October 7, 1995
Web posted at: 8:30 a.m. EDT
From Showbiz Correspondent Dennis Michael
Aretha Franklin has been promoted ... from queen of soul to CEO of "World Class Records." The new label will be affiliated with Arista Records. Franklin will release her new albums on the label and plans to produce other artists.
Schedule changes: "Waiting to Exhale" is being moved by 20th Century Fox. The film based on the best-selling novel will hit the screens on December 22, the last week to qualify for Oscar consideration. Fox brass say early screenings are getting high marks with preview audiences, so the film, starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett, is being moved to a higher profile weekend.
Michael Ovitz has a new chair. The founder of Creative Artists Agency -- now president of Disney -- has been chosen as chairman of an advisory panel to the UCLA School of Medicine and Medical Center. He'll have a number of things in common with some board members, including Steven Spielberg, Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise.
Drew Barrymore has a downbeat new film. The actress will star in "All She Wanted" for Fine Line pictures. The movie is based on a true story about a midwestern girl who posed as a boy, and was murdered. Daily Variety reports Diane Keaton is co-producing with Barrymore.
Michael Jackson is tops in Europe. Jackson's single "You are Not Alone" is number one on the continent, according to the Amsterdam-based "Music and Media" magazine.
He's no longer "Prince," but he's still royalty on the record charts. Daily Variety reports the recording artist who doesn't answer to the name "Prince" anymore has sold more than 91 thousand copies of "The Gold Experience" in its first week of release. The album enters the charts at number six.
"Pulp Fiction" is king in home video. The Oscar-winning picture is number one on the Billboard Magazine home video rental charts, passing last week's champ, "Outbreak." "Kiss of Death" is in third place, followed by "Just Cause" and "Major Payne."
Phil Hartman is beginning to get some practice in accepting awards. The Los Angeles Times reports the star of "News Radio" took home the Harvard Lampoon "Elmer" award last week for lifetime achievement in comedy. Past honorees include Bill Cosby, Robin Williams and Billy Crystal.
"Murder One" fans will get a chance to catch up with the season-long story arc on October 12. The third episode of the new hit drama was moved by ABC without notice this week, due to the dramatic real-life events in the O.J. Simpson trial. Daily Variety reports the network will re-run the episode in time slot yet to be determined.
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