Tall, strong and handsome. Mike Fries. CEO of Liberty Global, delivered lessons learned from a life of success.
Number One: Success is not the key to happiness. Yet happiness is the key to success. Number Two: Be tough but be fair. Number Three: A dedicated work ethic.
Hailed as Executive of the Year, Mike was speaking during the 34th Caucus Annual Awards dinner a the Skirball Cultural Center. Where the High and the Mighty of our television monarchy celebrate long-standing ahievers.
“The Caucus for Producers, Writers and Directors supports the lives and careers of the young men and women we sponsor to be the future forerunners in an industry that grows and grows,” says Lee Miller, who presides over the Caucus Foundation.
Several decades ago, the Godfather of the Television Movie, Chuck Fries, founded the Foundation “to give back.”
“A well known fact in the entertainment industry is that you start at the top by digging a hole, and my father, Chuck Fries, is truly that American story,” informed Mike Fries. “College. California in 1952 with nothing but ambition. Launching Ziv Television making Cisco Kid, Highway Patrol, Sea Hunt. And then on to Screen Gems and Columbia Pictures. Producing more than 275 hours of television, movies and miniseries And not to be forgotten, raising a family of eight kids!”
Incomparable.
The Skirball Ballroom was energized with award nominees and recipients, hosts James Picker, Jr., Clarissa Thompson. Along with Mike Fries, the tiger titan of television were honored. Vice president of Amazon Studios Roy Price; producer of Homegrown Pictures, Stephanie Allain; executive producer, director, educator, Kevin Bright; professor, founder, Fun Little Movies, Frank Chindamo.
Congratulations to the Dinner Committee of Chuck, Vin Di Bona, Dennis Doty and Norman Powell. And on a personal note, we are always pleased to be welcomed kindly on our arrival by Cauacus loyalists Joan and Herman Rush.
A young and vibrant interracial cast tackles the revival of Merrily We Roll Along at the Bram Goldsmith Theatre in the Wallis.
The Stephen Sondheim songs, Old Friends, Not a Day Goes By, Good Thing Going, are long-lived since its Broadway bow moons ago.
We missed Wayne Brady’s performance on opening night, sufferinig as he was from the a severe case of gout from a Thanksgivng feast. Performing several days later, our LA Times’ critic Charles McNulty found Wayne delivering “an animal fist-bumping smoothness” in the role of the playwright.
The bright talents on stage bouunce with slap and tickle to the enthusiasms of theatergoers Angela Lansbury, Jason Alexander, Beverly Hills Mayor John Mirisch with son Vincent, Louise Korshak, Luanne Wells.
Sadly, even their energy can’t change the languid storyline.
All things considered, we couldn’t help musing how different the acting would be were it addressed by a cast of Brits. With their flawless command of voice and speech and with their modulations which are mellifluous. Yes, less screeching, please.
Directed by Michael Arden, we missed a focus, but the libretto doesn’t help.
No matter, the opening nighters were delirious with standing ovations.
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Dear Heaven on Earth, Madonna is ashamed of our country, after her candidate lost the presidency. Boo-hoo.
Especially after Madonna boldly offering sex to voters. No takers.
Why not look into her past for being ashamed. Does she remember her filthy book, Sex, where her mouth … please, let’s not go there. Libraries banned it as a disgrace.
Now THAT is something to be ashamed of.
Girl, since you’re down on the country that made you vast fortunes, perhaps it’s time to pack your clown clothes and hit the skyway to Mars.
Yo, Girl, even mogul Barry Diller, a Clintonite, is now coming ’round.
“Look, 50% of the country wanted things to continue as they were, 50% wanted change,” Diller told a CNBC interviewer. “The 50% that wanted change has gotten it. Every day we see things we’ve never seen before. As far as I’m concerned, bring it on.”
In truth, does anybody shiv a get about what Madonna thinks?