Actress Suzanne Pleshette, who started out in films such as The Birds but became a television star playing Bob Newhart's wife on The Bob Newhart Show, died Saturday night of respiratory failure at her home in Los Angeles; she was 70. Pleshette had been battling lung cancer since 2006, when she underwent chemotherapy and had part of one lung removed. A fresh-faced beauty with a distinctive, husky voice, Pleshette worked mostly onstage in the 50s, with one of her most notable roles as Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker, replacing original star Anne Bancroft. She made her film debut opposite Jerry Lewis in The Geisha Boy and worked steadily in television as she launched her film career. Her most notable screen role was in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds, where she played a local schoolteacher who befriends out-of-town socialite Tippi Hedren and helps protect the children of the town during one of the film's terrifying bird attacks. In 1964, she married screen heartthrob Troy Donahue, her co-star in the romantic drama Rome Adventure, though the marriage lasted less than a year, and in 1968 married Texas oilman Tommy Gallagher.

Despite a prolific career in film and television, Pleshette gained her fame playing Emily Hartley, the down-to-earth wife of psychiatrist Bob Hartley (Bob Newhart) on the 70's sitcom The Bob Newhart Show, which ran for six years and earned her two Emmy nominations. Pleshette was so well-known as the small-screen wife of Newhart that she reprised her role in an unexpected cameo in the series finale of Newhart's second major sitcom, Newhart. The episode, where Newhart awakens in the bedroom set of his old show with Pleshette by his side (as they often ended episodes of their old show, trading dry banter) is considered one of the most clever, and surprising, series finales in television history. Pleshette continued working in television through the rest of her career, earning another Emmy nomination for playing Leona Helmsley in Leona Helmsley: The Queen of Mean, and made appearances in sitcoms Good Morning Miami, 8 Simple Rules... and Will & Grace (where she played the mother of Megan Mullally's character, Karen Walker). Pleshette also provided the voices of Yubaba and Zeniba in the English language version of Hayao Miyazaki's Oscar-winning animated film Spirited Away. In 2001, after the death of her second husband, Pleshette married actor Tom Poston, whom she had met 40 years ago and who had co-starred in Newhart; they remained married until his death last year. --Mark Englehart, IMDb staff

Actor Kiefer Sutherland will be released from jail in the early hours of Monday morning. The 24 star started serving a 48-day sentence for drink-driving at the private Glendale City Jail on December 5. Sutherland was incarcerated after he was caught driving under the influence in September. Reports suggest the 41-year-old has been on his best behavior in jail, where he celebrated Christmas and his December 7 birthday. Prison spokesman John Balian recently said, "He's not happy to be here, but you can tell from his demeanor that he's sorry and takes responsibility for what he's done."

Acting legend Sir Ian McKellen has paid tribute to Brad Renfro, his co-star in 1998 film Apt Pupil, who died on Tuesday at just 25. The young star was just 15 when he was cast alongside the British Oscar nominee in the movie, about a teenager who befriends a hiding Nazi war criminal. After learning of Renfro's death from a suspected drug overdose, McKellen wrote on his blog, "I first caught sight of Brad Renfro when he was kicking a football around with Bryan Singer on the half-built set of Apt Pupil in Hollywood. He was a kid having fun and that's how I shall always remember him. But he was more than that. He was a proper actor and when we worked together he was determined to be accepted as such. On set, he was blusteringly confident although it was obvious he would have benefited from training as an actor. Yet, as Todd, the disturbed teenager in Apt Pupil, he tapped into an inner demonic world and carried the film on his young shoulders. He longed to belong in the alien world which perhaps in the end overwhelmed him. He was only 25 and it is dreadful we shan't see all that he might have achieved."

Lindsay Lohan is set to spend time in a morgue as part of her community service - in a bid to show the consequences of driving under the influence. The Mean Girls star, 21, was arrested twice last year on charges of DUI, and was sentenced to serve four days behind bars in August. She served just over 80 minutes in Lynwood jail in California in November, after a judge reduced the sentence and ordered her to carry out 10 days of community service - which she began in late last year with the American Red Cross. Her attorney, Blair Berk, told a judge on Thursday at a progress hearing Lohan will spend two four-hour days at a morgue, and will spend a further two days in a hospital emergency room. Lohan was not present at the hearing.

Actress Scarlett Johansson will travel to the Persian Gulf to entertain members of the U.S. armed forces. The Lost In Translation star plans to tour the region for five days, during which time she'll visit military installations, greet fans, sign autographs and meet the troops. Johansson's visit is part of the United Service Organizations' Army Welfare Recreation entertainment tour. The 23-year-old says, "This USO tour to the Gulf region truly means a lot. I've wanted to go over and visit for some time, and now my moment has arrived. It's one thing to reply to a letter or extend your thanks to service members in a speech, but it's another thing to visit them and spend time with those that do so much for us back home." The actress is next set to be seen onscreen in period piece The Other Boleyn Girl.

Matthew McConaughey's mother was delighted when the actor phoned her with the news his girlfriend Camila Alves is pregnant - and then urged her son to wed the mother of his first child. Kay McConaughey made no secret of the fact she wants her son to marry the Brazilian model, who is three months pregnant. Kay recalls Matthew's phone call: "He said, `Mom, are you ready?' And I said, 'What?' And he said, 'Camilla and I are going to have a baby.' And I go, 'Oh, that's wonderful!' Then I said, 'So when are y'all getting married?... This is a question that 76-year-old mothers ask, Matthew.' Out in Hollywood they get their sequence all mixed up. But I have dropped the subject. He is going to be a wonderful dad. He likes to have fun. He won't put up with whining. But it's going to be a happy child." Mrs. McConaughey might not get her marriage wish, however - her son recently told Playboy magazine, "I believe in the institution (of marriage), but I don't feel you have to marry. A kid just needs a mom and a dad."

Natalie Portman has collaborated with a U.S. fashion firm to launch a range of vegan footwear. The Natalie Portman Collection - made in partnership with specialty shoe retailer Te Casan and the actress' stylist Kate Young - will feature 20 pairs of limited edition, hand-crafted designs that are completely animal-friendly, with a price tag of $200 each. The Closer star says, "As a vegan, I don't wear leather, fur, or feathers. Shopping for clothes hasn't proved too difficult, but finding chic footwear has definitely been a challenge." Yaniv Shirazi, Te Casan president, adds, "We met with Kate and Natalie to discuss what Natalie was looking to do and it was immediately clear that this would be a fantastic collaboration. There are so few animal-free collections out there, and Natalie's ideas were really great, in terms of style." The line will debut in stores February 1 with 100 percent of proceeds benefitting The Nature Conservancy, an organization dedicated to protecting the environment.

Britney Spears has accused the paparazzi of attempting to "run her off the road" after a high-speed chase in Los Angeles which resulted in the arrest of four snappers late on Wednesday night. Police officers pulled over eight photographers' cars at around 11:30pm in the Mission Hills area of the San Fernando Valley after they were spotted driving dangerously and making several unsafe lane changes in their pursuit of Spears. Lieutenant Mario Munoz from the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed four snappers had been booked on charges of reckless driving after they were seen following a white Mercedes-Benz too closely. Spears' Mercedes was also stopped by cops, but was released without charge after a brief interview. She also had her driver's license verified. But the star's accusation against the snappers for trying to bump her from the road was dropped after she failed to identify the car in question, according to Tmz.com.

Beyonce Knowles has given the organizers of the 2008 Grammy Awards a huge boost after confirming she'll perform at the event whether or not striking writers picket the ceremony. Knowles will join the Foo Fighters, who announced earlier this week they'd cross picket lines to perform at the Grammys on February 10. Event organizers are adamant the show will go on as scheduled, despite the threat of protest from the striking writers. Writers Guild of America (WGA) union members insisted the Los Angeles music ceremony was "unlikely" to receive a waiver, halting potential picket action, earlier this week. Justin Timberlake, 50 Cent and Jon Bon Jovi have reportedly pledged their allegiance to the WGA members, who have been on strike since November over new media royalties. The stars have vowed not to cross picket lines. The organizers of the Golden Globe Awards failed to get a waiver from the WGA earlier this month, resulting in the cancellation of Sunday's Golden Globes awards ceremony.

Former child star David Faustino has had a charge of marijuana possession filed against him dropped, after completing treatment for his drug addiction. The Married With Children actor, 34, was charged with the misdemeanor in May 2007 after he was spotted by Florida police attempting to climb out of a car window while waiting at an intersection in New Smyrna Beach. He had been arguing with his now ex-wife, Andrea, when he was arrested by police for disorderly intoxication and drug possession. The former charge was later dismissed. Now Faustino will not face any charges. Linda Pruitt, spokeswoman for the State Attorney's Office, says, "He successfully completed the deferred prosecution agreement, which included a drug treatment program." And his lawyer, Mike Rodriguez, insists he was not let off the offence because of his celebrity. He adds, "He received no special treatment from the State Attorney's Office. He did what was asked of him, and he fulfilled all of his conditions."

Pop star Lily Allen has suffered a miscarriage. The singer's publicist has confirmed the devastating news, asking the media and fans to respect the singer's privacy. British newspaper The Sun, which first broke the news Allen was expecting last month, claims the 22-year-old singer lost her unborn baby after returning from a romantic holiday in The Maldives with boyfriend and Chemical Brothers star Ed Simons. A spokesman for Allen says, "We can confirm that Lily Allen has suffered a miscarriage... and we ask that her privacy be respected at this difficult time." A source tells The Sun, "They (Allen and Simons) are in a state of shock. The bad news has been really difficult for them to take and they are both absolutely heartbroken. Lily's entire outlook on life changed after she found out she was pregnant. She was looking forward to being a mum and starting a family with Ed. She had turned her back on her party girl image and turned over a new leaf." Allen confirmed news of the unplanned but welcome pregnancy in December, a month after learning she was expecting.

British actress Sienna Miller has slammed reports she is cheating on her boyfriend Rhys Ifans with Hollywood star Sean Penn. Miller and the Mystic River star - who is divorcing wife Robin Wright Penn after 11 years of marriage - were recently spotted cozying up at a New York hotel, reports the New York Daily News. But the Layer Cake star has branded the reports "outrageously untrue" and insists the pair are just friends. A spokesman for Miller says, "Sienna is a very good friend of Robin. She adores and respects Robin."