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Hagman, who died last week aged 81, reportedly visited Bucharest in the 1980s together with his wife Maj Axelsson. At the time, he was famous worldwide for his role as merciless oil magnate JR Ewing on television series Dallas. However, during the trip, he gained an unexpected fan. Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, who was later executed in the 1989 Christmas uprising, wanted a portrait of the actor to be put up publicity, believing it would bolster the regime. Dallas was one of the few American TV series the late communist dictator allowed to be shown on television, believing it portrayed...

Actor Larry Hagman, notorious and beloved as 'Dallas' villain J.R. Ewing, dies From staff reports Larry Hagman, the North Texas native who played the conniving and mischievous J.R. Ewing on the TV show Dallas, died Friday at a Dallas hospital. He was 81. Mr. Hagman died at 4:20 p.m. Friday at Medical City Dallas Hospital from complications of his recent battle with cancer, members of his family said.

In Hollywood, apparently, celebrity equals expertise. Edward Norton: "Almost everyone in Germany and France is in sync with the governments. I almost forgot what it's like to be proud of my government. . . . It's dismaying to see the unilateralism the government is doing. There aren't enough rational steps." Robert Altman: "The present government in America I just find disgusting, the idea that George Bush could run a baseball team successfully -- he can't even speak! I just find him an embarrassment. I was over here when the election was on and I couldn't believe it -- and I'm...