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Comedy Writer-Producer Wil Calhoun Signs Overall Deal WIth Universal Television

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday March 22, 2012 @ 10:32am PDTTags: Big Deals TV, Universal Television, Wil Calhoun
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Former Friends executive producer Wil Calhoun has signed a two-year overall deal with Universal Television. This marks Calhoun’s return to the studio where he was under overall deals from 2004-08. “Wil is a talented writer with a Southern upbringing which adds a distinct voice to his work,” Universal TV EVP Bela Bajaria said. “He has also both mainstream single-camera and multi-camera experience.” In addition to his five-year stint on the NBC/Warner Bros TV hit comedy Friends, Calhoun co-created/executive produced another multicamera comedy series for Warner Bros, the WB’s What I Like About You. UTA-repped Calhoun’s single-camera comedy experience includes Sons & Daughters, which he worked for while at NBC Universal. For the past several years, he has been developing projects and consulting on shows.

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Writer-Producer Alexandra Cunningham Signs New Deal With Universal Television

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday March 16, 2012 @ 4:20pm PDTTags: Alexandra Cunningham, Big Deals TV, Universal Television
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Alexandra Cunningham, who developed and executive produced NBC’s Prime Suspect, has signed a new overall deal with the studio behind the series, Universal Television. Under the two-year, seven-figure pact, Cunningham will develop new projects for the studio, which now … Read More »

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Peter Berg & Sarah Aubrey’s Film 44 Signs New Overall Deal With Universal Television

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday March 16, 2012 @ 12:38pm PDTTags: Big Deals TV, Peter Berg, Sarah Aubrey, Universal Television
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Peter Berg & Sarah Aubrey’s production company Film 44 has inked a new overall deal with Universal Television. Under the two-year pact, the two will develop and produce new … Read More »

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NBC Buys Rock ‘N’ Roll Drama From Adam Levine And Lawrence Trilling

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday October 28, 2011 @ 1:49pm PDTTags: Adam Levine, NBC, Universal Television
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Adam Levine is no accidental TV producer. After a single-camera karaoke comedy project he executive produces sparked a bidding war in July before landing at NBC with penalty, the rocker-turned-reality star has set up a … Read More »

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NBC Buys Comedy Written By & Starring Andrea Savage And Produced By Jay Roach

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Wednesday October 26, 2011 @ 10:21am PDTTags: Jay Roach, NBC, Universal Television
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: NBC has bought a half-hour comedy from actress-comedian Andrea Savage and director-producer Jay Roach. Savage will write and star in the multi-camera project, which is being produced by Universal Television, with Roach and Jennifer Perini executive producing through their Everyman Pictures. The untitled comedy centers on … Read More »

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NBC Teams With Kenny Ortega For Latin Dance Studio Drama

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday October 13, 2011 @ 3:09pm PDTTags: Kenny Ortega, NBC, Steve Stark, Universal Television
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: NBC is developing a Latino family drama with dance elements executive produced by top choreographer/director Kenny Ortega and The Event executive producer Steve Stark. Ortega is … Read More »

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Universal TV Sells First Projects To Outside Networks: Comedy To ABC & Drama To CBS

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday September 30, 2011 @ 2:00pm PDTTags: ABC, Bela Bajaria, CBS, Universal Television
Nellie Andreeva

A month after Bela Bajaria was given the reins of NBC’s production arm with the mandate to re-establish it as a full-fledged, stand-alone studio, Universal Television has sold two projects to non-NBC networks, comedy End Of The World to ABC and untitled FBI drama to CBS. In addition to Bajaria’s hire, the company’s rapid transformation over the past month also includes the assembling of a top executive team under her with the appointment of heads of comedy, drama and casting, as well as a name change from Universal Media Studios to Universal Television and a new logo (above, animated version below). This marks a return to UMS’ old days, before it was consolidated into NBC 3 years ago, when it developed and produced series for other networks, including Sons And Daughters and Complete Savages for ABC. Here are details on the first 2 non-NBC projects to come out of Universal TV: Read More »

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Ethan Hawke And Vince D’Onofrio To Star In NBC Crime Drama Written By Chris Brancato

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Wednesday September 14, 2011 @ 5:43pm PDTTags: Ethan Hawke, NBC, Universal Television, Vince D'Onofrio
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: In what will instantly become one of this season’s highest-profile drama projects, I hear that Ethan Hawke and Vince D’Onofrio have teamed with writer-producer Chris Brancato for a cop drama that has been nabbed by NBC with a production commitment. Brancato conceived the project, titled Blue Tilt, and took it to Hawke and D’Onofrio, who helped shape it. All three will executive produce. The show will star Hawke and D’Onofrio as two seasoned homicide detectives — one married and one divorced — as they solve cases while dealing with their wives/ex-wives and kids. The title Blue Tilt refers to a cop term for homicide detectives who, as a result of dealing with particularly brutal crimes, become a danger to themselves and are put under psychiatric observation. I hear that the pilot is targeted for a production start by the end of the year in New York, where both Hawke and D’Onofrio live. The two actors are old friends and co-starred in the 2009 feature Staten Island together, while Law & Order: Criminal Intent star D’Onofrio worked with Brancato on the final season of the Law & Order spinoff, on which Brancato served as executive producer/showrunner. This marks D’Onofrio’s return to NBC, where Law & Order: CI started before moving to cable sibling USA Network. Blue Tilt will be produced by newly renamed Universal Television, which also produces the Law & Order franchise. Read More »

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Universal Media Studios Gets New Heads Of Drama, Comedy & Casting And New Name

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Monday September 12, 2011 @ 1:15pm PDTTags: Bela Bajaria, Beth Klein, Universal Media Studios, Universal Television
Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: NBC’s sibling Universal Media Studios has assembled a new top executive team under EVP Bela Bajaria, who took the reins of the studio last month. Additionally, UMS is changing its name to Universal Television, reverting to the moniker held by Universal’s TV production company, known for such series as the Law & Order franchise, prior to its 2004 merger with NBC Studios.

Bajaria’s new team includes Russell Rothberg, formerly SVP Drama Programming, NBC and UMS, who has been named head of the studio’s drama department as SVP Universal Television. Joining him in the drama area will be Erin Underhill, formerly SVP Current Programming, NBC and UMS, who now becomes SVP Universal Television, reporting to Rothberg. Additionally, former WB head of comedy Tracey Pakosta comes to Universal Television to lead the comedy department as SVP Comedy. And Showtime veteran Beth Klein, who left the pay cable network in April after 23 years, has been named SVP Casting, Universal Television. An additional comedy executive will be announced shortly. Read More »

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