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This isn't Sam answering questions. It's Rob Lowe, summer 1999.
© NBC Photo: Chris Haston
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Note: Many newspapers only leave articles on the web for 30 days so if it is 30 days past the date, below, expect the article to not be there:
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- May 1, 2006 - The LAByrinth Theater Company, a non-profit theater in New York will be hosting an online fundraising auction event that will include a "Script of the West Wing (2nd to last episode; signed by the cast) donated by Cast of The West Wing."
- "The auction takes place on eBay, from May 5-15th at www.labtheater.org/celebrityattic. Funds raised will support new play
development for LAByrinth Theater Company."
- April 30, 2006 (2nd)- "Susan" of the Josh/Donna Discussion Group on Yahoo posted:
- "Ellen's guest (according to TIVO) on Thursday, May 11th is the cast of The West Wing."
- April 30, 2006 (1st)- "Danielle" of the Josh/Donna Discussion Group on Yahoo posted this link to
- a section
where you can play all the special features pieces from the various
DVD box sets season 1 - 6. "This will be of special interest to viewers
in Europe and the UK as our boxsets don't contain any special
features. You can't save any of these but they canbe viewed with
either Real Player or Windows Media Player."
- April 11, 2006-
- New York Times April 10, 2006: "'West Wing' Writers' Novel Way of Picking the President"
- April 10, 2006- Transcript of PBS discussion with Aaron Sorkin and West Wing cast members, from October 2000 (which we just discovered):
- PBS's "The News Houur": Media correspondent Terence Smith looks at NBC's popular White House drama series, "The West Wing."
- March 21, 2006- Got this from a consistently reliable source:
- "...the cast taped an episode of 'Ellen' to be used the week prior to the series finale."
- March 19, 2006-
- If you miss episodes on NBC on Sunday night, you may be able to pick up the episode from Bravo on the next (Monday) night for a one time possibility.
- March 4, 2006- Mark Kremnitzer emailed us a link about which said: A friend of mine went down to the Church on Chalres Street in Baltimore. He snapped some photos;
- March 3, 2006- from postings on the Television Without Pity's West Wing Forum on location shootings in the D.C./Baltimore area today and tomorrow:
- "Miscellany" posted: someone on the Cleveland Park list-serv had this to say:
"They are filming on Sunday in front of John Eaton on Lowell between
33rd and 34th. It seems that they are pretty much shutting down 33rd
between Macomb and Woodley, and will be parking their production
vehicles on Macomb."
- "mgoshawk" posted this From the Baltimore Sun:
"Hot tip for motorists: Avoid the 5200 block of N. Charles St. this morning.
"Hot tip for West Wing fans: Head for the 5200 block of N. Charles St. this morning.
"I have it on good authority - a Catholic church secretary - that the TV series is shooting at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen.
"The city's Department of Transportation sent out a news release yesterday urging motorists to skip Charles and take Roland Avenue or York Road instead because of unspecified 'filming' at the church. DOT officials wouldn't say who'd be shooting what. Ditto for state film office folks.
"But the nice lady who answers the phone at the cathedral confirmed the rumor I'd heard: that West Wing was coming to shoot Leo McGarry's funeral. (John Spencer, the actor who played the presidential chief of staff-turned-vice presidential candidate, died in December.)."
- March 2, 2006- "clemens" posted on the Television Without Pity's West Wing Forum
- "I just got an email indicating that TWW will be filming in Baltimore and Washington on March 3, 4 and 5."
And "gryffindorlioness2" posted on the Josh/Donna Discussion Group on Yahoo a link to a casting call for extras:
Betsy Royall Casting, C.S.A.
And a link to a Washington Post item that gave information about where they are scheducled to shoot:
"They're scheduled for Cleveland Park Saturday, but
we're guessing they'll be all over town. It's the last Washington
shoot before they go to the big presidential house in the sky....
"Apparently they're shooting exterior shots at the White House over the weekend, according to the show's publicist."
- March 1, 2006 (2nd) - "Canadian Tyler" posted on the Television Without Pity's West Wing Forum a link to ABCNews/Reuters announcement:
- Feb 28, 2006 By Nellie Andreeva
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Rob Lowe and eight other alumni of "The West Wing" are set to return for the White House drama's final episodes....
"Lowe, who quit in 2003 partly because he was getting less screen time, will reprise his role as speechwriter Sam Seaborn in the show's final two episodes.
Also reprising their roles with appearances in one or more of the drama's final five episodes are Mary-Louise Parker, Anna Deavere Smith, Emily Procter, Marlee Matlin, Gary Cole, Tim Matheson, Timothy Busfield and Annabeth Gish.
- March 1, 2006 (1st) - "FilmBuff90" posted on the Television Without Pity's West Wing Forum a link to http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php?id=13377:
- "Bradley Whitford will reunite with former The West Wing bosses Aaron Sorkin and Tommy Schlamme on NBC's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Whitford, who joins previously announced castmates including Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet and D.L. Hughley, will play producer-director Danny Tripp, a recovering cocaine addict who returns to run the show.
Sarah Paulson (The D.A.) will play Christian fundamentalist Harriet Hayes on the Warner Bros. TV pilot. And Timothy Busfield not only will play Cal, the control room director, on the show, but also will serve as a producing director on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip."
- February 28, 2006 - Michele posted on the Josh/Donna Discussion Group on Yahoo:
- According to The Hollywood Reporter this morning.
Meanwhile, "The West Wing" co-star Bradley Whitford has joined Aaron
Sorkin's new show, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," with Sarah Paulson
and Timothy Busfield also coming on board the NBC drama
He will be playing Danny.
- January 30, 2006 - Clothes Off Our Back is auctioning off Bradley Whitford Item In Online Charity Auction
- Bradley Whitford's Philip Stein Teslar watch and Sama sunglasses from the recent Screen Actors Guild Awards are currently up for auction at www.clothesoffourback.org. Proceeds benefit children's charities.
- January 27, 2006 - Defamer Blog is reporting:
- "NBC gives a 13 episode commitment to the Aaron Sorkin/Thomas Schlamme behind-the-scenes-at-an-SNLesque-show series, which has lost the name Studio 7, but gained Matthew Perry, Steven Weber, and DL Hughley as stars."
- January 25, 2006 - The ever reliable TVShowsonDVD.com sent out a notice late yesterday:
- Warner To Bring 6th Season DVDs In Time For Series Finale This May - 7:57 PM 1/24/2006 The penultimate season of "The West Wing" is coming to DVD, just in time for the show's broadcast run to finish up. We've got the early details, and a small pic of the box, in the TVShowsOnDVD News.
URL: http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/newsitem.cfm?NewsID=4977
- January 22, 2006 - Robb Vaules and David Camerlinck sent us this news item which states:
- "PASADENA, Calif. - The new president on 'The West Wing' will be a real short-timer: NBC announced Sunday it was pulling the plug on the Emmy-winning political drama after seven seasons in May....
"The series finale will be May 14, preceded by a one-hour retrospective. The campaign to replace the fictional Josiah Bartlet as president will be settled, NBC said.
"Producers Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme, who created the show and guided it through its early years, will not be involved in the finale, Reilly said."
- January 5, 2006 - Season 7 is about to start in Ireland:
- "Series 7 kicks off on RTE 1 this Thursday, 5th January at 10.45pm"
- December 22, 2005 - Joy Adams sent us another link to an article from the Seattle Times/New York Daily News about how the death of John Spencer will affect the show:
- "John Spencer's Leo McGarry wasn't the star of NBC's 'The West Wing.'
"He was more than that.
"He was the show's connective tissue...
"'The West Wing' worked from the beginning because it illustrated how power works.
"When your challenge is to illustrate the art of the possible, John Spencer made Leo McGarry into exactly the guy you wanted holding the brush."
- December 21, 2005 - David Lomazoff sent us information from TV Guide: Entertainment News, by Matt Webb Mitovich
- "WINGING IT: The latest word from NBC is that writers for The West Wing are in no hurry to address the off-screen death of original cast member John Spencer, who died of a heart attack on Friday. The political drama, currently on holiday hiatus, has five completed episodes (two featuring Spencer's character, Leo McGarry) in the can. The last one isn't slated to air until March 19, after network coverage of the Winter Olympics."
- December 20, 2005 - Eonline: Which Way for "The West Wing"?
- "Back in 1912, Taft's running mate, Vice President James Sherman, died six days before Election Day....
"Now on hiatus, West Wing was scheduled to return Jan. 8 with an already completed episode featuring McGarry and Governor Sullivan (Brett Cullen), his Republican counterpart, gearing up for a V.P. debate.
"Slightly more than half of the season's 22 shows are in the can, leaving producers and writers only about eight episodes to tie up their presidential election--and acknowledge or deny the death of Spencer....
"Outpouring of sympathy or no for the deceased Sherman, Taft's Republican ticket finished a dismal third behind third-party maverick Theodore Roosevelt and Democratic victor Woodrow Wilson."
- December 19, 2005 - New York Times Obituary on John Spencer and Information on the Effect on the Show
- "The producer, Lawrence O'Donnell.... said five more episodes had been completed.... The episode or episodes in which the election takes place have not yet been filmed, Mr. O'Donnell said, nor have producers said when the fictional election would be broadcast."
- December 16, 2005 - We learned today from our visitors that John Spencer (who plays Leo McGarry) died today of a Heart Attack. We would like to ask the following people for sending us the information and the links to this sad information:
- Leslie Galen, was the first person to reach us with the news.
- Steven Tharpe sent us the AP headline.
- "Larry" sent us a link to the Washingtong Post story
- Bruce Benten sent the AP article from Yahoo News.
- Two minutes later Steve sent us the same link.
- Matthew Klamm sent us the link to the MSNBC story
- December 15, 2005 - "mgoshawk" sent us a link to a new The West Wing Wiki which you can help edit.
- October 30, 2005 - "mgoshawk" posted on Television Without Pity's West Wing Forum:
- "According to the official website of the Colbert Report, it seems that Bradley Whitford will be a guest next Thursday, November 3! They seem to put some of clips of the show online, but not all of them. We'll have to see."
- October 17, 2005 - Corina I. MacLean sent us information from an article in The Hollywood Reporter by Andrew Wallenstein:
- "...A draft of Sorkin's spec script making the rounds in
Hollywood last week depicts the behind-the-scenes
tumult of a fictional sketch-comedy show in the mold
of 'Saturday Night Live,' as well as the corporate
culture of a TV network not unlike NBC....
"...NBC is not believed to be making a multi-episode
commitment to 'Studio,' ...the penalty attached to the
project is said to be so massive that it virtually
assures 'Studio' a spot on the fall 2006 schedule.
"Sources pegged the license fee for the pilot well
north of $3 million, making it one of the most
expensive pilots NBC ever has ordered. If the penalty
were triggered, sources suggested, it could turn
'Studio' into an eight-figure deal....
"Among the terms of the deal NBC agreed to included
ensuring the program was not scheduled in an 8 p.m.
time slot or on ratings-troubled nights, and resolving
issues related to creative control....
"The irony of the 'Studio' pickup is that the series'
subject matter echoes just the kind of network
backroom maneuvering NBC engaged in to reach a deal
with Sorkin and Schlamme.
"Judging from the spec script Sorkin turned in,
'Studio' offers an insider's view of the TV industry,
complete with headstrong executives and egotistical
celebrities. The action takes place at the fictional
'Studio 7,' a long-running live sketch-comedy series
obviously inspired by "SNL."
"However, some other aspects of the series might also
be inspired by NBC. Although 'Studio' centers on a
fictional broadcast network called UBS -- a subsidiary
of the equally fictional conglomerate Atlantic Media
Group -- it depicts a war of wills between its
chairman and new network president that feels oddly
familiar.
"In one scene, the chairman tells the president that he
has designs on the chairmanship of Atlantic and needs
to prove he can delegate authority -- urging the new
president to excel quickly or risk getting fired.
"The tense chain of command depicted in "Studio" is
shades of a similar power struggle that seems to be
playing out at NBC, where recent reports have NBC Uni
Television Group president Jeff Zucker keeping one eye
on the CEO post at General Electric occupied by Jack
Welch and the other on Reilly, who in recent months
has been subject to rumors of impending job
termination. The president of the network in 'Studio'
however, is a 'likable,' sexy, thirty-something
female.
"Sorkin might have even written a thinly veiled version
of himself into the script, creating the character of
talented TV scribe whose career is compromised by
cocaine use...."
- October 16, 2005 - Hollywood Reporter: NBC wins Sorkin-Schlamme bidding war
- "NBC has emerged the winner of a broadcast bidding war over a new series from Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme with Warner Bros. Television, according to sources. The peacock topped CBS to commit to a project that takes a behind-the-scenes look at a sketch-comedy series not unlike 'Saturday Night Live.' Details of the commitment are still being determined in negotiations ongoing Friday. The script, titled "Studio 7," was written on spec by Sorkin...."
- October 15, 2005 -
- NBC has a news article out on the Live Debate episode scheduled for November 6.
- October 14, 2005 (2nd post) - "mgoshawk" posted on Television Without Pity's West Wing Forum:
- NBC's Campaign Sites are now live!
- October 14, 2005 (1st post) - "thefutoncritic" of thefutoncritic.com posted on Television Without Pity's West Wing Forum notification that West Wing will probably be pre-empted most Sundays in November:
- That night (November 13) from 9-11 p.m. is a two-hour special "Saturday Night Live: The '80s."
On November 20, "The Poseidon Adventure" runs from 8-11 p.m.
On November 27, part one of "10.5: Apocalypse" airs from 9-11 p.m. although its not clear what will air at 8-9 p.m.
- October 13, 2005 - "MurphMan" posted on Television Without Pity's House Forum a reminder of
- "the Season 6 marathon on Bravo. They run six two times a day this week (as already mentioned and heavily advertised on the cable channel)."
- October 12, 2005 - smokeless posted on Television Without Pity's West Wing Forum
- "news for Irish West Wing fans.... The national broadcaster RTE replied to my e-mail (asking when the 7th season would start) saying.... they have secured Season 7 but it will not be considered for a transmission slot until 2006."
- October 9, 2005 - Randy Poplock —
MPA, Environmental Policy has created the below bumper sticker and made it available for sale saying: "All proceeds from stickers benefit Democracy for Washington"
- September 26, 2005 - GoldenDomer posted on Television Without Pity's West Wing Forum
- "CBS stayed in front at 8 p.m. with the rest of "60 Minutes" and "Cold Case," scoring an 11.0/17. The second hour of "Home Edition" improved to 9.9/15 for ABC. "The West Wing" premiered to a 5.6/8 on its new night for NBC, edging "The Simpsons" and "The War at Home" on FOX (although FOX had more total viewers for the hour). The season premiere of "Charmed" posted a 2.5/4 for The WB."
- And also on September 26, 2005
- Nieslsen overnights
- August 7, 2005 - Ruth Bennie emailed us after she heard Rob Lowe being interviewed on the radio in Britain. Shs says of the interview:
- "When asked about The West Wing he said that they do want him to make some more appearances and that he's waiting to see what they can come up with."
(The interview was on the Jonathan Ross show on BBC Radio 2 and you can listen to the interview via the link on this page:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/ross/)
Fiordiligi posted on on the Television Without Pity's West Wing Forum that the part of the above radio show interview with Rob Lowe is "about 2hrs 38mins into the programme and you can fast-forward."
- July 10, 2005 - To those of you in Britain, Ireland or Europe who use Region 2 DVD players (and those of you in other parts of the world with Region Free players):
- Amazon UK is now listing Season 6 Available for Pre-Order in Region 2 DVDs (shipping September 26, 2005).
(Note: Above Region 2 DVDs won't play on most North American DVD players.)
- July 9, 2005 - "mgoshawk" emailed us that several places are reporting that NBC will be doing reruns:
- "there are going to be reruns on upcoming Saturdays, always at 8PM and
9PM ET."
- "The Dover Test" and "In The Room" showing on July 23rd.
- "Impact Winter" and "Faith Based Initiative" showing on July 30.
Reported by
- July 4, 2005 - There is a new source for news about the show:
- The West Wing News Blog
- June 10, 2005 - Steve Spiker emailed us a link to a news item at the
Internet Movie Database:
- "Lowe Returning to 'The West Wing'?" (note the question mark)
"Rob Lowe will return to NBC's The West Wing for at least five episodes
next November, syndicated columnist Liz Smith reported today (Friday).
According to Smith, who cited no sources, Martin Sheen is responsible
for negotiating Lowe's return. "Sheen was very unhappy when Rob left
the show in a dispute over salary and story line," Smith wrote, adding,
"The dotted line has not yet been signed, but the pen is hovering."
When Lowe left The West Wing in 2003, it was explained that his
character, Deputy Communications Director Sam Seaborn, had left the
White House to run for a seat in the House of Representatives. In real
life, Lowe starred in two TV series, The Lyon's Den and Dr. Vegas, each
of which quickly flopped."
- May 31, 2005 - Although we still have a million mistakes to correct that people have sent us, we have become interersted in another current TV show and have put together An Episode Guide for Fox's "House MD": which we think resolves around a character derived from Sherlock Holmes but still totally himself. There are also shades of Toby. Anybody else find this show fascinating? Who would think we would find writers we trusted as much as Sorkin? Okay, the plots are not so very different from each other but they represent the scientific method in practice. Show is now in reruns for the summer and if you haven't caught it, let us recommend it very strongly. We swore we would never again do a website about a current show (it is just too much work for a hobby), but we feel compelled to break that promise to ourselves. We will still continue this site for the next season of "The West Wing" which we expect to be their last.
- May 17, 2005 - We found more information on why NBC is switching the show to Sundays:
- Jared Paventi sent us this information from Lisa deMoreas' TV Column in May 16th Washington Post (before the schedule had been officially announced): "The West Wing" doesn't own its Wednesday time slot either, as NBC execs look to jump-start their troubled prime time. There's word it will be bumped to another night, possibly Tuesday, in favor of a new Jerry Bruckheimer series -- Bruckheimer is behind CBS's ratings magnet "CSI" and its two spinoffs, so he's the golden boy of TV these days.
- Tuesday, May 17, 2005
What's coming and going on NBC
By MELANIE McFARLAND
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER TELEVISION CRITIC said "'The West Wing,' which regained its fortitude this year, moves to Sundays at 8."
- World Screen describes the old time slot this way: "Wednesdays begin with The Apprentice: Martha Stewart. Taking The West Wingıs 9 p.m. slot is E-Ring, which is set inside the Pentagon and stars Benjamin Bratt and Dennis Hopper. The series, from Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Warner Bros. Television, is executive produced by Bruckheimer and Rayıs Taylor Hackford. Law & Order closes out the night in its usual 10 p.m. slot."
- May 16, 2005 - Jason Long just emailed us a link to an ABC report that NBC just announced the following:
- "NBC is moving the political drama 'The West Wing' to Sunday nights, with the campaign to replace Martin Sheen as the mythical president continuing."
- March 26, 2005 - James Sorrels of Whose West Wing Is It Anyway?! wrote
- I am an actor in Chicago who is currently playing George W Bush in a show that spoofs the West Wing and politics (mostly Republicans). Here's a write up of it from the Chicago Sun Times:
I think you and other fans of the WW would really enjoy it.
- March 18, 2005 - eonline has reported
- "NBC Keeps 'Wing'... by Bridget Byrne
Mar 17, 2005, 12:00 PM PT
"...The West Wing has just been reelected for a seventh term.
A day after the Hollywood trades suggested a deal was imminent to bring the Emmy-winning political potboiler back for a swan-song season without longtime President Josiah Barlet (Martin Sheen) in the Oval Office, NBC confirmed as much Thursday, announcing The West Wing had been reupped for the 2005-06....
"The West Wing... [is] averaging 11.3 million viewers in its Wednesday, 9 p.m. slot. Impacted by Fox's American Idol and the failure of NBC to establish a good lead-in, the White House drama is down from 11.7 million viewers last year. In its glory days back in season three, The West Wing averaged 17.1 million and was a top 10 fixture....
"With Sheen and his high-salaried White House staffers likely only around part time, Wells & Co. would be able to trim costs and keep the show profitable for NBC and Warner Bros., the show's production base. And while Variety reported Wednesday that next season would be Wing's last, NBC declined to confirm."
- March 4, 2005 - We received this email from Clothes Off Our Back:
- "Bradley Whitford donated his sunglasses and watch from the SAG and Emmy Awards to the Clothes Off Our Back auction. His sunglasses, watch and other great items are up for bid at www.clothesoffourback.org. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the Children's Defense Fund, Smile Train, Cure Autism Now and the UNICEF Tsunami Relief Fund."
- March 3, 2005 - "mgoshawk" posted on Television Without Pity's West Wing forum information on another poll:
- "14 % of Fortune 1000 CEOs picked Bartlet as their favorite fictional
leader. Captain Kirk from Star Trek beat him at 18 %."
- We apologize that we have been mostly posting "News" items on our Spoiler page only. We will try to remember to also post them here in the future so that people who do not wish to be "spoiled" can also see them.
- August 20, 2003 Rory L. Aronsky sent us the following from www.thedigitalbits.com
- "...Warner Home Video has just announced
the 11/18 DVD release of The West Wing: The Complete First Season (SRP
$59.98). The 4-disc set will include all 22 first season episode of the
series in their original full frame (1.33:1) aspect ratio, with audio in
Dolby Digital 2.0 surround. Special features will include audio commentaries
from series creator Aaron Sorkin and director Tommy Schlamme on five key
episodes, including the Pilot, What Kind of Day Has It Been, Take This
Sabbath Day, In Excelsis Deo (which features additional commentary from co-
executive producer and director Alex Graves) and Celestial Navigation (with
additional commentary by co-executive producer and director Chris Misiano),
cast and crew interviews, 2 behind-the-scenes documentaries (The Primaries
and The West Wing Inauguration), behind-the-scenes footage from the first
season (including Capital Beat and Sheet Music), deleted scenes, the Gag
Order outtakes and bloopers reel, the Off the Record featurette (outtakes
from various cast and producer interviews) and more."
- Aaron Prager also sent a link to the Hollywood Reporter story:
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- August 5, 2003 - Bravo will start showing the series next week!
- May 1, 2003 - AP and other news organizations are reporting that two executive producers of the West Wing --- Aaron Sorkin (who writes most the episodes) and Thomas Schlamme (who directed many episodes) --- are leaving the show at the end of the fourth season. We were sent this information by Mike Davidson who sent the first of the following links:
- AP: "'West Wing' Creator Sorkin Leaving Show"
- Hollywood Reporter: "West Wing's' Sorkin elects to leave"
- NBC: 'ACCESS HOLLYWOOD' EXCLUSIVE: AARON SORKIN TO LEAVE 'THE WEST WING' This article is on our site so if the others disappear, this one will still be available.
- E! Online News: Sorkin, Schlamme Quit "West Wing" in which quoted from John Wells' statement: "Aaron Sorkin and Tommy Schlamme are irreplaceable. Aaron's an exceptionally gifted writer and we're indebted to him for creating this wonderful world. Tommy's creative vision and his leadership have been central to the show's success...."
- Statements from NBC and John Wells (these are on our site so will stay around)
- NY Times: `West Wing' Writer Quits Makes the Front Page of the Times Online May 2, 03 (also talks about ratings and upcoming plot lines)
- LA Times: A Changing of the Guard at NBC's Broken 'West Wing' (also reports that NBC doesn't plan to show many reruns this summer)
- TV Guide Insider: Interview with John Wells on the Departures
- TVGO: "Will Aaron stay on as a consultant?"
Wells: "Yes, absolutely. He and Tommy both are going to be consultants on the show next year. And with a little bit of luck, I'll talk him into [writing] a couple [of episodes]. I'll do my best."
- "We knew this would be Tommy's last season all year."
- "I'll probably get up the courage and try and write a couple of [episodes] myself."
- Reuters: Producer Sorkin Leaving NBC's 'The West Wing'
- Washington Post: 'West Wing' Creator Aaron Sorkin Quits Ailing Series
- May 5, 2003 NY Post "A constant and consistent bar rage of blown deadlines are what ultimately finished Aaron Sorkin's four-year tenure as the behind-the-scenes brains of 'The West Wing.' "
- May 7, 2003 The Guardian: "Next week on The West Wing ... erm " "As for Sorkin, the source said, 'he was the West Wing. God knows what it's going to be
without him.'"
- May 7, 2003 The Cincinnati Enquirer: 'West Wing' under new administration "Presidential speech writers have come and gone through history, but none may be missed more than Aaron Sorkin.... With Sorkin goes the vision and voice of the three-time Emmy-winning drama, the mad genius that elevated dry political debate into theatrical art. "
- May 16, 2003 The American Prospect Online: "How Aaron Sorkin, the brains behind TV's smartest show, got the last laugh" "...in his final episode Wednesday night, series creator Aaron Sorkin managed to turn his show into a meta-statement, not just on what's wrong with American politics but also on what's wrong with American entertainment." "His was a smart show whose central message was about the virtue of intellectual passion."
- May 30, 2003 Leah Garchik of the San Francisco Chronicle - quotes Stockard Channing "Regarding 'The West Wing, in which she plays the first lady, she doesn't think the departure of Aaron Sorkin will be fatal, 'unless the show completely turns to crap, but I don't think that's going to happen.'" (Cathi Soriano posted this link on the West Wing Forum at Television Without Pity)
- June 6, 2003 New York Times
John Spencer is asked, "So what will happen with the show now, with a new writer?" and he answers, "Well, I believe Aaron and Tommy may come back --- I hear a rumor --- for the first two or three.... Which would be great, because it would help in the transition.... I hear possibly he may write the first two. I know nothing."
- March 19, 2003 - On last week's pre-empting for nothing more than another showing of "Law and Order" -
- March 17, 2003 - Although we don't usually report on the doings of the actors connected with this series, Martin Sheen has written an answer to those who are sending him hate mail (some of which ends up sent to us when people can't reach him and don't understand that "Unofficial" means we have no connection to the show or anyone involved in it) and we thought we would give a link to his article in the L.A. Times: "A Celebrity, but First a Citizen -- Being famous does not bar an American from speaking out."
- (We found this article linked from the West Wing Forum at Television Without Pity -- it was posted by userid "SevenDeadly".)
- March 14, 2003 - "HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Chandler for president? Not exactly.
- "Friends" star Matthew Perry has signed to guest star in two episodes of NBC's White House drama "The West Wing." He'll play Joe Quincy, a Republican lawyer looking for a gig as a White House associate counsel. These segments are set to air April 23 and 30."
This quote was originally posted on the West Wing Forum at Television Without Pity by userid "mattmarcotte"
- January 28, 2003 - Rob Lowe signs for new NBC show.
- January 17, 2003 - NBC Signs Two-Year 'West Wing' Deal (all the articles below are links to the same Associated Press article:
- January 15, 2003 - Fire on the West Wing set:
- January 14, 2003 - Parties Close to a Deal on 'West Wing,' By Brian Lowry, LA Times Staff WriterSources Say NBC will triple what it pays Warner Bros. per episode, despite the show's ratings decline.
Also see: Reuters:
NBC Close to Reelecting 'West Wing'
- December 26, 02 - New York Times Opinion Column
- about being a Republican consultant to the West Wing. - The New York Times doesn't keep things up for long so this link will soon go to a page that requests payment. This link was originally posted on the West Wing Forum at Television Without Pity.
- November 22, 2003 - "Yale's Whiffenpoofs to appear on 'The West Wing'"
- September 5 & 6, 2002 - Reports saying that Aaron Sorkin is open to Lowe staying but also has an idea for writing him out. But says he will not kill off the character.
- September 4, 2002 - More reports that say Rob Lowe is definitely leaving.
- August 30, 2002 - News reports are suggesting that Rob Lowe may not leave.
- July 24, 2002 - News reports are surfacing about Rob Lowe leaving the show. Sam Seaborn to be written out in March 2003.
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