News Round-up: Norman Painting, Jonathan Frid, Hatcher

Record breaking radio soap actor Norman Painting has died
Warm tributes were today paid to actor and scriptwriter Norman Painting – who starred in the Birmingham-made radio soap opera THE ARCHERS for almost 60 years – after he died aged 85. The Birmingham University graduate, who is listed in the Guinness Book of Records for holding the world record for the longest continuous role, created the character of Phil Archer for the pilot episodes which were broadcast on the BBC Midlands Home Service at Whitsun 1950.

INTERVIEW: DARK SHADOWS' Jonathan Frid (ex-Barnabas)
When he first took the roll of Barnabas, he was relieved it didn’t immediately air around his home-turf of Hamilton. That meant his friends wouldn’t have to see it.

“But suddenly, it took off,” he recalls. “And I was getting 5,000 pieces of (fan mail) every week.”

“I thought I was…dreadful. Awful,” he adds of his work on the series. “I tried to fight the vampire for years.”

Brandon Beemer Joins NoH8 Campaign, Strips Down for Male Cancer
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL's Brandon Beemer (Owen) is one of the latest celebs to join Adam Bouska's NoH8 campaign. He also gets bold and beautiful for the Everyman campaign in collaboration with Cosmopolitan to raise awareness about prostate and testicular cancer. Beemer's awareness-raising centerfold is set to appear in next month's Cosmo.

Hagman selling home for $11M
Former DALLAS star Larry Hagman has put his Ojai, Calif., mountaintop estate up for sale, reportedly priced at $11 million. The Los Angeles Times said Hagman’s nine-bedroom main house features an indoor grotto spa, a 40-foot indoor lap pool and a “grand room” with space for 200 guests. The spread also includes a two-bedroom guest house, a detached office, a private heliport and an outdoor pool connected via streams to two ponds.

Feast of Famous Faces raises $400,000
It was a feast for both the eyes and the taste buds as television stars and talented chefs came together to raise support for the Center for Hearing and Communication in New York at the 17th annual Feast of Famous Faces on Oct. 19. Unfiltered counted 27 chefs, 34 soap stars and 41 broadcasters at the Wine Spectator–sponsored event, a walk-around tasting, silent auction and live auction at Chelsea Piers. The event was hosted by James and Kassie DePavia, whose son has been diagnosed with hearing loss, and it raised more than $400,000.

Danielle Panabaker to appear on GREY'S ANATOMY
Panabaker, best known for her role as James Woods’ daughter on CBS’ SHARK, is checking into GREY'S next month. The actress will play a patient under the care of Cristina and Jackson in the Nov. 19 episode.

Teri Hatcher Does Not Have Swine Flu
After earlier reports that Teri Hatcher was absent from the DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES set this week because she was suffering from Swine Flu, her spokesperson now says it was a simply a medical misunderstanding.

"She is sick and has laryngitis, but has already finished her work for the week and is not scheduled to work again until next week," according to the rep.