Los Angeles based writer, Margie Anne Clark covers the entertainment world in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, the Santa Clarita Valley and surrounding entertainment venues in Southern California.
MAIN’s Stage on Screen (SOS) TheatreFeatures Eight Weeks of Online Theatre Featuring Plays From Around The World!
Santa Clarita, Calif. – Stage On Screen (SOS) Theatre Fest is back for its International Edition of online theatre! The MAIN welcomes eight-weeks of free virtual productions from around the world, running from January 22 through March 12, 2021, via Zoom.
The festival will present interactive stories, compelling dramas, original one-acts and more every Friday beginning January 22, 2021
Looking to learn more about the featured international productions? Tune into the “MAINcast Interview” on The MAIN’s Facebook! Curated to take an in-depth look at each weekly featured production, the “MAINcast Interview” is scheduled every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. on Facebook at Facebook.com/TheMAINNewhall, until March 9, 2021, followed by the theatrical performances every Friday. Performances will begin at 7:00 p.m. PST unless otherwise specified to accommodate different time zones.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Academy announced today that its Board of Governors voted to present Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Awards to filmmaker Tyler Perry and to the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF). The Oscar® statuettes will be presented at the 93rd Oscars®, which airs live on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on Sunday, April 25, 2021.
“There has been such widespread generosity in our industry that limiting the Hersholt Humanitarian Award to one recipient, this year in particular, was impossible. So, we are breaking with tradition and giving two awards to honor that spirit,” said Academy President David Rubin. “Tyler’s cultural influence extends far beyond his work as a filmmaker. He has quietly and steadily focused on humanitarian and social justice causes from the beginning of his career, caring for people who are most often ignored. The work of the MPTF is more vital than ever, and the organization has gone above and beyond to help our community. The sheer number of individuals and families—from every corner of our industry’s workforce—aided during the pandemic and over the last 100 years is nothing short of extraordinary.”
Perry is a prolific producer, director, actor, writer, entrepreneur and philanthropist, whose commitment to a wide spectrum of charitable and social justice causes has been particularly impactful during the challenges of the past year, addressing economic distress caused by the pandemic, racial reckoning and homelessness in his community. In 2019, he opened his privately owned motion picture studio on the site of a former Confederate Army base in Atlanta, Georgia. Tyler Perry Studios now occupies more than 330 acres and is home to a state-of-the-art production facility with 12 soundstages that provides hundreds of job opportunities in film and television production in the local area. Perry was instrumental in quickly creating a safe way to return to production during the worldwide health crisis. His credits as writer, director and/or producer include “A Fall from Grace,” “Acrimony,” “Madea Goes to Jail,” “Madea’s Family Reunion” and “Diary of a Mad Black Woman.” His television credits include such series as “Sistas,” “The Haves and the Have Nots,” “The Oval” and “House of Payne,” and he has written numerous stage plays.
Now in its 100th year, the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) offers a variety of services to provide emotional and financial relief to entertainment industry members and their families during times of need, including case management, financial assistance for basic living expenses, palliative care, and senior and childcare services. The organization’s contribution during the pandemic has made a significant impact on the entertainment community, providing social services support to nearly 9,000 industry members in 2020. MPTF also offers a wide range of housing accommodations from independent and assisted living to nursing and memory care. Jean Hersholt, for whom the Academy’s humanitarian award is named, served as president of the Fund for 18 years, from 1938 until his death in 1956.
The Board of Governors voted to amend the rules for the Governors Awards: “For this year only, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award may be given not just to an individual, but also to a group of individuals or an organization in the motion picture arts and sciences whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry. The Board may bestow up to two Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Awards.”
The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is an Oscar statuette. This is the first time an organization will be recognized with this award.
The awards will be presented during the Oscars in lieu of the Academy’s Governors Awards, an annual ceremony in the fall, where the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award is customarily presented.
The 93rd Oscars will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2021, and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
ABOUT THE ACADEMY The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the upcoming Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
The Universe, NASA News – Skywatchers are in for an end-of-year treat. What has become known popularly as the “Christmas Star” is an especially vibrant planetary conjunction easily visible in the evening sky over the next two weeks as the bright planets Jupiter and Saturn come together, culminating on the night of Dec. 21.
In 1610, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei pointed his telescope to the night sky, discovering the four moons of Jupiter – Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. In that same year, Galileo also discovered a strange oval surrounding Saturn, which later observations determined to be its rings. These discoveries changed how people understood the far reaches of our solar system.
Look up to the skies and see, a Christmas Star Planetary Conjunction shines brightest December 21, 2020.
Thirteen years later, in 1623, the solar system’s two giant planets, Jupiter and Saturn, traveled together across the sky. Jupiter caught up to and passed Saturn, in an astronomical event known as a “Great Conjunction.”
“You can imagine the solar system to be a racetrack, with each of the planets as a runner in their own lane and the Earth toward the center of the stadium,” said Henry Throop, astronomer in the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “From our vantage point, we’ll be able to be to see Jupiter on the inside lane, approaching Saturn all month and finally overtaking it on December 21.”
The planets regularly appear to pass each other in the solar system, with the positions of Jupiter and Saturn being aligned in the sky about once every 20 years.
What makes this year’s spectacle so rare, then? It’s been nearly 400 years since the planets passed this close to each other in the sky, and nearly 800 years since the alignment of Saturn and Jupiter occurred at night, as it will for 2020, allowing nearly everyone around the world to witness this “great conjunction.”
The closest alignment will appear just a tenth of a degree apart and last for a few days. On the 21st, they will appear so close that a pinkie finger at arm’s length will easily cover both planets in the sky. The planets will be easy to see with the unaided eye by looking toward the southwest just after sunset.
From our vantage point on Earth the huge gas giants will appear very close together, but they will remain hundreds of millions of miles apart in space. And while the conjunction is happening on the same day as the winter solstice, the timing is merely a coincidence, based on the orbits of the planets and the tilt of the Earth.
“Conjunctions like this could happen on any day of the year, depending on where the planets are in their orbits,” said Throop. “The date of the conjunction is determined by the positions of Jupiter, Saturn, and the Earth in their paths around the Sun, while the date of the solstice is determined by the tilt of Earth’s axis. The solstice is the longest night of the year, so this rare coincidence will give people a great chance to go outside and see the solar system.”
Want to learn when and where to look up? Join Throop as he talks about the “Great Conjunction” on #NASAScience Live Thursday, Dec. 17. Submit your questions by using #askNASA. The NASA Science Live episode will air live at 3 p.m. EST Thursday on NASA Television and the agency’s website, along with the NASA Facebook, YouTube, and Periscope channels.
For those who would like to see this phenomenon for themselves, here’s what to do:
Find a spot with an unobstructed view of the sky, such as a field or park. Jupiter and Saturn are bright, so they can be seen even from most cities.
An hour after sunset, look to the southwestern sky. Jupiter will look like a bright star and be easily visible. Saturn will be slightly fainter and will appear slightly above and to the left of Jupiter until December 21, when Jupiter will overtake it and they will reverse positions in the sky.
The planets can be seen with the unaided eye, but if you have binoculars or a small telescope, you may be able to see Jupiter’s four large moons orbiting the giant planet.
Each night, the two planets will appear closer low in the southwest in the hour after sunset as illustrated in the below graphic:
Los Angeles, Calif. – In this Auction, you will truly find something for everyone. From the legendary beginnings of the entertainment industry to contemporary titles and blockbusters.
Margaret Hamilton iconic “Wicked Witch of the West” screen-worn flying hat from The Wizard of Oz. (MGM, 1939) $100,000 – $150,000
There are a number of incredible private collections on offer here including items from writer/director/producer Frank Darabont, producer/director/cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld, and actor Jonathan Lipnicki.
Original Lucasfilm-sanctioned N.J. Farmer “Darth Vader” promotional costume for Star Wars:The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. (TCF, 1980, 1983) $100,000 – $150,000
Also included is an extensive section devoted to music, including The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley and Billie Eilish, to name just a few. In the sports arena, we are offering game-worn jerseys from basketball legends Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
Following is just a glimpse of the items awaiting you in this auction: Margaret Hamilton “Wicked Witch of the West” screen-worn flying hat from The Wizard of Oz.David O. Selznick signed agreement to produce Gone With the Wind and confirming Clark Gable will play “Rhett Butler”.
REGISTER TODAY! AUCTION FRIDAY – DECEMBER 18, 2020
Elizabeth Taylor “Cleopatra” lavender gown and headdress from Cleopatra (1963).Marlon Brando “Fletcher Christian” Royal Navy officer uniform from Mutiny on the Bounty (1962).Original Lucasfilm-sanctioned “Darth Vader” promotional costume for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes back and Return of the Jedi.
Bob Dylan handwritten and signed lyrics to his revolutionary classic song “Like a Rolling Stone”. Michael Keaton original “Batman” cowl and display from Batman Returns.Frank Darabont personal 3-sheet poster from Planet of the Apes signed by Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall and James Whitmore.Original Bob Peak poster concept artwork for Apocalypse Now. Ultra-heavy “Thor” Mjölnir hammer used by all the Avengers in the “worthy test” sequence in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Moe Howard’s (70+) page handwritten manuscript for his autobiography Moe Howard and the Three Stooges.Robert Keeshan’s iconic “Captain Kangaroo” jacket from Captain Kangaroo. Lou Ferrigno “The Hulk” screen worn costume on custom display from The Incredible Hulk.
Richard Attenborough’s Directors Guild Award from 1982 for Most Outstanding Directorial Achievement for the classic Gandhi.Kevin Costner “Mariner” costume ensemble from Waterworld. Director Barry Sonnenfeld’s annotated shooting script from The Addams Family.
These few examples represent a mere fraction of the treasure that lies within this catalog. Thank you for participating and good luck!
Los Angeles, Calif. – The Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting is an international screenwriting competition established to identify and encourage talented new screenwriters. Each of the winners receives a $35,000 prize and will complete a feature-length screenplay within their fellowship year.
Actors Stephanie Beatriz, Michael Peña, Lou Diamond Phillips and Taylor Russell will appear in a table reading of selected scenes from the five winning scripts. The program, which will be available to stream online, is directed by 2011 Nicholl fellows Burlee and Abel Vang and hosted by Aldis Hodge.
CAST Stephanie Beatriz, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” Michael Peña, “End of Watch” Lou Diamond Phillips, “The 33” Taylor Russell, “Waves”
Aldis Hodge (host), “One Night in Miami”
FELLOWS James Acker, “SadBoi” Beth Curry, “Lemon” Vanar Jaddou, “Goodbye, Iraq” Kate Marks, “The Cow of Queens” Jane Therese, “Sins of My Father”
ACADEMY Burlee and Abel Vang, writer-directors, “The Tiger’s Child,” “Bedeviled,” “They Live in the Grey” David Rubin, Academy President
Available to stream online beginning Thursday, December 3 at 10 a.m. PST
New Holiday Music From Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets, Grant-Lee Phillips, Eli Paperboy Reed and Josh Rouse.
Music News – Yep Roc Records brings seasonal cheer with new holiday music from Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets, Grant-Lee Phillips, Eli Paperboy Reed, and Josh Rouse.
Following 2013’s Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All the Family, one of the decade’s most acclaimed holiday albums, Nick Lowe teams up with Los Straitjackets for two rocking renditions of holiday classics: “Winter Wonderland” and “Let It Snow.”Staples in the set from their ‘Quality Holiday Revue’ tours, these newly-recorded fan-favorites recently came together in a series of Trans-Atlantic sessions. A Bandcamp exclusive on December 4; available at all streaming services on December 7.
Acclaimed singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Grant-Lee Phillips has unwrapped Yuletide, a four-song EP of Americana-crooning holiday tunes. The EP features Phillips’ original “Winterglow,” popularized by his town troubadour character on the “Gilmore Girls,” and he breathes new life into classics like Nat King Cole’s “Take Me Back to Toyland” and Frank Sinatra’s “An Old-Fashioned Christmas.” The set concludes with his spin on the New Year’s staple “Auld Lang Syne,” adding a topical new verse to inspire hope towards days of peace. The EP is available at all DSPs.
Eli Paperboy Reed puts his soulful spin on Wham!’s “Last Christmas” with big band-style horns and an arrangement that makes it sound like it was recorded two decades prior to the original 1984 version. The B-side is an original, “Merry Christmas To Me,”which he co-wrote with Ryan Sparker on a hot July day, while both were on tour in Portugal and feeling homesick. A deeply soulful song that conjures the melancholy feeling of being alone at Christmas, reflecting on a troublesome year, with a gleam of hope that “next year will be better.” Here’s to that! Available at all DSPs on November 30.
Originally only available on his first-ever holiday album, The Holiday Sounds of Josh Rouse (First Edition CD/LP,) Josh Rouse’s rendition of Mariah Carey’s classic “All I Want For Christmas Is You” makes its digital debut. The song shifts from big, bright bouncy pop to a softer, gentler vibe, as he delivers the lyrics with a more introspective tone. The B-side is a new version of the traditional “Angels We Have Heard On High.” Both songs were recorded in Nashville and produced by Rouse’s longtime partner in vibe, Brad Jones. Available at all DSPs on December 1.
LA Life &Style Music Scene – Sarah Spiegel, in her debut album AS TIME GOES BY, via Regal Records and Nawyecka Productions, has recorded some of the most beautiful and memorable songs of World War II from her original one-woman show Through the Perilous Fight (We Never Stopped Singing).
AS TIME GOES BY, which is now available worldwide on all streaming platforms includes a set list combining familiar classics (“I’m In The Mood For Love,” “The White Cliffs of Dover”) award-winning hits (“One For My Baby,” “As Time Goes By”) plus an original tune (“Dreamtime”) by Spiegel and her musical director Carl Byron. https://sarahspiegel.hearnow.com/
Spiegel’s 1940s big band songs from her acclaimed WWII musical revue allow her multifaceted voice to shine through. AS TIME GOES BYis packed with classic song arrangements of the big band era. Sarah’s song styling and electrifying energy will have your fingers snapping and toes tapping. The “Regal Miz” Spiegel brings the powerful era of big band arrangements and timeless classics to life. NOW AVAILABLE!https://sarahspiegel.hearnow.com/
By Margie Anne Clark, Los Angeles Life and Style / SCV Style
Santa Clarita, Calif. – What a magical night it was at Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Holiday in the Park Drive-thru Experience! For diehard theme park aficionados, what a fascinating trek it was to drive along the familiar foot-paths that we’ve come to love in the heart of the Valencia.
Beautiful glittering lights greeted a caravan of cars, trucks and vans filled with passengers who took in the ethereal sights and sounds of a splendidly decked Six Flags Magic Mountain. Reams of tinseled holiday garland, complete with waving toy soldiers, candy canes, top-hatted stilt walkers, victorian gowned greeters, mystically dressed cast members – and even Santa and his sleigh full of elves and toys, ushered in a colorful kick-off to the Holiday season.
A magical night at Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Holiday in the Park Drive-thru Experience!
The VIP drive-thru event also gave a glimpse of the park’s familiar rides, such as CraZanity, Riddler’s Revenge and JUSTICE LEAGUE: Battle for Metropolis. The quieted rides seemed to beckon the drivers through the twinkling crystal covered trees, with a nod and a wink as if to say, “We’ll be back again soon!” Still, I could almost hear the swooshing roller coasters, and happy screams of delight from last December when my family and I strolled the park by foot, braving the brisk winter weather bundled in coats and gloves. Driving by the familiar restaurant hubs evoked memories of chowing on delicious hamburgers and fries, funnel cakes and churros as part of the usual theme park ambience, but for now remaining quietly in repose.
I applaud and thank the creative folks at Six Flags Magic Mountain for opening up our beloved theme park for a nostalgic drive-thru journey into what we’ve missed from spring-break through the usually packed and bustling summer months. We love our Six Flags Magic Mountain and it touched my heart to traverse the old familiar trails, albeit behind the wheel of my car while glancing up at the storied roller coaster loops that await us, reflecting colors of joy, goodwill and optimism for the future.
Story and Photos by Margie Anne Clark, Los Angeles Life and Style
Holiday in the Park Drive-thru Experience runs November 20 – January 3. Photo/Margie Anne Clark/Los Angeles Life and Style
“We love our Six Flags Magic Mountain, with colors of joy, goodwill and optimism for the future.” – Margie Anne Clark, Los Angeles Life and Style
About the Holiday in the Park Drive-thru Experience
For the first time ever at Six Flags Magic Mountain, will give theme-park goers an experience of a millions of lights, festive holiday theming, and seasonal music favorites in a drive-thru nighttime spectacular, Holiday in the Park Drive-thru Experience running through November 20 – January 3, 2021. Due to popular demand Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience has been extended to January 31, 2021.
Due to popular demand Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience has been extended to January 31, 2021.
A magical winter wonderland with millions of colorful lights filling in until the thrill of coasters returns. . . . . . Until then, you’ll be dazzled by all the wonderful sights and sounds of the holiday season from the comfort of your car.
I applaud and thank the creative folks at Six Flags Magic Mountain for opening up our beloved theme park for a nostalgic drive-thru journey into what we’ve missed from spring-break through the usually packed and bustling summer months. We love our Six Flags Magic Mountain and it touched my heart to traverse the old familiar trails, albeit behind the wheel of my car while glancing up at the storied roller coaster loops that await us, reflecting colors of joy, goodwill and optimism for the future. – Margie Anne Clark, Los Angeles Life and Style
Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Holiday in the Park Drive-thru Experience! Photos by Margie Anne Clark/Los Angeles Life and Style
Dates: November 20-29, December 4-6, 11-13, 18-31 , January 1-3
Due to popular demand Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience has been extended to January 31, 2021.
Six Flags Magic Mountain.Holiday in the Park Drive-thru Experience– Nov. 20 – Jan. 3
Due to popular demand Holiday in the Park Drive-Thru Experience has been extended to January 31, 2021.
For a fun night out and a little drive down memory lane, head down to Six Flags Magic Mountain this Holiday Season. It will warm your heart and put a smile on your face! Holiday in the Park Drive-thru Experience includes eight distinctly different areas throughout the park with millions of twinkling lights choreographed to festive music, beloved holiday characters decked out for the holidays, iconic Holiday in the Park decorations, and a drive-by featuring Santa and his elves. New this year, go for a ride in The Underground featuring several of the famous West Coast Customs show cars on display.
Online reservations will be required and tickets must be purchased in advance at sixflags.com. A limited number of cars will be allowed each night so be sure to make your reservation and purchase early. Admission tickets for this first-ever experience will be sold on a per person basis for each night, with a minimum of two individuals per vehicle required. Members and Season Pass Holders can use their valid pass for free admission, along with a required reservation made online in advance. Admission prices will vary by day. Tickets will not be available for sale at the park and all reservations must be made in advance.Make Reservations
ONLINE TICKETS & RESERVATIONS
HOLIDAY SWEETS & TREATS
Special Holiday in the Park Drive-thru Experience food and gift packages will also be available for purchase online in advance and will be delivered to guest cars when they present their purchase voucher at the parking lot entrance.
As an added bonus for every merchandise bundle purchased, a Holiday Buddy Bear will be donated to charities throughout the Los Angeles area to children for the holiday season.
Our holiday snack packs and merchandise bundles include sweets and treats that are perfect for sharing and taking home a piece of this unique event. All pre-purchased items will be delivered directly to your vehicle during the drive-thru experience.
Holiday Snack Pack (up to 4 people)
4 cups of hot chocolate
1 dozen tasty holiday cookies
2 bags of tasty candy
1 large buttery popcorn & souvenir bucket
Holiday Merchandise Bundles
To tie in the merriment, all holiday merchandise bundles will be delivered in a special Holiday in the Park drawstring bag. As an added bonus for every merchandise bundle purchased, a Holiday Buddy Bear will be donated to charities throughout the Los Angeles area to children for the holiday season.
4 Holiday in the Park themed face masks
4 holiday light-up necklaces
4 holiday 3D light glasses that add a bonus element to this unique experience
Handmade Coaster Candy Fudge
1.5lb assorted holiday flavors made fresh daily at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Flavors include: chocolate, rocky road, raspberry dream, peppermint bark, cookie dough, and mint chocolate swirl
Holiday Funnel Cake
Indulge in a Six Flags powdered sugar funnel cake made fresh throughout the night and delivered directly to your vehicle near the end of the event route
The following safety guidelines are based off the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Appendix G in conjunction with Six Flags Magic Mountain policies. Your safety and the safety of others is a shared responsibility during COVID-19. All participants of the Vehicle-Based Parade route must adhere to the following safety guidelines:
All occupants of each enclosed vehicle are members of a single household or living unit. Occupants may not change vehicles during the parade route. For clarity, an enclosed vehicle does not include a motorcycle, a convertible with the top open, a vehicle without doors or a bicycle.
If any of the windows on a vehicle is open, the occupants of the vehicles must wear a face covering when approached by Six Flags Personnel, Security or Emergency Services.
Occupants of a participating vehicle cannot leave their vehicles except for emergency purposes. During this exception, the participant must use a cloth face covering while maintaining social/physical distancing.
Participating vehicles cannot exceed their maximum occupancy and must follow motor vehicle laws.
Vehicle-Based Parade must proceed by invitation/reservation only.
Any items or food and drink related trash must remain in the vehicle.
Vehicle-Based Parade must allow enough spacing between vehicles to allow for emergency entry and exit.
While traveling throughout the Vehicle-Based Parade route, the speed limit is 3 mph.
Restrooms are provided prior to entering the Vehicle-Based Parade route and at the conclusion of the route. In-Park restrooms are not available.
No stopping or parking along the Vehicle-Based Parade route is permitted unless directed by Six Flags Personnel, Security or Emergency Services.
Smoking is not permitted while participating in the Vehicle-Based Parade route.
All vehicles are subject to a search by Six Flags Personnel, Security or Emergency Services.
Due to the limited size of certain areas and terrain only cars, SUV’s, vans and pick-up trucks are permitted. No buses, RV’s, commercial vehicles, dually pick-up trucks, trailers, motorcycles etc.
Please adhere to the direction of Six Flags Personnel, Security or Emergency Services.
Alcohol, drugs and illegal substances are not permitted. Individuals in possession or under the influence will be denied entry or ejected.
For more information visit: https://www.sixflags.com/magicmountain//events/holiday-in-the-park
Universal CityWalk Introduces “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter—Sweets & Treats,” Offering Guests and Fans a Chance to Enjoy Magical and Delicious Confections and Snacks Just in Time for the Holiday Season, Beginning Friday, November 20, 2020
Universal City, California, November 20, 2020 – Here’s the scoop: Beginning Friday, November 20, Butterbeer favorites and more will be served at Universal CityWalk’s newest seasonal walk-up location, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™—Sweets & Treats,” offering fans a chance to enjoy the beloved beverage and ice-cream from Universal Studios Hollywood’s immersive land.
Traditional cold, frozen and hot Butterbeer along with delectable Butterbeer-flavoured hard pack ice-cream and Chocolate Frog confections will delight the palates of fans who have long craved these popular temptations from the theme park’s “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.”
The Butterbeer beverages will be available for purchase in a cup or souvenir stein. Gilly Water and classic cinnamon Churros will also be on the menu.
“The Wizarding World of Harry Potter—Sweets & Treats” will be open on weekends from Friday through Sunday during CityWalk’s operating hours, noon to 8:00 p.m. Free self-parking is available to all guests during this initial re-opening phase.
Inspired by the compelling stories and characters that were brought to life in the Warner Bros. films, “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” at Universal Studios Hollywood is a masterful recreation, faithful to the visual landscape of the fiction and films, including as its iconic focal point, Hogwarts castle. Now, for the first time and during this Holiday season, some of the iconic beverages and desserts featured in the land will be served for a limited time at this new and special Universal CityWalk location.
Universal CityWalk continues to work closely with local health and government officials to implement new health and safety procedures that include controlled capacity to enforce physical distancing. Health and safety protocols are outlined below, highlighted in this video and detailed on the Universal Studios Hollywood website.
Temperature checks for all Guests upon arrival. If temperatures exceed 100.4° Fahrenheit / 38° Celsius or greater, Guests will not be permitted to enter.
Face coverings required for all Guests throughout their visit. Face coverings also will be available for purchase.
Controlled occupancy at all CityWalk venues to help enforce physical distancing. Some areas and programs may remain temporarily closed.
Rigorous cleaning and disinfecting at all food locations and all high touch points areas.
Physical distancing practices at all locations throughout CityWalk.
Cashless payments and “no touch” policies wherever possible.
All Universal guests are urged to follow CDC guidelines and conduct temperature checks prior to their arrival. Guests should evaluate their own risk before they visit, and it is not recommended that older adults or individuals at high-risk with serious underlying medical conditions visit. People who are asymptomatic can still spread COVID-19 if they are infected. Any interaction with the general public poses an elevated risk of being exposed to COVID-19 and Universal cannot guarantee guests will not be exposed during their visit. For information on CDC guidelines, click here. Due to the evolving nature of this situation, details are subject to change without notice.
More than two decades ago, a young Harry Potter was whisked onto Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross Station, and readers everywhere were swept along with him into a magical universe, created by J.K. Rowling. In the years since, the seven Harry Potter bestsellers have inspired eight blockbuster movies, an award-winning stage play, and, more recently, the start of the Fantastic Beasts five-film series. People of all ages have been enthralled by these extraordinary adventures, set within an expanding universe, inspired by the vision of J.K. Rowling.
For today’s growing worldwide fan community, and for generations to come, the Wizarding World welcomes everyone to explore more of this magical universe — past, present and future. The Wizarding World also provides fans with an instant, trusted kite-mark of quality and authenticity.
The collection of home movies celebrates individuals who overcame barriers to work in the motion picture industry, with personal footage captured between the 1930s and the 1960s. Actor Hayley Mills joins to discuss her 1966 comedy “The Trouble with Angels,” while writer-director Gregory Nava and Bob Koster, son of director Henry Koster, share stories about their family films. Lastly, Academy archivist Sean Savage provides tips on caring for your own home movies. Original music for the program is composed and performed by Michael Mortilla. For more information, visit Oscars.org.
Footage includes:
Director Dorothy Arzner – the first woman to join the Directors Guild of America – boating with her friend Billie Burke
Gilbert Roland’s 16mm home movies in early Kodachrome
A party at the home of Dolores Del Rio and Cedric Gibbons
A road trip with cinematographer James Wong Howe
Director Henry Koster leaving Europe as the Nazis come to power
Behind the scenes with Loretta Young, Celeste Holm and Elsa Lanchester
Nat King Cole at a movie premiere
Ida Lupino directing a female cast led by Rosalind Russell and Hayley Mills in “The Trouble with Angels”
Plus, Constance Bennett, Gary Cooper, Marlene Dietrich, William Haines, Gypsy Rose Lee, Satchel Paige and more.
Randy Haberkamp (presenter), Academy’s Senior Vice President, Preservation and Foundation Programs Lynne Kirste (presenter), Academy Film Archive’s Special Collections Curator Bob Koster (special guest) Hayley Mills (special guest), actor Michael Mortilla, musician Gregory Nava (special guest), writer-director
ABOUT THE ACADEMY The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a global community of more than 10,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers and executives working in film. In addition to celebrating and recognizing excellence in filmmaking through the Oscars, the Academy supports a wide range of initiatives to promote the art and science of the movies, including public programming, educational outreach and the upcoming Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, opening April 30, 2021.
