Senator to appear in film

Senator to appear in film

BURLINGTON, Vt. — Holy Beltway, Batman! Sen. Patrick Leahy has a part in the next Batman movie.

“I don’t wear tights,” the Vermont Democrat said.

Leahy’s scene was filmed this summer for “The Dark Knight” and involves Batman, played by Christian Bale, The Joker, played by Heath Ledger, and Alfred Pennyworth, played by Michael Caine.

The longtime Batman fan would reveal little about his role other than he is called the “distinguished gentleman.”

“It’s a pretty tense scene,” said Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “It’s going to be a very interesting one.”

He’s done voice-overs on Batman cartoons, written the preface for a Batman book and had small roles in the last two Batman features.

He said he will donate his earnings from the film to the Kellogg-Hubbard children’s library in Montpelier, where the senator got his first library card.

“The Dark Knight” is scheduled to be released next summer.

Brooks announces album

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Garth Brooks may be retired from touring, but he’s not slowing down.

Brooks announced Saturday that a greatest-hits package called “The Ultimate Hits,” with four new songs and a DVD full of videos, will be released Nov. 6.

Brooks, 45, retired in 2001 to be a stay-at-home dad. He said he has no plans to tour, but he assured more than 200 radio executives and music retailers that he will be promoting the album.

Today’s birthdays

Writer-producer-director Walter Bernstein is 88. Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, D-Maine, is 74. Singer-musician Isaac Hayes is 65. Broadcast journalist Connie Chung is 61. Musician Jimmy Pankow (Chicago) is 60. Rock singer Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) is 59. Rock singer Doug Fieger (The Knack) is 55. Country singer Rudy Gatlin is 55. Singer-songwriter John Hiatt is 55. Actor-director Peter Horton is 54. TV weatherman Al Roker is 53. Actor Jay Acovone is 52. Actress Joan Allen is 51. TV personality Asha Blake is 46. Actor James Marsters is 45. Rapper KRS-One is 42. Rock singer Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit) is 37. Rock musician Brad Avery (Third Day) is 36. Actor Jonathan Ke Quan is 36. Rock singer Monique Powell (Save Ferris) is 32.