People in the news for April 8, 1998

Wednesday, April 8, 1998 | 11:21 a.m.

It's the birthday gift that keeps on giving. Turns out the back injury that Elizabeth Taylor received on her birthday in February is a severe compression fracture of the first lumbar, which is slow to heal, forcing the legendary actress to cancel her appearances for the next four months. "I am so sorry that I will not be able to attend any of the charitable events to which I have committed myself," the "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" star said in a statement released by her publicist Tuesday. Meanwhile, doctors are monitoring her condition. It's the latest in a series of health problems for 66-year-old Taylor, who first injured her back in 1945 when she fell from a horse while filming "National Velvet." How did it happen this time? She was kneeling to get something from her night stand, stood up too quickly and fell backwards.

Not over my checkbook

It's her party and she'll stiff on the bill if she wants to. And now Ivana Trump has the law in her corner. The former Mrs. Donald Trump won a round Tuesday in London in a legal battle that allows her to continue to contest the outstanding $10,725 balance of a more than $60,000 tab from party planner Lady Elizabeth Anson, for a lavish surprise party that was thrown in honor of Trump's 50th birthday by ex-husband Riccardo Mazzuchellie. In 1996, Anson, who is also a cousin of the Queen of England, obtained a High Court judgment against Trump when she missed a deadline for filing court papers. Judges on Tuesday sent the case to a county court for a decision. Anson booked an entire luxury hotel for the party and Trump paid a $16,500 deposit, then disputed it, contending that the two had an agreement that the shindig would cost under $41,250. And a budget's a budget.

Tommy jailbird

Tommy Lee is headed to jail, after pleading no contest to felony spousal abuse for kicking his wife, "Baywatch" beauty Pamela Anderson, as she held the couple's son in February. In the altercation, Anderson claims she was kicked in the back and buttocks while holding 7-week-old Dylan. She suffered a broken fingernail and red marks on her back, and filed for divorce days later. Lee, the drummer for Motely Crue, will spend six months to a year in jail, followed by three years probation, Judge Lawrence Mira said after Tuesday's plea. In exchange for the plea, charges of child abuse and unlawful possession of a firearm will be dropped. Under probabtion, Mira said Lee will be barred from seeing Anderson, but will be allowed to visit his two sons under supervision for two hours a week.

"My Favorite Marty?"

Coming to a television screen near you: Martin Scorsese. The "Raging Bull" director will give the small screen a shot, having signed an exclusive, two-year development deal announced Monday with ABC for a 13-episode television series and a miniseries. "Television is an exciting medium that reaches and influences millions of people everyday," Scorsese said in a statement. "Through it, you can deal with so many important and controversial subjects that we are challenged by this opportunity." Veteran producer Barbara De Fina will produce the projects.

Compiled by Lisa Ferguson

archive