Robert Morton

Robert Morton, the executive producer of "The Late Show With David Letterman" and an associate of Letterman's since the premiere of the talk-show host's NBC program in 1982, is leaving "The Late Show," effectively immediately. Morton will take a newly created position with Worldwide Pants, Letterman's production company. Morton will be executive producer of "The High Life," a weekly comedy that World Wide Pants will begin filming this spring for HBO.

Robert Morton, the executive producer of "The Late Show With David Letterman" and an associate of Letterman's since the premiere of the talk-show host's NBC program in 1982, is leaving "The Late Show," effectively immediately. Morton will take a newly created position with Worldwide Pants, Letterman's production company. Morton will be executive producer of "The High Life," a weekly comedy that World Wide Pants will begin filming this spring for HBO.

The New York City Tribune, founded by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon in 1983 as an alternative to the city's three major daily newspapers, announced it is suspending publication until 1986. Editor-in-Chief Robert Morton said today's edition would be the last of the year. He said the paper's owners, News World Communications Inc., plan to resume publication Jan. 1 at a new, modern plant. He attributed the shutdown to the paper's "ambitious reorganization."

"Late Night With David Letterman" segment producer Robert Morton was named Tuesday to replace Barry Sand as the NBC show's producer, the network announced. Sand resigned last week to become producer of Fox Broadcasting's "Late Show." Morton, 34, has been with "Late Night" since Letterman began his late-night high jinks in 1982. He was previously creative director for MTV and an asssociate producer for ABC's "Good Morning America."

Gordon Kibbee, 89, a pipe organist who recorded for motion pictures, radio and television, died Wednesday of natural causes at his Encino home. Renowned among his peers, Kibbee was among the 31 people who gathered in Toluca Lake on Feb. 8, 1955, to found the American Assn. of Theatre Organ Enthusiasts. He remained active in the group, now known as the American Theatre Organ Society, and was a popular organist for meetings across the country.

Theater organist Dennis James is fond of quoting Mary Pickford's observation: "When sound came to silent films, it was a big step backwards." James is also quick to point out that the "silent" motion pictures from the first part of the 20th Century were anything but silent when shown in theaters.

If those mysterious TV king-makers ever tried to assemble the perfect talk-show host in their laboratory high in the Hollywood Hills, the resulting entity might come out looking an awful lot like Wayne Brady. At the tender age of 30, the Florida native is already a veteran of the stand-up comedy circuit, his improv skills have earned him a pair of Emmy nominations as a member of the "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" troupe, and he can sing better than 99% of the popified poseurs on today's Top 40 list.

The quincentennial of the death of Johannes Ockeghem came and went two years ago with little local notice. But the anniversary was much marked by early music vocal groups, and ripples of their efforts have finally washed up here, thanks to UCLA's Center for the Performing Arts.

One of David Letterman's producers said Friday that the CBS late-night show might be willing to have Madonna return as a guest, but not for a repeat of Thursday's performance. The singer used four-letter words 13 times during the taping of "Late Show With David Letterman" Thursday evening. She also threw in a couple of other expressions the network considered inappropriate. CBS deleted the offending audio before the show was broadcast.

More than two hours passed before the late John Belushi was mentioned even once. But his untamed, wild-eyed and thoroughly unapologetic presence could be felt throughout the American Film Institute's tribute to NBC's "Saturday Night Live" as part of the third annual U.S. Comedy Arts Festival.

and fresh voice -- in Glasgow, Scotland-born actor Craig Ferguson, named Tuesday to replace Craig Kilborn as host of "The Late Late Show." Ferguson, 42, a musician and screenwriter with a thick burr, won out over three finalists -- stand-up comic D.L. Hughley, MTV host Damien Fahey and VH1 regular Michael Ian Black. All four were among several candidates invited for on-air tryouts after Kilborn left the show in August.