BRAVO ADDS THE EMMY AWARD-WINNING DRAMA ‘THE WEST WING’ TO LINE-UP BEGINNING MONDAY, AUGUST 11
Published: July 9, 2003
‘THE WEST WING’ MARATHON AND A NEW EPISODE OF ‘INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO’ FEATURING MARTIN SHEEN AIRS SUNDAY, AUGUST 10
BURBANK, Calif. -- July 9, 2003 -- This August, Bravo will present the inaugural season of “The West Wing,” one of television’s most-acclaimed dramas, it was announced today by Jeff Gaspin, President of Bravo and Executive Vice President, Alternative Series, Specials, Longform and Program Strategy, NBC Entertainment. The series airs Monday-Thursday (7:00 - 8:00 p.m. ET and 11:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m. ET) beginning
Monday, August 11.
“The West Wing” on Bravo, enhanced with special interstitials featuring interesting factoids about former and current Presidents, kicks off with a week of Presidential-themed programming including the premiere of the original three-part special, “All the Presidents’ Movies” airing in sequence Thursday, August 7 (7:00-10 p.m. ET).
Bravo will also air Presidential-themed films including “Absolute Power” starring Clint Eastwood on Friday, August 8 (8:00-11:00 p.m. ET) and Sorkin’s “The American President” on Saturday, August 9 (8:00-11:00 p.m. ET).
A marathon of the first six episodes of “The West Wing” will air Sunday, August 10 (11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. ET) leading into the premiere of “Inside the Actors Studio: Martin Sheen” on that night (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET). This special “Inside the Actors Studio” celebrates the career and craft of the actor who has played an integral part of the film and television world for more than four decades.
He has earned an Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards for his work, including the role of President Bartlett on “The West Wing.”
In its landmark first season, “The West Wing” garnered 13 Emmy awards, including Best Drama, and became the most honored single season series in television history. Now Bravo brings you every episode of this remarkable debut season. Beginning where “The West Wing” originally commenced on NBC, Bravo will start with the first episode of the series and continue with all episodes produced through 2009.
Narrated by Martin Sheen (NBC’s “The West Wing”), this documentary reveals the movie-viewing habits and preferences of the Nation’s former Presidents. For the first time, Americans will see the secret screening logs of the White House screening room, and hear from Paul Fischer, the man who kept them as well as the Presidents themselves, family members, friends, world leaders and Hollywood stars. See
separate release for more details.
“The West Wing” depicts the dedicated men and women who work at The White House, serving their country through times and crises that mirror our own, and providing a fascinating inner glimpse of life inside the world’s most powerful office. Each episode brims with the brilliant writing of creator Aaron Sorkin, the acclaimed performances of the ensemble cast and a brisk dramatic pace that galvanizes the viewer.
The series stars Martin Sheen, John Spencer, Bradley Whitford, Rob Lowe, Richard Schiff, Allison Janney, Dule Hill, Janel Moloney and Stockard Channing.
Bravo, an NBC Cable Network since December 2002, is currently seen in more than 70 million homes and was the first service dedicated to film and the performing arts when it launched in December 1980. Today, Bravo offers innovative arts and entertainment programming with a unique point of view featuring original series, feature films (both independent and mainstream), theater, dance, music and documentaries. Bravo boasts critically
acclaimed original programming -- including “Inside the Actors Studio” hosted by James Lipton, “Cirque du Soleil Fire Within” and “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” (launching July 2003). For more information visit www.bravotv.com.
**********
'THE WEST WING,' DEBRA MESSING SCORE BIG TIME AT THE EMMY AWARDS
Published: September 22, 2003
“THE WEST WING” PERFORMS FOUR-PEAT AT 55TH ANNUAL EMMY AWARDS
BURBANK, Calif. -— September 21, 2003 -— It’s only been done twice before when a drama series has won Outstanding Drama Series four times but Sunday night “The West Wing” joined that exclusive winners club by performing a four-peat at the 55th Annual Emmy Awards, broadcast live on Fox from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles before a star-studded audience of 6000 TV industry attendees and a worldwide television audience.
The last time a drama series won four consecutive times was in 1981 when “Hill Street Blues” dominated the drama scene for the next several years. “L.A. Law” also won four times, although not in consecutive years, in 1987, ’89, ’90 and ’91. “The West Wing”’s win gives NBC six wins in the Outstanding Drama Series category in the last eight years.
She was a bridesmaid three times and her fourth time was finally a charm as Debra Messing captured her first Emmy as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her starring role as Grace Adler in “Will & Grace.” Her win completes the cycle for the cast of regulars. Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally won for their supporting roles in 2000 and Eric McCormack won for his leading role opposite Messing in 2001.
Other NBC wins Sunday night include “Cher - The Farewell Tour” for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special and Christopher Misiano for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (“The West Wing”).
“I want to congratulate all our Emmy winners and I’m delighted that ‘The West Wing’ has now done what only two other series in the history of television have been able to accomplish by winning Outstanding Drama Series four times,” said Jeff Zucker, President of NBC Entertainment. “It is a profound testament to the quality of this superb show. I also am thrilled for Debra Messing who has come
very close for the past three years and now has won the award that she so richly deserves. It’s been a very gratifying night for all of us at NBC.”
**********
ACTOR GARY COLE JOINS PRESIDENT BARTLET IN THE WHITE HOUSE AS THE NEW VICE PRESIDENT ON 'THE WEST WING'
Published: August 19, 2003
BURBANK, Calif. -- August 19, 2003 -- Award-winning actor Gary Cole has been cast in a recurring role as the new Vice President on NBC’s drama “The West Wing” (Wednesdays, 9-10 p.m. ET). Gary Cole plays Robert Russell, aka “Bingo Bob,” a Congressman from Western Colorado who has some surprising plans for his new role in the White House. Cole will make his series debut in the third episode.
The veteran of more than forty movies, telefilms and TV series, Cole is currently shooting the upcoming feature film, “Win A Date With Tad Hamilton.” He starred in the feature films “One Hour Photo,” “A Simple Plan,” “The Gift,” “I Spy” and “Office Space.” He continued to reprise his spot-on send-up of the family patriarch in the feature films “The
Brady Bunch,” “A Very Brady Sequel,” and “The Brady Bunch in the White House.”
On television, he became well known to audiences for his starring role in the NBC television drama series, “Midnight Caller.” He later starred in the NBC mini-series “Fatal Vision,” and the mini-series “Son of the Morning Star.” Cole provided character voices for several animated series including “The Family Guy;” “Kim Possible” and “Harvey Birdman, Attorney
at Law.” He starred in the thriller series “American Gothic” and the award-winning mini-series “From the Earth to the Moon.” Most recently on the small screen, Cole starred in the series, “Family Affair” Cole recently guest starred on the television series “Monk” and “Hack.”
Cole starred on stage in the Chicago theater productions of “Closer,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “Balm in Gilead,” “And a Nightingale Sang,” and “Bang!,” for which he won the Joseph Jefferson Best Actor Award for Chicago Theatre Excellence. He tackled Sam Shepard’s “True West” in New York and Los Angeles, and last year, starred in a production of “The
Collected Works of Billy the Kid” at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego.
**********
STATEMENT ON DEPARTURE OF SORKIN AND SCHLAMME FROM 'THE WEST WING'
Published: May 1, 2003
STATEMENT FROM JEFF ZUCKER, NBC AND PETER ROTH, WARNER BROS. TELEVISION REGARDING AARON SORKIN AND THOMAS SCHLAMME DEPARTING “THE WEST WING”
“Aaron Sorkin and Tommy Schlamme have done an extraordinary job in their four years at the helm of “The West Wing.” Aaron’s brilliant writing and Tommy’s gifted direction and leadership have been the cornerstones of “The West Wing’s” remarkable critical and ratings success. Moving forward we have asked Executive Producer John Wells to assume a more active role next season and
he has graciously agreed. We thank and applaud Aaron, Tommy and John for creating one of the finest shows to ever air on television.”
STATEMENT FROM JOHN WELLS REGARDING AARON SORKIN AND THOMAS SCHLAMME DEPARTING “THE WEST WING”
“Aaron Sorkin and Tommy Schlamme are irreplaceable,” said Wells. “Aaron’s an exceptionally gifted writer and we’re indebted to him for creating this wonderful world. Tommy’s creative vision and his leadership have been central to the show’s success. Sadly, we always knew this day would come and have been assembling a talented group of writers, directors and producers to assist in this
transition. They will be sorely missed.”
|
