PEOPLE WERE STANDING IN LINE in Stamford, Connecticut this week waiting to be admitted to the first live taping of “The Jerry Springer Show,” a fixture in Chicago-originated television for 17 years at the NBC Tower.
Springer’s new home is the Rich Forum, a former theater that syndicator NBC Universal converted into a multi-set production studio for “Springer” and two other daytime TV programs, “The Steve Wilkos Show” and “Maury,” with Maury Povich.
As we know all too well, NBC Universal moved the production to Stamford to take advantage of Connecticut’s film tax credits, since Illinois didn’t come through for the producers. The move cost Chicago about 200 local jobs and untold business for shooters and post houses.
A JOHN HUGHES DOCUMENTARY, “Don’t You Forget About Me,” has surfaced after years of languish and will be distributed shortly by Alliance Films of Montreal. It’s an independently-funded Canadian story about four filmmakers who went in search of John Hughes, who disappeared from the public eye in 1991. Knowing how fiercely Hughes protected his privacy, it’s doubtful that the docmakers ever got to a chance to speak to Hughes.
“RAY” DIRECTOR TAYLOR HACKFORD, newly elected national DGA president, visited the DGA Chicago office Wednesday, as part of his tour to get acquainted with DGA branches around the country.
ANOTHER KUDO FOR DRAFTFCB. For the fourth consecutive year, Draftfcb was named one of the “101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For” in the Chicagoland area by the National Association for Business Resources (NABR).
The agency was also recognized as an Elite Winner for Recruitment and Selection during the award ceremony Aug. 10, in Oak Brook.
A COUP FOR IFP. Distinguished L.A. indie producer Effie T. Brown will co-host IFP’s third annual Film Gala Sept. 25 at theWit hotel, starting at 6 p.m.
Among the many indie features Brown has produced, she is probably best known for “Real Women have Cures,” a double Sundance winner, and HBO’s “Stranger Inside,” nominated for three IFP Spirit Awards. Earlier she was Tim Burton’s development director.
Individual Gala tickets are $100, and may be purchased at
