Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group Partners With Google In Multi-Year And Multi-Platform Deal

ISLESFORD, Maine -- Ashley Bryan, a prolific and prize-winning children’s author and illustrator who told stories of Black life, culture and folklore in such acclaimed works as “Freedom Over Me,” “Beautiful Blackbird” and “Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum,” has died at age 98.Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing announced that the longtime Maine resident died “peacefully” Friday in Texas, where he had been staying with relatives.“An early, quiet, and potent force in bringing children of color and issues of racial diversity into the canon of children’s literature, he was committed to opening the eyes of children of all backgrounds to a wide range of themes through poetry, folktales, spirituals, and biblical narratives,” the publisher’s statement reads.Bryan was a Harlem native who showed an early talent for drawing and for a time was the only Black student at the art school at Cooper Union in Manhattan. He served in a segregated military unit for two years during World World II, an experience he recounted in his memoir “Infinite Hope: A Black Artist’s Journey from World War II to Peace,” and resumed his art studies after the war.Bryan worked on more than 70 books and received numerous honors, including Coretta Scott King Awards — given for the year’s best work by a Black author or illustrator — for the folktales “Beautiful Blackbird” and “Beat the Story-Drum, Pum-Pum.” He also received two lifetime achievement prizes: the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award (now known as the Children’s Literature Legacy Award) and the Virginia Hamilton award.Survivors include his brother Ernest, and “many cherished” nieces and nephews, according to Simon & Schuster.“I am deeply saddened to learn of Ashley’s passing,” Gov.

Lucifer alum Tom Ellis is set as a series regular in Washington Black, the Sterling K. Brown-fronted adaptation of Esi Edugyan’s novel, which received a straight-to-series order at Hulu. Twilight Zone writer Selwyn Seyfu Hinds is adapting the limited series for 20th Television.

EXCLUSIVE: Former MTV topper Van Toffler is back in a formal relationship with the company where he spent almost three decades as an executive. MTV Entertainment Group has signed a multi-picture deal with independent studio Gunpowder & Sky, co-founded and run by Van Toffler, former CEO of Viacom Media Networks Music & Logo Group. The pact follows MTVE’s collaboration with Gunpowder & Sky on Comedy Central’s Hot Mess Holiday movie, starring Kal Penn, which was recently nominated for two NAACP awards, and signals a push in that area for the ViacomCBS division.

“The Crown” star Matt Smith and Morfydd Clark, who will appear in the upcoming “Lord of the Rings” series “The Rings of Power,” will star together in a supernatural horror film called “Starve Acre.” Daniel Kokotajlo (“Apostasy”) will direct and write the screenplay for his sophomore film based on the novel of the same name by Andrew Michael Hurley. Set in 1970s rural England, the story follows an archaeologist named Richard, who buries himself in exploring a folkloric myth that the ancient oak tree on the land his family lives on is imbued with phenomenal powers.

EXCLUSIVE: Saban Films has acquired North American and other overseas territory rights to The Old Way, the Western from director Brett Donowho that stars Nicolas Cage. The distributor is targeting a theatrical and VOD release for the pic sometime during the fourth quarter of 2022.

Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group has brought on Sydnie Karras in the newly-created position of Chief Accounting Officer.

Manchester United famously missed out on signing Newcastle great Alan Shearer in 1996 - and Gary Neville might have had something to do with it.

Alan Alda, 85, is an Emmy-winning TV and film actor whose role as Hawkeye Piere on the 1970s hit show M*A*S*H stole the comedic hearts of many. In addition to his acting skills, he also directed 32 episodes of the show, including the series finale special. Moreover, he’s been active in the political sphere, speaking out about women’s rights in the ’70s and also encouraging folks who live with Parkinson’s to live full lives regardless (he was diagnosed in 2015).

The original voice of character Charlie Brown in the early animated “Peanuts” specials, actor Peter Robbins, died last week at the age of 65.

Jordan Moreau Peter Robbins, who was the first person to voice Charlie Brown in several “Peanuts” TV specials in the 1960s, has died. He was 65.His family told Fox 5 San Diego on Tuesday that he died by suicide last week.At 9 years old, Robbins first voiced Charlie Brown in “A Boy Named Charlie Brown,” which was a television documentary about “Peanuts” creator Charles M.

Peter Robbins was an actor who provided the original voice of Charlie Brown in classic specials including “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide, they should not be left alone. Call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. The Lifeline provides free, confidential support for people in crisis or emotional distress, 24/7 year-round.

After years of marriage troubles with Meri Brown and his split from Christine Brown in the fall of 2021, Kody Brown is now also having issues with another one of his wives, Janelle Brown. The Sister Wives star is reportedly only spending time with Robyn Brown these days, according to a report from Us Weekly. “He’s spending all his time with Robyn,” the mag’s source revealed. “The others are in their own world, living their own lives. He spent the holidays with Robyn and her kids. He didn’t even try making plans with the others.”

Peter Robbins, who voiced Charlie Brown in the classic 1960s Peanuts cartoons, has died. The former actor committed suicide last week, his family told San Diego’s Fox 5. He was 65.

A clean slate? Sister Wives star Kody Brown might consider starting new relationships as his old ones deteriorate, a source exclusively tells Us Weekly.

Alan Carr and his husband Paul Drayton have revealed that they've split, having enjoyed over 13 years together as a couple. Chatty Man star Alan, 45, and his husband Paul, 46, dated for 10 years before tying the knot in 2018, but have now announced that they're going their separate ways. A spokesperson for the couple broke the news in a statement through PA news agency, explaining that Alan and Paul's split was amicable and a joint decision.

James Jordan is a fan of tattoos, with many covering his arms, but the star has just revealed his latest one – and it looks incredible.READ: Ola and James Jordan discuss: is it cruel to give kids bizarre names?The dancer headed to the Brothers in Arts tattoo parlour, which he has visited before for some of his other tattoos, to get the inking done, which was designed in tribute to his daughter Ella and his late father, Allan. James shared a glimpse of the design on his Instagram Stories as it was being done, with the final tattoo revealed to be an angel overlooking a design of Ella.WATCH: James Jordan unveils beautiful tribute to baby EllaSpeaking exclusively to HELLO! about the tattoo's meaning, he explained: "I'm having a tattoo done all day.

Apple Original Films is partnering with Skydance Media on a multi-year, first-look film deal for Skydance to develop, produce and distribute an annual slate of live-action films globally.The deal is specifically for live-action features, and Apple and Skydance already have several films in the works including “Ghosted” with Chris Evans and Ana de Armas, which begins principal photography next month, and “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” from “Green Book” director Peter Farrelly and starring Zac Efron and Russell Crowe (which recently wrapped production).Skydance will continue to produce its ongoing franchises with Paramount, including “Mission: Impossible,” “Transformers” and “Star Trek,” and audiences are still awaiting the release of “Top Gun: Maverick” this summer. Skydance is currently in production “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” and the next two “Mission: Impossible” films.

Skydance Media, the maker of “The Tomorrow War” and “Mission: Impossible,” will develop and produce a slate of live-action films as part of a new multi-year pact with Apple Original Films.The move between the production company and the tech giant has been rumored for months, with buzz building after Apple and Skydance brokered a similar deal for animated films and series. The news is yet another signal of the shift in power in the entertainment landscape from traditional media companies to streaming giants.Skydance had long been most closely associated with one of those legacy companies in Paramount Pictures.

After setting its recent films Without Remorse, The Tomorrow War and The Old Guard at streamers, David Ellison’s Skydance Media has made a multi-year agreement with Apple to develop and produce an annual slate of live action global-minded movies that will be released through Apple Original Films.