Various Articles about the Hoop Life She's Got Game |
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| "My past keeps
coming back to haunt me," laughs former basketball
player and Olympic Bronze Medal winner, Sylvia Sweeney.
Sweeney hung up her sneakers years ago to become a
successful film and TV producer/director, but her on-court
talent is still in demand. She's currently coaching the
lead actors on SHOWTIME's new series THE HOOP LIFE to
behave like pro basketball players on court. To get THE HOOP LIFE cast "court-ready," Sweeney ran the three main characters - Mykelti Williamson (FORREST GUMP), Rick Peters (DESPERATE MEASURES) and Cirroc Lofton (STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE) - through an exhaustive regimen of jump shots, lay-ups and trick moves. The actors were all chosen for their physical resemblance to real ballplayers. But truth be told, there's a big difference between being a great basketball player and, well, playing one on TV. Sylvia is realistic in her expectations. "I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel or turn these guys into NBA players overnight," she says. "I look for what basketball moves they can do naturally; we work on perfecting them, then we choreograph the rest of the action around these moves. We follow the script very closely, so we have plenty of time to work out specific on court moves and montage sequences that tie closely into the dramatic action. When we are done, the results are very authentic." |
article taken from showtime online @ www.sho.com
copyright held by viacom @ http://www.viacom.com
'HOOP' DREAM OF A SERIES |
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| By ADAM BUCKMAN | ||||||||
| AS the opening
episode of "The Hoop Life" came to an end, I
was surprised to realize that I cared. And I wanted to see more. I cared about Marvin "Big Bucks" Buxton, the hot-tempered, outspoken star of the New England Knights of the fictional UBA (United Basketball Association). I cared about Curtis Thorpe, the 17-year-old high school phenom who's skipping college to go pro. And I cared about Leonard Fero, the lumbering, but wily coach of the Knights. This new series about basketball, premiering Sunday night at 10 on Showtime, didn't start out that way. In the beginning, I couldn't have cared less about "The Hoop Life." With its opening sequence set during Game 7 of the UBA finals (complete with commentary by Bill Walton), "The Hoop Life" threatened to evolve into a strung-together collection of sports cliches, like a low-budget "Jerry Maguire." Instead, "The Hoop Life" turned into a clever collection of interlocking stories involving a small, central core of characters brought to life by a talent-rich cast. Of these, my favorite has to be Dan Lauria, who's best known as the dad in "The Wonder Years," but is perfectly cast here in the role of Coach Fero. And Mykelti Williamson has just the right touch as superstar Buxton, playing him as a cross between Latrell Sprewell (hot-tempered) and Jayson Williams (outspoken). But the heart of "The Hoop Life" really belongs to the high-school phenom, Thorpe - the young rookie on the verge of his first season in the pros. As played by Cirroc Lofton, Thorpe's story, more than any other, will have you coming back for more. |
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article from the N.Y. Post Online Edition / Copyright 1999 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved
| TV Programming (as of 10.21.99) | |
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| Broadcast Network and Cable Series | |
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| Any Day Now (Lifetime) Becker (CBS) Beverly Hills, 90210 (FOX) Beyond Chance (Lifetime) Charmed (WB) Diagnosis Murder (CBS) Frasier (NBC) JAG (CBS) Linc's (Showtime) Love & Money (CBS) Moesha (UPN) Nash Bridges (CBS) |
Now and Again (CBS) Oz (HBO) The Parkers (UPN) Sabrina, The Teenage Witch (ABC) 7 Days (UPN) 7th Heaven (WB) Safe Harbor (WB) Star Trek: Voyager (UPN) Sunset Beach (NBC Daytime) The Hoop Life (Showtime) |
Information from Viacoms website @ http://www.viacom.com
THE CALL IS OUT . . . SHOWTIME LOOKS FOR
THE NEXT MICHAEL JORDAN
Showtime Teams With Hoop-It-Up®
New York, NY, June 17, 1999 - SHOWTIME is offering the chance
for basketball fans to live out their real life hoop fantasies.
Double teaming with Hoop-It-Up® for a series of open
casting calls, SHOWTIME is giving basketball fans in six cities a
chance to strut their stuff and score an appearance in an
upcoming episode of the new fast-paced basketball drama THE HOOP
LIFE. THE HOOP LIFE premieres on SHOWTIME on Sunday, July 4 at 10:00
P.M. (ET/PT).
These slamming events will be held in Union and Long Branch,
New Jersey; Dallas, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; Birmingham, Alabama
and Los Angeles, California from June through August. The
competition is open to players from ages eighteen and up.
Contestants will audition by competing on "The Game Court,"
which includes an obstacle course that tests rebounding,
dribbling and shooting skills. Participants are scored based on
time and shooting accuracy and can win a variety of prizes. A
lucky few will be chosen to advance to "The Audition Court,"
where they will compete in a one-on-one basketball game
videotaped by SHOWTIME casting.
In addition, separate casting events will be sponsored solely
by SHOWTIME in Venice Beach, California and Long Branch, New
Jersey in July. After all casting calls are completed, SHOWTIME
producers will select one winner who will be announced in
September.
SHOWTIME's THE HOOP LIFE events and markets are as follows:
SHOWTIME/Hoop It Up Markets
SHOWTIME ONLY Markets
THE HOOP LIFE, starring Mykelti Williamson, Dorian Harewood,
Rick Peters, Cirroc Lofton and Dan Lauria, follows the New
England Knights of the fictional UBA as they balance the high
life of quick fame, instant wealth and fierce competition.
From chartered jets and limos to adoring fans and swank
hotels, these millionaire athletes seem to exist on a higher
plane than everyone else. But, life on the road -- away from
home, family and friends -- springs its own lonely traps, leading
to temptations and transgressions that catapult many high-profile
players into tabloid headlines.
THE HOOP LIFE is produced by Hardwood Productions in Canada
and distributed by Viacom Productions and is a presentation of
The Levinson/Fontana Company. Joe Cacaci serves as executive
producer.
Hoop-It-Up®, at www.hoopitup.com, is the flagship
sports venture of Dallas-based Streetball International, the
sports marketing and event production arm of Universal Sports
America (USA). USA annually produces more than 270 events in 121
cities in 27 countries. Hoop-It-Up®, currently in its
11th year, travels through 44 different markets and
attracts 150,000 players and one million spectators per year.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), which is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Viacom Inc., owns the premium television networks
SHOWTIME, THE MOVIE CHANNEL and FLIX. SNI operates and manages
the premium television network SUNDANCE CHANNEL, which is owned
by SNI, Robert Redford and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment.
SHOWTIME en Español, a separate audio feed of SHOWTIME, is
available for the Spanish-speaking audience. SNI also markets and
distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to
subscribers on a pay-per-view basis.
For casting call information please contact Joyce Lu at
SHOWTIME, 212/708-7321.
article from Viacom's website @ http://www.viacom.com
NEW SHOWTIME SERIES "THE HOOP LIFE" TAKES CENTER COURT THIS SUMMER
Dramatic/Comedic Spin On Lives Of Athletes Both On And Off The Court From The Levinson/Fontana Company
New York, NY, June 1, 1999 -- SHOWTIME presents THE HOOP LIFE,
a sophisticated and unique new series premiering Sunday, July 4
at 10:00 P.M. (ET/PT) with a special two-hour season opener
followed by 20 one-hour episodes. This edgy drama, laced with
dark humor, takes a revealing inside look at the personal lives
of pro-basketball players, the New England Knights, in the
mythical UBA. Starring Mykelti Williamson, Dorian Harewood, Rick
Peters, Cirroc Lofton and Dan Lauria, THE HOOP LIFE takes a hard-hitting,
realistic look at the sometimes controversial and always
captivating lives of these sports icons. The series will offer
viewers the inside scoop on court life from the players' unique
perspective, highlighting the pressures and dilemmas they face
every day. For example, "What would it be like to be a
senior in high school one day and a millionaire player the next?"
The series follows the New England Knights as they balance the
high life of quick fame, instant wealth, fierce competition, fast
women, overgrown egos and media spinning, with family and career
crises. THE HOOP LIFE is a daring behind-the-scenes look at men
who live in an unparalleled world, where over-the-top brashness
and cockiness are considered essential tools for performance.
From chartered jets and limos to adoring fans and swank hotels,
these millionaire athletes seem to exist on a higher plane than
everyone else. But, life on the road -- away from home, family
and friends -- springs its own lonely traps, leading to
temptations and transgressions that catapult many high-profile
players into tabloid headlines. The series will also explore
important social, racial and class issues, from a much different
perspective than is usually seen on television.
The ensemble cast includes Mykelti Williamson ("Primary
Colors," "Forrest Gump" and SHOWTIME's 12 ANGRY
MEN), Dorian Harewood (SHOWTIME's 12 ANGRY MEN, "Sudden
Death," "Pacific Heights"), Rick Peters (SHOWTIME's
ELVIS MEETS NIXON), Cirroc Lofton ("Star Trek: Deep Space
Nine," "The Big Hit") and Dan Lauria ("Independence
Day," "From The Earth To The Moon" and "The
Wonder Years").
Also starring are Linda Thorson ("The Other Sister"),
Ray Anthony Thomas ("Rounders"), Reno Wilson ("Mighty
Joe Young") and Lynda Gravatt ("Law and Order").
Veteran actor Robert Hooks (Kevin Hooks' father) stars as a slick
agent and basketball great Bill Walton appears in a cameo as an
announcer for Game 7 of the UBA Finals.
The New England Knights' three marquee players are: veteran
Marvin Buxton (WILLIAMSON), one of the league's top stars, whose
brawl in the UBA finals may jeopardize his career; crowd favorite
Greg Marr (PETERS), a poster boy for perpetual adolescence; and
rookie phenom Curtis Thorpe (LOFTON), who skips college to pursue
his pro dreams. The team's stalwart head coach, Leonard Fero (LAURIA),
is at odds with longtime friend and general manager, Eliot Pierce
(HAREWOOD), who has different ideas about running the
organization. Following a devastating loss in the championship --
and with a cloud of scandal, trade rumors and an impending sale
of the team hanging over their heads, Fero, Pierce and the
veteran players will strive to keep the Knights at the top of
their game.
While three principal cast members of THE HOOP LIFE have all
had some basketball experience (Cirroc Lofton was a high school
standout), it fell to former Olympian Sylvia Sweeney to get the
men into top condition and improve their skills. She held four to
five practices a week, described as "torturous" by some
of the participants, to ensure the basketball action would look
realistic and professional.
THE HOOP LIFE is produced by Hardwood Productions in Canada
and distributed by Viacom Productions. Joe Cacaci ("Trials
of Rosie O'Neill") serves as executive producer. Executive
story editor, Sean Jablonski, wrote the season premiere episode,
which was directed by Kevin Hooks ("Mutiny," "Passenger
57"). THE HOOP LIFE is a presentation of The Levinson/Fontana
Company.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), which is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Viacom Inc., owns the premium television networks
SHOWTIME, THE MOVIE CHANNEL and FLIX. SNI operates and manages
the premium television network SUNDANCE CHANNEL, which is owned
by SNI, Robert Redford and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment.
SHOWTIME en Español, a separate audio feed of SHOWTIME, is
available for the Spanish-speaking audience. SNI also markets and
distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to
subscribers on a pay-per-view basis.
Rating - TVMA
Running Time - 2:00:00
article from Viacom's website @ http://www.viacom.com
SHOWTIME'S ORIGINAL SERIES "THE HOOP
LIFE"
TO STAR MYKELTI WILLIAMSON,
DORIAN HAREWOOD, RICK PETERS,
CIRROC LOFTON AND DAN LAURIA
Series Premiere Slated For July 4
New York, NY, April 29, 1999 - Mykelti Williamson, Dorian
Harewood, Rick Peters, Cirroc Lofton and Dan Lauria have been
cast in the upcoming SHOWTIME original series THE HOOP LIFE,
which is slated to premiere on the network on July 4.
THE HOOP LIFE is a daring, edgy new series that for the first
time takes a revealing inside look at the personal lives of pro-league
basketball players as they experience the highlife of quick fame,
instant wealth, fierce competition, fast women, overgrown egos,
media spinning and family and career crises. The ensemble series
tracks the New England Knights, focusing on the conflicts of
three star players, their coach and their general manager.
Mykelti Williamson (Primary Colors, Forrest Gump and
SHOWTIME's 12 Angry Men) portrays a veteran player trying to
maintain his edge; Dorian Harewood (SHOWTIME's 12 Angry Men,
Sudden Death, Pacific Heights) portrays the general manager; Rick
Peters (SHOWTIME's Elvis Meets Nixon, Desperate Measures)
portrays a star player in his mid-twenties, whose personal life
is falling apart; Cirroc Lofton (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The
Big Hit) plays an 18-year-old "phenom;" and Dan Lauria
(Independence Day, From The Earth To The Moon and The Wonder
Years ) portrays the coach.
SHOWTIME will premiere THE HOOP LIFE with a two-hour season
opener, followed by 20 one-hour episodes. The series is produced
by Hardwood Productions in Canada and distributed by Viacom
Productions. Joe Cacaci (The Trials Of Rosie O'Neill) serves as
executive producer. Sean Jablonski wrote the premiere episode and
will also be executive story editor. THE HOOP LIFE is a
presentation of The Levinson/Fontana Company.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Viacom Inc., owns the premium television networks SHOWTIME, THE MOVIE CHANNEL and FLIX. SNI operates and manages the premium television network SUNDANCE CHANNEL, which is owned by SNI, Robert Redford and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment. SHOWTIME en Español, a separate audio feed of SHOWTIME, is available for the Spanish-speaking audience. SNI also markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis.
article from Viacom's website @ http://www.viacom.com
Various comments from the press
"...LOOKS LIKE A SUMMER WINNER."
-- New York Magazine
"...a promising new series..."
-- The Wall Street Journal
"...dream of a series."
-- New York Post
"...very seductive..."
-- Los Angeles Times
"The cast boasts a strong starting five..."
-- People
"...looks as sweet and unstoppable as a
sky hook..."
-- Philadelphia Inquirer
"...shows great respect for viewers'
intelligence..."
-- The Hollywood Reporter
How can you look at all of this and understand how the show got cancelled? I have no idea.........
Joshua Bozeman
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Page Created On: February 7, 2000
Page Last Updated On: February 15, 2001 @ 9:10 P.M. CT.
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