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Last Updated: 28 May 2004
Richard films FOX drama pilot "Point Pleasant;"
show still in the running for mid-season replacement order
Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation
now playing on the Encore Action Channel; DVD Region 1 release set for
June 1st, 2004. Richard plays Captain V.J. Dax, titular Hero of the film.
Starship Troopers 2 soundtrack CD announced
by Varese Sarabande; release set for June 8th '04
15- and 60-second Troopers 2 trailers now airing
on various channels including FOX and Starz! Encore Group
Science Fiction and Fantasy genre magazines now
running Starship Troopers 2 articles
Decoys coming to Sci Fi Channel in June 2004; Richard
plays Detective Francis Kirk
Cellular now slated for August or September 2004
release; Richard plays Craig Martin
Adieu, Capt. Vincent Hunter -- CBS drops "The
District" from Fall 2004 lineup
Scheduling info for "The Sentinel" -- US SciFi Channel
listings
Sci Fi's Darklight likely to air later in
summer; Richard plays Shaw
In Her Shoes slated for early 2005 release; Richard
plays Jim Danvers
Buy your official RBFC tee-shirt today!
Official RBFC charity, the FSLMMC, gets new
name -- Pacific Marine Mammal Center (PMMC)
"Firefly" updates (Richard
appears in final episode, "the Message," as Lt. Womack of Allied Enforcement)
-
"Firefly" complete series DVD set now available
-
"Firefly" to begin airing in the Netherlands on YORIN
starting March 6th
-
"Firefly" feature film is a go! Look for "Serenity"
to premiere Summer 2005
Write to Richard through the RBFC
** To refer back to earlier News pages, visit
our Archive Page and select the appropriate quarterly listing **
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[28 May 04] *** Richard chosen
for role in FOX pilot, "Point Pleasant" *** -- Richard spent
part of March 2004 working on "Point Pleasant," a pilot for the
FOX
Network's 2004/05 season. Described as "a cross between
'Peyton
Place' and The Omen," as well as "a gentler Rosemary's Baby
on the Jersey shore," the supernatural series focuses on a mysterious girl
(Christina, played by Elisabeth Harnois), who washes
ashore one day after a shipwreck.
Christina is taken in by Dr. Ben Kramer (Richard Burgi) and his
family. Cast breakdowns give the following description of Ben: "A
local physician who shares his seaside home with his wife and daughter,
he feels uneasy about the young girl whom he's taken into his home. But,
after seeing the growing bond his wife and daughter have with Christina,
Ben decides not to push the matter - not just yet anyway. The role is listed
in his late 40s and the doctor is described as intelligent and confident."
Though the May 14th Hollywood Reporter listed "Point Pleasant"
as one of the remaining FOX pilots most likely to join "the fast track
to a series order," the show didn't appear on the 2004/05 schedule. It
is, however, reported to still be in the running as a mid-season replacement
show.
(Thanks to Kat and Deborah for info on "Point Pleasant") |
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[22 May 04]*** Starship Troopers
2: Hero of the Federation airs in additional schedule slots on the Encore
Action Channel *** -- According to the latest update at the Starz!
website's Encore Action Channel section, ST2 will air on the following
dates after premiering as part of the Saturday Action Zone:
Sunday, May 23rd at 3:30am ET on the Encore Action Channel
Friday, May 28th at 4:00am ET on the Encore Action Channel
Encore Action is a part of the Starz Encore Group, and
can be found on many Cable systems as part of the premium channel package.
For additional information, visit the Starz! website at: http://www.starz.com/se/action/index.html |
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[22 May 04] *** Starship Troopers 2 DVD release dates announced
for various regions *** -- Starship Troopers 2 DVDs are now available
for purchase in international markets (see list below). Viewers in Region
1 only have two weeks to wait.
Region 1 (USA & Canada) -- June 1st
Region 2 (Europe, Middle East & Japan) -- May
- Netherlands -- May 3rd
- United Kingdom -- May 10th
- Poland -- June 29th
Region 4 (Australia) -- May 19th
At far left, in the image at left, can be seen the original DVD cover
artwork, with the updated cover art beside it. The "special edition" design
is the version that will grace the Region 1 DVDs when they are released
in early June.
Trivia note: With more scenes remaining that studio time allowed,
the producers decided to get a least one critical scene "in the can" by
producing it in CGI (think of Gollum in "Lord of The Rings.") The shot
of Dax armed with a pair of Morita rifles, backlit by the transport ship's
engines, was generated entirely in the Tippett Studio computers. (Richard
spent some time working at the Tippett Studio in Berkeley, CA, where the
digital filming, motion capture, and careful facial scanning necessary
for the incredible degree of realism was done).
The final image is from the "making of" featurette included in
the Starship Troopers 2 DVD, which includes interviews with Richard and
his castmates, as well as behind the scenes footage.
* NOTE: The Region 1 DVD is now available for pre-order at Amazon.com!
Amazon's price is $17.47, a 30% discount off the list price of $24.96.
The film has been given an
R rating by the MPAA.
* Theatrical Release Updates:
ST2 will be released in theaters in both Japan and South
Korea, according to the latest news received by starshiptroopers2.net
(Thanks to starshiptroopers2.net for the information, and to Danny
for the screengrabs) |
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[22 May 04] *** Starship Troopers
2 Soundtrack CD coming in June from Varese Sarabande *** -- The Starship
Troopers 2 soundtrack will soon be available for purchase in retail
stores and online through the Varese Sarabande website, which lists a June
8th release date.
Varese shows an initial list price of $17.98 in their ST2 listing at
www.varesesarabande.com
The soundtrack consists of the following tracks:
1. Fed Net (1:47); 2. Battle at Z.A.* (3:54); 3. Retreat to Devil's
Anvil (:33); 4. Storm (2:16); 5. The Fortress (1:26); 6. Red River Mercy
(:43); 7. Fortress Search (2:57); 8. Attack! (3:53); 9. Dax Released /
Perimeter Burn (2:41); 10. DMZ (1:20); 11. Bug Zapper (1:08); 12. Reunion
(2:36); 13. Sniff Factor (1:31); 14. Psychic Shakedown (2:46); 15. Kitchen
Scene (1:07); 16. Soda Wakes (1:21); 17. Door Jam (2:15); 18. Reappearing
Cream (Flirtation) (1:20); 19. Soda's Tongue (1:38); 20. Joe's Smile (:45);
21. Sahara and Dax/Taps (2:12); 22. Finger Food (1:16); 23. Vision Dream
(1:23); 24. Spying on the General (1:00); 25. Tail O' the Bug (1:27); 26.
Transition (:51); 27. Meeting with Dill (1:52); 28. Lieutenant Dill's Death
(2:19); 29. Dax Arrested (1:03); 30. The Rape of Rake (2:18); 31. Vengeance
(4:43); 32. Rake's Sacrifice (1:26); 33. Soda Fizzles (1:16); 34. The General
Explains (1:09); 35. Kill Them All! (1:33); 36. Dax's Last Stand (2:41);
37. Fed Net / Epilogue (1:46); 38. End Credits* (4:44)
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[28 May 2004] *** Columbia Tristar running Troopers 2 ads on the
WB, UPN, the Sci Fi Channel... *** -- With the June 1st DVD premiere
of Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation just around
the corner, short television ads are appearing in Primetime broadcasts
of show like the WB's "Smallville" and "Angel," UPN's "Enterprise,"
and across the board at the Sci Fi Channel -- most recently during
"Andromeda" and "Stargate: SG-1."
The promo spots feature Richard quite prominently, first as Dax
ordering "All personnel to the perimeter!" and in a scene or two from "Inside
the Federation," the behind the scenes featurette included on the DVD.
Footage used from the film itself is similar to that seen in the earlier
trailers (see examples below).
[22 May 04] *** FOX Network airing
15-second Starship Troopers 2 trailer *** -- The 15-second ST2
trailer which premiered on the FX Channel during the recent FX DVD
Awards Show should now be airing on the FOX Network to promote the
film's release. The trailer is currently available as a Quicktime file
at the
www.starshiptroopers2.net
website, or at the www.moviehole.net
site. Richard appears in two scenes, first in a close-up where he
can be heard saying "All personnel to the perimeter!" and shortly thereafter
in a scene where he's standing at the left edge of the screen, aiming a
rifle at a Warrior bug as it prepares to pounce on some unfortunate Trooper.
[22 May 04] *** ST2 Trailer Update *** -- A more detailed 1-minute
theatrical-style trailer is now available at the www.starshiptroopers2.net
website. The trailer is available in downloadable ZIP file format (recommended
for repeat viewing). The new trailer features extended versions of the
scenes shown in the 15-second version, along with new scenes and new graphics,
and a colorful new Starship Troopers 2 logo.
The trailer is also airing on the Encore Action Channel to promote
the premiere of StarshipT roopers 2, which is now only three weekends away.
(Thanks to starshiptroopers2.net for the information)
[22 May 04] ** Additional articles, print and online ** -- With
Troopers 2 airing on the Encore Action Channel, and the DVD release underway
in most regions, articles and interviews are continuing to appear in the
various sci-fi and fantasy genre publications. Most prominent, and recent,
are:
CFQ / Cinefantastique -- (Part I) February/March 2004 issue (Volume
36, #1, pp. 28-33) -- info at http://www.cfq.com/
 |
[22 May 04] *** Starship Troopers
2: Hero of the Federation featured in February-March 2004 issue of Cinefantastique
*** -- Science Fiction and Fantasy genre magazine Cinefantastique,
now also known as CFQ, ran the first part of a two-part article
on ST2 in its previous issue (see cover at left).
The six-page feature (pages 28-33) consists of two sections -- "Getting
the Bugs Out," which focuses on director Phil Tippett and his experiences
on the production, and "Triumph of the Kill," which delves into
the philosophical background of the original Starship Troopers film. Both
are written by Jeff Bond.
Though some of the photos will be familiar to ST2.net visitors, the
selection of eye candy is bolstered with several new photos, including
one of the parasitized Sgt. Peck (J.P. Manoux) looking ghoulish,
and one of effects supervisor Eric Leven modeling an unlikely
chapeau -- one of his new bug creations.
Richard makes an appearance as the heroic Captain Dax
in a pair of pictures -- one as the clean-shaven, impeccably uniformed,
and snarling Recruitment Video Dax, and one as the Dax found by the ill-fated
Bravo Company -- scruffy, bearded, bloodied, weary... yet ready to blast
some bugs with a massive pulse rifle.
The Troopers 2 articles are based, to some extent, on a set visit and
interviews conducted while Paul Verhoeven, director of the original
Troopers film, was visiting the ST2 set at the Manhattan Beach Studios.
As only a very brief mention is made of the actors or their characters
in this issue, we assume the second part of the feature will focus more
on the cast and their characters.
Cinefantastique ran an earlier one-page article on ST2 in its
August/September
2003 issue, mentioning Richard as the lead.
Additional information and updates can be found at the CFQ website
at http://www.cfq.com/
(Thanks to Arek for the heads up on the CFQ article, and to Deborah
for the scans and magazine) |
CFQ / Cinefantastique -- (Part II) April/May 2004 issue (Volume
36, #2, pp. 30-33) -- info at http://www.cfq.com/
 |
[22 May 04] *** Part II of Starship
Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation article appears in April-May 2004 issue
of Cinefantastique *** -- Science Fiction and Fantasy genre magazine
Cinefantastique,
now also known as CFQ, ran the second part of a two-part article
on ST2 in its April/May issue (see cover at left).
The four-page feature (pages 30-33) is titled "Struggle on Zulu Angel,"
and is also written by Jeff Bond. The second installment is a more
in-depth look at the production of ST2 and the hurdles faced by the production
team. Jeff Bond describes the production as "unusual in more ways than
one." Bond's article goes on to say:
"Headed by the original film's visual effects supervisor Phil Tippett
(who's now directing the sequel), producer Jon Davison, and screenwriter
Ed Neumeier, the Hero of the Federation creative team worked to
create a story that concentrated the sprawling violence of the first film
into a single, high-pressure location -- a lonely outpost on Zulu Angel,
a storm swept planet where the first film's arachnids gained a murderous
foothold.
'Ours is a little bit more cruel,' Tippett says of his new film. 'It's
as if World War II trudged on into Korea and Vietnam, and the people actually
fighting the war were starting to get wise to what was going on and to
the people pulling the strings, so there's more of that in this picture.'"
Bond also gives some insight into the plight of the besieged Troopers:
"Despite its confined setting, Federation actually features more
speaking parts than the first film, with more than 20 actors participating
in the production as members of the 701st Mobile Infantry Brigade. After
the besieged troopers take cover inside the 'coffee can' outpost, they
discover that they face a bigger threat than the marauding arachnid warriors
outside in the form of insidious new insects that infiltrate the human
body."
Richard's Capt. Dax is shown in only one photo in this article
-- locked away inside the outpost's disabled incinerator unit.
Additional information and updates can be found at the CFQ website
at http://www.cfq.com/
(Thanks to Arek for the heads up on the CFQ article, and to Deborah
for the scans and magazine) |
Cinefex -- April 24th issue, #97 -- Q&A interview with Phil
Tippett -- info at http://www.cinefex.com/
 |
[22 May 04] *** Cinefex issue #97
runs Q&A with ST2 director Phil Tippett *** -- Special Effects
genre magazine Cinefex ran an in-depth Q&A-format interview
with ST2 director Phil Tippett. The eight-page article (pages 15-22) is
simply titled "Q&A Phil Tippett," by Joe Fordham. Tippett shared
his approach to working with live actors in the following excerpt:
"How did you work with the actors? Have you done that before?
Not to this degree. My skill as an acting coach is absolutely nill.
My general approach was to spend a tremendous amount of time hiring and
interviewing people, because it's all about the casting, as they say. I
also asked Jon Davison for three days of rehearsal. Jon's response was:
'You want to rehearse on this budget? I've never rehearsed anything!'
What, specifically, did you want to accomplish in the rehearsal period?
I wanted the performers to have some combat training. A Marine drill
instructor spent a day with the actors, putting them in military mode.
We spent another day working out action choreography; and we spent a day
discussing what happens to a number of characters that become infected
and turn into zombies. I wanted to get another coat of paint on that concept
so it wouldn't be like The Night of the Living Dead or other films
we've seen before. We wanted a different feeling, as though these characters
had been hijacked against their will.
Beyond that, my directions to the actors were: 'You have carte blanche.
You create the characters. It's here on the page. Ed wrote it; you run
with it; I'll shoot it.' After that, it was just a matter of making adjustments
in terms of timing and choreography."
Though Richard only makes a single appearance in the article,
it is in a very impressive color photo showing Dax and some battle-bloodied
Troopers watching the outpost's defenses fry a Warrior bug.
Additional information and updates can be found at the Cinefex
website at http://www.cfq.com/
(Thanks to Arek for the heads up on the CFQ article, and to Deborah
for the scans and magazine) |
Cinescape Magazine -- issue uncertain -- info at http://www.cinescape.com/
Fangoria Magazine -- April 15th issue, # 232 -- article by Marc
Shapiro -- info at http://www.fangoria.com/
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[22 May 04] *** Starship Troopers
2: Hero of the Federation featured in Fangoria #232, May 2004 issue ***
-- Starlog's sister publication, Fangoria, which focuses on the Science
Fiction and Horror genres, also ran an article on ST2 (see cover at left).
The six-page feature (pages 58-63) by Marc Shapiro is subtitled "More
Bugs for Fewer Bucks." Based on interviews and a visit to the ST2 set,
the article focuses on the challenges of producing an effects-heavy film
on a miniscule budget. The interviews also delve into the background and
setting of the story, which Marc Shapiro detailed in the following excerpt.
"Starship Troopers 2 takes place five years after the events
of the first movie. The war with alien insects has continued, perhaps too
long, and the bug fighters are becoming more than a bit war-weary. The
story focuses on a small patrol who, after a heated battle with the many-legged
hordes, find themselves at a deserted outpost. There they must hold their
ground against an advancing enemy while waiting for a rescue ship to lift
them off the godforsaken planet. What they do not count on are the new,
terrifying powers of the creatures to infest and take over their bodies,
with horrifying results. Who will survive becomes a Ten Little Indians
question, and there is more than enough grue to go around.
'This is more of a horror movie than the first film,' says [Jon] Davison.
'This is sort of like our Alien to the first film's Aliens.'
[Ed] Neumeier takes the comparison a step further: 'The first Starship
Troopers was WWII. This one is the Korean War. You don't see the rah-rah
and the patriotism of the first film. This is a bunch of burned-out grunts
who have been fighting too long.'"
Additional information and updates can be found at the CFQ website
at http://www.cfq.com/
(Thanks to Arek for the heads up on the CFQ article, and to Deborah
for the scans and magazine) |
Starlog Magazine -- May issue, # 322 -- article by Bill
Warren -- info at http://www.starlog.com/
 |
[22 May 04] *** Starlog article
on Starship Troopers 2 focuses on director Phil Tippett *** -- Science
Fiction and Fantasy genre magazine Starlog is also running an interview-based
article on ST2 and director Phil Tippett in its May issue (see cover at
left). The five-page story (pages 36-40) is titled "Bug
Snatcher," and is written by Bill Warren. Tippett shares details of
ST2's thematic genesis with Warren in the excerpt below:
STARLOG: The first Starship Troopers film originated from
a Robert A. Heinlein novel, and this storyline has some similarities to
Heinlein's Puppet Masters. Any connection?
TIPPETT: I never read Heinlein's The Puppet Masters and
had forgotten that there was a movie version. Ed Neumeier and I certainly
never discussed Puppet Masters. ST2 is a riff on the Pogo
[comic strip] philosophy: "We have met the enemy and he is us." We always
discussed ST2 more in terms of Invasion of the Body Snatchers
with Bugs. I wanted to stay as far away as we could from the classic George
Romero zombie film. We conceived of the infected people as being hijacked
by the Bugs, and the human bodies are used as infiltrators and saboteurs.
Just enough consciousness of their former beings are left intact to do
the Bugs' bidding, thus making these folks possessed and hopefully adding
an element of pathos and tragic humanity to the zombie genre. The Bugs
use the strength and major attributes of the infected human husks -- one
for her sexual predatory value, another for his technical skill, etc.,
in order to fulfill the Bugs' plan to eventually infect the human race."
When briefly discussing the actors and his directing philosophy, Tippett
described Richard as "affable and a very funny man."
Richard's Captain Dax appears in three pictures: the target
of Pvt. Soda's libidinous advances in the first; scruffy, bearded, bloodied,
weary... yet ready to blast some bugs with a massive pulse rifle in the
second; and clean-shaven, impeccably uniformed, and snarling as Recruitment
Video Dax in the third.
Additional information and updates can be found at the CFQ website
at http://www.cfq.com/
(Thanks to Arek for the heads up on the CFQ article, and to Deborah
for the scans and magazine) |
CG Channel website -- interviews with SFX supervisor Eric Leven
and director Phil Tippett -- http://www.cgchannel.com/news/viewfeature.jsp?newsid=2139
DVD Video Magazyn (Poland) -- Volume 51/04
The Moviehole website can be found at http://www.moviehole.net.
Visit our Starship Troopers
2 guide page to see previous News items.
 |
Richard worked from May 14th through June 20th on the long-awaited
Starship
Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, filming at Manhattan Beach Studios
and on location in the Santa Clarita "canyon country" north of Los Angeles.
He also made several follow-up visits to the Berkeley, California headquarters
of Tippett Studio for additional post-production work during the final
quarter of 2003. Richard plays Captain V.J. Dax, the hero mentioned
in the film's title.
Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation is produced by Jon
Davison, with Phil Tippett directing. Tippett shot from a screenplay
by Ed Neumeier, who also wrote the screenplay for the original Starship
Troopers film. (All three worked on the first Starship Troopers, which
was directed by Paul Verhoeven. Tippett's Tippett Studio produced
the visual special effects for the first film, and is once again providing
special effects for ST2).
When we -- and the besieged troopers -- first meet Captain Dax,
he is the last man at an otherwise abandoned and desolate outpost on planet
Zulu Angel. Disgraced and imprisoned in the outpost's incinerator for killing
his commanding officer, he is somewhat the worse for wear -- dirty, torn,
unshaven, and more than a little war-weary. When the rapacious arachnids
threaten to once again overrun the makeshift defenses of the old outpost,
Dax is called upon to rally the rag-tag band of Troopers to fend off the
marauding Bugs. Unfortunately for Dax and the Troopers, the arachnids have
other things in mind for the unsuspecting humans...
Additional information on "Starship Troopers 2 : Hero of the Federation"
can be found at the Starship Troopers 2.net website at
http://www.starshiptroopers2.net. Starship Troopers 2.net works in
association with Moviehole and Tippett Studio to provide the most up-to-date
news and information on the project in general and with the RBFC to provide
the latest news on Richard Burgi's involvement with the film.
Tippett Studio, Special Effects house responsible for the incredible
special effects of the StarshipTroopers films, can be found at http://www.tippettstudio.com.
(Thanks to Kat and MJ for the heads up, to Richard for the confirmation,
to Starship Troopers 2.net for the production information, and to Danny
for the screengrabs). |
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[28 May 04] *** DECOYS premieres on
the Sci Fi Channel on Saturday, June 26th at 9:00pm Eastern *** --
After a February premiere across Canada and a short run in theaters, the
sci-fi thriller will premiere on Cable's Sci Fi Channel in June as part
of the Saturday Scinema lineup.
As reviewer Liz Braun of the Toronto Sun said, "Decoys is part science-fiction,
part horror and part comedy, and some of the laughs are even intentional."
Braun added, "There's something breezy and cheeky about Decoys. The film's
best feature is that it never takes itself too seriously, but that's also
its biggest flaw." (Follow the link below to read all of Braun's review).
Toronto Sun review:
http://jam.canoe.ca/JamMoviesReviewsD/decoys-sun.html
** DECOYS Background *** -- Richard made a quick trip to Ottawa,
Canada, during March and April '03 for a role in Decoys, which director
Matt
Hastings describes as "American Pie meets Species" --
a sci-fi thriller set on a college campus. Richard plays Detective Francis
Kirk. According to the script, "He's a young cop who knows that he
won't be in this small town busting college students for party pranks for
much longer. He thinks he belongs somewhere between NYPD Blue and
the cover of GQ."
(Thanks to Jenny and Deborah for the review information, to Richard
Burgi for the initial heads up, to Marc Heller of Reel One Entertainment
for the Decoys website info, and to Deborah for the data-mining on "Decoys.") |
[28 May 04] *** Decoys DVD joins pre-order
roster at Amazon.ca website *** -- Burgi fans interested in owning
a DVD of Decoys can pre-order the Region 1-encoded disc through
Amazon.com's Canadian subsidiary, Amazon.ca. (Amazon.com account
holders can use their accounts at the amazon.ca site). The DVD
is listed with a July 20th release date.
The ordering specifics and DVD details can be found at the www.amazon.ca
website.
(Thanks to Debbie for the heads up)
 |
[28 May 04] *** Cellular Update
*** -- New Line Cinema has announced a new premiere date for the film
-- September 17th; the newly-updated Cellular website, however,
lists an August 17th premiere date. As both dates cannot be correct,
we will update our listing as soon as a more definitive date is announced.
Official Cellular website: http://www.cellularthemovie.com/
Richard completed principal photography on the thriller Cellular
in late November '03, playing the supporting role of Craig Martin,
husband of kidnap victim Jessica Martin (Kim Basinger). Cellular
was written by Larry Cohen and directed by David Ellis. Filming
on the Los Angeles-based feature ran from September through November '03.
Cellular stars Kim Basinger as Jessica Martin, with Richard Burgi
as Craig Martin, Chris Evans as Ryan Ackerman, William H. Macy as Bob Mooney,
Jason Statham as Greer, and Jessica Biel as Chloe. The Cellular
page at the Internet Movie Database -- http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0337921/
-- gives the following summary:
"A young man (Evans) receives a call on his cellular phone from a woman
(Basinger) who says she's been kidnapped, and thinks she's going to be
killed soon, along with her husband and son who the kidnappers have gone
after next. The catch? She doesn't know where she is... and his cell phone
battery might go dead soon."
E! Online conducted interviews with actors William H. Macy and Chris
Evans on the Cellular set, which are available as a trailer of sorts at
the moviebox website, along with a small selection of publicity photos.
The Moviebox site can be found at: http://www.themoviebox.net/
(Thanks to Richard for the heads up, and to Kat and Deborah for the
research) |
 |
[22 May 04] *** Adieu, Captain Vincent
Hunter *** -- With "The District" missing from the just-announced
Fall 2004 CBS schedule, we must assume the show has been cancelled.
Richard
appeared in three of the show's four seasons in a total of twelve episodes,
playing the prickly and suspicious Captain Vincent Hunter, head
of the DC Police Department's Internal Affairs Division -- a recurring
role he held since the show premiered in October 2000.
Unfortunately, the show did not take maximum advantage of the Hunter
character, though they established an intriguing back-story for him in
the first season episode "The DC Strangler." Ella Farmer (played by
the late Lynn Thigpen) told Chief Mannion (Craig T. Nelson)
a bit about Hunter. He was a highly-decorated officer with a relatively
high solve rate while in Homicide, a department he left after discovering
his wife -- also a police officer -- in bed with his partner.
The episode also paired Hunter with rookie detective Temple Page
(Sean Patrick Thomas), which gave viewers insights into both characters.
Temple's somewhat naive enthusiasm and belief in the inherent good nature
of people contrasted sharply to Hunter's war-weary and beleaguered attitude
and certainty that people were often corrupt and untrustworthy.
Hunter was brought back into prominence two seasons later when Page
became obsessed with the apprehension and conviction of drug-lord and murder
suspect Lester Richards, skating on the razor's edge of legality and dipping
over into what appeared to Hunter to be dangerous vigilantism. When Page
killed Richards after a sting gone awry, Hunter headed an Internal Affairs
investigation of Page's seemingly less than honorable behavior and testified
against Page in the subsequent civil law case.
A complete listing of Richard's episodes of "The District" can
be found on the Biography page, with
an expanded listing and episode details on the District
Guide page.
(For possibly outdated International scheduling information,
refer to our previous News pages, available through the Archive
News links)
(Thanks to Becky and Erin for the District screengrabs, and to the
Epguides website for production details) |
[22 May 04]*** The Sentinel airing on US
Sci-Fi Channel in May and June*** -- The Sentinel airs at
9:00am ET Monday - Friday through May 31st. Starting in June, The Sentinel
moves to 8:00am ET. The
Sci Fi Channel Schedulebot listing for
The
Sentinel shows the following airdates.
Current Sentinel schedule on SciFi:
May 24th - 28th
24 May -- 9:00am -- "Breaking Ground"
25 May -- 9:00am -- "Prisoner X"
26 May -- 9:00am -- "The Trance"
27 May -- 9:00am -- "Mirror Image"
28 May -- 9:00am -- "Finkelman's Folly" |
May 31st - June 4th
31 May -- 9:00am -- preempted
01 Jun -- 8:00am -- "Sweet Science"
02 Jun -- 8:00am -- "Remembrance"
03 Jun -- 8:00am -- "Love Kills"
04 Jun -- 8:00am -- "Crossroads" |
June 7th - 11th
07 Jun -- 9:00am -- "Foreign Exchange"
08 Jun -- 9:00am -- "Neighborhood Watch"
09 Jun -- 9:00am -- "Night Shift"
10 Jun -- 9:00am -- "Sentinel Too"
11 Jun -- 9:00am -- "Sentinel Too - Part 2" |
June 14th - 18th
14 Jun -- 8:00am -- "Murder 101"
15 Jun -- 8:00am -- "Four Point Shot"
16 Jun -- 8:00am -- "Dead End on Blank Street"
17 Jun -- 8:00am -- "The Waiting Room"
18 Jun -- 8:00am -- "The Real Deal" |
June 21st - 25th
21 Jun -- 8:00am -- "Most Wanted"
22 Jun -- 8:00am -- "The Sentinel by Blair Sandburg"
23 Jun -- 8:00am -- "Switchman"
24 Jun -- 8:00am -- "Siege"
25 Jun -- 8:00am -- "Killers" |
June 28th - July 2nd
28 Jun -- 8:00am -- "The Debt"
29 Jun -- 8:00am -- "Cypher"
30 Jun -- 8:00am -- "Night Train"
01 Jul -- 8:00am -- TBA
02 Jul -- 8:00am -- TBA |
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Visit the Sci-Fi Channel website for further
details ( http://www.scifi.com/sentinel
) and remember to check your local listings to confirm times and dates.
(To review earlier, possibly outdated International scheduling information
for The Sentinel, refer to our previous News pages, which are
available through the Archive Page listings).
(Thanks to Deborah for the Sci-Fi info, and to Steffi and Starfox
for the images)
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[22 May 04] *** Darklight expected
to premiere on SciFi this summer *** -- Darklight will most likely
premiere in late Summer '04 as part of the SciFi Channel's Saturday
Action Movie lineup. As of late March, the film was in the final stages
of post-production, which would put it in the hands of the Sci Fi Channel
in time for the summer premiere.
Richard headed off to Sofia, Bulgaria in late July '03
to join the cast of UFO Films' Darklight, a Sci Fi Channel Original
Production for the 2004-05 broadcast season.
Richard
plays Shaw, and is joined by Shiri Appleby (Roswell's Liz)
as Lilith. Sci Fi veteran John de Lancie also stars in Darklight.
Principal photography began on July 28th and wrapped the week of
August 18th. An early Sci Fi Channel synopsis had this to say:
DARKLIGHT A genetically-engineered creature carrying
a deadly virus escapes from a secret lab and goes on a rampage, spreading
the virus in the process. To stop the virus from reaching epidemic proportions,
LILITH is recruited. A superhuman warrior cursed with immortality, LILITH
must defeat the creature before it infects the entire planet. Directed
by Bill Platt, former development executive for SCI FI Channel's short-film
series Exposure. Production begins in Sofia, Bulgaria with UFO Films in
July 2003.
*** Darklight mentioned in Medialog Genre TV section of Starlog Magazine,
Issue 315, October '03 *** -- Starlog details the Sci Fi Channel's
2004 original film lineup in its writeup.
"The SCI FI Channel has increased the number of all-new telefilms it's
commissioning to 22 a year. They're all intended to bow in the Saturday
Action Movie slot. Coming up in 2004 are Raptor Island, Chupacabra
(it's loose on a cruise ship), Darklight, Dead Rail (aliens
on a train), Larva, Hammerhead (Oh no -- it's a mutant shark beast!),
Alien
Blood and perhaps the most outrageous, Mansquito (scientist
and subject get transformed into mutant mosquito beasts!). Really! You
can't make this stuff up."
According to the Sofia Sideshow,
which chronicles the film production experience in Bulgaria, "Richard Burgi
and Shiri Appleby were both a mass of good clean fun."
PHOTOS: Top -- Richard and costar Shiri Appleby
on location as Shaw and Lilith; Upper middle -- Shaw looks
to be a "don't mess with me" kinda' guy; Lower middle & bottom
-- Shotgun Shaw blasts the beastie.
The Sofia Sideshow -- http://www.sofiasideshow.com
Unified Film Organization -- http://www.ufofilm.com
(Thanks to Richard for the initial heads up, to Deborah for the research,
and to Jeff for the photos and background information) |
 |
[22 May 04]*** Fox 2000's In Her Shoes
now in post-production, aiming for early 2005 release *** -- With the
remaining location scenes wrapped in Philadelphia, PA and South Florida,
In
Her Shoes has finished principal photography and is now in the post-production
phase. Early reports have mentioned January 2005 as a possible premiere
date for the film.
In Her Shoes stars
Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette, and Shirley
MacLaine. Richard joined the cast in February and "wrapped out" in
mid April with some location scenes in Philadelphia. Richard plays
Jim
Danvers, one of Rose's (Collette) love interests. According to
the character breakdown, Danvers is "a handsome, suave attorney at the
law firm of Lewis, Dommel and Fenick. He's also a cold-hearted ladies man
who dumps women without thinking twice."
Based on the Jennifer Weiner book of the same title, In Her Shoes
was screenwritten by Susannah Grant and is directed by Curtis
Hanson. Rebecca Klein, writing for The
Action Insider, gives this brief description of the film's premise:
"This feature film from Fox 2000 will star Cameron Diaz as Maggie Feller,
a free-spirited but immature party girl who dreams of stardom. She moves
in with her career-oriented older sister Rose after getting evicted from
her own apartment.
Sibling rivalry follows when Rose kicks Maggie out after she trashes
the apartment and sleeps with Rose's boyfriend."
Shirley MacLaine plays Ella Hirsch, Maggie and Rose's grandmother.
Mark
Feuerstein plays Simon Stein, another love interest for Rose, while
Ken
Howard plays Michael Feller, Rose and Maggie's father.
To learn more about In Her Shoes, visit author Jennifer Weiner's website
at http://www.jenniferweiner.com/
Production details on In Her Shoes can be found at the IMDb website
at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388125/
(Thanks to Richard, Kat, and Deborah for the information and the
subsequent sleuthing) |
 |
[22 May 04]*** Buy your Official Richard
Burgi Fan Club tee-shirt today! *** -- Featuring the official RBFC
logo seen at left on the upper left chest, these tee-shirts are heavy-duty
cotton. The shirts are short-sleeved, cream-colored, with the logo silk-screened
in black, and are available in Adult Extra Large size. The shirts can be
paid for by check, or by credit card through PayPal, with the prices as
follows:
Continental USA -- $10 ($12 PayPal) -- includes S&H
International -- $15 ($18 PayPal) -- includes S&H
If paying by check, please make the check payable (in US funds) to Kathleen
Cole, not to the RBFC, and mail the check to the address
below:
The RBFC
10153 1/2 Riverside Drive #494
Toluca Lake, CA 91602
U.S.A.
 PayPal
transactions are processed through their website at http://www.paypal.com,
using wbkat852@aol.com as the RBFC payment address / account.
The process is fairly simple -- new PayPal customers must first register
with PayPal, which takes about five minutes. (Instructions are provided
on the PayPal website).
|
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[22 May 04] *** The Official RBFC
charity, the Friends of the Sea Lion Marine Mammal Center (FSLMMC), has
chosen a new name -- the Pacific Marine Mammal Center *** --
A recent letter from the MMC (excerpted below) details the name change:
"With the expansion of our responsibilities to include cetacean rehabilitation,
as well as the expansion of our education programs to include a broader
curriculum, we have made the decision to take a leap and give ourselves
a name that more fully reflects what we do -- Pacific Marine Mammal
Center.
We are excited about the new name, as it is more reflective of our work
with all marine mammals, as well as of the ever-expanding scope
of environmental education programs we offer. We have big plans for the
next couple of years including a renovation of our upstairs education area
and the reconstruction of our outdoor pools and pens to accommodate our
steadily growing patient load and improve the water quality for the animals.
We are very proud of our history, founders, board members, staff, and
volunteers, included. Who would have thought that the rescue of that first
tiny harbor seal pup 33 years ago would have such an impact on the lives
of the thousands of marine mammals that we have given a second chance at
life? We are so grateful to those of you who are long-time donors and to
those of you who are new friends. It is your support that has allowed us
to build our solid foundation and to provide our quality animal care and
education programs over the years. You can be assured that the core values
and vision of our organization will always remain the same."
(Thanks to Deborah, Kat, and MJ for the info) |
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[22 May 04]*** Complete Firefly DVD
boxed set now available at Amazon.com and your local retailer ***
--
"Firefly - The Complete Series" DVD box set is now available through Amazon.com
and at your local DVD retailers. The boxed set includes the two-hour pilot
and thirteen filmed episodes, plus cast and crew commentary and the gag
reel.
Richard's unsavory Lieutenant Womack of Allied Enforcement
turns up in "The Message," which can be found on the final
DVD of the set. Written by executive producers Joss Whedon and Tim
Minear, and filmed in mid-December 2002, "The Message" was one of the
last of 15 episodes ordered by FOX. According to a brief description
of the episode, "the crew must deliver the corpse of an old war comrade
home, but things are not as they seem."
The script has this to say of Womack: "He's been around the block, and
likely beaten up everybody on it." Womack was intended to be a recurring
character -- a shady lawman who would undoubtedly cross paths with the
Serenity at the most inconvenient times.
For more information on Firefly, visit the FireflyFans website
at http://www.fireflyfans.net
To order the Firefly DVD boxed set online, visit the Amazon.com
website at http://www.amazon.com and
type Firefly DVD into the search field.
[08 Mar 04] *** FIREFLY UPDATES *** -- Firefly launches in the
Netherlands on March 6th on YORIN; Joss Whedon gets green light for Firely
feature, to be titled "Serenity."
** Dutch viewers, here's your chance to see Richard as the unscrupulous
Lt. Womack! ** -- Firefly will air weekly on the Netherlands' YORIN
channel, and will premiere on Saturday, March 6th. Richard appears
in "The Message," the last episode filmed. Check your local listings to
confirm times and dates!
(Thanks to Manuela for the scheduling info)
** Firefly feature film is a go! ** -- Joss Whedon's Firefly
feature has been approved by Universal and will go into production this
summer, with an anticipated 2005 release. The film is to be titled "Serenity"
in order to help distance the feature from the TV version. According to
a recent TV Guide newsletter, "Serenity" will "... pick up six months
after the short-lived FOX series left off. The show's original crew --
headed by Nathan Fillion -- all will be back for the flick. Filming begins
in June for a 2005 release."
As Richard's Lt. Womack of Allied Enforcement was intended to
become a recurring character, the possibility exists that Womack -- and
Richard -- will have a part in "Serenity". Should this indeed prove to
be the case, we will provide updates here at richardburgi.com.
(Thanks to Richard, Haken, Kat, MJ, and Pam for the info on Firefly,
and to Margie and Deborah for details on "Serenity") |
[22 May 04] *** Write to Richard care of
the RBFC! *** -- Richard has asked us to encourage anyone interested in
sending cards or letters to him to use the RBFC mailing address, which
is listed below. This allows Richard to better handle
his incoming mail, which he certainly enjoys receiving, provided it comes
through appropriate channels.
Mr. Richard Burgi
RBFC
10153 1/2 Riverside Drive, #494
Toluca Lake, CA 91602
USA
We cannot emphasize strongly enough that mail should not be
sent to Richard's home address! Receiving fan mail through his
home address is a disquieting experience and cause for concern, especially
from the standpoint of privacy and safety. If you have come across
what you believe may be his home address, please, do NOT use it!
We -- and Richard -- would greatly appreciate it if you would let
us know where you came across the address by using this e-mail
link to the RBFC.
While postcards, letters, and cards will be promptly forwarded
to Richard, we cannot forward packages; he has asked that no gifts
be sent to him. Though Richard appreciates the goodwill and generosity
those gifts represent, he finds them a little overwhelming. Richard
would be honored if, instead, wellwishers made a donation in his name to
a local children's shelter or literacy program, or to the Friends
of the Sea Lion Marine Mammal Center .
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