The executive purging continued at Universal Pictures today when chairman Casey Silver resigned two weeks after his boss, Frank Biondi Jr., was ousted. "Both Casey and I felt this was the appropriate time to make a change," Universal president Ron Meyer said in a statement.

Undoubtedly the time became very appropriate after this weekend's dismal debut of "Babe: Pig in the City," which -- despite some good reviews -- earned just $6.4 million. (The film cost $90 million to make.) This was the latest in a series of disappointments for Universal: "Meet Joe Black" is tumbling fast, with a total of $35.8 million after three weeks. Before that came the underperforming "One True Thing" ($25 million), "Out of Sight" ($38 million), and "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" ($11 million). Of course, there may be one bit of belated glory for the departing executives -- if next week's "Psycho" remake is a big hit.