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NEWS
March 14, 2011
WITHOUT A TRACE STAR POPPY MONTGOMERY FILMS FIRST SCENES FOR JK ROWLING TV MOVIE
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Who'd have thought that this inconspicuous mackintosh-clad blonde would go on to become richer than the Queen?
Of course, this is not Harry Potter author JK Rowling, but actress Poppy Montgomery who has stepped into the shoes of the boy wizard's creator for a TV movie about her life.
Australian Poppy, 35, is seen on set of the unauthorised film in Vancouver, Canada, filming scenes that recreated Rowling's first ever public reading of the debut Harry Potter novel, The Philosopher's Stone in 1997.
 Montgomery was seen walking through the streets of Vancouver, which had been made to look like London in a floral dress and beige mac. Filmed inside a bookstore, locals were allowed to shop during the shoot as Poppy delivered her first lines. And she said: “I’m absolutely terrified. It’s my first reading.'
The movie will be screened on the Lifetime channel in the U.S. later this year.
Instead of Portugal and Edinburgh, where Rowling spent a lot of her pre-Potter publication life, filming started in the city of Victoria in the Canadian province of British Columbia, last week.
Director Paul Kaufman said at last month's Bafta Film Awards: 'This is about a woman who decided to persevere, to keep on with her dream.
'She was on welfare and she really hit rock bottom.'
Sydney-born actress Montgomery is best known for playing FBI agent Samantha Spade in crime drama Without A Trace. She first came to prominence though in 2001, playing Marilyn Monroe in a CBS mini-series Blonde. For the role she has been learning to speak in Rowling's accent and will wear blue contact lenses.
When asked what she would do if she ever met Rowling, Montgomery told Access Hollywood: 'I'd turn into a puddle of water!'
Rowling has, unsurprisingly, declined to give her blessing to the project. Her publicist told Vancouver's Times Colonist newspaper: 'I can confirm that the biopic Magic Beyond Words: The JK Rowling Story is unofficial and not authorised. We cannot comment further.'
Prior to publication of the books, Rowling has spoken about her struggle to bring up her daughter Jessica as a single mother living on benefits.
She split from Jessica's father, Portuguese journalist Jorge Arantes after a year of marriage and moved to Scotland, where her sister lived.
Rowling is now married to Dr Neil Murray and they have two children together, David and Mackenzie. Since the first book Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone was published in 1997, Rowling has gone on to sell over 400million copies worldwide.
October 13, 2010
LIFETIME TELEVISION PREMIERES "ONE ANGRY JUROR," STARRING JESSICA CAPSHAW ON NOVEMBER 15, 2010
LOS ANGELES, CA (October 13, 2010) - Popular television and film actress Jessica Capshaw (Grey's Anatomy, The Practice) stars as a woman out for justice on behalf of a man accused of murder in the Lifetime Original Movie, One Angry Juror.
 Based on a true story, One Angry Juror follows the story of Sarah Walsh (Capshaw), a tough, opinionated, no-nonsense New Orleans attorney who has been chosen to serve on the jury of a murder trial. Reluctantly serving her duty, she is apathetic towards the defendant until she is convinced that he may actually be innocent. Unwavering, Sarah deadlocks the jury to secure a mistrial. When they retry the case, she partners with the defense attorney Donald Burston (Jeremy Ratchford, Cold Case) and detective Derrick White (Michael Jai White, Why Did I Get Married Too?) and the investigation leads them through a dangerous maze of corruption. With the support of her husband (Jonathan Scarfe, ER), Sarah begins to reconcile her own past and realize that she is one man's last chance for freedom.
September 15, 2009
JILL SCOTT TO STAR IN "SINS OF THE MOTHER"
Telepic to bow on Lifetime Movie Network in 2010
 Jill Scott, most recently seen in HBO's "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency," has signed on to star in the Lifetime telepic "Sins of the Mother."
Longform, which starts production this week, will bow on sibling Lifetime Movie Network some time in 2010.
"Sins of the Mother" revolves around a grad student who returns home to face her abusive, alcoholic mother -- played by Scott -- only to discover that her mom is sober and has a 3-year-old daughter and new life.
Telepic is based on the novel "Orange Mint and Honey," written by Carleen Brice. Elizabeth Hunter adapted the novel for TV, while Paul Kaufman is directing. Damon Lee ("Obsessed") is the exec producer for Mother Road Prods., which is behind the project.
Scott, best known for her successful music career as a top-selling neo-soul singer, will next star in Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married, Too?" -- a sequel to "Why Did I Get Married." Other film credits include "Cavedweller" alongside Kyra Sedgwick.
April 25, 2008
LIFETIME HAS HOME FOR THIS 'LITTLE GIRL'
By KIMBERLY NORDYKE and NELLIE ANDREEVA
 Judy Reyes, Ana Ortiz and A Martinez have signed to star in the telefilm "Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story."
"Little Girl" is based on the true story of Luz Cuevas (Reyes), who believed that her infant daughter, Delimar, had perished in a fire in their Philadelphia apartment. But six years later, Luz spots a little girl at a birthday party who she knows in her heart is her daughter and sets out to prove it.
Ortiz will play Valerie Valleja, a distant relative of Luz. Martinez is set to play Angel Cruz, a councilman who helps Luz.
"Little Girl" is said to be a high priority project for LMN, which is planning to air it as an "event movie."
"Little Girl," being produced by Lifetime Network in association with TF1, will be directed and executive produced by Paul A. Kaufman. Harvey Kahn of Front Street Prods., Joey Plager and Larry Thompson also are exec producers. Chris Cannan is the writer.
Reyes won an ALMA Award for her role as Carla on NBC's "Scrubs." She is repped by Paradigm and Leverage Management.
  Ortiz is best known for her role as Hilda on ABC's "Ugly Betty," for which she has won ALMA and Imagen Awards. She is repped by Harold Augustein and Sharon Paz of Abrams Artists and Attorney Brad Small.
Martinez, known for his role as Roy on ABC's "General Hospital," recently appeared on CBS' "CSI." He's repped by David Shapira & Associates and Teitelbaum Artists Group.
January 5, 2004
FRANKLIN WAXING LYRICAL FOR NL COMEDY 'TESTIFY'
by CHRIS GARDNER
Scribe Howard Franklin has been tapped to pen the urban comedy "Testify" for Bob Cooper's Landscape Entertainment and New Line Cinema.
"Testify" centers on Billy Robinson, a young man who still lives with his parents in Trenton, N.J., but dreams of being Testify, a famous rap singer with his own record label, clothing line and soft drink. Problem's arise when his responsibilities of being an imaginary icon get in the way of his real life.
Cooper will produce with Paul A. Kaufman.
October 9, 2003
NEW LINE SOLD ON FERRELL
Studio makes preemptive buy of 'Salesman' pitch
By MICHAEL FLEMING
New Line has taken its elf and turned him into "The Salesman."
Studio has made a preemptive buy of a pitch by "The Simpsons" vet Dana Gould to be tailored as a vehicle for Will Ferrell. The "Elf" star will play a slacker stereo salesman who is an inveterate liar.
The sale occurs just as the white-hot "Saturday Night Live" transplant is being courted to star alongside Nicole Kidman in "Bewitched." He has met with Kidman and likely will play hapless hubby Darren Stevens, the ad exec who falls in love with the spell-casting witch whose wacky family turns his life upside-down. Nora Ephron is looking to direct the film for Red Wagon partners Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher.
Ferrell is fast becoming a preeminent portrayer of lovable losers. In "The Salesman," his compulsive lying leaves him living with his parents and engaged to two women because he can't bear to disappoint either one. As the lies catch up to him, the salesman meets a no-nonsense girl who gets him to change his ways.
Bob Cooper's Landscape Entertainment is producing along with Paul A. Kaufman, who hatched the project.
Ferrell deal caps a good week of casting for arrested adolescent comedies at New Line.
February 23, 1999
CITADEL REBUILDS DEAL WITH HELMER KAUFMAN
The Kaufman Co. helmer Paul A. Kaufman has re-upped his company's deal to develop television movies, miniseries, series and feature motion pictures with Citadel Entertainment, which was recently acquired by Alliance Communications from HBO.
Deal is essentially a re-negotiation of Kaufman's original two-year pact with Citadel while Citadel was still a division of HBO. Under the new terms, Citadel will continue to finance Kaufman's production projects,
The Kaufman Co. currently has 18 hours of TV movies and miniseries in various developmental stages at all of the major networks and cable outlets.
For CBS. Kaufman is in pre-production on "Emma's Wish." a mother-daughter drama scripted by Cynthia Whitcomb. In development at CBS is A Terrible Lie: The Tracy Rhame Story. .. based on a true story.
In development at ABC are the telefilms "Vanished" with Mark Paul Gosselaar attached to star and written by Michael Angeli and " A Family to Die For." written by Scott Swanton and based on a true story.
For NBC, Kaufman is developing a four hour miniseries written by Rob Fresco, and for Fox, a supernatural tale called "Ghostwatch."
Cable projects include "Run the Wild Fields" which, along with producer Paul Rauch, is beingdeveloped for Showtime. Written by Rodney Vaccaro, the pic, which Kaufman will direct, is a family drama set on a farm during WWII.
On the feature side, Kaufman is attached to direct "Buffalo Jump," a psychological thriller written by Tom Pabst with Ginsburg and Joel Thurm to produce. Kaufman and Ginsburg are also set to produce the feature film "Short Cut Man" written by Preston Sturges Jr. and directed by the team of Leslie Liebman and Larry Williams.
February 2, 1998
LYNN-NASH TAPPED AS KAUFMAN CREATIVE VP
By ERIC J. OLSEN
Helene Lynn-Nash, who most recently worked at Craig Anderson Prods., has joined the Kaufman Co. as VP of creative affairs.
In her new position, Lynn-Nash will oversee development activities for the production company, which has a first-look deal with Citadel Entertainment, a division of Alliance Atlantis.
Her appointment will enable company prexy Paul Kaufman to further concentrate on his directing career. Greg Tilson will continue to work as director of development.
As part of Lynn-Nash's deal, she will serve as co-exec producer on the films she develops. Her first such project is "Jewel:' which is being developed at CBS from the best-selling book of the same title.
The Kaufman Co. is set to produce the cable feature "Run the Wild Fields," starring Joanne Whalley and directed by Kaufman, this spring for Showtime.
Lynn-Nash most recently served as VP of development at Craig Anderson Prods. for three years. She oversaw the development of several telefilms and miniseries including "A Step Toward Tomorrow," starring Christopher Reeve; "Staircase," starring Barbara Hershey; and "True Women" with Dana Delany.
Prior to joining Craig Anderson Prods., Lynn-Nash worked at Lorimar Television for five years, developing telefilms and miniseries. Previously, she developed and produced the telefilms "Mafia Princess" and "Fatal Judgment."
April 9, 1996
CITADEL BOOSTS TV PIC OUTPU
By BRIAN LOWRY
Citadel Entertainment has increased its TV movie output in the wake of assuming various properties from New World Entertainment last year, estimating that at least half of the 14 projects acquired will end up being produced.
Paul A. Kaufman, who had been affiliated with New World, is the only producer thus far officially to set up Shop at Citadel, under a two-year overall agreement that will give him the opportunity to direct at least one of the telefilms he produces.
Kaufman is developing "Mama's Boy," an NBC thriller written by J.B. White ("The Beast"), having recently produced the CBS vidpix "A Promise to Carolyn" and ""Co-Ed Call Girl". He also has a lengthy roster of movies in development that includes "The Alma Mater Murder, a true story about parents willing to go to fatal lengths to get their daughters into their old college.
Citadel CEO David Ginsburg said 1996 is shaping up to be a very busy year for the company a partnership of HBO, and Anglia TV with movies in development at all the major broadcast networks its well as HBO, Showtime, USA and TNT.
Citadel currently is exceeding its goal of keeping 100 hours or more in development to "fuel ongoing Production," Ginsburg said, noting that the target was increased after the New World agreement.
SPELLING'S 'CALLGIRL' TOPS KAUFMAN SLATE
By BRIAN LOWRY
Producer Paul A. Kaufman is developing a number of TV movies, including a CBS vidpic titled "Coed Call Girl" to star Tori Spelling.
Written by Allan Leicht, "Call Girl" is the true story of a pre-med student who begins working for an escort service. If ordered, he project would be shot during Spelling's hiatus from " Beverly Hills, 90210.
The Kaufman Co., in the second year of a housekeeping deal at New World Entertainment, is working on another fact-based property at CBS, "A Promise to Carolyn," about two sisters who discover decades later that their stepmother murdered their baby sister; and "Mama's Boy," an NBC vidpic about a man whose obsessive mother is responsible for his fiancee's death.
Kaufman has also optioned the book "The Fighting Marlows," a Western that he plans to produce (and direct) as a feature, with Rodney Patrick Vaccaro scripting. Kaufman has directed specials, but the project would mark his movie debut.
The producer is also involved in two other movies with Paul Rauch, under the banner Two Pauls Entertainment: Lover's Knot," an already produced, independently financed romantic comedy starring Bill Campbell and Jennifer Grey. for which they're still seeking a distributor; and the Vaccaro script "Run the Wild Fields," with the plan that Kiefer Sutherland would star and direct. Sutherland helmed the 1993 Showtime movie "Last Light."
June 15, 1994
KAUFMAN, RAUCH ARE TWO PAULS
By KIRK HONEYCUTT
Television producers Paul Kaufman and Paul Rauch have pooled their talents and names to form Two Pauls Entertainment, a company that will develop and produce feature films and television series.
One film is already in the can: "Lover's Knot," a romantic comedy starring Bill Campbell, Jennifer Grey, Adam Baldwin and Mark Sheppard. The film, which wrapped in early May, was written and directed by Peter Shaner, a USC film school grad.
Kaufman said that the film, financed through a limited partnership, is being repped by ICM agent Robert Newman.
Another feature in development is "The Adventures of Jade Starr," about the adventures of a 10-year old girl. Kaufman said a backpack similar to the one the lead character carries through the story is being sent to film executives to promote the movie's susceptibility to merchandising. The script was written by Nancy Hersage and Shirley Tillman.
"California Blue," a coming of age family drama by David Klass, based on his book, with Jeff Bleckner set to direct, is being represented by CAA's Pam King.
Other projects include "The Lost Ones," a Cajun family drama by Joyce Comington based on Chris Segura's novel "Les Perdues"; "Run the Wild Fields," by Rodney Vaccaro, a 1944 family drama about a woman and daughter whose lives are dramatically changed when they take in a drifter; "Quartertime,' ; a one hour TV drama series with Pam Long and Jim Kramer for TriStar Television; "The Stargazer," about Galileo, written for cable TV by Fred Mustard Stewart.
Additionally, Kaufman has a two-year housekeeping deal at New World Entertainment. Through his Kaufman Co. he will executive produce the CBS telefilm "Justice for Baby Carolyn." He currently is executive producer for the CBS telefilm "The Disappearance of Vonnie" starring Ann Jillian and Joe Penny.
Rauch, a multi-Emmy-winning producer, has produced for television for 20 years. He will serve as co-executive producer with Zev Braun on "Dominick Dunne's 999 Fifth Avenue," a two-hour pilot for CBS/Columbia-TriStar Television.
June 24, 1994
RAUCH AND KAUFMAN FORM TWO PAULS ENTETAINMENT
Producers Paul Rauch and Paul A. Kaufman have teamed up, to form Two Pauls Entertainment, a production company that will develop and produce features and TV series.
The first project of the nascent venture is the feature "Lover's Knot," a romantic comedy with Bill Campbell, Jennifer Grey, Tim Curry. Adam Baldwin and Mark Sheppard.
The pic, shot in Los Angeles, wrapped in early May.
Other features in development include "The Adventures of Jade Starr," a children's action adventure comedy written by Nancy Hersage and Shirley Tillman. "California Blue," a coming-of-age family drama scripted by David Klass based on his own book; "The Lost Ones," a 1958 family drama about a Cajun family, written by Joyce Corrington based on the novel "Les Perdues''; and "Run the Wild Fields," written by Rodney Vaccaro.
A one-hour TV series, "Quartertime," is also being developed by the company with Pam Long and Jim Kramer for TriStar TV, as well as "The Stargazer." a TV Film based on the trial of Galileo.
Kaufman is set to exec produce the CBS movie of' the week "Justice for Baby, Carolyn." Rauch will coexec produce with Zev Braun "Dominick Dunne's 999 Fifth Avenue," a two-hour pilot for CBS/Columbia TriStar TV.
April 15, 1992
KAUFMAN PACTS WITH NEW WORLD
Producer Paul A. Kaufman has entered into a first-look housekeeping deal at New World Entertainment to develop and produce TV movies and series.
Kaufman is currently exec producing three telefilms along with Joel Rice: "Nowhere to Hide," through Kushner-Locke Co., and "The Disappearance of Vonnie," with Tri-Star TV, both for CBS; and NBC's "Deadly Deceit," also for Kushner-Locke. He's also developing "A Family to Die For" through Republic Pictures with Tim and Danielle Hill.
Kaufman currently produces in-terstitial documentary material for Showtime/The Movie Channel.
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