Neuigkeiten

NBC is extending its successful Behind the Camera movie franchise with Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Mork & Mindy', a behind-the-scenes look at the 1978 ABC sitcom's instant success with a focus on the meteoric rise to fame of its star Robin Williams. Actor Chris Diamantopoulos has been tapped to play Williams in the project, from Stanley M. Brooks' Once Upon a Time Films. Comedy scribe David Misch, whose first writing job was on Mork & Mindy, penned the script for the movie, which is executive produced by Matt Dorff (NBC's Growing Up Brady) and former Turner executive Jim Head. Neill Fearnley, who directed ABC's Inside the Osmonds from a script by Dorff, is on board to helm The Unauthorized Story of 'Mork & Mindy', which is slated to begin production next month.

Joely Richardson is ready to play con games at Lifetime. The cable network has tapped the Nip/Tuck actress to star in its original movie Lies My Mother Told Me, which is inspired by a true story. Richardson will portray a seductive con artist and single mother who spends her life running from the law. When she remarries and her new husband learns of her secret life as a con artist, she turns to murder to protect her identity and freedom. The movie is scheduled to premiere next year as part of Lifetime's expansion of its original movies franchise from 12 films a year to 19. Lies, produced by Nomadic Pictures for Lifetime, will be directed by Christian Duguay. Randy Robinson is the executive producer, while Matt Dorff wrote the script. Earlier this year, Richardson was nominated for a Golden Globe for best actress in a drama series for her role in FX's Nip/Tuck. Her recent feature film credits include The Affair of the Necklace, The Patriot, Maybe Baby and 101 Dalmatians. She is represented by Artists Independent and UTA.

CBS has quietly put together a disaster-themed longform project for next season. Brian Dennehy, Dianne Wiest, Randy Quaid, Nancy McKeon and Thomas Gibson have been tapped to star in the project, believed to be a miniseries. Dick Lowry (Lifetime's Heart of a Stranger) has come on board to direct the project from a script by Matt Dorff (A&E's See Arnold Run). Frank von Zerneck and Robert Sertner (CBS' Reversible Errors) are executive producing through Von Zerneck Sertner Films.

Oscar-nominated actress Mariel Hemingway is set to portray California's first lady, Maria Shriver, in the A&E biopic See Arnold Run. The film, from Cypress Point Prods. and Stu Segall Prods., will chronicle Arnold Schwarzenegger's rise from an Austrian bodybuilder to a Hollywood star and governor of California. Hemingway will star opposite Jurgen Prochnow, who was cast as Schwarzenegger (HR 7/12). Shriver, niece of the late President John F. Kennedy, has been married to Schwarzenegger for 18 years. In February, she put an end to her 18-year NBC News career to focus on her duties as first lady. Matt Dorff, who penned See Arnold Run, will exec produce the movie with Gerald W. Abrams, Michael Goldstein and A&E's Delia Fine. J.B. Rogers is directing the film, which is slated to begin production July 27 in San Diego. Hemingway, who was nominated for an Oscar for Manhattan in 1980, has starred in such films as Star 80, The Contender and TBS' First Daughter. She is repped by Don Buchwald and Associates and manager Jonathan Brandstein of MBST Entertainment.

A&E is in negotiations with Jurgen Prochnow to play the role of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the upcoming biopic See Arnold Run. While terms of the contract are still being finalized, A&E is looking to tap the German-born Prochnow (The English Patient) for Run, which is scheduled to begin shooting next month in Southern California and could air as early as the fourth quarter (HR 6/30). J.B. Rogers (American Pie 2) will direct from a script by Matt Dorff (ABC's Inside the Osmonds). A&E declined comment. A&E has already cast Roland Kickinger to play a younger version of Schwarzenegger in Run, which will focus on his gubernatorial bid as well as his early bodybuilding career. Cypress Point Prods. (44 Minutes) and Stu Segall Prods. (The Last Ride) are producing Run, with Stu Segall, Gerald W. Abrams and Michael Goldstein serving as executive producers. Paramount Television will handle distribution of the film. Still to be cast is the role of Schwarzenegger's wife, Maria Shriver.

A&E Network is moving forward with its Arnold Schwarzenegger biopic, tapping J.B. Rogers as director and casting the actor who will portray the younger version of the bodybuilder-turned-movie star who was elected governor of California last year. Roland Kickinger, previously a regular on the FX comedy series Son of the Beach, has been tapped to play the younger Schwarzenegger in See Arnold Run. The two-hour telepic will begin shooting next month in San Diego and Los Angeles. Rogers (American Pie 2) will direct from a script by Matt Dorff (ABC's Inside the Osmonds).

NBC has given the green light to its behind-the-scenes look at ABC's sexy 1970s action drama Charlie's Angels. Sugar & Spice director Francine McDougall has been tapped to direct Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Charlie's Angels, which will focus on how Aaron Spelling's pop culture hit starring Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith got off the ground and will chronicle its tumultuous first season. McDougall will direct the movie from a script by Matt Dorff (NBC's Growing Up Brady). Dorff and Michael G. Larkin (TNT's Red Water) will executive produce in association with Jaffe/Braunstein Films. The Charlie's Angels film follows the success of NBC's Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Three's Company, which was one of the top-rated original movies of the 2002-03 season in adults 18-49.