Before the reconstruction of Wacker Drive, complete and open as of Friday, the city's major thoroughfare was dirty, dark, and gritty -- not exactly ideal conditions for commuters, but great for filming some of Hollywood's most exciting chase scenes.
(See below for scenes shot on the old Wacker Drive.)
Chicagoans could easily pick out scenes filmed on Upper and Lower Wacker Drives from major blockbusters like "The Blues Brothers," "Batman Begins," "Wanted" and even the driving video game, "Need For Speed." The yellow-ish lights of old Lower Wacker whizzed past daily commuters and the Batmobile alike, though the winding paths and dim views were, for real-world purposes, badly in need of an overhaul.
Speaking on the Wacker Drive of yore, Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein told The Expired Meter, “It was tough to navigate. Someone told me once when they drove down a ramp onto Lower Wacker they...
(See below for scenes shot on the old Wacker Drive.)
Chicagoans could easily pick out scenes filmed on Upper and Lower Wacker Drives from major blockbusters like "The Blues Brothers," "Batman Begins," "Wanted" and even the driving video game, "Need For Speed." The yellow-ish lights of old Lower Wacker whizzed past daily commuters and the Batmobile alike, though the winding paths and dim views were, for real-world purposes, badly in need of an overhaul.
Speaking on the Wacker Drive of yore, Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Gabe Klein told The Expired Meter, “It was tough to navigate. Someone told me once when they drove down a ramp onto Lower Wacker they...
- 11/30/2012
- by Kim Bellware
- Huffington Post
The memoriam segment on this year's Emmys will be particularly poignant as many TV legends have passed away since the past ceremony. -Insertgroups:7- Television Academy Hall of Fame members Dick Clark ("American Bandstand," "New Year's Rockin' Eve"), Andy Griffith ("The Andy Griffith Show," "Matlock"), Sherman Hemsley ("The Jeffersons," "Amen"), Mike Wallace ("60 Minutes"), executive Daniel Burke (Capital Cities/ABC), and producer Bob Stewart ("Pyramid," "The Price is Right") will almost certainly be among those whose lives and careers are celebrated this Sunday. Acting stars likely to feature in this tribute include: Ernest Borgnine ("McHale's Navy," "Airwolf"), Richard Dawson ("Hogan's Heroes," "Family Feud"), Phyllis Diller ("Hollywood Squares," comedy specials), Michael Clarke Duncan ("The Finde...
- 9/19/2012
- Gold Derby
New York — Daniel Burke, a media industry veteran who helped create Capital Cities/ABC Inc. before it was sold to The Walt Disney Co., has died of complications from diabetes. He was 82.
Burke, along with Tom Murphy, built Capital Cities from a television station in Albany, N.Y., into a company with newspapers, magazines and TV and radio operations.
With Warren Buffett's backing, Capital Cities Communications bought ABC for $3.5 billion in 1986, in what was then the largest non-oil company merger in corporate history.
After helping merge the two companies, Burke was elevated to CEO, where he remained until he retired in February 1994 on his 65th birthday.
Disney bought Capital Cities/ABC for $19 billion in 1996.
Burke's son, Steve Burke, a former president of ABC, is now the CEO of Comcast Corp.'s NBCUniversal.
Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement that "Dan had a significant impact on me and all those he touched,...
Burke, along with Tom Murphy, built Capital Cities from a television station in Albany, N.Y., into a company with newspapers, magazines and TV and radio operations.
With Warren Buffett's backing, Capital Cities Communications bought ABC for $3.5 billion in 1986, in what was then the largest non-oil company merger in corporate history.
After helping merge the two companies, Burke was elevated to CEO, where he remained until he retired in February 1994 on his 65th birthday.
Disney bought Capital Cities/ABC for $19 billion in 1996.
Burke's son, Steve Burke, a former president of ABC, is now the CEO of Comcast Corp.'s NBCUniversal.
Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement that "Dan had a significant impact on me and all those he touched,...
- 10/26/2011
- by AP
- Huffington Post
In addition to being a pioneering broadcaster, Daniel Burke was the father of NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke. Investor Warren Buffett — who was on the Capital Cities board — once said that having a company run by Daniel Burke and his partner Tom Murphy was “like having Ruth and Gehrig in the same lineup.” Here’s the official announcement of Burke’s passing: Daniel B. Burke, 82, who served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Capital Cities/ABC, Inc., from 1990 until his retirement in 1994, and who was President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company from 1972, died at his home on Wednesday, October 26th, in Rye, N.Y. Mr. Burke, whose distinguished media industry leadership spanned broadcasting, cable and publishing, joined Capital Cities in 1961 as General Manager of Wten-tv in Albany. He was elected a Vice President of the Company in 1962 and, in 1964, was appointed General Manager of Wjr-am/FM in Detroit.
- 10/26/2011
- by DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor
- Deadline TV
NBC Universal staff, meet your new owners.
If regulators greenlight the acquisition of a 51% stake in NBC Uni by Comcast Corp., CEO Jeff Zucker and the rest of his team will report to a new majority owner that is the country’s largest cable operator and its top executives who are known as family men who are competitive and focus on operating excellence and results.
NBC Uni’s Hollywood operations are used to having supervisors based on the East Coast as the team currently reports to Zucker at 30 Rock in midtown Manhattan and will continue to do so as the newly formed entertainment joint venture remains headquartered in New York.
However, the ultimate power base of NBC Uni's bosses is shifting. Industrial conglomerate Ge's headquarters is in Fairfield, Conn. Now, a cable giant based in Philadelphia will be in charge once the transaction closes.
Its two top executives are considered...
If regulators greenlight the acquisition of a 51% stake in NBC Uni by Comcast Corp., CEO Jeff Zucker and the rest of his team will report to a new majority owner that is the country’s largest cable operator and its top executives who are known as family men who are competitive and focus on operating excellence and results.
NBC Uni’s Hollywood operations are used to having supervisors based on the East Coast as the team currently reports to Zucker at 30 Rock in midtown Manhattan and will continue to do so as the newly formed entertainment joint venture remains headquartered in New York.
However, the ultimate power base of NBC Uni's bosses is shifting. Industrial conglomerate Ge's headquarters is in Fairfield, Conn. Now, a cable giant based in Philadelphia will be in charge once the transaction closes.
Its two top executives are considered...
- 12/3/2009
- by By Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bea Arthur, Larry Gelbart, Merv Griffin, Daniel Burke, Tom Murphy and Sherwood Schwartz have been chosen as the latest inductees into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame "is a special recognition for those who have made significant contributions and have left an indelible mark on the television business," ATAS chairman and CEO John Shaffner said.
Hall of Fame candidates are submitted from the academy's membership and the industry at large to the Hall of Fame selection committee, which votes upon the final decision. The committee comprises chairman Mark Itkin, Fred Silverman, Brian Graden, Mike Darnell, Courtney Cox and Anne Sweeney.
The inductees' "respective careers have stood the test of time, and their accomplishments extend over decades," Itkin said.
Arthur is a two-time Emmy-winning and a Tony-winning comedienne-actress-singer best known for her roles on the comedies Maude and The Golden Girls.
Comedy writer Gelbart, also an Emmy and Tony winner, has more than 60 years of credits, including M*A*S*H, Tootsie, Oh, God! and Blame It on Rio.
Emmy winner Griffin, who died in August, hosted the long-running talker The Merv Griffin Show and created the game shows "Jeopardy!" Wheel of Fortune and, most recently, Merv Griffin's Crosswords.
Burke was president of Capital Cities Communications for 22 years and CEO of Capital Cities/ABC until his retirement in 1994.
The Hall of Fame "is a special recognition for those who have made significant contributions and have left an indelible mark on the television business," ATAS chairman and CEO John Shaffner said.
Hall of Fame candidates are submitted from the academy's membership and the industry at large to the Hall of Fame selection committee, which votes upon the final decision. The committee comprises chairman Mark Itkin, Fred Silverman, Brian Graden, Mike Darnell, Courtney Cox and Anne Sweeney.
The inductees' "respective careers have stood the test of time, and their accomplishments extend over decades," Itkin said.
Arthur is a two-time Emmy-winning and a Tony-winning comedienne-actress-singer best known for her roles on the comedies Maude and The Golden Girls.
Comedy writer Gelbart, also an Emmy and Tony winner, has more than 60 years of credits, including M*A*S*H, Tootsie, Oh, God! and Blame It on Rio.
Emmy winner Griffin, who died in August, hosted the long-running talker The Merv Griffin Show and created the game shows "Jeopardy!" Wheel of Fortune and, most recently, Merv Griffin's Crosswords.
Burke was president of Capital Cities Communications for 22 years and CEO of Capital Cities/ABC until his retirement in 1994.
- 4/17/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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