Annette Charles, Cha Cha from Grease, Dies at 63

Another Grease actor has died. Annette Charles, who played Cha Cha DiGregorio in the 1978 movie musical, lost her battle with cancer at age 63. As the self-proclaimed "best dancer at St.Bernadette's," Charles's character famously hit the floor with John Travolta during the dance competition scene. Charles, who also appeared on TV's The Incredible Hulk and Magnum, P.I., later became a speech professor at California State University Northridge. In May, Grease fans mourned the loss of Jeff Conaway, who died at 60 of various health complications stemming from a longtime battle with cocaine, painkillers and alcohol. Conaway played Kenickie in the film.



Bubba Smith, former NFL Pro Bowler and ‘Police Academy’ star, dies at 66

Bubba Smith, the former NFL standout who starred as Moses Hightower in the Police Academy franchise, was found dead Wednesday in his Los Angeles home at the age of 66, reports the Los Angeles Times. While a cause of death has yet to be determined, it is believed that he died of natural causes. A two-time All-American at Michigan State University who later was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, Smith spent nine seasons in the NFL as a defensive end and tackle, playing in two Pro Bowls and winning a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Colts. In the late 1970s, he transitioned into Hollywood, guest-starring in such TV series as Good Times, Charlie’s Angels, and Taxi before scoring as the imposing florist-turned-cop in the 1984 big-screen comedy Police Academy and its many sequels. Smith, who also starred in ABC’s short-lived police drama Blue Thunder in 1984, popped up in the early ’90s on shows like Married…with Children, MacGyver, and Family Matters.



Halle Berry's Ex-Husband Eric Benet Weds Prince's Ex-Wife

After popping the question back in November, R&B singer Eric Benet has tied the knot with his girlfriend of nearly four years, Manuela Testolini. The happy couple wed in Newport Beach, Calif. this past Sunday during a "low-key ceremony," his rep confirmed. In attendance were 150 family members and close friends like Samuel L. Jackson, Neicy Nash, and Access Hollywood host Shaun Robinson. The nuptials mark marriage number two for Benet, 40 and Testolini, who both have famous exes. The Grammy-nominated artist and actress Halle Berry ended their three-year marriage in 2005 after his alleged cheating. Testolini was married to Prince from 2001 to 2006.



Val Kilmer's ex-wife chasing child-support payments

Val Kilmer has been hit with a demand for financial support from his ex-wife, who says he fell behind with child-support payments. Joanne Whalley was married to the actor from 1988 to 1996, and they share two teenage children. Following their divorce, Kilmer agreed to pay $27,500 a month in child support. However, Kilmer is said to have fallen behind on the installments, prompting Whalley to obtain a lien against the actor's ranch in New Mexico in a bid to force him to bring the payments up to date. Last year, Kilmer faced financial woe when it was reported he owed nearly $500,000 in unpaid U.S. federal taxes. He was also forced to slash the price of his New Mexico property by a massive $10 million after it failed to sell.



Ryan O'Neal: Son Never Recovered from Mom Farrah Fawcett's Death

For Ryan O'Neal, it was a sadly familiar scene: his son Redmond standing before a judge expressing exasperation over Redmond's latest drug-related troubles with the law. Only this time, it was different. The long-troubled 26-year-old Redmond faces not only a much more severe penalty, including a long prison term, but a new psychological burden. "He never recovered from the loss of his mother," Ryan said outside the Los Angeles Superior Court after Redmond pleaded not guilty to two charges, felony possession of heroin and being a felon in possession of a handgun. Redmond, whose mother Farrah Fawcett died in 2009, was arrested Tuesday when police allegedly found heroin and marijuana in his car following a traffic stop in Santa Monica. After police executed a search warrant at his apartment, they allegedly found a loaded handgun. "He's an addict," added Redmond's half-sister Tatum O'Neal, who also attended the court session. "Addicts keep using until they want to stop. We're praying for him every day." Judge Keith Schwartz told O'Neal he needed "tough love" and ordered him held without bail until an Aug. 24 hearing. "This is an ongoing pattern you have and it hasn't been addressed for whatever reason," added the judge, who didn't say whether Redmond will get prison time or more drug treatment in this case, although he thinks he would get better drug treatment if he does not go to prison. A lawyer for O'Neal pleaded for leniency in the case. "All of this is because of narcotics," defense attorney Richard Pintal told the judge. "What he have here is a relapse ... It's the nature of the disease."



Heidi Klum Is Not Leaving Project Runway

Despite online reports that the supermodel is saying auf wiedersehen to Lifetime's design competition, a spokesperson for the network says, "Heidi Klum is not leaving Project Runway. Although Klum, 38, is currently appearing as host and judge of season 9, which premiered last week, an all-star season is now filming in New York City without the German-born supermodel. According to the rep, the all-star version of Runway "is a completely separate show, with a separate host and a separate set of judges." No announcement has been made about who that will be.



TV NEWS

Brandy’s heading for the Hills!  The actress-singer-reality star is joining 90210 for a major Season 4 arc. She’ll play Marissa Jackson-Lewis, a charismatic young politician running for congress in California against Teddy’s (Trevor Donovan) conservative uncle. “She’s a cross between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama,” notes a source close to the show. “She’s inspirational but with a drive to get the job done.” To that end, Marissa hires Silver (Jessica Stroup) to create a video campaign to reach the youth vote. Brandy, who earlier this year guest-starred in four episodes of Lifetime’s Drop Dead Diva, is slated to make her 90210 debut in October.



The CW is looking to beat the midseason rerun blues by extending the already-full season orders of Gossip Girl, 90210, Supernatural and Nikita. The network has picked up two additional episodes each of Gossip Girl and 90210, bringing their totals to 24 episodes, and one additional episode each of Supernatural and Nikita, extending their runs to 23 episodes apiece.



A big wave of stars continue to land on CBS’ Hawaii Five-0. The show has just signed Oscar-winning TV legend Patty Duke to guest star in a season 2 episode.Duke will play an Alzheimer’s-afflicted mother of a murder victim. When the Five-0 team go to deliver the notification, they learn her condition has her believing that her adult son is actually still a child. For a while, the team shields her from the news, but ultimately she must confront her devastating loss.



One-time porn star and pretend singer Kim Kardashian is marrying Kris Humphries, the NBA's 22nd best power forward, this October in a two-part extravaganza on E!.Well, technically it's just a broadcast of their August 20 wedding.



Sarah Michelle Gellar is headed back to Pine Valley, but there’s a twist: She will not be reprising her role as Kendall.
“I can officially confirm that I will be doing a guest spot on All My Children,” “When I heard that the show was canceled I didn’t understand. It just doesn’t make sense to me. So, I called Judy Wilson, who is the casting director and has been since I was there, and I said I wanted to do something.” Her one and only request? “I was very specific — I don’t want to be Kendall; that’s Alicia [Minshew]‘s role,” Gellar recounted. “But I just wanted to be a part of it. I have no idea what I’m going to do, so we can take suggestions, but I will be doing one day. I’m excited.”



Syfy’s Eureka will be coming to an end.
The cable network is close to ordering six more episodes, which will mark the end of the sci-fi series starring Collin Ferguson and Salli Richardson-Whitfield. Syfy is currently airing Season 4.5 of Eureka, while the show is filming the 13 episodes for Season 5.


Tragedies have anniversaries too, and with the terrorist attacks of 9/11 approaching the 10-year mark, networks have scheduled several programs analyzing and remembering that tragic day. Projects include the Steven Spielberg-produced Discovery Channel special Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero, following the construction of a new 104-story One World Trade Center, and Nat Geo’s in-depth documentary interview of former president George W. Bush.
list of the specials announced so far across cable and broadcast:
August 25
8 p.m. Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero (Discovery Channel)
Sunday, August 28
10:00 p.m. George W. Bush: The 9/11 Interview (National Geographic)
Monday, August 29
10:00 p.m. CIA Confidential: 9/11 Mastermind (Nat Geo)
Tuesday August 30
10:00 p.m. 9/11: Where Were You? (Nat Geo)
Thursday, September 1
8:00 p.m. Nick News: What Happened? The Story of September 11, 2001 (Nick)
Sunday, September 4
9:00 p.m. 9/11: Heroes of the 88th Floor (TLC)
September 5-11
Times TBD: America Remembers: 9/11, New York Philharmonic 10th Anniversary Concert for 9/11, Engineering Ground Zero, Frontline 9/11 special (PBS)
Saturday, September 10
9:00 p.m. 9/11: The Days After (History)
Sunday, September 11
8:00 p.m. Making the 9/11 Memorial (History)
8:00 p.m. 9/11: 10 Years Later (CBS)
9:00 p.m. 20/20: 9/11 Anniversary (ABC)
9:00 p.m. The Space Between (USA)
10:21 p.m. Twin Towers (USA)