Monitor

ENGAGED Cruel Intentions costars Ryan Phillippe, 24, and Reese Witherspoon, 22, will wed. No date has been set; they are also expecting their first child this fall. It's the first marriage for both.

RECOVERING Wild-haired comedian Phyllis Diller, 81, from a mild heart attack, suffered Feb. 10 at her L.A. home. Currently recuperating from March 1 surgery to implant a pacemaker, she's expected to make a full recovery.

DEALS Marvel Enterprises and Sony Pictures Entertainment announced March 1 that their long legal feud over the rights to the Spider-Man franchise has come to an end. The two companies signed an out-of-court agreement — which reportedly included a $10 million advance to Marvel — that finally allows Sony's long talked about Spider-Man feature film to move forward. The deal also allows both companies to share in merchandising possibilities. James Cameron and Jim Carrey reportedly ave expressed interest in working on the movie.

CHARGED Helicopter pilot Robert Butler, 37, who flew a photographer over Barbra Streisand and James Brolin's July 1 wedding, with reckless flying and disturbing the peace, Feb. 25, in Malibu, Calif. Although other pilots flew cameramen over the ceremony, prosecutors claim Butler was the only one who descended to an unsafe height. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 270 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,400. Butler was unavailable for comment.

DEATHS Comic-book publisher John Goldwater, 83, of natural causes, Feb. 26, in New York City. Goldwater was best known as the creator of the highly successful Archie comics — featuring the adventures of high schoolers Archie, Betty, Veronica, Reggie, and Jughead — which began publishing in the early 1940s.... Illustrator Harry Rossoll, 89, of an intestinal aneurysm, Feb. 25, in Atlanta. Rossoll, who worked for the U.S. Forest Service in the '40s, created beloved fire-safety spokesman Smokey Bear (''Remember, only you can prevent forest fires''), the star of numerous ads and PSAs.... Edgy English playwright Sarah Kane, 28, was found hanged in an apparent suicide, Feb. 20, in London, where she was reportedly undergoing treatment for depression. During her short career, Kane gained notoriety with such controversial plays as Blasted and Cleansed.... Actor and Emmy award-winning TV director Noam Pitlik, 66, of lung cancer, Feb. 18, in L.A. Pitlik directed 100 episodes of the '70s series Barney Miller, as well as episodes of One Day at a Time and Taxi. His acting credits include TV's Hogan's Heroes and the 1967 film The Graduate.