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Sugar Ray Leonard & Tony Larussa Television interview
Sugar Ray Leonard & Tony Larussa Television interview from San Francisco's "The View from the Bay."
Billy Bob Thornton to play ball
Actor signs on as producing partner in 'August'
Billy Bob Thornton has signed on as a producing partner on baseball-themed feature "Three Nights in August." Based on the book by Buzz Bissinger, story centers on the three-game series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs in 2003 -- as told from the perspective of Cardinals' manager Tony La Russa.
Thornton joins Red Bird Cinema managing director John Loar as producer on the feature. Kevin Pollack, La Russa and Bissinger are executive producers. A director has yet to be set.
Thornton noted that he has been friends with La Russa for years and worked with Bissinger during the filming of 2004 football feature "Friday Night Lights," which was also based on a book by Bissinger and in which Thornton starred.
"I was intensely aware of Tony's story and experiences during this classic series between the Cardinals and their archrival Chicago Cubs," he said. "This important piece of baseball history exemplifies why we love this game."
Loar brought together Thornton and La Russa for the project.
"We're confident (Thornton's) love of baseball will help take this film to a new level," Loar said.
In the book, Bissinger spent three games with La Russa, getting a feel for the joy and heartache of baseball.
Loar, La Russa, Pollack and Greg McCoy launched Red Bird Films in 2006. The shingle has three other features in the works, including one based on the life of boxer Sugar Ray Leonard. The Sandlot Group is Red Bird's financing partner.
Click here to read the full article.
Billy Bob Thornton joins 'Three Nights' team
Billy Bob Thornton will be putting on his producer ballcap.
The Hollywood hyphenate has signed on to produce "Three Nights in August," a scripted baseball tale based on Buzz Bissinger's well-received book.
The nonfiction tome looks at a 2003 series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs, taking the readers into the mind and dugout of Cards skipper Tony LaRussa.
Thornton, known to be a vocal Cardinals fan, will join Red Bird Cinema managing director John Loar in producing the picture. Writer-actor Kevin Pollak, LaRussa and Bissinger will exec produce.
Thornton is known primarily as an actor and director, though he did produce one pic, the Tex-Mex romance "All the Pretty Horses," which he also directed. But he will take on a hands-on approach here, Loar said, and is now meeting with writers and directors.
There's also a possibility he could take a role in the picture, but it likely won't be the LaRussa part, Loar said.
While baseball projects like "Moneyball" have had a rough time in Hollywood of late -- and this project in particular takes what is quite literally an inside-baseball approach -- producers say they think "August" offers a refreshing take on the subject.
"There are a lot of baseball movies out there, and a lot of them are based on the won-loss component," Loar said. "What this does is go inside the day-to-day happenings of the locker-room and how a manager thinks about all the decisions he has to make. It's going to be challenging, but Billy Bob has a good handle on it."
Loar also said he was hopeful that if the appropriate writer and director were brought on board, the project could shoot as early as next year.
The All-Star game is set for Tuesday night in St. Louis, where Loar and Thornton made the announcement.
Red Bird Cinema -- in which Loar, LaRussa, Pollak and Greg McCoy are principals -- is concentrating on a number of sports dramas, including a biopic about the life of Sugar Ray Leonard.
The Hollywood Reporter: Click here to read the full article.
Life Story of Sugar Ray Leonard
Red Bird Cinema and boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard have entered into an agreement to option the rights to his compelling life story and produce a feature film based on it.
Red Bird Cinema and boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard have entered into an agreement to option the rights to his compelling life story and produce a feature film based on it. Best-selling author and screenwriter Buzz Bissinger will write the screenplay for this sure-fire hit.
Red Bird Cinema to adapt Buzz Bissinger book "3 Nights in August" for the big screen
Red Bird Cinema has obtained exclusive movie rights to the New York Times Bestseller 3 Nights in August.
Red Bird Cinema has obtained exclusive movie rights to the New York Times Bestseller 3 Nights in August. This is an authentic baseball narrative, written by Pulitzer Prize-wining author Buzz Bissinger.
Red Bird Cinema options "Rose"
Bissinger has been a writer for 30 years but in his words has never encountered anything like the relationship between Pete and Tommy. It is a quintessential American story that goes to the heart of what fame and fortune and success truly mean.
A script based on the Vanity Fair story Bissinger wrote about Pete Rose and Tommy Gioiosa.
Bissinger Joins Red Bird Cinema Advisory Board
May 15, 2007-- Pulitzer Prize-winning author, H.G. "Buzz" Bissinger has joined the Redbird Cinema advisory board.
"We're very excited about Buzz joining us. He brings a wealth of experience and success in writing and entertainment that adds incredible value," says Red Bird Cinema managing director John Loar.
Besides his Pulitzer Prize-winning work in investigative reporting for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Mr. Bissinger is known for his bestseller, Friday Night Lights, which is now an NBC series. His other New York Times Bestseller, 3 Nights in August, is under development at Red Bird Cinema.
Buzz Bissinger website
Red Bird Cinema Enters into Strategic Relationship with Sandlot Venture Group
Sandlot Venture Group (SVG) has entered into a strategic relationship with Red Bird Cinema to provide development and production financing for Red Bird Cinema's projects.
The relationship between Red Bird Cinema and Sandlot Venture Group ignites a powerful dynamic. "The combination of Northern California funding and Southern California creativity generates a very powerful and winning force," says John Loar, Red Bird Cinema's managing director.
According to Sandlot Venture Group managing director Don Herman, SVG has closed its first round of financing and is preparing for a second round. For more information regarding Sandlot Venture Group please contact don@sandlotventuregroup.com.
Kevin Pollak Covered by Sports Illustrated
Kevin Pollak says he's interested in doing a film version of Three Nights in August, Buzz Bissinger's book about a 2003 series between the Cards and Cubs as seen through the eyes of Tony La Russa.Who should play the St. Louis skipper?
SI has suggestions:
- Ocean Twelve's Andy Garcia
- Be Cool's Harvey Keitel
- Alexander's Oliver Stone
- The Sopranos' Michael Imperioli
- Desperate Housewives' Roger Bart