People talk 2/20/03

Branagh will star in London play 'Edmond'

LONDON -- Kenneth Branagh is returning to the London stage for the first time in more than a decade.

The National Theater announced Wednesday that the actor and director will star in "Edmond," a David Mamet play that's being revived at the National this summer.

Branagh, 42, played the self-absorbed Gilderoy Lockhart in last year's "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets."

In "Edmond," opening in July, Branagh plays a man who leaves his wife and becomes involved in an underworld of illicit sex, violence and crime. Mamet's play was last seen in London in 1985 at the Royal Court Theater.

Grisham's 'A Painted House' to air on TV

BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. -- John Grisham says he was pleased with an advance version of a TV movie based on his autobiographical novel, "A Painted House."

The Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, scheduled to air April 27 on CBS, features "a lot of cotton and mud," Grisham said.

Grisham, who grew up in northeast Arkansas, said he expects the TV movie to premiere in Jonesboro, probably at Arkansas State University. He said Hallmark officials were expected to hold the premiere in mid-March.

"The Runaway Jury," a film based on another of his novels, is set for release in theaters this fall, said Grisham, who was in Blytheville Monday to sign copies of his latest novel, "The King of Torts."

Complaint filed against Bon Jovi by housekeeper

TRENTON, N.J. -- Jon Bon Jovi's former housekeeper has filed a complaint against him in small claims court, claiming he failed to reimburse her for $430 in expenses.

Maria Sliwinska, 55, said the lead singer of the rock band Bon Jovi failed to repay travel costs she incurred last year while commuting from her home to his mansion in Middletown, the Web site The Smoking Gun reported Tuesday.

A spokeswoman for Bon Jovi, 40, said she was unaware of the lawsuit.-- From wire reports

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FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. -- Former U.S. Rep. Joe Scarborough made his debut as anchor of a national cable news show about the United States' showdown with Iraq and is scheduled to stay in the role indefinitely.

Scarborough, a Pensacola Republican who retired in September 2001, flew to MSNBC's New Jersey headquarters Tuesday to anchor the show.

Alan Winnikoff, MSNBC's vice president of corporate communications, said the show will be called "MSNBC Reports" beginning Wednesday and will be aired at 9 p.m.

The network's programming schedule said the program will provide "up-to-the-minute developments" in the showdown with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein."

"We will continue to run the show as long as it is needed," said Alan Winnikoff, MSNBC's vice president of corporate communications. "Because the whole war situation is so fluid, we don't know if this will be a permanent thing or not."

It's unknown whether Scarborough will be offered his own talk show. He'd already filled in at the cable news station for talk show host Jerry Nachman while he was out on medical leave.

Nan Weaver, Scarborough's former district director, said he's negotiating with MSNBC for long-range plans to host a show similar to "Hardball with Chris Matthews."

Scarborough was elected to four terms but retired in midterm to spend more time with his two sons. He's also member of a law firm headed by Fred Levin, namesake of the University of Florida's law school.

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BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" star Kate Hudson has about that much time to prepare for hosting duties at the upcoming sci-tech Oscar ceremony.

The actress has agreed to oversee the March 1 presentation of the Scientific and Technical Academy Awards, which honor behind-the-scenes advancements in motion picture arts, organizers announced Tuesday.

The black-tie event at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel is set to take place about three weeks before the main Oscar ceremony March 23 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.

Hudson, 23, whose mother is actress Goldie Hawn, had a supporting actress Oscar nomination for playing an idealistic groupie in 2000's "Almost Famous." Her other film credits include "The Four Feathers," "Dr. T & the Women" and "200 Cigarettes."

Besides hosting the March 1 event, Hudson will appear during the main Oscar telecast to introduce a run-down of the sci-tech honorees.

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HAMBURG, Germany -- American pop artist Jeff Koons has been commissioned to redesign a public square in this northern port city's famous Reeperbahn red-light and theater district.

Koons visited Hamburg on Tuesday to get his first impressions of the Spielbodenplatz square, which houses several variety theaters and a wax museum.

"I'm here to get my first impressions and to be inspired," Koons told reporters. "I want to create a symbol, something that people will never be tired of looking at."

Work will begin later this year, said Hamburg's head of building, Mario Mettbach. The city has pledged $1.9 million for the renovation and design, and expects an additional $2.7 million from private sponsors.

"The project is aimed at bringing more flair to the square," Mettbach said.

Koons said he plans to return to Hamburg and stay for an extended period to work on the design, which will be announced in early April.

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BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- John Grisham says he was pleased with an advance version of a TV movie based on his autobiographical novel, "A Painted House."

The Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, scheduled to air April 27 on CBS, features "a lot of cotton and mud," Grisham said.

Grisham, who grew up in northeast Arkansas, said he expects the TV movie to premiere in Jonesboro, probably at Arkansas State University. He said Hallmark officials were expected to hold the premiere in mid-March.

"The Runaway Jury," a film based on another of his novels, is set for release in theaters this fall, said Grisham, who was in Blytheville Monday to sign copies of his latest novel, "The King of Torts."

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NEW YORK -- Joshua Malina, who has joined NBC's "The West Wing," describes the cast as "a benevolent madhouse."

"As soon as the director yells 'Cut,' Martin Sheen and John Spencer are trading old New York theater war stories, Allison Janney is pretending to talk to someone on a prop phone, Dule Hill is tap dancing with jaw-dropping skill, Richard Schiff is tossing Hershey's Kisses into a coffee mug from across the room, Bradley Whitford, that avid yoga showoff, has his foot atop a bookcase, and I'm usually pressuring people to play poker with me," Malina tells People magazine in its Feb. 24 issue, now on newsstands.

Malina, 37, plays speechwriter Will Bailey on the Emmy-winning NBC White House drama.

"Someone on the Internet referred to me as 'that horrible little man who's replacing Rob Lowe, which is hurtful, because I think of myself as a delightful little man," Malina tells the magazine.

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MAKOTI, N.D. -- The man known as the "Flying Farmer" has taken off again.

In his latest stunt, John Smith jumped a car over 25 hay bales -- a distance of more than 160 feet -- in a field northwest of Makoti. The car landed on its nose and almost flipped over on the frozen ground.

"This one was close," said Smith, who is listed in the Guinness Book of Records for other driving stunts he's performed since 1990. "The runway was rough."

Smith said he told his wife, Melinda, that if he didn't sell the straw bales by Feb. 1, he would jump over them with a car. "She kind of chuckled, but she's not chuckling anymore," he said Sunday.

Smith, 38, said he hopes to set two more world records, and is looking for a promoter.

"I want those two jump records, and I want them this year," he said.

-- From wire reports