Next on Montel: talk show hosts who make movies

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Talk show host Montel Williams will try his hand at movies by executive producing a series of feature films in partnership with production companies.

"There have been so many remarkable scripts and ideas coming to myself, the talk show and our production company, and we felt it was an appropriate time to take action on them," Williams said.

"Our team at Letnom (Management & Prods.) has picked a meaningful and exciting slate of films and is collaborating with very established and well-respected producers, writers and directors."

Among the first projects is "4Chosen," which deals with racial profiling. Production is slated to begin in early 2008, according to Letnom. .

"Framed," based on the Tod Volpe novel "Tales of the Art Underworld," deals with art crimes, with production slated to begin in fall 2008.

Romantic comedies include "That's Amore," about a gay Italian man who inadvertently finds himself engaged to a Jewish girl next door, and "All-American Girl," about a young woman trying to make it in baseball.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter