Portland, Ore. -- Officials say Mitch Mitchell, the drummer for the iconic Jimi Hendrix Experience, was found dead in his Portland, Ore., hotel room Wednesday.
The (Portland) Oregonian said Mitchell, 61, was in town performing with a Hendrix tribute band and was found dead at around 3 a.m. at the Benson Hotel.
The Multnomah County Medical Examiner's office said the cause of death was unknown pending further examination later Wednesday.
The British-born Mitchell played for the Jimi Hendrix Experience in the late 1960s and did session work in the years following the guitar legend's death in 1970.
Baltimore -- The Johns Hopkins University in Maryland announced Tuesday Ronald J. Daniels will become the school's 14th president.
Daniels currently is provost and chief academic officer of the University of Pennsylvania. He will succeed William R. Brody, who is stepping down in February after nearly 12 years as leader of the university and medical school.
"Ron is a strategic thinker, known for articulating and implementing bold and visionary academic ideas and initiatives," Pamela P. Flaherty, chairwoman of the board of trustees, said in a statement.
Los Angeles -- Maya Entertainment has announced plans to produce "American Tragic," a big-screen drama starring America Ferrera.
Ryan Piers Williams, who wrote the film, is also slated to direct it, while Heather Rae will serve as producer. Sergio Aguero is to executive produce along with Ferrera, whose company, Take Fountain Productions, will receive production credit.
Ferrera is best known for her Emmy Award-winning work on the TV comedy "Ugly Betty."
"Ryan has written a very compelling film that will surely resonate with both Latino and mainstream audiences," Jeff Valdez, who co-chairs Maya Entertainment along with Maya founder Moctesuma Esparza, said in a statement.
The film is about a young soldier (played by newcomer Ryan O'Nan,) as he returns home from a tour of duty and finds it difficult to resume life as he once knew it. Ferrera will play his wife and Melissa Leo his mother.
Los Angeles -- Hollywood actor Adam Sandler says his wife Jackie has given birth to their second daughter.
"Jackie and Adam had a beautiful baby girl, Sunny Madeline, on Nov. 2," Usmagazine.com quoted Sandler as saying in a message posted on his Web site.
"Everyone is happy and healthy."
The former "Saturday Night Live" player, who has starred in big-screen comedies like "The Wedding Singer," "Billy Madison," "Happy Gilmore," "Big Daddy," "Mr. Deeds" and "You Don't Mess with the Zohan," married Jackie in 2003.
The couple are also the parents of a 2-year-old daughter named Sadie.
New York -- Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston said she thinks the way Angelina Jolie has talked about falling in love with Aniston's ex-husband Brad Pitt is "uncool."
Aniston and Pitt were still married when Pitt and Jolie made the 2005 film "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" together. Jolie has said it was on the set of that movie that she and Pitt started falling in love. They now have six children together.
Aniston and Pitt were married from 2000 to 2005.
"There was stuff printed there that was definitely from a time when I was unaware that it was happening," People.com said Aniston told Vogue for the magazine's December issue, referring to previous statements Jolie had made. "I felt those details were a little inappropriate to discuss. ... That stuff about how she couldn't wait to get to work every day? That was really uncool."
New York -- The Weinstein Co. says it has partnered with comedians Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong and their managers to produce a concert movie.
The film is being planned to commemorate the comic duo's reunion and first tour together in 25 years. The announcement was made Tuesday by Barry Gordon, TWC's executive vice president of home entertainment.
As part of the arrangement, TWC has worldwide theatrical, home video, digital and television rights to the feature-length program which will attempt to capture the live concert experience of the "Cheech and Chong: Light Up America" tour.
It is expected to make a major TV premiere, followed by a DVD release.
"'The Cheech and Chong Concert Movie' will be an historic, must-experience event for the many fans that grew up listening to their recordings and watching their movies," Gordon said in a statement. "For the millions of new fans who have discovered Cheech and Chong over the years as cultural icons, this will be the first time many of them will be able to enjoy the artistry and one-of-kind magic that is Cheech and Chong live on stage. This is the comedy event of the decade."
Las Vegas -- Madame Tussauds Las Vegas says it has immortalized the cartoon characters Alvin and The Chipmunks in wax.
Through an agreement with Bagdasarian Productions and Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising, the singing stars of television and film were recreated as 18-inch tall figures.
Madame Tussauds said they are the smallest likenesses installed in any U.S. branch of the famed museum chain.
Visitors will be able to pose with Alvin, Simon and Theodore, and sing in a Chipmunks-style karaoke session, the company said.
"Alvin and The Chipmunks are true stars and this milestone is evidence of their enduring popularity," Michael Peikoff, senior vice president of 20th Century Fox licensing and merchandising, said in a statement. "The property continues to resonate with generations of fans across all age groups and demographics -- we are honored to have Alvin, Theodore, and Simon enshrined for the entire world to enjoy in this special, groundbreaking initiative."
Miami -- Authorities blamed a "Hannah Montana" balloon and some birds for causing a power outage for hours around a Miami middle school.
Miami fire officials said a helium balloon bearing the image of young "Montana" star Miley Cyrus collided with some power lines near Jose De Diego Middle School at about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, scaring away a flock of birds, WFOR-TV, Miami, reported Tuesday.
Fire officials said the sudden weight shift from the fleeing birds caused the electrical lines to dislodge and fall to the ground, electrifying a nearby fence. The school ran on a backup generator while officials shut down the power grid, but dozens of residents lost power for a period of hours, the officials said.
Raleigh, N.C. -- The North Carolina Department of Revenue said it is preparing to auction off seized items including a golden pit bull and a jewel-encrusted gorilla.
The department said the nearly 200 items, some of which have been appraised at more than $35,000 individually, will be auctioned off Thursday at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds, the Raleigh (N.C.) News & Observer reported Tuesday.
Officials said the items were seized through the state's unauthorized substance tax, which penalizes those caught with more than 42.5 grams of marijuana, 7 grams of cocaine or 7 grams of heroin.
Jill Lucas, spokeswoman for the state Department of Administration, said that while some of the objects up for auction might strike some as unusual, there is also more common jewelry.
Beverly Hills , Calif. -- Fourteen full-length movies have been submitted for consideration in the animated feature film category for Hollywood's 81st Academy Awards, organizers said.
The films competing for Oscar nominations are "Bolt," "Delgo," "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!" "Dragon Hunters," "Fly Me to the Moon," "Igor," "Kung Fu Panda," "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa," "$9.99," "The Sky Crawlers," "Sword of the Stranger," "The Tale of Despereaux," "WALL-E" and "Waltz with Bashir," the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Monday.
"Bolt," "Delgo," "Dragon Hunters," "$9.99," "The Sky Crawlers," "The Tale of Despereaux" and "Waltz with Bashir" have not yet had their required Los Angeles qualifying run. Submitted features must fulfill the theatrical release requirements and meet all of the category's other qualifying rules before they can advance in the voting process, the Academy said.
