Coyote Ugly star Piper Perabo will star opposite Steve Martin in 20th Century Fox's Cheaper by the Dozen for director Shawn Levy and producer Robert Simonds. The project begins shooting Monday. Dozen is a contemporary redo of the 1950 feature comedy about the Gilbreth family (led by Martin and Bonnie Hunt) and its often amusing struggle to keep it all together with a brood of 12 children. Perabo will play the oldest daughter, whose other siblings are played by Tom Welling and Hilary Duff, among others. The original Cheaper is based on a book by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey; Sam Harper has penned the update. In addition to Simonds, Michael Barnathan and the project's original rights holder, Ben Myron, are producing. Fox vp production Vanessa Morrison is overseeing for division topper Hutch Parker. Perabo, repped by UTA and manager Tina Thor, recently wrapped shooting Dimension Films' The I Inside opposite Ryan Phillippe.
- 3/27/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Smallville star Tom Welling and Agent Cody Banks topliner Hilary Duff are joining Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt's family in the Shawn Levy-directed Cheaper by the Dozen for 20th Century Fox and producer Robert Simonds. Welling, making his feature film acting debut, is in negotiations to play the family's oldest son, and Duff has closed a deal to play one of the daughters in a role written specifically for her. Shooting on the film begins March 31. Dozen is a contemporary redo of the 1950 feature comedy about the Gilbreth family and its often-amusing struggle to keep it all together with a brood of 12 children. Welling will shoot the film while on hiatus from his duties as Superman on the WB series, one of that network's top-rated shows. Duff will begin work in late April before segueing to the recently set up Cinderella Story for Warner Bros. Pictures. The original Cheaper is based on a book by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey; Sam Harper has penned the update. In addition to Simonds, Michael Barnathan and the project's original rights-holder, Ben Myron, are producing. Fox vp production Vanessa Morrison is overseeing for division topper Hutch Parker. Welling is repped by CAA, Mosaic Media Group's Paul Nelson and the law firm Ziffren, Brittenham, Branca, Fischer, Gilbert-Lurie & Stiffelman. Before Smallville, Welling had a recurring role on CBS' Judging Amy. Duff is repped by Curtis Talent Management and attorney Michael Fuller. She next appears in MGM's Banks opposite Frankie Muniz.
- 3/10/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After finding success on the small screen with her ABC series, Life With Bonnie, on which she plays a working mom, writer-director-actress Bonnie Hunt will try her hand at motherhood on the big screen, joining Steve Martin in 20th Century Fox's remake of Cheaper by the Dozen for helmer Shawn Levy. Hunt has closed a deal to star in the role originated by Myrna Loy in the 1950 comedy about the Gilbreth family and their often amusing struggle to keep it all together with a brood of 12 children. Hunt and Martin are the first two actor deals to close on the project, but deals for several of the children's roles are expected to close in the next few days as production is scheduled to begin March 31, the studio said. The original Cheaper was based on the book by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. Sam Harper penned the contemporary adaptation with TCF vp production Vanessa Morrison overseeing for division topper Hutch Parker. Producing the project for the studio are Robert Simonds, Michael Barnathan and the project's original rights holder, Ben Myron. Hunt is repped by ICM. Her series has wrapped for the season, but it recently was picked up for a sophomore run on next year.
After finding success on the small screen with her ABC series, Life With Bonnie, on which she plays a working mom, writer-director-actress Bonnie Hunt will try her hand at motherhood on the big screen, joining Steve Martin in 20th Century Fox's remake of Cheaper by the Dozen for helmer Shawn Levy. Hunt has closed a deal to star in the role originated by Myrna Loy in the 1950 comedy about the Gilbreth family and their often amusing struggle to keep it all together with a brood of 12 children. Hunt and Martin are the first two actor deals to close on the project, but deals for several of the children's roles are expected to close in the next few days as production is scheduled to begin March 31, the studio said. The original Cheaper was based on the book by Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. Sam Harper penned the contemporary adaptation with TCF vp production Vanessa Morrison overseeing for division topper Hutch Parker. Producing the project for the studio are Robert Simonds, Michael Barnathan and the project's original rights holder, Ben Myron. Hunt is repped by ICM. Her series has wrapped for the season, but it recently was picked up for a sophomore run on next year.
Joe Eszterhas goes back to the womb.
No, it doesn't have anything to do with sex or knives, but rather, Eszterhas returns to his youth in this autobiographical, coming-of-age indie.
A smart, albeit nostalgic evocation of the early '60s, "Telling Lies in America" is the story of an immigrant boy's assimilation into American culture via rock 'n' roll. Debuting here at the Toronto International Film Festival, this well-wrought, perceptive film boasts a terrific ducktailed performance by Kevin Bacon as a slick DJ. Commercially, that's its strongest draw and, admittedly, "Lies'" boxoffice truth may be small. Still, it could win appreciative acceptance on an independent cable network.
Based upon his personal experiences as a Hungarian immigrant trying to fit in to 1960s Cleveland, Eszterhas has crafted an appealing story of an impressionable outsider who tries to break into the cloistered world of his high school peers.
Starring Brad Renfro as Karchy, a senior who is ignored, if not shunned, by his classmates, "Telling Lies" has a story line that is both identifiable and particular. Even by teenage standards, Karchy is particularly sensitive to his difference: He practices for hours to eradicate a perceived accent.
Desperate to be accepted, he shrewdly enters a radio context, plugging the ballot box, and wins a popular honor. His deceit is recognized by the station's hip DJ, Billy Magic (Bacon), who rewards him with a high-paying job. The naive Karchy does not realize he is Billy's bagman for payola.
At once a coming-of-age yarn, as well as an in-tune depiction of a time, "Telling Lies in America" spins out at a predictable, yet praiseworthy, rpm. Personal identity, honor, as well as heritage are all explored in Eszterhas' rueful screenplay.
These issues are appealingly visualized by Guy Ferland's supple direction, which captures the flavor of the time and the uncertainty of the characters' predicaments. While Renfro is solid as the eager-to-please Karchy, it's Bacon's smoothly sequined delivery that greases "Lies" with its headiest tones.
Fittingly, this Cleveland-set story features some hall-of-fame level rock 'n' rollings: The film is enhanced by an assortment of hepcat sounds, from "Mule Skinner Blues" to "Lonely Teardrops".
TELLING LIES IN AMERICA
Banner Entertainment
Producers Ben Myron, Fran Kuzui
Director Guy Ferland
Screenwriter Joe Eszterhas
Executive producers Joe Eszterhas,
Brian Swardstrom, Mikey Liddell
Director of photography Reynaldo Villalobos
Editor Jill Savitt
Production designer James Gelarden
Sound Tim Chau
Music Nicholas Pike
Color/stereo
Cast:
Billy Magic Kevin Bacon
Karchy Jonas Brad Renfro
Dr. Istvan Jonas Maximilian Schell
Diney Majeski Calista Flockhart
Father Norton Paul Doole
Running time -- 100 minutes...
No, it doesn't have anything to do with sex or knives, but rather, Eszterhas returns to his youth in this autobiographical, coming-of-age indie.
A smart, albeit nostalgic evocation of the early '60s, "Telling Lies in America" is the story of an immigrant boy's assimilation into American culture via rock 'n' roll. Debuting here at the Toronto International Film Festival, this well-wrought, perceptive film boasts a terrific ducktailed performance by Kevin Bacon as a slick DJ. Commercially, that's its strongest draw and, admittedly, "Lies'" boxoffice truth may be small. Still, it could win appreciative acceptance on an independent cable network.
Based upon his personal experiences as a Hungarian immigrant trying to fit in to 1960s Cleveland, Eszterhas has crafted an appealing story of an impressionable outsider who tries to break into the cloistered world of his high school peers.
Starring Brad Renfro as Karchy, a senior who is ignored, if not shunned, by his classmates, "Telling Lies" has a story line that is both identifiable and particular. Even by teenage standards, Karchy is particularly sensitive to his difference: He practices for hours to eradicate a perceived accent.
Desperate to be accepted, he shrewdly enters a radio context, plugging the ballot box, and wins a popular honor. His deceit is recognized by the station's hip DJ, Billy Magic (Bacon), who rewards him with a high-paying job. The naive Karchy does not realize he is Billy's bagman for payola.
At once a coming-of-age yarn, as well as an in-tune depiction of a time, "Telling Lies in America" spins out at a predictable, yet praiseworthy, rpm. Personal identity, honor, as well as heritage are all explored in Eszterhas' rueful screenplay.
These issues are appealingly visualized by Guy Ferland's supple direction, which captures the flavor of the time and the uncertainty of the characters' predicaments. While Renfro is solid as the eager-to-please Karchy, it's Bacon's smoothly sequined delivery that greases "Lies" with its headiest tones.
Fittingly, this Cleveland-set story features some hall-of-fame level rock 'n' rollings: The film is enhanced by an assortment of hepcat sounds, from "Mule Skinner Blues" to "Lonely Teardrops".
TELLING LIES IN AMERICA
Banner Entertainment
Producers Ben Myron, Fran Kuzui
Director Guy Ferland
Screenwriter Joe Eszterhas
Executive producers Joe Eszterhas,
Brian Swardstrom, Mikey Liddell
Director of photography Reynaldo Villalobos
Editor Jill Savitt
Production designer James Gelarden
Sound Tim Chau
Music Nicholas Pike
Color/stereo
Cast:
Billy Magic Kevin Bacon
Karchy Jonas Brad Renfro
Dr. Istvan Jonas Maximilian Schell
Diney Majeski Calista Flockhart
Father Norton Paul Doole
Running time -- 100 minutes...
- 9/11/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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