When His Blue E Dim, The Fight Will Truly Begin

We’d have to check with the tabloids to get the juicy stuff, but this much appears to be true: The battle over Frank Sinatra’s estate has begun.

And Old Blue Eyes isn’t even dead yet.

At 81, the pop crooner and Oscar-winning actor isn’t likely to be around long. He’s said to be suffering from bad kidneys, a heart condition and early Alzheimer’s.

Reports are that he’s upset over the two sides of his family battling over what is estimated to be as much as a $200 million estate.

One camp comprises Sinatra’s children Nancy, 57, Frank Jr., 53, and Tina, 49. The other includes Sinatra’s wife, Barbara Marx, 70, and her son, Robert.

At issue are licensing rights to everything from cigars to souvenir plates.

Loose talk

Comic Ellen Degeneres on her relationship with actress Anne Heche: “If Anne (dies), I want to (die). That’s how strongly I feel. No one knows what we have together, no one.”

There’s something eerie about her, something… alien

Sigourney Weaver turns 48 today.

If He hits like Griffey in the playoffs, Ray has no worries

At 77, Ray Bradbury doesn’t plan on retiring soon. The author of such novels as “The Martian Chronicles” and “Fahrenheit 451” says he’ll continue writing “at least until I’m 99.” “Then,” he, says, “God can hit me with a baseball bat.”

The royal pinkies don’t go to market

When a particular entourage visits India’s Golden Temple on Oct. 14, all members of the party - save one - will go barefoot. The holdout? Queen Elizabeth II, who is visiting as part of a five-day state visit marking 50 years of independence. “The Queen alone will wear white socks,” said a British official.

Just imagine, ‘Ah’ll be back… etc., etc., etc.’

Those in the know are saying it ain’t so, but the New York Daily News insists that Arnold Schwarzenegger has been talking to the producer of the broadway revival of “The King and I” about taking over the role when 35-year-old Lou Diamond Phillips decides to leave.

Hey, Dick, what about ‘American Graffiti’?

The secret’s out: Richard Dreyfuss actually has favorites among his films. “OK. ‘The Goodbye Girl’ and ‘Mr. Holland’s Opus,”’ he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Oscar-winning actor did so grudgingly. He says it’s the most commonly asked question.

Apparently, he’s a fan of the redhead

Speaking of the royals, Prince Charles will pay his respects - so to speak - when he visits South Africa in November. The next in line to the British throne, while visiting president Nelson Mandela, is scheduled to attend a Spice Girls concert.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Photos

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by staff writer Dan Webster