Apatow, Brooks and Gelbart to crack up Academy

Oct 18, 2007 by Ian Evans

Three funny filmmakers — Judd Apatow, James L. Brooks and Larry Gelbart — will help the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences crack the code of contemporary screen comedy during the “Three Masters of Comedy” event on Friday, November 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The trio will participate in a candid roundtable discussion about the “funny business.” The event is presented under the banner of the Academy’s Jack Oakie Celebration of Comedy in Film.

The Jack Oakie Celebration of Comedy in Film provides an opportunity for established filmmakers and historians to share their experiences and to discuss the specific challenges and delights of the comedy genre. The celebration is named in memory of character actor Jack Oakie, whose career included vaudeville, Broadway musicals and 87 motion pictures, most of them comedies or musical comedies. He appeared in such notable films as Once in a Lifetime, Million Dollar Legs and It Happened Tomorrow, and received an Oscar nomination for his supporting role in The Great Dictator.

Tickets to “Three Masters of Comedy — Judd Apatow, James L. Brooks and Larry Gelbart” are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with valid ID. Tickets may be purchased online at www.oscars.org until noon PT on the day of the event. There are no minimum order requirements and no transaction or processing fees. Tickets may also be purchased by mail or in person at the Academy box office during regular business hours. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For additional information, call (310) 247-3600.