Music exec: Whitney Houston looked ‘healthy and beautiful’ days earlier

By doris | Published: February 12, 2012

Full Story at CNN.com

Beverly Hills, California (CNN) — Two loud booms jolted awake the music industry executive in her fifth-floor room of the Beverly Hilton hotel.

The time was 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The thuds seemed to be coming from the room below. The voice of a man, loud and urgent, followed.

It was only later that she learned the news: Whitney Houston, a guest in the room below hers, had died.

Cause of death: Unclear.

Time pronounced: 3:55 p.m., February 11, 2012.

Age: A mere 48.

Posted in Death, Farewell, Grammy Awards, Music, Singer | Leave a comment

‘Big Valley’ star Peter Breck dies at 82

By doris | Published: February 11, 2012

Full Story at TheClicker.today.msnbc.msn.com

Peter Breck, who played a hot-headed son of California ranch owner Barbara Stanwyck on the 1960s TV Western “The Big Valley,” died Monday in Vancouver after a long illness. He was 82.

His wife announced his death on the website The Big Valley Writing Desk.

Before the 1965-1969 ABC series, the dark-haired, rugged-looking Breck had worked as a regular on two other TV Westerns: “Maverick,” as Doc Holliday opposite James Garner, and “Black Saddle,” on which he played a gunman turned lawyer opposite future “Gilligan’s Island” actor Russell Johnson.

Posted in Actor, Death, Health, Hospital, Movies, Shows, Television | Leave a comment

Will counseling be enough to save Owen and Cristina on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’?

By doris | Published: February 10, 2012

Full Story at TheClicker.today.msnbc.msn.com

Owen Hunt and Cristina Yang have been a staple couple of “Grey’s Anatomy” since the fifth season, but they’ve had one of the most tumultuous relationships to date. That’s saying a lot, especially considering the other couples have had to deal with cancer, a near-death drowning experience and unexpected children popping up … twice.

But now, it seems that the damage is irreparable between the two surgeons. After the explosive ending of the Jan. 19 episode, “Hope for the Hopeless,” viewers learned that Owen still hasn’t forgiven Cristina for getting an abortion – despite the fact that he supportively held her hand through the experience.

Posted in Actor, Actress, Jobs, Shows, Television | Leave a comment

Zsa Zsa Gabor To Celebrate 95th Birthday With Star-Studded Party

By doris | Published: February 9, 2012

Full Story at LosAngeles.cbslocal.com

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Screen siren Zsa Zsa Gabor turned 95 years old Monday, in spite of the health scares she suffered over the past year.

Gabor’s leg was amputated last year, after previously breaking her hip and suffering a blood clot. She was rushed to the hospital several times, including the day after her friend and one-time neighbor Elizabeth Taylor died.

She was last rushed to the hospital for internal bleeding and an infection in November.

Since then, she seems to have rallied and has invited friends and the media to a birthday party Monday at the estate she shares with her husband, Frederic Prinz von Anhalt.

Posted in Actress, Birthday, Health | Leave a comment

Ryan Murphy confirms Jessica Lange’s return to ‘American Horror Story’

By doris | Published: February 8, 2012

Full Story at TheClicker.today.msnbc.msn.com

Ever since Ryan Murphy revealed that he was trying to bring back some original castmembers for “American Horror Story’s” second season, we’ve been waiting patiently for news on who will be popping up next year. Finally, we have something!

Murphy confirmed last night to Andy Cohen on “Watch What Happens Live” that a fan favorite will be returning. So who’s coming back?

Posted in Actress, Movies, Programming, Shows | Leave a comment

Woman charged with extortion over ’19 Kids and Counting’

By doris | Published: February 7, 2012

Full Story at TheClicker.today.msnbc.msn.com

It looks like someone really doesn’t like the TLC reality show “19 Kids and Counting,” which follows the Duggar parents, Jim Bob and Michelle, and their 19 children.

Teresa Hunt of Bettendorf, Iowa, has been charged with trying to extort Discovery Communications, the parent company of the TLC network, to either cancel the show or give her $10,000. In exchange, according to federal documents, she would not release photos of a cast member in “apparently intimate situations” with an older man.

Radar Online reported that the alleged subject is Amy Duggar, the 25-year-old niece of Jim Bob. She is a country singer who sometimes appears on the reality program.

According to the Associated Press, Hunt was arrested on Feb. 1 after an undercover FBI agent posed as a network exec, saying he was following up on a letter she sent. According to the affidavit, Hunt identified herself as a photographer who had the supposedly incriminating photos, and later e-mailed several images to the agent.

Posted in Children, Extortion, Family, Reality Show | Leave a comment

Two’s company! Joyce DeWitt, Suzanne Somers reunite

By doris | Published: February 6, 2012

Full Story at TheClicker.today.msnbc.msn.com

Suzanne Somers hosted her “Three’s Company” costar Joyce DeWitt Thursday on her online program, “Breaking Through.”

It was billed as the first time the women had seen each other in more than 30 years.

More from THR: What Nicki Minaj is demanding for her dressing room

Somers and DeWitt got emotional discussing the missing member of their “Three’s Company” reunion, John Ritter, who died due to complications from a heart condition in 2003.

Posted in Actress, Home, Reunit, Shows, Television | Leave a comment

Former Beatle Ringo Starr on his new album

By doris | Published: February 5, 2012

Full Story at CNN.com

(CNN) — Ringo Starr walks into the hotel suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel carrying a brown paper bag.

It’s his sack lunch, and he’s packed it himself. He’s also driven himself to the hotel and arrived alone — no entourage, no bodyguard, no assistant, no fuss.

It’s fitting that CNN’s interview with the iconic music star is taking place at an iconic hotel, which is like a second home to the former Beatle. This is where the Fab Four stayed when they first came to Hollywood in 1964, no doubt trailed by dozens of screaming girls and photographers as they ushered in the British Invasion.

Posted in Change, CNN, Entertainment, Music, Singer | Leave a comment

Popular character actor Ben Gazzara dies in NY

By doris | Published: February 4, 2012

Full Story at news.Yahoo.com

NEW YORK (AP) — Ben Gazzara, whose powerful dramatic performances brought an intensity to a variety of roles and made him a memorable presence in such iconic productions over the decades as the original “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” on Broadway and the film “The Big Lebowski,” has died at age 81.

Longtime family friend Suzanne Mados said Gazzara died Friday in Manhattan. Mados, who owned the Wyndham Hotel, where celebrities such as Peter Falk and Martin Sheen stayed, said he died after being placed in hospice care for cancer. She and her husband helped marry Gazzara and his wife, German-born Elke Krivat, at their hotel.

Posted in Actor, Death, Filmmaker, Movies, Shows, Television | Leave a comment

Death certificate: James Farentino died of broken hip

By doris | Published: February 3, 2012

Full Story at TODAYEntertainmentoday.msnbc.msn.com

James Farentino, a prolific character actor who in later years played George Clooney’s estranged father on “ER,” was originally said to have died last week following a long illness.

But that’s not the whole story, according to the death certificate released today by the L.A. County Department of Public Health and obtained by E! News.

What did the document reveal?

Posted in Death, Entertainment | Leave a comment