People talk 8/30/02

Retiring senator joins 'Law and Order' cast

NEW YORK -- Retiring U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson is going from Capitol Hill to the New York district attorney's office as the newest cast member of "Law & Order."

The Tennessee Republican, who's also been an actor and a prosecutor, will join the NBC legal drama this fall for its 13th season.

Thompson's new character replaces Dianne Wiest as the district attorney, which executive producer Michael Chernuchin said "is definitely a reaction to 9/11."

"His political leanings are a little more to the right than former DAs on the show," Chernuchin said in a statement Wednesday. "He is a 'strict constructionist,' that is, for him, the Constitution is what it says it is and nothing more."

Thompson unexpectedly announced in March that he was leaving from the Senate for personal reasons. He made the decision shortly after the death of his 38-year-old daughter, Elizabeth Thompson Panici.

The 60-year-old has appeared in nearly 20 films, including "In the Line of Fire" and "The Hunt for Red October." He's also had TV roles in "Wiseguy," "Matlock" and "Roseanne."

Ann Landers' daughter establishes memorial

CHICAGO -- Margo Howard, daughter of the late advice columnist Ann Landers, has established a research fund to fight multiple myeloma, the bone marrow disease that recently took her mother's life.

Howard said the Ann Landers Research Fund would be part of a national fund-raising program in collaboration with the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.

"During my mother's lifetime she was a great supporter of medical research," Howard said in a statement Wednesday. "It seems fitting that, after her death, her name will continue to be connected with medical progress."

Kathy Giusti, president of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, said the nonprofit organization's Web site will launch a special section devoted to the life of Landers, where visitors can pledge support for research to be conducted in her name.

Landers, whose real name was Esther Lederer, died June 22 at 83.-- From wire reports

Gumbel, Quinlan celebrating wedded bliss

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Bryant Gumbel and Hilary Quinlan are honeymooning in Mexico after marrying at the posh Breakers resort over the weekend.

Gumbel, 56, and Goldman Sachs researcher Quinlan, 42, celebrated their union in a small, private ceremony Saturday night with fewer than 25 guests. The party then moved into a ballroom for a six-course rack of lamb dinner.

Quinlan's sister was maid of honor. Gumbel's best man was his son, Bradley.

Guests included Gumbel's mother, his daughter, Jillian; his sportscaster brother, Greg; his sister; his best friend, "Today" show co-host Matt Lauer, and his wife, Annette, and members of Hilary's family.

"It was very nice; the room was spectacular. He was happy, she was happy," said Dave Burke, Breakers' head of marketing. "It was uneventful, just what Bryant wanted. The room was beautiful, Hilary was beautiful. It was terrific."