ephron wrote a number of books and plays, including one expected to open next year. she was a frequent guest on "morning joe" and loved talking about the business that made her a household name. >> i worked at one point for a very difficult person, a very famously difficult person. and he had never been difficult with me. i don't know what everyone is talking about. he's so sweet. he's fine with me. one day he called me up and he -- and he yelled at me. and i was fascinated. i was completely fascinated that he yelled at me. i, no one had ever yelled at me. and i was on the phone and he yelled and yelled and it was more and more hurtful. and afterwards, when i told one of my colleagues, he said to me -- no, no, no, nora, you're not supposed to listen to that. you're supposed to say, you know, this is a terrible connection, i can't hear you. and just hang up. >> that was nora ephron, in 2011, she was 71 years old when she died last night. mike barnicle is with me. first things first, last night i saw the news come across my blackberry, that she was gravely ill and then

what we'll miss is norah ephron. anne thompson, nbc news, new york. >>> that's our broadcast for this wednesday night. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams. of course we hope to see you right back here tomorrow. of course we hope to see you right back here tomorrow. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com >>> good evening and thank you for joining us. >> paradise interrupted, a family vacation to hawaii turns into a frightening scramble after a shark attack. we broke this story last night. a 16-year-old from livermore bitten in the leg. tonight scientists from an elite shark network have questions for her. this particular shark is usually not a threat to humans. >> reporter: the shark thought to be involved in this attac

nora ephron is survived by her third husband and two children. we'll take a quick break on the "morning news" on a wednesday morning. >>> when we come back, drowning in debt. stockton, california, set to become the second u.s. city to ever declare bankruptcy. this is the "cbs morning news." [ lane ] your anti-wrinkle cream is gone... but what about your wrinkles? neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair. its retinol formula visibly reduces wrinkles in one week. why wait if you don't have to. neutrogena®. begins with back pain and a choice. take advil, and maybe have to take up to four in a day. or take aleve, which can relieve pain all day with just two pills. good eye. >>> stockton, california, population just under 300,000, is about to make history by seeking bankruptcy protection, the biggest american city ever to do so. stockton is in north-central california, a once prosperous place, no longer able to make ends meet. teresa garcia has more. >> reporter: stockton, california, is broke. on tuesday night, city council members moved to make this once

her parents henry and phoebe ephron, also screen writers, taught ephron and her three sisters-- all future writers. >> if something bad happened to you what they said was "someday you will think this is funny. someday this will be a great story." >> reporter: ephron graduated from wellesley college in 1962 and went to work as a mail girl at "newsweek." within a few years her books of essays were best-sellers. >> i think writing is what i do. i think it's like breathing for me at a certain point. >> reporter: ephron turned the collapse of her marriage to reporter carl bernstein of watergate fame into a novel then the movie "heartburn." >> look at all these flowers that you bought for her! and you occasionally brought me home a bunch of wilted zinnias. >> reporter: she once said "marriages come and go but divorce is forever." but nora ephron was happily married for 25 years to screenwriter nicholas pileggi. throughout her career her life and family were subject matter and so was her love of food. she wrote and directed the film "julie and julia" and legendary t.v. chef julia child. >> i'm ju

we will remember norah ephron. all laugh. we will remember norah ephron. what makes the sleep number store different? you walk into a conventional mattress store, it's really not about you. they say, "well, if you wanted a firm bed you can lie on one of those. we provide the exact individualization that your body needs. wow, that feels really good! once you experience it, there's no going back. hurry in now for our lowest prices of the season. save $300 to $1000 on selected sleep number bed sets. sale ends july 8th. only at the sleep number store, where queen mattresses start at just $699. they claim to be complete. only centrum goes beyond. providing more than just the essential nutrients, so i'm at my best. centrum. always your most complete. begins with back pain and a choice. take advil, and maybe have to take up to four in a day. or take aleve, which can relieve pain all day with just two pills. good eye. after just one use? think again. [ female announcer ] with olay regenerist wrinkle revolution, it's possible to reduce the look of wrinkles in just

r parents henry and phoebe ephron, also screen writers, taught ephron and her three sisters-- all futurewriters. >> if something bad happened to you what they said was "someday you will think this is funny. someday this will be a great story." >> reporter: ephron graduated from wellesley college in 1962 and went to worsk a a mail girl at "newsweek." within a few years her books of essays were best-sellers. >> i think writing is what i do. i think it's like breathing for me at a certain point. >> reporter:phron turned the collapsef her marriage to reporter carl bernstein of watergate fame into a novel then the movie"heartburn." >> look at all these flowerstha! and you occasionally brought me home a bunch of wilted zinnias. >> reporter: s said "marriages come and go but divorce is forever." but nora ephron was happily married for 25 years to screenwriter nicholas pileggi. thughout her career he life and family were subject matter and so was her love of food. she wrote andirected the film "julie and julia" and legendary t.v. chef julia child. >> i'm julia child, bon appetit! >> reporter: ephron ke

who knew nora ephron. sally, it was her obviously her body of work that brought a lot of us to her and got us to know her, but so much more about her brought you in that again, as dee dee pointed out, it's hard to even talk about her work because we were so impacted by her as a friend. where do you begin remembering nora ephron? >> well, nora and i met about 45 years ago, and so we've been very close friends since then. she was my son quinn's godmother. she went with me to amniocentesis and held my hand because i was needle phobic. she was -- she -- you know she had this reputation, i've heard you talking all morning about her, and she was extremely sharp and witty and funny and clever and could be tough on the set and as a director, but nora had another side to her which was almost a sort of child-like side. and i think that when you look at the movies, "when harry met sally," "sleepless in seattle," "you've got mail," that's the real nora. i mean that's what nora wanted. she didn't have a great childhood

writer is nora ephron. nora ephron's films "sleepless in seattle" --featuring tom hans updated the moderoutdated plots for the modern audience. her films were so good. the romantic comedy had grown out of her writing. everything his coffee her mother once said and ups and downs of nora ephron's life gave her material furred journalism, as is, and filmessays and films. >> it was absolutely clear to me that a story had happened to me, and i hope that someday i could make it into a funny story. i knew when it was happening that there were elements of it that someday might be funny. [laughter] comedy had grown out of her>> you may think thatt that is an impossible feat -- >> her most recent flilm saw her reunited with meryl streep. tom hanks says she has lifted as all with wisdom and wit. mixed with love. >> remembering nora ephron. it is one of my favorite films ever. quick reminder of the main story before we go. and martin mcguinness and the queen had met for the first time and shaken hands. the meeting is b

coming up we'll remember norah ephron. she died after a lengthy battle with leukemia. we'll look back at her career and incredible life. >> she did something for women, gave an incredible voice at a time when women didn't have the voice they have today. she was a film nist, giving a voice with a funny twist. really terrific what she's done. also coming up this morning, any woman who has had a baby can tell you, it's very intimidating with celebrities coming back after babies and they look fantastic and perfect. a number of women from connecticut have decided to sort of fight back, basically take a stand and celebrate post baby bods in a photo shoot. we're going to meet these women, great women, in a moment. >> also ahead, the fourth of july in front of us. some fun finds. red, white, blue nail polish, bikinis, snow machines. >> fun. >> very nice. and as we get ready to head to london for the olympics, are you ready for spice girls, the musical? >> i heard about this. >> i've been waiting my whole life for it. >> they are all back. they want you to know what it's really

nora ephron became all three in fields where few women soared as so high. born in 1941 to screenwriting parents, she began her career as a journalist in new york. in short order, she gained notice for biting humor and a gift for turning a phrase. in essay collections-- "i feel bad about my neck" and "i remember nothing"-- she expounded on everything from divorce, to aging, to failure. by the early '80s, ephron-- who was born and still lived on manhattan's upper west side-- had turned to screenwriting. she explained to pbs' charlie rose in 2010. >> i think there was a certain moment i realized i had to make movies in order to make enough money to live as a writer in new york city and not have to move to some... some place like new jersey. >> there's nothing wrong with living in new jersey. >> i'm just saying you don't live there and i don't live there. >> that's true. >> it would have been okay but it wasn't what i had in mind. >> ifill: her first movie was "silkwood", in 1983, directed by mike nichols and starring meryl streep. >> you didn't even have the d

ephron was great with one-liners. in the romantic comedies she wrote, such as "sleepless in seattle" or "you've got mail," women saw funnier versions of themselves. their dreams. their worries. their dilemmas. >> you say things like that, and you make it impossible for me to hate you! >> and "when harry met sally" is not a movie about whether men and women can be friends. it's about how different men and women are. >> reporter: ephron was literally born into writing. in new york city, although she grew up in had beverly hills, because her parents, henry and phoebe ephron, were both screen writers, whose advice to their four daughters, all future writers, was turn your misfortunes into stories. nora ephron graduated from wellesley college in 1962. then went to work as a mail girl at "newsweek." not for long. soon, she was writing for magazines, collections of her essays became best-sellers. she took her parents' advice and turned her ugly divorce from reporter carl bernstein, of watergate fame, thinly disguessed into a

with ephron because she understood them more than male directors. she is survived by her husband and two children. >>> we'll take a quick break on the "cbs morning news." coming up, drowning in debt, the second city ever to declare bankruptcy. this is the "cbs morning news." [ lane ] your anti-wrinkle cream is gone... but what about your wrinkles? neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair. its retinol formula visibly reduces wrinkles in one week. why wait if you don't have to. neutrogena®. begins with back pain and a choice. take advil, and maybe have to take up to four in a day. or take aleve, which can relieve pain all day with just two pills. good eye. >>> stockton, california, population just under 300,000, is about to make history by seeking bankruptcy protection, the biggest american city ever to do so. stockton is in north-central california, a once prosperous place, no longer able to make ends meet. teresa garcia has more. >> reporter: stockton, california, is broke. on tuesday night, city council members moved to make this once booming city 80 mil

and upon the news of ephron's death, streep released a statement, praising ephron as, quote, deflectively feminine and funny with sharpness of mind, softened and smoothed by genuine charm. >>> and now here's a look at some other stories making news early today in america. in california a big rig and 18 other vehicles were involved in a massive freeway pile-up north of los angeles. 15 people were injured. one victim said he felt a tremendous impact followed by three more crashes. officials say the driver of the big rig was going too fast around a curve and couldn't stop in time. >>> well, to new jersey, don't tell snooki, anyone, but there's a boardwalk on the jersey shore where bikinis and bathing suits are banned. it's a law that's been on the books since 1958, and everyone pretty much ignores it because it's right by the beach, but a former city council member wants to start enforcing the rule, which carries a fine of up to $2,000 and 90 days in jail. instead city officials say they are going to try and repeal it. >>> and, finally, in washington as the fourth of july nears, its dramatic

we will remember norah ephron. what makes the sleep number store different? you walk into a conventional mattress store, it's really not about you. they say, "well, if you wanted a firm bed you can lie on one of those. we provide the exact individualization that your body needs. w,real good! once you experience it, there's no going back. hurry in now for our lowest prices of the season. save $300 to $1000 on selected sleep number bed sets. sale ends july 8th. only at the sleep number store, where queen mattresses start at just $699. they claim to be complete. only centrum goes beyond proving more than just the essential nutrients, i'm at mst. centrum. always your most complete. and a choice. ben take advil, and maybhave to take up to four in a day. or take aleve, which can relieve pain all day with just two pills. good eye. after just one use? think again. [ fele announcer ] with olay regenerist wrinkle revolution, it's possible to reduce the look of wrinkles in just 10 minutes. now you've seen it. experience it for yourself. female announcer ] olay regeneris

to nora ephron who told us we are not alone. that our relationships are not out there on another planet. thanks our mutual friend for introducing us. wish now i had called you. i liked you from the start. that's "hardball" for now. thanks very much. "the ed show" with ed schultz starts right now. >> good evening and welcome to the ed show from new york. darrell issa's quest to bring down president obama and attorney general eric holder is completely full of holes. i'll show you why tonight. this is "the ed show." let's get to work. >> you can answer everybody's question but want everyone and then tell the judge he's not going to give you that, that is contempt. >> the contempt vote will go forward even though another investigative report exposes darrell issa's witch hunt. >> he has not lived up to his promises to the terry family. the full truth is too painful to him to take on. >> congressman cummings is here tonight and he'll response to darrell issa's reckless charge. will spineless democrats fold to the nra and vote for cont

ephron was great with one-liners. in the romantic comedies she wrote, such as "sleepless in seattle" or "you've got mail," women saw funnier versions of themselves. their dreams. their worries. their dilemmas. >> you say things like that and you make it impossible for me to hate you! >> and "when harry met sally" is not a movie about whether men and women can be friends. it's about how different men and women are. >> reporter: ephron was literally born into writing. in new york city although she grew up in had beverly hills, because her parents, henry and phoebe ephron were both screen writers, whose advice to their four daughters all future writers, was turn your misfortunes into stories. nora ephron graduated from wellesley college in 1962. then went to work as a mail girl at "newsweek." not for long. soon, she was writing for magazines, collections of her essays became best-sellers. she took her parents' advice and turned her ugly divorce from reporter carl bernstein, of watergate fame thinly disguessed into a nove

nora ephron became all three in fields where f women soared as so high. born in 1941 to screenwriting parents, she began her career as a journalist in new york. in short order, she gained notice for biting humor and a gift for turning a phrase. in essay collections-- "i feel bad about my neck" and "i remember nothing"-- she expounded on everything from divorce, to aging, to failure. by the early '80s, ephron-- who was born and still lived on manhattan's upper west side-- had turned to screenwriting. she explned to pbs' charlie rose in 2010. >> i think there was a certain moment i realized i had to make movies in order to make enough money to live as a writer in new york city and not have to move to some... some place like new jersey. >> there's nothing wrong with living in new jersey. >> i'm just saying you don't live there and i don't live there. >> that's true. >> it would have been okay but it wasn't what i had in mind. >> ifill: her first movie was "silkwood", in 1983, directed by mike nichols and starring meryl streep. >> you didn't even have the dec

nora ephron became all three in fields where few women soared as so high. born in 1941 to screenwriting parents, she began her career as a journalist in new york. in short order, she gained notice for biting humor and a gift for turning a phrase. in essay collections-- "i feel bad about my neck" and "i remember nothing"-- she expounded on everything from divorce, to aging, to failure. by the early '80s, ephron-- who was born and still lived on manhattan's upper west side-- had turned to screenwriting. she explained to pbs' charlie rose in 2010. >> i think there was a certain moment i realized i had to make movies in order to make enough money to live as a writer in new york city and not have to move to some... some place like new jersey. >> there's nothing wrong with living in new jersey. >> i'm just saying y don't live there and i don't live there. >> that's true. >> it would have been okay but it wasn't what i had in mind. >> ifill: her first movie was "silkwood", in 1983, directed by mikeichols and starring meryl streep. >> you didn't even have the decen

nora ephron was 71. kristen dahlgren, nbc news, los angeles. >>> and still ahead, as we continue along the way on a tuesday night, a major victory for a mother who's been fighting to save her daughters, why it's big news for her and thousands of other people waiting for the right bone marrow match. >>> and later, the story you have to see about grit, determination and graduation. >>> back now with a victory for a woman we told you about a few weeks. tonight after an uphill fight, she has changed federal law and if the process, perhaps even modern medicine. an update on her successful fight tonight from dr. nancy spiderman. >> reporter: doreen flynn is a mother on a mission. her three daughters all suffer from a disease called fanconi anemia. a genetic disorder that destroys bone marrow and increases the risk of cancer. the only treatment is a bone marrow transplant. >> as a mom, i'm willing to do whatever it takes to help make that possible. >> reporter: whatever it takes, including changing the law. >>

nora ephron gave a voice to a generation of women. tonight weed by farewell. >>> and millions of screaming pans but now justin bieber is all grown up as the rest of us. tonight, one dad trice to get in tune with bieber fever. our own bill weir. >>> plus, final witness. a father who survived an unthinkable crime in the dark of night, only to face the shock of a lifetime. a story of love, forgiveness and ultimate betrayal. >>> good evening. i'm cynthia mcfadden. tonight, we mark a sad passing only hours ago legendary writer and film director nora ephron died from complications brought on by leukemia. she created complex female characters who captured american hearts and always seemed to triumph in the end to humor and smarts, sort of like the lady herself. abc's david wright salutes a hollywood legend. >> reporter: you might say she was the aaron sorkin of romantic comedy. ♪ it had to be you ♪ >> reporter: a writer so gifted. when harry met salary boy meets girl formula when the chaerlracs were so smart, so quirky. >> so you're sayi

nora ephron was 71. david wright, abc news, hollywood. >> she really, a spectacular talent, some of the movies "silkwood" and "heartburn" "sleepless in seattle," "michael" and "when harry met sally." touch stone movies of the era. >> nominate ford three oscars. i look what one of our colleagues pointed out tonight that she was willing to diffuse the praise, as talented as she was, one of the classic lines, billy crystal wrote that famous "i'll have what she is having" line, he wrote that. and "when harry met sally" transcript and screen play. she was confident to say that wasn't me that was him. >> do you know who delivered the line the woman who actually said it? rob reiner's mother. that was the woman that said it in the movie. more trivia, how i know that? i do. >> little random knowledge. >> and share with us on facebook your favorite nora ephron movie, wnnfans.com. let us know. a lot to look back on this morning and reflect. >> the "nightline" piece put me in the mood to see "when harry met sally."

nora ephron. wait until you hear the movies. she's great. great! tyler here will show you everything. check out our new mobile app. now you can use your phone to scan your car's vin or take a picture of your license. it's an easy way to start a quote. watch this -- flo, can i see your license? no. well, all right. thanks. okay, here we go. whoa! no one said "cheese." progressive mobile -- insurance has never been easier. get a free quote today. but when it comes to what you really love, you shouldn't have to sacrifice. and that goes double for ice cream. now you don't have to give up. you can give in with dreyer's slow churned light ice cream. we churn it slowly for all the rich and creamy taste with just half the fat. so now you can have your ice cream and it eat it, too. ♪ nestlé -- good food, good life. >>> let me finish tonight with nora ephron. why? because this is about us. people who have dated, dealt with the surprises, joys, troubles, heart breaks, and down right mysteries of romantic relationships. like screen writer nancy myers who i

nora ephron graduated from wellesley college in 1962. then went to work as a mail girl at "newsweek." not for long. soon she was writing for magazines, collections of her essays back best sellers. she took her parents' advice and turned her ugly divorce from carl berstein of watergate fame thinly disguyed about about to a novel. and then the movie heartburn. >> look at all these flowers that you bought for her. >> it was the defining fact of your life if you are divorced and have kids with the person that you're divorced from. and that just seemed like something worth seeing. >> reporter: she was happily married to screen writer nicholas pilegi for 25 years. aging was a subject she didn't like, but spent much of her time in recent years contemplating. when she wrote and directed the film julie and julia about julia childs, this is what struck her. >> and julia seemed so ageless really. she didn't become julia child until she was 50 years old. >> reporter: she could joke in print about her sagging neck, her fading memory. how very nora ep

writing was in ephron's blood before making it on the big screen. she started out as a journalist. her second marriage was to watergate journalist carl bernstein, she turned into "heartburn" starring meryl streep, upon the news of ephron's death, streep released a statement praising her. well now here's your first look at other news going on around america today. in california, a big rig and 18 other vigs were involved in a massive freeway pileup north of los angeles. 15 people were injured, one victim said he felt a tremendous impact followed by thr more crashes. officials say the driver of the big rig was going too fast around a curve and couldn't stop in time. >>> in new jersey don't tell snoo snooki, there's a boardwalk on the jersey shore where bikinis and bathing suits are ban. a former city council member wants to start enforcing the rule, that carries a fine of 90 days in jail. city officials say they're going to try to repeal it. >>> in washington, as the fourth of july nears, it's a dramatic lesson. that's why officials keep doing their annual demonstration of what can go

our facebook question, what is your favorite nora ephron movie. mine is "sleepless in seattle." >> great movie. won the first oscar in the early '80s for "silkwood," also starring meryl streep. share your movie on facebook. wnnfans.com. @ >>> this morning on "world news now" -- colorado burning. tens of thousands of people are forced out as the flames spread and threaten new areas. >> the evacuations under way this morning at the air force academy just before one of the most important days of the year there. it's wednesday, june 27th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >>> happy wednesday, everyone. i'm paula faris. >> i'm rob nelson. we'll get to the major developments in colorado and utah in just a second. from that extreme we'll turn to another one that of course is the widespread flooding in florida after tropical storm debby's nonstop downpours. why the threat now moves from the coastline to florida's overflowing rivers. >> so much saturation getting down there. >>> we're going to turn to campaign politics. how mitt romney and presid

across america, we're all committed to team usa. >>> let me finish tonight with nora ephron. why? because this is about us. you know, people who have dated, have dealt with the prize, joys, heartbreaks and mysteries of romantic relationships. like screen writer nancy meyers. nora ephron was a master of writing movies about relationships, usualry from the woman's point of view and a deep fascination to men. she wrote about this emotionally treacherous place in which a woman gets asked out on a date and has no idea whether she'll hear from the guy again. guys have another hardship, you take the leap of asking someone out who can shoot you down cold. that can hurt. do you struggle to hold on when you think the relationship is fading? we have all been hurt, buthere's hope and that's what keeps some of you trying. i love "sleepless in seattle" because it's about a story that goes back to the days of carey grant and debra karr and stays as fresh as it can be forç tom hanks and meg ryan and will be as fresh for people in the next mille millennium. the belief that there's a jack for eve

nora ephron became all three in fields where few women soared as so high. born in 1941 to screenwriting parents, she began her career as a journalist in new york. in short order, she gained notice for biting humor and a gift for turning a phrase. in essay collections-- "i feel bad about my nk" and "i remember nothing"-- she expounded on everything from divorce, to aging, to failure. by the early '80s, ephron-o was born and still lived on manhattan's upper west side-- harned to screenwriting. she explained to pbs' roli in 2. >> i think there was a certain moment i realized i had to make r oughmo money to live as a writein new york city and not have to move to some... some place like new jersey. >> there's nothing wrong with living in new jersey. >> i'm just saying you don't live there and i don't live there. that'true. >> it would have been okay but it wasn't what i had in mind. >> ifill: her first movie was "silkwood", in 1983, directed by mike nichols and starring meryl reep. >> you didn't even have the decenc hide the evidence. you just threw it in a draw

suddenly, ephron was high in demand. over the years, more hits followed. >> i'm having all of these fantasies about some man i have never even met. >> like sleepless in seattle, which ephron cowrote. strangers eventually find each other. >> i did not. >> you did too. >> and you've got mail, which brought ryan and hanks together again in a romantic setting. she had a knack for making romance work on the screen, she struggled with her personal life. her book described her rocky marriage with journalist, carl bernstein. it later became a movie. her third marriage was a success. she tied the knott with nicholas palegy. >> how would you like to be on a television show? >> she would continue to direct movies. like bewitched in 2005 and julie and julia in 2009, which teamed her with meryl streep for a third time. >> first job was at a reporter for the new york post. >> what a career. ephron wrote more than a dozen screen plays and directed eight films. >>> let's check back in with derek and mike at congressional country club. >

xed with lov >> remembering nora ephron. is e of my favorite films ever quick reminder of the matory before we go. and martin mcguinness and the queen had met for the first time and shaken hands. theeeting is bein held as the one of the most significant symbols ofonciliion in the peace press. the spokesperson for the prime minister david camerond this n threlationship to a new level. close.rings today shows to a get updates any time on our websit thank you so much for watching. tune itorr. >> makes sense of international news at bbc.com/news. the freeman york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu, newman's own foundation, and union bank. >> at union bank, we work hard erannd operate in, working nture new ventures andvide capital for key strategic dewe oer experte and tred solutions in a wide rangef industries. what can we do for you? >> "bbc wod news" was bght by k. >> "bbc wod news" was bght by k.

for the last 25 years, ephron was married to screen writer nicholas pileggi. while she still made films "julia & julia". >> the biggest things that makes 60 the new 50, 50 the new 40, not exercise, but hair dye. i want to be there at the end going oh, but there was this piece of bread i didn't eat. >> reporter: ephron always told it like it was. >> i think there's a lot written about getting older that you look at and you go, are they crazy when they say oh, you're at the best time of your life. >> reporter: but in the end told few she was ill. writer sally quinn was one of ephron's best friends. >> i gather from one or two of my friends who were in the hospital with her in the last few weeks that she was still really funny even though she was sad. she was making cracks until the very end. >> classic norah ephron, frank and fearless, with that incredible ability to somehow make us laugh through the tears. >> norah ephron was 71. she's survived by her husband and two sons, natalie. >> women everywhere are missing her already. kristen dahlgren, thanks so much. i

. >>> up next, remembering nora ephron who wrote the screen play of our lives and knew more about how we lived than most politicians will ever know. rob reiner will join us. this is "hardball," the place 1 for politics. recently, students from 31 countries took part in a science test. the top academic performers surprised some people. so did the country that came in 17th place. let's raise the bar and elevate our academic standards. let's do what's best for our students-by investing in our teachers. let's solve this. >>> president obama has a slim lead in several stales of mitt romney. time to check the "hardball" score board. in ohio obama is up by nine points over his likely republican challenger. 47-38. similar story in florida with president obama with a lead by four. the lead increased since early may. in pennsylvania, it has gotten slighter tighter. obama up by six in the keystone state. 45-39. down from eight last month.ç we'll be right back. not in this economy. we also have zero free time, and my dad moving in. so we went to fidelity. we looked at our family's goals and so

writing was in ephron's blood before making it on the big screen. she started out as a journalist. her second marriage was to watergate journalist carl bernstein, she turned into "heartburn" starring meryl streep, upon the news of ephron's death, streep released a statement praising her. well now here's your first look at other news going on around america today. in california, a big rig and 18 other vigs were involved in a massive freeway pileup north of los angeles. 15 people were injured, one victim said he felt a tremendous impact followed by three more crashes. officials say the driver of the big rig was going too fast around a curve and couldn't stop in time. >>> in new jersey don't tell snoo snooki, there's a boardwalk on the jersey shore where bikinis and bathing suits are ban. a former city council member wants to start enforcing the rule, that carries a fine of 90 days in jail. city officials say they're going to try to repeal it. >>> in washington, as the fourth of july nears, it's a dramatic lesson. that's why officials keep doing their annual demonstration of what can

. >> but just a few hours ago, nora ephron lost her battle with leukemia. right after the break, a look at some of her most memorable works. >>> plus a look at what life is like these days for jerry sandusky after four days behind bars. >>> topper. >> 82 today. a real break in terms of temperature. here is your wakeup temperatures. another cool start. 54-64 by 5:00. still in the 50s and 60s by 7:00 and then warming up a little faster tomorrow. breezy. mid 60s to mid 70s. we will come back and talk about the heat returning and what that so, you actually reward people for staying with you? yep. the longer you stay with us, the more you save. and when you switch from another company to us, we even reward you for the time you spent there. genius. yeah, genius. you guys must have your own loyalty program, right? well, we have something. show her, tom. huh? you should see november! oh, yeah? giving you more. now that's progressive. call or click today. >>> yes, yes, yes. oh. >> i'll have what she's having. >> one of the most famous movies seen in the last 25 year

. >> but just a few hours ago, nora ephron lost her battle with leukemia. right after the break, a look at some of her most memorable works. >>> plus a look at what life is like these days for jerry sandusky after four days behind bars. >>> topper. >> 82 today. a real break in terms of temperature. here is your wakeup temperatures. another cool start. 54-64 by 5:00. still in the 50s and 60s by 7:00 and then warming up a little faster tomorrow. breezy. mid 60s to mid 70s. we will come back and talk about the heat returning and what that means to the weekend and the at&t national forecast. >>> yes, yes, yes. oh. >> i'll have what she's having. >> one of the most famous movies seen in the last 25 years and unforgettable meg ryan faking an orgasm in a new york deli in the 1989 classic when harry met sally. earlier tonight, nora ephron who wrote that film screen play died of leukemia after a lengthy illness. ephron wrote and/or directed 15 mills, many of which were ex -- 15 films, many of which were extremely well received. seeps in seattle which was -- seepless

i've had four careers and three husbands. >> that was nora ephron. she did do it all and it was messy at times. she was at her alma mater, she was the class of '62, speaking to the graduating class of 1996. the trail blazing film maker, humorist and author died of pneumonia brought on by leukemia at 71 years old. it was a shock even to some friends who did not know she was so seriously ill. today, a life lived well, remembered by friends and fans alike, celebrating a gifted story teller with a unique and very personal voice. joining me now, george stevens jr., a writer, director and emmy award winning producer, founder of the american film institute and the executive producer of the annual kennedy center honors as well as a long-time friend of nora ephron and sally quinn, friend of nora's for 45 years. sally, 45 years is a long time to know anyone. nora ephron was constantly changing, learning and delighting in life and in herself and in her friends. one of the things that strikes me so much knowing her only as well as i do, was that she was such a w

. >> the hollywood writer and film director nora ephron has died. she was 71 and had been suffering from leukemia. she wrote films such as "sleepless in seattle." >> nora ephron died from leukemia. the eldest child in a family of writers, she was a journalist, playwright, and best-selling author. but she made her name in movies. "soak would," starring meryl streep, was her first. she followed carl bernstein's affair with the wife of the british ambassador to the u.s. in journalism. but it is open " when harry met sally" what -- that recast her in the modern romantic comedy. it was a massive hit at the box office. she followed it with open " sleepless in seattle. derouchie directed as well as co wrote. it proved such 8 -- she directed as well as co-wrote. it proved such a hit for tom hanks and meg ryan that they followed it with "you've got mail." she directed meryl streep in her most recent film, a biography of the chef julia child. she talks of her admirer. >> what is he would really like to do? >> eat. >> it received the best reviews of her career

this morning, some of hollywood's biggest stars remember nora ephron. >> playoff plan approved. college football fans get their wish. the death of the bcs. >>> one hungry hound helping himself to his family's food. >>> good wednesday morning, everybody. the devastating wildfires in the west are now giving the u.s. air force a fight on the ground. >> the air force academy is shutting down today as the huge waldo canyon fire near colorado springs bears down on the sprawling campus, forcing cadets to flee. >> it is one of almost three dozen major fires stretching from montana to arizona, fuelled by record heat and some pretty wild winds. >> i ran over as fast as i could. it was scary. there's no other word. i mean, we're petrified over here. >> reporter: these pictures show the colorado springs wildfire, a blaze that is called a firestorm of eni think proportions. winds up to 65 miles an hour blew the fire over containment line, forcing the evacuations of 42,000 people including at the air force academy where 700 cadets and personnel were told to leave. >> my dad said there were fl

tributes are pouring in this morning for acclaimed author and filmmaker norah ephron. the 71-year-old behind hits like sleepless in seattle and "when harry met sally" died tuesday night after battling leukemia. kristen dahlgren with more on the story. good morning. >> reporter: few new ephron was sick causing confusion when news broke, even premature reports of her death. some say she would find it funny like so many things in life. she was the voice of generations of american women saying what so many wanted to but few dared. as an author and screen writer of films like "when harry met sally" ephron gave us classic moments. >> i don't want the ice cream on top, i want it on the side. i like strawberry instead of vanilla if you have it. >> unforgettable characters. >> men and women can't be friends because the sex parts always gets in the way. >> when he learned of ephron's death, billy crystal said he was lucky to be able to say her words. tom hanks who starred in "you've got mail" and "sleepless in seattle." her first job in the mail room at newsweek, but she rose qu

there is just no one else like her, nora ephron. >> yeah, yeah. so smart, karlcarol. and so witty and so funny. she wrote a lot of romantic comedies. good morning. she wrote a lot of romantic comedies but what she did in writing those stories, she still gave women a really strong voice in her movies. and i think that did a lot for women's characters in hollywood. and i know so many talking to people yesterday and getting reaction from hollywood, that was the thing that a lot of people appreciated most about nora ephron, that she took women's roles, flipped them on their head and still gave them, you know, this really strong role but while still being funny and sexy and smart and everything. and i love that about her movies. >> yeah. nischelle turner, by the way, hello to you too. i forgot to say hello because i was lost in my memories of those movies. because i have seen each and every one of them more than once. >> i know. exactly. >>> let's talk about "the today show" and ann curry. everybody knows by now that ann curry is leaving nbc, but her successor supposedly h