[December 06, 2008]

AP Entertainment NewsBrief at 12:51 a.m. EST

(AP Online Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Witness: 'Sopranos' actor knew friend had gunNEW YORK (AP) _ Former "Sopranos" actor Lillo Brancato knew a fellow junkie was carrying a gun before a break-in that led to the deadly shooting of an off-duty police officer, a drug dealer testified Friday. Joseph Borelli's testimony could prove vital in Brancato's second-degree murder trial, which may hinge on whether the jury believes the "A Bronx Tale" star knew about associate Steven Armento's loaded weapon. Brancato says he didn't.

O.J. gets at least 9 years for armed hotel robberyLAS VEGAS (AP) _ A weary and beaten-looking O.J. Simpson was put away Friday for at least nine years _ and perhaps the rest of his life _ for an armed robbery in a hotel room, bringing a measure of satisfaction to those who believed the football star got away with murder more than a decade ago. The 61-year-old Hall of Famer listened stone-faced, his wrists in shackles, as Judge Jackie Glass pronounced the sentence _ 33 years behind bars with eligibility for parole after less than a third of that.

Pinup Bettie Page hospitalized after heart attackLOS ANGELES (AP) _ Bettie Page, a 1950s pinup known for her raven-haired bangs and saucy come-hither looks, was hospitalized in intensive care after suffering a heart attack, her agent said Friday. "She's critically ill," Mark Roesler of CMG Worldwide told The Associated Press.

Vegas judge drops charges against 'Suge' KnightLAS VEGAS (AP) _ A judge on Friday dismissed drug and battery charges filed against Marion "Suge" Knight, a hip-hop mogul accused of beating a woman in a parking lot. Justice of the Peace Abbi Silver dismissed the charges without prejudice, said Clark County Court spokesman Michael Sommermeyer.

Sci-fi's grand old man, Forrest J Ackerman, diesLOS ANGELES (AP) _ Forrest J Ackerman, the sometime actor, literary agent, magazine editor and full-time bon vivant who discovered author Ray Bradbury and was widely credited with coining the term "sci-fi," has died. He was 92. Ackerman died Thursday of heart failure at his Los Angeles home, said Kevin Burns, head of Prometheus Entertainment and a trustee of Ackerman's estate.

It's a boy for Jonny Lee Miller and Michele HicksLOS ANGELES (AP) _ The wife of "Eli Stone" actor Jonny Lee Miller has given birth to a baby boy. A publicist for Miller says actress and model Michele Hicks gave birth Wednesday to Buster Timothy Miller in Los Angeles.

Guitarist sues over 2008 Coldplay hitLOS ANGELES (AP) _ A noted guitarist has sued members of Coldplay, claiming the band's smash hit "Viva La Vida" copied parts of one of his songs. The copyright infringement lawsuit by Joe Satriani was filed Thursday in federal court in Los Angeles.

Sale of large collection of Marilyn Monroe photosNEW YORK (AP) _ Before the world knew her as Marilyn Monroe, Norma Jeane Baker so captivated photographer Andre de Dienes at her first modeling assignment that he later recorded their meeting in his diary: "An earthly sexy-looking angel! Sent expressly to me!" De Dienes simultaneously captured the innocent exuberance and seductiveness of the young model in a series of photos that day in 1949 as she frolicked on a Long Island beach. They are among more than 100 Monroe images being offered for sale in three sessions on Dec. 16-17 at Christie's auction house. They are expected to bring from $811,000 to $1.1 million.

Hollywood's No. 1 women: Winfrey and JolieBEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) _ When the going gets tough, the most powerful woman in Hollywood turns to macaroni and cheese. Oprah Winfrey, who tops The Hollywood Reporter's annual ranking of the most influential women in entertainment, confessed Friday during a question-and-answer session with Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Guider that the comfort food has been her "cure" for failure. Winfrey was among scores of female power brokers who celebrated each other at a private breakfast reception at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

New version of 'Harry Potter' guide to be releasedNORTH MUSKEGON, Mich. (AP) _ A "Harry Potter" fan and Web site operator said Friday he's publishing a different version of his Potter reference guide after losing a copyright-infringement lawsuit filed by the author of the massively popular book series. Steven Vander Ark said during a news conference at a small bookstore that Muskegon-based RDR Books will publish "The Lexicon: An Unauthorized Guide to Harry Potter Fiction and Related Materials" on Jan. 12. The suggested retail price for the trade paperback will be $24.95.

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