Good fences make good neighbors

Los Angeles — Actor James Belushi has sued next-door neighbor Julie Newmar for $4 million in damages, accusing the actress of a “campaign of harassment” designed to drive him from his home.

Belushi, 50, claims in the lawsuit filed Tuesday that Newmar destroyed a fence and landscaping at the home in the posh Brentwood neighborhood and repeatedly made defamatory statements about him to neighbors and friends.

The lawsuit also claims that Newmar spied on Belushi’s family from her residence and caused a nuisance by playing loud music directed at his back yard.

“Newmar has engaged in a malicious and premeditated campaign to prevent and destroy Belushi’s quiet peace,” the lawsuit claims.

Newmar had an unlisted telephone number and could not immediately be reached for comment.

College dreams

Kate Bosworth has confirmed rumors she is taking time off her film career to study psychology at college, because the subject just “blows her away,” reports IMDB.com.

The “Blue Crush” star, 21, is hoping to enroll at prestigious Princeton, whose famous graduates include Dean Cain, Ethan Coen, David Duchovny and David E. Kelley.

“I’m going to take a bit of time for me because I’ve been working so much. I’m hoping to go to Princeton,” she said. “I’m totally in love with what I do, but it’s not the only thing that fulfills me. I took a psychology class in high school, and I was blown away by it. The older I get, the more I want to go back to school, which is funny because people would say the more years have passed, the further away it seems.”

Warm reception for ‘Polar Express’ director

Los Angeles — Director Robert Zemeckis, traveling on “The Polar Express,” stopped long enough to pick up a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Zemeckis, who won an Oscar for directing “Forrest Gump,” received the 2,268th star Friday.

The director of the “Back to the Future” trilogy, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” and “The Polar Express” is known for using pioneering technology to create otherworldly action in his films.

“The Polar Express” was inspired by the Christmas picture book illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg. It is set for nationwide release Wednesday.

Throwing animals a bone

Los Angeles — Bob Barker is used to handing out prizes as host of the TV game show “The Price is Right.”

But officials at the University of California-Los Angeles law school announced last week that Barker had given out a prize of another sort: $1 million for an animal-rights law endowment.

Barker often advises viewers to spay or neuter their pets.

He said he hoped the endowment would encourage more law students to get involved in protecting animals.

“Animal exploitation happens throughout this country and elsewhere,” Barker said. “Animals need all the protection we can give them.”