September 16, 1999
Web posted at: 4:21 p.m. EDT (2021 GMT)

• Costner not a belly itcher in 'For Love of the Game'
• Maples engaged to Norman Mailer's son
• Stern: The voice of 'Doomsday'
• Witherspoon gives birth
• 'Lord of the Rings' film-to-be generates online buzz

Costner at the premiere of his new film, "For Love of the Game"

AUSTIN, Texas (CNN) -- That was Kevin Costner doing the throwing from the mound in his new film, not a relief pitcher.

"Kevin threw every strike, threw every curve ball," says University of Texas baseball coach Augie Garrido, who served as a technical consultant on "For Love of the Game." "There's one scene where you'll see about two or three pitches. There must be 140 more that he threw that day on the cutting room floor."

In the Universal Pictures production opening Friday, Costner plays Billy Chapel, an aging pitcher nearing the end of his career. Garrido says he didn't have to teach Costner about how to act or throw like a Major Leaguer. Costner's other baseball films, "Bull Durham" (1988) and "Field of Dreams" (1989) must've given him plenty of practice.

"He was the character by the time the film ended," Garrido says, "including having a very sore arm."

Maples

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Three months after her divorce from Donald Trump became official, Marla Maples says she's gotten engaged again.

Maples told "Entertainment Tonight" she plans to marry producer Michael Mailer, the son of Norman Mailer -- the author who penned "Executioner's Song" (1982) and "Tough Guys Don't Dance" (1987).

The 35-year-old Maples made her plans known this week at the Toronto International Film Festival while promoting her movie "Black & White," which was produced by the groom-to-be. A wedding date hasn't been revealed.

Stern

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Radio shock jock Howard Stern has agreed to produce and lend his voice to the animated sci-fi comedy series, "Doomsday," for UPN this fall.

The network says "Doomsday" follows the adventures of a family traveling by motor home across a post-apocalyptic America "in search of family values and a new home." Stern will also voice the show's lead character, a dog named Orinthal.

"'Doomsday' is the kind of animated TV project I want to produce," Stern said in a statement. "It's edgy and funny and network-acceptable. My only regret is there are no lesbians in the story."

New parents Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon have a baby daughter.

Witherspoon gave birth to a 7-pound girl on September 9, one day before Phillippe turned 25, says the couple's publicist, Cindy Guagenti.

The baby's name wasn't released.

Phillippe and Witherspoon, 23, wed in June. The couple co-starred in "Cruel Intentions." Phillippe also appeared in "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "54." Witherspoon has starred in "Pleasantville" and "Election."

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Shooting hasn't begun on the new film version of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy -- the first in the series, "The Fellowship of the Ring," is slated for release in December 2000. But fans on the Internet already are swarming on the subject like orcs at a barbecue.

The official site is www.lordoftherings.net, which shows some very dramatic conceptual art of what the film is expected to look like when it's finished.

Another site, www.theonering.com, has a huge collection of both facts and rumors as well as a slow-growing cache of pictures of the confirmed stars. They include Elijah Wood as Frodo, Sean Astin as Sam, and Sir Ian McKellen as the Wizard Gandalf.

The One Ring's competitor, ringbearer.net, is also trying to keep tabs on Middle Earth and its proxy in New Zealand, where the movie is being filmed.

And finally, surfers always can drop by aint-it-cool-news.com/. It has established itself as a clearinghouse of information both accurate and otherwise on all sorts of upcoming high-profile pictures. The site is taking a special interest in the one film to rule them all.

CNN Entertainment News Correspondent Dennis Michael, the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.