Wednesday, February 2, 2005
Keanu Reeves gets star
LOS ANGELES -- Keanu Reeves, who traveled through time in "Bill & amp; Ted's Excellent Adventure" and took on humanity's machine conquerors in "The Matrix" films, has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Reeves, 40, was honored with the star Monday for a career that includes movies such as the action thrillers "Speed" and "Point Break," the romances "Something's Gotta Give" and "A Walk in the Clouds," and the dramas "Little Buddha" and "My Own Private Idaho." His star was placed along Hollywood Boulevard near the spot where some action scenes in "Speed" were shot. The honor came just weeks before the release of his next movie, "Constantine," adapted from the DC Comics series. Reeves stars as the title character, a man with visions of angels and devils on Earth who battles to dispatch demons back to the underworld.
Bloom, Bosworth split
LOS ANGELES -- Hollywood couple Orlando Bloom and Kate Bosworth have split after dating for nearly three years, People magazine reported. "They did decide to take some time apart due to their upcoming work schedule, and they remain very close," the couple's representative, Robin Baum, told the magazine. "It was a mutual decision." The couple's split was reported Monday by People. Bloom, 28, starred in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and last year's "Troy." Bosworth, 22, who starred in 2002's "Blue Crush," played Sandra Dee in last year's "Beyond the Sea," about 1950s crooner Bobby Darin. The couple began dating in the spring of 2002.
Longoria and Chasez?
MONTERREY, Mexico -- Eva Longoria was desperate to set the record straight on her love life during a photo shoot in this northern Mexico city where her family has roots. The "Desperate Housewives" co-star was spotted at Monterrey's international airport Sunday with *NSync singer JC Chasez, after her weekend photo shoot with Latina magazine, the Reforma newspaper reported in its Monday editions. The magazine invited Longoria to do the project after learning that her family is from Monterrey, a center of business and industry 430 miles north of Mexico City. Longoria arrived alone Friday, but Chasez was present later during the photo shoot, Reforma said. Chasez told reporters he was vacationing in Monterrey, while Longoria said she was "here alone, with my friends, my publicist." Chasez "is only my friend," the actress told the newspaper. Longoria returned Sunday to Los Angeles to shoot additional episodes of the hit ABC series. "Desperate Housewives" airs Sundays (9 p.m. EST).
Letterman honors Carson
NEW YORK -- It was Johnny Carson's last monologue and, predictably, it drew plenty of laughs. David Letterman paid tribute to Carson, who died Jan. 23, by delivering a "Late Show" monologue Monday composed entirely of jokes the retired "Tonight" show host had quietly sent him in his final months. Only after the monologue was through and Letterman was back behind his desk did he tell the audience who had written the jokes. One of Carson's former producers, Peter Lassally, told Letterman the one thing Carson missed after retiring in May 1992 was his nightly monologue. Carson would read the newspapers in the morning and write jokes, often calling Lassally and delivering them over the phone. Only after much prodding did Carson agree to send some to Letterman. "He was delighted that you did them and that the audience laughed at them," Lassally said. Getting a call from Carson with jokes was "like Christmas morning, for God's sake," Letterman said.
Notable deaths
LOS ANGELES -- Robbie Lee Williams, the mother of musician Billy Preston and, according to Preston, the inspiration for his song "You Are So Beautiful to Me," died Wednesday. She was 87. Williams died at her Los Angeles home, surrounded by her son and other family members, Preston's publicist, Eric Raymond, said Monday. The family said she died of natural causes. Like her son, Williams was a keyboard player and performed frequently at her church. "You Are So Beautiful to Me" was a hit for Joe Cocker.
NEW YORK -- Coley Wallace, who knocked out Rocky Marciano in an amateur bout and played Joe Louis in two movies has died. He was 77. Wallace is best known for twice portraying Joe Louis on film, once in "The Joe Louis Story" in 1953 and again in Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bull" in 1980. Wallace also starred in "Carib Gold" in 1957 and played a part in "Rooftops" in 1989.
Today's birthdays
Actress Elaine Stritch is 80. Actor Robert Mandan is 73. Comedian Tom Smothers is 68. Rock singer-guitarist Graham Nash is 63. Actor Bo Hopkins is 63. Television executive Barry Diller is 63. Country singer Howard Bellamy (The Bellamy Brothers) is 59. Actress Farrah Fawcett is 58. Actor Brent Spiner is 56. Rock musician Ross Valory (Journey) is 56. Model Christie Brinkley is 51. Actor Michael Talbott is 50. Actress Kim Zimmer is 50. Rock musician Robert DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots) is 39. Rock musician Ben Mize (Counting Crows) is 34. Rapper T-Mo is 33. Actress Lori Beth Denberg is 29. Singer Shakira is 28.