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Cruise tops highest-paid actor list

LOS ANGELES, July 4 (UPI) -- Film star Tom Cruise is No. 1 on Forbes magazine's list of Hollywood's highest-paid actors after earning $75 million between May 2011 and May 2012.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Adam Sandler tied for second place by making $37 million during the same time period.

Coming in at No. 3 on the Forbes list is Dwayne Johnson with $36 million, followed by Ben Stiller at No. 4 with $33 million, Sacha Baron Cohen, Johnny Depp and Will Smith at No. 5 with $30 million, Mark Wahlberg at No. 6 with $27 million, and Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson at No. 7 with $26.5 million.

Constable painting sold for $35 million

LONDON, July 4 (UPI) -- John Constable's 1824 painting "The Lock" was sold for $35 million at an auction in London Tuesday night, Christie's said.

The BBC reported the depiction of Suffolk rural life, part of series of six large canvases, is one of the most expensive British paintings ever sold.

"The Lock" had been housed in Madrid's Bornemisza Museum, but its owner, Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, announced in May she was selling it because she needed money, the British broadcaster said.

"It's very painful for me, but there was no other way out. I need the money, I really need it. I have no liquidity. Keeping the collection here is costly to me and I get nothing in return," she told the Spanish newspaper El Pais.

Thyssen-Bornemisza is a baroness and former Miss Spain title holder whose husband, Swiss industrialist Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza, died in 2002, leaving behind a huge private art collection, most of which was sold in Spain.

The BBC did not identify the new owner of "The Lock."

New KISS album set for fall release

LOS ANGELES, July 4 (UPI) -- U.S. rock band KISS is working on "Monster," its 20th studio album, which is set for release this fall, Universal Music Enterprises announced Tuesday.

The 12-track CD will be on sale Oct. 16 in North America. The first single off it, "Hell or Hallelujah," became available digitally Tuesday.

"There are no symphony orchestras, boy choirs, keyboards, outside producers or songwriters on this album," the band's front man Gene Simmons said in a statement. "The best thing we did was to turn inwards to ourselves. [Guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer] have revitalized this band, with a work ethic and the talent to back it up. This is a real band effort. KISS has become a behemoth. We're going where no bands have gone before."

The group's last album, "Sonic Boom," was released in 2009.

TCM, TV Land to pay tribute to Griffith

LOS ANGELES, July 4 (UPI) -- U.S. cable networks TV Land and TCM announced plans to honor the late actor Andy Griffith with marathons of his shows and movies.

Griffith died Tuesday at his home in North Carolina. He was 86.

TV Land says it is running blocks of "The Andy Griffith Show" Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend, Andy Griffith," Larry W. Jones, president of TV Land, said in a statement. "His contributions to the entertainment industry and his role as Sheriff Andy Taylor will live forever in the minds and hearts of generations of television viewers past, present and yet to come. The entire TV Land staff will miss him and our thoughts go out to his family."

"The Andy Griffith Show" has been part of the network's line-up for more than a decade. In 2003, TV Land erected a statue in Raleigh, N.C., depicting the famous opening sequence featuring Griffith and a young Ron Howard in their roles of Sheriff Andy and Opie Taylor walking hand-in-hand. Then in 2004, the network unveiled a replica of the bronze statue in Mount Airy, N.C.,Griffith's birthplace and the town after which Mayberry was modeled. Also in 2004, the cast of the show was honored with the Legend Award at the 2nd annual TV Land Awards.

Turner Classic Movies said it will pay tribute to Griffith's big-screen legacy Wednesday with screenings of the films "A Face in the Crowd," "No Time for Sergeants," "Hearts of the West" and "Onionhead."