Vale: Charlton Heston

Veteran Hollywood actor Charlton Heston has died. He was 84.

Heston died Saturday night at his home in Beverly Hills after a long illness. In 2002 he revealed that he had symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's disease, saying, "I must reconcile courage and surrender in equal measure."

Best known for his heroic screen roles in epic pictures like Ben Hur, The Ten Commandments, Planet of the Apes, Earthquake and Soylent Green he once remarked, "I have a face that belongs in another century."

In television roles Heston was known for Dynasty, The Colbys (pictured), and early appearances in General Electric Theatre, Playhouse 90, Your Show of Shows, The Philco Television Playhouse, and Studio One.

In later life, he served as president of the Screen Actors Guild and chairman of the American Film Institute and marched in the civil rights movement of the 1950s. But he became president of the National Rifle Association andengaged in a lengthy feud with liberal Ed Asner during the latter's tenure as president of the Screen Actors Guild.

He once told President Bill Clinton, "America doesn't trust you with our 21-year-old daughters, and we sure, Lord, don't trust you with our guns."

His most memorable line was arguably from Planet of the Apes, " Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!"

Source: The Age, IMDb Read more...

27.7% ties Seven and Nine

Think the ratings game is close?

In Week 14 it was a dead heat at 27.7%.

Both Seven and Nine levelled the first ratings week after Easter. TEN had 21.9%, the ABC 17.5% and SBS: 5.1%.

Nine won Sydney and Brisbane with Seven taking Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

In official ratings weeks this year, Seven has three outright wins, Nine two with one week tied.

Week 14 Read more...

ABC remembers Charmaine Dragun

Australian Story's feature on Charmaine Dragun will air Monday April 28.

Highly respected for its insightful profiles, the long-running series speaks to some of the Channel TEN newsreaders closest friends and family for the piece.

Last year Australian Story won high praise for its piece on Belinda Emmett.

Dragun had a long battle with depression prior to her death in November.

Press Release:

Charmaine Dragun was young, beautiful, in love, and seemingly led the glamorous life of a commercial TV network newsreader.

She presented the hour-long Perth evening news with Tim Webster from the Channel 10 studios in Sydney.

Then, on the afternoon of Friday November 2, 2007, Charmaine committed suicide at the notorious Sydney clifftop The Gap after a decade-long struggle with depression. She was 29.

Sydney locals spotted her sitting at The Gap as just a "figure in the distance" beyond a lookout barrier. She had been due to read Channel 10's Perth news just hours later.

Australian Story airs 8pm Monday April 28 and will be repeated on ABC2 - Tuesday, April 29 at 8:00pm. Read more...

Hitch shares most personal issues

The Nine Network today stood firm with its long-standing Melbourne newsreader Peter Hitchener following an interview in today's Herald-Sun in which he admitted he is gay.

Hitchener, 62, told journalist Fiona Byrne, "I am a single person and given that we are on private issues of private life, I am choosing to share with you today that part of my life that I have not spoken about before: that I am gay," he said.

"That is part of who I am and with that disclosure, or acknowledgment, I just also need to say I am still the person I was yesterday. I am still the same person and I remain committed to my job and my family and my service and so on.

"It is not something that has ever come up before. I have never been asked about it before. There is never a right time, or an easy time, to talk about these personal issues, but this is the right time to say it and to move on."

An intensely private and work-focussed man, he added that he is not in a relationship.

In the Melbourne market, where nightly news is hotly contested, Hitchener's sharing of his life has been no quick decision. This year in Monday to Friday news battles National Nine News has won five ratings weeks out of six and is consistently the network's strongest news performer around the country. For a formidable newsreader who has been with the network for 35 years, he continues to enjoy the returned loyalty of colleagues and executives, including for today's interview.

Nine News Director Michael Venus said he fully supported Hitchener’s decision to speak about his personal life.

"I am acutely aware of how difficult a decision this has been for Peter. Indeed I know he has agonised over it for a very long time," Venus said.

"But it is a decision which has our full support and in no way diminishes his standing as one of Australia’s pre-eminent broadcasters.

"And why would it? His professionalism and credibility is without peer. He is an enormously popular and much-loved public figure who continues to do an outstanding job.

"He enjoys the respect of everyone in the newsroom and this revelation – sensitively done with such dignity and style – further endears him to us all.

"He is a great communicator and has wonderful warmth and credibility. People believe what he says. He has a quite unassuming style and I think to most people he is an authoritative, joy to watch.

"And he is without doubt the best newsreader in the country."

Nine Network’s executive director and GTV9’s managing director Jeffrey Browne said Hitchener was an integral part of the network.

"Peter is a distinguished and highly respected newsreader who has shown great dignity and courage in talking frankly about his private life. I have assured him on behalf of the network, of our support and commitment to him," Browne said.

"National Nine News is a staple for Victorians. It is the news they trust and in no small part that enviable reputation is attributable to Peter’s professionalism, his dedication to bringing the latest news first to Victorians and his warmth and empathy with his audience.

"He is an integral part of the team which makes National Nine News Melbourne’s best."

Hitchener also spoke about the news battle, keeping fit, the importance of family and his years with the Nine Network.

He has two years left on his current five-year contract with Nine and has no plans to put his feet up at its end, describing hosting the nightly bulletin as a privilege.

"I am 62 and I feel that I am as committed as ever to the news and I would like to continue on (after this contract ends)," he said.

"I have had wonderful support from management and I am very happy to be working where I am and I hope to remain a member of the team for a long time. I am incredibly proud and I am so thrilled to be involved in the (news) team.

"To have people like Jo Hall, Tony Jones and Livinia Nixon to work with every day, and the reporters and everybody in the crew, is wonderful.

"I think we are presenting a great product. I believe it is the best one in the country – but maybe I am a bit biased."

All humility aside, in an ego-driven industry there are few in the business that enjoy the respect of one widely viewed as an absolute gentleman.

Source and photo: Herald Sun Read more...