Bill Condon, who won an Academy Award this year for his screenplay adaptation of "Gods and Monsters," will direct "Queen Bess," about the life of former Miss America Bess Myerson.
"Bess" is set up at New Regency Prods., where the company's former president of production, Bridget Johnson, will shepherd the project through its paces.
Condon developed the script with fellow writer John Hoffman, who remains attached to the "Bess" film, a portrait of the former beauty queen whose career in public life was sullied by allegations of influence-peddling and corruption.
Myerson won the Miss America crown in 1945. She ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for a U.S. Senate seat in 1980 and three years later was appointed by Mayor Edward Koch as New York City's Cultural Affairs Commissioner. She resigned in 1987 amid allegations that she had misused her position to influence a divorce case involving her companion, Carl A. Capasso.
In December 1988, Myerson, Capasso and former judge Hortense Gabel were acquitted in federal court in Manhattan of charges that they had engaged in a scheme to reduce Capasso's alimony payments to his former wife, Nancy.
Producers of "Bess" will be Ted Hope, Good Machine and David Hoberman ("George of the Jungle"). Pic is being cast and is tentatively set to start shooting in mid-September.
Condon, who also directed "Gods," is repped by Shulman Rose Agency and attorney Wayne Alexander. Hoffman's deal was put together by Jeff Field at William Morris Agency.
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