VIVA LAUGHLIN
"Viva Laughlin" was a re-make of the Golden Globe-nominated BBC mini-series "Viva Blackpool," about an ambitious entrepreneur who dreams of opening up a casino in Laughlin, Nevada.
Lloyd Owen played the entrepreneur, Ripley Holden, whose investment in the casino suddenly falls through. Needing an investor, he approaches his rival, wealthy casino owner Nicky Fontana (Hugh Jackman), but Fontana wants to own the casino himself, and Ripley turns down the deal. Ripley becomes embroiled in a murder investigation after the body of his ex-business partner is found at his casino. Eric Winter played Peter Carlyle, the detective in charge of the investigation.
The musical/drama/thriller was adapted by Bob Lowry and Peter Bowker (creator of the original series), who also served as executive producers alongside Hugh Jackman, John Palermo, Paul Telegdy and Gabriele Muccino.
Produced by BBC Worldwide, CBS Paramount Network Television, Sony Pictures Television, and Seed Productions, the series was greenlit and given a thirteen-episode order on May 14, 2007, but was cancelled on October 21, 2007.
