His passion remains steadfast.
The Godfather of the Television Movie, our Cincinnati-born Charles William Fries (Chuck) continues to help talented folks year in and year out, as well as acknowledging their impressive successes.
Chuck’s is a “give back” heart.
Thirty-five years ago, he founded the Caucus for Producers, Writers and Directors, celebrated every December with a friendly evening honoring new faces and those who have contributed immeasurably to the entertainment community.
Award winners this year at the Skirball Cultural Center included James G. Hirsch, writer-producer of Papazian-Hirsch Entertainment; Stephanie Austin, producer, Beachwood Entertainment; Dan Cohen, President, Worldwide Licensing Paramount Pictures Corp; Michele Nasraway, Executive Producer, Vin Di Bona Productions; and Alfonso Ribeiro, Host of America’s Funniest Home Videos.
Alfonso served as the evenings co-host, along with Aimee Garcia and James Pickens, Jr.
Numerous awards were presented, including the Caucus’ Golden Circle Awards for Emilie Silvesri and Amanda Renee Knox.
Besides Chuck, Tom Hanks, J.J. Abrams, James Burrows, Tanya Hart, Robert Papazian, the always-best-dressed Vin Di Bona, Suzanne de Passe, Charles Floyd Johnson, Dennis Doty, Lee Miller, and Norman Powell comprise the Caucus Council’s distinguished membership.
Let us praise Chuck, a Hollywood Walk of Famer, for his love and loyalty to the industry where he’s created jobs by producing and/or supervising 275 hours of television movies and/or mini-series.
His energy’s unflappable – Chuck’s written both plays and books. Also produced Troop Beverly Hills with wife Ava Ostern Fries, a cult favorite with audiences of all ages.
He and Ava are well-known philanthropists, raising millions for the Center Theatre Group and for medicine and education.
During his tenure at Screen Gems, where I Dream of Jeanie with Barbara Eden became a long-running series, co-star Larry Hagman was so fed up with the producers that he hired a plane to fly over the studio for him to urinate on the buildings, damning them unto eternity.
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Her neighborhood folks are gung-ho with pride in the Los Angeles Crenshaw area where she was born Rachel Meghan Markle. As are her proud Northwestern University classmates, and cast members from the NBC Suits where she plays the attorney Rachel Zane.
She met Prince Harry, the fifth heir to the British throne during a goodwill visit to Africa in June 2016, and they have been in a relationship since then.
In May, she weds Prince Harry at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor castle, and will be titled as Her Royal Highness Princess Henry of Wales.