'Casting bible' switching owners

LOS ANGELES, July 14 (UPI) -- Now Casting Inc. will take over the "casting bible" of the entertainment world, the "Academy Players Directory," it was reported in Hollywood.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said in a press release that the 70-year-old publication will not only change owners, but will shorten its publishing name to the "Players Directory."

"It feels strange for us to divest ourselves of a function that the academy has performed for nearly as long as the organization has been in existence," said academy President Sid Ganis. "For almost all of that time we were the only ones providing that particular service."

Since its original 248-page issue first was offered in 1937, the directory has been viewed as the quintessential casting directory for all of Hollywood, the release said.

"It's been a privilege to work with the academy over the past 15 months," said Now Casting Chief Executive Officer Bob Stewart, "and while we will miss that partnership, everyone at Now Casting is completely committed to maintaining the quality of service that users of the Academy Players Directory have come to expect and to doing justice to the industry-wide respect the publication has earned over its decades of existence."