People: ‘Scandal’ to eliminate Collins from scenes

Actor Stephen Collins’ real-life scandal has cost him a role on “Scandal.”
ABC said Thursday that Collins, who was supposed to repeat a one-time role as a television anchorman on the hit Thursday drama, will have his scenes eliminated. The network said it isn’t clear how the episode will be rewritten. It was scheduled to air later this season.
New York police said this week they are investigating charges that the former “7th Heaven” television dad molested a 14-year-old girl in 1972. The actor’s estranged wife wrote in a court declaration last year that Collins told her he had molested at least three young girls.
Earlier this week, the networks, UP TV and TV Guide, announced the cancellations of “7th Heaven.”
Newlywed Clooney at Comic-Con
Newly married George Clooney surprised fans with an appearance at New York Comic-Con on Thursday.
Fresh off his Sept. 27 wedding to human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in Venice, Italy, Clooney made a cameo on the Javits Center stage during a panel discussion for the upcoming Disney fantasy film, “Tomorrowland.”
To thunderous applause, Clooney told fans that it wasn’t lost on him “that I’m spending my honeymoon at Comic-Con.” He joked that after his widely panned “Batman & Robin,” he had been “de-invited” from Comic-Con: “Sorry about the nipples on the suit,” he said.
Disney premiered a teaser trailer at the event, a smaller, East coast edition of the sprawling Comic-Con in San Diego. Directed by Brad Bird and starring Britt Robertson, “Tomorrowland” is due out May 22.
Clooney’s wife headed to Greece
Newly married British lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney will advise Greece in its attempt to get the Parthenon Marbles back from the U.K.
The barrister, who married actor George Clooney in Venice, Italy, last month, will visit Athens next week to give legal advice to the Greek government.
The fate of the 2,500-year-old marbles, originally part of the Parthenon temple, is a longstanding issue between Britain and Greece. The friezes were taken by British diplomat Lord Elgin 200 years ago and now are exhibited in the British Museum.
In February, Clooney touched a nerve in Britain by suggesting the country should consider returning the marbles to Greece.
The birthday bunch
Actor Peter Coyote is 73. Singer John Prine is 68. Singer David Lee Roth (Van Halen) is 60. Country singer Tanya Tucker is 56. Actress Julia Sweeney (“Saturday Night Live”) is 55. Actor Bradley Whitford is 55. Actor Mario Lopez is 41. Singer Mya is 35. Actor Dan Stevens (“Downton Abbey”) is 32.