"Chronicle" wins tight box office race
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Teen boys with superpowers helped lift the movie box office to unexpected heights over Super Bowl weekend as thriller "Chronicle" edged "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe's haunted house movie "The Woman in Black."
JC Penney stands by Ellen DeGeneres as spokeswoman
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - J.C. Penney Co Inc said on Friday it fully backs its partnership with chat show host Ellen DeGeneres after a conservative group urged the retailer to reconsider hiring DeGeneres as a spokeswoman because she is a lesbian.
Actor Ben Gazzara dead at 81
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Ben Gazzara, known for his brooding tough-guy presence in dozens of films, television shows and stage productions over his long career, died of pancreatic cancer on Friday at a Manhattan hospital, his lawyer said. He was 81.
Radcliffe admits being drunk during "Harry Potter" scenes
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Daniel Radcliffe admitted he was drunk while filming some scenes for the "Harry Potter" movies during a period in his life where he was drinking "nightly," the young star said in an interview.
Actor Ben Gazzara dead at 81
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Ben Gazzara, known for his brooding tough-guy presence in dozens of films, television shows and stage productions over his long career, died of pancreatic cancer on Friday at a Manhattan hospital, his lawyer said. He was 81.
Star Wars, Ferris Bueller drive Super Bowl ad buzz
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Super Bowl is still two days away but some advertisers already are looking like winners as their yet-to-be-aired commercials score millions of hits online and rack up pre-game buzz.
Erotica director Zalman King dies from cancer
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Director Zalman King, best known for erotic film "9 1/2 Weeks" and television series "Red Shoe Diaries," died on Friday in Santa Monica, Calif., after a long battle with cancer. He was 69.
Bee Gee Robin Gibb makes "spectacular" recovery
LONDON (Reuters) - Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb said on Friday he had made a "spectacular" recovery from a serious illness, which was widely reported to be cancer.
Black Sabbath drummer says may pull out of reunion
LONDON (Reuters) - Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward has said he will not participate in the British heavy metal band's reunion recordings and tour unless he is offered a "signable" contract.
Royal party and read-a-thon mark big day for Dickens
LONDON (Reuters) - Queen Elizabeth is throwing a star-studded party for him at Buckingham Palace and in Buenos Aires, leading cultural figures will gather in an old orphanage to read from his works.