People talk 02/19/03

Beatles fans revel in McCartney tour, DVD

LONDON -- Beatles fans received a double treat Tuesday with announcements of a new world tour by Paul McCartney and the release of a DVD of a 1994 jam session by McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison.

McCartney said he plans to include several Beatles songs in his first British tour in a decade, scheduling 22 songs from his Fab Four days for each two-and-a-half hour arena concert.

Seven dates in April have been announced for the "Back in the World" tour, including stops in London and Manchester, northern England. McCartney then plans to tour France, Spain, Germany and Scandinavia.

The world tour follows McCartney's 2002 "Back In The U.S." tour -- a series of performances that earned him Billboard magazine's Tour Of The Year prize.

McCartney said he's learned to give audiences what they want.

"So that means we'll be playing some of my Beatles stuff -- rather a lot of Beatles stuff, actually -- some Wings stuff and some more recent stuff. So basically the show pretty much spans my whole career," the 60-year-old said.

Tickets for the concerts go on sale Friday, priced 35 to 45 pounds ($56-$72).

Fans also will be able to buy a DVD of the reunion performance by McCartney, Starr and Harrison that was filmed in 1994.

Harrison died in November 2001 after a long battle with cancer. John Lennon, the fourth Beatle, was shot dead in New York in 1980.

Due to be released at the end of March, the hour-long DVD was shot at Harrison's studios at his mansion in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.

George Clooney proves to be popular director

LONDON -- George Clooney is proving as popular in the director's chair as he is on screen.

The 41-year-old star arrived at the London premiere of his new movie Monday night to the delight of screaming fans.

Clooney graced a red carpet for his directorial debut, "Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind," which just earned Sam Rockwell the best-actor award at the Berlin Film Festival.

The former "ER" star signed autographs and shook hands with the crowd gathered outside the UGC Haymarket in Piccadilly, central London, to catch a glimpse of Clooney.

"Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind," also starring Julia Roberts and Drew Barrymore, tells the story of 1970s TV producer and "Gong Show" host Chuck Barris.

The film is based on Barris' autobiography in which he claims to have led an extraordinary double life as a CIA assassin -- fronting game shows by day and murdering government targets by night.

Asked about his future plans, Clooney said: "I'll direct again if something interesting comes along."

-- From wire reports