Entertainment Today: Showbiz news

SATURN NOMINATIONS

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" led the field with nine nominations for the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films' 28th Annual Saturn Awards.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" and "Brotherhood of the Wolf" had eight nominations each, while "A.I. Artificial Intelligence" had seven and "The Others" had six. "Planet of the Apes" and "Vanilla Sky" had five nominations each. "Hannibal," "Mulholland Drive," "The Mummy Returns" and "Shrek" had four each.

In the TV categories, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" was tops with five nominations and "Enterprise" had four -- giving UPN the most nominations of any network, nine. The Sci Fi Channel had seven nominations, five of them for "Farscape"

The 28th Annual Saturn Awards will be presented in June in Los Angeles.

The nominees:

Motion picture nominations:

Best science fiction film: "A.I. Artificial Intelligence"; "Jurassic Park III"; "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider"; "The One"; "Planet of the Apes"; "Vanilla Sky".

Fantasy film: "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"; "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"; "Monsters, Inc."; "The Mummy Returns"; "Shrek"; "Spy Kids".

Horror film: "The Devil's Backbone"; "From Hell"; "Hannibal"; "Jeepers Creepers"; "The Others"; "13 Ghosts".

Action/adventure film: "Black Hawk Down "; "Brotherhood of the Wolf"; "Joy Ride"; "The Man Who Wasn't There"; "Memento"; "Mulholland Drive".

Actor: Tom Cruise, "Vanilla Sky"; Johnny Depp, "From Hell"; Anthony Hopkins, "Hannibal"; Guy Pearce, "Memento"; Kevin Spacey, "K-Pax"; Billy Bob Thornton, "The Man Who Wasn't There".

Actress: Kate Beckinsale, "Serendipity"; Nicole Kidman, "The Others"; Angelina Jolie, "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider"; Julianne Moore, "Hannibal"; Frances O'Connor, "A.I. Artificial Intelligence"; Naomi Watts, "Mulholland Drive".

Supporting actor: Robbie Coltrane, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"; Mark Dacascos, "Brotherhood of the Wolf"; Ian McKellen, "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring"; Eddie Murphy, "Shrek"; Jeremy Piven, "Serendipity"; Tim Roth, "Planet of the Apes".

Supporting actress: Monica Bellucci, "Brotherhood of the Wolf"; Helena Bonham Carter, "Planet of the Apes"; Cameron Diaz, "Vanilla Sky"; Fionnula Flanagan, "The Others"; Frances McDormand, "The Man Who Wasn't There"; Maggie Smith, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone".

Performance by a younger actor: Freddie Boath, "The Mummy Returns"; Justin Long, "Jeepers Creepers"; Alakina Mann, "The Others"; Haley Joel Osment, "A.I. Artificial Intelligence"; Daniel Radcliffe, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"; Emma Watson, "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone".

Direction: Alejandro Amenábar, "The Others"; Chris Columbus, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"; Christophe Gans, "Brotherhood of the Wolf"; Peter Jackson, "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"; David Lynch, "Mulholland Drive"; Steven Spielberg, "A.I. Artificial Intelligence".

Writing: Alejandro Amenábar, "The Others"; Andrew Stanton and Dan Gerson, "Monsters, Inc."; Stéphane Cabel and Christophe Gans, "Brotherhood of the Wolf"; Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Joe Stillman and Roger S.H. Schulman, "Shrek"; Steven Spielberg, "A.I. Artificial Intelligence"; Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson, "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring".

Music: Angelo Badalamenti, "Mulholland Drive"; Joseph LoDuca, "Brotherhood of the Wolf"; John Powell and Harry Gregson-Williams, "Shrek"; Howard Shore, "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"; John Williams, "A.I. Artificial Intelligence"; Nancy Wilson, "Vanilla Sky".

Costume: "Planet of the Apes"; "From Hell"; "Brotherhood of the Wolf"; "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"; "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"; "Moulin Rouge".

Makeup: "Hannibal"; "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone"; "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"; "The Mummy Returns"; "Planet of the Apes"; "Vanilla Sky".

Special effects: "A.I. Artificial Intelligence"; "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"; "Jurassic Park III"; "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"; "The Mummy Returns"; "Brotherhood of the Wolf".

TV nominations:

Best network TV series: "Angel" (WB); "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" (UPN); 'Dark Angel"; (Fox); "Enterprise" (UPN); "Smallville" (WB); "The X-Files" (Fox).

Syndicated/cable TV series: "Andromeda" (Alliance Atlantis); "The Chronicle" (Sci Fi Network); "Farscape" (The Henson Company/Sci Fi Network); "The Invisible Man"; (Sci Fi Network); "Stargate SG-l" (MGM/Showtime); "Witchblade" (TNT).

Single TV presentation: "Earth Vs. The Spider" (Cinemax); "Jack and the Beanstalk -- The Real Story" (CBS/Hallmark); "The Lost Empire (NBC); "The Mists of Avalon" (TNT); "She Creature" (Cinemax); "Teenage Caveman" (Cinemax).

Actor in a TV series: Richard Dean Anderson, "Stargate SG-1"; Scott Bakula, "Enterprise"; David Boreanaz, "Angel"; Ben Browder, "Farscape"; Robert Patrick, "The X-Files"; Tom Welling, "Smallville".

Actress in a TV series: Jessica Alba, "Dark Angel"; Gillian Anderson, "The X-Files"; Claudia Black, "Farscape"; Yancy Butler, "Witchblade"; Sarah Michelle Gellar, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"; Kristin Kreuk, "Smallville".

Supporting actor in a TV series: Christopher Judge, "Stargate SG-1"; James Marsters, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"; Michael Rosenbaum, "Smallville"; Anthony Simcoe, "Farscape"; Connor Trinneer, "Enterprise"; Michael Weatherly, "Dark Angel".

Supporting actress in a TV series: Jolene Blalock, "Enterprise"; Gigi Edgley, "Farscape"; Annabeth Gish, "The X-Files"; Alyson Hannigan, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer"; Amanda Tapping, "Stargate SG-1"; Michelle Trachtenberg, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".

DVD nominations:

Best DVD release: "Bruiser"; "Ginger Snaps"; "Lady and the Tramp 2: Scamp's Adventure"; "Panic"; "Rat"; "With a Friend Like Harry".

DVD special edition release: "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas"; "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within"; "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider"; "Moulin Rouge"; "Planet of the Apes"; "Shrek".

DVD classic film release: "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"; "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"; "Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Director's Edition); "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace"; "Superman: The Movie"; "Suspiria".

Dr. Donald A. Reed Award: Sherry Lansing (producer, "Fatal Attraction," "The Accused").

Life Career Award: Stan Lee (editor, Marvel Comics).

Life Career Award: Drew Struzan (movie poster illustrator, "Indiana Jones," "Back to the Future").

Special Achievement Award: Anchor Bay Entertainment (pioneer in DVD releases and home video entertainment).

George Pal Memorial Award (posthumously): Samuel Z. Arkoff (co-founder, American International Pictures, " War of the Colossal Beast," "Beach Blanket Bingo," "The Spider," "The Abominable Dr. Phibes," "I Was a Teenage Werewolf").

'WILL & GRACE'

Fans of the Emmy-winning NBC comedy "Will & Grace" are cheering the network's announcement that the show will go on for at least three more years, through the 2004-05 season.

Ted Harbert, president of the network's in-house studio, NBC Studios, which produces the show, said "there is nothing more important" to his studio than "Will & Grace" -- the No. 1 show this season in its timeslot, Thursday at 9 p.m.

NBC reportedly will pay NBC Studios a license fee of around $300 million -- in the neighborhood of $4 million per episode -- to keep the show on the air through its seventh season. The network currently pays just under $1 million per episode.

The new fee makes "Will & Grace" the fourth most-expensive series on NBC -- behind "ER" (about $8 million), "Friends" ($6 million) and "Frasier" ($5.2 million).

Now in its fourth season, "Will & Grace" won three Emmys in 2000, including outstanding comedy series, actor (Sean Hayes) and supporting actress (Megan Mullally). Hayes and Mullally won SAG Awards last Sunday for male and female actors in a leading role in a comedy series, and the show's cast won for best comedy ensemble.

(Thanks to UPI Hollywood Reporter Pat Nason)

LIZA MINNELLI

With the wedding of Liza Minnelli just days away, plans are in the final stage for her Saturday wedding.

Columnist Cindy Adams says that rehearsals are set for suppertime Friday. Minnelli has told the members of her wedding party that she doesn't care what they wear. Even black dresses are OK (if they are long) and hats are permitted, Adams was told in a conversation with the revitalized singer/actress.

The couple plans to honeymoon in Thailand.

Liza is wearing a Mackie-made long white gown at the nuptials. She is quoted as saying that she "wants to come down the aisle looking like Zsa Zsa." Considering Miss Gabor's penchant for traipsing to the altar (nine times since 1937), emulating the Hungarian-born actress-celebrity might not bode well for marital stability.

(Thanks to UPI's Dennis Daily)

J. FRED MUGGS' TRAINER DIES

The man who trained famed chimp J. Fred Muggs died Sunday at his Tampa, Fla., home after years of battling Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

Carmine "Bud" Mennella was 80.

Muggs, now 50, lives on at the same compound where Mennella spent his final years. Mennella, however, was unable to visit Muggs and his mate in recent years because of his illnesses.

Muggs will remain under the care of Mennella's son, Gerald Preis, and longtime business partner LeRoy Waldron. The group has lived in the Tampa Bay area since the 1970s, when they produced a daily show at Busch Gardens tourist attraction.

Mennella and Waldron owned a pet shop when they got Muggs as an infant chimpanzee in 1952. Mennella also worked as a page at NBC and one day brought the chimp with him when he stopped at a coffee shop in the network headquarters. An NBC executive spotted him and hired him to appear on the "Today Show," which was struggling at the time.

Muggs brought in child viewers and their parents with him. Former Today Show producer Richard Pinkham once estimated Muggs was worth $100 million to NBC.