At HBO, bad 'Luck' costs $35 million

At HBO, bad 'Luck' costs $35 million

Gusmano Cesaretti/AP

‘Luck’ did not have much at HBO. From left: Joan Allen, Dustin Hoffman, John Ortiz and Dennis Farina

HBOs ill-fated horse racing series Luck was a bet that never came in, and on Wednesday the network put a dollar figure on what it dropped: $ 35 million.

Time Warner, HBOs parent company, charged that sum as an impairment in its quarterly earnings report.

Luck starred Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte. It drew mixed reviews and modest ratings, amid criticism that for a show about horse races, it moved at the pace of a turtle.

HBO pulled the plug in March while filming the start of its second season. The official reason was the death of a third horse during production.

At that point, nine of the 10 episodes filmed for the first season had aired. They are being rerun periodically on HBO2.

Time Warner said that because of the timing of the cancellation, virtually everything spent on production will go unrecouped.

NOT QUITE A MILLION : Rich Solero, a firefighter with Upper East Side Engine 39, Ladder 16, won $ 31,500 on Wednesdays episode of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire.

The Shirley, N.Y., resident played during the shows American Pride Week, saluting teachers, firefighters and the military.

Solero, 39, was on his ninth question with $ 63,000 in his accumulated Millionaire Bank when he decided to walk with half. Had he guessed incorrectly, he would have taken home just $ 1,000. My gambling days are over for today, Solero said.

Meanwhile, New York auditions for the show begin Monday, May 21. Sign up in advance at dadt.com/millionaire.

HEY, JOE: A vaudeville-style show will honor the venerable Joe Franklin Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Darress Theatre, 615 Main St., Boonton, N.J. Acts include comic Rick Saphire and ventriloquist Alan Semok. Admission is $ 15.

NEWS MAN: Mark Austin Thomas, former news director and morning anchor at KABC in Los Angeles, has been hired to guide coverage at the struggling all-news WEMP (101.9 FM).

DOTS ALL : Ryan Seacrest reportedly has re-upped with Clear Channel Radio, which means his L.A. morning show will continue to be heard late mornings on WHTZ (100.3 FM). Radio isnt a sideshow in Seacrests growing media portfolio. The new two-year deal, which commits him through 2015, reportedly includes a $ 5 million raise to $ 25 million a year. Saturday Night Live mastermind Lorne Michaels Wednesday danced around the reports that Kristen Wiig and perhaps Andy Samberg and Jason Sudeikis will leave after this season. On a conference call to promote Eli Mannings host gig this Saturday, Michaels said he doesnt discuss these things until the season ends. He did say there will be additions to the cast for the 2012-13 season.