Entertainment Today: Showbiz News

LIZA BREAKS KNEECAP IN ITALY

Entertainer Liza Minnelli fell and broke her right kneecap while leaving a hotel in Italy Sunday night.

Spokesperson Terri Robson said Monday the 57-year-old singer/actress still planned to perform with Luciano Pavarotti at a charity concert for Iraqi refugees.

Minnelli was still in the hospital Monday with a plaster cast on her leg. Robson said she was expected to leave the hospital Tuesday, sing her signature song, "New York, New York" with the tenor, then return to the hospital for knee surgery after the "Pavarotti and Friends" annual concert and fundraiser.

Andrea Bocelli, Bono, Eric Clapton and Ricky Martin also are expected to perform at the event in Modena.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT THWARTED IN MOROCCO

Fear of terrorist attacks have discouraged Baz Luhrmann from filming his epic about Alexander the Great in Morocco.

The "Moulin Rouge" filmmaker instead will shoot the film in his native Australia, reported the World Entertainment News Network.

The decision to change locations was made shortly after suicide bombings in Casablanca.

"Unless the situation changes in five or six months, any important American actor could be a target. That's a risk I cannot taken," said the film's producer Dino DiLaurentiis.

A studio to house the $150 million epic, starring Leonard DiCaprio, was built in Ouarzazate, less than 300 miles from Casablanca, but will be abandoned when production of the movie moves Down Under.

Word from the WENN is that rival Alexander movie, starring Colin Farrell, will continue production Morocco.

TONY AND TINA HEAD FOR THE BIG SCREEN

The hit comedy "Tony and Tina's Wedding" is coming to the big screen.

Brilliantly designed to feel like a real wedding -— complete with horrendous bridesmaid dresses and fighting relatives -- the original stage show featured a hilarious church ceremony and gaudy reception where the audience served as guests of the bride and groom. Italian food and wedding cake were served and guests even were invited to do the Chicken Dance; occasionally, a frisky nun would try to steal your boyfriend (or maybe that just happened to me.)

Now the long-running hit show is being turned into a feature film, co-starring Richard Portnow of "The Sopranos" as Vinnie Black, "the Cadillac of caterers."

In a recent interview with United Press International, Portnow talked about working to bring the fun to the movies.

"The concept that the director, Roger Paradiso, has, I think, will kind of preserve that improvisational feel," he said, explaining Paradiso will shoot the film like a wedding video.

"There will be a few roving cameras that will pick up in the middle of a scene," he said. "Kind of like the way cinema verite movies are made with sort of the beginning in the middle. So it's an interesting concept. I think it'll really work for the movie."

Portnow can now be seen in Woody Allen's theatrical directorial debut, "Writer's Block."

PACINO TO FARRELL: DON'T GO FOR THE MONEY

Al Pacino has a little advice for Colin Farrell, his young co-star from "The Recruit" -- don't run after the money.

"Because they'll throw money at him," Pacino recently told reporters, "and I think to try and keep his head on what he likes to do, what he relates to. I think he's going to do that."

Farrell said he is indebted to Pacino for any wisdom he might share with him.

"I was grateful," Farrell related. "Just grateful. It kind of speaks for itself, you know, working with Al Pacino. I never thought I'd see myself on a set with an actor of his scale and his powers. My former knowledge of him -- he's a legend, a living icon, all of those things people say he is. And I grew up on his films -- 'Scarface,' 'The Godfather,' 'Dog Day Afternoon,' you name it. So, when I found out that he was going to be in the film, I couldn't believe it, I couldn't believe it. And then the first day on the set with him, I nearly s---- myself, I was so nervous. But he was great. From day one, he was great to be around."

"The Recruit," which stars Farrell as a CIA trainee and Pacino as his mentor, arrives in video stores Tuesday.

HISTORY CHANNEL RECALLS RUSSIA'S LAST CZARS

"Russia: Land of the Tsars," a new two-part special starting Monday night, chronicles 1,000 years of larger-than-life leadership in the country.

Starting with Prince Vladimir in the 10th century, the History Channel program covers dozens of fascinating rulers up to and including the nation's last czar, Nicholas II, who abdicated his position in 1917 before his family, including his legendary daughter Anastasia, were murdered.

The second part of the program is set to air Tuesday.