For anyone who says that classic beauty cannot co-exist alongside superior acting chops hasn’t seen the work of Jess Weixler.  A trained Juilliard graduate, Weixler has made a serious splash with her ample ability to create layered performances that linger.  Her early role in the controversial film "Teeth" won her a Sundance Special Jury Prize, while her film "Peter and Vandy" showed the emotional range usually reserved for season vets of the craft – and that was just the beginning.  Her latest film titled "Free Samples" (On Demand May 21 and in theatres May 31 from Film Harvest) is by far ...

It’s not a stretch to say that while most Americans are struggling through the current economic crisis, Hollywood is battling its own creative recession as the industry continues to sink its money into remakes of old shows, superhero franchises and classic fairytales.

This is why it’s a crime against television that NBC’s “Parenthood” is so unacceptably under-watched and underappreciated. This cape-free show follows the lives of three generations of the tight-knit, wine-loving Braverman clan. With drama that's unflinchingly genuine, the show doesn’t just tug on the heartstrings, it downr...

NBC is likely getting tired of being referred to as "fourth place NBC." Last year's Jay Leno experiment was clearly a disaster and served as a boon for TBS, which won the Conan sweepstakes. This fall, NBC has fresher programming. With aging favorites and risky new underdogs, does the network have a shot at moving up the ratings ladder, even to third place? Time will tell. Stranger things have happened. Here's a look at what new shows could make the grade and what's in store for old favorites.

New shows

Chase
September 20 at 10 PM EST
In this gritty crime drama from (you guessed it)...

And one of the reasons is because lead Jason Ritter doesn't even know what "The Event" is.

"I've been in the dark," he joked, saying the producers haven't told him the earth-shattering occurrence. "I'm pretty terrible at keeping secrets, so it's actually a relief not to know what the event is."

"It's all about ramping up to the event," said co-star Blair Underwood, and says that the consequences and aftermath play a big role. "It's something that can potentially change the course of mankind as we know it."

"The Event," which begins airing next week on NBC, follows a video game develope...

Happy Birthday to "3rd Rock from the Sun" actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt (1981), socialite Paris Hilton (1981), actor Jason Ritter (1980), "Crossing Jordan" actor Jerry O'Connell (1974), country singer Bryan White (1974), Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong (1972), actress Denise Richards (1972), R&B/jazz singer Chante Moore (1967), basketball legend Michael Jordan (1963), comedian Larry the Cable Guy (1963), actor Lou Diamond Phillips (1962), Celtic singer Loreena McKennitt (1957), actress Rene Russo (1954), NFL running back-turned-actor Jim Brown (1936), "Home Improvement" star Richard Karn...

Christina Applegate, LL Cool J, David Krumholtz, Eva Longoria, Rob Morrow, Emily Procter, Skeet Ulrich, Ashley Scott, David Spade, Wanda Sykes, Kiefer Sutherland, Kate Walsh, Chandra Wilson, Howie Mandel, Isaiah Washington, Jason Ritter, Lizzy Caplan and Miley Cyrus have been announced as presenters on "The 33rd Annual People's Choice Awards," to be broadcast live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Jan. 9 (9:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on CBS. Queen Latifah will host.

Cast members from some of today's hottest shows will also be in attendance for the "Favorite New ...

On the fifth season premiere of CSI: Miami (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT), Horatio and Delko are close to catching Riaz, Marisol's killer, in Rio. There, Horatio reunites with Yelina and learns that his brother Raymond is in too deep undercover in a drug ring run by Riaz.

To make matters worse, Horatio's nephew, Ray Jr., is working as a drug mule for Riaz, smuggling drugs into the U.S. Now, with the stakes set high, Horatio must catch Riaz before he takes the life of another member of Horatio's family. Scenes were shot on location in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

ALSO NEW TONIGHT:

* And...

CBS today announced plans to make TV history by partnering with TiVo Inc. to launch a new Fall show in an entirely original way -- not via a network premiere, a DVD, or the Internet, but on the TiVo service. TiVo subscribers will be the first in the nation to see the hot comedy CBS show The Class as early as a full week before its premiere on live TV.

The Class, starring Jason Ritter, is a new comedy about a group of twenty-somethings who are inextricably bound together by sharing the same third grade class.

In this innovative launch, TiVo subscribers will have an unparalleled opp...

CBS just announced the addition of four new series to its 2006-07 primetime line-up. The four new shows feature a roster of award-winning actors and executive producers and a unique mix of concepts and genres. The freshman series include The Class, a young and sexy ensemble comedy; Smith, a high octane heist thriller starring Ray Liotta and Virginia Madsen; the apocalyptic drama Jericho starring Skeet Ulrich; and Shark, a glossy, high-stakes courtroom drama starring James Woods.

In an impressive achievement, CBS is returning six of its freshman series, which strengthened four nights o...

Rocker Fred Durst will make his feature directorial debut on the independent film The Education Of Charlie Banks. The story centers on a Vassar College student who gets an unannounced visit from the scariest kid from his old New York neighborhood.

Jesse Eisenberg, who played son Walt Berkman in The Squid And The Whale, will star in the film, along with Jason Ritter and Chris Marquette.

The Limp Bizkit frontman has stepped behind the camera before - he directed many of the band's music videos. Shooting on the project begins June 12 in Providence, Rhode Island.

(This news art...

John Ritter's family has reached a settlement with officials at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in California after suing the medics there for wrongful death and medical malpractice. Ritter died in the hospital in 2003 after collapsing on the set of his sitcom Eight Simple Rules.

Ritter's wife Amy Yasbeck and son Jason Ritter maintained the actor's life would have been saved had it not been for some costly mistakes. A court hearing, which is expected to end the legal dispute, will take place tomorrow.

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)

Happy Birthday to "3rd Rock from the Sun" actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt (1981), socialite Paris Hilton (1981), actor Jason Ritter (1980), "Crossing Jordan" actor Jerry O'Connell (1974), country singer Bryan White (1974), Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong (1972), actress Denise Richards (1972), R&B/jazz singer Chante Moore (1967), basketball legend Michael Jordan (1963), comedian Larry the Cable Guy (1963), actor Lou Diamond Phillips (1962), Celtic singer Loreena McKennitt (1957), actress Rene Russo (1954), NFL running back-turned-actor Jim Brown (1936), "Home Improvement" star Richard Karn...