Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe EMMYS MAY MOVE TO HBO The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences reportedly is near a deal that would move the Emmy Awards telecast from one of the major networks to the premium cable station HBO. Advertisement The Hollywood Reporter says HBO would air the star-studded event for the next five years, beginning with the 55th annual ceremony in 2003. The change would mark the first time television's top awards show would be carried on cable. With popular series like "Sex and the City," "The Sopranos" and "Six Feet Under," HBO has collected dozens of Emmys over the past few years. This year, the pay cable station even tied NBC with a leading 24 awards, THR notes. The Emmys telecast usually rotates among ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC, paying about $3 million annually for the honor. But apparently the Big Four weren't willing to pay the kind of money the Television Academy was looking for. Advertisement HBO appears to be the leading bidder for the Emmycast, willing to fork over $10 million a year for the rights, plus assorted marketing expenses, while the four major networks were reportedly offering around $3.5 million per year, the trade paper says. One problem with broadcasting the awards show on HBO is the cable channel only has 38 million subscribers -- a fraction of the 106.7 million television homes in the United States. Another fly in the ointment is that, as a pay-cable network, HBO also doesn't show commercials, which could mean it's willing to lose money for the prestige of broadcasting the ceremony. BOND SPIN-OFF FOR BERRY? The filmmakers behind the James Bond adventure series reportedly were so happy with Halle Berry's performance as the Bond babe Jinx, they are considering giving the Oscar-winning actress her own movie franchise. Berry told E! News Live she is in talks with MGM and 007 producers, Eon Productions, about reprising the Jinx role in what would become the first Bond-based spinoff series in the franchise's 40-year history. "Isn't it just crazy?" Berry asks E! "If Jinx could stay just as she is and evolve even further, and if they'd put the loving care that they put into James Bond -- I absolutely would -- I'd do it in a heartbeat." Advertisement MGM did not return phone calls seeking comment on the story, and reps for England-based Eon Productions were unavailable. "Die Another Day," which stars Pierce Brosnan as the super-spy, opens nationwide Nov. 22. NEW BABY FOR NOAH Noah Wyle's wife, Tracy, has given birth to their first child -- a healthy little boy named Owen Strausser Wyle. According to the "ER" actor's publicist, Baby Wyle was born over the weekend at a Los Angeles-area hospital. "The three are home, healthy and very, very happy," says Eddie Michaels. The stork has been busily delivering celebrity offspring over the past couple of months. Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick recently welcomed their first child, also a boy, into the world in New York, while across the pond married British actors Sadie Frost and Jude Law, and supermodel Kate Moss became new parents, as well. PENNY MARSHALL TO RETURN TO TV Television is welcoming Penny Marshall home. The woman who began her career on the popular sit-coms "Happy Days" and "Laverne & Shirley," then went on to direct "Big," "A League of Their Own" and "Riding in Cars with Boys," has made a deal with Universal Network Television to develop, produce and star in a comedy series. Advertisement According to The Hollywood Reporter, the beloved actor-director also has agreed to develop, produce and possibly direct other series projects for the studio. She already is meeting with writers from the Universal roster to discuss ideas for her comedy vehicle, in which she will star or be a part of an ensemble cast. She also is working on a drama project for the studio, on which she would executive produce and direct the pilot.
