newsmakers

newsmakers

Hope’s wife dies at 102

LOS ANGELES

Dolores Hope, who was married to entertainer Bob Hope for 69 years and sang at his shows, has died at age 102.

Hope family spokesman Harlan Boll says Hope died Monday at home in Los Angeles. A specific cause of death was not available.

Bob Hope died in 2003 at age 100.

Dolores Reade was a nightclub singer before she married Bob Hope in 1934. She mostly stayed home with their children before Hope began his Christmas trips to entertain U.S. troops during World War II.

‘Ziggy’ creator dies

CLEVELAND

The creator of hard-luck comic strip character Ziggy has died. Tom Wilson Sr. was 80.

Spokesman Josh Peres with Universal Uclick, the Kansas City, Mo., syndication company formerly known as Universal Press Syndicate, says Wilson died Friday after a long illness.

Wilson’s son, Tom Wilson Jr., who has produced the panel since 1987, says his father died of pneumonia at a Cincinnati hospital.

Universal Uclick says Wilson was an artist at American Greetings card company in Cleveland for more than 35 years and first published Ziggy in a 1969 cartoon collection.

Ziggy was launched in 15 newspapers in 1971 and now appears in more than 500 daily and Sunday newspapers. It also has appeared in books, calendars and greeting cards.

Tony Bennett marks birthday with show

NEW YORK

Tony Bennett makes 85 look like the new 55.

The legendary crooner celebrated his milestone birthday with a star-studded concert at the Metropolitan Opera House on Sunday. He danced, told jokes, and sang duets with Aretha Franklin, Elton John and Alejandro Sanz for a capacity crowd that included Robert De Niro and Katie Couric.

Former President Bill Clinton kicked off the evening’s festivities.

Bennett’s actual birthday was Aug. 3.

For Sheen’s character, it’s death by subway

NEW YORK

Charlie Sheen’s character in “Two and a Half Men” was killed off by being hit by a subway train.

“His body just exploded like a balloon full of meat,” Rose, who played Charlie Harper’s obsessed neighbor, explained.

Television’s most popular comedy ended the mystery of how the fired Sheen’s character would be written out of the series and his replacement, Ashton Kutcher, written in. Sheen played ad writer Harper with Jon Cryer his live-in brother and Angus T. Jones playing Cryer’s son.

Cryer receives star

LOS ANGELES

“Two and a Half Men” star Jon Cryer has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The 46-year-old actor was honored Monday and becomes the 2,449th person to receive a Hollywood sidewalk star.

Cryer made his film debut in the 1984 romantic comedy “No Small Affair,” and was best known for his role in “Pretty in Pink” before landing a spot on CBS’ “Two and a Half Men.” He has received six consecutive Emmy nominations for supporting actor in a comedy series, winning two years ago.

Vindicator wire reports