Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe BRYANT GUMBEL Bryant Gumbel is stepping down as anchor of CBS's morning news program "The Early Show." Advertisement In a statement, Gumbel said: "After more than 17 years of hosting a morning news program, I feel it's time for me to move on and do something else with my life." No word on when he'll leave the show he's anchored for two-and-a-half years since its beginning in November 1999. Gumbel signed with CBS in May 1997 after working for NBC for nearly 25 years -- 15 of them as the host of "The Today Show." With CBS, he hosted the 49th Annual Emmy Awards and anchored the primetime CBS News magazine "Public Eye with Bryant Gumbel" (1997-98). In addition to his duties at CBS News, Gumbel hosts the HBO series "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel." WOODY ALLEN Woody Allen will make his first visit to the Cannes film festival when his new movie "Hollywood Ending" opens this year's festival on May 15. Advertisement Allen stars in the movie as a washed-up director who hasn't had a hit since the '80s. He finally gets a picture, but loses his eyesight -- and is so anxious not to lose the gig that he tries to direct anyway. Other Allen films shown at Cannes include "Hannah and Her Sisters," "Manhattan" and "The Purple Rose of Cairo." Festival organizers issued a statement from Allen, in which he explained why he decided to appear at Cannes for the first time. "The French were my first supporters and have always showed huge generosity toward me," the filmmaker said in the statement. "Over the last few years, they have invited me so many times that I now want to offer them something in return -- I will therefore come personally to present my film 'Hollywood Ending.'" Allen has made more frequent public appearances to promote his movies in recent years. Last year, at a rare public appearance in London, he answered questions from the audience at the National Film Theatre. He also played jazz and sat for interviews with newspapers in a handful U.S. cities to promote "The Curse of the Jade Scorpion." Last month, Allen appeared for the first time ever at the Academy Awards, where he introduced a film tribute to New York. Advertisement (Thanks to UPI Hollywood Reporter Pat Nason) FIRST ANNUAL TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL The first annual Tribeca Film Festival -- co-founded by actor Robert De Niro and his partner, Jane Rosenthal -- will be held May 8-12 in New York City. The five-day festival celebrates the spirit of New York City and the international independent film community at home and abroad. There will be 55 feature, documentary and short films in competition, including 11 world premieres, 5 U.S. premieres and 11 New York premieres. More than 13,000 films from around the world were submitted for consideration for the festival's inaugural year. On Thursday, festival officials also announced the kick-off of "American Express Presents The People's Choice Best of New York Film." It's an online vote for the public's favorite movie that celebrates New York City. People can choose from more than 250 films listed on the Web site (tribecafilmfestival.org) or enter their own favorite New York film. The top vote-getting film will be screened at the Tribeca Film Festival on May 9. Other highlights of the Tribeca Film Festival include the "Tribeca Film Festival Rock and Comedy Concert" in Battery Park on May 10. The free, public concert will feature A-list musical and comedy performances for an audience of 10,000 people. Advertisement May 11-12 will be the "Tribeca Family Festival," a family program that'll include an all-day carnival, film screenings, picnics and other entertainment all taking place throughout the streets of Tribeca. (Tickets will go on sale in mid-April. For more information, call 1-866-941-FEST (3378), or visit the Tribeca Film Festival Web site at tribecafilmfestival.org.) BEA ARTHUR For some time, actress Bea Arthur's one-woman show "Just Between Friends" has been packing the house in the Big Apple. Now, according to columnist Liz Smith, the venerable thespian has announced that the run will end April 14. Meanwhile, some of New York's brightest lights have been attending Arthur's show and laughing and crying with the best of them. Smith says that recently, Sarah Jessica Parker, Joan Rivers, Marilyn Horne, Beverly Sills, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Chita Rivera have been in the audience. Arthur is best known to many as the feisty "Maude" of TV fame, a spin-off of "All in the Family," and her years in another highly successful series, "The Golden Girls." But she spent 25 years on the legitimate stage before becoming a TV icon. During her years in TV she was nominated for the Emmy award nine times; she won an Emmy for her work in each of the two series. Additionally, she won a Tony for her leading role in "Mame" on Broadway in the 1960s. Advertisement (Thanks to UPI's Dennis Daily) REVLON RUN/WALK FOR WOMEN Renee Zellweger and Andy Garcia will co-host the ninth annual Revlon Run/Walk for Women May 11 in Los Angeles. More than 60,000 people are expected to take part in the event, which raises money for breast and ovarian cancer research, awareness and prevention programs. The Run/Walk -- one of the nation's largest 5K fundraising events -- begins at 8 a.m. (PDT) at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Exposition Park. Zellweger and Garcia will preside over the opening ceremonies, along with Revlon spokesperson Karen Duffy. (For more information, call 310-393-6344 or log on to revlonrunwalk.com)
