Season 3 Preview

Warner Bros just released a preview clip for the third season with a few minutes from the first episode 'Cimmerian Dawn'.
The quality looks pretty good. 

Check it out:

Kim Novak at Cannes Festival

Kim Novak (80) was a guest of honor at the 66th Cannes film festival and presented a new restored version of her 1958 movie 'Vertigo'. She also presented the Palme d'Or award to actor Oscar Isaac, wo accepted the award on behalf of directors Ethan and Joel Coen for their film Inside Llewyn Davis.

At the award ceremony, Kim Novak wore a red-blue dress she wore on Falcon Crest in 1987!

Former colleague plans documentary on Cliff Robertson

When Steve Thompson, who for years worked as a publicist in the manufacturing sector, decided to give a career in the film industry a try, he never expected where he would end up.

When Thompson left manufacturing because of the decline in jobs on the East Coast, he simply thought he would enjoy working on movies, since he had always loved them. So he got in touch with someone who was currently producing “13th Child,” a horror film based on the legend of the New Jersey devil, and got hired on as a publicist for the film.

Not long after production started, Thompson met one of the actors starring in the film, veteran screen star Cliff Robertson. The film itself may not have been a huge hit (it went straight to video), but the friendship Thompson sparked with Robertson lasted more than a decade — until Robertson passed away in 2011.

“It was really intimidating for me, being thrown into this environment where I didn’t know what I was doing. But suddenly, there I was, face to face with Cliff Robertson,” Thompson said. “He was really good to me, helping me through the process [of working on my first film]. We just hit it off. He always found ways to make you comfortable.”

Thompson kept in touch with Robertson after filming ended. When Gregory Peck, who was a close friend of Robertson’s, died in 2003, Thompson called him to express condolences — and to inquire if he was planning to release a statement to the press. Robertson, who had never had a publicist, replied he hadn’t planned on it, so Thompson offered to help him draft one, sealing their working relationship that continued until Robertson’s death.

“He was terrific to work with,” Thompson said. “Every time I had a question about the industry, he would answer it and he always helped me out when I needed it. Once, a producer was considering me for a film. Cliff called him to endorse me, and not 10 minutes later, I got a call from the producer. He said Cliff’s opinion was the gold standard for integrity in the industry.”

It’s that reputation that Thompson is now hoping to preserve in the annals of film history. Along with director and producer Brian Gillogly, Thompson’s next film project will be of a more personal nature: a documentary of Robertson’s life, with focus on both his acting and his love of aviation. Robertson, who was born in La Jolla and graduated from La Jolla High School, has starred in countless films and won an Academy Award for his role in the film “Charly,” but, Thompson said, there’s not much of a record of his life and

“Everyone spoke of what a great guy he was,” Thompson said. “Having seen how he affected so many people and because he was so open to me and helped me out, I would like to do a documentary on him. I want to have something to present to his family.”

Thompson is still in the initial phases of planning. The project, he said, will likely cost no more than $200,000 — “A lot to you and me, but a drop in the bucket in the industry,” he said — and he hopes to crowdfund most of that from funding platform Indiegogo. So far, funding hasn’t exactly caught fire, with much of the $9,500 Thompson is hoping to get from the campaign — which ends on May 31 — still unfunded. Still, he said, he hopes fans of Robertson will come out to support the project.

Cliff Robertson with Laura Johnson in "Falcon Crest"

Thompson is also hoping to get support from former colleagues of Robertson’s in the form of participation on the film. He plans to feature clips from some of Robertson’s biggest films, including “PT 109,” “Charly,” “The Pilot,” “J.W. Coop,” “Three Days of the Condor” and “Spider-Man,” and he’s in the process of trying to get Robertson’s co-stars from such films in front of the camera for interviews about their experiences working with him.

“The man was instrumental in my life. He was there for me, and he was there for a lot of other people, too,” Thompson said. “I just don't want to see him lost in history. I don’t know his granddaughter, but I would like to be able to give her something about how great her grandfather was, and to have something to give to all the people who knew him.”

To learn more about the documentary detailing Robertson’s life or to donate to the project, visit www.indiegogo.com/projects/cliff-robertson-documentary.
accomplishments.

Carla Gugino to Star Off Broadway in 'A Kid Like Jake'

Carla Gugino will return to the New York stage, alongside Peter Grosz, a longtime writer on The Colbert Report, in the world premiere of Daniel Pearle's new play, A Kid Like Jake.

Directed by Evan Cabnet, the Off Broadway production will be staged at the Claire Tow Theater as part of Lincoln Center Theater's LCT3 initiative devoted to emerging artists. It begins performances June 2, with official opening set for June 17.

Caroline Aaron and Michelle Beck complete the cast. The play centers on a husband and wife (Gugino and Grosz) whose nurturing approach to their precocious four-year-old son runs into obstacles when his passion for Cinderella and playing dress-up causes concern at the Manhattan private schools to which they apply.

Gugino's recent stage work includes the 2012 Broadway revival of Athol Fugard's The Road to Mecca, in which she starred opposite Rosemary Harris; and a 2006 Off Broadway production of Tennessee Williams' Suddenly Last Summer, with Blythe Danner.

Gina Lollobrigida's jewellery raises $5m at Geneva auction

Gina Lollobrigida’s jewellery collection was the centrepiece of an epic auction of Magnificent and Noble Jewels which saw nearly 650 lots selling for a combined total of $78,229,556.

Her jewellery has fetched almost $5m at an auction in Geneva. The collection included a pair of pearl and diamond earrings that sold for $2.39m, Sotheby's said.
The auction house said the collection went for twice as much as the original estimate.

More than 20 of her pieces - many created by Italian jeweller Bulgari - went under the hammer on Tuesday.
"So often women are lucky enough to be given jewellery, but when you have an actress, a famous lady, who has chosen the jewellery herself it makes it that much more interesting," said David Bennett of Sotheby's Geneva.

The 85-year-old said some of the money would go towards an international hospital for stem-cell treatment.
The Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels sale, which included jewellery from other sellers, also featured a yellow diamond reportedly once owned by a Shah of Persia that sold for just under $3m.

Season 3 is coming!

Finally, Season 3 is ready to pre-order through the WB Shop!!
The Season (28 episodes) is divided into 2 packages (but you can only order them together). The price is $49.95.
According to WB the season is completely re-mastered and you can only order them as a MOD (made on demand) version. Further seasons will also be available as MOD (but only if sales of this seasons are good). This also means, as they're MOD they won't get cheaper and waiting with ordering won't make any sense.

Right now, it is only available through the WB shop (only shipping to the US), but it will also be available through amazon.com soon.

Check back, we'll keep you updated.

Kristian Alfonso about Jane Wyman

In an interview with We Love Soaps, Kristian Alfonso (Pilar Ortega from Falcon Crest's seasons 8 & 9) shares a funny story about Jane Wyman:

WE LOVE SOAPS: You've played many roles outside of daytime in your career. Our readers enjoyed you immensely as Pilar on FALCON CREST and Lauren in MELROSE PLACE. Any fun stories from those sets you can share?
KRISTIAN ALFONSO: I was working with Jane Wyman on FALCON CREST and, of course, I was a nervous wreck and telling myself "never let them see you sweat." In between setups Jane and I would be sitting and chit-chatting. I remember the A.D. coming over one day and saying, "Excuse me, Ms. Wyman, the First Lady is on the phone and would like to speak with you." Jane has been married to [President] Ronald Reagan. She said, "I'm busy, I'm busy, I'm busy," and waved him away. But very nicely. I was kind of surprised that the First Lady was calling.

We continued our conversation and he came back over again and said, "She really needs to be speak with you." But she waved him away again. About 15 minutes later the A.D. came back and she looked at him and said, "What?" He said, "I'm sorry Ms. Wyman, but it's the President of the United States." It was just incredible to sit there and watch the whole thing.

The whole interview can be found here: http://www.welovesoaps.net/2013/04/kristian-alfonso-interview.html

E. F. Wallengren Article

I've just found a recent and beautiful article about Falcon Crest producer E. F. Wallengren who died in 2003. Claire Whittaker (his mother who also worked as a producer on the show) is mentioned, too.

Hoops And Hope

The enduring legacy of Coach Ernie

 

Every year on a Saturday in May, more hundreds of people pack the Calabasas High School gym for the E.F. Wallengren Hoopfest. They come to play basketball, of course, but that’s just the beginning.
The event, now celebrating its 10th year, was created in honor of E.F. “Ernie” Wallengren, a Calabasas High basketball coach who died in 2003 after battling ALS for two years. Hoopfest is not only a celebration of Ernie’s life, but also a continuation of his dream to find a cure for ALS.
All proceeds go to the E.F. Wallengren Fund for ALS Research at The ALS Association. The fund supports stem cell research and was established by Ernie and his family while he was still alive.
This year’s Hoopfest is May 18.
“Hoopfest has been a wonderful way of honoring Ernie and the commitment he had to the community, while also raising funds for ALS research,” said his mother, Claire Whitaker, who helps organize the event with other family members. “It’s meant a lot to me. I tell people, ‘I’m 85 years old, and I’m not going to die until there’s a cure for this disease.’”
A television writer and producer of such shows as “Falcon Crest,” “Touched by an Angel” and “ Baywatch,” Ernie also loved basketball. He and his wife, Cheryl, raised five children, and he often volunteered to coach his kids’ teams.
He became the junior varsity basketball coach at Calabasas High School and started a club team also, reaching out to include underprivileged and troubled youth he saw hanging out at the gym.
When kids couldn’t afford uniforms or trips, he provided them. If they needed a place to stay, they stayed at his house. There were almost always extra plates at the table, and many of those kids went on to play college basketball.

Even after Ernie was diagnosed with ALS in 2001, he continued to coach from his wheelchair. When that became impossible, he still attended games and traveled with the team.
At his funeral, church rows were filled with boys in basketball jerseys, saying goodbye to Coach Ernie.
After Ernie’s death, two fellow coaches suggested creating a basketball-themed fundraiser and Hoopfest was born. Initially a low-key affair, the event now features all-day basketball, a three-point shootout, a silent auction, food, T-shirts and music from radio station KOST-FM, where Ernie’s brother, Mark Wallengren, works as a morning show host.
In addition to Hoopfest, family members conduct a twice-yearly letter-writing campaign, and they established an ALS Promise Fund website in 2011. In all, their efforts have raised nearly $500,000 over the past decade.
“We get back what we put in 100-fold,” Cheryl Wallengren said. “What warms my heart is that so many of the kids he coached still come to Hoopfest, even though they’re grown up. They’ve never forgotten him.”

Source: http://www.theacorn.com/news/2013-04-25/Community/Hoops_and_hope.html

Falcon Crest on German TV!

Great news for all German Falcon Crest Fans: Starting June 17, Falcon Crest will be aired again on German Pay TV Channel "Passion". The show will air Monday to Friday at 9:00 pm!