George Roy Hill, who won an Oscar for directing Paul Newman and Robert Redford in the 1973 box office hit The Sting, died Friday in Manhattan of complications from Parkinson's disease; he was 81. Hill also directed Newman and Redford in their first film together, the hugely popular comedy-western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), which received Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Director, and won four, including one for the song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head." Hill started his directing career during television's Golden Age in the `50s, helming such live dramas as A Night to Remember and Judgment at Nuremberg. In 1957 he moved to Broadway, directing acclaimed productions of Look Homeward, Angel and Tennessee Williams' Period of Adjustment, which later became his directorial film debut in 1962, starring a young Jane Fonda. Hill garnered attention for the 1964 Peter Sellers comedy The World of Henry Orient, and after taking on big budget films Hawaii and Thoroughly Modern Millie, cemented his status as a breezy, iconoclastic director with Butch Cassidy as well as the The Sting, which received ten Oscar nominations and won seven. Known for taking on challenging material (and defying studio control), Hill also tackled two difficult novel adaptations – Slaughterhouse-Five (1972) and The World According to Garp (1982) – as well as the `70s comedies The Great Waldo Pepper (starring Redford) and Slap Shot (starring Newman). Hill enjoyed later acclaim with the gentle 1979 comedy A Little Romance, starring Laurence Olivier and a 14-year-old Diane Lane, but ended his career quietly with 1984's The Little Drummer Girl and the 1988 Chevy Chase comedy Funny Farm. Hill is survived by his former wife, Louisa Horton, as well as two sons, two daughters, and twelve grandchildren. --Prepared by IMDb staff

British acting knight Sir Ian McKellen will replace the late Richard Harris as Professor Albus Dumbledore in the third Harry Potter movie. The 63-year-old star, who also plays wizard Gandalf in the Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, is set to appear in the third installments of both rival films - after signing to take on the role of the Hogwarts headmaster in Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban. McKellen takes over the role from Harris - who died of cancer in October. Movie bosses had hoped to cast Harris in the new film - which is due to begin filming in February - by using computer animation and film footage. But they found they did not have the required film available. Fellow Brit Christopher Lee - another Lord Of The Rings star - was among those tipped to replace Harris. A source on the Warner Bros movie set says, "Everyone has been sworn to secrecy about Ian McKellen getting the role of Dumbledore. One of the production staff let it slip and now it is spreading like wild fire. He got the part just before Christmas but Warner's won't announce it until the New Year. Bosses thought he was the perfect replacement for Harris and, as we all know, he is capable of playing the part of a wizard. They are not worried about people getting The Lord Of The Rings and Harry Potter confused. They are two very different films."

Celebrity photographer Herb Ritts has died at the age of 50. Ritts, who made his name capturing stars like Madonna and Elzabeth Taylor on film, died in hospital in Los Angeles on Thursday, after suffering complications of pneumonia. The American was best known for his unorthodox pictures, including Taylor with her brain-surgery scar still visible and Superman actor Christopher Reeve wired up in a high-tech wheelchair. Ritts' Los Angeles gallery representative David Fahey says, "He could get people to do things that they were reluctant to do, because in the end it would make a great photograph." Ritts is survived by his partner Erik Hyman, his mother Shirley, brother Rory, and sister Christy.

Clint Eastwood has filed a $10 million lawsuit against the author of a controversial biography that describes him as a coward and a wife-beater. The Dirty Harry star says there are harmful comments regarding his reputation as well as malicious errors. It also says that he knocked his wife Maggie to the floor, just like his on-screen tough guy image. Eastwood's lawyer Marshall Grossman says, "He is entitled to have what is written about him be accurate and truthful. He is not one to sit idly by and permit somebody to deal with his reputation in this fashion." But author Patrick McGilligan says, "The book is fair and honest to the best of my ability. He is not one to sit idly by and permit somebody to deal with his reputation in this fashion."

Hollywood star Keanu Reeves is maintaining a bedside vigil for his sister Kim as she battles deadly leukemia. The actor abandoned the set of the new Matrix sequel when he discovered 35- year-old horse-trainer Kim - who has battled the disease for 10 years - had worsened. He then whisked her off to a luxury resort in Hawaii so he can make her final days as comfortable as possible. There is a full-time chef available and Keanu even organised a 3am massage for her when she ached too much to sleep. A source says, "They are staying at a $2,700 a night suite at the exclusive Hana-Maui Hotel resort in Hawaii. He's spending a fortune to make her last days as perfect as possible. Keanu is an angel of mercy. He put his life on hold to be there for his sister. "Keanu would give anything to make Kim better. He is praying for a miracle, but if one doesn't happen he is determined to make her time left comfortable. She is the most important person in the world to him."

Zsa Zsa Gabor is recovering so quickly from the car crash injuries she sustained last month she'll soon be able to go home. Friends feared for the 85-year-old Hungarian-born actress when her she was rushed to hospital after the car in which she was traveling hit a light pole in Los Angeles. But, according to her German husband Prince Frederic Von Anhalt, Gabot has made a dramatic recovery and will soon be able to leave hospital. Von Anhalt says, "She wants to go home fast. At the beginning she was very moody and she wanted to give up. Now she wants to recover and to ride her horses."

Hollywood star Hugh Grant has threatened to quit acting, so he can concentrate on his movie production company. After two decades playing English gents in romantic comedies the 42-year-old Brit star says he could decide to quit performing at any moment. Although, Grant concedes he is unlikely to give up Hollywood entirely - he'd probably remain in the movie industry through production company Simian Films. Hugh says, "I have been saying that stuff for years and years but I never do seem to give it up. So, you never know what's going to happen. I have no plans at all for the next year or the rest of my life. It is a very strange feeling."

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston turned Christmas into a season of sexual frolics - by buying each other naughty gifts. The Hollywood couple didn't leave their Beverly Hills mansion over the festive season where it is rumored they haven't even left the bedroom. They showered each other with gifts to keep their love lives hot, including sexy underwear, adult movies and massage oils. A source says, "Jen and Brad have been married over a year now. Naturally their honeymoon phase is winding down. They are still head over heels in love, but wanted to make sure that the sizzle stays in their sex life. So this Christmas they decided to give each other X-rated gifts. They went all out, from fruit flavored massage oils, to silk underwear. They even had fantasy bedtime outfits and luscious leopard print sheets. For Brad and Jen this Christmas was all about sex."

Lisa Marie Presley has revealed the real reason behind her split from husband Nicolas Cage - money. The 34-year-old daughter of late King of Rock'n' Roll Elvis Presley, split from Cage last month - just three months after they tied the knot in Hawaii. And Lisa Marie says their marriage was destined to fail, because cage was stingy with money. She tells British tabloid the Daily Sport, "Look at the amounts Ben Affleck has lavished on Jennifer Lopez. When Nic opens his wallet moths fly out."

Britney Spears has filed a lawsuit against footwear giants Skechers - accusing them of using her celebrity status to promote roller skates she didn't design. The pop princess is suing the firm for $1.5 million. The promotional campaign began in September last year when she became the face of products made between Britney Brands and Skechers. Britney claims the deal fell apart as the products were not made and Skechers were slow to find a company to produce them. The "Oops! I Did It Again" singer also claims she wasn't paid royalties for increased sales, as the original contract outlined.

An autopsy has confirmed former The Clash frontman Joe Strummer died of a heart attack. The punk legend died suddenly on December 22, aged just 50. An autopsy carried out on Strummer on Christmas Eve by coroner Michael Rose found he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.