Interview

CHICAGO – When putting on an awards show in Chicago, getting local talent to hand out awards was as easy as calling the production of “Chicago Fire,” currently filming here. The 2012 Best of the Midwest Awards in December had “CF” cast members David Eigenberg and Christian Stolte to present accolades, and comedy improvisor Susan Messing won Best Actress at the event.

CHICAGO – The Independent Spirit Awards, to be announced at the ceremony on February 23rd, got a jump start on a few of their accolades last weekend. Adam Leon, director of the soon-to-be-released feature “Gimme the Loot,” took home the “Someone to Watch Award.”

CHICAGO – The story of the West Memphis Three is not over. Yes, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley are finally, mercifully, out of jail but questions still linger about who really killed three children two decades ago. And Echols has to deal with life outside of prison with his wife Lorri Davis as the whole world is new to him and thousands are so grateful for his release.

CHICAGO – One of director Tim Burton’s great actor collaborators is the veteran performer Martin Landau. Landau voices Mr. Rsykruski, a science teacher who inspires young Victor Frankenstein in “Frankenweenie,” released on Blu-Ray on January 8th. This is part of Laudau’s magnificent 60 year career in film, television, stage and acting instruction.

CHICAGO – If one actress can represent an era of classic and cult movies, P.J. Soles is a pretty good candidate. Her string of roles in high profile and familiar films from the mid 1970s to early ‘80s including “Carrie,” “Halloween,” “Breaking Away.” “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” “Private Benjamin” and “Stripes.”

CHICAGO – The hot rumor this week in the TV industry is that “Twin Peaks” show creators David Lynch and Mark Frost were talking up a revival of that unforgettable cult TV show of the early 1990s. Will Sheryl Lee (Laura Palmer) and Sherilyn Fenn (Audrey Horne) possibly participate?

CHICAGO – When it comes to the art of spoofing the current movie culture, few have done it with more success than Marlon Wayans. As a sibling member of the Wayans Brothers, he has spent his career doing take-offs in films such as the “Scary Movie” franchise, “Dance Flick” and his current spooky satire, ‘A Haunted House.’

CHICAGO – The significant HollywoodChicago.com show business interviews of 2012 – eclectic, independent and varied – flowed throughout the year from the perspectives of Matt Fagerholm, Brian Tallerico and Patrick McDonald. All three contribute to this year-end survey of the 15 Best Interviews of 2012.

CHICAGO – It was one of the most famous endings in TV history. Tony Soprano, the patriarch of “The Sopranos,” waiting at a restaurant for his family while “Don’t Stop Believin’” was blaring on the soundtrack. It is that rock sensibility that permeates “Not Fade Away,” the new film by the creator of “The Sopranos,” David Chase.

CHICAGO – One of Chicago’s favorite native daughters is Ms. Marilu Henner, who has had a tremendous show business career on stage (the original cast of “Grease”), TV (the unforgettable “Taxi”) and film (“The Man Who Loved Women”).