SamboraBlog

People in the news: 'Baywatch' restraining order

By The Associated Press
Saturday, March 25, 2006

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A judge has issued a temporary restraining order requiring David Hasselhoff to stay away from his estranged wife, according to court papers unsealed this week.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mark A. Juhas signed the order March 6 ordering the former "Baywatch" star to stay at least 100 yards from actress Pamela Bach except for "peaceful contacts related to court ordered visitation" of one their two teenage daughters.

Bach, 42, has custody of one daughter while Hasselhoff, 53, has custody of the other.

Juhas scheduled a hearing for April 4 to decide whether to extend the order to three years.

In her request for the order, Bach claimed instances of domestic violence in December and February. In one incident, police officers were summoned but didn't give Bach an emergency protective order, according to court documents.

Hasselhoff's publicist said the actor "categorically denies" Bach's allegations but declined to elaborate.

"Out of consideration for his children, which, as always, remains his paramount concern, he is not going to discuss this publicly," said publicist Judy Katz.

Hasselhoff filed for divorce Jan. 12, citing irreconcilable differences after 16 years of marriage. Bach filed her own divorce papers a day later, also citing irreconcilable differences.

Hasselhoff played lifeguard Mitch Buchannon on "Baywatch" from 1989 to 2000. He also starred in the 1980s TV series "Knight Rider," in which his character, Michael Knight, teamed with a talking Pontiac Trans Am sports car to fight crime.

Bach appeared in the soap opera "The Young and the Restless" and in numerous episodes of "Baywatch" and "Knight Rider."

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LOS ANGELES (AP) � Bon Jovi lead guitarist Richie Sambora is seeking joint custody of his 8-year-old daughter with Heather Locklear, who filed for divorce last month after 11 years of marriage.
In papers filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on March 17, Sambora asks for joint physical and legal custody of the estranged couple's daughter, Ava Elizabeth, and requests the pair's premarital agreement be enforced.
Sambora also asked the court to give up its right to order him to pay spousal support to Locklear.
Attorneys for Locklear, 44, and Sambora, 46, declined to comment on the matter Friday.
Locklear filed for divorce Feb. 2, citing irreconcilable differences. The two have been separated since Dec. 26, according to the divorce filing.
Locklear gained fame in 1981 as sexy Sammy Jo Dean Carrington on the TV series "Dynasty."
In the 1990s, she took on the role of cold-hearted Amanda Woodward on TV's "Melrose Place" and played mayoral love interest Caitlin Moore on "Spin City."
She was previously married to Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee.

LOS ANGELES (AP) � It's a boy � again � for actor Chris O'Donnell.

O'Donnell's wife, Caroline Fentress, gave birth Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Us Magazine reported. They haven't decided on a name yet, the magazine said.

The couple, who married in 1997, have three other children: two boys and a girl.

O'Donnell gained fame playing the Boy Wonder in the 1995 film "Batman Forever." He will appear on the TV show "Grey's Anatomy" beginning April 2.

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NEW YORK (AP) � Ron Chernow, author of acclaimed biographies of Alexander Hamilton, J.P. Morgan and John D. Rockefeller, has been elected president of the PEN American Center.

Chernow's "The House of Morgan" won the National Book Award. His biographies "Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr." and "Alexander Hamilton" were nominees for the National Book Critics Circle Award.

"I am delighted to assume the presidency of PEN American Center at what is probably the most exciting and dynamic moment in its recent history," Chernow said in a statement Friday, citing the center's advocacy of freedom of expression and encouragement of writers overseas.

Michael Roberts, PEN's executive director, said Chernow's "master historian's capacity to keep track of a vast range of highly detailed subjects and a colorful panorama of interesting and diverse characters" would serve him well in the position.

Chernow succeeds novelist Salman Rushdie, who has held the position for the past two years.

PEN is an independent organization that promotes free expression, defends writers in legal disputes and sponsors literary programs.

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ROME (AP) � Roberto Cavalli will appeal his conviction on tax fraud, one of his lawyers said.

At a hearing Thursday, a judge in Florence convicted the Italian fashion designer and sentenced him to 14 months in jail, but because Cavalli was first-time offender, the sentence was immediately suspended, lawyer Alessandro Traversi said Friday.

Cavalli, known for designing jewel-encrusted jeans and ultrasexy clothing, plans to appeal, Traversi said. "This verdict deserves to be reviewed," he said in a phone interview from Florence.

Florence prosecutors contended that $3.1 million written off by Cavalli as business expenses was actually spent for personal use.

The money was used to refurbish the designer's mansion between 1996 and 2000, Traversi has said. Cavalli denied any wrongdoing, insisting that the villa is essential to his business, Traversi has said.

Cavalli's mansion in the hills overlooking Florence underwent extensive renovations, including the construction of two swimming pools, a gym and a hangar.

"The house is not where I live. It is my studio, my showroom, my image, my fashion atelier" for clients such as Madonna, Sting, Cindy Crawford and Jennifer Lopez, Cavalli has been quoted as saying.

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NEW YORK (AP) � Sports documentarian Bud Greenspan has been selected to receive the lifetime achievement award at the 27th Annual Sports Emmy Awards on May 1.

Awards in 28 categories will be presented at Lincoln Center in New York, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced Thursday.

Greenspan, known for decades of Olympic films, completed his ninth at the Winter Games in Turin, Italy. His most recent works include "The First Miracle" (2006), the story of the 1960 gold-medal winning ice hockey team from Squaw Valley, Calif., and "Whirlaway" (2005), celebrating the Calumet Farm owned chestnut colt that won the Triple Crown in 1941.

Nominations for the awards for outstanding live sports special, documentary, studio show and inaugural outstanding sports content on nontraditional delivery platforms such as the Internet, cell phones and iPods will be announced Wednesday.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) � Barbra Streisand may take the stage again � six years after her last public concert.

"A tour is being explored, but nothing has been finalized," said her publicist, Dick Guttman.

Streisand's husband, James Brolin, told TV's "Access Hollywood" earlier this week that his 63-year-old superstar wife would be back on tour.

"It took her six months. She kept saying, 'No, no, no,' and now she is going to go out in November," Brolin was quoted as saying.

Streisand's last tour was in 2000. She performed several songs at a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) � Randy Quaid, who plays a tough sheep rancher in "Brokeback Mountain," claims he was fleeced for his work in the movie.

Quaid filed a lawsuit Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleging producers got him to work cheap by falsely claiming "Brokeback" was "a low-budget, art-house film, with no prospect of making any money."

"Yet from day one, defendants fully intended that the film would not be made on a low budget, would be given a worldwide release, and would be supported as the studio picture it always was secretly intended to be," the lawsuit says.

Quaid agreed to waive his usual seven-figure fee and share of gross profits in favor of a much smaller payment, the lawsuit claims, although it doesn't say how much he was paid.

The 55-year-old actor was nominated for an Oscar for his role in 1973's "The Last Detail." He played "Colonel" Tom Parker, Elvis Presley's manager, in the TV movie "Elvis."

The lawsuit alleges intentional and negligent misrepresentation and seeks at least $10 million in damages. It names Focus Features LLC, Del Mar Productions LLC, which was formed by Focus to make the movie, and producers David Linde and James Schamus.

Focus Features doesn't comment on pending litigation, spokeswoman Adriene Bowles said Friday.

Focus is the specialty movie arm of Universal Pictures. Linde and Schamus were co-presidents of Focus when the film was made. Linde was recently promoted to co-chairman of Universal Pictures.

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