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Laura Ziskin
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Producer and executive Laura Ziskin has been tapped to produce
the 74th Annual Academy Awards telecast, Academy of Motion Picture
Arts and Sciences.
It was Ziskin's first involvement with the production of an Oscar®
telecast. The March 24, 2002, telecast was beamed for the first
time from the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & HighlandTM,
the first presentation to be broadcast from a new venue since 1969.
Ziskin is no stranger to Academy Award®
success - pictures she has produced or executive produced have received
10 nominations and two statuettes. The producer of a dozen films
since 1985's "Murphy's Romance," including the upcoming
"Spider-Man," Ziskin also was executive producer of "As
Good As It Gets" and "Pretty Woman."
Before forming Laura Ziskin Productions in 1999, Ziskin had served
for five years as founder and president of Fox 2000.
"This show is one of the most difficult - if not the most
difficult - producing jobs in show business," Pierson said.
"In looking for someone who can carry on the level of excellence
Gil Cates has established, Laura Ziskin brings intelligence, experience
and a wit expressed in everything she has done. "
"In an environment where there is an awards show or two or
more every week, the Academy Awards Show is still the jewel in the
crown, the Big Kahuna," Ziskin said. "I have been watching
the Oscars® for five decades
and it was actually one of my childhood dreams to produce this unique
event, which has become a part of our culture and which year after
year celebrates the art, the glitter and the glamour of the movies.
"I intend to borrow shamelessly from my predecessors, including
Gil Cates, the Zanucks, Quincy Jones and others, and I will do everything
I can to make the 74th Academy Awards Show one you will be happy
you stayed up to watch."
The 74th Oscar telecast will again be preceded by the Academy's
official arrivals pre-show from 5 to 5:30 p.m. Ziskin also will
serve as executive producer of that show.
After graduating from the USC School of Cinema, Ziskin began her
career as a development executive, moving into feature films with
Jon Peters' production company where she worked on the remake of
"A Star Is Born," starring Barbra Streisand.
Ziskin formed Fogwood Films with partner Sally Field in 1984, and
produced "Murphy's Romance," which received a Best Actor
nomination for James Garner and a cinematography nomination for
William A. Fraker.
As an independent producer, she cast then-relatively-unknown actors
Kevin Costner and Sean Young with veteran Gene Hackman and produced
the hit thriller "No Way Out" for Orion Pictures.
In 1990, Ziskin executive produced Touchstone Pictures' "Pretty
Woman," starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, who received
a Best Actress nomination for her role.
Ziskin executive produced "As Good As It Gets" in 1997.
The film received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best
Picture and three acting nods, and its stars, Jack Nicholson and
Helen Hunt, took home the leading role Oscars in the acting categories.
Ziskin's other producing credits include "What About Bob?,"
based on a story by Ziskin and two-time Oscar winner Alvin Sargent;
"The Doctor;" "Hero," again based on a story
by her and Alvin Sargent; "To Die For;" "D.O.A.;"
"The Rescue" and "Everybody's All-American."
As a television producer, Ziskin served as executive producer with
George Clooney and Pam Williams for the live CBS presentation of
"Fail Safe." This fall, Ziskin executive produced the
Norman Jewison-directed "Dinner with Friends" for HBO.
She also will executive produce "Tarzan" alongside David
Gerber for the WB Network and Warner Bros. Television for Fall 2002.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2001 will be
presented on March 24, 2002, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood &
HighlandTM. Sunday at the Oscars®
will be televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning at
5 p.m. (PST) with a half-hour arrivals segment.
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