Following is a summary of current people news briefs.
Author Bryce Courtenay dies 2 weeks after publishing final
novel
CANBERRA (Reuters) – Best-selling Australian author Bryce
Courtenay, who wrote about the struggles of life in Australia
and South Africa, died at his home in Canberra, his publisher
said on Friday, just two weeks after his latest novel was
published. His death late on Thursday came less than three
months after he told fans he had stomach cancer. He was 79.
Narnia author Lewis to be honored at Poets’ Corner
LONDON (Reuters) – “Chronicles of Narnia” creator C.S.
Lewis will be honored next year with a memorial stone in Poets’
Corner at Westminster Abbey in central London, the abbey said
on Thursday. The novelist, poet, essayist and literary critic
will join the likes of Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare,
Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy who are either buried or
commemorated in the famous location.
McCartney, Houston, Dylan lead Grammy Hall of Fame
inductees
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Music by Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan,
Elton John and late singers Whitney Houston and James Brown
will be inducted into the 2013 Grammy Hall of Fame, The
Recording Academy said on Wednesday. Paul McCartney & Wings’
1973 album “Band on the Run,” long credited with reigniting
McCartney’s career following the Beatles’ split in 1970, was
one of the 27 new inductees into the Grammy Hall of Fame, on
display at the Grammy Museum in downtown Los Angeles.
Justin Bieber will not face charges from paparazzo run-in
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Teenage pop star Justin Bieber will
not face charges for an alleged altercation with a man who was
taking photos of him at a suburban shopping center in May, Los
Angeles prosecutors said on Wednesday. Deputy District Attorney
Mara McIlvain said in a report there was “insufficient evidence
for proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that the Canadian singer
scuffled with paparazzo Jose Hernandez-Duran before leaving the
shopping center with his girlfriend, actress Selena Gomez.
One Direction makes Billboard history, holds off Aguilera,
Del Rey
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – British boyband One Direction made
Billboard chart history on Wednesday after storming to the top
of the 200 album chart with their second album “Take Me Home,”
holding off competition from Christina Aguilera, Soundgarden
and Lana Del Rey. “Take Me Home” notched the third-biggest
opening week sales of the year with 540,000 units sold
according to figures from Nielsen SoundScan, placing it behind
only Mumford & Son’s “Babel” and Taylor Swift’s “Red,” which
had the year’s biggest opening with 1.2 million copies sold.
A Minute With: Guillermo del Toro on “Rise of the
Guardians”
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del
Toro is known for putting a dark twist on super heroes and
children’s fantasy, but in “Rise of the Guardians” the producer
brings together holiday heroes for a festive adventure. “Rise
of the Guardians,” which will be in theaters on Friday, is
based on award-winning author William Joyce’s “The Guardians of
Childhood” books. In the film, traditional characters such as
Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, Sandman and Jack Frost
join forces to save earth’s children from the evil Pitch Black
and his band of Nightmares.
Bon Jovi says daughter’s suspected drug overdose a
“tragedy”
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Singer Jon Bon Jovi called his
teenage daughter’s apparent heroin overdose a “tragedy,” and
said support for the family has been “incredible,” in his first
public comments since Stephanie Bongiovi’s arrest and release
last week. “It’s human. This tragedy was something that I had
to face, too, so we’ll get through it,” Bon Jovi told Fox
television’s Los Angeles affiliate on Tuesday.
