Director Todd Phillips (of Hangover, Road Trip and Old School fame) is now repped by Anonymous Content for commercials. Among Phillips’ notable ad endeavors is the 2012 Super Bowl spot titled “Matthew’s Day Off” for Honda’s CR-V and starring Matthew Broderick. “Day Off”–produced by Phillips’ former commercialmaking roost, Moxie Pictures, for agency RPA–paid homage to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, the 1986 feature film directed by John Hughes with Broderick in the title role…..Director David Brashear has joined Harpoon Pictures, marking his first signing with a production house. Brashear built his first reel by pitching commercial concepts for brands through crowd sourcing sites such as Tongal and Poptent. His focus has been for brands with strong comedic tones such as Ben & Jerry’s, Snickers, Chips Ahoy, and Pepsi Max. Brashear’s Super Bowl spot for Speed Stick Power, titled “Unattended Laundry,” was conceived through this process….Motion graphics artist Kevin O’Rourke has joined hybrid digital media company Utopic. He was formerly a designer at Red Car, Chicago. Prior to his three-and-a-half year stay there, O’Rourke was a sr. designer at Universal Images/Detroit from 2008 to 2010, and Postique/Detroit, from 2002 to 2007….Whitehouse Post editor Brian May returns stateside to call the New York office his new home after a stint at the company’s Amsterdam outpost. May began working for Whitehouse Post in Los Angeles and is now embarking on his sixth year with the company. His credits include spots for such clients as Microsoft, Walmart, Ping and Nike….
Gene Hackman Died Of Heart Disease; Hantavirus Claimed His Wife’s Life About One Week Prior
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, authorities revealed Friday. Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference. "Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death." Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, pet store and grocery before returning to their gated neighborhood that afternoon, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18, the day he likely died, Jarrell said. Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said. "It's quite possible he was not aware she was deceased," Jarrell said. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer's disease and unable to deal with his wife's death in the last week of his life. "You are talking about very severe Alzheimer's disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care... Read More