Peter Falk, TV's rumpled Columbo, has died
Reuters – Paul Reiser (L) and Peter Falk, the co-stars of the new film "The Thing About My Folks", pose … LOS ANGELES – Peter Falk, the stage and movie actor who became identified as the squinty, rumpled detective in "Columbo," which spanned 30 years in prime-time television and established one of the most iconic characters in movie police work, has died. He was 83.
Falk died Thursday in his Beverly Hills home, according to a statement released Friday by family friend Larry Larson.
In a court document filed in December 2008, Falk's daughter Catherine Falk said her father was suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
"Columbo" began its history in 1971 as part of the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie series, appearing every third week. The show became by far the most popular of the three mysteries, the others being "McCloud" and "McMillan and Wife."
Falk was reportedly paid $250,000 a movie and could have made much more if he had accepted an offer to convert "Columbo" into a weekly series. He declined, reasoning that carrying a weekly detective series would be too great a burden.
Columbo — he never had a first name — presented a contrast to other TV detectives. "He looks like a flood victim," Falk once said. "You feel sorry for him. He appears to be seeing nothing, but he's seeing everything. Underneath his dishevelment, a good mind is at work."
NBC canceled the three series in 1977. In 1989 ABC offered "Columbo" in a two-hour format usually appearing once or twice a season. The movies continued into the 21st century. "Columbo" appeared in 26 foreign countries and was a particular favorite in France and Iran.
Columbo's trademark was an ancient raincoat Falk had once bought for himself. After 25 years on television, the coat became so tattered it had to be replaced.
Peter Michael Falk was born Sept. 16, 1927, in New York City and grew up in Ossining, N.Y., where his parents ran a clothing store. At 3 he had one eye removed because of cancer. "When something like that happens early," he said in a 1963 Associated Press interview, "you learn to live with it. It became the joke of the neighborhood. If the umpire ruled me out on a bad call, I'd take the fake eye out and hand it to him."
When Falk was starting as an actor in New York, an agent told him, "Of course, you won't be able to work in movies or TV because of your eye." Falk would later win two Oscar nominations ("Murder, Inc.," 1960; "Pocketful of Miracles," 1961) and collect five Emmys.
After serving as a cook in the merchant marine and receiving a master's degree in public administration from Syracuse University, he worked as an efficiency expert for the budget bureau of the state of Connecticut. He also acted in amateur theater and was encouraged to become a professional by actress-teacher Eva La Gallienne.
An appearance in "The Iceman Cometh" off-Broadway led to other classical parts, notably as Joseph Stalin in "The Passion of Joseph D." In 1971 Falk scored a hit in Neil Simon's "The Prisoner of Second Avenue."
Falk made his film debut in 1958 with "Wind Across the Everglades" and established himself as a talented character actor with his performance as the vicious killer Abe Reles in "Murder, Inc." Among his other movies: "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," "Robin and the Seven Hoods," "The Great Race," "Luv," "Castle Keep," "The Cheap Detective," "The Brinks Job," "The In-Laws," "The Princess Bride."
Falk also appeared in a number of art house favorites, including the semi-improvisational films "Husbands" and "A Woman Under the Influence," directed by his friend John Cassavetes, and Wim Wenders' "Wings of Desire," in which he played himself. Falk became prominent in television movies, beginning with his first Emmy for "The Price of Tomatoes" in 1961. His four other Emmys were for "Columbo."
He was married to pianist Alyce Mayo in 1960; they had two daughters, Jackie and Catherine, and divorced in 1976. The following year he married actress Shera Danese. They filed for divorce twice and reconciled each time.
When not working, Falk spent time in the garage of his Beverly Hills home. He had converted it into a studio where he created charcoal drawings. He took up art in New York when he was in the Simon play and one day happened into the Art Students League.
He recalled: "I opened a door and there she was, a nude model, shoulders back, a light from above, buck-ass naked. The female body is awesome. Believe me, I signed up right away."
Falk is survived by his wife Shera and his two daughters.
U2 faces 'tax dodge' protest at Glastonbury fest
AP – Festival-goers wearing wellington boots make their way through the mud ahead of the the annual Glastonbury … LONDON – U2 and its frontman Bono are known for their global poverty-fighting efforts but activists plan to protest their performance Friday at England's Glastonbury festival, accusing the Irish band of dodging taxes.
The anti-capitalist group Art Uncut said it would unfurl banners and placards in front of TV cameras filming the U2 gig on the festival's main Pyramid Stage.
Member Charlie Dewar said Bono campaigns against poverty in the developing world but has avoided paying Irish taxes at a time when his austerity-hit country desperately needs money.
Ireland, which has already accepted an international bailout, is suffering through deep spending cuts, tax hikes and rising unemployment as it tries to pull the debt-burdened economy back from brink of bankruptcy.
"Tax(es) nestling in the band's bank account should be helping to keep open the hospitals, schools and libraries that are closing all over Ireland," Dewar said.
U2, the country's most successful band, was heavily criticized in 2006 for moving its corporate base from Ireland to the Netherlands, where royalties on music incur virtually no tax.
Bono, guitarist The Edge and U2's other members — bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen — are among the country's wealthiest residents. Forbes magazine has estimated the band earned $195 million last year, mostly through its hugely profitable "360 Degrees" world tour.
It's not known how much personal income tax the band members pay in Ireland.
During the years when Ireland was a booming "Celtic Tiger" economy, the members of U2 invested in a wide range of Dublin properties, including a luxury riverside hotel and a planned Norman Foster-designed skyscraper on the River Liffey. Plans for the "U2 Tower" were shelved when property prices collapsed in 2008.
U2 is headlining the first night of the three-day Glastonbury festival, its first appearance at Britain's most prestigious summer music event. The band was due to perform last year but had to pull out after Bono injured his back.
Fans were keenly anticipating Friday's show — and said they would give protesters a hostile reception.
"I don't think the protest will go down well," said 42-year-old fan Sarah Craig. "I for one will be giving them a headache if they plan any protest in front of me."
Some 170,000 people have descended on a farm in southwest England for the extravaganza, which includes sets by Morrissey, Mumford & Sons, Coldplay, Beyonce and scores of other acts.
Rubber boots are the fashion item of choice after heavy rain turned the 900-acre (364-hectare) site into a mudbath. More rain is forecast for later Friday.
LaToya Jackson says Michael feared he'd be killed
AP – FILE - In this April 29, 2011 file photo LaToya Jackson arrives at the 18th annual Race to Erase MS Gala … NEW YORK – Michael Jackson spent the last months of his life frightened and on edge, convinced that he would be killed by people wanting to get access to his valuable music catalog, according to his sister, LaToya Jackson.
Jackson makes the claims in her new book, "Starting Over," which also chronicles her own troubles, including an abusive marriage to her late ex-manager/husband, Jack Gordon.
Jackson says that she and her brother went through similar experiences of being controlled and manipulated by shadowy figures that cut them off from their family.
"The difference is, I was eventually able to get away and start over; Michael can't start over," she said.
Saturday will mark the two-year anniversary of the King of Pop's death at age 50. Dr. Conrad Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter, accused of giving him an overdose of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives. He has pleaded not guilty; the trial is set for September.
However, Jackson's sister called Murray "the fall guy." She said there were other people who needed to be investigated and described Jackson's death as part of a wide conspiracy. Jackson was the co-owner of the lucrative Sony/ATV catalog, the copyright holder of the Beatles' and other artists' songs, and his older sister contends he was murdered for control of it.
"This is definitely something that was premeditated, that they had planned to do, and they planned to take my brother out, and my brother knew it, and that's why my brother told me repeatedly, repeatedly and repeatedly, that this was going to happen to him," she said in an interview Wednesday. "He explained to me, `It's because of my catalog.'"
Jackson had harsh words for John Branca, the co-executor of Jackson's estate, accusing him of being more interested in his own interests than those of the beneficiaries of the estate_ Jackson's mother, his three children and charitable causes.
"They care about what they can do and what they can get their hands on, and no one in the family has anything to do with the estate," she said. "At this point, blatantly said, John Branca right now is Michael Jackson."
In response to Jackson's statements, the estate issued this statement: "After numerous hearings and after reviewing evidence contained in countless filings and exhibits, three California courts have decided John Branca and John McClain are the rightful and lawful executors of Michael Jackson's Estate just as Michael specified in his will.
"Mr. Branca and Mr. McClain have turned the estate around financially for the benefit of Michael's children and mother, protected the intellectual property and music catalog assets Michael accumulated during his lifetime as well as carried out their mandate to shelter and preserve funds for his children until they reach certain ages as adults. Their performance as the executors of Michael's estate is a matter of extensive public record and speaks for itself."
Jackson's three children — Prince Michael, Paris and Blanket — are being cared for by Jackson's mother, Katherine. Unlike when they were in their father's care, they no longer shield their faces with masks and have entered private school: "They are adjusting very well," Jackson said.
Jackson, who has appeared on "Celebrity Apprentice" and "Dancing With the Stars" since her brother's death, was once estranged from her brother and the rest of her family. She even went so far as to support charges that Jackson was a child molester when he was first accused of the crime in 1993 (he was not charged in that case and was acquitted of similar charges in 2005).
But she said she was then under the control of her ex-husband, who forced her to say negative things about her brother. She said Gordon beat her on a regular basis and threatened the lives of her family; she eventually broke away from him with the intervention of her brother Randy, according to the book.
Jackson, who now calls Michael "godlike," said the day she spoke out against her brother was the worst day of her life. However, she said Jackson forgave her.
"He said, `LaToya ... I know your heart, and I know you would never do anything like that, and I know he forced you and made you to do that," she said. "He says, `I love you, and I will always love you.'"
Jackson said she's gratified that Jackson's once tarnished image has been rehabilitated after his death.
"I think it's wonderful that people remember him in a wonderful light," she said.
AP – FILE - In this Dec. 10, 2010 file photo, Katy Perry performs at the 2010 Z100 Jingle Ball concert at …
Jackson makes the claims in her new book, "Starting Over," which also chronicles her own troubles, including an abusive marriage to her late ex-manager/husband, Jack Gordon.
Jackson says that she and her brother went through similar experiences of being controlled and manipulated by shadowy figures that cut them off from their family.
"The difference is, I was eventually able to get away and start over; Michael can't start over," she said.
Saturday will mark the two-year anniversary of the King of Pop's death at age 50. Dr. Conrad Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter, accused of giving him an overdose of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives. He has pleaded not guilty; the trial is set for September.
However, Jackson's sister called Murray "the fall guy." She said there were other people who needed to be investigated and described Jackson's death as part of a wide conspiracy. Jackson was the co-owner of the lucrative Sony/ATV catalog, the copyright holder of the Beatles' and other artists' songs, and his older sister contends he was murdered for control of it.
"This is definitely something that was premeditated, that they had planned to do, and they planned to take my brother out, and my brother knew it, and that's why my brother told me repeatedly, repeatedly and repeatedly, that this was going to happen to him," she said in an interview Wednesday. "He explained to me, `It's because of my catalog.'"
Jackson had harsh words for John Branca, the co-executor of Jackson's estate, accusing him of being more interested in his own interests than those of the beneficiaries of the estate_ Jackson's mother, his three children and charitable causes.
"They care about what they can do and what they can get their hands on, and no one in the family has anything to do with the estate," she said. "At this point, blatantly said, John Branca right now is Michael Jackson."
In response to Jackson's statements, the estate issued this statement: "After numerous hearings and after reviewing evidence contained in countless filings and exhibits, three California courts have decided John Branca and John McClain are the rightful and lawful executors of Michael Jackson's Estate just as Michael specified in his will.
"Mr. Branca and Mr. McClain have turned the estate around financially for the benefit of Michael's children and mother, protected the intellectual property and music catalog assets Michael accumulated during his lifetime as well as carried out their mandate to shelter and preserve funds for his children until they reach certain ages as adults. Their performance as the executors of Michael's estate is a matter of extensive public record and speaks for itself."
Jackson's three children — Prince Michael, Paris and Blanket — are being cared for by Jackson's mother, Katherine. Unlike when they were in their father's care, they no longer shield their faces with masks and have entered private school: "They are adjusting very well," Jackson said.
Jackson, who has appeared on "Celebrity Apprentice" and "Dancing With the Stars" since her brother's death, was once estranged from her brother and the rest of her family. She even went so far as to support charges that Jackson was a child molester when he was first accused of the crime in 1993 (he was not charged in that case and was acquitted of similar charges in 2005).
But she said she was then under the control of her ex-husband, who forced her to say negative things about her brother. She said Gordon beat her on a regular basis and threatened the lives of her family; she eventually broke away from him with the intervention of her brother Randy, according to the book.
Jackson, who now calls Michael "godlike," said the day she spoke out against her brother was the worst day of her life. However, she said Jackson forgave her.
"He said, `LaToya ... I know your heart, and I know you would never do anything like that, and I know he forced you and made you to do that," she said. "He says, `I love you, and I will always love you.'"
Jackson said she's gratified that Jackson's once tarnished image has been rehabilitated after his death.
"I think it's wonderful that people remember him in a wonderful light," she said.
MSG summer shutdown a boon to NJ venues
AP – FILE - In this Dec. 10, 2010 file photo, Katy Perry performs at the 2010 Z100 Jingle Ball concert at … NEW YORK – Madison Square Garden, the world's most famous arena, is going dark for the summer — and top acts like Sade, Britney Spears and Taylor Swift are having to perform on the outskirts of the Big Apple as the renowned venue prepares for a long-term makeover.
MSG will spend the next three summers reconstructing its arena. That's good news for New Jersey venues like the Prudential Center and IZOD Center, which are experiencing an increase in high-profile performers as a result. Even Long Island's Nassau Coliseum is getting a small boost.
"MSG is the busiest arena and has been the busiest arena that I've seen in the States ... and anytime you take out that supply, especially if you have an increase in demand, it's going benefit the Prudential Center, and certainly we expect that to be the case," said Jeff Vanderbeek, who owns the Prudential Center in Newark.
It's a busy summer for top musical acts: Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block are on the road together, the cast of "American Idol" and "Glee" are performing live and hitmakers like Katy Perry and Rihanna — accompanied by Cee Lo Green — have tours.
"This summer as far as I can tell, with or without MSG being shut down, it's going to be a busy summer with more acts wanting to play in arenas," Vanderbeek continued.
"2009 was a fairly light concert year," said Jim Minish, executive vice president of facilities at the IZOD Center. "There weren't that many bands out or bands couldn't sell arenas. There seems to be a lot more acts this year that are able to play arena venues."
Prudential is located about 10 miles outside of New York. Vanderbeek, who also owns hockey's New Jersey Devils, says he knew that the building would be busy this summer with the growing popularity of his venue, which is also housing this week's NBA draft, typically held at MSG.
IZOD, located in East Rutherford, N.J., is also getting a boost thanks to MSG's construction.
"We normally do a good number of concerts at IZOD Center, but I would say this year is probably a handful more that we've gotten from now through October," said Minish.
Both Vanderbeek and Minish say that commuting to New Jersey from New York is a breeze, though most ticketholders aren't initially convinced.
"People are shocked at how easy it is," Vanderbeek said.
MSG — which has billed their reconstruction as the "Transformation" — plans to upgrade its entrance, seating, lighting, sound and video; it will also add more bathrooms, suites, lockers, food options and "a new star dressing room."
A representative for MSG said the venue has been in touch with artists and promoters about its construction schedule; the venue will resume its concerts in October.
Gary Bongiovanni, the president and editor-in-chief of concert trade magazine Pollstar, said sports is a priority for MSG, and avoiding construction during the basketball and hockey seasons — when ticketholders have purchased season passes — is why construction is happening during the summer months.
Bongiovanni also said that MSG is a venue known to charge artists a hefty price to play there, and that performing in New Jersey could mean a larger profit for artists.
"It is known as a very expensive building to play ... which in general is true in most New York venues," he said.
MSG's concerts can house up to 20,000 people; IZOD matches that, while Prudential can hold up to 19,500 and for Nassau about 18,000 seats.
This year marks a unique time for some artists and MSG: Sade, who hasn't been on the road since 2001, is back after releasing a platinum-selling album last year. But fans won't get a chance to see the soul band play at one of the world's most famed arenas. The growing popularity of Fox TV show "Glee" has helped the cast land larger tour stops compared to its concert stint last year, and they have performed in other arenas, but can't do so in New York City.
"We would have performed at Madison Square Garden," said "Glee" actor Cory Monteith. "We sold out the Staples' Center twice in a day, which is about the same size and (MSG is) under construction, so I'm sure that's why we didn't go."
Venues like Prudential and IZOD are having some acts at their venues for the first time, and more importantly, the venues see it as an opportunity to get artists coming back. Vanderbeek says that's the case with Swift, who performed at Prudential twice last year and will perform there four times next month.
"She loved the building," Vanderbeek said. "So I think it's a testimony to New Jersey, to the building and certainly to Taylor Swift."
Reuters – Actor Peter Falk poses as he arrives for the premiere of his new film "Lakeboat" September …
MSG will spend the next three summers reconstructing its arena. That's good news for New Jersey venues like the Prudential Center and IZOD Center, which are experiencing an increase in high-profile performers as a result. Even Long Island's Nassau Coliseum is getting a small boost.
"MSG is the busiest arena and has been the busiest arena that I've seen in the States ... and anytime you take out that supply, especially if you have an increase in demand, it's going benefit the Prudential Center, and certainly we expect that to be the case," said Jeff Vanderbeek, who owns the Prudential Center in Newark.
It's a busy summer for top musical acts: Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block are on the road together, the cast of "American Idol" and "Glee" are performing live and hitmakers like Katy Perry and Rihanna — accompanied by Cee Lo Green — have tours.
"This summer as far as I can tell, with or without MSG being shut down, it's going to be a busy summer with more acts wanting to play in arenas," Vanderbeek continued.
"2009 was a fairly light concert year," said Jim Minish, executive vice president of facilities at the IZOD Center. "There weren't that many bands out or bands couldn't sell arenas. There seems to be a lot more acts this year that are able to play arena venues."
Prudential is located about 10 miles outside of New York. Vanderbeek, who also owns hockey's New Jersey Devils, says he knew that the building would be busy this summer with the growing popularity of his venue, which is also housing this week's NBA draft, typically held at MSG.
IZOD, located in East Rutherford, N.J., is also getting a boost thanks to MSG's construction.
"We normally do a good number of concerts at IZOD Center, but I would say this year is probably a handful more that we've gotten from now through October," said Minish.
Both Vanderbeek and Minish say that commuting to New Jersey from New York is a breeze, though most ticketholders aren't initially convinced.
"People are shocked at how easy it is," Vanderbeek said.
MSG — which has billed their reconstruction as the "Transformation" — plans to upgrade its entrance, seating, lighting, sound and video; it will also add more bathrooms, suites, lockers, food options and "a new star dressing room."
A representative for MSG said the venue has been in touch with artists and promoters about its construction schedule; the venue will resume its concerts in October.
Gary Bongiovanni, the president and editor-in-chief of concert trade magazine Pollstar, said sports is a priority for MSG, and avoiding construction during the basketball and hockey seasons — when ticketholders have purchased season passes — is why construction is happening during the summer months.
Bongiovanni also said that MSG is a venue known to charge artists a hefty price to play there, and that performing in New Jersey could mean a larger profit for artists.
"It is known as a very expensive building to play ... which in general is true in most New York venues," he said.
MSG's concerts can house up to 20,000 people; IZOD matches that, while Prudential can hold up to 19,500 and for Nassau about 18,000 seats.
This year marks a unique time for some artists and MSG: Sade, who hasn't been on the road since 2001, is back after releasing a platinum-selling album last year. But fans won't get a chance to see the soul band play at one of the world's most famed arenas. The growing popularity of Fox TV show "Glee" has helped the cast land larger tour stops compared to its concert stint last year, and they have performed in other arenas, but can't do so in New York City.
"We would have performed at Madison Square Garden," said "Glee" actor Cory Monteith. "We sold out the Staples' Center twice in a day, which is about the same size and (MSG is) under construction, so I'm sure that's why we didn't go."
Venues like Prudential and IZOD are having some acts at their venues for the first time, and more importantly, the venues see it as an opportunity to get artists coming back. Vanderbeek says that's the case with Swift, who performed at Prudential twice last year and will perform there four times next month.
"She loved the building," Vanderbeek said. "So I think it's a testimony to New Jersey, to the building and certainly to Taylor Swift."
"Columbo" actor Peter Falk dead at 83
Reuters – Actor Peter Falk poses as he arrives for the premiere of his new film "Lakeboat" September … LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Peter Falk, an Emmy winning actor who played the absent-minded but shrewd police detective Columbo on hit 1970s television show "Columbo," has died, a family attorney said on Friday.
"Peter Falk, 83 year-old Academy Award nominee and star of television series, Columbo, died peacefully at his Beverly Hills home in the evening of June 23, 2011," said a statement issued by the attorney.
Like many actors of his generation, Falk began his career on the stage, honing his craft in school, community theater and off Broadway. By the late 1950s he began to star in Broadway productions, and soon made his move to Hollywood.
Falk's breakout film role came with 1960's "Murder, Inc." in the supporting part of a killer among a gang of thugs, but it was his performance on the opposite side of the law -- as police lieutenant Columbo -- that earned Falk superstardom.
As a child, Falk's right eye had been surgically removed due to a malignant tumor, and it was replaced with a glass eye. That handicap became, perhaps, the actor's major asset and physical trademark as the star of "Columbo" because it only enhanced the detective's image as a disheveled and oddball crime sleuth.
But the homicide-chasing cop's probing questions always caused the murderer to reveal his true self and Columbo caught the villain. The show became a smash hit after its debut in 1971. It continued playing on TV for many years and even spawned several TV movies later in the actor's life.
Falk is survived by his wife, Shera, of 34 years and two daughters from a previous marriage.
Fashion Wire Daily – FWD113 Katie Cassidy, left, Selena Gomez, center, and Andie MacDowell attend the premiere of "Monte …
New York – Teen television star Selena Gomez looked all grown up on Thursday, June 23, as she walked the red carpet in New York to celebrate "Monte Carlo," her new feature-film comedy. Wearing a form-fitting, cleavage-revealing gown, the actress, who turns 19 in July, has obviously shed her childish ways.
She had to grow up a bit as she made the film, which centers around a case of mistaken identity. Gomez plays two parts: Grace, an American traveling in Europe with two girlfriends, and Cordelia, a rich British heiress. When Grace is mistaken for the heiress, the adventures that take them on a whirlwind trip from Paris to Monte Carlo begin.
But despite her long career as the star of the Disney television hit show "The Wizards of Waverly Place," playing two parts in a big studio movie was a bit of a scary challenge for the then 17-year-old girl.
"I was nervous as all get out," Gomez admitted to reporters at a press conference earlier in the week in New York. "I was really nervous because Cordelia is a totally different character from me. She was completely evil and had an accent. So, I was a little nervous, but I had a great time."
Gomez gushed over the couture clothes she wears in the film, but revealed that they, too, were just a bit intimidating.
"Grace's wardrobe was very Texan and very simple, but very pretty. Cordelia's was very intense. I mean, she wore really amazing dresses and jackets and glasses and purses and earrings. It was really fun to create that whole vibe," she recalled. "She was very high fashion. My personal clothes are just kind of simple. I like classic things."
She likes her current boyfriend, too, pop sensation Justin Bieber, and like any good companion, he joined her for her big night at the premiere, along with her "Monte Carlo" co-stars Katie Cassidy and Andie MacDowell. MacDowell made it a family affair, bringing her daughters Rainey and Sarah Margaret Qualley to the party.
AP – British author J.K. Rowling poses for photographers as she announces her new website project Pottermore … NEW YORK – Author J.K. Rowling has joined the 21st century on her own special terms.
One of the world's most famous digital holdouts, Rowling announced Thursday that a new interactive website, http://www.pottermore.com, will be the exclusive seller of the e-book editions of her iconic "Harry Potter" series. The news is a landmark for the growing electronic market, especially for the relatively small number of young adult e-book fans, and an unwelcome surprise for the traditional stores which helped sell hundreds of millions of Potter novels.
"Bricks and mortar stores are taking a lot of bullets and there's a limit to how many bullets we can take," says Roxanne Coady, owner of R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, Conn, one of more than 200 independent sellers of e-books through Google. "If the sellers of the Rowling e-books are saying they don't need bricks and mortar stores, then that's the result you'll get."
Jon Howells, spokesman for Britain's Waterstone's chain, said the Harry Potter book launches, which for years drew thousands of fans in wizard garb to midnight store openings, "have become the stuff of legend at Waterstone's and other booksellers."
"We're therefore disappointed that, having been a key factor in the growth of the Harry Potter phenomenon since the first book was published, the book trade is effectively banned from selling the long-awaited e-book editions," he said.
Tom Turcan, chief operating officer of Pottermore, said Rowling wanted "to make the books available to everybody, not to make them available only to people who own a particular set of devices, or tethered to a particular set of platforms."
During a press conference in London on Thursday, Rowling cited the special bond she has had with fans online and said she was "phenomenally lucky in that I have the resources to do it myself and therefore I got to do it, I think, right."
"I think this is a fantastic and unique experience that I can afford in every sense," she said.
E-books have jumped from less than 1 percent of total sales four years ago to more than 20 percent. Children's books are catching up as the Kindle, Nook and other devices become cheaper and touchscreen readers such as the Nook and the iPad enable illustrated stories to be available in digital form. Potter books remain steady sellers four years after the series ended, especially as the final movie approaches, and publishers believe the e-books will be as revolutionary for the digital market as the paper ones were for the traditional market.
"The Potter books took children's books in general to another level and we've never gone back," said Susan Katz, president and publisher of HarperCollins Children's Books. "And I think the news today could be the tipping point for 8-to-12-year-old market."
Pottermore is far more than a retail outlet. The site lets fans delve into Harry Potter's beloved Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They can shop for wands in Diagon Alley, travel to Hogwarts from the imaginary Platform 9 3/4 at London's King's Cross train station and be sorted into Hogwarts school houses by the perceptive Sorting Hat.
Along the way are wand fights, games and new information about characters beloved around the world, including Harry's boorish relatives, the Dursleys. The website also features 18,000 words of new Potter material from Rowling, who said it will have "information I have been hoarding for years" about the books' characters and settings. The level of detail gives Potter fans new reasons to obsess over the wizard and his friends. The final Potter movie, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2," opens in July.
"I go into ridiculous detail about wand woods," Rowling said.
A beta version of the site launches July 31, Harry Potter's birthday, and the e-books become available in October under an unusual arrangement. They will be sold directly from Pottermore, with Rowling's longtime publishers, Bloomsbury Publishing in the United Kingdom and Scholastic Inc. in the United States, sharing revenues. Scholastic and other publishers have long sold books directly to customers, but through their own websites. And they traditionally have made those releases available to retailers, too.
Children's booksellers have extra reasons to worry. Potter books remain a rite of passage among young readers, one that often includes a visit to the local store. That initiation may now happen online.
"It's one thing if an individual sells book on her own, I can understand that," says Ann Seaton, manager of Hicklebee's Children's Book Store in San Jose, Calif. "But it did sort of surprise me that the publisher would cut us out of the loop. That makes it hard for us.
"We have sold a huge amount of Potter books," she said. "And we were one of those stores that had the midnight parties when a new Potter book came out. I don't think we'll be having a party for the e-books."
"Peter Falk, 83 year-old Academy Award nominee and star of television series, Columbo, died peacefully at his Beverly Hills home in the evening of June 23, 2011," said a statement issued by the attorney.
Like many actors of his generation, Falk began his career on the stage, honing his craft in school, community theater and off Broadway. By the late 1950s he began to star in Broadway productions, and soon made his move to Hollywood.
Falk's breakout film role came with 1960's "Murder, Inc." in the supporting part of a killer among a gang of thugs, but it was his performance on the opposite side of the law -- as police lieutenant Columbo -- that earned Falk superstardom.
As a child, Falk's right eye had been surgically removed due to a malignant tumor, and it was replaced with a glass eye. That handicap became, perhaps, the actor's major asset and physical trademark as the star of "Columbo" because it only enhanced the detective's image as a disheveled and oddball crime sleuth.
But the homicide-chasing cop's probing questions always caused the murderer to reveal his true self and Columbo caught the villain. The show became a smash hit after its debut in 1971. It continued playing on TV for many years and even spawned several TV movies later in the actor's life.
Falk is survived by his wife, Shera, of 34 years and two daughters from a previous marriage.
Selena Gomez Does Double Duty at the "Monte Carlo" Premiere
Fashion Wire Daily – FWD113 Katie Cassidy, left, Selena Gomez, center, and Andie MacDowell attend the premiere of "Monte … She had to grow up a bit as she made the film, which centers around a case of mistaken identity. Gomez plays two parts: Grace, an American traveling in Europe with two girlfriends, and Cordelia, a rich British heiress. When Grace is mistaken for the heiress, the adventures that take them on a whirlwind trip from Paris to Monte Carlo begin.
But despite her long career as the star of the Disney television hit show "The Wizards of Waverly Place," playing two parts in a big studio movie was a bit of a scary challenge for the then 17-year-old girl.
"I was nervous as all get out," Gomez admitted to reporters at a press conference earlier in the week in New York. "I was really nervous because Cordelia is a totally different character from me. She was completely evil and had an accent. So, I was a little nervous, but I had a great time."
Gomez gushed over the couture clothes she wears in the film, but revealed that they, too, were just a bit intimidating.
"Grace's wardrobe was very Texan and very simple, but very pretty. Cordelia's was very intense. I mean, she wore really amazing dresses and jackets and glasses and purses and earrings. It was really fun to create that whole vibe," she recalled. "She was very high fashion. My personal clothes are just kind of simple. I like classic things."
She likes her current boyfriend, too, pop sensation Justin Bieber, and like any good companion, he joined her for her big night at the premiere, along with her "Monte Carlo" co-stars Katie Cassidy and Andie MacDowell. MacDowell made it a family affair, bringing her daughters Rainey and Sarah Margaret Qualley to the party.
Harry Potter e-books plan worries bookstore owners
AP – British author J.K. Rowling poses for photographers as she announces her new website project Pottermore … One of the world's most famous digital holdouts, Rowling announced Thursday that a new interactive website, http://www.pottermore.com, will be the exclusive seller of the e-book editions of her iconic "Harry Potter" series. The news is a landmark for the growing electronic market, especially for the relatively small number of young adult e-book fans, and an unwelcome surprise for the traditional stores which helped sell hundreds of millions of Potter novels.
"Bricks and mortar stores are taking a lot of bullets and there's a limit to how many bullets we can take," says Roxanne Coady, owner of R.J. Julia Booksellers in Madison, Conn, one of more than 200 independent sellers of e-books through Google. "If the sellers of the Rowling e-books are saying they don't need bricks and mortar stores, then that's the result you'll get."
Jon Howells, spokesman for Britain's Waterstone's chain, said the Harry Potter book launches, which for years drew thousands of fans in wizard garb to midnight store openings, "have become the stuff of legend at Waterstone's and other booksellers."
"We're therefore disappointed that, having been a key factor in the growth of the Harry Potter phenomenon since the first book was published, the book trade is effectively banned from selling the long-awaited e-book editions," he said.
Tom Turcan, chief operating officer of Pottermore, said Rowling wanted "to make the books available to everybody, not to make them available only to people who own a particular set of devices, or tethered to a particular set of platforms."
During a press conference in London on Thursday, Rowling cited the special bond she has had with fans online and said she was "phenomenally lucky in that I have the resources to do it myself and therefore I got to do it, I think, right."
"I think this is a fantastic and unique experience that I can afford in every sense," she said.
E-books have jumped from less than 1 percent of total sales four years ago to more than 20 percent. Children's books are catching up as the Kindle, Nook and other devices become cheaper and touchscreen readers such as the Nook and the iPad enable illustrated stories to be available in digital form. Potter books remain steady sellers four years after the series ended, especially as the final movie approaches, and publishers believe the e-books will be as revolutionary for the digital market as the paper ones were for the traditional market.
"The Potter books took children's books in general to another level and we've never gone back," said Susan Katz, president and publisher of HarperCollins Children's Books. "And I think the news today could be the tipping point for 8-to-12-year-old market."
Pottermore is far more than a retail outlet. The site lets fans delve into Harry Potter's beloved Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They can shop for wands in Diagon Alley, travel to Hogwarts from the imaginary Platform 9 3/4 at London's King's Cross train station and be sorted into Hogwarts school houses by the perceptive Sorting Hat.
Along the way are wand fights, games and new information about characters beloved around the world, including Harry's boorish relatives, the Dursleys. The website also features 18,000 words of new Potter material from Rowling, who said it will have "information I have been hoarding for years" about the books' characters and settings. The level of detail gives Potter fans new reasons to obsess over the wizard and his friends. The final Potter movie, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2," opens in July.
"I go into ridiculous detail about wand woods," Rowling said.
A beta version of the site launches July 31, Harry Potter's birthday, and the e-books become available in October under an unusual arrangement. They will be sold directly from Pottermore, with Rowling's longtime publishers, Bloomsbury Publishing in the United Kingdom and Scholastic Inc. in the United States, sharing revenues. Scholastic and other publishers have long sold books directly to customers, but through their own websites. And they traditionally have made those releases available to retailers, too.
Children's booksellers have extra reasons to worry. Potter books remain a rite of passage among young readers, one that often includes a visit to the local store. That initiation may now happen online.
"It's one thing if an individual sells book on her own, I can understand that," says Ann Seaton, manager of Hicklebee's Children's Book Store in San Jose, Calif. "But it did sort of surprise me that the publisher would cut us out of the loop. That makes it hard for us.
"We have sold a huge amount of Potter books," she said. "And we were one of those stores that had the midnight parties when a new Potter book came out. I don't think we'll be having a party for the e-books."
