Producer and director James Orr, whose credits include Three Men and a Baby, was also ordered to do 100 hours of community service, attend a counselling programme and pay $500 to a domestic violence fund by a court in Santa Monica.

He had faced a maximum sentence of a year in prison and a $6,000 fine.

Orr was accused of pushing the 51-year-old former Charlie's Angels star down, slamming her head to the driveway and trying to choke her during a fight that followed a row.

Pavarotti feels "well" despite health fears

Luciano Pavarotti: Says he is feeling well

Opera giant Luciano Pavarotti, recuperating from surgery at an Italian spa, says he feels "very well" following his treatment.

"I was just out to walk in the mountains; I just returned. I used a cane. If you walk in the mountains, go up and down, you must have the cane," said the 63-year-old tenor.

Retirement rumours were rife last week when he cancelled three concerts planned for November saying he needed more time to recover from hip and knee replacement surgery he had in the summer.

Hewitt for Hepburn role

Audrey Hepburn: Her life story will be told in new film

The role of Audrey Hepburn in a film about her life and career is to be played by Jennifer Love Hewitt, who stars in the TV series Party of Five.

The 19-year-old, who also appeared in the horror film, I Know What You Did Last Summer, has been dubbed "Hollywood's sweetheart of 1998".

Pundits are watching her big break closely.

"Hollywood is watching with fingers crossed to see whether she's going to live up to the claims being made for her by her formidably loyal admiration society," says Movieline magazine.

Hollywood's trip into space

John Glenn: Celebrity backing for the oldest man in space

Some of Hollywood's biggest stars were at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Thursday night to see astronaut John Glenn become the oldest man to blast off into space.

Titanic heart-throb Leonardo DiCaprio, Apollo 13 star Tom Hanks and Babylon 5 stalwart Bruce Boxleitner were crammed into the VIP viewing area.

They were joined by superstar directors Steven Spielberg and James Cameron, rock group Aerosmith and boxing champ Evander Holyfield.

Redford gets behind the screen

Robert Redford: Wants to showcase independent films at his cinemas

Horse Whisperer star Robert Redford is planning to set up a chain of art house cinemas to cater for the more intellectual end of the market.

Redford is opening them under the name of Sundance Cinemas. The first outlet is due to be built in Philadelphia, very near a major university.

The chain of cinemas is being seen as a way for Redford to showcase new films which appear on screen during his own Sundance Film Festival, which profiles the best independent movies each January.

Hurt mows across America

Actor John Hurt is to play a 73-year-old man who decides to ride across America on his lawn mower in director David Lynch's next film.

The British actor accepted the role in The Straight Story after Gregory Peck turned it down. Sissy Spacek is to play character Alvin Straight's daughter.

Hurt worked successfully with Lynch on the multi-Oscar-nominated movie The Elephant Man, the moving true story of monstrously disfigured John Merrick.

No job, no girlfriend - and no drugs for Sheen

Charlie Sheen has revealed he shares his experiences of drugs rehabilitation with similarly troubled stars Robert Downey Jr and Christian Slater.

"We talk frequently. We are all casualties of young LA," said Sheen, who is four months into his treatment.