Jeff Bridges

Gov. Martin O'Malley just added a new gig to his busy Democratic convention schedule: He'll perform with Jeff Bridges and The Abiders. Maryland's frontman will get on stage and belt out a song during a "CarolinaFest" celebration the day before the convention opens. O'Malley will also play the guitar in the number, said Theresa Burton, a spokeswoman for a charity coordinating the event. Bridges, perhaps best known for his acting role as 'The Dude' in The Big Lebowski, also has a successful career as a singer/songwriter.

Gov. Martin O'Malley just added a new gig to his busy Democratic convention schedule: He'll perform with Jeff Bridges and The Abiders. Maryland's frontman will get on stage and belt out a song during a "CarolinaFest" celebration the day before the convention opens. O'Malley will also play the guitar in the number, said Theresa Burton, a spokeswoman for a charity coordinating the event. Bridges, perhaps best known for his acting role as 'The Dude' in The Big Lebowski, also has a successful career as a singer/songwriter.

The casting in K-PAX is canny, but the picture as a whole is a clunky mix of the canny and the would-be uncanny. A trick character like "prot" (pronounced "prote"), a spookily even-keeled figure who says he's from the planet K-PAX a thousand light years from Earth, cries out for an actor like Kevin Spacey, who can detonate the latent wit in any murky line or bit of action. And you couldn't do better than Jeff Bridges for the dogged Manhattan psychiatrist shaken by prot's claims but intent on debunking prot's story.

Actress Farrah Fawcett, who was launched into instant pop culture stardom in 1976 with a best-selling wall poster and a featured role in the ABC series Charlie's Angels, is dead at 62. She was a TV presence in our lives right to the end. Fawcett, who battled cancer for several years, was seen last month in an NBC documentary that she produced herself and helped tape with a digital camera. The film, Farrah's Story, which chronicled her struggle with the disease, was a ratings success for the network, and she vowed to continue with a second TV documentary.

There's no other word for Stick It, the new Disney comedy about girl gymnasts, than "giddy." Except for "giggly." And "rude," bracingly rude. The gym rats of this frenetic female farce talk trash and talk dirty. Stick It (Disney) Starring Missy Peregrym, Jeff Bridges, Vanessa Lengies. Directed by Jessica Bendinger. Rated PG-13. Time 103 minutes.

A CASE of life imitating art? Or was it?In the 1991 film, "The Fisher King," actor Jeff Bridges plays an egotistical, abrasive "shock jock" on a New York "talk radio" station. On the air, he mindlessly tells one of his nerdy callers that yuppies deserve to die. The listener totes off to a yuppie bar and guns down several patrons.Recently, Howard Stern, the egotistical, abrasive "shock jock," whose show is syndicated from New York to Baltimore, Philadelphia and several other markets, found himself having to ponder the freakish death of a woman he had involved in his radio gags.

Seabiscuit revives the sweeping pleasures of movies that address and respect the mass audience - raising the common denominator instead of pandering to it. This picture will move large audiences to applause and tears while deepening their feelings for the mysteries of character, the majesty of athletics, and the thrill of our democratic culture at its best, as diverse figures become true popular champions. With three incomparable actors, writer-director Gary Ross, working from Laura Hillenbrand's extraordinary nonfiction bestseller, sensitizes the audience to the personal and professional needs of a grief-stricken race horse owner (Jeff Bridges)

Anyone who maintains that Bill Clinton is a Hollywood hero hasn't been paying attention. While there's no doubt much of filmdom supports him over the alternative, it's just as obvious that many of the same people find him a disappointment, a man whose presidency promised more than it delivered. From "Bulworth" and "The American President" to TV's "The West Wing," Hollywood's liberal filmmakers have made clear the sort of president they'd like to see: principled, unabashedly liberal, willing to say what he thinks and stand up for what he believes.

Actress Farrah Fawcett, who was launched into instant pop culture stardom in 1976 with a best-selling wall poster and a featured role in the ABC series Charlie's Angels, is dead at 62. She was a TV presence in our lives right to the end. Fawcett, who battled cancer for several years, was seen last month in an NBC documentary that she produced herself and helped tape with a digital camera. The film, Farrah's Story, which chronicled her struggle with the disease, was a ratings success for the network, and she vowed to continue with a second TV documentary.

Laura Hillenbrand's book, Seabiscuit: An American Legend, remains perched for the 59th week on The New York Times best-seller list. It is being translated into 14 languages. And now, the colorful story of the Depression-era racehorse is being made into a movie. Filming started Monday, and the movie is scheduled for release by Christmas 2003. Hillenbrand, who lives in Washington, has served as a consultant, discussing the rags-to-riches story with the screenwriter as well as the actors.

There's no other word for Stick It, the new Disney comedy about girl gymnasts, than "giddy." Except for "giggly." And "rude," bracingly rude. The gym rats of this frenetic female farce talk trash and talk dirty. Stick It (Disney) Starring Missy Peregrym, Jeff Bridges, Vanessa Lengies. Directed by Jessica Bendinger. Rated PG-13. Time 103 minutes.

Seabiscuit revives the sweeping pleasures of movies that address and respect the mass audience - raising the common denominator instead of pandering to it. This picture will move large audiences to applause and tears while deepening their feelings for the mysteries of character, the majesty of athletics, and the thrill of our democratic culture at its best, as diverse figures become true popular champions. With three incomparable actors, writer-director Gary Ross, working from Laura Hillenbrand's extraordinary nonfiction bestseller, sensitizes the audience to the personal and professional needs of a grief-stricken race horse owner (Jeff Bridges)

Laura Hillenbrand's book, Seabiscuit: An American Legend, remains perched for the 59th week on The New York Times best-seller list. It is being translated into 14 languages. And now, the colorful story of the Depression-era racehorse is being made into a movie. Filming started Monday, and the movie is scheduled for release by Christmas 2003. Hillenbrand, who lives in Washington, has served as a consultant, discussing the rags-to-riches story with the screenwriter as well as the actors.

The casting in K-PAX is canny, but the picture as a whole is a clunky mix of the canny and the would-be uncanny. A trick character like "prot" (pronounced "prote"), a spookily even-keeled figure who says he's from the planet K-PAX a thousand light years from Earth, cries out for an actor like Kevin Spacey, who can detonate the latent wit in any murky line or bit of action. And you couldn't do better than Jeff Bridges for the dogged Manhattan psychiatrist shaken by prot's claims but intent on debunking prot's story.

Anyone who maintains that Bill Clinton is a Hollywood hero hasn't been paying attention. While there's no doubt much of filmdom supports him over the alternative, it's just as obvious that many of the same people find him a disappointment, a man whose presidency promised more than it delivered. From "Bulworth" and "The American President" to TV's "The West Wing," Hollywood's liberal filmmakers have made clear the sort of president they'd like to see: principled, unabashedly liberal, willing to say what he thinks and stand up for what he believes.

Lloyd Bridges, a veteran film and television actor who moved from playing action-adventure heroes in his early days to bizarre comic characters in recent years, died last night at age 85, according to his agent.The father of actors Beau and Jeff Bridges, who was perhaps best known for his role as Mike Nelson in the syndicated "Sea Hunt" television series, died in his Los Angeles home.No further details were available, said agent Lee Stollman.Bridges started in feature films in 1941 in westerns.

THE VANISHING(FoxVideo, $94.98, rated R, 1993)This American remake of the 1988 Dutch film is quite a puzzling affair.Like many Americanized stories, it lacks subtlety and adds stereotypical characters as if American audiences cannot find enjoyment in anything out of the ordinary.But that's not what's puzzling. What's almost incomprehensible is that the thriller was directed by George Sluizer, the same man who directed the original (available on the Fox Lorber video label).Both films are nearly identical in their setup; a young man, Jeff, and his girlfriend, Diane (Keifer Sutherland and Sandra Bullock in the new one)

Lloyd Bridges, a veteran film and television actor who moved from playing action-adventure heroes in his early days to bizarre comic characters in recent years, died last night at age 85, according to his agent.The father of actors Beau and Jeff Bridges, who was perhaps best known for his role as Mike Nelson in the syndicated "Sea Hunt" television series, died in his Los Angeles home.No further details were available, said agent Lee Stollman.Bridges started in feature films in 1941 in westerns.

THE VANISHING(FoxVideo, $94.98, rated R, 1993)This American remake of the 1988 Dutch film is quite a puzzling affair.Like many Americanized stories, it lacks subtlety and adds stereotypical characters as if American audiences cannot find enjoyment in anything out of the ordinary.But that's not what's puzzling. What's almost incomprehensible is that the thriller was directed by George Sluizer, the same man who directed the original (available on the Fox Lorber video label).Both films are nearly identical in their setup; a young man, Jeff, and his girlfriend, Diane (Keifer Sutherland and Sandra Bullock in the new one)

A CASE of life imitating art? Or was it?In the 1991 film, "The Fisher King," actor Jeff Bridges plays an egotistical, abrasive "shock jock" on a New York "talk radio" station. On the air, he mindlessly tells one of his nerdy callers that yuppies deserve to die. The listener totes off to a yuppie bar and guns down several patrons.Recently, Howard Stern, the egotistical, abrasive "shock jock," whose show is syndicated from New York to Baltimore, Philadelphia and several other markets, found himself having to ponder the freakish death of a woman he had involved in his radio gags.