Contact: Sunny Mindel/Brenda Pérez, Mayor's Press Office (212) 788-2958
Julianne Cho, Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting
(212) 489-6710, x230
The Mayor was joined by Patricia Reed Scott, Commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting; and Elliot Cuker, Co-Chair of the Mayor's Advisory Council for Film and Television.
"For the past five years, record-breaking growth in the television and film industries in New York City has outdistanced our nearest competitors," the Mayor said. "I am delighted to present this year's Crystal Apple Awards to five people whose talents represent a tremendous contribution to New York City's successful film and television industries. This is a great opportunity to show my appreciation to Matthew Broderick, Conan O'Brien, Sarah Jessica Parker, Paul Sorvino and Barbara Walters for their outstanding role in keeping New York City's title as The Entertainment Capital of the World."
The City has experienced an historic upsurge in film and television production during every year since 1993. The number of feature films shot in the City has more than tripled, totaling 221 in 1998, compared to 69 in 1993. Feature film production shooting days posted the largest gain of any production category in 1998, totaling 4,965 in 1998, compared to 1,715 in 1993, an increase of 189 percent. More than 105 programs on national television originate in New York City, and television production shooting days have increased by 113 percent since 1993, for a total of 7,680 recorded shooting days in 1998.
Commissioner Patricia Reed Scott said, "A lot of the credit for New York's 5 years of record-breaking volume in movies and television goes to the world-class talent based here. Our vibrant economic expansion and a safer cleaner City give greater impetus to attracting even greater numbers of the talent that chooses to live and work here. At the same time, collaboration and goodwill among labor, talent and government have never been better."
Sponsors for this year's event include Davidsohn, Netherlander and Continental.
Biographical synopses of this year's Crystal Apple Awards recipients:
A star of the stage and screen, Matthew Broderick can be seen in the current political satire, "Election." He also starred in the New York thriller "Godzilla," and in the hit romantic comedy "Addicted to Love," which was shot in the City as well. Broderick's many other memorable roles are found in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Glory," "War Games" and Disney's "The Lion King," as the adult voice of Simba. His New York credits include "Family Business," "The Freshman" and "Torch Song Trilogy," an adaptation of the Broadway play in which he also appeared. His performance in the stage role won him the Outer Critic's Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor. Broderick won his first Tony Award for "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and picked up his second Tony for the role of Pierrepont Finch in the Broadway revival of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." More recently, Broderick recently completed shooting "Inspector Gadget," which will open next summer.
One of Entertainment Weekly's "50 Funniest People Alive" and a member of People magazine's 1996 "25 Most Intriguing People," Conan O'Brien is one of New York's best writers and entertainers. "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" will enter its sixth season this fall, with a 1996 nomination for an Emmy Award for Best Writing in a Comedy or Variety Series, and a Writer's Guild Award for Best Writing in 1998. A two-time editor of the Harvard Lampoon, O'Brien moved to Los Angeles upon graduation and joined the writing staff of HBO's "Not Necessarily the News." By 1988 his talents had come to the attention of Saturday Night Live's Executive Producer Lorne Michaels, who hired O'Brien as a writer in January of that year. In 1989, his work on SNL was recognized with an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy or Variety Series. In 1991, O'Brien signed on as writer/producer for "The Simpsons," later becoming the show's supervising producer. By 1993, O'Brien was selected as host of "Late Night" for his particular and unique mix of "vitality, wit and intelligence," according to Lorne Michaels.
Sarah Jessica Parker has displayed her many talents on television, the big screen and Broadway. She currently stars in the HBO series "Sex and the City," which premiered its 2nd season this past Sunday (June 6) and for which she recently received a Golden Globe nomination. This summer, she co-stars with Brendan Fraser in the live-action version of Jay Ward's 1960's classic cartoon "Dudley Do-Right." Parker's long and impressive list of motion picture credits features many New York films, including "First Born," "Extreme Measures," "If Lucy Fell," "The First Wives Club" and "Substance of Fire." On stage, Parker recently completed a six-month run in "Once Upon a Mattress." She has received critical acclaim for her roles in "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," "Sylvia," "The Innocents," "By Strouse" and "Annie." Parker also devotes her time to the Hollywood Women's Political Committee, and received the American Civil Liberties Union Award in 1995. In addition, she serves as the Special Representative for the Performing Arts for UNICEF.
An accomplished singer, and prolific actor on the screen, television and stage, Paul Sorvino recently finished shooting scenes for "Jack of All Trades" in the City. Among his many other New York film credits are "Goodfellas," "Reds" and "Slow Dancing in the Big City." He has also appeared in "William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet," "Nixon," "The Firm," and "Dick Tracy." He starred in the New York series "Law and Order," as well as "The Oldest Rookie," "We'll Get By," and "Bert D'Angelo, Superstar." On the stage, he starred in "That Championship Season," which earned him a 1973 Tony Award nomination and NY Drama Critics Award for Best Actor. He recently starred in Showtime's "That Championship Season," which also marked his debut as director. As a tenor, Sorvino studied opera for many years. He sang the role of Alfred in "Die Fledermaus" with the Seattle Opera Company and created a public television special, "Paul Sorvino: An Evening of Song." Sorvino has had the honor of performing at New York's Metropolitan Opera House and has recorded three CD's, the most recent entitled "Paul Sorvino Sings." He is the founder of the Sorvino Children's Asthma Foundation, and the author of How to Become a Former Asthmatic. In his spare time, Sorvino paints, sculpts, plays the piano, writes two-century old poetry and plays tennis. He is the father of three grown children.
A Co-host and Co-Executive Producer of ABC Daytime's "The View," ABC News Correspondent & Co-anchor of ABC News' Magazine "20/20" and "The Barbara Walters Specials," Barbara Walters has received national recognition for her ground-breaking, exclusive interviews with world figures. In just the past few years, Ms. Walters was
1) Inducted in the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' Hall of Fame, (1990); 2) Honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for a career in journalism excellence by Marist College (1990); 3) Honored by the Overseas Press Club with the President's Award (1988); 4) Saluted by the American Museum of the Moving Image (1992); 5) Honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Women's Media Foundation (1991); 6) Honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by Women's Project and Productions (1993); 7) Honored by the Museum of Television & Radio for her contributions to broadcast journalism (1996); and received the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award for her interview with Christopher Reeve following his accident. Her numerous and timely interviews read like a "Who's Who" of newsmakers, and she has interviewed every American President since Richard Nixon. She made journalism history by arranging the first joint interview with Egypt's President Anwar Sadat and Israel's Prime Minister Menachem Begin in 1977, and She is Co-Host and Co-Executive Producer of ABC Daytime's "The View," a fresh and lively one-hour daily show hosted by four women of different ages and backgrounds. The show has earned critical praise and eight Daytime Emmy Award nominations. Walters recently marked her 20th anniversary at ABC with a 90-minute career retrospective, featuring memorable interviews with Bing Crosby, John Wayne, Bette Davis, Laurence Olivier and the Shah of Iran, among others.