Firth honored in Italy
ROME, May 30 (UPI) -- British actor Colin Firth has won Italy's Commander of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity award for promoting Italy's image in Great Britain.
The title was created in 1947 to recognize those who rebuilt post-war Italy, the BBC reported Monday. Firth regularly organizes literary events with the Italian Cultural Institute in London.
The actor is also married to Italian producer Livia Giuggioli and is fluent in Italian.
"Italy has become a big part of my life now," Firth said. "I love it. It's a huge blessing. I sort of married a whole family and a whole country.
Firth has starred in hit films including historical romance "Girl With a Pearl Earring" and romantic comedy "Love, Actually." This month, he attended the Cannes film festival launch of his latest movie "Where the Truth Lies," in which he plays a bisexual 1950s entertainer.
Acne hits Harry Potter stars
LONDON, May 30 (UPI) -- Some of the British teenagers starring in the latest "Harry Potter" movie came down with a bad case of acne, the Sun reported Monday.
The young actors broke out in pimples during the shooting of the $65 million "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire," and the heavy make-up only made the problem worse.
Producers had to bring in an expert to airbrush the images and hide the blemishes as the finishing touches were put to the film, due out in November, the report said.
"We have had to employ a special effects man to go through every frame clearing up their complexions," one insider told the newspaper.
"Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe, now 15, 17-year-old Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger reportedly were among the worst affected.
Arnold Morton, restaurateur, dead at 83
CHICAGO, May 30 (UPI) -- Chicago restauranteur Arnold "Arnie" Morton has died in Deerfield, Ill., at the age of 83 after suffering with cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
Morton, best-known for a swank nightspot that bore his nickname and Morton's, the steakhouses that still bear his last name, died Saturday, the Chicago Tribune reported Monday.
"He was an innovative son of a gun who had the warmest personality of anybody that you could meet," said former Rep. Dan Rostenkowski, D-Ill., a one-time regular at Morton's restaurants in Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Morton conceived the idea of the Playboy Club, which he launched in 1960 with Hugh Hefner and Victor Lownes, and Taste of Chicago, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary in July.
Survivors include sons Michael and Peter; daughters Amy, Pam, Debra and Stephanie; a brother, Robert; and 13 grandchildren.
Springer sees British TV in new light
LONDON, May 30 (UPI) -- U.S. television host Jerry Springer says British TV shows are a decade behind their U.S. counterparts.
"Your talk shows are like ours were 10 years ago," he said. "They plod along -- it could be radio," the BBC reported Monday.
Springer is replacing talk show host Trisha Goddard on ITV1 after her move to rival U.K. Channel 5.
"What you do great are your documentaries," Springer said.
Springer said he wants viewers to be able to enjoy his shows with the sound off. "If you still kind of know what's going on, that's compelling," he said.
