PASSAGES: Elvis Vehicle to Roll Again

By Stephen M. Silverman

Tuesday September 24, 2002 11:00 AM EDT

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Yahoo Buzz
• E-mail

RETREAD: Paramount Pictures is developing an updated version of one of Elvis Presley's better movies, the 1958 film "King Creole," about a delinquent who takes a job as a dishwasher in a New Orleans nightclub and gets the chance to perform one night, Variety reports. The original, directed by Michael Curtiz ("Casablanca") costarred Carolyn Jones (later Morticia on TV's "The Addams Family") and Walter Matthau (when he was still a supporting actor) and was the King's last feature before his Army service. The new version, says the trade paper, would be set in contemporary New Orleans. No star has been announced.

REHEARSED: Attention, Kelly Clarkson wannabes: Auditions for Fox's "American Idol 2" series will begin Oct. 21 in Detroit, followed by dates in New York (Oct. 24), Atlanta (Oct. 27), Nashville (Oct. 30), Miami (Nov. 2), Austin (Nov. 5) and Los Angeles (Nov. 20). For details, see the "Idol" Web site at fox.com.

RECOVERING: "Okie From Muskogee" country singer Merle Haggard, 65, has canceled 11 concerts this month because of back trouble, his booking agent tells the Associated Press. "Merle said he is sorry about this inconvenience ... and he hopes everyone understands," says Lance Roberts. Haggard has four herniated discs in his back and is at home in California resting and getting medical care.

RESOLVED: Kurt Cobain's widow, the outspoken former Hole singer Courtney Love, announced on Friday morning's Howard Stern radio show that she and the surviving members of Cobain's band, Nirvana, have resolved their legal battle and that the long-awaited release of rare band material could come by Christmas, Billboard.com reports. (Cobain committed suicide in 1994.) "We love each other," said Love, 38. "We're getting along. We worked it all out." Asked by Stern what it took to get the legal issues finally resolved, Love answered, "lots and lots and lots of money."

RECAST: Jamie Lee Curtis has joined the cast of the Disney movie "Freaky Friday," replacing Annette Bening, says the Hollywood Reporter. Mark Harmon is in talks to come aboard the production, which has been plagued by cast members dropping out. (The movie was first made in 1976, with Jodie Foster.) Kelly Osbourne had been set to costar, too, but dropped out in order to be by the side of her ailing mother, Sharon Osbourne, who is battling colon cancer. Kelly was replaced by Christina Vidal.

ROMANTICIZED: Hollywood's most debonair leading man, Cary Grant, will be honored with a 37-cent postage stamp to be unveiled Oct. 15 in Hollywood, the U.S. Postal Service has announced. Grant's classic movies included "Bringing Up Baby," "The Philadelphia Story," "To Catch a Thief," "Notorious," "North By Northwest," "Charade" and "An Affair to Remember." He died in 1986.