The 38th Annual Annie Awards.... "How To Train Your Dragon" Big Winner, TV Hit 90210 Welcomes a New Cast Member And .....

One word can sum up the 38th Annual  Annie Awards expertly hosted by Tom Kenny last nite at UCLA Royce Hall: Fantastic! Or maybe 2 words... Fantastic and Funtastic! Too bad Disney wasn't involved this year. The Annies, which I call the Academy Awards of Animation are presented by the International Animated Film Society  http://www.asifa-hollywood.org/  . For a complete list of winners see http://www.annieawards.org/  .  It was a great event, so much talent in one room....  Amazing!
PS. The delicious food at the after party was catered by Alligator Pear Catering  - great staff and service -http://www.alligatorpearcatering.com/ .

Congratulations to actress Sally Kellerman who landed a multi episode arc playing Marla, a faded movie star on the hit WB show 90210!  She'll play Annie's boss played by cutie Shanae Grimes ....  watch for new drama to unfold with the addition of this glamorous Oscar nominated actress to the show!  Sally is also a fantastic singer and does many music gigs and recordings.  I loved the recent reading of screenwriters Bancroft&Alan (Ms. Bancroft is a former stripper I am told.... hey it worked for Diablo Cody....)  hilarious new feature film comedy  for Ms. Kellerman  called "Granny Dearest"  held at Sally's beautiful Hollywood Hills home.  Also present were the amazing  Buck Henry, Anne Magneson, Heather Marsden, Sandy Fox, Diana Kyle and a few other talented individuals whose names I didn't get.   It was really terrific, very funny and warm and  everyone kept cracking up.  If anyone is interested in investing in this movie Ms. Bancroft asked that you email me at heldhm33@yahoo.com and I will forward it to her.  Ms. Kellerman really shines in the title role - she's definitely not your conventional Granny!
PS. Renee Taylor ("The Nanny") participated in an earlier reading in a supporting role and was terrific - I greatly enjoyed the show she did recently with her husband Joe Bologna called "Sort of A Love Story" at the El Portal in Hollywood.  Talk about talented people!

Back to the subject of 90210...  these folks like to do good things for people....  I remember  Lori Laughlin co-hosting  a fundraiser for the Edgemar Center for the Arts in Santa Monica featuring terrific  entertainment and recently  Annalynne McCord hosted a charity event to help Katrina victims called The Saint Bernard Project.  I attended with  my friend Don Rose the publisher of   http://www.wirela.com/  formerly known as http://www.thelareport.com/ . It was nice to see cast member Perry King there.  Many years ago I donated my time by casting the bikers that appeared in a PSA  for  MADD - Mothers Against Drunk Drivers - in which Perry was the featured celebrity.  It always feel good to back a good cause.  One of Perry's first big parts was in Stephen Verona's "The Lords of Flatbush" which was also launched the careers of Sylvester Stallone and Henry Winkler.  Stephen's book "The Making of the Lords of Flatbush" features amazing photographs he took while co-directing and producing the film.  I'm not sure when that film will be showing again but Sylvester's "Demolition Man" will be screening at midnight February 26 at The New Beverly -  http://www.newbevcinema.com/ .  Owner Micheal Torga and his team outdo themselves to provide a wide variety of films and special guests for cinema lovers.   Hmmmmm.... perhaps Rambo himself will make a personal appearance?  That would be nice.  I'd go at midnight to see him.  Speaking of Rambo, I hear that talented writer and producer David Rambo is preparing a new play about Ronald Reagan starring Robert Forster.  Robert will be great as Reagan.   I loved his play about advice columnist Ann Landers called "The Lady With All The Answers".  It starred Mimi Kennedy who was excellent at the beautiful historical Pasadena Playhouse.