Liz the 'Fame' Dame

Dame Elizabeth Taylor with Carole Bayer Sager

Movie legend Dame Elizabeth Taylor braved a Los Angeles rainstorm to watch her friend Carole Bayer Sager unveil her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

At the soggy ceremony Taylor described Sager, who has written songs for the likes of Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand and Bob Dylan, as "a poet of the soul".

Sager has won an Oscar, a Grammy, a Tony and two Golden Globes for her work.

She recently co-write a song for Clint Eastwood's film True Crimes, and is reported to be working with Michael Jackson on his new album.

---

Backstreet Boys to become comic heroes

The Backstreet Boys are about to join Stan Lee's stable of superheroes as stars of their own comic books series.

The superstar boy band will feature in a set of adventures launched on 19 February in print and on the web.

The plot of the comic series, according to Lee - who created Spider-Man, the Hulk and The X-Men - involves aliens, babes and plenty of action.

Heart-throbs Howie, AJ, Nick, Kevin and Brian have been transformed into action heroes complete with superpowers.

The Backstreet Boys are arguably the world's biggest band. Their latest album Millennium, has sold more than 30 million copies.

---

Kidman in search of movie daughter

Movie makers are scouring Britain for a young girl to play Nicole Kidman's daughter in a new Hollywood blockbuster.

Casting directors for The Others have spent months visiting stage schools and drama clubs auditioning girls aged seven to nine, but have drawn a blank.

With production due to start in two months, faxes have now been sent to standard schools asking for help.

The film, set in Nazi Germany, is described as a "gothic thriller".

---

Murphy 'to get £20m for Doolittle 2'

Eddie Murphy is reported to be close to signing a deal that will pay him $20m (£12.5m), plus a cut of profits, to star in a sequel to Dr Dolittle.

Murphy, now starring in the sequel to The Nutty Professor, will reprise his role in the comedy that made more than $240m (£150m) worldwide, Daily Variety says.

Murphy has made a career of starring in sequels to hits, including Beverly Hills Cop and 48 Hours. Work on Dolittle is due to begin by autumn.

---

West End theatres snapped up for £18m

A chunk of London's theatreland has changed hands in an £18m deal, although the venues involved will remain in British hands.

The Ambassador Theatre Group bought up seven venues, including the acclaimed Donmar Warehouse and Wyndham's Theatre.

ATG fought off competition from US bidder Max Weitzenhoffer.

The company now has nine West End theatres, as well as a number of regional venues.

---

Scientologists "won't cash in on movie"

The Church of Scientology has denied it stands to make money from sales of toys based on John Travolta's new film.

Sci-fi tale Battlefield Earth was written by L Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology which includes Travolta among its supporters.

Reports suggested that the church was included in the film's merchandising agreement, but any money it made would go to its charitable foundations.

However, a spokesperson for the organisation told BBC News Online the reports were "completely false."

---

Paris memorial for film legend Vadim

Friends and family have attended a memorial service in Paris for film director Roger Vadim, who died on Friday from cancer at the age of 79.

Guests included screen legend Catherine Deneuve Vadim's long-time lover and mother of one of his sons and his wife, actress Marie-Christine Barrault.

Vadim found fame with his film And God Created Woman (1956), which starred his then wife, the 18-year-old blonde bombshell Brigitte Bardot.

---

Eternal singer raises eyebrows

Eternal's Easther Bennett was heckled by a churchgoer for turning up to a Songs Of Praise recording in a revealing top, it has emerged.

The 27-year-old singer wore the top to record a song and an interview for the BBC One religious programme at the Emmanuel Evangelical Church in central London.

A BBC spokeswoman said a congregation member was heard to shout words to the effect of: "You should be more modestly dressed in the house of the Lord."

The programme will be shown on Sunday.