Buzz Briefs: Motown Records, Gandolfini

(AP) 
Motown Records Celebrates 50th Anniversary

Get ready: The year of Motown memories has begun.

Monday officially starts the 50th anniversary of Motown Records. That's the date in 1959 that Berry Gordy Jr. secured an $800 loan to start the company that soon would spin out chart-topping hits by Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, the Temptations and many others.

Monday has been declared "Motown Day" by local, state and national politicians at the Motown Historical Museum, the former studio.

They gathered with numerous label veterans including the Four Tops' Abdul "Duke" Fakir, and members of the Miracles, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas and Rare Earth.


Gandolfini Stars On B'Way In "God Of Carnage"

James Gandolfini - from HBO's classic mob series "The Sopranos" - will star with Jeff Daniels, Hope Davis and Marcia Gay Harden in "God of Carnage," Yasmina Reza's four-character Broadway play about the clash between two liberal, middle-class couples.

The play opens March 22 at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. It begins preview performances Feb. 28.

"God of Carnage" was a hit last year in London with a cast that included Ralph Fiennes and Janet McTeer. The director is Matthew Warchus, who also directed Reza's comedy "Art" in London and New York.


Piven Followed Doctor's Orders & Departed B'Way

Jeremy Piven says his decision to abruptly leave the Broadway revival of "Speed-the-Plow" in mid-run because of mercury poisoning was "a completely humbling experience."

Speaking publicly Sunday for the first time about the incident, Piven told former football star Tiki Barber during NBC's Golden Globes red-carpet show: "I don't know if they've ever taken you out of a game or if you've had to kind of stop a season short, but that's basically what the doctors did to me. I could have gone against doctors orders. I didn't. I'm just grateful to be here to be honest with you."

Piven departed the critically praised production of David Mamet's comedy in December, less than two months after the show opened in New York.


Mexican Actor Gael Garcia Bernal Becomes A Dad

It's a boy for Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal and Argentine actress Dolores Fonzi.

Garcia Bernal's spokeswoman Icunacury Acosta says the baby is named Lazaro. He was born Thursday in Madrid, Spain.

Acosta said in a statement Monday that the new parents and baby are "very happy, tired and in excellent health."

Garcia Bernal became an international star with the movie "Amores Perros." He also appeared in "The Motorcycle Diaries" and "Babel."

He may soon be arranging play dates with his lifelong friend, Mexican actor Diego Luna.

Luna became a dad in August when his wife, Camila Sodi, gave birth to a boy.

Garcia Bernal and Luna appear together in the movies "Y Tu Mama Tambien" and "Rudo y Cursi."


French Actor/Director Claude Berri Dies At 74

French actor, director and producer Claude Berri, an institution in French cinema for more than half a century, died Monday at age 74. President Nicolas Sarkozy hailed him as "legendary."

Agent Dominique Segall said Berri died of a "cerebral-vascular" problem - language often used for a stroke.

Berri produced Roman Polanski's "Tess" in 1979 and directed movies including "Jean de Florette" in 1986 and "Manon des Sources" ("Manon of the Spring"), both adapted from Marcel Pagnol's vision of the French countryside.

Berri's short film "Le Poulet" won an Oscar in 1965.

He was in the midst of directing "Tresor" ("Treasure") - his 20th directing project - when he died, Segall said. "It will continue despite his departure," the agent added.

Berri was involved in every aspect of cinema over more than a half-century as actor, writer, director and producer. But his reach into international mainstream cinema was limited and worldwide Berri was not the grand figure that he was in France.

Sarkozy paid tribute to Berri as "the most legendary figure of French cinema" and "the great ambassador" of French film in the world.

Berri earlier acted in films by Claude Chabrol.


NY Philharmonic To Perform In Hanoi, Abu Dhabi

The New York Philharmonic says it will perform for the first time in Hanoi and Abu Dhabi next season.

The Philharmonic has performed in 59 countries - including in North Korea - but never in Vietnam or in the Middle Eastern country.

Alan Gilbert, in his debut season as music director of the nation's oldest orchestra, will led the musicians in the tour in October.

The 2009-2010 season officially starts Sept. 16 with a gala concert featuring soprano Renee Fleming and the world premiere of a work by Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg.