MAN, 82, EXONERATED IN SHOOTING OF 'CAREY' ACTOR

Man, 82, exonerated inshooting of 'Carey' actor
NEW YORK -- An 82-year-old man who shot and wounded his son, a former actor on the "Drew Carey Show," was found not criminally responsible because he suffers from dementia, prosecutors said Tuesday. Vincent Ford Sr., a retired postal worker, pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect Tuesday and was ordered committed to a state mental health facility. Ford Sr. had been charged with attempted murder, assault and weapons possession stemming from the March 2004 shooting of his son, Vincent Ford Jr. Ford Jr., 42, who uses the professional name Keith Diamond, was visiting from California and was eating in the family's kitchen when his father fired four shots at him, prosecutors said. He suffered face, chest and arm wounds. Ford Jr. played Greg Clemens on "The Drew Carey Show" from 1997 to 1999. He also appeared in the movies "Dr. Giggles" and "Biker Boyz."
Pauley's show canceled
NEW YORK -- Jane Pauley's highly anticipated daytime talk show won't make it to a second season. NBC Universal Television announced it was canceling "The Jane Pauley Show" shortly after getting ratings for the February sweeps, reports The Associated Press. The former "Today" and "Dateline NBC" host seemed like a sure thing after 148 of the nation's top 150 markets agreed to air her show before it even started, an unusual vote of confidence. But ratings started low and improved slowly. "Fairly or unfairly, there were high expectations and it was nearly impossible to meet those expectations," said Bill Carroll, an expert on the syndication market for Katz Television. "When they were not met, it was perceived as unsuccessful."
Joel enters rehab clinic
LOS ANGELES -- There shall be no bottle of white -- or red or rose -- for Billy Joel. According to his rep, the Piano Man, 54, "has checked himself into an undisclosed rehabilitation facility for treatment of alcohol abuse." Joel was rushed to the hospital last month after experiencing severe gastric pains. He's been in rehab once since February 2002, and hospitalized twice as a result of car accidents.
Mag: Tarantino is film icon
LONDON -- Quentin Tarantino, director of "Reservoir Dogs," "Pulp Fiction" and the "Kill Bill" movies, was named film icon of the decade at the Empire Awards. "The fact that England has embraced me as one of its own is really cool," said Tarantino, who accepted his award Sunday. "I hope to give you at least 15 more years of movies -- I'm not going to be this old guy that keeps cranking them out. "My plan is to have a theater by that time in some small town and I will be the manager -- this crazy old movie guy," the 41-year-old director said. "I've made enough money that nobody even needs to show up at the theater. It's just having something to do." More than 12,000 readers of Empire magazine voted for the awards. Matt Damon won best actor for his role in "The Bourne Supremacy," which was named best film, while Julie Delpy won the best actress award for "Before Sunset."
Notable death
DENVER -- Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Wilfred "Bill" Loeffler, a cinematographer with NFL Films for more than 30 years, died Feb. 22 of tongue cancer. He was 74. He began filming college football games for the University of Denver and the Air Force Academy in 1954. In 1960, he began filming for the American Football League and later joined NFL Films. He won an Emmy for best film cinematographer in 1995 for NFL Films' "Inside the NFL" on HBO. He filmed several Super Bowls, including the first one in 1967.
Today's birthdays
The former national chairwoman of the NAACP, Myrlie Evers-Williams, is 72. Rock musician Paul Kantner is 64. Singer-songwriter Jim Weatherly is 62. Singer-songwriter John Sebastian (The Lovin' Spoonful) is 61. Rock musician Harold Brown (War) is 59. Actor Patrick Duffy is 56. Actor Kurt Russell is 54. Country singer Susie Allanson is 53. Actress Lesley-Anne Down is 51. Country singer Paul Overstreet is 50. Actor Gary Sinise is 50. Actress Vicki Lewis is 45. Actor Casey Siemaszko is 44. Writer-director Rob Sitch is 43. Actor Rob Lowe is 41. Rock singer Billy Corgan is 38. Rock musician Van Conner (Screaming Trees) is 38. Actor Mathew St. Patrick ("Six Feet Under") is 37. Actor Yanic Truesdale is 36. Rock musician Melissa Auf der Maur is 33. Rock musician Caroline Corr (The Corrs) is 32. Actress Marisa Coughlan is 31. Singer Stephen Gately is 29. Rapper Swifty (D12) is 28.