newsmakers

newsmakers

‘Housewives’ creator begins testimony

LOS ANGELES

The creator of “Desperate Housewives” says he received permission to kill Nicollette Sheridan’s character four months before he was involved in a dispute during which the actress claims he struck her on the head.

Marc Cherry testified Monday about the decision to kill off the Edie Britt character in the ABC series, which Sheridan’s lawyers claim was retaliation for her complaining about Cherry’s hit in September 2008.

Cherry says that he was given approval by a top ABC executive to kill off the character during a brief meeting in May 2008.

Sheridan is seeking more than $6 million for wrongful termination and battery claims.

The actress concluded testifying Monday, telling jurors she didn’t give Cherry permission to strike her. He claims he was giving her artistic direction.

Backstreet Boy reports jewelry theft

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga.

A member of the Backstreet Boys pop-music group tells police that $120,000 in jewelry was stolen from a Stone Mountain hotel where he and his wife were staying.

Brian Littrell tells WSB-TV they were leaving Stone Mountain Park outside Atlanta when they realized the jewelry had been left on a nightstand in their hotel room. He said that when they returned to the hotel to retrieve the items, they were gone.

Leighanne Littrell says the $120,000 in jewelry included her engagement ring valued at $110,000.

WSB reports that police were at the hotel Sunday night. It wasn’t immediately clear when the reported theft occurred.

Comic impressionist Steve Bridges dies

LOS ANGELES

Comic impressionist Steve Bridges, best known for impersonating former President George W. Bush, has died at home in Los Angeles.

The 48-year-old Bridges was found unresponsive by a housekeeper Saturday. Coroner’s official Craig Harvey says it is being investigated as an apparently natural death, but an autopsy will be conducted, possibly today.

The coroner’s office says Bridges had no recent medical complaints, and a statement on Bridges’ website says his death came as a shock.

Bridges’ George W. Bush impression made him a regular on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” and earned him an invitation to the White House in 2003.

In 2006 Bridges joined Bush in a comic routine at the 2006 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, D.C., and at a Ford’s Theatre benefit.

‘Animal House’ coming to the stage

NEW YORK

Toga, toga!

Universal Pictures Stage Productions said Monday that it’s developing a stage musical based on its classic college comedy “National Lampoon’s Animal House.”

“Animal House: The Musical” will feature an original score by the band Barenaked Ladies, with direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw, who also directed “The Book of Mormon” and “The Drowsy Chaperone.”

Michael Mitnick will write the libretto for the stage production.

The 1978 film’s cast included John Belushi, Tom Hulce, Bruce McGill, Tim Matheson, Stephen Furst and Karen Allen. It explored how one frat house, Delta Tau Chi, made sloth and debauchery look cool.

2 accused of stealing Jackson music

LONDON

Two Britons have been charged with hacking into Sony Music’s computers, and a person familiar with the case says they stole unreleased Michael Jackson tracks.

Sony Music Entertainment spokeswoman Liz Young said Monday the company noticed a breach in May and alerted British authorities, who arrested two men.

Sony said no customer data were compromised, but it would not confirm what music was stolen.

A person familiar with the situation but unauthorized to speak publicly said the theft included unreleased Jackson material.

The year after Jackson’s 2009 death, Sony signed a seven-year deal worth up to $250 million to sell his unreleased recordings.

Britain’s Serious Organized Crime Agency said the two suspects face trial next year for computer misuse and copyright offenses.

Vindicator wire services