Jon Stewart is Cait Murray's good-luck charm.
Two years ago, when he hosted the Academy Awards, she won a seat in the bleachers along the red carpet outside the Kodak Theatre. This year, with Stewart back as host, she won again, scoring three of the hardest tickets in Hollywood.
Murray is a fourth-year student at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in film studies and communications. She has been working for Carl Kurlander on "My Tale of Two Cities," a documentary about Pittsburgh reinventing itself, and for the group he helped to found called the Steeltown Entertainment Project.
Years ago, when movie fans wanted to be bleacher creatures, they simply turned up days in advance and camped out. In 2002, the change to a new venue and security concerns prompted the introduction of a lottery system.
For the 80th Academy Awards, people had to register in September for the 300-odd spots along the 500-foot-long carpet that leads into the Kodak at Hollywood and Highland Center. Applicants could register up to four people and the Pitt student registered her mother, Linda Murray Limberis, and stepfather, Tom Limberis, of South Fayette.
"Last time I was there, the highlight for me was I spotted Rob Marshall on the carpet," Murray said yesterday from the Las Vegas airport on her way to Los Angeles. She pulled him over and told him she was from Pittsburgh and Marshall said his father, Bob, had taught at Pitt and gave Murray an autograph.
She also scored an autograph from George Clooney, who made a point of walking over to the bleachers and talking to the fans. He's on her wish list this year, too. "My God, any woman wants to see George Clooney," she said, speaking for females everywhere.
They will be able to hear Robert Osborne as he greets nominees, presenters, performers and others on the red carpet. Osborne is a film historian TV host and Hollywood Reporter columnist.
Regis Philbin will host the televised red-carpet arrivals show from 8 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday on ABC. He will be joined by Samantha Harris and Shaun Robinson. The Oscarcast will start at 8:30 p.m. with Stewart as host.
That's when the Pittsburgh trio will head across the street to the El Capitan Theater to watch the show.
(Barbara Vancheri, Post-Gazette movie editor)
The new star of the Corpus Christi Hooks minor league baseball team wants some playing tips.
Justin Timberlake will portray fictional Hooks player Carlton Garrett in the upcoming movie "The Open Road." The 27-year-old pop star tried to meet with players of the Houston Astros' Double-A team in Austin recently, but schedules didn't align.
"The Open Road" is the story of a young man trying to reconnect with his father -- a legendary athlete played by Jeff Bridges -- as he struggles to get home to his ailing mother. Mary Steenburgen and Kate Mara are also in the film. Shooting on the movie began Tuesday in Hammond, La.
(Associated Press)
Peter Fonda, the king of cool in "Easy Rider," will receive the 2008 King Vidor Career Achievement Award at next month's San Luis Obispo International Film Festival.
He will appear at the festival March 15 to accept the honor, Executive Director Wendy Eidson said this week. The King Vidor award, named after the director of the 1956 movie "War and Peace," honors career achievement in filmmaking.
Fonda, who will turn 68 tomorrow, is best known for his role in the 1969 film "Easy Rider." He has received two Oscar nominations, one for acting ("Ulee's Gold") and one for screenwriting ("Easy Rider").
His screen credits also include "Race With the Devil" and "3:10 to Yuma." The festival runs March 7-16.
(AP)
"Carmilla's Kiss," a dark comedy by writer-director Michael McGovern, will be part of the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival later this month.
Produced by local production company Tonerwoods, it's about an ambitious director staging his theatrical masterpiece: a play based on the Gothic vampire tale "Carmilla." The film was shot in 10 days with Pittsburgh cast and crew.
"Carmilla's Kiss" will be shown at 2 p.m. Feb. 29 at the Village East Cinemas. Visit www.nyfilmvideo.com for more information.
(Vancheri)
A film made by former Pittsburgher Jeff Benson Jr. won best feature at the TOMI Film Festival last week in New Orleans. That translates into 90 days of work from an entertainment lawyer, publicist, financial adviser and business manager along with a small cash prize, Benson said.
A graduate of Schenley High School and Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Benson submitted "She's Got It," about a career-obsessed woman who finds her relentless pursuit of success threatened by a twisted mix of karma.
Benson works as an auditor in Connecticut and traveled to New Orleans for the first time for The Other Movie Industry, or TOMI, event. It was designed to bring emerging moviemakers to the attention of distributors and other executives.
(Vancheri)
First Published: February 22, 2008, 10:00 a.m.
