Daniel Melnick

Daniel Melnick, a producer and former head of production at MGM and Columbia studios who was known for making bold, literate and carefully crafted films that included "Network," "All That Jazz" and "Roxanne," has died. He was 77. Melnick, who had recently undergone surgery for lung cancer, died Tuesday of multiple ailments at his home in Los Angeles, said his son, Peter. "He was an extraordinary producer and an extraordinary executive," Sherry Lansing, a former studio executive whom Melnick mentored, told The Times on Wednesday.

Daniel Melnick, a producer and former head of production at MGM and Columbia studios who was known for making bold, literate and carefully crafted films that included "Network," "All That Jazz" and "Roxanne," has died. He was 77. Melnick, who had recently undergone surgery for lung cancer, died Tuesday of multiple ailments at his home in Los Angeles, said his son, Peter. "He was an extraordinary producer and an extraordinary executive," Sherry Lansing, a former studio executive whom Melnick mentored, told The Times on Wednesday.

Daniel Melnick, an independent Hollywood producer and former movie studio executive, has agreed to merge his IndieProd Co. into publicly traded Carolco Pictures for about $3 million worth of Carolco stock. He also agreed to make movies under Carolco's banner. According to a joint announcement Tuesday, the industry veteran will receive 400,000 shares of Carolco stock for his independent movie production entity.

If it sometimes seems that all of Hollywood's filmmaking community is scrambling from power breakfasts to pitch meetings to deal lunches to rewrite sessions, with lots of call-waiting jockey time in between, there's a reason. Timing. It's the key to getting studio features into production--placing the right script in the right hands at the right moment. And when major stars become involved--as they so often do with summer's high-concept, big-budget productions--timing becomes crucial.

Call Sheet No. 19 has an ominous instruction for the cast and crew of "Mountains of the Moon": "The lions are still wild animals and should be treated with respect." It also specifies that there should be a complete caravan train, 63 bearers, the two principal actors, plus vultures and "a carcass to attract the vultures"--not to mention three lions, specially flown in from Zimbabwe, to attack the actors as they march through the jungle. Shooting in the bush is clearly no picnic.

If it sometimes seems that all of Hollywood's filmmaking community is scrambling from power breakfasts to pitch meetings to deal lunches to rewrite sessions, with lots of call-waiting jockey time in between, there's a reason. Timing. It's the key to getting studio features into production--placing the right script in the right hands at the right moment. And when major stars become involved--as they so often do with summer's high-concept, big-budget productions--timing becomes crucial.

Bob Fosse's "All That Jazz" will be shown at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Samuel Goldwyn Theater at 8 p.m. Sept. 21 as part of the Academy Standards series. Scheduled participants in a post-screening panel discussion include Albert Wolsky, who won an Oscar for the 1979 film's costume design; Tony Walton and Philip Rosenberg, who won Oscars for art direction; and Daniel Melnick, the film's executive producer. Information: (310) 247-3600.

In reference to Chris Willman's July 4 article about director Renny Harlin ("Renny Harlin Finds Plenty of Action in Hollywood"): Let's give credit where credit is due. (The coming movie) "Gale Force" is an original screenplay written not by me but by David Chappe. It is the product of Mr. Chappe's imagination and creativity.

Television: Television and film producer IndieProd Co. said it reached agreement with state-owned Vietnam Television to provide U.S. theatrical and TV production to the network for broadcast. The Los Angeles-based company said Daniel Melnick, IndieProd co-chairman, is in Vietnam to discuss programming. The company, which produced such films as "The Quick and the Dead" and "Roxanne," recently merged with television producer Konigsberg Co.

Air America (Carolco). Shooting in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. star as unconventional fliers in this action adventure spotlighting the aviation antics at "Air America," the world's most secret airline. Executive producers Mario Kassar and Andrew Vajna. Producer Daniel Melnick. Director Roger Spottiswoode. Screenwriters John Eskow and Richard Rush. Distributor Tri-Star (U.S.), Carolco (foreign). Summer release. Back Stab (Allegro/Westwind). Shooting in Montreal.

Call Sheet No. 19 has an ominous instruction for the cast and crew of "Mountains of the Moon": "The lions are still wild animals and should be treated with respect." It also specifies that there should be a complete caravan train, 63 bearers, the two principal actors, plus vultures and "a carcass to attract the vultures"--not to mention three lions, specially flown in from Zimbabwe, to attack the actors as they march through the jungle. Shooting in the bush is clearly no picnic.

Daniel Melnick, an independent Hollywood producer and former movie studio executive, has agreed to merge his IndieProd Co. into publicly traded Carolco Pictures for about $3 million worth of Carolco stock. He also agreed to make movies under Carolco's banner. According to a joint announcement Tuesday, the industry veteran will receive 400,000 shares of Carolco stock for his independent movie production entity.

I feel compelled after reading Patrick Goldstein's story about Jack Nicholson, Carole Eastman and Bob Rafelson ("Three Not-So-Easy Pieces," Oct. 27) to add some personal comments regarding Rafelson. The story suggests that he is "difficult," even though all seem to indicate praise for his creative ability as a director. I assume he wasn't available for a follow-up interview because he was in the editing room. Unfortunately, the reader has the impression that Rafelson finds difficulty in collaboration.

Bruce Houston is returning to his former flame: disposable lighters. The artist, who uses mass-produced plastic items and toys to convey his irreverent social messages, had used lighters in earlier works to create scenes such as pool parties and office Christmas parties. His next project will be a street fight between a red lighter and a yellow one, as other red and yellow lighters watch from opposite sides of the street.