LUCK — NOT MUCH OF IT FOR ITS CAST AND CREW

The decision by HBO and the producers of Luck to shut down production of the series following the deaths of three horses came as devastating news to the 180-member crew and dozens of actors working on the series, as well as local suppliers, including prop houses and vendors who supplied services and equipment, the Los Angeles Times observed today (Wednesday). Some of the cast and crew, the Times said, had recently uprooted their families and relocated them in Los Angeles. Others bought houses or signed long-term leases figuring that they would have at least 10 months of work before production ceased for the current season. (Production was halted while the second episode of the second season was being shot.) The newspaper observed that it is rare for a series to be canceled after a network has ordered a full season. “This is the only time in our history that we’ve done this and we don’t take this decision lightly,” Michael Lombardo, president of programming at HBO, told the Times. “The fact that people made life decisions based on their expectation of employment for a 10-month period was not insignificant to us.” He said that the network is setting up a fund to assist crew members “to make the landing a little bit more comfortable.” Meanwhile, Nielsen reported on Tuesday that the season opener of Luck drew just 440,000 viewers.