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Actress Joyce Gordon, the first woman to serve as President of a branch of the Screen Actors Guild, has died. She was 90. As an actor, she was best known as a pioneering performer in early TV commercials and network promos. But her true calling was as a union leader and supporter of her fellow actors.

In the 1950s, she became the first woman to do network promos, and the first woman announcer for a political convention on network television. In 1959, during Howard Keel’s SAG presidency, she was part of the first dozen branch members to serve on the guild’s national board – the sole woman in that group of 12. In 1966, she was elected president of SAG’s New York branch, a first for a woman in any branch of the guild.

In all, she served the union for more than four decades, was a trustee of the SAG-aftra Motion Picture Players Welfare Fund,...

The Gifted‘s mutants have a new adversary: Garret Dillahunt.

The Justified and Raising Hope alum will recur on the upcoming Fox drama from Marvel TV, our sister site Deadline reports.

VideosThe Gifted: Find Out Who’s Who From the Stars of Fox’s Mutant Drama

Dillahunt — whose many TV credits also include The Mindy Project, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and Burn Notice — will play the intense and intimidating Dr. Roderick Campbell, a mutant researcher contracted by the Sentinel Services.

The Gifted premieres Monday, Oct. 2 at 9/8c on Fox. (Read our first impression here.)

Ready for more of today’s newsy nuggets?...

Update: An interview with Soloway in the Hollywood Reporter has clarified the situation: in fact, while she’s always had an overseeing role, she hasn’t been showrunner since since one, with Bridget Bedard holding that title for the past three seasons. “I was always overseeing everything, but in terms of the title of showrunner, that was Bridget Bedard’s,” Soloway told the trade. “For season five, Jill Gordon’s going to be doing the job that Bridget Bedard was doing.

Continue reading ‘Transparent’ Gets A New Showrunner at The Playlist.

Jill Soloway is stepping down from day-to-day showrunner duties on their flagship show “Transparent” over at Amazon. Jill Gordon has joined the show as the new showrunner and executive producer, a source close to the production confirmed to TheWrap. Gordon most recently created and executive produced the NBC medical drama “Heartbeat,” starring Melissa George as a heart transplant surgeon. Her other credits include “90210” and “Cupid,” but most famously as a producer on three iconic shows: “My So-Called Life,” “The Wonder Years” and “Doogie Howser, M.D.” Also Read: 'Transparent' Star Kathryn Hahn on Show's Comedy-Series Emmy Snub: 'For Sure' a Surprise Soloway will.

Exclusive: Jill Gordon has joined Amazon’s flagship comedy-drama series Transparent as executive producer/showrunner. She’ll succeed at the helm series creator Jill Soloway, who will continue to write, direct and executive produce Transparent. As she steps down from day-to-day showrunner responsibilities, Soloway will focus on the other projects she has in the works under her overall deal at Amazon Studios, which was recently extended for three more years. Soloway is…...

Three episodes were provided prior to broadcast.

It’s easy to see why NBC made Heartbeat, the network’s newest stab at the hyper-tense world of surgeries and sexual workplace politics – a world which it made popular with ER and subsequently lost ground to with ABC’s similarly unending Grey’s Anatomy. Heartbeat, like those shows, mixes an over-the-top medical emergency each week into the personal drama of its diverse cast. It’s a formula that the network has proved can work for a few seasons, even when the show surrounding it can be middling at best, like The Night Shift.

With Heartbeat, the stories are now (somewhat) real, thanks to the show’s source material, “Heart Matters: A Memoir of a Female Heart Surgeon” by Dr. Kathy Magliato. The intrigue of that is quickly negated though by the network TV need to shock and drop bombs every five minutes...

NBC has unveiled new trailers for its 2015 fall season, including peeks at the new Wesley Snipes action series The Player, Greg Berlanti’s identity mystery Blindspot, and the new Mark-Paul Gosselaar comedy People Are Talking. Here’s a peek at all the new trailers.

Blindspot is executive produced by Greg Berlanti and stars Jaimie Alexander.

A vast international plot explodes when a beautiful Jane Doe is discovered naked in Times Square, completely covered in mysterious, intricate tattoos with no memory of who she is or how she got there. But there’s one tattoo that is impossible to miss: the name of FBI agent Kurt Weller, emblazoned across her back. “Jane,” Agent Weller and the rest of the FBI quickly realize that each mark on her body is a crime to solve, leading them closer to the truth about her identity and the mysteries to be revealed.

Heartbreaker stars Melissa George...

As it closes in on its second consecutive season-long victory in the key adult 18-49 demographic, NBC unveils a new 2015-16 primetime schedule that combines popular returning series, edge-of-your-seat new dramas, inventive new comedies and season nine of the Emmy Award-winning musical competition series The Voice. NBC is on track to win the traditional September-to-May primetime season in adults 18-49 for the second year in a row after having gone the prior 10 years without an 18-49 win. Through 32 completed weeks of the season, NBC also ranks #1 or tied for #1 among the Big 4 networks in adults and men 18-34 and men and women 18-49.

In total viewers, NBC is running #2 for the season and within 7% of its year-ago Olympics-boosted average (8.8 million vs. 9.5 million), making this season and last NBC's two top-scoring seasons in total viewers since 2006-07. NBC has won the last three November sweeps in adults 18-49, as well as...

Within a week ahead of the annual TV Upfronts, NBC has come right out of the gate ready to announce three new series that they will be ordering for the upcoming 2015 Fall season. According to The Futon Critic, NBC has given series orders to three new drama pilots: Chicago Med (a direct spinoff from Chicago Fire), a new Greg Berlanti mystery thriller series called Blindspot and an additional medical drama titled Heartbreaker starring Melissa George. NBC has already granted series orders for Jennifer Lopez cop drama Shades of Blue, a sequel series for Coach, Eva Longoria’s comedy Telenovela, and an untitled Jerrod Carmichael comedy.

Chicago Med is an obvious pick up for NBC as it expands the brand of Dick Wolf Chicago television universe that began with Chicago Fire in 2012, followed by Chicago Pd in 2014 and now solidifies connections to Wolf’s other ongoing series Law & Order Svu as...

As broadcast television heads toward upfront week, NBC has announced the addition of three brand new dramas to its slate. Having commissioned 19 pilots, the network already sent Shades Of Blue, Coach and Telenovela straight to series. These projects have now been joined by series commitments for Heartbreaker, Blindspot and Dick Wolf’s Chicago Med.

Chicago Med promises to take audiences into the daily chaos of Chicago’s busiest hospital – focusing on the doctors working within. It fits into Dick Wolf’s successful Chicago franchise, with characters from Chicago P.D and Chicago Fire planned to pass through the sterile hallways of the hospital. Oliver Platt, S. Epatha Merkerson, Laurie Holden, Nick Gehlfuss, and Yaya Dacosta are among the cast of this show that is written by Matt Olmstead, Michael Brandt and Derek Haas. The synopsis clearly sounds like a version of ER made to fit with Wolf’s existing shows,...

NBC is the first broadcaster out of the gate with its 2015-16 season pickups, ordering to series Chicago Fire spinoff No. 2 Chicago Med, the Greg Berlanti mystery thriller Blindspot and medical drama Heartbreaker (Fka Heart Matters).

Related2015 Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Getting Cancelled? What’s on the Bubble?

Audiences got their first glimpse of Chicago Med in the April 7 episode of Chicago Fire. The cast includes Oliver Platt, S. Epatha Merkerson, Laurie Holden, Nick Gehlfuss and Yaya Dacosta.

Blindspot centers on a beautiful Jane Doe (Thor‘s Jaimie Alexander) who is discovered naked in Times Square,...

TV observers know that while upfronts are the week after next, it's actually next week that ends up being the nonstop maelstrom of renewals, pickups and cancellations. NBC, which will already get a headstart on the upfront week by announcing its full schedule next weekend, also decided to get a headstart on series pickups, ordering three drama pilots to series on Friday (May 1) afternoon. Leading the way was no-brainer pickup "Chicago Med," joined by "Blindspot" and "Heartbreaker." Let's get to what's what: "Chicago Med" is, of course, the third head in NBC and Dick Wolf's expanding Windy City Procedural Hydra, having been spun off from "Chicago Fire" earlier this spring. The cast includes Oliver Platt, S. Epatha Merkerson, Laurie Holden, Nick Gehlfuss and Yaya Dacosta. Even if you missed the nested spinoff episode, you really can guess what "Chicago Med" is about. In addition to the Chicago shows, Dick Wolf...

NBC on Friday gave pilot orders to three drama projects, including a mystery from Arrow/The Flash/Supergirl producer Greg Berlanti (pictured) and a fallen-angel tale from husband-wife duo Mark Burnett and Roma Downey.

Berlanti’s Blindspot begins with a beautiful woman, covered in a “road map” of tattoos, discovered naked in Times Square. Her mysterious ink sends the FBI on an intense journey which, ultimately, reveals her true identity.

Writer Martin Gero (The L.A. Complex) will executive-produce with Berlanti.

In addition, NBC ordered:

* Unveiled, which follows a team of “flawed” guardian angels, all desperate to restore their faith as...

Bravo has put in development a dramedy project from Warner Horizon and Dan Lin’s Warner Bros-based Lin Pictures. Written by Jill Gordon, the untitled project centers on an eccentric New England family that decides to take justice into its own hands when its matriarch is murdered. When the murderer is freed on a technicality, they decide to hunt down the killer together, as a family. Gordon is executive producing with Lin Pictures’ Jennifer Gwartz and Lin. Gordon most recently penned the Lifetime pilot The Secret Lives Of Wives.

Lifetime has passed on hourlong pilot The Secret Lives Of Wives starring Kim Raver and Salli Richardson. Inspired by the book by Iris Krasnow, Secret Lives Of Wives explores the unvarnished truth behind the marriages of four different women — Michelle (Raver), Reed (Richardson), Keaton (Amber Clayton) and Jessie (Lauren Bittner). The pilot was written by Jill Gordon and produced by Lin Pictures in association with Warner Horizon Television. Lifetime seems to be cleaning house before it picks up its next new scripted series. Just yesterday, the network cancelled dramedy Drop Dead Diva after four seasons. The hourlong pilots that have been completed and are in contention for a series order are the Renee Zellweger-produced Cinnamon Girl as well as Witches Of East End. Lifetime also has pilot Hr, which is still casting, and movie/backdoor pilot Stalkers, which premieres in the spring. Lifetime’s other movie/backdoor pilot, An Amish Murder,...

The secret lives of Lifetime's Wives will not be told. The female-skewing cable network has opted to not move forward with its Kim Raver drama pilot The Secret Lives of Wives inspired by Iris Krasnow's book of the same name, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Grey's Anatomy's Raver starred in the ensemble drama that explored the unvarnished truth behind the marriages of four different women -- Michelle (Raver), Reed (Criminal Minds' Salli Richardson), Keaton (Three Rivers' Amber Clayton) and Jessie (Paranormal Activity 3's Lauren Bittner). Photos: 18 New Midseason TV Series Jill Gordon (Five) penned the pilot for the Warner Horizon effort and exec produced alongside Dan

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Former "Grey's Anatomy" star Kim Raver has found her next TV role.

Raver will star in Lifetime's drama pilot "The Secret Lives of Wives," about four close friends and their marriages, according to the Hollywood Reporter. She joins Salli Richardson ("Eureka"), Lauren Bittner ("Paranormal Activity 3") and Amber Clayton ("Three Rivers") in the cast.

The Reporter also notes that Valerie Cruz ("Off the Map") has joined the pilot as a woman who claims she had an affair with the husband of Raver's character. Jill Gordon (Lifetime's "Five," "My So-Called Life") is writing the pilot, which is based on a book by Iris Krasnow.

In still more "Secret Lives" news, Deadline reports the pilot has cast Callum Blue ("Smallville," "Secret Diary of a Call Girl") and Derek Smith as the husbands of Bittner's and Clayton's characters.

Other TV casting news:

- USA's comedy "Sirens" has found its principal cast. The Denis Leary...

Kim Raver of 24 has joined the pilot of Lifetime's The Secret Lives of Wives as a grounded woman in a group of female pals who learns that her husbands hiding a secret prior to renewing their vows, reports Variety. Based on the book by Iris Krasnow, the story follows four woman who deal with their marriages, and also includes Salli Richardson, Lauren Bittner and Amber Clayton. The pilot's been written by Jill Gordon, who also serves as executive producer alongside Jennifer Gwartz and Dan Lin. Krasnow will produce the project from Warner Horizon Television and Lin Pictures.

Kim Raver of 24 has joined the pilot of Lifetime's The Secret Lives of Wives as a grounded woman in a group of female pals who learns that her husbands hiding a secret prior to renewing their vows, reports Variety. Based on the book by Iris Krasnow, the story follows four woman who deal with their marriages, and also includes Salli Richardson, Lauren Bittner and Amber Clayton. The pilot's been written by Jill Gordon, who also serves as executive producer alongside Jennifer Gwartz and Dan Lin. Krasnow will produce the project from Warner Horizon Television and Lin Pictures.

Amber Clayton has joined Lifetime's upcoming pilot Secret Lives of Wives from Warner Horizon Variety reports the story tells of four marriages and how the women involved deal with the everyday challenge of being married. Clayton (CBS' Three Rivers) will play aspiring fashion designer Clayton, a virgin until she married the love of her life. Salli Richardson was previously announced as one of the wives in the pilot penned by Jill Gordon (Lifetime's Five miniseries). Gordon also executive produces Secret Lives of Wives alongside Jennifer Gwartz and Dan Lin.

Amber Clayton has joined Lifetime's upcoming pilot Secret Lives of Wives from Warner Horizon Variety reports the story tells of four marriages and how the women involved deal with the everyday challenge of being married. Clayton (CBS' Three Rivers) will play aspiring fashion designer Clayton, a virgin until she married the love of her life. Salli Richardson was previously announced as one of the wives in the pilot penned by Jill Gordon (Lifetime's Five miniseries). Gordon also executive produces Secret Lives of Wives alongside Jennifer Gwartz and Dan Lin.

Salli Richardson is the first star to be cast in Lifetime's one-hour pilot The Secret Lives of Wives. The project, written by Jill Gordon and executive produced by Dan Lin and Jennifer Gwartz, centers on the lives of four marriages and the real truth behind them. According to Deadline, Wives provides an "honest portrayal of the ultimate challenge every relationship faces – emotional and sexual longevity." Richardson is slated to play Reed, one of the wives, who is professionally known as "The Siren." Reed is described as a "sultry host of a call-in radio show that caters to women’s fantasies." But Reed's radio show personality...

Exclusive: Eureka star Salli Richardson-Whitfield is set as a lead of another cable drama project. Richardson will star in Lifetime’s hourlong pilot The Secret Lives Of Wives (working title). She is the first actor cast in the project, which explores the unvarnished truth behind the marriages of four different women, providing an honest portrayal of the ultimate challenge every relationship faces – emotional and sexual longevity. Richardson-Whitfield will play one of the four women, Reed. Professionally known as “The Siren”, Reed is the sultry host of a call-in radio show that caters to women’s fantasies. But her radio persona is at sad odds with her personal life, as her marriage of 17 years is on the rocks. Richardson was offered both The Secret Lives Of Wives, from Lin Pictures and Warner Horizon, and the NBC similarly-themed and titled off-cycle pilot The Secret Lives Of Husbands And Wives. I hear Richardson-Whitfield...

Los Angeles, Ca (July 19, 2012) – Lifetime has ordered the drama pilots The Secret Lives of Wives (working title) and Witches of East End for 2013, it was announced today by Rob Sharenow, Executive Vice President, Programming, of Lifetime Networks. Inspired by the book by Iris Krasnow, The Secret Lives of Wives (working title) will explore the unvarnished truth behind the marriages of four different women, breaking down the creative ways each close friend nurtures, maintains and endures what many see as an impossible convention of modern life. With a relatable and provocative approach, the pilot will provide an honest portrayal of the ultimate challenge every relationship faces – emotional and sexual longevity. Jill Gordon (Five), who wrote the pilot, will also executive produce with Dan Lin (Sherlock Holmes) and Jennifer Gwartz (Veronica Mars); Krasnow will serve as a producer. The Secret Lives of Wives (working title) will be produced by Lin Pictures in association with Warner Horizon Television.

The Writers Guild of America, West (Wgaw) and the Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae) tonight announced the winners of the 2012 Writers Guild Awards for outstanding achievement in writing for screen, television, radio, news, promotional, videogame, and new media writing at simultaneous ceremonies at Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles and the B.B. King Blues Club in New York City.

Screenplay Nominees

Original Screenplay:

Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics

50/50, Written by Will Reiser; Summit Entertainment

Bridesmaids, Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig; Universal Studios

Win Win, Screenplay by Tom McCarthy; Story by Tom McCarthy & Joe Tiboni; Fox Searchlight

Young Adult, Written by Diablo Cody; Paramount Pictures

Adapted Screenplay:

The Descendants, Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash; Based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings; Fox Searchlight

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Screenplay by Steven Zaillian; Based on the novel by Stieg Larsson,...

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has announced the winners of the WGA Awards for outstanding achievement in writing. In the Screenplay category, "Midnight in Paris," written by Woody Allen, took home the Original Screenplay award while "The Descendants," written by Alexander Payne, and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemming, received the Best Adapted Screenplay award.

Winners of the WGA awards were announced Sunday, Feb. 19 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. Zooey Deschanel and Joel McHale served as hosts of the ceremony.

Here is the full list of winners (highlighted) and nominees of the 2012 WGA Awards (to see winners/nominees of other award-giving bodies, visit our Awards Avenue coverage right here)

Screenplay Nominees

Original Screenplay

50/50, Written by Will Reiser; Summit Entertainment

Bridesmaids, Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig; Universal Studios

*** (Winner) Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics

Win Win,...

Midnight in Paris, Young Adult, and the other nominations for the 2012 Writers Guild Awards have been announced. The 64th Annual Writers Guild Awards is “a generic term referring to the joint efforts of two different Us labor unions: The Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae), representing TV and film writers East of the Mississippi. The Writers Guild of America, West (Wgaw), representing TV and film writers in Hollywood and southern California.” The 2012 Writers Guild Awards will be held on February 19, 2012.

The full listing of the 2012 Writers Guild Awards nominations is below.

Screenplay Nominees

Original Screenplay

50/50, Written by Will Reiser; Summit Entertainment

Bridesmaids, Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig; Universal Pictures

Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics

Win Win, Screenplay by Tom McCarthy; Story by Tom McCarthy & Joe Tiboni; Fox Searchlight

Young Adult, Written by Diablo Cody; Paramount Pictures

Adapted Screenplay

The Descendants, Screenplay by Alexander Payne...

The Writers Guild of America, West (Wgaw) and the Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae) announced nominations for outstanding achievement in writing for the screen in both film and television for 2011. Winners will be honored at the 2012 Writers Guild Awards on Sunday, February 19, 2012, during simultaneous ceremonies in Hollywood and New York.

Categories for film include Best Original Screenplay, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Documentary Screenplay. The TV nominations are a little more extensive, offering awards for Best Drama Series, Best Comedy Series, Best New Series, Best Episodic Drama, Best Animated Series, Best Comedy/Variety Series, and Best Daytime Drama.

To find out what got nominated, check out our full list of nominees below.

Screenplay Nominees

Original Screenplay:

50/50, Written by Will Reiser; Summit Entertainment

Bridesmaids, Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig; Universal Studios

Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics

Win Win, Screenplay by Tom McCarthy; Story by...

HollywoodNews.com: The Writers Guild of America, West (Wgaw) and the Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae) have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in television, news, radio, promotional writing, and graphic animation during the 2011 season. The winners will be honored at the 2012 Writers Guild Awards on Sunday, February 19, 2012, at simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York.

Television Nominees

Drama Series

Boardwalk Empire, Written by Bathsheba Doran, Dave Flebotte, Howard Korder, Steve Kornacki, Itamar Moses, Margaret Nagle, Terence Winter; HBO

Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC

Game of Thrones, Written by David Benioff, Bryan Cogman, Jane Espenson, George R.R. Martin, D.B. Weiss; HBO

The Good Wife, Written by Courtney Kemp Agboh, Meredith Averill, Corinne Brinkerhoff, Leonard Dick, Keith Eisner, Karen Hall, Ted Humphrey, Michelle King, Robert King, Steve Lichtman, Matthew Montoya, Julia Wolfe; CBS

Homeland, Written by Henry Bromell,...

A star-studded lineup of celebrities, including Jennifer Aniston, Alicia Keys and Demi Moore, will help direct Project Five, an anthology of five short films that will explore the impact of breast cancer. Independent Spirit Award-winner Patty Jenkins (Monster) also signed on to helm the Lifetime original project.

Aniston, along with Marta Kauffman (Friends), Paula Wagner (The Last Samurai, Mission: Impossible), Kristin Hahn (The Departed, The Switch), Kevin Chinoy (Greg the Bunny, Warren the Ape) and Francesca Silvestri (Greg the Bunny, Warren the Ape) will executive produce the production.

Lifetime says Project Five will “use humor and drama to focus on...

Jennifer Aniston, Alicia Keys, Demi Moore and Patty Jenkins have signed on to direct the Lifetime original movie Project Five, an anthology of five short films exploring the impact of breast cancer on people’s lives. Aniston, Marta Kauffman, Paula Wagner, Kristin Hahn, Kevin Chinoy and Francesca Silvestri will executive produce the movie, which reunites former Friends star Aniston and co-creator/executive producer Kauffman for the first time since the end of the hit NBC series. Sony Pictures TV is producing. Kauffman developed the interconnected story arc of Project Five, which will mix drama and comedy to explore the effect that breast cancer and its diagnosis have on women and their relationships. The five short films in Project Five were written under Kauffman’s supervision by Stephen Godchaux (Spin City), Jill Gordon (Cupid), Howard Morris (Women are Crazy), Deirdre O’Connor (The Electric Company) and Wendy West (Dexter). Aniston, Keys,...