Rising Powers
Tim Burton
At 32, the director already has one cult favorite
(Pee-wee's Big Adventure), one major hit (Beetlejuice), and one
out-and-out blockbuster (Batman) on his résumé. Next up: the bizarre
big-screen fable Edward Scissorhands, out this Christmas, and an
animated CBS series (Family Dog).
Jodie Foster
When you win a best actress Oscar (for The Accused),
what do you do for an encore? Star in Jonathan Demme's hotly
anticipated adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs (due next year),
make your debut behind the camera (the forthcoming Little Man Tate),
and sign with Orion to act, direct, produce, and write your own
ticket.
Jane Pauley
After 13 years as America's wake-up call, 40-year-old
Pauley finally kissed Today goodbye and started a new career as
prime-time's best- loved newswoman. Last summer NBC gave her her
first solo shot, Real Life With Jane Pauley. It's scheduled to return
as a weekly series this season.
Julia Roberts
In the wake of her supernova performance in Pretty Woman, Hollywood's hottest 22-year-old will portray an abused wife in
next spring's Sleeping with the Enemy, a terminally ill man's lover
in Dying Young, and, if the producers can meet her new price, the
hot-tempered heroine of the Mystic Pizza sequel.
Keenen Ivory Wayans
The 32-year-old star and executive producer
of Fox's Emmy-winning In Living Color has done more than mastermind
the savviest satire since SCTV. He has also helped break the color
barrier on prime-time television.
Fallen Powers
Aaron Spelling
The 62-year-old producer unleashed Charlie's Angels, Dynasty, and The Love Boat a decade ago, but what has he done
for us lately? Fox's Beverly Hills, 90210 (which, at last look, was
74th in the ratings).
Ray Stark
The gray eminence is still a respected major producer
with a recent hit (Steel Magnolias) and two studio deals (Columbia and Carolco) to his credit, but he's no longer a kingmaker.
Jack Valenti
The Motion Picture Association of America chief lost
this year's big battle. He claimed the ratings system was just fine,
then had to replace X with NC-17 when reviewers, producers,
directors, and exhibitors publicly disagreed.
Walter Yetnikoff
The combative head of CBS Records was out after
he blew a deal-making role in Sony's Columbia Pictures purchase,
allowed relations with the label's stars Michael Jackson and Bruce
Springsteen to sour, and worked with a promoter who was accused of
paying off radio programmers (in a case recently dismissed).
