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Who knew when the year began that a sequel to a 36-year-old movie starring its 60-year-old actor who headlined the original would be the box office champ so far this year? But “Top Gun: Maverick” starring Tom Cruise, which was released Aug. 23 on digital formats while still flying high in theaters is not only the No. 1 film of the year with a staggering haul of 683.4 million domestically and 720 million overseas. And the acclaimed film didn’t even play in China or Russia. “Top Gun: Maverick” is also the biggest film of Cruise’s career which began in 1981 with Franco Zeffirelli’s “Endless Love.”

And with the digital release, let’s relive 1986, the year we first felt the need for speed and flew into the danger zone. The year the original “Top Gun” took our breath away.

Top 10 Box Office Hits

Top Gun (natch)

Crocodile Dundee

Platoon

The Karate Kid Part...

The fourth season of Netflix’s “Stranger Things” is set in 1986. Talk about déjà vu.

The top movie of the year was “Top Gun” starring Tom Cruise and this year, the sequel “Top Gun: Maverick” is the top flick earning nearly 582 million in North America. “Cobra Kai,”the TV sequel to “Karate Kid,” is one of the most popular series on Netflix and several “Star Trek” series have blasted off on “Paramount+.

A handful the top ten TV series including “Cheers,” “Murder, She Wrote” and “The Golden Girls” are living on in repeats. One of the top series, “60 Minutes,” is still chugging away on CBS after 54 seasons making it the longest running primetime series on the small screen. And Michael J. Fox, who won the Emmy that year for “Family Ties,” will receive an honorary Oscar this fall.

So, in honor of “Stranger Things” let’s take the time...

Morton “Mort” Janklow, a so-called “super agent” whose roster of literary stars included Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II, Danielle Steele, Judith Krantz, Sidney Sheldon, Ted Turner and Barbara Walters, died Wednesday of heart failure at his home in Water Mill, NY. He died just days before his 92nd birthday.

His death was announced by publicist Paul Bogaards, speaking on behalf of Janklow’s family and his literary agency, Janklow & Nesbit Associates.

Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery

“Mort was a beacon of positivity and hope in an uncertain world,” his business partner, Lynn Nesbit, said in a statement. “He radiated optimism and his clients, family, and friends were always leaning on and learning from him as a result. He was a bright light in the publishing world, devoted to his writers and passionate about our business. We will all miss him.” Janklow earned his authors some of the highest advances in publishing history,...

Jackie Collins epitomizes one of the 20th century’s favorite types of star: the celebrity novelist who gets rich and famous writing scandalous best-sellers about fictionalized scandalous celebrities. She rode in from England to Hollywood to take up her throne as the queen of the delectably trashy sex-and-shopping paperbacks, peaking in the Eighties, right around the time her real-life big sister Joan Collins starred in the prime-time soap Dynasty. Jackie turned herself into a wildly successful one-woman factory for fantasies with nuanced titles like The Bitch and The Stud. Yet...

The following story contains major spoilers from the series finale of The Undoing — proceed at your own peril

The Undoing‘s Hugh Grant readily admits that Jonathan Fraser is probably the most despicable character he has ever played in his four-decade career — and that’s not even accounting for the stuff that was left on the cutting room floor. Below, the former rom-com poster boy reveals to TVLine the heinous moment in the HBO thriller’s series finale that viewers didn’t see, and also sheds light on the behind-the-scenes debate over the climactic car/bridge sequence as well as...

Judith Krantz, whose novels have more than 80 million copies in print, has died. She passed away from natural causes on June 22 in her Bel Air, California home at age 91.

Krantz was born Judith Tarcher on January 9, 1928 in New York City, the eldest child of an advertising executive and an attorney. After growing up in New York City where she graduated from the Birch Wathen School at age 16, she enrolled at Wellesley College, graduating in 1948.

After graduating, Krantz moved to Paris, where she worked as a fashion publicist. The following year, she returned to New York, where she embarked on a career in magazine journalism. She worked at Good Housekeeping before being promoted to Fashion Editor.

In 1953, Krantz attended a Fourth of July party hosted by her high school friend Barbara Walters. There she met her future husband, film and television producer and writer Stephen Falk Krantz. They were married for 53 years,...

Joan Collins in 'The Bitch': Sex tale based on younger sister Jackie Collins' novel. Author Jackie Collins dead at 77: Surprisingly few film and TV adaptations of her bestselling novels Jackie Collins, best known for a series of bestsellers about the dysfunctional sex lives of the rich and famous and for being the younger sister of film and TV star Joan Collins, died of breast cancer on Sept. 19, '15, in Los Angeles. The London-born (Oct. 4, 1937) Collins was 77. Collins' tawdry, female-centered novels – much like those of Danielle Steel and Judith Krantz – were/are immensely popular. According to her website, they have sold more than 500 million copies in 40 countries. And if the increasingly tabloidy BBC is to be believed (nowadays, Wikipedia has become a key source, apparently), every single one of them – 32 in all – appeared on the New York Times' bestseller list. (Collins' own site claims that a mere 30 were included.) Sex...

Exclusive: After expanding into directing, producer Tony Krantz is now making a foray into writing. Krantz and his Flame Ventures have partnered with Entertainment One for Saboteurs, an ambitious international drama series about the underground resistance in Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II. In his first-ever writing effort, Krantz penned the pilot script on spec. Given the project’s scope and setting, he sent it to eOne, which specializes in international co-productions. Not to sway them, he didn’t disclose he was the writer until he got a call a couple of days later that eOne was buying the project. (Of course, Krantz has writing in his DNA — his mother is popular novelist Judith Krantz.) Saboteurs is a fictional story about the first resistance cell in Nazi-occupied Paris. It is set in the early months of WWII, before the U.S. got involved following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The...

Oscar-winner Natalie Portman stayed busy in front of the camera; working with director Terrence Malick on the Austin, Texas-based drama Lawless. Portman also stayed busy behind the camera executive producing along with Tony Krantz on the upcoming ABC drama Scruples, based on the best-selling novel by Tony Krantz’s mother Judith Krantz. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Portman took part in a recent Cannes Film Festival deal with various financiers gathering to produce the Western Jane Got A Gun from scribe Brian Duffield with Lynne Ramsay attached to direct.

Oscar-winner Natalie Portman stayed busy in front of the camera; working with director Terrence Malick on the Austin, Texas-based drama Lawless. Portman also stayed busy behind the camera executive producing along with Tony Krantz on the upcoming ABC drama Scruples, based on the best-selling novel by Tony Krantz’s mother Judith Krantz. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Portman took part in a recent Cannes Film Festival deal with various financiers gathering to produce the Western Jane Got A Gun from scribe Brian Duffield with Lynne Ramsay attached to direct.

The Fall TV Season presentations for all the new network shows take place this week with the third one announced. Here's a full breakdown of which concepts have made the final list over on ABC.

An odd year for the once mighty juggernaut which can still pack 'em in. It had surprise success stories with "Once Upon a Time" and "Revenge", the latter becoming an unexpected international hit, and several shows have gotten renewals despite more modest numbers. Still, with it battling with NBC for the third and fourth position overall, the network has to introduce ten shows over the course of the season in the hope of getting a few stickers.

Several other pilots didn't make the final cut and won't be seen include the fashion label dynasty soap "Americana", ABC's update of the 90's "Beauty and the Beast" TV series, the Roland Emmerich-produced thriller "Dark Horse", the...

In about a month, the broadcast networks will be making their final decisions about which pilots to pick up for the 2012-13 season. A lot can happen between now and then, but we're comfortable making this prediction: You'll be seeing at least a couple new family sitcoms in the fall.

Various permutations of the family comedy, featuring everything from multi-generational clans clashing with the neighbors ("The Manzanis" on ABC) to a gay couple and the woman carrying their baby ("The New Normal" on NBC), are in development. We counted almost 20 "my [insert synonym for 'lovingly dysfunctional' here] family" shows on the networks' dockets, including at least seven at ABC alone.

That the Alphabet would make such a heavy investment in family comedies is no surprise. Its successful Wednesday block is mostly family-centered, and it's probably looking for something to pair with the likely-to-be-renewed "Last Man Standing" as well.

And while every pilot season brings a fair number of family comedies,...

Updated: Avatar‘s Joel David Moore and Til Death alumna Kat Foster have landed co-starring roles opposite Zachary Levi in Fox’s single-camera comedy pilot Let It Go. The Sony TV-produced project, written by DJ Nash, is an ensemble comedy about a married couple his best friend and somewhat opposite (Moore) and her sister as they try to navigate, negotiate and sometimes manipulate society’s unspoken rules. Moore, repped by ICM and Underground, will next be seen in Grassroots. Foster is with Paradigm.

Sakina Jaffrey has been cast in David Fincher’s Netflix drama series House Of Cards. The political thriller, based on Michael Dobbs’ novel and the 1990 British series it spawned, stars Kevin Spacey as Rep. Frank Underwood, the Majority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives who after being passed over for Secretary of State hatches a plot to bring down the new president. Jaffrey,...

His time on One Tree Hill may be over, but Chad Michael Murray is far from being done with television work and has already set up his next project: ABC’s Scruples. Those with a sharp memory will remember this pilot has a very important name attached to it, one that every household should know by now: Natalie Portman. The Oscar winning actress is one of the pilot’s executive producers, giving Murray a run for his money as the main draw for audiences.

TVLine reported Murray was tapped to play Spider, a fashion photographer who has turned his attention toward creative directing. The project is based on the Judith Krantz novel and isn’t the first adaptation of the source material. In 1980 there was a miniseries that was quite popular. At one point, in 1981, a pilot for a weekly series was produced, but it was largely unsuccessful. In that 1980 series,...

Freddie Prinze Jr. has joined the cast of "Community" writer Hilary Winston's untitled new pilot. According to TVLine, the actor will play ex-fiance to Agnes, played by "7th Heaven" star's Sarah Wright. After being dumped by Prinze Jr.'s character, Agnes' coworkers (Mena Suvari, Aubrey Dollar, and Kyle Howard) help her shake off her shy nature and plot revenge. It was also recently announced that"Growing Pains" star Joanna Kerns will also appear in the untitled sitcom pilot.

This is the first time Prinze Jr. has made a splash in the TV world since 2010's "24" and ABC's "Freddie."

In other casting news...

"CSI" vet William Petersen is set to star in and executive produce "Hurt People." Petersen will play a veteran hitman who works for the crime family responsible for killing his wife in the drama. [TVLine]

"Three Musketeers" actor Carsten Norgaard will be a recurring guest star on "Luck.

Freddie Prinze Jr. has joined the cast of "Community" writer Hilary Winston's untitled new pilot. According to TVLine, the actor will play ex-fiance to Agnes, played by "7th Heaven" star's Sarah Wright. After being dumped by Prinze Jr.'s character, Agnes' coworkers (Mena Suvari, Aubrey Dollar, and Kyle Howard) help her shake off her shy nature and plot revenge. It was also recently announced that"Growing Pains" star Joanna Kerns will also appear in the untitled sitcom pilot.

This is the first time Prinze Jr. has made a splash in the TV world since 2010's "24" and ABC's "Freddie."

In other casting news...

"CSI" vet William Petersen is set to star in and executive produce "Hurt People." Petersen will play a veteran hitman who works for the crime family responsible for killing his wife in the drama. [TVLine]

"Three Musketeers" actor Carsten Norgaard will be a recurring guest star on "Luck.

Gary Cole has fashioned himself a plum role in the ABC drama pilot Scruples.

Also among the latest pilot castings: A Suburgatory star relocates from the ‘burbs, a Walking Dead alum is reborn on L.A. Noir, an Outsourced survivor heads to Awesometown and more.

Scruples — based on Judith Krantz’ novel and executive produced by Natalie Portman — follows Billy Winthrop (played by Claire Forlani), a rich and powerful clothing designer working in a business dominated by sex, revenge and scandal. Cole will play the the manipulative, longtime lawyer of Billy’s late husband.

Cole, a TV mainstay whose resume includes gigs on Chuck,...

Chad Michael Murray has joined the cast of ABC pilot Scruples. The fashion drama, based on the novel by Judith Krantz, will star Claire Forlani as Wilhelmina 'Billy' Hunnewell Winthrop, a woman who decides to reinvent her image and open Beverly Hills clothing boutique 'Scruples'. One Tree Hill star Murray will play creative director and former photographer Spider, according to TVLine. The role was previously played by Cougar Town's Barry Bostwick in a 1980 CBS adaptation of Scruples, which starred Bionic Woman actress Lindsay Wagner as Wilhelmina. ABC's new adaptation, executive produced by Natalie Portman, will also star Boris Kodjoe (more)...

Nick Jonas is returning to "Smash" for the NBC drama's Season 1 finale. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jonas will reprise the role of Lyle West when "Smash" ends its first season on Mon., May 14 at 10 p.m. Et on NBC.

Jonas first appeared in "Smash's" fourth episode as a former Broadway baby and current sitcom star who previously worked with a Tom (Christian Borle), Derek (Jack Davenport) and Eileen (Anjelica Huston). Lyle ended up investing in the Marilyn Monroe musical at the heart of the show.

In other casting news ...

Chad Michael Murray will star in ABC's "Scruples." Murray will appear as fashion photographer Spider Elliott in the new soap based Judith Krantz's book. [THR]

"30 Rock" actress Katrina Bowden is moving to "New Girl." Bowden will guest star as a possible love interest for Nick. [E! Online]

"The Closer" actor Raymond Cruz will guest star on "White Collar." Cruz will play Sheriff Enrico Morales,...

Nick Jonas is returning to "Smash" for the NBC drama's Season 1 finale. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jonas will reprise the role of Lyle West when "Smash" ends its first season on Mon., May 14 at 10 p.m. Et on NBC.

Jonas first appeared in "Smash's" fourth episode as a former Broadway baby and current sitcom star who previously worked with a Tom (Christian Borle), Derek (Jack Davenport) and Eileen (Anjelica Huston). Lyle ended up investing in the Marilyn Monroe musical at the heart of the show.

In other casting news ...

Chad Michael Murray will star in ABC's "Scruples." Murray will appear as fashion photographer Spider Elliott in the new soap based Judith Krantz's book. [THR]

"30 Rock" actress Katrina Bowden is moving to "New Girl." Bowden will guest star as a possible love interest for Nick. [E! Online]

"The Closer" actor Raymond Cruz will guest star on "White Collar." Cruz will play Sheriff Enrico Morales,...

TV hunk Chad Michael Murray will lead the cast of Natalie Portman's new pilot Scruples.

The One Tree Hill star will join Claire Forlani and Boris Kodjoe in the adaptation of Judith Krantz's beloved novel.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Murray will play photographer Spider Elliot - the role Barry Bostwick played in the 1980 miniseries of the same name.

Natalie Portman is among the executive producers of the new project.

The former One Tree Hill star has been tapped as the male lead in ABC's drama pilot Scruples, based on Judith Krantz's 1978 same-named novel about an aristocratic Beverly Hills family, the Winthrops. Murray, who will play the handsome (of course) photographer Spider (Peter Parker?), will be joined by Gary Cole as the attorney for the Winthrops' late patriarch. Krantz's novel has been interpreted on the small screen before, actually: in 1980, Warner Bros. turned it into a mini-series starring Lindsay Wagner. A character named Melanie Adams, a model-turned-actress, was played by 24-year-old Kim Cattrall.

We weren't sure we'd see him make a regular return to television after leaving "One Tree Hill," but Chad Michael Murray has surprised us.

Murray, who also appeared in "Gilmore Girls" and "Dawson's Creek," has signed on to star in ABC's remake of the 1980 television miniseries "Scruples," based on the novel by Judith Krantz.

Murray will play Spider Elliot, a photographer who becomes creative director of a luxury fashion boutique called Scruples. The role was originated by Barry Bostwick. The casting was first reported by Deadline.

The pilot stars "CSI: NY" star Claire Forlani as Billy Winthrop, the wealthy clothing designer who opens the store. Gary Cole was just tapped to play Billy's late husband's lawyer. Boris Kodjoe and Jessica McNamee will round out the cast. Natalie Portman is one of the executive producers of the pilot.

Are you looking forward to Cmm's return to series television? Drop a line in the comments below!

Chad Michael Murray and Gary Cole have been cast in ABC’s drama pilot Scruples, executive produced by Tony Krantz and Natalie Portman and directed by The Vow helmer Michael Sucsy. Based on the novel by Judith Krantz, Scruples centers on rich and powerful clothing designer Billy Winthrop (Claire Forlani) in a world of sex, revenge and scandal. Murray will play handsome playboy photographer Spider, who works for Winthrop. Cole will play the manipulative Royce, the longtime lawyer of Winthrop’s late husband who is infuriated when Billy inherits his empire and vows to keep it under her control. This marks the return to series television for former One Tree Hill star Murray, who recently returned to the CW drama. He is with Wme and Brillstein Entertainment. Cole, repped by ICM and Barbara Gale, recently co-starred in the Geffen Playhouse production of Superior Donuts and has recurred on The Good Wife.

Chad Michael Murray is leaving One Tree Hill behind for the far more adult world of Scruples, ABC’s drama pilot based on the novel by Judith Krantz about a rich and powerful clothing designer (CSI: NY‘s Claire Forlani) working in a business dominated by sex, revenge and scandal.

Murray will playfashion photographer-turned-creative director Spider (the role originated by Barry Bostwick in the 1980 miniseries).

Pilot Season Lingo Guide (Including the ‘Scary’ Second Position), Plus a List of Picked-Up Pilots

Ex-Undercovers spy Boris Kodjoe and Jessica McNamee (Australia’s Packed to the Rafters) co-star in the project, which counts...

Chad Michael Murray is plotting his series TV return. The former One Tree Hill star has been cast as the male lead in ABC's drama pilot Scruples, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Based on the Judith Krantz novel, the sexy soap is set in the late 1970s and follows Billy (Claire Forlani), a socialite who, following her husband's death, seeks to open a fashion-forward boutique in the heart of Beverly Hills. Undercovers' Boris Kodjoe plays Billy's ex-husband's attorney. Murray will play Spider Elliott, a handsome photographer and partner in Billy's fashion endeavor. Pan Am's Karinne Vanasse will guest

read more...

Another "Friday Night Lights" alum has booked their return to TV. The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop on Zach Gilford's new gig, reporting that he's joined Josh Berman's ("Drop Dead Diva") untitled medical drama pilot for Fox, starring opposite "My Boys" alum Jordana Spiro.

The show is about Grace Devlin (Spiro), a young surgeon who gets tangled up with the Chicago mob and is forced to moonlight a mafia doctor to repay a debt. Gilford is set to play her wealthy coworker at the hospital, Dr. Brett Robinson. William Forsythe, James Carpinello, Jesse Lee Soffer and Jamie Lee Kirchner co-star.

In other casting news ...

Vanessa Williams has booked her post-"Desperate Housewives" gig. Williams has joined ABC's "666 Park Avenue," the supernatural pilot about a couple that signs on to manage a historic apartment building in New York City. Williams will play the building owner's (Terry O'Quinn) wife. [TVGuide.com]

"Nip...

Another "Friday Night Lights" alum has booked their return to TV. The Hollywood Reporter has the scoop on Zach Gilford's new gig, reporting that he's joined Josh Berman's ("Drop Dead Diva") untitled medical drama pilot for Fox, starring opposite "My Boys" alum Jordana Spiro.

The show is about Grace Devlin (Spiro), a young surgeon who gets tangled up with the Chicago mob and is forced to moonlight a mafia doctor to repay a debt. Gilford is set to play her wealthy coworker at the hospital, Dr. Brett Robinson. William Forsythe, James Carpinello, Jesse Lee Soffer and Jamie Lee Kirchner co-star.

In other casting news ...

Vanessa Williams has booked her post-"Desperate Housewives" gig. Williams has joined ABC's "666 Park Avenue," the supernatural pilot about a couple that signs on to manage a historic apartment building in New York City. Williams will play the building owner's (Terry O'Quinn) wife. [TVGuide.com]

"Nip...

Claire Forlani has signed on to star in Scruples, a new ABC pilot. The drama is based on a Judith Krantz novel, and tells the story of a successful clothing designer named Billy Winthrop, to be played by Forlani. Deadline reports that Jessica McNamee and Boris Kodjoe will also feature in the pilot. McNamee will play Billy's friend, a celebrity journalist. Kodjoe will play the attorney of Billy's late husband. This will be Forlani's fourth foray as a television series regular. She has previously appeared in NCIS: Los Angeles, CSI: (more)...

Claire Forlani (CSI: NY) has landed the lead in Scruples, ABC’s drama pilot based on the novel by Judith Krantz, while Boris Kodjoe (Undercovers) also has joined the cast.

In other new pilot castings, teenage Carrie Bradshaw gets a father, Anthony Edwards and Cuba Gooding Jr. land wives and more.

In Scruples, which is being executive-produced by Natalie Portman, Forlani will star as Billy Winthrop, a powerful clothing designer — the role played by Bionic Woman Lindsay Wagner in the 1980 miniseries. Kodjoe meanwhile has been cast as Josh Hillman, the attorney of Billy’s late husband. Also, Jessica McNamee (Australia...

Exclusive: Claire Forlani has landed the lead in ABC’s drama pilot Scruples. Also cast in the pilot, executive produced by Tony Krantz and Natalie Portman and directed by The Vow helmer Michael Sucsy, are Boris Kodjoe and Jessica McNamee. Based on the novel by Judith Krantz, Scruples centers on rich and powerful clothing designer Billy Winthrop (Forlani) in a world of sex, revenge and scandal. In the 1980 miniseries, the role of Billy (last name Ikehorn) was played by Lindsay Wagner. Kodjoe, repped by Gersh and Untitled, will play Josh Hillman, the attorney of Billy’s late husband. McNamee will play Maggie, an ambitious celebrity journalist and Billy’s close friend. She also co-starred in Sucsy’s hit The Vow. Scruples, written by Bob Brush, is produced by Warner Bros. TV. Paradigm-repped Forlani’s series credits include arcs on CBS’ CSI: NY and NCIS: La and a co-starring role on Starz’s Camelot.

Noot Seear has landed a role in ABC's pilot Scruples. The drama, based on a book by Judith Krantz, focuses on a woman who decides to reinvent herself and opens a boutique in Beverly Hills. Seear has now joined the cast of the project, Deadline reports. She will play Melanie, a model who becomes a celebrity. Seear is probably best known for playing Heidi in the (more)...

Gabrielle Union has landed the lead in the BET pilot Single Black Female.

Also among the latest pilot castings: a Pan Am star flies to a new drama, a Taxi vet teams with Melissa McCarthy and more.

Single Black Female — from The Game producers Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil — chronicles the life of the host of a popular Atlanta-based talk show (Union). Deadline first reported the news.

Union’s recent TV credits include an episode of Army Wives, as well as arcs on the short-lived FlashForward and Life.

In other pilot news from our sister site:

• Karine Vanasse joins...

Veteran Judd Hirsch is set to co-star opposite Ben Falcone in CBS’ untitled multi-camera comedy written by Falcone and fellow actor Larry Dorf and co-executive produced by Falcone’s wife, Mike & Molly star Melissa McCarthy. The project centers around David (Falcone), a single 37-year-old who loses everything he has in the real estate collapse and finds himself back home in the house he grew up in … with his parents. Hirsch will play David’s dad. Additionally, former Friends co-showrunner Shana Goldberg-Meehan has been tapped to lend a hand on the pilot as an executive producer. Pan Am co-star Karine Vanasse is set to co-star in a new ABC drama project. The Quebec-born actress has been cast in the drama pilot Scruples. Executive produced by Tony Krantz and Natalie Portman, the project is based on the novel by Judith Krantz and centers on rich and powerful clothing designer Billy Winthrop in a world of sex,...

Exclusive: Hot off directing The Vow, which opened at No.1 this past weekend with a whopping $41.2 million, Michael Sucsy has been tapped to direct ABC’s drama pilot Scruples. Executive produced by Tony Krantz and Natalie Portman, the project is based on the 1978 bestselling book by Krantz’s mother, Beverly Hills novelist Judith Krantz, who also penned a sequel in 1992, and centers on a rich and powerful clothing designer in a world of sex, revenge and scandal. Bob Brush and Mel Harris wrote the pilot and executive produce with Portman, Annette Savitch and Krantz for Krantz’s Flame Ventures and Warner Bros. TV. This marks the pilot debut for Sucsy who co-wrote, directed and executive produced the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning HBO movie Grey Gardens starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange. He made his feature debut with the romantic drama The Vow starring Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum.

Michael Sucsy stood atop the box office charts last weekend as his memory loss romance The Vow, starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams, led all new releases. Deadline reported today that Sucsy made plans to return to the small screen by signing on to direct the pilot for ABC’s primetime soap Scruples, based on the best-selling novel by Judith Krantz. Krantz’s son Tony Krantz and Natalie Portman boarded the project as executive producers with co-writers Bob Brush and Mel Harris adapting the book. Sucsy earned his first acclaim as the writer and director of the HBO original drama Grey Gardens starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore as Edith "Big Edie" Ewing Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edith "Little Edie" Bouvier Beale.

Michael Sucsy stood atop the box office charts last weekend as his memory loss romance The Vow, starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams, led all new releases. Deadline reported today that Sucsy made plans to return to the small screen by signing on to direct the pilot for ABC’s primetime soap Scruples, based on the best-selling novel by Judith Krantz. Krantz’s son Tony Krantz and Natalie Portman boarded the project as executive producers with co-writers Bob Brush and Mel Harris adapting the book. Sucsy earned his first acclaim as the writer and director of the HBO original drama Grey Gardens starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore as Edith "Big Edie" Ewing Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edith "Little Edie" Bouvier Beale.

Michael Sucsy stood atop the box office charts last weekend as his memory loss romance The Vow, starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams, led all new releases. Deadline reported today that Sucsy made plans to return to the small screen by signing on to direct the pilot for ABC’s primetime soap Scruples, based on the best-selling novel by Judith Krantz. Krantz’s son Tony Krantz and Natalie Portman boarded the project as executive producers with co-writers Bob Brush and Mel Harris adapting the book. Sucsy earned his first acclaim as the writer and director of the HBO original drama Grey Gardens starring Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore as Edith "Big Edie" Ewing Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edith "Little Edie" Bouvier Beale.

Natalie Portman might be feeling a little bit of hesitation or doubt now that she has officially become the executive producer for the television adaption of the 1978 novel, Scruples. It is her first time producing a series, so naturally she’ll feel at least a small amount of pressure. Though, this is Natalie Portman we’re talking about. The last thing anybody wants to see is her fail. No doubt there are dozens of people chomping at the bit to give her a hand if she ever needs one.

EW.com reports ABC has decided to give the series a shot, with Warner Bros. TV producing. This isn’t the first time Judith Krantz’s novel has been adapted. In 1980, a miniseries was produced starring Lindsay Wagner. This new attempt, however, has a family connection as Krantz’s son Tony is helming the pilot. He was once a CAA, but...

HollywoodNews.com: Natalie Portman is apparently ready to take on a new challenge as she is reportedly going to be an executive producer for a new TV show.

She is reportedly attached as an executive producer for a show based on a 1978 novel by Judith Krantz called ‘Scruples’ that has been picked up by ABC, states Hollyscoop. The show is a one-hour drama that is described as a “sexy soap.”

The plot is reportedly about a socialite whose husband passes away which leads her into opening a boutique in Beverly Hills.

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Happy Birthday to Justin Timberlake (above), who turns 31, James Sutton is 29, Minnie Driver is 42, Portia deRossi is 39, and the faboo Carol Channing is 91.Iconic game Candyland is coming to the big screen ... starring Adam Sandler. Hey, why not cast Rob Schneider in the remake of Clue and completely destroy my childhood memories.In ratings news, Showtime's Shameless had its best ratings since its season premiere. Never underestimate the power of peen. Ben Kingsley has joined the cast of Ender's Game, by rabid homophobe Orson Scott Card. Mel Gibson's new movie Get The Gringo is bypassing theaters and going straight to DVD and VOD. Ouch.Here's the new trailer for HBO's Game Change, with Julianne Moore quite spooky as Sarah Palin.

TLC has given the greenlight to Preacher Wives, "a new series about outspoken female preachers and wives of preachers in Atlanta." So how long before the first gay scandal?...

Natalie Portman is to executive produce a new drama pilot for ABC. Scruples is based on the 1978 novel by Judith Krantz and charts the life of Wilhelmina 'Billy' Hunnewell Winthrop. After deciding to reinvent herself, Billy loses weight and survives her rich first husband, eventually opening Beverly Hills clothing boutique 'Scruples'. Portman will produce the pilot alongside Tony Krantz, son of author Judith, while Mel Harris and The Wonder Years writer Bob Brush will script the pilot, according to Entertainment Weekly. Scruples was previously adapted as a television mini-series for CBS in 1980. The project starred Bionic Woman actress Lindsay (more)...

Natalie Portman is entering the world of television, but as a producer, not an actress.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Oscar-winner is co-producing a soap opera that has been greenlit by ABC, based on the 1978 Judith Krantz novel "Scruples," about a widowed socialite who starts a Beverly Hills boutique. The book became a worldwide sensation, reaching the top of the best-seller chart in the United States and appearing in more than 20 different languages. Krantz's son Tony will be an executive producer on the show.

Portman has already produced a handful of films through her HandsomeCharlie shingle. She has starred in all but one of them thus far ("Hesher," starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt).

For more on the show, click over to The Hollywood Reporter.

ABC is moving forward with its adaptation of Scruples, a 1978 best-selling novel by Judith Krantz. The one-hour drama, which counts her son Tony Krantz as an executive producer, is being billed as an on-brand sexy soap set in the late 1970s. It centers on a socialite who, following the death of her husband, seeks to open a fashion forward boutique called Scruples in the heart of Beverly Hills. Adding to the project’s allure is first-time TV producer Natalie Portman, who will serve as an executive producer

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ABC gave the go-ahead on Monday to adapt Scruples, the 1978 novel by Judith Krantz, into a possible drama series.

The author’s son, Tony — a former CAA agent turned successful producer and director – will shepherd the pilot with Natalie Portman, who will also serve as an executive producer on the project. This is the actress’ first attempt at producing a series.

The book was a bestseller and follows the life of Wilhelmina Hunnewell Winthrop, aka Billy, a previously plump woman who loses weight, becomes fabulously cool, and survives a very rich (and very old) first husband. She ends up opening...

ABC has greenlighted to pilot drama Scruples, produced by Tony Krantz and Natalie Portman. It is based on the 1978 bestselling book by Krantz’s mother, Beverly Hills novelist Judith Krantz, who also penned a sequel in 1992, and centers on a rich and powerful clothing designer in a world of sex, revenge and scandal. Bob Brush and Mel Harris wrote the adaptation and executive produce with Portman, her producing partner Annette Savitch and Krantz. Krantz’s Flame Ventures is producing with Warner Bros. TV, which has the rights to the property via the 1980 Scruples miniseries starring Lindsay Wagner, which it produced. The pilot order caps feature director Krantz’s successful return to TV producing this season as he also continues to be active in movies. Scruples marks the first foray into television for Portman, who won an Oscar last year for Black Swan.

Antonio Banderas and Sam Elliott lead an all-star cast in Anchor Bay Films' "The Big Bang," directed by Tony Krantz. "The Big Bang" is a neo-noir detective thriller and opens tomorrow (Friday May 13) theatrically in Los Angeles and New York, and is is a stylish 21st century neo-film with an all-star cast including Snoop Dogg, Delroy Lindo and Sienna Gullory, and features the first solo soundtrack from The Smiths' Johnny Marr. for the 21st century. The film also stars Thomas Kretschman, William Fichtner and Robert Maillet. The Big Bang on Blu-Ray and DVD May 24 Director Tony Krantz came up in the mailroom of C.A.A. (Creative Artists Agency), as the son of novelist Judith Krantz rose...

British-born director known for Anne of the Thousand Days and Mary, Queen of Scots

The film and television director Charles Jarrott, who has died of cancer aged 83, began his career during a golden period of British TV drama, working on Armchair Theatre and The Wednesday Play in the 1960s alongside writers and directors such as Ken Loach, Dennis Potter and David Mercer. Both series were presided over by the Canadian producer Sydney Newman, who encouraged original work – what he called "agitational contemporaneity" – and had an astonishing impact. But in 1969 Jarrott's career took a different turn when he left for Hollywood, thereby increasing his income a hundredfold, while having to contend with far less adventurous material. His best films were his first, two Elizabethan costume dramas, Anne of the Thousand Days and Mary, Queen of Scots, enlivened by the Oscar-nominated performances of Richard Burton (Henry VIII), Geneviève Bujold (Anne Boleyn) and...

To all those agents who secretly dream of directing... I can't think of a Hollywood journey like Tony Krantz's. The son of Beverly Hills novelist Judith Krantz, he went from head of primetime packaging at CAA (where he helped put together ER, The West Wing, Twin Peaks, Beverly Hills 90210) and then CEO of Imagine Television (where he exec produced Felicity and 24 among other shows with Jj Abrams, Peter Berg, Aaron Sorkin, and David Lynch) to directing 3 1/2 years ago. Since then, he's helmed 3 films. The first two, Sublime (a surreal horror flicks) and Otis (a horror comedy), were put out by Warner Bros Home Video under the Raw Feed genre label. Now he's wrapped directing his first theatrical which has just landed distribution with Anchor Bay after a competitive bidding situation. Titled The Big Bang, the stylish noir indie was produced by Richard Rionda's Hannibal Pictures and Krantz's own Flame Ventures...

It's rather difficult to look at a film critically many years after it's been released, especially if that film was originally made for a very specific niche audience which in the case of Mistral's Daughter happens to be middle-aged women.

Here's the thing. Mistral's Daughter should not be taken seriously. At least not if you want to have even the slightest bit of appreciation for it. One should watch this mini-series as one would view a silent film; as an anthropologically revealing cultural artifact from a distant time period that had different understandings of what constituted entertainment. And hey, entertainment is a pretty subjective term as it is. But I digress.

Mistral's Daughter is an epic 1980s miniseries in the vein of Dynasty. Spanning a period of about 50 years, the show begins with 1920s Paris and extends all the way to the 1970s. It starts out by introducing us to...