True Lies

LOS ANGELES – A shock occurred on Oscar Sunday when it was announced that popular actor Bill Paxton had died after complications during surgery. He had appeared in classic films like “The Terminator,” “Weird Science” “Aliens” “One False Move,” “True Lies,” “Apollo 13” and “Titanic,” and the HBO series “Big Love.” He was 61.

CHICAGO – It was 38 years ago that the seminal horror film “Halloween” was released, and its impact made a star out of the heroine in the film, Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis was in the Chicago area in September to promote her new children’s book, “This is Me: The Story of Who and Where We Came From,” (illustrated by Laura Cornell).

CHICAGO – The long career of Jamie Lee Curtis has taken her from early “scream queen” status to pitching yogurt. But what is lesser known about the popular actress is that she is a child’s book author of note. “My Brave Year of Firsts” is her tenth collaboration with illustrator Laura Cornell, and she was at Anderson’s Bookshop (Naperville, Ill) last autumn to read excerpts and autograph the book.

CHICAGO – Observing the new “Get Smart” film, which is based on the 1960s TV sitcom of the same name, is to note how much has changed since the Cold War ended.