Academy Award Winner Julia Roberts to Host and Produce A&E Network Documentary.

Entertainment Editors

NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Dec. 12, 2001

Academy Award winner Julia Roberts, currently starring in the motion picture Ocean's Eleven, examines the enduring nature of friendships in an upcoming A&E Network documentary, "Old Friends."

Roberts is the host and a producer of the documentary, scheduled to air on A&E in 2002.

"Old Friends" is a documentary that explores friendships, focusing on the remarkable relationship of three females from a small town just outside of Chicago, Illinois. Mildred Mulligan, Helen Klipinger and Ann Pritchard met in elementary school in 1906. Now, 95 years later, at 102 and 103 years of age, the three women, though separated by distance still remain good friends.

The lives of these three extraordinary women, and what each have experienced, reads as a virtual American timeline of the 20th Century. As second graders in 1906, innovations such as television, motion pictures, automobiles, rocket ships and the Internet were purely dreams. Their friendship has lasted four major wars, the roaring 20's, the Depression, 19 U.S. Presidents and the rise and fall of communism in Russia.

Julia Roberts and a film crew travel to West Covina, California, and join the three women for Ms. Klipinger's 103rd birthday. Both Ms. Mulligan and Ms. Klipinger live in a retirement community in West Covina. Following the celebration, the multi-talented actress journeys back with Ms. Mulligan and Ms. Pritchard to Glen Ellyn as the two friends reminisce about their childhood, family, their lives and what America was like before such modern conveniences as washing machines, electric lights and credit cards. Ms. Roberts interviews family and friends of the three women, as well as other members of the Glen Ellyn community.

The documentary, which is currently in production, also includes interviews with individuals of all ages and varying backgrounds about what it means to be a friend. "Old Friends" hopes to capture the art of friendship, as well as the essence of growing up in America.

"Old Friends" is produced by Revolution Studios and Julia Roberts' Shoelace Productions. Rachael Horovitz is the Executive Producer for Revolution, Tamar Hacker is Executive Producing for A&E.

Winner of the 2000 Governors Award from The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for The Biography Project for Schools, A&E offers viewers a unique blend of original programming, including the highly acclaimed Biography(R) series, original movies, drama series, and engaging documentaries. A&E is available in more than 84 million Nielsen homes in the United States. A&E received 14 Emmy nominations in 2001, the most of any basic cable network, as well as the prestigious Peabody Award for "The Crossing." The A&E web site is located at www.AandE.com, the BIOGRAPHY web site is located at www.Biography.com. In 2002, the Biography series celebrates its 15 years on A&E.