Co-author sues 'Deep Throat'
WASHINGTON, July 8 (UPI) -- A federal lawsuit filed in Washington claims W. Mark Felt, Watergate's "Deep Throat," tricked his co-author into signing away his rights to their book.
Ralph de Toledano's suit says Felt, his son and their attorney concealed their intention to disclose Felt was indeed Deep Throat in an update of the 1979 memoir, "The FBI Pyramid," the Washington Times reported Saturday.
In the original version, Felt denied he was Deep Throat.
Felt's attorney, John D. O'Connor, gave de Toledano $5,000 for his interest in the memoir in 2005, saying the Felts wanted to "update" the memoir, the lawsuit alleges.
O'Connor then wrote an article for Vanity Fair magazine, disclosing Felt was indeed the source who leaked information about the FBI's involvement in the Watergate scandal. O'Connor also worked with Felt and his son on the updated memoir, including the Deep Throat information. The revised book, retitled "A G-Man's Life" was published this year.
Felt's confession increased the value of the book rights to $1 million, de Toledano said in his lawsuit.
U.S. basic cable actors get a pay hike
LOS ANGELES, July 8 (UPI) -- The president of the Screen Actors Guild says a new contract covering basic cable TV's live-action stars is a victory for middle-class actors.
Under the two-year deal reached with producers Friday, actors on basic cable shows like "The Shield" and "Monk" will receive a 21 percent increase in residuals, the Los Angeles Daily News reported Saturday.
The increase will be retroactive to Jan. 1.
"The sole priority in these negotiations was to achieve a residuals increase for the actors who do this work, and we accomplished that," SAG President Alan Rosenberg said.
"For many members of Screen Actors Guild, these extra dollars mean the difference between whether or not they pay rent, qualify for healthcare or earn points toward their pensions," he said.
Cable actors have received a pay hike sine their first open-ended contract was negotiated in 1990, the Daily News said.
Hip-hop label goes to bankruptcy trustee
LOS ANGELES, July 8 (UPI) -- Death Row Records, which once boasted a roster of the West Coast's biggest rap stars, is now in the hands of a Los Angeles bankruptcy trustee.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Ellen Carroll Friday authorized the takeover of the label founded by Marion "Suge" Knight and Dr. Dre in 1991, E! Online reported.
Knight, who did not attend the hearing, unsuccessfully sought more time through his attorney to raise money through distribution deals for label's catalog.
Once the home of Snoop Dogg and the late Tupac Shakur, Death Row reportedly has assets estimated between $1 million and $10 million and more than $100 million debts.
Knight, who filed for personal and corporate bankruptcy in April, testified in May he had not looked at Death Row's financial books for about 10 years, E! said.
Carroll has not yet appointed a trustee to handle Knight's personal bankruptcy. He had said in May he had $11 in his bank account and about $28,000 in material possessions, E! said.
'Pirates' opens big in Britain
LONDON, July 8 (UPI) -- The "Pirates" sequel had a big opening in Britain, taking in 2.3 million pounds, or $4.3 million, on its first day.
The take was the best ever for a Disney picture in the country.
"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" had an advance ticket sale of almost 1 million pounds, the BBC reported.
The first movie, "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," became a surprise hit and critical success in 2003, with Johnny Depp even getting an Academy Award nomination for best actor. The film went on to make more than $650 million.
A third movie, "At World's End," is due out in 2007.
