Halmi is a busy birthday boy

January 22, 2009 On Sunday, his latest big-budget miniseries, "The Last Templar," premieres on NBC, marking his return to the Big Three broadcast networks after a three-year absence. But instead of planning a celebration, Halmi -- the Hungarian-born former photographer who emigrated to the U.S. in 1950 with $5 in his pocket and a still camera around his neck -- is busy ramping up a slate of miniseries. Halmi also has a couple of minis in development at ABC, including "Planet Earth Conspiracy," a globe-spanning drama tackling climate change, and a possible adaptation of "The Grapes of Wrath."

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