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Monday, August 4, 2003

Battlefield Hollywood
Elie Samaha -- film producer best known for financing flops such as John Travolta's Scientolopic "Battlefield Earth" (and for being the ex-Mr. Tia Carerre) -- has leased the abandoned Fox and Vogue movie theaters in Hollywood.

Samaha, a one-time Studio 54 bouncer who now runs his Franchise Pictures shingle, made his fortune starting the Celebrity Cleaners chain and opening clubs such as the Roxbury (and later, the Sunset Room) before turning his attention to the film industry.

According to the L.A. Business Journal (sorry, no link), which writes about the deal in this week's issue, Samaha will sublease the Fox and the Vogue from Mann Theaters, which was leasing the empty buildings from their owners. Samaha wouldn't comment to the LABJ, but it's believed he'll turn the theaters into club or concert venues -- much more in the direction Hollywood has been heading. Let's face it, anything is better than just letting these boarded-up theaters continue to decay.

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