Ingmar Bergman, film director, dies at age 89

Stockholm, Sweden – Master filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, one of the greatest artists in cinema history, died Monday at his home on an island off the coast of Sweden. He was 89.

Bergman’s dozens of works combined deep seriousness, indelible imagery and unexpected flashes of humor in finely written, inventively shot explorations of difficult subjects such as plague and madness.

His vision encompassed the extremes of his beloved Sweden: the claustrophobic gloom of unending winter nights, its glowing summer evenings and the bleak magnificence of the Baltic islet of Faro, where the reclusive artist spent his last years.

Once described by Woody Allen as “probably the greatest film artist … since the invention of the motion picture camera,” Bergman first gained international attention with 1955’s “Smiles of a Summer Night,” a romantic comedy that inspired the Stephen Sondheim musical “A Little Night Music.”

His 1982 film “Fanny and Alexander” won an Oscar for best foreign film. His 1973 “Cries and Whispers” was nominated for Best Picture.

Kelly Osbourne to join London cast of ‘Chicago’

London – Kelly Osbourne will make her West End debut in “Chicago.”

Osbourne, 22, will join the cast at London’s Cambridge Theater, playing the role of prison matron Mama Morton during a seven-week run starting Sept. 10, the theater said Monday.

She found fame on the reality show “The Osbournes” alongside her parents, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, and her brother, Jack. She has recorded several albums, and was host of the British TV show “Project Catwalk.”

‘Bachelorette’ couple become new parents

New York – Trista Sutter has given birth to a son, Maxwell Alston Sutter, in Vail, Colo.

The baby, who weighed 5 pounds, 3 ounces, is the first child for Sutter and her husband, Vail firefighter Ryan Sutter. The couple famously fell in love on ABC’s “The Bachelorette” and were married in December 2003.

A representative for the Sutters confirmed to Usmagazine.com that Maxwell Alston was born Thursday at Vail Valley Medical Center.

“He’s perfect and beautiful, and everyone’s doing great,” Trista Sutter told the magazine.

Jenna Elfman welcomes first child, Story Elias

New York – Jenna Elfman has welcomed her first child, a son named Story Elias.

The baby was born July 23 in Los Angeles. He weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces, Elfman’s publicist, Jenni Weinman, said Monday.

“Story wants to give big props to his mom for all the hard work,” Weinman said in a statement, which also said the infant was a fan of “classical music, a clean diaper … and long naps.”

Elfman and actor Bodhi Elfman were married in 1995.

The 35-year-old actress played free-spirited Dharma Finklestein Montgomery in the ABC comedy series “Dharma & Greg,” which ran from 1997-2002.

She recently starred in the CBS comedy “Courting Alex.”

Flu forces Aguilera to cancel 2 shows

New York – Christina Aguilera, who wraps up her world tour this week, has canceled two shows in Australia because she is ill with the flu.

Doctors confirmed the 26-year-old singer is suffering from a viral upper respiratory tract infection with a high fever and abnormal coughing, said concert promoter The Frontier Touring Company in a statement Monday released through Aguilera’s spokeswoman.

Aguilera was put on bed rest for several days, forcing her to miss two shows in Melbourne on Saturday and Monday.

“Unfortunately, I have fallen ill with a bad flu virus,” she said in a separate statement. “This is one of the best cities in the world to perform in and I am truly disappointed that I won’t be able to share my show with you all.”

Several people on her tour have also become ill in Australia, the promoter said.

Aguilera’s final two concerts were set for Thursday and Friday in Auckland, New Zealand.