“Quick Takes - Los Angeles Times” plus 4 more

Quick Takes - Los Angeles Times
Jackson choreographer wanted Jackson healthy - Yahoo News
Earhart film may spur interest in Ind. collection - AccessAtlanta
'To Kill a Mockingbird' actress dies in NC - AccessAtlanta
Angelina Jolie May Star In New ‘Gucci’ Movie - OnTheFlix

Posted: 22 Oct 2009 11:56 PM PDT

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Jackson choreographer wanted Jackson healthy - Yahoo News

Posted: 23 Oct 2009 01:08 AM PDT

NEW YORK – Kenny Ortega was responsible for some of Michael Jackson's biggest concerts, including what were to be his comeback shows in London. But in the singer's final days, the producer-director-choregrapher felt like he needed to take on another responsibility — making sure Jackson stayed healthy.

"Michael had sleepless nights and we had to look after him. (I'd say to him), 'Stay hydrated, have a protein shake — Did you eat today before you came?'" Ortega said in an interview Thursday to promote the new Jackson documentary, "This Is It."

When Jackson would say he had, a skeptical Ortega would say — "Michael?"

"Michael's an adult. ... We didn't want to baby him," he said. "(But) I had concerns and we had conversations, wanting to make sure he was doing everything he could to build himself and not break himself down."

Jackson died June 25 at age 50. The Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Jackson's death a homicide, caused primarily by the powerful anesthetic propofol and another sedative. Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, has not been charged with a crime but is the focus of the police investigation.

Ortega's work with Jackson included world tours for Jackson's "Dangerous" and "HIStory" albums. He was directing the "This Is It" shows — which would have marked the performer's comeback concerts in London's O2 Arena in July — and was brought on to direct a film adaptation of those taped rehearsals after Jackson's death.

"This Is It" will premiere globally on Tuesday and run for two weeks. The soundtrack for the film, which includes the newly released title track as well as some of his best-known hits, is being released Monday.

In a 12-minute clip previewed for media on Thursday, a strong-voiced King of Pop is shown enthusiastically practicing some of his biggest hits.

Jackson, though frail-looking, is shown warming up his vocals during a performance of "Human Nature." That's followed by the singer running through the song in various outfits.

Later, he playfully dances with a woman as he sings "The Way You Make Me Feel," touching her thigh and holding her waist.

"One more time," Jackson says toward the end of the song after being told the last eight bars were to be cut.

Ortega says although he worried about Jackson's health, he doesn't believe the preparation for the shows wore the singer down. In fact, he says it was the opposite.

"I can tell you this experience, working on this show, was invigorating, was nourishing. ... (it) wasn't taking away from Michael," he said.

Travis Payne, a choreographer who worked on "This Is It" and other Jackson tours, says he remembers spending one-on-one time with Jackson — especially visiting Web sites like YouTube.

"I used to love sitting and just surfing the 'net with him," Payne said. "And we would just do that and we would be able to have our creative reference time in a different way now."

Musical director Michael Bearden recalls Jackson's lofty goal to try to capture all of his music in one, over-the-top show.

"He had so, so much music that we tried to get everything in but not cheat the audience at the same time, which is a delicate balance if you will to try to get everything in and still feel like you're getting a full song," he said.

Ortega says Jackson was very adamant about the look of the tour — from the length of the songs to the stage's lighting.

"From the very beginning Michael was very vocal, and very upfront about what he wanted to do and why he wanted to do it," Ortega said.

"That's what 'This Is It,' Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' the film, is about — it's a privileged peak into the final creative process of Michael's last theatrical work."

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http://www.thisisit-movie.com/

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Earhart film may spur interest in Ind. collection - AccessAtlanta

Posted: 22 Oct 2009 08:36 PM PDT

The Associated Press

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Officials hope a new movie about aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart causes renewed interest in Purdue University's big collection of memorabilia about her life.

"Amelia," which opens Friday, stars Hillary Swank as the aviator who vanished over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 during her second attempt to fly around the world.

Purdue has the world's largest collection of papers, memorabilia and artifacts about Earhart, who was a career counselor at the Indiana college from 1935 to 1937. Earhart also was an adviser to the school's Department of Aeronautics.

Purdue Earhart expert Robin Jensen says Earhart was a pioneer in both aviation and women's rights.

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October 22, 2009 07:45 AM EDT

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'To Kill a Mockingbird' actress dies in NC - AccessAtlanta

Posted: 23 Oct 2009 12:11 AM PDT

The Associated Press

HIGHLANDS, N.C. — Actress Collin Wilcox-Paxton, who portrayed the false accuser in the movie classic "To Kill a Mockingbird," died of brain cancer just months after the diagnosis. She was 74.

Her husband, Scott Paxton, confirmed Thursday that she died Oct. 14 in Highlands in the southwest part of the state. No funeral was held. Instead, the family held a service before her death.

"It's pretty special being at your own memorial," said her husband of more than 30 years.

She was diagnosed Aug. 11 with three brain tumors, he said.

The actress played Mayella Ewell in the movie based on Harper Lee's Pulitzer-winning novel. Her role as the young white woman who accuses a black man of beating and raping her in her home was brief but memorable.

She angrily breaks down as actor Gregory Peck, the defense attorney, suggests she lied to avoid being abused by her racist father. The black defendant is convicted anyway and later killed.

In the late 1950s and '60s, she had roles in several Broadway plays, making her debut in 1958 in the family drama "The Day the Money Stopped." While the production was short-lived, The New York Times said she "scatters little sparks of humorous vitality throughout her scenes."

She had guest appearances in many early television series, such as "Gunsmoke," ''The Fugitive," ''The Waltons" and "Little House on the Prairie."

Her roles in the 1990s included television series and movies that were filmed near her hometown in the North Carolina mountains. They included "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," which director Clint Eastwood filmed in Savannah, Ga., and the inspirational TV series "Christy," about a teacher in the early 1900s in remote Appalachia.

She is also survived by her three children and three grandchildren.

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October 22, 2009 04:26 PM EDT

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Angelina Jolie May Star In New ‘Gucci’ Movie - OnTheFlix

Posted: 22 Oct 2009 11:39 AM PDT

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Angelina Jolie may star in the new "Gucci" movie,which is directed by Ridley Scott,according to Variety. Angelina is currently in talks to star in the movie,which is a drama about murder and greed of the famed Gucci fashion brand.

If Angelina decides to do the film,she would play the character of Patrizia Reggiano who is the ex-wife of Maurizio Gucci. She was sentenced to 29 years in prison for plotting to murder Maurizio Gucci.

They reported that Ridley Scott also spoke with Leonardo DiCaprio about playing the role of Gucci,but he has yet to make a definite commitment to the role. Angelina's next big film is entitled, "Salt,' which is an action movie that hits theaters on July 23,2010.

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