News

As previously reported, Thorsten Kaye has landed a recurring role on NBC’s highly-anticipated new musical drama, “Smash.” In case you have lost all contact with American media during the past three months of promotions for “Smash,” the series that heralds Steven Spielberg as an Executive Producer debuts “the Monday after the Superbowl” (February 6). Kaye will be playing the love interest of producer Eileen Rand, played by Academy Award winner Angelica Huston. This afternoon, a reliable source close to the actor revealed a few new details about the role.

Noting the nations thirst for New Jersey based reality entertainment, in the summer of 2010, the cable network Oxygen jumped into the fray with “Jersey Couture.” Except for being based in New Jersey, viewers will not see much similarities between this series and the eccentricities of Bravo’s “Real Housewives of New Jersey” and MTV’s “Jersey Shore.” “Jersey Couture” rather takes a page from TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress.” Both programs share the same producers. This reality series follows the fun and drama surrounding the Scali family (and their customers) as they run Diane & Co., one of New Jersey’s premiere dress boutiques.

Ratings Report for the Week of January 23-27, 2012

“General Hospital” makes some additions to the writing staff.

Ratings Report for the week January 16-20, 2012

Nickelodeon has tapped former “General Hospital” executive producer Jill Farren Phelps and former “One Life To Live” head writer Josh Griffith to adapt the popular Mexican telenovela “Alcanzar una Estrella” for Nick at Nite.

Ratings Report for the Week of January 9-13, 2012

Find out how the the last five canceled daytime soap operas fared in the Nielsen ratings during their final weeks on television, including “One Life to Live.”

Just before we post the dailies, which will provide a clearer picture of “One Life to Live’s” final week on television, ABC has revealed that the 43-year old soap ended its run as daytime’s 5th most watched program in total viewers (3,120,000), while ranking a strong second in Women 18-49 viewers (784,000) for the week of January 9-13, 2012. Only 94,000 Women 18-49 viewers separated “One Life to Live” from tying “The Young and the Restless” in that category. In Women 18-49 rating “OLTL” had a 1.2 compared to “Y&R’s” 1.4. The canceled ABC soap beat its former network and studio sibling “The View” in all key ratings categories except total viewers.

On the heels of a cancellation announcement and a failed online venture, it was announced that successful former Executive Producer, Frank Valentini, and former Head Writer, Ron Carlivati, of “One Life to Live” were hired for the same positions at a struggling “General Hospital.” Rattling many “GH” fans, in recent days, has been the announcement that at least several major “OLTL” stars will be showing up in Port Charles as their Llanview alter egos. Carlivati insists to insiders that “GH” fans need not worry as he has no intention of turning their soap into “OLTL.” To that end, the show-runners have also announced the return of three of “GH’s” most legendary performers and characters – Finola Hughes, Tristan Rogers and Emma Samms as Anna, Robert and Holly – for extended runs on the last-standing ABC daytime drama.