Medical Center, offers a safe environment for children in need of therapy. Eight licensed clinicians counsel victims usually between six months and a year, depending on their case's severity.
"Helping one (abused) child helps all of the community," said executive director Susan Reynolds. "And it's the right thing to do."
She cited studies that showed untreated child abuse led to long-term problems, such as heart disease, cancer and an inability to hold steady jobs or healthy relationships.
Reynolds said the center has helped tens of thousands of children since the Sinatras founded it in 1986. An average of 198 distinct cases walk through its doors each month, and that number is growing.
"Everyone is very proud the population is increasing, but with that comes certain responsibilities," Reynolds said.
Clinicians encourage abused children to work through their feelings by drawing pictures and ascribing emotions to colors, among other methods.
The center's architecture, which Reynolds said Barbara Sinatra personally oversaw, is designed to sooth and calm young visitors.
The center includes east Riverside County's only children's forensic exam room. Children thought to be suffering ongoing sexual abuse can be examined non-invasively in a space filled with dolls and friendly animal paintings, instead of your typical emergency room.
The exams also are recorded so victims don't have to relive the trauma of their abuse in court.
Reynolds said the Sinatras have always been "avid volunteers." She added that Barbara, the center's founder and chairwoman, wanted to build a permanent counseling facility in the early 1980s after volunteering for a child therapy group that floated around local churches.
This year marks the center's 20th anniversary. These days the center sees more grandparents as legal guardians, Reynolds said. Many times they take over after abuse or neglect by parents, and the center offers a support group to help grandparents adjust.
"(Child abuse) crosses all social, economic and ethnic groups," she stressed.
This weekend, celebrities like Joe Mantegna, Robert Wagner and Michael Bolton will tee off at the 18th annual Frank Sinatra Countrywide Celebrity Invitational.
Music legend Smokey Robinson will croon for lucky guests at the annual gala, bringing back tunes of Motown's heyday.
But amid the parties, glitz and glamour, star-gazers should remember the critical importance of this landmark valley event.
Over the years, the star-studded golf tournament, known simply as "The Sinatra," has raised more than $10 million dollars for the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center, a nonprofit organization that counsels physically, sexually and emotionally abused children.
The Children's Center, at the Eisenhower Medical Center, offers a safe environment for children in need of therapy. Eight licensed clinicians counsel victims usually between six months and a year, depending on their case's severity.
"Helping one (abused) child helps all of the community," said executive director Susan Reynolds. "And it's the right thing to do."
She cited studies that showed untreated child abuse led to long-term problems, such as heart disease, cancer and an inability to hold steady jobs or healthy relationships.
Reynolds said the center has helped tens of thousands of children since the Sinatras founded it in 1986. An average of 198 distinct cases walk through its doors each month, and that number is growing.
"Everyone is very proud the population is increasing, but with that comes certain responsibilities," Reynolds said.
Clinicians encourage abused children to work through their feelings by drawing pictures and ascribing emotions to colors, among other methods.
The center's architecture, which Reynolds said Barbara Sinatra personally oversaw, is designed to sooth and calm young visitors.
The center includes east Riverside County's only children's forensic exam room. Children thought to be suffering ongoing sexual abuse can be examined non-invasively in a space filled with dolls and friendly animal paintings, instead of your typical emergency room.
The exams also are recorded so victims don't have to relive the trauma of their abuse in court.
Reynolds said the Sinatras have always been "avid volunteers." She added that Barbara, the center's founder and chairwoman, wanted to build a permanent counseling facility in the early 1980s after volunteering for a child therapy group that floated around local churches.
This year marks the center's 20th anniversary. These days the center sees more grandparents as legal guardians, Reynolds said. Many times they take over after abuse or neglect by parents, and the center offers a support group to help grandparents adjust.
"(Child abuse) crosses all social, economic and ethnic groups," she stressed.
Friday, February 10, 2006
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Robert Wagner Guest Stars on ABC's "Hope & Faith" During February Sweeps
Robert Wagner and Mark Consuelos reprise their guest-starring roles on ABC’s comedy “Hope & Faith” in February sweeps. Wagner (“Hart to Hart,” “Austin Powers” trilogy) plays Hope and Faith’s father, Jack Fairfield, and Consuelos, co-star of the television series “Missing,” returns as former baseball star Gary ‘The Gooch’ Gucharez, who was married to Faith (Kelly Ripa) for five days last year. Consuelos and Ripa are married in real life.
Mark Consuelos will appear in two episodes, and Robert Wagner in one. In the first, “Now and Zen” (airing Friday, February 3, 8:30-9:00 p.m., ET), the Gooch returns from playing baseball in Japan. But Faith’s hopes of reconciliation with her old flame are crushed when she learns that he has taken a vow of celibacy as part of his new Zen lifestyle. In the second episode, “Meet the Parent,” the Gooch meets Faith’s dad when Jack (Robert Wagner) comes to town for a family party, but their first meeting gets off to a rocky start.
Robert Wagner, who just finished filming a family comedy entitled “Hoot” with Luke Wilson and Tim Blake Nelson, is lending his voice to an animated comedy-adventure feature, “Yankee Irving,” and is co-starring in the upcoming feature comedy, “The Man in the Chair” with Christopher Plummer.
Mark Consuelos will appear in two episodes, and Robert Wagner in one. In the first, “Now and Zen” (airing Friday, February 3, 8:30-9:00 p.m., ET), the Gooch returns from playing baseball in Japan. But Faith’s hopes of reconciliation with her old flame are crushed when she learns that he has taken a vow of celibacy as part of his new Zen lifestyle. In the second episode, “Meet the Parent,” the Gooch meets Faith’s dad when Jack (Robert Wagner) comes to town for a family party, but their first meeting gets off to a rocky start.
Robert Wagner, who just finished filming a family comedy entitled “Hoot” with Luke Wilson and Tim Blake Nelson, is lending his voice to an animated comedy-adventure feature, “Yankee Irving,” and is co-starring in the upcoming feature comedy, “The Man in the Chair” with Christopher Plummer.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Rocky Mountain News
Meanwhile at the Jerome, Aspen locals Robert Wagner and Jill St. John hosted a release party for the winter edition of Aspen Peak magazine Wednesday night. The who's who invited were Kevin Costner, Will Smith, Thalia, Jason Binn and Mike Ovitz.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Grace Kelly Number One in Glamour Poll
GRACE KELLY's 1955 Oscar gown leads a new glamour poll of stylish stars drawn up by luxury car giants Jaguar.
The company looked at hundreds of awards night outfits to find The Gorgeous 100 - men and women who define Academy Awards fashion and style.
Kelly's EDITH HEAD-designed dress gave the HIGH SOCIETY star the edge just two weeks before she wed Monaco's PRINCE RAINIER. She beat AUDREY HEPBURN's 1954 look and MARLON BRANDO's stylish tuxedo outfit also in 1955.
Brando was the only man in the top 10, but TOM CRUISE, ROBERT WAGNER, CHRISTOPHER REEVE, PAUL NEWMAN and CLARK GABLE all made it into the top 20.
In a related Jaguar list, MARILYN MONROE's skirt-raising scene in THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH beat out the finales of GONE WITH THE WIND and CASABLANCA to land at the top of an Iconic Movie Moments list.
The top 10 gorgeous Oscar heroes and heroines are:
1. GRACE KELLY (1955) 2. AUDREY HEPBURN (1956) 3. MARLON BRANDO (1955) 4. ELIZABETH TAYLOR (1960) 5. NICOLE KIDMAN (1997) 6. SOPHIA LOREN (1999) 7. HALLE BERRY (2003) 8. CHARLIZE THERON (2000) 9. DIAHANN CARROLL (1968)
10. JULIA ROBERTS (2001).
The company looked at hundreds of awards night outfits to find The Gorgeous 100 - men and women who define Academy Awards fashion and style.
Kelly's EDITH HEAD-designed dress gave the HIGH SOCIETY star the edge just two weeks before she wed Monaco's PRINCE RAINIER. She beat AUDREY HEPBURN's 1954 look and MARLON BRANDO's stylish tuxedo outfit also in 1955.
Brando was the only man in the top 10, but TOM CRUISE, ROBERT WAGNER, CHRISTOPHER REEVE, PAUL NEWMAN and CLARK GABLE all made it into the top 20.
In a related Jaguar list, MARILYN MONROE's skirt-raising scene in THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH beat out the finales of GONE WITH THE WIND and CASABLANCA to land at the top of an Iconic Movie Moments list.
The top 10 gorgeous Oscar heroes and heroines are:
1. GRACE KELLY (1955) 2. AUDREY HEPBURN (1956) 3. MARLON BRANDO (1955) 4. ELIZABETH TAYLOR (1960) 5. NICOLE KIDMAN (1997) 6. SOPHIA LOREN (1999) 7. HALLE BERRY (2003) 8. CHARLIZE THERON (2000) 9. DIAHANN CARROLL (1968)
10. JULIA ROBERTS (2001).
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Dancing with the Stars
Robert Wagner will not be appearing on "Dancing with the Stars" due to personal reasons.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
ABC's 'Stars' to stay on dance floor longer
LOS ANGELES - ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" is about to step on NBC's toes.
Just one day after NBC revealed it would move hit comedy "My Name is Earl" to Thursdays at 9 p.m., ABC announced Friday it is expanding "Stars" episodes to 90 minutes. That will take the network's summer hit, originally scheduled on Thursdays from 8-9 p.m., through 9:30 p.m. -- directly against "Earl."
ABC also announced a time slot for a half-hour results show for "Stars," Fridays at 8 p.m., and scheduled new crime drama "In Justice" at 9 p.m. Fridays. That will put reality series "Supernanny" on hiatus, and move sitcom "Hope & Faith" to 8:30 p.m.
Sliding in behind "Stars" at 9:30 p.m. Thursdays will be new comedy "Crumbs."
The expansion of "Stars" reflects just the latest jockeying for position on Thursdays, primetime's richest night in terms of advertising revenue. In addition to NBC's "Earl" move, Fox moved comedies "That '70s Show" and "Stacked" to 9-10 p.m., where they will face off against CBS' reigning hit, "CSI."
"Stars" will kick off its second season with a two-hour episode. The new expanded edition is believed to reflect an expanded roster of celebrity dancers; ABC is expected to disclose participating hoofers this week.
Both "Stars" and "Earl" premiere January 5. "Justice" bows January 6 and "Crumbs" starts January 12.
Just one day after NBC revealed it would move hit comedy "My Name is Earl" to Thursdays at 9 p.m., ABC announced Friday it is expanding "Stars" episodes to 90 minutes. That will take the network's summer hit, originally scheduled on Thursdays from 8-9 p.m., through 9:30 p.m. -- directly against "Earl."
ABC also announced a time slot for a half-hour results show for "Stars," Fridays at 8 p.m., and scheduled new crime drama "In Justice" at 9 p.m. Fridays. That will put reality series "Supernanny" on hiatus, and move sitcom "Hope & Faith" to 8:30 p.m.
Sliding in behind "Stars" at 9:30 p.m. Thursdays will be new comedy "Crumbs."
The expansion of "Stars" reflects just the latest jockeying for position on Thursdays, primetime's richest night in terms of advertising revenue. In addition to NBC's "Earl" move, Fox moved comedies "That '70s Show" and "Stacked" to 9-10 p.m., where they will face off against CBS' reigning hit, "CSI."
"Stars" will kick off its second season with a two-hour episode. The new expanded edition is believed to reflect an expanded roster of celebrity dancers; ABC is expected to disclose participating hoofers this week.
Both "Stars" and "Earl" premiere January 5. "Justice" bows January 6 and "Crumbs" starts January 12.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Review: Hart to Hart: The Complete First Season
In the retrospective featurette that graces the new DVD set of Hart to Hart: The Complete First Season, creator Sidney Sheldon accurately describes the sort of winky, black-tie tone he was aiming for in this serialized, early ’80s knock-off of The Thin Man films, in which Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers played a globe-trotting, make-cute husband and wife duo whose substantial personal fortune allows them to play amateur sleuths. With this in mind, the laidback charms of this show (after all, as the opening credit narration from co-star Lionel Stander cheerily notes of the Harts, “murder is their hobby”) can wash pleasantly over viewers seeking to relive their small screen past, when rakishness was embraced rather than castigated.
Wagner stars as Jonathan Hart, a self-made millionaire who is utterly bored with the business world. He runs his conglomeration of industries by loose proxy, leaving him the time to tend his magnificent coif and live a life of luxury and indulged inquisitiveness with his wife Jennifer (Powers), a former freelance journalist and his intellectual equal. Stander is their butler and sidekick, Max, who blends fruit-and-Jack-Daniels smoothies and is quick with a quip. While so many investigatory shows — be they cop, private investigator or, these days, forensic scientist — are little more than colorfully convoluted procedurals, one thing that’s notable about Hart to Hart is the amount of time it took to establish and delight in character. The cases the Harts tackle, therefore, are actually a little less than half the story, as the mock-exasperated interplay between the stars is what gives the show its true zing. The (little) action is dated and silly, sure, and the occasional stunt doubles among the worst you’ll ever see, but Hart to Hart has a great sense of its own style and mission.
While not without its low points (“Which Way, Freeway?,” wherein the Harts’ dog exposes an elaborate scheme to kill a reclusive jeweler and steal millions of dollars in gems, comes to mind), Hart to Hart works chiefly because of its leads. Wagner plays Hart in breezy, Steve McQueen-lite fashion, which isn’t as backhanded a compliment as it sounds; vacuumed free of his complications and surliness, one could see how the character of Hart — and indeed, this series — was a success with audiences, if never quite a critical darling. While it suffered some rocky reviews early on, Hart to Hart eventually went on to score six Emmy nominations and more than a dozen Golden Globe nods. Episode highlights here include a great opening pilot, “A New Kind of High,” “Hit Jennifer Hart,” “Cruise at Your Own Risk” and “With This Gun I Thee Wed.”
The full-frame transfers of the show look surprisingly good given their age, and the audio (in English and… Portuguese, with subtitles in the latter?) is equally crisp. Wagner and Powers sit with writer-director Tom Mankiewicz for a warm audio commentary track on the two-hour pilot. An abundance of anecdotes are shared (after a location set fire early during the shoot, the director of photography used gaffer tape to amend his novelty, pre-show crew T-shirt from, “I have complete confidence in my director” to read “some confidence”), and the banter between the three (“Did you learn that in star school?” jibes Powers to Wagner at one point) is loving and humorous. This track is a veritable blueprint for multi-party effectiveness, so balanced is it between yarns, interesting insight and quantifiable information. The aforementioned retrospective featurette clocks in at 22 minutes, and includes interviews with the stars, plus Mankiewicz, Sheldon, executive producer Leonard Goldberg and others. It too is a fantastic look back at the series, and a model of economic re-visitation — not too long, not too short.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
TV highlights: Nov. 14th - 19th
"Hope & Faith"
Robert Wagner returns in his guest-starring role as Hope and Faith’s father, who’s back in town earlier than expected for Thanksgiving. And what about that fellow who’s with him? The young man (Johnny Galecki) makes the sisters suspicious, at 9 p.m. on ABC. Friday, Nov. 18th.
Robert Wagner returns in his guest-starring role as Hope and Faith’s father, who’s back in town earlier than expected for Thanksgiving. And what about that fellow who’s with him? The young man (Johnny Galecki) makes the sisters suspicious, at 9 p.m. on ABC. Friday, Nov. 18th.
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