Each Monday we usually tell you what movie won the weekend’s Battle of the Box Office. Now we can report “Men In Black,” starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith, was the overall top grosser for 1997, with a take of $249.8 million for the year, beating out runnerup “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” at $229.1 million.
If there was a major loser in 1997, our vote goes to Kevin Costner. His recently released “The Postman,” a nearly three-hour epic, just dropped off the regular weekend Top 10 list in only its second week in theaters–and is nowhere near its $80 million budget. This is not the first big-ticket flop (remember “Waterworld”?) for Costner.
Take a letter: We understand Burger King’s initial announcement of its great “french fry giveaway” drew a letter of praise from Gov. Jim Edgar, who commended the Florida-based company on the innovative campaign. Now that McDonald’s, which has its headquarters in Illinois, has answered the challenge, we figure someone in Edgar’s office also will be drafting a warm and fuzzy letter real soon to Mighty Mac.
Kennedy watch 1: It’s not confirmed, but INC. hears there is an excellent chance John F. Kennedy Jr. will be coming to Chicago–probably in April–to be a featured guest at a fundraiser. It will be to help cousin William Kennedy Smith in his Physicians Against Landmines cause.
Kennedy watch 2: Michael Kennedy’s last public appearance in Chicago was during the 1996 Democratic national convention, when he attended the Robert F. Kennedy memorial, as well as an event hosted by U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.). Before that, Michael helped organize several fundraisers here for brother Joe Kennedy’s congressional runs. Close family friends say the relationship between Michael and Joe was very similar to that of the late Robert and John F. Kennedy Sr.
School bells: U.S. Sen. Jim Jeffords (R-Vt.) is scheduled to begin a two-day tour Monday of the Chicago Public School system. Jane Addams and Beethoven Elementary Schools are among the stops. Jeffords, who requested the tour, is chairman of the U.S. Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, which presides over the U.S. Dept. of Education and troubled Washington D.C. schools. He’ll meet Mayor Richard Daley and CPS officials Paul Vallas and Cozette Buckney.
High note: While Dennis Rodman’s followers turned a New Year’s Eve party at the Field Museum into a raucous affair, teammate Scottie Pippen, like the “civilized” fellow he is in those commercials, brought in 1998 with a quiet dinner with his wife and four other couples overlooking the museum in the John Hancock center’s Signature Room. Highlight? When Frantz Benteler And His Royal Strings serenaded the party.
Quick quiz: Illinois comptroller candidate Dan Hynes, who just completed visiting all of the state’s 102 counties, is putting his new-found knowledge to work at Tuesday’s opening of his Old Town headquarters. He’s going to offer visitors a “know your Illinois” trivia quiz, and we’ll bet this is one question the Democratic candidate won’t use: What was the only county the Dems won in 1994’s gubernatorial general election? Answer: Gallatin.
Monday birthdays: Marilyn Manson, 29; Pamela Sue Martin, 44; Diane Keaton, 52; Robert Duvall, 67; and Jean-Pierre Aumont, 89.
Busy, busy: A day in the life of the Italian Village restaurant: “Home Alone” director Chris Columbus hosted a party of 20 relatives in one room and wrote a personal note for the captain to give to Sinbad, who had a reservation for later in the day. The comedian never showed, but, meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. kept a low profile, having dinner with his wife in another room. No word on what happened to the note.
EAVESDROPPING
“I was raised in a different era. If you like someone, you care about them, you marry.” TV host Larry King, explaining to CNBC’s Tim Russert why he’s had six wives.
