Doug Finberg Joins MGM As EVP Marketing

Doug Finberg, who as EVP International Marketing at Marvel Studios oversaw the rollout of the studio’s Iron Man 2 for Paramount, has been tapped as EVP Marketing at MGM, where he will oversee marketing-related matters. He will also supervise all publicity efforts and report to co-chairmen and CEOs Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum. While at Marvel, Finberg spearheaded efforts bringing Thor, Captain America and The Avengers to Comic-Con in 2010. Before that, he worked in marketing at Paramount Pictures International and DreamWorks.

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MDA Telethon Begins with Tribute to Jerry Lewis

Jerry Lewis The annual Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon wasted no time in offering a tribute to its longtime host, Jerry Lewis, and potentially defusing any backlash or disappointment with his absence. Jerry Lewis won't host this year's telethonAfter a dance performance opened the show, Lewis' replacements - Nigel Lythgoe, Jann Carl, Alison Sweeney and Nancy O'Dell - took the stage and immediately took turns talking about the comedian/filmmaker's five-decade commitment to raising money for a cure. Huge photos of Lewis at various stages of his career served as a backdrop on stage as they talked. In May, Lewis, who had hosted the telethon since 1966, announced he was retiring as MDA chairman and that this year's Labor Day weekend telethon would be his last. But the MDA subsequently - and rather tersely and unceremoniously - said Lewis would not host this year's show. The new hosts alluded to how Lewis had "retired." Jerry Lewis stepping down from Labor Day telethonLewis' publicist Candi Cazau declined to comment to The Associated Press when told of the comments to start Sunday night's program. And MDA spokesman Jim Brown refused to elaborate on the hosts' words. O'Dell talked about how MDA was there for her and her family while her mother was dying of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). "And, boy, did Jerry's closing song, 'You'll Never Walk Alone,' hit home the year that my mom passed away," she said. Check out the rest of today's news Lythgoe talked about how Lewis was irreplaceable. "What you have done for this organization and its families is something close to a miracle," he said. "And I know that we all want to carry on your legacy. We're going to try and, with a humble heart, and occasionally a good laugh - because you taught us, above all, that laughter can cure almost anything - I trust we will continue to be successful." And then, it was on with the show and the fundraising. Do you miss Jerry?

Breslin to 'Virgin Mary'

BreslinAbigail Breslin is growing up on screen, commiting to topline Beth Schacter's indie comedy "A Virgin Mary" just weeks after signing on to the adult-themed true crime pic "The Class Project." Schacter ("Normal Adolescent Behavior") wrote "Virgin Mary," described as a coming-of-age story in the tradition of "Sixteen Candles." The 15-year-old Breslin ("Little Miss Sunshine") will star as a teen who vows to have sex with her best male friend if they're still virgins by the time they turn 18. Carter Jenkins ("Valentine's Day") will star opposite Breslin, while Keke Palmer ("Akeelah and the Bee") will play her best friend. Daryl Sabara ("Spy Kids") is set to co-star. Black Sheep Entertainment partners Jordana Mollick and Brendan Bragg will produce along with Steakhaus Prods. Cotty Chubb ("Appaloosa") will exec produce. Production is slated to start early next year. Breslin next stars opposite Alessandro Nivola in Tribeca Films' "Janie Jones," slated to open Oct. 28, and appears in as part of the ensemble of Garry Marshall's "New Year's Eve," which Warners releases Dec. 9. Palmer has spent the last few years focusing on her career as a recording artist, with Interscope Records set to release her sophomore album. Thesp, who voices Peaches in next summer's "Ice Age: Continental Drift," will soon be seen alongside Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton in "Joyful Noise." Jenkins recently wrapped the indie "Struck by Lightning," while Sabara next appears in Disney's "John Carter." Breslin and Palmer are repped by ICM and Untitled Entertainment, while WME reps Jenkins. UTA reps Schacter and Sabara along with Anonymous Content and Untitled, respectively. Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com

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Sybil Jason dies at 83

Sybil Jason, a child actress during the 1930s who was meant to be Warner Bros.' answer to Shirley Temple, died Aug. 23 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Northridge, Calif. She was 83. During the Depression, 20th Century Fox earned huge sums from Temple's pictures and from the sale of merchandise with her image, and an eager Jack Warner signed Jason after seeing her in 1935's "Barnacle Bill," the brunette moppet's first bigscreen effort. The South African-born Jason starred in a series of Warner films -- including "Little Big Shot," "The Singing Kid" and, with Pat O'Brien and Humphrey Bogart, "The Great O'Malley" (1937) -- that were much like Temple's pics at Fox without ever equaling their success. Warner Bros. did not renew her contract, but Fox signed her and cast her alongside Temple in "The Little Princess" and "The Blue Bird." The latter pic ended her career as a child actress in 1940 (a fan club devoted to her continued into the 21st century). Though there was a certain amount of tension, Jason and Temple became friends, which they remained until Jason's death, Jason's daughter, Toni Drake-Rossi, told the New York Times. Born Sybil Jacobson in Cape Town, the tyke started out dancing and doing impressions in performances with her uncle's orchestra in London. She weathered WWII back in South Africa; after the war she taught acting and acted on the stage in California. Her husband Anthony Drake, who wrote for radio, died in 2005. In addition to her daughter, Jason is survived by a grandson. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

MTV Video Music Awards Winner Katy Perry: Firework Is a Movement (Video)

Katy Perry walked away from Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards a big winner with two trophies. In addition to the triumph of winning Video Of The Year for "Firework," she also won for Best Collaboration with Kanye West for "E.T."our editor recommendsMTV Video Music Awards: Tyler the Creator Still Hates Bruno Mars' Music (Video)MTV Video Music Awards: Lady Gaga Doesn't Break From Foul-Mouthed Drag King Act (Video)MTV Video Music Awards: Nicki Minaj Talks Her Upcoming Album (Video) PHOTOS: MTV VMAs: Best and Worst Moments "I was just shocked," Perry says backstage in the pressroom about her Video Of The Year Award. "Because there's a lot of great people in that category, especially Adele, who I love and is most deserving of anything, any nomination." "I felt like I was in the right place tonight, especially with that award," she continues. "We all know 'California Girls' is a great song, but it's not going to change the world or anything like that. But, 'Firework' to me, it feels like it's a movement. I feel like you can always sing songs about clubs and bub and b---hes and hos, but it takes a little bit more to sing songs like 'Firework.'" PHOTOS: MTV VMAs Red Carpet Perry's husband, actor and comedian Russell Brand, took the lead on the event's tribute to the late Amy Winehouse and Perry says, "I'm proud of him, whatever comes out of him." "I think he was right on," she then adds. "I think not only was he providing the beautiful color palette that Amy was, but he was also providing a realistic point of view, as well, and giving hope to anyone out there that felt like they needed hope. So, I felt like it was really well rounded and smart and that's why I married him, because he's smart. I learn a lot." She also spoke about the grueling tour she's on and her reasoning for the night's unique outfit choices. Watch the full interview below. Email: Jethro.Nededog@thr.com; Twitter:@TheRealJethro Related Topics Katy Perry Russell Brand Video Music Awards VMAs 2011

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'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark's' Katie Holmes Reveals What Scares Her

Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise were so afraid after screening her new film Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, they had to watch another movie before going to bed.our editor recommendsDon't Be Afraid of the Dark -- Film Review'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark' Trailer Scares! "I'm not sure what he watched. Maybe The Sound of Music?" jokes Holmes in an interview with Reuters to promote the movie, which hits theaters on Friday. PHOTOS: 'The Kennedys' Premiere Writer/director Guillermo del Toro interjects: "I think it was that Adam Sandler comedy, [You] Don't Mess With The Zohan.' Holmes says she likes "classic horror films. But I'm not a big slasher, gory type of horror film fan." Del Toro says he's proud that "the movies I've tried to produce, write and direct, I'm very proud to say as far as I can remember I've never written a female victim, a scream queen or a part like that. I always try to create very strong female characters, in many cases stronger than the guys. Certainly in Don't Be Afraid." PHOTOS: Emmy Nominations 2011: Snubs and Shockers Holmes also found a personal connection in the horror flick, in which she protects her daughter. She is mother to Suri, 5. "I think being a mom myself, when I read my character and I saw the journey she takes and how we see her make sacrifices for her child -- I think I didn't understand that until I became a mom," she says. "Just how much you love this person. You will do anything for that person, and you have strength you didn't know that you had, which is what I like about my character. So I think that being a mom definitely gave me much more insight to this character." PHOTOS: Summer Movie Guide So what scares Holmes and Del Toro? "People who like to take the wind out of your sail because there's a lot more they're doing. If they're doing that to your face then they're doing more. So that scares me more than, like, a monster," says Holmes. Jokes Del Toro, "Politicians -- a lot. They are so deranged, especially these days. And human pettiness. Oh my God that's scary. It's so horrifying. I've seen a UFO, and I've heard ghosts twice -- once in New Zealand and once in Mexico, but those are not the scariest things. The scary things are real things like every day." Related Topics Guillermo del Toro Katie Holmes Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

NCIS Exclusive First Look: Can Gibbs & Co. Trust Scott Wolf's FBI Agent?

NCIS NCIS' Season 9 premiere will focus on Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) and his hunt for the person who's leaking NCIS intel. But it will also introduce a potentially recurring new character in Scott Wolf's FBI Agent Stratton.Fall Preview: Get scoop on all your favorite returning showsStratton is described as an agent who isn't quite what he appears to be. Namely, his nice-guy looks hide a man who can be powerful, cunning and dangerous when the need arises.So can he be trusted? Based on the exclusive first image from Season 9 below, it seems Gibbs (Mark Harmon) may be asking himself that very question."There are a lot of layers to the character of FBI Agent Stratton and I think we're all looking forward to seeing how things evolve," executive producer Gary Glasberg tells TVGuide.com.How (or if) Wolf's character may be connected to DiNozzo's mole hunt remains a mystery, but Glasberg promises answers - and, of course, more questions. "You're going to get the answer to who was in that photograph - and somebody's going to die," Glasberg teases. "[Tony's] mission sort of wraps itself up, but what happens at the end sort of opens up a whole other aspect to it that will carry us through the season."Is NCIS on your Watchlist? Add it and your other favorites now and never miss an episodeBut all the fireworks aren't just at the end of the episode. "I highly, highly recommend that [viewers] make sure to not miss the first five minutes of the episode, because it's going to start with a big bang," Glasberg says.NCIS returns Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 8/7c on CBS. Check out the exclusive image: