Impressionist Steve Bridges dies at 48

Comic impressionist Steve Bridges, most widely known for impersonating former Leader George W. Rose bush, has died in your own home in La. He was 48. Bridges was discovered unresponsive with a housekeeper on 'life was imple'. It made an appearance he died of natural causes, but an autopsy is going to be carried out, stated Craig Harvey, chief of procedures for that La County coroner's office. The coroner's office states Bridges didn't have recent medical complaints, along with a statement on Bridges' website states his dying came like a shock, though manager Randy Nolen stated Bridges came back from China on February. 23 and complained to buddies of "super jet lag." Bridges' George W. Rose bush impression made him a normal on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" and gained him an invite towards the Whitened House in 2003. In 2006 Bridges became a member of Rose bush inside a comic routine in the 2006 Whitened House Correspondents' Assn. dinner in Washington, D.C., and also at a Ford's Theater benefit. Nolen stated Rose bush known as Bridges' brother, Phillip, on Monday and offered condolences. "Steve was not just a funny guy, but a sort and decent individual. My sincere sympathies go to his parents, his brothers and sisters, and the entire family," Rose bush told the Connected Press through spokesperson Freddy Ford. Bridges grew to become Obama, Bill Clinton or Rose bush for his most widely used shows. The makeup and prosthetics employed for Rose bush and Clinton specified for by Kevin Haney, who won an Academy Award for aging Serta Aykroyd in "Driving Miss Daisy." Obama ended by Kazu Tsuji, who designed Jim Carrey's Grinch in "The way the Grinch Stole Christmas." Mari Enyart was Bridges' makeup artist. It required nearly four hrs to use the Obama makeup and nearly three hrs to complete Rose bush and Clinton. Close attention was compensated to age marks and freckles on his hands simply because they were so visible, particularly if a skit had been shot. Bridges have been scheduled to complete three free shows on March 13, 14 and 15 for that Indian Wells Rotary Club to assist raise money for college students who took it to school. Sometimes, Bridges would do shows without makeup which were entitled "Steve As Steve" and displayed his 200 voices -- from Bill O'Reilly to Hurry Limbaugh to Tom Brokaw and all sorts of presidents from Kennedy to Obama, Nolen stated. Bridges is made it by his parents, two siblings along with a sister. Something will probably be held within the next couple of days close to the family's Northern California home, having a memorial plan to follow in La. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Fake Empire books 'Madman's Daughter'

Aguirre-Sacasa"Glee" co-producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is at predicts adapt Megan Shepherd's approaching youthful adult novel "Madman's Daughter" for Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage's Fake Empire banner.The medieval thriller, the very first in the planned trilogy of books, will probably be launched within the month of the month of january by HarperCollins' Balzer + Bray imprint. Vital Pictures optioned it for Fake Empire last August.Schwartz and Savage will produce via Fake Empire, while Lis Rowinski, who runs the shingle's film business, introduced the project in.Aguirre-Sacasa can be a versatile scribe who's active in film, TV and theater, additionally to comics. He rewrote it for your Broadway show "Spider Guy: Turn Off the Dark" and contains been broadly credited with making the show effective. He recently completed the script for MGM/Screen Gems' remake of "Barbara," using the Stephen King novel. Furthermore to being a co-producer on Fox's hit series "Glee," he composed this season's episode "The First Time,In . Aguirre-Sacasa also co-written the initial season of Marvel's new "Fantastic Four" comic with David Marquez.Best known to as banner behind the CW's hit series "Gossip Girl," Fake Empire's first film, "Fun Size," hits theaters in October. Furthermore to making with Savage, Schwartz directed the pic in the script by Max Werner. Fake Empire is presently developing "Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick," "Let it Snow," "The Luxe" as well as the Savage-scripted "The Likeness."Aguirre-Sacasa is repped by WME. Contact Rob Sneider at rob.sneider@variety.com

A history of Giant Steps

The wide appeal of 'Sabado Gigante' is tied directly to the approach of host Don Francisco, above center and below.Don Francisco on 'Sabado Gigante'Now celebrating a record-breaking 50 years on air, the key behind the longevity of "Sabado Gigante" lies with its creator and host Mario Kreutzberger -- aka Don Francisco -- whose pioneering spirit has driven the variety show to stay fresh, topical and above all, entertaining.It was ahead of the curve even when Kreutzberger launched it in 1962 in Chile, where television was still a nascent industry."?'Sabado Gigante' featured singing competitions way before 'American Idol' and dancing contests years before 'Dancing With the Stars,'?" says Antonio Ruiz, a partner at premier U.S. Hispanic ad agency the Vidal Partnership.For five uninterrupted decades, with no reruns, this three-hour program has been a Saturday night viewing habit for tens of millions of Spanish-speakers worldwide, including the U.S. Nielsen reports that "Sabado Gigante" ranked No. 1 among Hispanics 18-49 this season."The show's biggest highlight -- and I say this knowing that it could be interpreted as adulation -- is its host, Don Francisco, who has the ability to adapt and present the most diverse segments, from interviews with presidents and professionals to conversations with kids, introducing new singers or established performers (and) participating in comedy sketches," says Cuco Arias, VP-exec producer for "Sabado Gigante" and its younger offshoot, talkshow "Don Francisco Presenta."Arias has been with the show since December 1986, a few months after it launched in April that year on Miami station WLTV-Channel 23 and just as the possibility of broadcasting it nationwide via Univision began to be considered. Once decided, Arias' initial task was to hold auditions across the U.S. to seek contestants and talent for the show."At first it was difficult to book contestants or guests, because Hispanics weren't used to participating in TV shows in the U.S.," he recalls. "At the auditions, we tried to find the most outgoing applicants, those who could contribute something entertaining or lighthearted to the show and that were willing to tell us a bit about their lives, their families."Speaking from his vineyard in Chile, Kreutzberger relates how he made Saturdays his own, expanding what started as a one-hour show to fill up some eight hours. Then to top it off, he conducted a two-hour talk show, "Night of Giants" in the evening."I was on air for almost 10 hours a week from 1968 to 1986," he recalls.He then decided to take "Sabado Gigante" to the U.S. and cut the show time in half in order to do four hours in Chile and four in Miami. For some six years, he shuttled between Miami and Santiago de Chile, spending three-and-a-half days in each.In his autobiography "Life, Camera, Action!" he relates how it got so maddening in the race to the airport every week that he was involved in at least two car crashes. In one accident that totaled his car, the man whose car he hit recognized him and rushed him to the airport."I was supported only by my ego," he muses.Those madcap days are over, and he now produces the show just once a month in Chile, while the three versions of "Sabado Gigante" (U.S., international and Chilean) are shot in Miami, with 50% done live.He also uses his visits to Chile to conduct a long-running telethon that funds the construction of hospitals, one of many philanthropic causes he champions."Sabado Gigante" continues to reach 1.4 million to 1.5 million households a week, a slight dip from its peak between 2004 and 2006 of 1.6 million to 1.7 million households. But it has also learned to adjust to the advances in technology, social media and audience habits."We were the first to launch a web page in the U.S. Hispanic market, even ahead of Univision, some 17 years ago," Kreutzberger points out.As Don Francisco, he never fails to mention the show's Facebook and Twitter accounts while bantering with his studio audience."In the longterm, we'd like to increase the show's interactivity so that viewers at home can have more extensive participation in the show through the different platforms that are available," says Arias.With the current proliferation of DVRs, Kreutzberger's insistence on integrating products and sponsored segments from the outset has made him appear even more forward-looking than his peers and kept the show profitable.The program also introduced closed captions in English in early February, to reach the fast-growing bilingual and English-dominant Hispanics in the U.S."In the early years, 'Sabado Gigante' attracted an average age group of 33 years, but now 45% of its audience is above 50," says Ruiz. "The show's main challenge is to capture a younger audience once more."Meanwhile, Kreutzberger is working on a documentary about "Sabado Gigante" to be ready by year's end. Celebrations will culminate in a live extravaganza at the Nokia Theater in September alongside flagship Univision station KMEX, which will also celebrate its 50th anniversary.'Sabado Gigante' at 50A history of Giant Steps | Francisco leaves his heart with his profession | 'Sabado' night fever Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com