R&B singer Teena Marie dies at 54

LOS ANGELES | Sun Dec 26, 2010 11:32pm EST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - R&B singer and songwriter Teena Marie, best known for the hit 1980s singles "Lovergirl" and "Ooo La La La," died at her home in Los Angeles on Sunday, according to news reports. She was 54.

The cause of death was not known, and a spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment. Her friend, percussionist Sheila E, reported on Twitter that Teena Marie had a history of seizures.

Teena Marie, whose real name was Mary Brockert, was one of the rare white performers to enjoy crossover success on America's black music charts.

A protégée of funk singer Rick James, she signed with Motown Records in 1975 and released her first album four years later. That album, which was mostly written by James, led fans to believe that Teena Marie was black since it did not feature a picture of her. Her duet with James on "I'm a Sucker For You" peaked at No. 8 on Billboard's Black Singles chart.

"I've always been accepted by the black community and I think that's a beautiful thing," Teena Marie told Jet magazine in 2006.

She released 13 albums up to 2009's "Conga Square," on which she paid tribute to jazz influences, such as Sarah Vaughan and Billie Holiday.

Teena Marie's career had been on the upswing since 2004 when she signed with a New Orleans rap label and released her first album in a decade. "La Dona" debuted and peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200, the first time she had ever cracked the top 20. A song from the album, "Still in Love," took her onto the Hot 100 singles chart for the first time since 1988.

Two of her albums, 1981's "It Must Be Magic" and 1984's "Starchild," went gold for U.S. shipments in excess of 500,000 units each, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. The latter album, released after she left Motown in the wake of a legal battle, spawned the tune "Lovergirl," which hit No. 4 on the Hot 100. "Ooo La La La," meanwhile, went to No. 1 on the black singles chart in 1988.

Teena Marie is survived by a daughter, Alia Rose.

(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Paul Simao)

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"Fockers" underwhelms at box office, "Grit" shines

LOS ANGELES | Sun Dec 26, 2010 2:07pm EST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Little Fockers" opened in the top spot at the Christmas holiday weekend box office in North America with weaker-than-expected sales while the Coen brothers' remake of "True Grit" started strongly at No. 2.

According to studio estimates issued on Sunday, the comedy sequel "Little Fockers" sold just $34 million worth of tickets across the United States and Canada during the three days beginning Friday.

The latest mismatch between Ben Stiller and on-screen father-in-law Robert De Niro has earned $48.3 million since opening on Wednesday. Domestic distributor Universal Pictures said it had hoped for a five-day haul of about $60 million but was confident business would pick up over the holidays.

Exactly six years ago, the first sequel "Meet the Fockers" earned $46 million during its first weekend and $70.5 million in its first five days. In that case, the film also opened on Wednesday and Christmas also fell on a Saturday.

The series kicked off in October 2000, when "Meet the Parents" opened at No. 1 with $28.6 million. It went on to make $166 million and the first sequel ended up with $279 million.

Just 11 percent of the top critics on Rotten Tomatoes liked the latest installment, according to the review aggregation Web site. Audiences gave the film a modest B-minus rating, according to exit-polling firm CinemaScore. Women accounted

for 57 percent of the audience, Universal said.

"Little Fockers" also earned about $27 million from 37 foreign markets, led by a first-place $7.3 million start in Britain. Universal, a unit of General Electric Co's NBC Universal, partnered on the $100 million project with Viacom Inc's Paramount Pictures and closely held financier Relativity Media. Paramount is handling foreign distribution.

JEFF BRIDGES SHOWS "GRIT"

The next two movies on the box-office list starred Jeff Bridges in decidedly different roles. "True Grit," Joel and Ethan Coen's update of the old John Wayne Western, opened at No. 2 with $25.6 million for the weekend, and $36.8 million since Wednesday. Distributor Paramount had conservatively forecast a five-day haul of about $20 million.

The awards-season contender ranks as the Coens' biggest opening ever, surpassing the $19 million start for "Burn After Reading" in 2008. But comparisons are difficult since their films usually roll out slowly across North America. Their 2007 best-picture Oscar winner "No Country For Old Men" ended up with $74 million after beginning its run in just 28 theaters. "True Grit" is in 3,047 theaters.

Bridges takes over Wayne's role as a grizzled U.S. marshal who helps a young woman (played by newcomer Hailee Steinfeld) avenge her father's murder. Critics loved the $38 million film and audiences gave it a B-plus CinemaScore rating. Men accounted for about two-thirds of the audience.

Last weekend's champ, "Tron: Legacy," fell to No. 3 with $20.1 million for the weekend. The 10-day total for Walt Disney Co's costly sci-fi film rose to $88.3 million. It has also earned $65.5 million internationally after a $26.6 million weekend in 34 markets.

Bridges reprises his role from the 1982 film "Tron" as a videogame developer trapped in a virtual environment. The effects-laden update reportedly cost $170 million to make and more than $100 million to market worldwide. Despite being a public company, Disney is the only major studio never to divulge its budgets.

The Christmas Day release "Gulliver's Travels" entered the chart at No. 7 with a two-day haul of $7.2 million. Jack Black stars in the latest update of Jonathan Swift's 18th century satirical novel. It was released by News Corp's 20th Century Fox, which said the opening was "pretty promising."

Among other awards-season contenders, Paramount's "The Fighter" fell two places to No. 6 with $8.5 million, Fox Searchlight's ballerina melodrama "Black Swan" slipped one to No. 8 with $6.6 million, and the Weinstein Co's royals drama "The King's Speech" rose three to No. 11 with $4.6 million.

Last weekend's big flop, "How Do You Know" fell four places to No. 12 with $3.7 million. The 10-day total for the Reese Witherspoon adult comedy rose to $15.5 million, a little short of its $100 million production tab; the film was released by Sony Corp's Columbia Pictures.

(Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Vicki Allen)

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Playboy's Hefner announces Christmas engagement on Twitter

WASHINGTON | Sun Dec 26, 2010 4:59am EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hugh Hefner, the twice-married founder of Playboy, is taking the plunge again.

Hefner, 84, said on Saturday in a posting on Twitter that he and his girlfriend Crystal Harris, 24, got engaged on Friday.

"When I gave Crystal the ring, she burst into tears. This is the happiest Christmas weekend in memory," Hefner tweeted.

Hefner, whose magazine was founded in 1953, was divorced from his second wife, Kimberley Conrad, earlier this year. His first marriage to Mildred Williams ended in divorce in 1959.

Harris was the Playboy Playmate of the Month for December 2009.

Hefner, known around the world by his nickname, Hef, has championed sexual freedom and civil rights, published stories challenging McCarthyism and the Vietnam War, and backed gay causes and the legalization of marijuana.

With a cover featuring a calendar photo of Marilyn Monroe, Hefner put the first issue together on the kitchen table in his flat. It hit the stands in December 1953 and sold 51,000 copies -- enough to finance a second issue -- and led to a multimillion dollar international corporation.

(Writing by Paul Simao, Americas Desk)

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"Spider-Man" returns safely to Broadway stage

By Daniel Trotta

NEW YORK | Sat Dec 25, 2010 4:35am EST

NEW YORK (Reuters) - "Spider-Man" returned safely to the Broadway stage with a mishap-free performance on Thursday night, restoring confidence in the show's ability to protect the health of its cast but not, perhaps, its financial future.

The $65 million production with music by U2's Bono and The Edge had suspended two shows over safety concerns since Monday when an actor plunged nearly 30 feet from an elevated platform, breaking ribs and requiring surgery.

"Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" resumed to mixed audience reviews and without accidents during its 35-plus aerial stunts, though one of the costumed and tethered "Spideys" flying over the audience nearly fell off a ledge and needed help from a stage hand to regain his footing.

Four actor injuries and major delays before the November 28 start of preview performances have focused attention on the most expensive production in Broadway history, raising speculation that despite its star power the Julie Taymor-directed show could become an epic flop.

Two shows set for Wednesday were canceled while state and federal officials reviewed the system of tethers and harnesses used by actors and stunt performers. Some $400,000 in ticket sales were lost, The New York Times said.

Audience members said the element of danger added to the show's intrigue.

"It's like going to a NASCAR (auto) race. Everybody's looking for an accident to happen," said Mark Infante, 53, a real estate developer who was disappointed with the show, especially the music.

"I thought Bono and The Edge would have done a better job. It needs more back beat," he said.

Customers mostly marveled at the airborne theatrics and the spectacular set design, but the big musical numbers received only polite applause and some said they expected more for their money. Orchestra section tickets go for $150 and nearly twice that on resale websites.

"I'm a big U2 fan but I was not blown away," said Greg Harden, 40, a real estate investor.

"The plot has to be worked on," said Fiona Salmon, 40, a volunteer for nonprofit theater. "They should have had more aerial stunts. It was more like Mary Poppins than Spider-Man."

The show is still in previews, allowing producers to warn the audience it is not seeing a finished product. The first performance on November 28 was stopped at least five times while the crew worked out technical problems.

The official opening is set for February 7, and the show will have to run for years in order to break even.

Actor Christopher Tierney, 32, became the fourth performer to be injured when he fell off the platform toward the end of Monday's show. Producers told the audience before Thursday's performance that he had successful surgery and would start rehabilitation on Monday.

Amateur video showed him tumbling over the edge of the elevated platform while crouching and looking down at the Mary Jane character, who was hanging from a rope. In the same scene on Thursday, the costumed Spider-Man stood upright and further back from the edge.

Ten dancers and stuntmen wear the Spider-Man costume in addition to Reeve Carney in the role of Peter Parker.

(Reporting by Daniel Trotta; editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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"Gulliver's Travels" tests Jack Black's appeal

By Pamela McClintock

Thu Dec 23, 2010 7:58pm EST

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - In the U.S., 20th Century Fox is selling the feature film "Gulliver's Travels" as a Jack Black comedy.

Overseas, where Jonathan Swift's classic tome is far more familiar, the film is being sold on the story.

So which is it? And is Black a big enough movie star to carry the day? Is his particular brand of humor right for the character Lemuel Gulliver?

Fox will find out as Gulliver's, rated PG, opens December 25 in 2,546 theaters in the U.S. The 3D family adventure is also making a major push overseas.

The bad news is that Black's last live-action film, "Year One," didn't work. Opening in summer 2009, "Year One" stalled out at $43 million domestically and $19 million overseas.

The good news is that Black has great brand awareness among kids. He's the voice star of the "Kung Fu Panda" franchise, and widely promoted the first film in 2008. He's currently preparing for the release of the sequel in May.

Black's signature live-action film was sleeper hit "School of Rock," which over performed in grossing $81.2 million for Paramount in 2003.

"Gulliver's" has several distinct challenges. Tracking has been sluggish, sparking real concern on the Fox lot. Boys and teenage boys are showing the most interest, but Fox needs to get all members of the family if the film is to work.

Movie also enters a saturated market for 3D PG-rated titles, between "Tron: Legacy," "Yogi Bear," "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" (also a Fox film) and "Tangled," which is showing great staying power.

"Gulliver's" production budget was $100 million. The 3D conversion cost roughly $12 million.

Fox didn't carry the cost alone. Dune Entertainment and Ingenious were the studio's co-financing partners on "Gulliver's." Dune and Ingenious were Fox's partners on "Avatar."

"Gulliver's" was initially scheduled to open in summer of this year. Fox decided to push back the release to the year-end holidays and converted the pic to 3D.

More recently, Fox decided to open the film on Christmas Day in the U.S., rather than on December 22. Studio did so in order to allow more time for marketing, and to get some distance from other 3D fare.

"Gulliver's" also stars Emily Blunt, Jason Segel and Amanda Peet.

(Editing by Zorianna Kit)

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