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Douglas Rescues Zeta-Jones
7-12-01
Reuters
Actor Michael
Douglas bravely rescued his wife Catherine
Zeta-Jones when she was approached by a cobra. The pair were
filming Smoke And Mirrors in north Africa when Zeta-Jones was
corned by the deadly reptile. Douglas with no thought for his own
safety grabbed a piece of wood and drove the cobra away.
Douglas to Open Fast Food Taco
Chain
8-18-99
London Daily Mail
Though Arnie Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis appear to have bitten
off more than they can chew with their Planet Hollywood chain of restaurants- the company
they and other stars have backed is losing tens of millions of dollars- Sharon Stone and
Michael Douglas bravely plan to open a chain of fast-food taco joints in the States.
Stone, whose husband and newspaper editor Phil Bronstein is
recovering from a heart attack, and Douglas have as partners shockrocker Alice Cooper and
Shep Gordon, who manages magicians and celebrity chefs.
The group came up with the idea while holidaying in Hawaii. So
impressed were they by a local chef that they asked him to develop a chain of eateries
featuring healthy Tex-Mex food suchas burritos and 'wraps'. The stars will open the first
restaurant in New York and plan 20 more within five years.
Michael Douglas News Bits
7-22-99
USA Today
Michael Douglas is seeing a gorgeous Hollywood newcomer, but he's
had another girl on his mind. So he couldn't make Tuesday's L.A. premiere of Catherine
Zeta-Jones' The Haunting. Douglas had a commitment, one he takes very seriously.
That other girl is Pamela, just 13, who was conscripted into the
army in Uganda and sexually molested as well as being pressed into combat. Her story is
part of an exhibit Douglas helped open Tuesday in the United Nations General Assembly
lobby. "Taking Aim at Small Arms: Defending Child Rights" is the title.
"Most of our focus in this country is on gun control. But in
countries where conflicts are going on,small arms enter the picture, and they enable
children to play a substantial part in these armies," says Douglas. "They like
children -- they're easier to control." The problem is reaching "crisis
proportions," he says.
There's interest in creating international laws to require soldiers
to be at least 18. Small arms kill a lot of people: In Rwanda, says Douglas, $12 million
worth of weapons have been responsible for 1 million deaths. This is one of actor/producer
Douglas' serious projects; he's had a long commitment to the U.N.
When I spoke to him Wednesday in New York, he was about to head
upstate for a golf game. Zeta-Jones is back in New York this week for more Haunting
promotion and, no doubt, more Douglas. She also golfs: "Her whole family are good
golfers," he says of his lovely Welsh companion. Any tips for her? "I never try
to give unsolicited advice, to a golf partneror anyone," he laughs. "It can be
seen as a hostile gesture."
Zeta-Jones has a feisty scene in The Haunting in which she
slaps Liam Neeson in the face. I tried to get a rise out of Douglas about that, but he
would only say he sees her as "a hard-working actress who's paid her dues. She's a
joy!"
Douglas, by the way, has a pilot's license but doesn't fly anymore.
He knew John F. Kennedy Jr. slightly and was at Aspen last year when Michael Kennedy died
in a skiing accident. Like so many of us awaiting word on Friday's crash, he had "an
empty sense till now of noclosure. My heart goes out to both the families."
Douglas Funds Cultural Center
7-10-99
BBC News
Actor Michael Douglas has unveiled plans for a cultural centre on
theSpanish island of Majorca where he has a luxury villa. The Basic Instinct star is
helping to finance the Costa Nord de Valldemossa centre, which will house an exhibition
highlighting the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the area. Douglas has had a
holiday home on the Balearic island for the past 10 years.
Paramount Extends Good Will Gesture to
CMU
5-4-99
Carnegie Mellon University Message Post; Courtesy of Alicia N.
Due to inclement weather last Monday, April 19, "Wonder
Boys" was unable to complete filming of scenes on campus. Film producers have
requested an additional half day to complete filming. After consultation with members of
student government, the administration has agreed to allow "Wonder Boys" to film
on campus Sunday, April 25. By requiring "Wonder Boys" to film on the weekend,
the administration hopes to minimize the production's further impact on the university
community.
In appreciation of this concession, "Wonder Boys" will
provide activity funds to be used at the discretion of GSIA/BA students, similar to those
previously provided for CFA and H&SS students, and to fund nine paid internships for
Carnegie Mellon students over the next three summers through the Pittsburgh Film Office.
As a final act of appreciation, it is expected that "Wonder
Boys" will run on campus, at no cost to AB or students, during its initial week of
release. We appreciate the general good will that has been shown to all those involved in
this project, and regret the protracted impact the filming has had for many of us.
Rich and Famous Give Money to
Campaigns
5-1-99
Alan Elsner, Reuters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - From Hugh Hefner to Martha Stewart, Michael
Jordan to Michael Douglas, Steven Spielberg to Warren Buffett, the rich and famous of
America are opening their wallets for the 2000 presidential campaign.
And due to the Internet, ordinary citizens can see with a couple of
flicks of the mouse exactly who is giving to whom -- and even snoop on friends, relatives
and neighbors.
Under Federal Election Commission regulations, all presidential
candidates must list contributions of $200 or more up to the $1,000 limit.
Several campaigns have posted the list of their first- quarter
donations on their web sites. Other organizations, including the non-partisan Center for
Responsive Politics, have collected the information on one site (www.opensecrets.org).
Former New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley, Gore's sole challenger for the
Democratic Party nomination, also picked up some famous financial backers, including
investor Warren Buffett, movie director Barry Levinson and Apple Computer chief Steven
Jobs.
Actor Michael Douglas gave $1,000 to Bradley but hedged his bets.
He gave $1,000 to Gore as well.
``Hollywood is a major source of money, especially for the
Democrats. They have received huge amounts from the 90210 zip code over the years,'' said
Larry Makinson of the Center for Responsive Politics.
Michael Douglas and Friends Golf
Tournament: Recap and Highlights
4-19-99
Review by Kendra
Jack Nicholson, Joe Pesci, and Andy Garcia won the tournament at 5
under par. Jack N. was unstoppable... he sunk all but one of his putts, while Andy Garcia
and Joe Pesci were amazing off of the tee.
MD's trio included Will Smith and James Garner. All three had brilliant moments, but had
problems with the short game... they finished at -1. Michael also nearly hit three
onlookers with a slice. The gallery laughed at that a lot! There were several wonderful
shots and clips of Michael... including one with his father Kirk, who came out to watch
his son play. He was driven around in a golf cart. The bit that ABC showed was a funny
little conversation about how Michael felt that he should take it easy on his guests....
and Kirk said how proud he was of MD. It was wonderful.
Kevin Costner, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Chris O'Donnell started out strong but ended up at
even par after Cuba botched several shots, including only managing to hit two balls five
feet (yes, feet, not yards) off of the tee. They also all managed to hit crowd members.
Douglas Doesn't Want Any Rowdy Neighbors
4-2-99
New York Post
Bonus-rich Wall Streeters shopping for apartments might as well
skip looking at the swank pad upstairs from actor Michael Douglas.
Douglas has let it be known he doesn't want any rowdy "high
producers" tramping about the huge 10-room apartment on Central Park West and giving
him sleepless nights while he's in town.
The $4.4 million co-op near W. 75th St. may also be out of the
price range of most young Wall Streeters with their $1 million bonuses.
"Unless they're general partners at Bear Stearns or Goldman
Sachs, the place isn't really for them," says broker Eric Ozada of William B. May,
which has just put the pad on the market.
"This is not a young millionaire's place. I'm steering them to
some of the condos we have," said Ozada. The untouchable place, for the record, has a
60-foot living room with an uninterrupted expanse of windows overlooking the park, plus 3
baths, formal dining room with park views and four bedrooms.
As far as the young Wall Streeters on the make are concerned,
several were eyeing a luxury penthouse loft on Prince Street near West Broadway. It's
party heaven, with 12-foot beamed ceilings, skylights, 2,000 square feet of living space,
and a 5,000-square-foot extension on the roof that leads to another 1,000-square-foot roof
deck. The $1.35 million loft, listed by Benjamin James Associates, is currently being
rented for another several months at $6,500 per month by Alfonso Curan, film director of
"Great Expectations."
Fast Mover Michael
3-23-99
The Hollywood Reporter
Mega-star Michael Douglas is set to put the pedal to the metal as the
star of a new Universal project called Fast. The Oscar-winning actor, who is also
set to produce the new flick, will play a down-and-out NASCAR driver who's hired by the
Russian mob to get behind the wheel of a getaway car during the kidnapping of a young boy.
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