Ex-astronaut Kelly writing kids’ book
Retired astronaut Mark Kelly, who collaborated with his wife, former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, on her memoir, is writing a children’s book about a mouse that goes to space.
“On my first space shuttle flight, we had 18 mice on board as experiments,” Kelly said. “And 17 of them, as soon as we got into zero gravity, stayed latched on to the side of the cage. But one of them seemed comfortable through the whole mission, like he was enjoying it.”
His “Mousetronaut: A Partially True Story” will be published in October by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. According to Simon & Schuster, which released a statement Monday, the book tells of a little mouse chosen for a space mission.
“While in space,” the statement says, “the astronauts are busy with their mission when only the smallest member of the crew can save the day.”
Kelly, who retired in the fall, turns 48 today. Last year, he collaborated with Giffords on the memoir “Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope,” which told of her recovery from a shooting.
Sorvino film finally gets screening
Paul Sorvino might finally be over his trouble with “The Trouble with Cali.”
The “GoodFellas” star and first-time director shot the independent film in northeastern Pennsylvania six years ago after landing $500,000 in public funding.
But the project ran short of cash, and politicians in Scranton demanded to know what he did with their investment.
Sorvino hopes all that’s in the past now that “Cali” is about to get its first screening. It premieres today at Arizona’s Sedona Film Festival.
The 72-year-old actor says he’s proud of the black comedy about an aspiring dancer and her dysfunctional parents. He calls it “the little film that could.”
The birthday bunch
Actor Gary Lockwood is 75. Record company executive David Geffen is 69. Actress Tyne Daly is 66. Actor Anthony Daniels (C3P0 in “Star Wars” films) is 66. Actor Alan Rickman is 66. Keyboardist Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads) is 63. Actor William Petersen (“C.S.I.”) is 59. Actor Kelsey Grammer is 57. Singer Mary Chapin Carpenter is 54. Actor Jack Coleman is 54. Actor Christopher Atkins is 51. Singer Ranking Roger (General Public, English Beat) is 51. Actor William Baldwin is 49. Country singer Eric Heatherly is 42. Bassist Eric Wilson (Sublime) is 42. Bassist Tad Kinchla (Blues Traveler) is 39. Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt is 33. Opera-pop singer Charlotte Church is 26. Actress Ellen Page (“Juno”) is 25. Actor Corbin Bleu (“High School Musical,” “Jump In!”) is 23.