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NEWS OF THE STARS. Cont'd.

Carter also served as a producer on the documentary The Kid Stays in the Picture, about legendary producer Robert Evans, and received a producing credit for the television documentary 9/11. Carter also shared with two other friends in a $1-million advance from the book division of Miramax Films for the right to publish an anthology of pieces from the former Spy magazine, the papers reported. Carter was a co-founder and editor of Spy. Miramax, run by brothers Bob and Harvey Weinstein, is often covered in the pages of Vanity Fair. Carter's dealings have been questioned by some who feel they cross ethical boundaries. "When you're running an important magazine, there's an ethical line you just can't cross," veteran editor Ed Kosner told the Los Angeles Times. "You don't do any business on the side with people you're covering. You don't pitch projects to people your magazine is covering." "You don't accept gifts." Senior management at Conde Nast, which publishes Vanity Fair, is aware of all Carter's activities and has full confidence in him, Conde Nast spokeswoman Maurie Perl said. "We feel Graydon is a great editor-in-chief," Perl said. "Charles Townsend, president and CEO of Conde Nast, and Graydon are completely on the same page regarding his editorship of Vanity Fair."

Stallone sues over Rocky sequel projects

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Actor Sylvester Stallone has sued Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. and a production company, claiming they stymied his efforts to make a sequel and Broadway musical based on the Rocky film franchise. The lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court seeks unspecified damages against the studio and the production company. It also seeks an order allowing Stallone to proceed with a Rocky VI film. "He looks at litigation as the very of very last resorts," said Stallone's attorney, Gerald Margolis. "It means he's extremely sad, disappointed and put out by all of this." MGM spokeswoman Janet Janjigian said the lawsuit is without merit and declined to comment further. The lawsuit also names as a defendant the former firm of Chartoff-Winkler Productions. A call seeking comment from the company's successor, Chartoff Productions, was not immediately returned. Stallone alleges the defendants initially wanted to be involved in the development of a Rocky musical co-written by the actor. But MGM proposed keeping an unacceptable share of the potential profits. After Stallone balked, the studio allegedly said it would develop musicals based on the Rocky movies. Stallone said he reached a tentative deal with MGM to make the Rocky VI movie but the project was nixed after a producer allegedly demanded his son direct the film. Stallone also accused both defendants of pulling out of the musical and movie after learning he intended to co-produce and star in a boxing reality-TV show called The Contender. The series is scheduled to air in January, featuring amateur boxers as they advance from training camp through challenges in the ring. The winner will receive $1 million and a chance to become a professional prize fighter. The suit claimed MGM retaliated by creating its own reality show called The Real Rocky with a similar plot. MGM, however, has said its show had been in the works for about a year.

Payot. Paris____________________