SEPTEMBER - ASIA 2016
JIMMY D ROBINSON SONGWRITER POET JIMMY D ROBINSON & A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS
KAT KRAMER MAKING A DIFFERENCE PAUL FEGEN “WORLD’S GREATEST MIND-READING
MAGICIAN”
JOYCE PENAS
ARI SIMANGAN FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER
PILARSKY ORIGINALITY AND PASSION
HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY 1
SEPTEMBER 2016
PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Prather Jackson
A LETTER FROM
THE EDITOR
In
our
premiere
VICE PRESIDENT Bernice Harris Michael D. Coxson
Philippines/Asia
OPERATIONS Erskine D. McSwain (1991-2000)
edition, we are honored to showcase the exquisite talent of
Ms. Joyce
Penas Pilarsky. Ms. Pilarsky is a world-
MANAGING EDITOR Prather Jackson
class humanitarian. She expresses her fashion designer instincts, and cover-model looks with her work as a signer, author and in philanthropy. Joyce is an acclaimed artist who aims to promote the beauty of the Asian culture. Hollywood Weekly Magazine
PRATHER JACKSON
is honored to showcase Ms. Pilarsky in our inaugural edition. By working in conjunction with Mr. Bench Bello, both he and Ms. Pilarsky, who serves as our honorary Ambassador, heads Hollywood Weekly’s Asian operations. Joyce
and Bench
were instrumental in facilitating our US based magazine’s launch of physical printed copies of Hollywood Weekly Magazine in the capital city of Manilla and in the surrounding territories. Please encourage local businesses to support our mission to stimulate increased trade between Hollywood and the Philippines. Also, in this issue we are pleased to introduce Mr. Jimmy D. Robinson.
FASHION EDITOR Jacob (For The Stars Fashion House) PHOTO EDITOR Giles Spencer MARKETING & SALES Launy Rhem ART DIRECTOR Karina Pacheco ASSOCIATE EDITOR Anthony Ewart
WEB DESIGNER Howard Chan
Mr. Robinson continues to rise as one of the greatest names in the art world, due to his friendly and highly-recommended service and his outstanding music. And finally, most people come to Hollywood to make money or to make a name for themselves, but Kat Kramer came to Hollywood to
MUSIC EDITOR Dick Michaels LIFE & STYLE EDITOR Niki Shadrow-Snyder
make a difference. Kat is Hollywood royalty, but she’s no princess. A tireless advocate and promoter of important social causes, she may be the closest thing Hollywood’s got to a revolutionary. Kat Kramer wants
RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT Alberto Arellano
to change the world, and like her famous father – legendary producer and director Stanley Kramer – she’s doing it through the medium of film. As an independent film supporter and social activist, she carry her father’s legacy to change the world.
PRODUCTION MANAGER Hector Santacruz FEATURED WRITER
Jennie Jones Enjoy,
Prather Jackon Prather Jackson
PUBLISHER
ASIA OPERATIONS
Bench Bello
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Karina Pacheco CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Ari Simangan Fashion Photographer VP CORPORATE ACCOUNTS STRATEGY & PLANNING Rudy Germany DISTRIBUTORS NEWSWAYS DISTRIBUTORS GOLD KEY MEDIA NEWS INFLIGHT, INC
KEEP UP WITH HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY AT: www.hollywoodweeklymagazine.com FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @hollywoodweeklymagazine (323) 456-5004
WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 2016
PHARRELL WILLIAMS
CELEBRATES THE LAUNCH OF THE ‘YOOBI X I AM OTHER’ BACK-TO-SCHOOL COLLECTION IN L.A.
JIMMY D ROBINSON
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SONGWRITER POET JIMMY D ROBINSON & A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS
“STREET” 26 JENNIFER LOPEZ’S BOYFRIEND, BEAU “CASPER” SMART TEAMS UP WITH MARK RYAN
PAUL FEGEN
18
“WORLD’S GREATEST MIND-READING MAGICIAN”
“HEAT”
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MICHAEL MANN, AL PACINO AND ROBERT DE NIRO TOGETHER
MRS WILDERMUTH 21 THIS CRAZY DARK COMEDY WILL
30
32
IMA IS MADE UP OF 100 YEARS OF CREATIVE EXPERIENCE WHO TOGETHER FORM THE MOST UNIQUE CONTENT AROUND
KAT KRAMER
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A LOT OF MY FATHER’S FILMS HAVE CHANGED THE WORLD
HAVE YOU LAUGHING ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE CHAOS. HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY 3
ABOUT JOYCE PENAS PILARSKY • President, FGC (Filipino German Club Karlsruhe Germany) • International Director, Rotary club - San Marcelino Chapter, Manila • Fashion Designer, Model, Singer, Painter, Host, Book Author, Beauty Queen and Philanthropist
JOYCE PENAS
PILARSKY ORIGINALITY AND PASSION ABOUT JPP CLOTHING BRAND Joyce had been designing dresses, gowns and fashion accessories for a long time. She always wanted to design her own clothes because she loves to create something different and it’s her passion. She started joining fashion shows around the globe like Philippine Fashion Week, J Summer Fashion show in Paris, Fashion Week Brooklyn, New York, Summer Fashion show in Germany, Ecoluxe Luxury Fashion show during the London Fashion Week 2014, ECO Fashion Show in Abu Dhabi, she presented her SS2015 Collections at Angelman 4 HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
Syndrome Collection showcase – New York and London, she also unveiled her red carpet inspired couture collection in Hollywood, California. Joyce has been proclaimed Grand Champion at Los Angeles Fashion Week Design Competition last October 17, 2015. Tagged as “Design Warz” by Los Angeles Fashion Week Design Competition, the event is a platform for fashion designers, makeup artists and hair stylists. Twelve artists competed in three design categories — hair design, makeup artistry and fashion design on the runway during Los Angeles Fashion Week.
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FASHION DESIGNER: Joyce Penas Pilarsky PHOTOGRAPHER: Ari Simangan FEMALE MODELS: Rose Joy Pinuela Sheena Cuenco Anne Barker Amber Delos Reyes MALE MODEL: Jay Daniel Verano Rannie Saysay Makeup Artist: Dave Quiambao Noemie Baylon HAIRSTYLIST: Oliver Bumatay STYLIST: John Guarnes ORGANIZER: Bench Bello LOCATION: Artist’s Haven Studio
HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY 7
Joyce luckily received rave reviews from different shows she joined and she was featured in several magazines in the Philippines, USA, United Kingdom, France and Germany. Being named as the Queen of Philippine EcoCouture, she is also proud as a model of her own creations which are very unique, oneof-a-kind fashion accessories inspired by the beauty of nature because it makes a heart smile with happiness. She aims also to promote Filipino fabrics and other Filipino indigenous materials from different regions in the Philippines (like pineapple, abacca, pearls, natural stones and other Filipino materials) at the same time will provide more jobs for creative women. Joyce believes that every woman deserves to feel beautiful and stunning; wearing her creations makes a woman more confident, fabulous and a head turner.
BOUTIQUE Scandic Palace 4291 Emilia St. Palanan, Makati City Philippines: (02)-511-0620 USA: +18485658783 EMAIL:USA General Inquiry: info@ joycepilarsky.com OTHER CONTACT: ysexyg@gmail.com / jppcollections@gmail.com
IDA honorary juries examined over 1000 entries submitted by architects and designers of interiors, fashion, products, and graphics from 52 countries throughout the world. After final decisions had been made, the jury rewarded the best professional and emerging designers for their achievements in terms of design, creativity, usability and innovation. Judging was a rigorous process, with winners receiving publication of their work in the International Design Awards BOOK OF DESIGNS.
Last October 2015, Joyce won the Grand Prize at the Los Angeles Design Competition by PR/SHOWROOM showcasing Filipino tribal wear by adapting her The Archives & Showroom signature floral-inspired style. Her idea came info@ up with her mind-blogging designs entirely thearchvieshowroom.com her own; fresh, innovative and fabulous. This 323-454-7564 fastidiousness Pilarsky achieved by being a 7449 Melrose Ave Suite model, painter, philanthropist, singer, haute 1, Los Angeles, California 90046 JOYCE PENAS PILARSKY RECENT couture designer and book author in that ACHIEVEMENTS order before turning MWI International Ambassador 2013, Philippine’s Best Dressed Joyce recently received the Golden Phoenix and Style Icon 2013 and Classic Mrs. Asia International Awards 2016 - Cultural Achievement Awards. The awards is Global 2014. After she was awarded Global ART leader of basically for those who ranked top by Golden Phoenix Award 2015 for her lead in global fashion, she graduated her Masters Review and Adjudication Board in all categories which are in Alternative Medicine at the University of Makati. She important for the award. recently graduated her doctorate in Alternative Medicine. This award is created to celebrate the hardwork and She’s one of the speakers at the 3rd International Annual achievements of many leading women who make a valuable Congress in Barcelona, Spain and discussed about Light and contribution to the economic & culture life of the world. Color Therapist, Treatment of Pain Associated with Anxiety Joyce also won Third Prize in Accessory competition at the and Depression. prestigious International Design Awards in Los Angeles Prior to the competition, Joyce went to the National Museum last June 2016. She presented the new trend in fashion of the Filipino People for designs and materials research. accessories. She aims to promote Filipino indigenous Then she proceed to source materials that involved travels to materials from different regions in the Philippines and other various parts of Asia before doing the actual designs. Pilarsky parts of Asia (natural stones, woods, shells, mother of pearls, showcased an 18-piece ethnic-inspired collection of formal agate and other materials). Her winning collections will be wear consisting of cocktail dresses, gowns and male wear included in International Design Awards Book of Designs, to that features her interpretations of the various ethic wear of be distributed to museum bookstores internationally. the Philippines. Using natural fabrics from the Philippines, specifically Zamboanga. She sourced jusi, piña, tinalak, abel Iloko and silk gazar from indigenous weavers she supports. This earth-friendliness and sustainability, the use of organic, JOYCE BELIEVES THAT EVERY WOMAN hand-woven yet practical materials, makes it an important DESERVES TO FEEL BEAUTIFUL AND direction in the time of climate change threat. Joyce is also the President of FGC (Filipino German Club Karlsruhe STUNNING; WEARING HER CREATIONS Germany) and the International Director Rotary club - San Marcelino Chapter, Manila. MAKES A WOMAN MORE CONFIDENT,
FABULOUS AND A HEAD TURNER
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She is one artist who has a very high regard of her country and aims to promote the beauty of it’s culture and the other Asian countries as a whole and proudly presents it to the world!
FASHION DESIGNER: Joyce Penas Pilarsky PHOTOGRAPHER: Bench Bello MAKEUP ARTIST: Michelle Soriano Molina
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HOLLYWOOD SCENE
JOYSE IS ALSO PROUD AS A MODEL OF HER OWN CREATIONS WHICH ARE VERY UNIQUE, ONE-OF-AKIND FASHION ACCESSORIES INSPIRED BY THE BEAUTY OF NATURE BECAUSE IT MAKES A HEART SMILE WITH HAPPINESS
The Post Athens, Young Bold and Regal, NZ Herald, listed in their Red Carpet Rundown that the 10 best dressed at the 2016 Grammy Awards included 17-yearold singer Diamond White of “The X Factor,” who wore an entirely sheer gown by Joyce in chic black with silver French lace hand-sewn piece by piece. Joyce collections are now available at The Archives Showroom in Melrose Avenue. She’s now invading the Hollywood red carpets and different magazine editorials. Recently her menswear was worn by Teen Wolf Star Cody Saintgnue for Daybook Magazine by Celebrity photographer Tony Duran. Goyocqt, one of the members of Colombian hiphop band Choc Quib Town wore Joyce Pilarsky during Latin Billboards 2016, Hitmaker Natasha Bedingfield, Colombian singer Li Saumet during Latin Grammys 2016 and among others.
FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT JOYCE PENAS PILARSKY, please visit www.joycepilarsky.com
Instagram: @JPilarsky
Fan page: @jppdaringcollections
Twitter: @JPilarsky HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY 11
FINALLY, THE TRUE CONCEPT OF A MEDICAL SPA THE ART OF BEAUTY. PERFECTED FROM WITHIN.
S
pa. The word itself already conjures a picture of relaxation, private baths, privileged luxury… of “throwing away one’s care” – for the moment, figuratively of course. Centuries past, royalties, nobilities and the influential affluent men and women in Europe and the Mediterranean revel in the exclusive privilege of having or going to a ‘spa’ at their leisure. But there is more to just ‘going to a spa’. The concept of holistic wellness include spa or ‘spamerging’ services and essentially espouses or enfolds the intrinsic value of soothing the three psyche: body, mind, spirit. ZEN INSTITUTE chief executive officer and founder Dr. Mary Jane Torres reveals that “The very essence, the foundation that makes a medical spa – truly a medical spa is if it is able to fuse, blend, integrate without cutting corners the four elements. She then enumerates and expounds. “The Aesthetic element which is non-invasive, include facial contouring, hair treatments, body sculpting, skin rejuvenation, whitening, fillers for lips, nose, cheeks, Botox, carbon laser, and lipo-cryo that use extreme cold temperature to melt body fats without pain. The Integrative element applies non-invasive yet protocol-based approaches for various medical treatments is always, always based on a patient’s individual needs. It offers colonics nutrition which is an intravenous procedure done in-clinic for health and wellness within the patient’s body system and combine detoxification, dietary supplements, prescribed medication for hormonal balance. The Lifestyle element include body and mind pampering such as nutritional and calorieburning fitness regimen: Yoga, TRX, RIP 60 and Zumba workouts and counseling with qualified personal trainers to help those who want to stay active, stretch and tone their
muscles even while undergoing various treatments, while the Pampering element offers spa treatments and protocols for anti-ageing and weight management are also considered a therapeutic treatment.” Indeed, these essential elements are the very pillars and bedrock…the very foundation that define an authentic Medical Spa. ZEN INSTITUTE is definitely all of these and even more. Established in 2006, Dr. Torres affirms “Ever since we started, we have been allies of surgeons in their pre-operation and post-operation procedures”. She also believes in what the Japanese exemplifies as “zen”. She defines Zen as “achieving a healthy, balanced life with the help of science.” This has thus been embraced and practiced in all of ZEN INSTITUTE’s three Medical Spa branches in the greater Manila area. With the recent expansion of its flag ship medispa in Quezon City, ZEN Institute is a sprawling 500sq. meter facility which rightly boasts of state-of-theart, leading edge technology and a wellness center that accentuates ZEN’s strength and enviable positioning. The very interiors and ambience exude harmony, balance, calm, cozy luxury. ZEN INSTITUTE takes pride in its regalia of creative and artistic tapestry of holistic services for both men and women. “The Art of Body Sculpting” is elevated to a new level of effectively reshaping the body into what one desires to achieve through its tailorfit guided programs while “The Art of Skin Rejuvenation” will help you, whether you’re a man or woman to recapture your skin’s youthful glow to make you look and feel young; “The Art of Facial Contouring” offers various long lasting, nonsurgical facial contouring procedures to suit one’s individual physiology. “The Art of Image-Building for Men” exclusively offers a complete package from programs, procedures to products to effectively help you gain better confidence, look younger as you trek your path to corporate success.
DRA. MARY JANE “MJ” TORRES • Aesthetic Medicine • Italian Society of Aesthetic and Surgery • International Society of Mesotherapy • French Society of Mesotherapy
And finally, “The Art of Soul Soothing” body pampering that helps to lift the mind, body and soul and untangles the tresses of frayed nerves contained by wearies and worries. Weekend warriors are most welcome to take respite. In response to clamor, ZEN INSTITUTE offers the convenience of comfortable overnight accommodations and three-day stays for its patient guests undergoing colonics treatment and those who are coming from provinces or abroad who undergo procedures. Behind ZEN INSTITUTE’s team of highly competent doctors is the guiding force - Dr. Mary Jane “MJ” Torres. Dr. Torres - ISAMS, ISM, FSM, ECAM, AAAM, specializes in Aesthetic and Antiaging Medicine. She is both a champion of holistic approach to beauty perfection and a firm believer of non-invasive first in Asia and Europe garnered esteem and admiration by respected peers in the medical field. Dr. Torres is an active member of the International Society of Mesotherapy, the French Society of Meso- therapy, the American Society of Anti-aging Medicine, the European Congress of Anti-Aging Medicine and the Italian Society of aesthetic Medicine and Surgery. She trained on Botox in Istanbul, turkey and on lipo-therapy in Athens, Greece. Without a doubt, Dr. Torres is both a champion of the holistic approach to beauty perfection and a firm believer of non-invasive surgery. Herself an epitomy of impeccable beauty, wisdom, acumen and compassion, she promotes a lifestyle of wellness to all her clients through personal coaching. Dr. Torres’ sincere concern for her patients’ wellbeing make her the quintessence of grace. “Our patients trust that once the treatment begins, we will be holding their hand and help them to fully understand and be immersed into the Zen lifestyle of total wellness appropriate to their needs and concerns.” Therein lies the distinction. “No quick fixes, here or there, as if you’re ordering instant or fast food,” Dr. Torres emphasizes. ZEN INSTITUTE is guided by one philosophy: “from inner peace comes true beauty. “ And to quote its lovely founder and CEO, “Combining medical science, aesthetic sense and a personal approach, we pursue holistic health that ensures long-lasting true and beautiful results that have been perfected from within.” Because the journey to beauty perfection starts within, its distinctive protocolbased and highly personalized in its approach to treatments, makes ZEN INSTITUTE ama-ZEN-ly different – and the
DRA. MARY JANE DEFINES ZEN AS “ACHIEVING A HEALTHY, BALANCED LIFE WITH THE HELP OF SCIENCE.”
very reason why it embodies what a true medical spa is… incomparable in every sense of the word. For more information about The Zen Institute and Colonics, visit http://www.thezeninstitute.com. Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ ZenMedicalSpa
DISCOVER HOW THE ART OF BEAUTY, PERFECTED FROM WITHIN CAN ALSO BE YOURS. For inquiries, call or visit The Zen Institute, 69 Scout Rallos St., Tomas Morato, Quezon City (441-1712; 412-2528), with branches at Ground Floor, Bonifacio Technology Center, 31st Street corner 2nd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City (856-2027), and at the St. Frances Cabrini Medical Center, Maharlika Highway, Barangay 2, Sto. Tomas, Batangas (+43) 778-4811).
POET, SONGWRITERPRODUCER JIMMY D ROBINSON CURATES NEW CHILLOUT LOUNGE CD STARRING A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS
PHOTO: GEORGE ANDREWS
JIMMY D R 14 HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS BY COOKIE ROSENBAUM
One thing about Grammy hopeful Jimmy D Robinson is that you can always expect the unexpected. Poet, songwriter, producer, artist Jimmy D Robinson is about to drop an arsenal of tracks from his latest collaboration with the legendary Grammy winning A Flock of Seagulls. Robinson has been crafting an amazing collection of new chillout lounge songs, which feature his prolific poetry and the intricate weaving of talents between A Flock of Seagulls and internationally-adored producers Josh Harris and FC Nond. It is with meticulous curation that Robinson sets every lavish production ablaze within the creative hub at Mind Juice Records. Very generous in his leadership as executive producer and lyricist, Robinson allows his enlisted musical comrades plenty of multidimensional space where their thoughts and ideas freely collide and coexist. The end result of this experimental chillout lounge creative process is truly mind and soul sustenance. How did Jimmy D Robinson arrive at this level of curation and musicianship? The answer is he has stayed true to his artistic visions with prodigious integrity. He was worked with countless singers and musicians throughout the years, turning his published poems into living musical masterpieces. Among them, he is most proud of his musical work thus far with Melba Moore and Carol Jiani. Both ladies have recorded a plethora of Robinson’s poetic songs for his club dance label. In fact, Robinson is releasing two brand new dance poetry music projects with diva Jiani – “Heaven Earth Man” featuring a remarkable production from Mauro Mozart and the awe-inspiring belter “I Got This Feeling” produced by Moto Blanco following later this year.
The chillout lounge foray with A Flock of Seagulls, Josh Harris and FC Nond is quite monumental; it is at once, unpredictable and refreshing. There are many bands of yesteryear that fade into obscurity and there are those special groups that are ingrained in our minds forever. The Grammy winning A Flock of Seagulls is a British new wave group whose name remains
D ROBINSON HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY 15
“The reality that I am working with ‘A Flock of Seagulls’ is quite surreal at times,” says Robinson. “I have to pinch myself when I hear Mike singing my words to such colorful melodies and fantastic production. Mike is a musical genius. It is an extraordinary experience putting this whole project together with such a renowned band and infusing the art with the persuasive and meticulous production of Josh Harris and the captivating sounds of FC Nond. We expect the lead single release “Ageless Prince” to take Ibiza and the U.S. market by storm sometime this coming fall.” On “Living in Time” Scores delivered his distinctive vocals with ardent melodies, reminiscent of his synth-pop past into modern day. The forthcoming chillout lounge CD is a new departure for Scores, but he is completely absorbed and dedicated to this unique artistic process. “Once we start messing around with one of Jimmy’s poems, we manage to work everyone’s talented personalities into a jigsaw puzzle,” says Score from his home in Cocoa Beach, FL. “The finished song really makes a picture of all of us in this collaboration. The music has a great lift with a relaxed feel…it’s quite beautiful!”
synonymous with the ‘80s, all around the world. How can we ever forget the group founder and front man Mike Scores’ haunting vocals and lyrics on the legendary song “I Ran” as well as the music video featuring him playing a keyboard, donning his enigmatic punk hairstyle? Score’s look later evolved into a “seagull” inspired water-fountain front swoosh hairdo, which spawned a new generation of copycats. This look, the songs, and the punk-pop movement dominated MTV. A Flock of Seagulls were the darlings of that era. Thirty-something years later, go to any ‘80s night event and you will hear the song “I Ran.” Mike Scores divides his year between Liverpool, England and Cocoa Beach, Florida as he continues taking the current Seagulls band lineup out on the road – touring all over the globe. To mark the approaching 35th Anniversary of A Flock of Seagulls, Jimmy D Robinson is teaming up with Mike Scores to produce and create a modern chillout lounge album titled “Living in Time.” Utilizing abstract and lyrical poetry from all of Robinson’s works, A Flock of Seagulls sets the words to music, creating mesmerizing melodies while collaborating on leading-edge production with producers Josh Harris and FC Nond.
Jimmy D Robinson is quick to point out that the lead single “Ageless Prince” will be remixed for club play in the UK and the U.S. “We will take it in a new direction for serious dance music lovers and promote it out to DJs and clubs. It’s very exciting.” While finishing up the upcoming “Living in Time” album, A Flock of Seagulls will be touring this summer with a dozen dates in South America and shows all across Europe and America. The recent Brexit does not seem to rattle Mike Scores. He believes that when the dust settles “everything will be okay.” He tenderly stated “It doesn’t mean England is leaving Europe. People still want England and England still wants to be part of Europe. England has been on its own before and when the dust settles all will be well.” Scores continues, “Our fan base is huge and it is always so much fun to play for them. We are excited to give them some great new music. Fans will love our new collaborations and future work, while celebrating the 35 years of A Flock of Seagulls with ‘Living in Time!’” There is little doubt that Jimmy D Robinson’s “Living in Time” project starring A Flock of Seagulls will be a very strong outing in this new musical medium. New and long-standing audiences will fall in love, to and with, this dazzling chillout lounge CD, which is due out end of 2016. So, put this CD on your holiday wish list now.
JIMMY D WAS WORKED WITH COUNTLESS SINGERS AND MUSICIANS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, TURNING HIS PUBLISHED POEMS INTO LIVING MUSICAL MASTERPIECES. AMONG THEM, HE IS MOST PROUD OF HIS MUSICAL WORK THUS FAR WITH MELBA MOORE AND CAROL JIANI. 16 HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
“AGELESS PRINCE” single release is expected to take IBIZA and US market by storm
“LIVING IN TIME.” Jimmy D Robinson teaming up with A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS to Produce a Modern Chillout album
PHOTO: GEORGE ANDREWS
Dance Poetry CD with Disco Diva CAROL JIANI “HEAVEN EARTH MAN“ Featuring remarkable Production with Mauro Mozart, Josh Harris
BY STORM SOMETIME THIS COMING FALL
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FANTASTIC FIG MAGIC IS SPELLBINDING AND CAPTIVATING
“AMERICA’S GOT TALENT” ON JUNE 29, 2011 (OR ANY OF SEVERAL REPLAYS), WATCH HIS FEATURED PERFORMANCE BEFORE PIERS MORGAN, SHARON OSBOURNE, AND HOWIE MANDEL. NICK CANNON CALLED FIG THE “HUGH HEFNER OF MAGIC.” FIG, HIS CAT NEWTON, AND 4 LOVELY DANCERS WERE ACCEPTED TO GO TO LAS VEGAS!
PAUL FEGEN PAUL
NEWTON
Fantastic Fig’s brand of walk-around psychic magic is a fascinating combination of magic tricks, mind reading and dancing. His magical entertainment has fascinated kids and adults alike and has never missed to enliven the guests at corporate and private functions where he has performed, with or without his cat, Newton. When you, your family, or friends have a party or event, call Fig and he will amaze and dazzle everyone with incredible strolling close-up playing card magic at any reasonable fee decided by you. Or, if someone invites you to a party or event where you would otherwise bring a gift, let Fig (with or without his cat Newton, at your option) and his magic be your special gift. Whether you are planning a small intimate gathering or a large audience private party or corporate event, Fantastic Fig can tailor a show to amaze and dazzle your guests!
For a more detailed quote, please contact Paul Fegen at no obligation:
NEWTON
Paul Fegen AKA Fantastic Fig 9025 Wilshire Blvd., Penthouse Beverly Hills, CA 90211 (310) 286-1111 (310) 385-5853 fax.
paulfigfegen@yahoo.com
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w w w. i s h i p . c o m . p h
“HEAT” MICHAEL MANN, AL PACINO AND ROBERT DE NIRO TOGETHER
HEAT Written and Directed by Michael Mann
T
he Academy celebrates Michael Mann’s 1995 classic, “Heat,” on the big screen on Wednesday, September 7, at 7:00 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills with a new 4K DCP restoration. Following the screening, Oscar® winners Pacino and De Niro, four-time Oscar nominee Mann and other cast and crew will reunite in a conversation moderated by Oscar nominee Christopher Nolan.
September 7, at 7:00 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills Samuel Goldwyn Theater 8949 Wilshire Blvd Beverly Hills, CA 90212
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The crew of a fierce, professional thief (De Niro) and an obsessively driven LAPD detective (Pacino) are locked in deadly opposition as they vector towards each other. Taking inspiration from his friend, Chicago Detective Charlie Adamson – who killed Neil McCauley in a shoot-out in 1963 – Mann built a twilight vision of Los Angeles. With its range of complex characters, epic scale action and dazzling use of the city, “Heat” is as incendiary as it was 20 years ago.
Produced by Michael Mann and Art Linson Executive Producers Arnon Milchan and Pieter Jan Brugge Director of Photography Dante Spinotti Production Designer Neil Spisak Film Editors Dov Hoenig, Pasquale Buba, William Goldenberg and Tom Rolf Music by Elliot Goldenthal Costume Designer Deborah L. Scott Sound by Lee Orloff, Andy Nelson, Chris Jenkins and Doug Hemphill Casting by Bonnie Timmermann Cast: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Diane Venora, Amy Brenneman, Dennis Haysbert, Ashley Judd, Mykelti Williamson, Wes Studi, Ted Levine, William Fichtner, Natalie Portman, Tom Noonan, Kevin Gage, Hank Azaria, Susan Traylor, Kim Staunton and Jon Voight Running time: 172 minutes Format: “Heat” will be presented in a new 4K DCP, restored by Stefan Sonnenfeld (Company 3) and Michael Mann.
Fund campaigns you love.
JOAN DARLING is a pioneer female director in Hollywood (Mary Tyler Moore, M.A.S.H., Magnum P.I., and MANY more) and a directing fellow at the Sundance Institute (Sundance Film Festival). She will be Co-Directing Mrs. Wildermuth with Estes as well as starring in the film. ESTES TARVER is an actor/writer/director who currently can be found recurring on such television shows as Under the Dome (as Tom Tilden on CBS), Finding Carter (as Sgt. Hall on MTV), and The Detour (TBS). His first feature Changeover is soon to be released in 2016, and he has written/directed commercials for such brands Walgreens and Hasbro. CRAIG BRANDWYNNE has been in the music business for over 40 years and is an accomplished musician, composer, writer, producer and engineer. Craig has written and produced music for artists and corporate clients as well as musical theater. TRIPP GREEN has been a cinematographer for major commercials brands such as Walgreen’s, Hasbro, AARP, Brett Michael’s, Alli Health (and many more), as well as done work for TLC, Discovery Education, and several Feature Films (Liberty’s Secret, Changeover, Secrets in the Snow, Secrets in the Fall).
This crazy dark comedy will have you laughing all the way through the chaos.
We need YOU to help bring Mrs Wildermuth and her story to life! How you ask? Go to indiegogo.com and by purchasing any one of the packages we have listed to the right. All purchases will go to the making of Mrs Wildermuth. You will forever be a part of our film-making history. Every contribution counts, and we thank you for being a part of our film.
Don’t forget to share!
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/mrs-wildermuth#/ F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N 9 1 9 . 6 0 7 . 2 3 1 3 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/mrs-wildermuth#/
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Jennifer Lopez’s boyfriend, Beau “Casper” Smart teams up with Mark Ryan of the Starz hit series Black Sails and Michael Bay’s mega hit franchise Transformers, star in the newest high octane action MMA movie – Street – which sold out online at Walmart.com in it’s first three days and passed Ryan Reynolds and Deadpool, to take the #1 position on the best seller list for new releases.
JOANNA KRUPA STREET CO/ producer, Model
The movie features MMA icon Frank Trigg, and current Bellator fighters Matt Mitrione, LightHeavyweight-Champion Emanuel Newton, former welterweight title challenger Jay Hieron and UFC The Ultimate Fighter, Uriah Hall.
Polish American model, actress and animal rights activist. She is best known for her appearances on the reality television shows Dancing with the Stars, Top Model and The Real Housewives of Miami.
Street also takes a bite out of the WWE throwing former champion John Hennigan in the mix, known as Johnny Nitro and James Morrison to wrestling fans. Street contains some of the best MMA underground fight scenes since Brad Pitt and Edward Norton teamed up in Fight Club. Street explores the dark underworld of crime and fight club as Street, played by Smart, is forced to fight to pay back a debt and save his family from A Russian Mob Boss, Uri, played by Mark Ryan.
“STREET”
Arnold Chon, one of the top fight choreographers in Hollywood as well as a trainer of real MMA fighters, is the man behind the action and the man who brings the fights to life. Arnold Chon has worked with Martial Arts legends including Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Wesley Snipes, Jean Claude Van Damme, Michael Jai White and Chuck Norris. Even more prevalent to the film, Chon has trained MMA fighters to a championship level in his spare time, both in Bellator and the UFC. Because of his real world experience with MMA he is regarded as the most knowledgeable coordinator in on-screen MMA fights in Hollywood. Street is produced by Lyle Howry of Wedding Day, starring David Koechner (You Can’t Have It), Armand Assante (American Gangster), NFL star Rob Gronkowski(https://pro-labs.imdb. com/name/nm4069812/) and Joanna Krupa (Planet of the Apes (2001), Dancing with the Stars, Poland’s Next Top Model) and has been in the Martial Arts and MMA world as a known Producer for two decades.
26 HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
Jennifer Lopez’s Beau “Casper” Proves to be Smart Enough To Help Indie Film Rival
Major Studio Film Deadpool in Newest MMA Film in Walmart Online In First Three Days!
LYLE HOWRY Film Producer. Founder and CEO of Skinfly Entertainment has been associated with the entertainment industry for more than 30 years.
“This film will be applauded by MMA enthusiasts while at the same time appealing to those who enjoy a good love story blended with action, and of course those who are inspired by come-from-behind underdog movies like Rocky, Warrior, Southpaw and other films of that genre. I am thrilled that fans will have the opportunity to purchase this movie at Walmart,” added Producer Lyle Howry from Skinfly Entertainment. Streetthemovie.net
12 SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL AREAS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR 2016 OSCARS® Online submissions for similar devices or claims of innovation are now open through Tuesday, August 30, 2016, 5 PM (PT). Here is a list of investigations that have been launched for the 2016 Oscars®: http://www.oscars. org/news/12scientific-andtechnical-areasunder-investigation2016-oscars For assistance, please contact Brooke Boles in the Membership and Awards Office at (310) 247-3000 x1129 or scitech@oscars.org.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that 12 distinct scientific and technical investigations have been launched for the 2016 Oscars®. These investigations are made public so individuals and companies with devices or claims of innovation within these areas will have the opportunity to submit achievements for review. The committee also will continue its investigation of rig-based solvers for tracking and animating deforming objects from image sequences, which it tabled in 2015. Claims of prior art or similar technology must be submitted online at www.oscars.org/awards/scitech/ apply.html. For further information, contact the Awards Office at (310) 247-3000, ext. 1129, or via e-mail at scitech@oscars.org. After thorough investigations are conducted in each of the technology categories, the committee will meet in early December to vote on recommendations to the Academy’s Board of Governors, which will make the final awards decisions. The 2016 Scientific and Technical Awards Presentation will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2017. The 89th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT ADDITIONAL ENTRIES IS TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, AT 5 P.M. PT. THE ACADEMY’S SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL AWARDS COMMITTEE HAS STARTED INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE FOLLOWING AREAS: • High-resolution digital motion picture cameras with sensors sized Super 35 or larger • Recent advancements in motion control software • Recent advancements in wireless microphone technology • Computer-printed, seamless scenic backdrops • Camera flange depth measurement devices • Shading programming languages for production rendering • Ray-tracing production renderers supporting physically-based shading and light transport • Real-time, vector-based drawing tools for sketching and markup in film production • Fast-reset bullet hit kits for live-action production • On-set, real-time, principal camera tracking technology • Electrodeless plasma arc lamps for motion picture lighting • Reconfigurable, rideable, life-size animatronic horses
HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY 27
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I AM OTHER’ Pharrell Williams and CEO and Co-Founder of Yoobi Ido Leffler
PHARRELL WILLIAMS
CELEBRATES THE LAUNCH OF THE ‘YOOBI X I AM OTHER’ BACK-TOSCHOOL COLLECTION IN L.A.
Mayte Garcia
Yoobi and i am OTHER (Pharrell’s creative collective) celebrated their new, limited edition back-to-school collection, available now at Target and Yoobi.com. The new ‘Yoobi x i am OTHER’ back-to-school collection consists of more than 50 unique school supply essentials including inspirational and brightly colored designs that were shaped by kids themselves, encouraging them to embrace their individuality and “OTHERness.” The group ImmaBeastCo 30 HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
Photos by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Yoobi
‘YOOBI X
CEO and Co-Founder of Yoobi Ido Leffler
Pharrell Williams meeting with all of the kids at the event and taking selfies with them all night.
Pharrell and Yoobi co-founder/CEO Ido Leffler celebrated with students from Los Angeles Unified School District, kids from the Boys & Girls Club and celebrity guests including Christina Milian and her daughter Violet, Mayte Garcia, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons (Modern Family), Trinitee Stokes (K.C. Undercover and Austin & Ally), Lilimar Hernandez (Bella and the Bulldogs), Peyton Meyer (Girl Meets World), Cole Sand (Minions), Jadon Sand (The Affair), and Carter Sand (Frozen). It was a super bright, colorful and fun event celebrating individuality and giving back to the community. Yoobi is based on a bright yet simple idea: for every Yoobi item purchased, a Yoobi school supply item will be donated to a classroom in need, right here in the U.S. Yoobi believes that students all across the country should have access to the necessary tools to learn and be successful. With this year’s back-toschool partnership, Yoobi and i am OTHER hope to continue to reach students with the materials they need to succeed, while inspiring kids to embrace what makes them unique and different. Since their launch in 2014, Yoobi has impacted over 1.5 million kids across the U.S. and it doesn’t stop there!
Christina Milian and Mychal Bella (L) and Volet Madison Nash (R) Christina Milian spinning the Yoobi “give back” wheel in which Yoobi donated classroom items to a school in need in her name!
Actor Peyton Meyer. All of the girls got really excited when Peyton Meyer showed up to the event, yelling and screaming and taking photos with him. HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY 31
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IMA International Management Agency / IMA Content is a modern Scandinavian talent management and production agency with an international roster of actors, directors and storyboard artists. IMA is made up of 100 years of creative experience who together form the most unique content around. IMA is represented in Stockholm, London, New York and Los Angeles. IMA has a very special relationship with Hollywood Weekly Magazine and its Film Festival. 32 HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
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M
ost people come to Hollywood to make money or to make a name for themselves, but Kat Kramer came to Hollywood to make a difference. Kat is Hollywood royalty, but she’s no princess. A tireless advocate and promoter of important social causes, she may be the closest thing Hollywood’s got to a revolutionary. Kat Kramer wants to change the world, and like her famous father – legendary producer and director Stanley Kramer – she’d doing it through the medium of film. In 2009, she launched Kat Kramer’s Films That Change the World, an invitation-only series of screenings of socially relevant films. Her vision was to bring filmmakers, celebrities, activists and members of the media together in one room, and then help spread consciousness about those issues to as many people outside that room as possible. Lily Tomlin has called her “the James Brown of activism. She works harder than anyone I know.” “She’s tackling so much,” Cher marveled at one of Kat’s screenings. “I’m certain Kat’s father would be very proud of her,” said Marilyn Bergman, Oscar-winning songwriter and composer.
“AS AN INDEPENDENT FILM SUPPORTER AND SOCIAL ACTIVIST, MY AIM IS TO CARRY ON MY FATHER’S LEGACY... A LOT OF MY FATHER’S FILMS HAVE CHANGED THE WORLD”
“I support Kat in trying to change the world, just as her father’s films did,” said actor and activist Ed Begley, Jr. Actor Billy Bob Thornton is also a big admirer. “Look,” he said, “anytime you can do anything that furthers this society in this day and time is a great thing. They’re a great family and they’re always involved in trying to better our society, and you can’t beat that. Not everybody’s doing that, and also, they do it selflessly. That’s a really important thing.” According to the old Hal David and Burt Bacharach song, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love.” The only thing Kat would add to that is that the world also needs more respect and understanding. And while films probably can’t make us love one another, Kat believes they can certainly help us to respect and understand one another better. One day recently, after shooting a public service announcement at Sunset Gower Studios in Hollywood, Kat sat down over a bowl of soup and a salad at a nearby restaurant to discuss her own work and her father’s legacy as “the conscience of Hollywood,” whose films explored such controversial issues as racism, genocide, animal rights and nuclear holocaust. “As an independent film supporter and social activist, my aim is to carry on my father’s legacy,” Kat said. “A lot of my father’s films have changed the world. The most important thing is that film can change lives – it can make people think and take action. Change can take a long time, but if one person changes their thinking or tells somebody else to examine their prejudices, that’s making a change. And my father’s movies get you to do that.” “I was certainly influenced by my father, and all of his movies had issues,” she said, barely sipping at her soup. “And the filmmakers and movies that I’m interested in follow the same pattern. My father would be tackling these issues if he were alive today. That’s why this screening series is so much in his spirit. And that’s why Sunset Gower is the perfect place to do it. I’ve been
KAT KRAMER
MAKING A DIFFERENCE By: David Robb HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY 35
offered other locations, but I want to keep a consistent place that has a theme to it and ties into my dad’s legacy.” The first film she screened to launch Kat Kramer’s Films That Change the World was “Yentl,” which was then celebrating the 25th anniversary of its release. The film, which was directed, produced, co-written and starred Barbra Streisand, was a ground-breaking film that opened doors in Hollywood for generations of women writers, producers and directors to come. And appropriately enough, Kat screened it at the Stanley Kramer Theater on the Sunset Gower lot, where her father had shot 15 of his films, including “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner,” “The Caine Mutiny,” “The Wild One,” “Member of the Wedding” and “Death of a Salesman,” when it was still the old Columbia Pictures backlot. “I chose ‘Yentl’ because it’s one of my favorite films,” she says, her soup getting colder and colder by the minute. “I chose it because it was not only a film that my father use to love – we had a strong father-daughter bond over it – but also because Barbra Steisand is such a force of nature who was ahead of her time as a filmmaker, actress and singer – everything was a first in that film. And the film itself is so relevant about women’s issues.” But Kat’s genius was in pairing the story of a young girl in 19th Century Poland who had to battle sexism just to get an education, with the plight of the women and girls today in the Congo, who are being raped and murdered by the hundreds of thousands as part of that country’s seemingly endless civil war.
As one blogger who attended the screening wrote: “Using ‘Yentl’ to help raise awareness of the terrible abuses of women in the Congo was brilliant!” Another blogger agreed: “I never would have thought of ‘Yentl’ in the context of the problems facing Congolese women…If these are the kinds of issues that Kat Kramer’s Films That Change the World is bringing attention to, count me in! I love movies, and I love people who recognize the power of films to change things for the better.” The second film screened in Kat’s series was “The Cove,” the chilling animal rights documentary about the almost ritualistic killing of dolphins in Japan. “The Cove,” of course, was not the first animal rights film ever made. That distinction may belong to Stanley Kramer’s 1971 film “Bless the Beasts and The Children,” which tells the story of a group of misfits who set out to stop the slaughter of a herd of buffalo. “The people behind ‘The Cove’ told me that ‘Bless the Beasts and The Children’ changed their lives,” Kat says.
Speakers at the screening – which was held during Women’s History Month – included Marilyn Bergman, who was part of the songwriting team that penned the Oscar nominated songs and score for “Yentl,” and who talked about the film and Streisand’s battle against the glass
Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge came to Kat’s screening of “The Cove” with a City Council proclamation declaring it “The Cove Day” in Los Angeles. And immediately after the screening, the filmmakers headed out to a Japanese restaurant called The Hump, and put in place a sting operation that a few days later led to the restaurant being closed for illegally selling whale meat.
“KAT IS THE JAMES
The timing for Kat’s screening couldn’t have been better: It was held just two days before the March 2, 2010, deadline for the return of Oscar ballots, and may very well have helped “The Cove” win the Oscar for Best Documentary.
BROWN OF ACTIVISM. SHE WORKS HARDER THAN ANYONE I KNOW.” LILY TOMLIN
36 HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
ceiling to get it made; Bonnie Abaunza, vice president of Participant Media and former director of artists for Amnesty International; and actress Emmanuelle Chriqui, perhaps best known for her roles in “Don’t Mess With the Zohan” and HBO’s “Entourage,” who is also a celebrity spokesperson for Enough – the project to end genocide and crimes against humanity – and its Raise Hope for Congo campaign.
“I had so many Academy members at the screening,” Kat recalls, “and afterwards, several of them told me that it convinced them to vote for it.” “If it wasn’t for Kat Kramer’s Films That Change the World,” the film’s director, Louie Psihoyos, told Kat, “there’s a good chance we wouldn’t have won the Academy Award.”
Her soup has gone cold now and Kat begins picking at her salad. “It’s not my intention to screen these movies just so they can win Academy Awards,” she says, “but if a film wins one or gets international recognition, it just brings the issues to light more. So really, the films are tools to spread the awareness to the public.” “My screenings are invitation only,” Kat says. “I don’t invite the public or charge admission. They are think tank-salons. They’re really for the media, activists and celebrities. And let’s face it; celebrities draw the media’s attention to the issues.” Networking with celebrities is second nature to Kat – she’s been doing it since the day she was born. Her godmother was Katharine Hepburn, after whom Kat is named. And when she was born, Hepburn sent her a christening dress, and a note that said: “For dear little Katharine, you’ll be forever telling them to spell it with an ‘A.’ Love Aunt Kat.” Today, Kat is the West Coast Representative of the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. A singer with a three-octave range – Kat recorded a song with famed musician, the late Billy Preston, on an album of Mick Jagger solo songs she covered – and an actress whose credits include “Little Fockers” and Henry Jaglom’s “Going Shopping,” Kat is also a gifted journalist and producer with a web-series and a one-woman show in the works. The third screening in Kat’s series was held Jan. 20, 2011 at Sunset Gower Studios, which this year is celebrating its 100th anniversary. This time the subject was the biggest land animal on the planet – and the screening drew one of the biggest stars on the planet – Cher. The film, titled “Elephants and Man: A Litany of Tragedy,” exposed the heartbreaking suffering that elephants endure when held captive in zoos and circuses. But it was the celebrities in attendance who captured the media’s attention, and they in turn spread the word around the world: Newspapers, magazines, TV news and the hundreds of Internet websites all carried photos of Cher, Lily Tomlin, Tippi Hedren, Chris Gallucci, Paula Poundstone, Ed Begley Jr., Billy Bob Thornton, George Chakiris, Ken Davitian, Stella Stevens and other celebrities who came to lend their support. “My screenings get a lot of coverage because of the star power that comes to them,” Kat says. “There were only 125 people in the room, but it got international attention.” And “that room,” appropriately enough, was the chapel on the Sunset Gower lot – a former sound stage where her father scored nearly all the films he shot there. The next documentary Kat will screen in her series is, once again, about an extremely timely subject. Titled “Teach Your Children Well,” it explores the bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youths and the recent rash of suicides that this particularly cruel form of harassment has spawned.
SHE MAY BE THE CLOSEST THING HOLLYWOOD’S GOT TO A REVOLUTIONARY. “It’s such an unfortunate, sad and critical issue,” said Lily Tomlin, the film’s narrator. “There are so many ways now to bully and harass kids, with texting and the Internet, they can’t even escape it when they get home.” “LGBT students are two-to-three times more likely to be bullied than straight kids,” said performer Coco Peru, who appears in the film. “Nine out of ten report that they have been bullied or harassed.” Kat’s mother, Karen Sharpe-Kramer, couldn’t be prouder that Kat is following in her father’s footsteps. “She wouldn’t be a Kramer if she didn’t embrace social issues. We would have kicked her out of the house,” Karen says with a big laugh. Karen, an actress and producer who won the 1954 Golden Globe Award for her performance in “The High and the Mighty” and has appeared in over hundred of TV shows and in numerous films, including “Man with a Gun” opposite Robert Mitchum and was Jerry Lewis’ HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY 37
to make independent films before it was fashionable to do so. He vowed – he pledged – to use film as a real weapon against discrimination, hatred, prejudice and excessive power. The films he made often dealt with uncomfortable and serious subjects. And he did it without exploitation or political paranoia. The most controversial topics of his day were addressed in films like ‘The Defiant Ones,’ which tackled racism; ‘On the Beach,’ which warned of nuclear holocaust. ‘Inherit the Wind’ examined the teachings of evolution; ‘Judgment at Nuremberg,’ was a condemnation of genocide, and ‘Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner’ was a daring study of interracial romance.” Accepting the award, Al Gore said that Stanley Kramer “brought powerful social issues to the screen that touched our sense of moral responsibility.” Stanley’s impact on Hollywood cannot be exaggerated, which may explain why he was the first person to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Steven Spielberg, one of the greatest filmmakers of his generation, said that Stanley Kramer “was behind some of the most amazingly socially conscientious pictures ever made by Hollywood. When you just read Stanley Kramer’s credits, you look at those credits and say, ‘That had to be six, seven, eight filmmakers that made this amazing contribution to American cinema and to social reality.’ But in fact it all came from one heart and one soul and one incredibly talented visionary. And that’s one of my favorite filmmakers of all time – Stanley Kramer.” leading lady in “The Disorderly Orderly”. She made her film debut, ironically enough, in Stanley Kramer’s 1952 drama “The Sniper,” although they never met on the set. When they finally met in 1964; they were married two years later. From then on, Karen assisted Stanley on all of his films, and helped cast many of them. And since his death in 2001, she has devoted herself to keeping his legacy alive. She’s produced a TV remake of “High Noon” and is working on bringing several other adaptations of his films to the stage and screen. In 2002, she established the Stanley Kramer Award, which is given annually by the Producers Guild of America to films that “illuminate provocative social issues.” “My mom changes the world every day just by being who she is,” Kat says.
38 HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
Today, with an African American in the White House, it’s hard to imagine that when Barack Obama was born in 1961, his parents couldn’t have gotten married in 16 states, where marriages between blacks and whites were still illegal. It was still illegal in 1967 – the year that “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” which featured an interracial love affair – was released. And that same year, the Supreme Court finally ruled that laws banning interracial marriages were unconstitutional. Stanley Kramer’s ground-breaking exploration of race in America – from “The Defiant Ones”, “Home Of The Brave”, “Pressure Point” to “Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner,” had a profound effect on the attitudes of millions of Americans.
Kat comes from a whole family of social activist, but it is her younger sister Jennifer, she says, “who inspires me the most, and is the true artist of the family.”
And all the while that Stanley Kramer was turning out masterpieces that spoke to the American conscience, The industry was battling one of the worst scourges in American history – the Hollywood blacklist.
Her dad changed the world, too. Harrison Ford explained how at the 2007 Producers Guild Awards, when Karen asked him to present the Stanley Kramer Award to Al Gore for “An Inconvenient Truth.”
The blacklist began in 1947, when hundreds of actors, writers and directors who’d been deemed “unpatriotic” were banned from working in the movie industry, including some of the best writers in Hollywood.
“In an era of filmmaking defined by escapism,” Ford said, “Stanley Kramer made his mark, his reputation, taking on tough social issues. A fiercely autonomous producer and director, he had broken through the Hollywood blacklist
The blacklist was in full swing in 1957 when Stanley Kramer hired Harold Jacob Smith and blacklisted writer Nathan E. Douglas to co-author the script for “The Defiant Ones,” which told the story of two convicts – one black
and one white – who must rely on one another to escape from a Southern chain gang. It was Stanley Kramer who officially broke the blacklist by hiring these two writers, when blacklisted writers were only being paid pittance. He paid more for their screenplay then anyone had ever paid in seventeen years. He fully credited them with their rightful names and against the system brought them on to the studio lot and hired them as actors in the movie. The film won the Oscar that year for best original screenplay. Kramer re-hired Smith and Young in 1959 to co-author the script for “Inherit the Wind,” a fictionalized account of the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, in which high school biology teacher John Scopes was accused of violating a Tennessee law that forbade the teaching of evolution in public schools. One of the finest courtroom dramas ever made, with its classic give-and-take of competing ideas on the nature and origins of man, the film is still relevant today as America continues to struggle with the issues of science, religion and freedom of thought. In those days, the American Legion considered itself a clearinghouse for Americanism, and when the Legion learned that Kramer had hired yet another blacklisted writer, it issued a very un-American letter of condemnation. Famed playwright Moss Hart, who was then president of the Authors League of America, rose to Stanley’s defense, sending him a telegraph that stated: “The Authors League of America council, which has always unalterably opposed any form of blacklisting of writers, unanimously voted at a meeting today to commend and applaud you for your courageous stand in rejecting publicly the effort to interfere, on pseudopatriotic grounds, with the right of writers to work.” Kirk Douglas and Otto Preminger are widely credited with having broken the blacklist in 1960 – the same year that “Inherit the Wind” was released – when Douglas and Preminger hired blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo to pen “Spartacus” and “Exodus,” respectively. But it was Kramer’s courageous decision to hire Harold Jacob Smith and Nathan E. Douglas three years earlier to co-write “The Defiant Ones” that really broke the back of the blacklist.
“THAT HAD TO BE SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT FILMMAKERS THAT MADE THIS AMAZING CONTRIBUTION TO AMERICAN CINEMA AND TO SOCIAL REALITY.’ BUT IN FACT IT ALL CAME FROM ONE HEART AND ONE SOUL AND ONE INCREDIBLY TALENTED VISIONARY. AND THAT’S ONE OF MY FAVORITE FILMMAKERS OF ALL TIME – STANLEY KRAMER.”STEVEN SPIELBERG
One time, she said, “We were in a restaurant in Hollywood and someone came up and said, ‘You’re sick, Kramer. You’re sick. Watch your back.’” Another time, at a dinner party in Beverly Hills in the late-1960s, a drunken man seated across the table from the Kramers recognized Stanley and addressed him in a loud voice. “Are you the Stanley Kramer who made that film, ‘Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner’?” The room fell silent, as all eyes turned to the drunken guest, and then to Stanley. “Well,” the drunk continued, “I didn’t like it.” “That’s fine,” Stanley replied. “You’re entitled to your opinion.” “No,” the drunk insisted. “You don’t understand. I really didn’t like it!” Before things could get out of hand, the host came over, touched the man’s arm and calmed him down. But the incident was proof – if any were needed – that Stanley had touched a nerve.
In 1962, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences presented Stanley with its most prestigious award – the Irving Thalberg Award, which is presented to “creative producers whose bodies of work reflect a consistently high quality of motion picture production.”
So far Kat Kramer hasn’t recieved any threats, but there is no doubt, people out there won’t like what she’s doing either. She is contraversal she is defiant, and will strike out against injustice in society, and like her father before her is committed to making a difference.
All together, Stanley’s 35 films garnered a staggering 85 Oscar nominations. His most nominated film, “Judgment at Nuremberg,” will be screened later this year at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in celebration of the 50th anniversary of its release.
David Robb covered Hollywood’s unions at Daily Variety and The Hollywood Reporter for 20 years. He has written articles for the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times. He is the author of “Operation Hollywood: How the Pentagon Shapes and Censors the Movies” (Prometheus Books, 2004). His next book, “The Gumshoe and the Shrink,” is a real life detective story set against the backdrop of the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon election that will be published next year by Santa Monica Press.
Not everyone, of course, was happy with Stanley Kramer and his films. “Our lives were threatened many times,” recalls his widow, Karen Kramer. “We got more hate mail than anybody.”
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