ENGAGED
Prolific romance novelist Danielle Steel, 50, to venture
capitalist Thomas Perkins, 65. A date and location have yet to
be set. It will be Steel's fifth marriage, Perkins' second.
SPLITS
Actor Ned Beatty, 60, from his wife of 18 years, Dorothy,
45, in L.A., Feb. 27. They have two children.
DEALS
Matt Drudge, 31, whose unverified Drudge Report of
celebrity gossip is E-mailed to thousands of subscribers a day,
is going legit. Drudge signed with Fox News Channel Feb. 26 to
host a still-untitled weekend show. ''We're not putting him out
there as a TV journalist,'' says Fox's VP of News Editorial John
Moody, referring to Drudge's nontraditional practices, ''but as a
gossip columnist bringing his unique product to the air.'' The
show is set to debut in late May.
WINNER
Oprah Winfrey, 44, in the defamation case brought
against her by Texas cattlemen. On Feb. 26 a jury in Amarillo,
Tex., rejected the $11 million suit.
DENIED
Sean Connery, 67, for knighthood. The rejection led to
wide speculation in the media, since details of the selection
process were not revealed. The prevailing opinion: Scottish
secretary of state Donald Dewar, of the Labor party, sabotaged
the honor because Connery is a staunch supporter of Dewar's
opposition, the Scottish National party. In a statement, Dewar
denied any involvement: ''None of this is my doing...and I regret
that it has happened.''
ARRESTED
Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, 35, for spousal abuse,
child abuse, and unlawful possession of a firearm, Feb. 24, in
L.A. (Lee denies the charges.) According to police reports, Lee
assaulted his wife, Pamela Anderson Lee, 30, in their Malibu
home as she cradled their 2-month-old son, Dylan. Lee posted
$50,000 bail Feb. 27 and was freed, provided he not contact his
family and stay at least 100 yards from the house. Pamela Lee
has filed for divorce, requesting custody of Dylan and the
couple's 20-month-old son, Brandon.
DEATHS
Actor J.T. Walsh, 54, of a heart attack, Feb. 27, in La
Mesa, Calif. (See Legacy on page 75.)... Cartoonist Antonio
Prohias, 77, creator of Mad magazine's ''Spy vs. Spy,'' of lung
cancer, Feb. 24, in Miami. His strip about rival black and white
espionage agents won international acclaim.... Actor Philip
Abbott, 74, of cancer, Feb. 23, in L.A. He was best known for
TV's The F.B.I., which aired from 1965 to 1974.
-- Suna Chang and Shirliey Fung
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