TV biopic on Oprah Winfrey based on Kitty Kelley’s book in planning stages, producer says

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Winfrey biopic based on Kitty Kelley book planned

NEW YORK — Oprah Winfrey’s quarter-century run on daytime TV may be accompanied by a TV film dramatizing her life.

Veteran producer Larry A. Thompson said Monday the planned two- or four-hour Winfrey film will be based on Kitty Kelley’s tell-all biography. Thompson says he has optioned it for six figures.

The TV project is expected to air in September 2011, which would coincide with the end of Winfrey’s weekday talk show.

Thompson has produced TV biopics about Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and Sonny and Cher.

He calls himself “a huge fan” of Winfrey and says he’s shopping the project to networks he declined to specify. An unknown will likely be cast to play Winfrey.

A spokesman for Winfrey’s Chicago-based Harpo Productions declined to comment.

The project was first reported by the E! News website.