Big salutes and bad intros

Jeff Skoll and Lawrence Bender Movies with a message were the focus of the Los Angeles Salute to Excellence at the Paley Center for Media. But despite those pics' serious themes, Tuesday's event honoring Participant Media's Jeff Skoll had its fair share of laughs.Host Pat Mitchell, president and CEO of the Paley Center, made her former ties with Skoll clear, jokingly cautious of the event being a "related persons activity. Just in case there's a Securities and Exchange commissioner in the audience, I did serve on the Participant Media board," Mitchell duly noted. "But given that none of the successes that we'll celebrate this evening came during my tenure, and neither I nor Jeff made any money for the time that I was on the board, I think it's safe to declare that this award comes without any conflicts of interest."Despite current accolades, Skoll said that his intro to Hollywood years ago wasn't so inviting. "My favorite line that I kept hearing was that 'the streets of Hollywood are littered with the corpses of people like you who think you're going to come to this town and make movies,'" Skoll recalled. "Needless to say, people weren't exactly encouraging." Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Eddie Murphy May Be Marion Craig

For Spike LeeHe may have walked from hosting the Oscars and, although he was marketing that gig he discussed taking things simpler, nevertheless it certainly seems like Eddie Murphy's ready to proceed from family-friendly fare. He's presently installed on a biopic of questionable Washington mayor Marion Craig, which Spike Lee is developing.John Ridley, who written Red-colored-colored Tails and contains done the type of Three Nobleman and Steve McQueen's next film, Twelve Years A Slave, is on script duties for your project, being backed by Cinemax Films.He's using several items of source material, plus a 1994 book about Craig referred to as Dream City put together by Washington journalists Harry Jaffe and Tom Sherwood.Craig offered as mayor in the city between 1979 and 1991 and however between 1995 and 1999, while using two terms separate having a six-month jail term after he was videotaped smoking crack cocaine. To this day, he's still an connect in the Council in the District of Columbia, which proves you'll find some urban centers by which you must do bad things not receiving re-selected.Cinemax planned a version in the past with Jamie Foxx inside the Craig role and Chris Rock just like a producer, nevertheless it postponed in development. There's not sure on if the may get started, nevertheless it certainly appears just like a meaty subject for individuals three to tackle.

AFTRA, record labels to resume talks

Discussions involving the record labels as well as the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists are likely to resume inside a couple of days -- greater than two several days after people talks eliminate.AFTRA made the disclosure Friday evening incorporated in the announcement it had showed up in a tentative deal on its network code contract while using four systems. AFTRA mentioned it might hold talks while using labels on Wednesday and Thursday in NY City. Current contract expires 12 ,. 31. The union's national board had selected all in the finish of September to supply the appear tracks settling committee a strike authorization, then introduced on March. 7 that talks had flattened."Despite more than per month . 5 of fine belief settling while using record labels, the AFTRA Appear Tracks Settling Committee isn't capable of acquire a reasonable agreement while using record labels that addresses key issues for recording artists, including health care and pension security and transparency of accounting," AFTRA representative Christopher p Haan had mentioned on March. 7. The union had also mentioned in October it had been ready to resume talks once the companies enhanced their offer.Discussions between AFTRA and reps in the new the new sony, UMG, Warner, EMI, Disney and most of the subsidiary labels for just about any successor agreement happened in NY on August. 15, by getting one more round of settling kept in La a couple of times of Sept. 12-16.The Appear Tracks Code produces greater than $140 million in annual earnings for AFTRA people. It covers entertainers, royalty and non-royalty artists, additionally to announcers, stars, comics, narrators and appear effects artists who concentrate on tracks in many new and traditional media and many types of music formats, furthermore to audiobooks, comedy albums and cast albums.The current contract was talked about in 2007 getting a June 2010 expiration nevertheless the pact was subsequently extended by 18 several days for the 12 ,. 31 expiration. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Singer Dobie Grey dies at 69

Dobie Grey, an even balladeer who hit the top music charts in 1973 with "Drift Away" and authored tunes for a range of country and pop entertainers, died in the sleep in Nashville early Tuesday, 12 ,. 6. He was 69 following a lengthy fight with cancer. Gray's smooth tenor also was heard on other hits including "The In Crowd" in 1965 and "Loving Arms" in 1973. His tunes received radio airplay on several formats including top 40, country, AOR and adult contemporary. He authored tunes recorded by Ray Charles, Johnny Mathis, Etta James, Three Dog Evening, Julio Iglesias, John Colorado, George Johnson and Tammy Wynette. Grey together with extensively in Europe, Australia and Africa and was adamant on carrying out for integrated audiences in Nigeria. Next declaration, he grew to become especially popular in Nigeria. Younger crowd sang around the soundtracks of films including "Uptown Saturday Evening," "From Sight" and "Casey's Shadow." "Drift Away" also was recorded by artist Uncle Kracker in 2003 and grew to become popular again. "I you know what you call my 'signature songs' won't ever die, thankfully," he told the Tennessean newspaper in 1988. At that time, he was the only real major black singer to call Nashville home. Grey was created right into a group of sharecroppers in Simonton, Texas. He moved from Texas to California in early sixties where he met Sonny Bono, then a professional with Niche Records. This brought to his first record, "Take a look at Me," in 1963. During La, Grey made an appearance inside a manufacture of "Hair." He wasn't married coupled with no children. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

'War Horse' Clip: Tom Hiddleston Comprises a Promise with a Boy and also the Equine (Exclusive)

.publish-content img To describe 'Superman: The Movie': 'War Horse' forces you to believe a equine are capable of doing nearly anything. Good famous book by Michael Morpurgo -- that was already converted to a Tony Award-winning play -- 'War Horse' notifies the story of Albert (Jeremy Irvine) and also the beloved equine, Joey, and the way their bonds of friendship can not be broken, even through the turmoil from the First World War. Bracing and heartwarming, 'War Horse' is poised being one of the faves for top Picture, and perhaps you can view why in this particular exclusive new clip. Above, watch Albert plead getting a sort British soldier (Tom Hiddleston) to permit him join Joey round the front line. Co-starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Emily Watson, Toby Kebbell, Peter Mullan, Eddie Marsan and David Thewlis, 'War Horse' involves theaters on Christmas Day. Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

New Releases: 'Shame,' 'Answers to Nothing' and several Holdovers

Wondering things to see in theaters a few days ago? Here is a hint: something you did not see last week! Your (limited) Weekend Movie Preview has showed up. Countrywide RELEASES Have a picture of the weekend it's among the rare ones when no wide releases hit theaters for the viewing pleasure. The good thing is that you will find lots of holdovers that you should enjoy. 'The Muppets' and 'Breaking Dawn' are required to compete for that top slot in the box office, try not to sleep on 'Hugo.' The Nation's Board of Review champion for the best Picture were built with a better-than-expected opening frame, and may see ongoing strong results. You will find also lots of limited release choices to enjoy, like 'The Descendants,' 'The Artist' and 'My Week With Marilyn.' Get thee to some cinema! LIMITED RELEASES 2011 breakout star Michael Fassbender breaks out (of his clothes hey-O) once more with 'Shame.' The searing drama from director Steve McQueen ('Hunger') concentrates on a sex addict gradually sinking to bottom. The NC-17 flick has received a reasonable share of publicity due to the frank nudity from stars Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, in addition to some crazy sex moments, try not to think this really is whatsoever titillating. 'Shame' may be the most unsexy movie available about sex. Search for Fassbender to earn an Oscar nomination for his work, though whether 'Shame' busts with the art-house ghetto remains to appear. Also debuting in limited release is 'Answers to Nothing,' the Dane Prepare drama that you have been awaiting. [Photo: Fox Searchlight] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook