January 24, 1996
Web posted at: 8:15 p.m. EST
From Entertainment Correspondent Dennis Michael
HOLLYWOOD, California (CNN) -- "Coach" is going back to the field for another season. The ABC series has received a pickup order for its ninth season on the network.
The official "Unplugged" guitar is coming out of an unusual partnership between MTV and the Martin Guitar Company. The official MTV acoustic guitar will be a full size "Dreadnought" size with the MTV logo on the neck, and the word "Unplugged" inlaid in the fingerboard. A portion of the proceeds from the limited edition guitar's sales will go to AIDS research.
A spectacular guest list is set to have dinner with Martin Scorsese. Tom Cruise, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and Robert Zemeckis have all promised to appear at the annual John Huston Artists' Rights award dinner on February 16. Scorsese will receive the annual John Huston award for his work on behalf of artists' rights.
The Screen Actors Guild is set to honor "Star Trek" in its various incarnations for 30 years of outstanding diversity in casting. The actors organization says the show's efforts to cast a wide variety of ethnic actors in its television shows and films represents the American scene in all its diversity. The award will be presented at the "SAG" awards in late February.
Mel Gibson the director is getting more recognition. Days after taking home a Golden Globe as best director for "Braveheart," he was named one of the five nominees for the Director's Guild of America award for best picture.
Capt. Picard may be back in the big chair, but his second in command will be at the helm for "Star Trek 8." Daily Variety reports Jonathan Frakes is in final negotiations with Paramount Pictures to direct the next film in the very successful movie series. Frakes, who plays commander Will Riker on the series, has directed several episodes of "The Next Generation," "Deep Space Nine" and "Star Trek Voyager."
Michael J. Fox may be ready to return to series television. Daily Variety reports ABC is working with Fox to develop a series in which he plays a former pro hockey player turned sportswriter.
A major honor for Joni Mitchell. The singer-songwriter has received the Swedish based Polar Music Prize for her career output. The prize committee praised her for mixing folk and jazz influences into rock songs. The Polar Music Prize is a cash award of $151,000. Previous winners include Elton John and Paul McCartney.
Some of Madonna's most important work on "Evita" is already in the can. The singer and actress is getting ready to begin shooting the film in Argentina, but all the vocal tracks are complete. The singer says she took three months to record the songs from the musical and worked with a vocal coach for a year before that to get ready for the job. Madonna says the songs were hard for her because of their range and rhythm.
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