UPI NewsTrack Entertainment News

'Transformers' a big hit in U.S. theaters

LOS ANGELES, June 28 (UPI) -- The science-fiction movie "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" proved a box office smash in its opening weekend in U.S. theaters, Box Office Mojo said Sunday.

Estimated gate receipts showed 'Transformers,' starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox, piled up $112 million in sales at 4,234 theaters.

Last week's top show, "The Proposal," moved to No. 2 with $18.47 million in estimated ticket sales, followed by "The Hangover" with $17.22 million and "Up" with $13.05 million.

Another new movie, "My Sister's Keeper," a Nick Cassavetes-directed drama starring Abigail Breslin, Sofia Vassilieva and Cameron Diaz, opened to a luke-warm reception and took in $12.03 million for the No. 5 spot.

Filling out the top 10 were "Year One," $5.8 million; "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3," $5.4 million; "Star Trek," $3.61 million; "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," $3.5 million; and "Away We Go," which pushed its way up to 10th from No. 13 in its fourth week in theaters with $1.68 million.

'Away' stars John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph in a Sam Mendes-directed romantic comedy about a couple expecting their first child traveling the country looking for a place to raise it.

Dismissed from the top tier were "Land of the Lost," Terminator Salvation" and "Imagine That."

Elaine Stritch sued by writer

NEW YORK, June 28 (UPI) -- Actress Elaine Stritch says she rejects accusations in John Lahr's lawsuit that she owes the writer money for helping with her show "Elaine Stritch at Liberty."

Stritch said she owes Lahr her gratitude, but not her money, the New York Post reported Sunday.

"He made it possible for me to do my show, so I'm indebted to him for life," Stritch said. "I have nothing bad to say about him. I don't want to have dinner with him tonight, but I'm very fond of him."

Lahr, an award-winning writer for The New Yorker magazine, is suing Stritch, 84, for unspecified damages, restitution and 20 percent of the gross that Stritch earns for performing the show, the New York Post reported Sunday.

In a lawsuit filed last week in Manhattan Supreme Court, Lahr, the son of film legend Bert Lahr, said he is due a portion of the profits each time Stritch performs "Liberty," which recounts her years on Broadway and her battle with alcohol, the Post reported.

Stritch won a Tony award for "Liberty" and an Emmy for her television performance as Alec Baldwin's mother in "30 Rock."

Rocker Eddie Van Halen marries

STUDIO CITY, Calif., June 28 (UPI) -- Guitarist Eddie Van Halen married his girlfriend in a Studio City, Calif., ceremony in which the bride and groom wore flip-flop sandals, sources said.

Van Halen, 54, and Janie Liszewski, 39, his girlfriend of three years, were married Saturday night at Van Halen's estate, People reported Sunday. The marriage was the first for Liszewski and the second for Van Halen.

Van Halen's son, Wolfgang, 18, served as best man, while the groom's brother, Alex Van Halen, an ordained minister, officiated before 100 guests, including Eddie Van Halen's ex-wife, actress Valerie Bertinelli. Van Halen and Bertinelli divorced in 2006 after 25 years of marriage.

Liszewski wore a champagne-and-pink Hanna Hartnell gown with Bulgari earrings and bracelet. Van Halen wore Sy Devore cotton pants and an untucked cotton shirt. The bride and groom wore flip-flop sandals, as did the wedding attendants.

The couple toasted each other with non-alcoholic beverages, honoring the groom's year and a half of sobriety, People reported. The couple were to honeymoon in New York, Germany and the Netherlands, where Van Halen was born.

TV commercial king Billy Mays dead at 50

TAMPA, Fla., June 28 (UPI) -- Tampa police say 50-year-old television pitchman Billy Mays was found dead at his home Sunday.

Mays, whose distinctive voice and high-volume commercials and infomercials for variety of household products and Internet services made him a nationally known TV personality was found unresponsive by his wife Deborah, police told WTVT-TV, Tampa.

Paramedics transported Mays to a hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police said an autopsy would be conducted Monday, but there appeared to be no evidence of foul play at the home.

The bearded Mays shot to fame when he began hawking products for Orange Glo International, including OxiClean and Kaboom. He most recently put his barker style to work with a commercial for ESPN's online service.