Entertainment News Roundup: Actor Robert Blake, star of 'Baretta' and 'In Cold Blood,' dead at age 89; Factbox-Life and career of film and TV actor Robert Blake and more

The science-fiction kung fu comedy starring Michelle Yeoh as an exhausted laundromat owner who is simply trying to file her taxes has swept the major awards leading to the Oscars on Sunday, making it the front-runner for the prestigious best picture prize. Frank Sinatra musical looking at singer's life and career to open in UK A new musical about the life and career of legendary singer and performer Frank Sinatra will open in the British city of Birmingham later this year.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Actor Robert Blake, star of 'Baretta' and 'In Cold Blood,' dead at age 89

Robert Blake, a child actor from the Depression-era "Our Gang" comedies who won adult stardom playing an undercover cop on the 1970s television series "Baretta" before fame was eclipsed by his murder trial in the 2001 killing of his wife, has died at age 89. Blake, who also won acclaim for his role as a psychopathic killer in the 1967 film adaptation of Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood," died at his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by family members, according to a statement released to CBS, The Hollywood Reporter and other news agencies by his niece, Noreen Austin.

Factbox-Life and career of film and TV actor Robert Blake

The following are select facts about the life and career of screen actor Robert Blake, who was acquitted in 2005 of murdering his wife but later found liable for her death in a civil trial: * Blake was about 6 years old when he started his Hollywood career. Before that, he and his brother and sister were part of an act known as "The Three Little Hillbillies" on the vaudeville circuit. Even though his earnings would provide most of his family's income, Blake said his father used him as "his punching bag."

Disney reconsiders making content for others under Bob Iger

Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Bob Iger Thursday said the studio may resume making films and television shows for its rivals, marking a departure from recent years, when its production resources were harnessed to launch and grow its marquee Disney+ steaming service. Iger told the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference in San Francisco that streaming services have traditionally relied on a volume of fresh content to attract subscribers. He said he hopes to embrace a more curated HBO-like approach of making a few high-quality shows built around its major brands, as he works to lift Disney+ to a profit.

Women's stories stand out in Oscars race, but Hollywood lagging in gender parity

Michelle Yeoh battles her way through a multiverse, Angela Bassett leads a grieving nation at war, and Cate Blanchett deviously manipulates members of a world-class orchestra. Wide-ranging stories led by female actors fill the list of movies vying for Academy Awards on Sunday, reflecting gains in an industry that has long relegated women to secondary roles in the shadow of male heroes.

'Fiddler on the Roof' star Topol dies in Israel aged 87

Israeli actor and singer Chaim Topol, best known for his role as Tevye the dairyman in the musical 'Fiddler on the Roof', has died in Israel aged 87. Topol, known by his last name alone, won worldwide fame talking and singing and dancing his way through "If I Were A Rich Man" and other hits from the show on stage and on screen in the 1971 film version.

Googly eyes and hot dog hands: Off-kilter 'Everything Everywhere' leads Oscar race

Hot dogs for fingers, plastic googly eyes, and conversing rocks are hardly staples of mainstream movie-making. Yet, they have became cultural touchstones of "Everything Everywhere All at Once," the at-times baffling and absurdist film that has captivated Hollywood. The science-fiction kung fu comedy starring Michelle Yeoh as an exhausted laundromat owner who is simply trying to file her taxes has swept the major awards leading to the Oscars on Sunday, making it the front-runner for the prestigious best picture prize.

Frank Sinatra musical looking at singer's life and career to open in UK

A new musical about the life and career of legendary singer and performer Frank Sinatra will open in the British city of Birmingham later this year. "Sinatra The Musical" will debut at the Birmingham Rep on Sept. 23, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the "Come Fly with Me" and "New York, New York" singer’s UK tour, during which he performed in the city.

‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ studio A24 captures Oscar spotlight

A24, the independent studio behind such films as “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and "The Whale," is poised to dominate this year’s Academy Awards, eclipsing Hollywood’s established studios and awards-hungry streamers that are spending millions on Oscar campaigns. Not since the heyday of Miramax in the 1990s has an independent studio garnered such attention, talent, and box office success, entertainment industry insiders say.

Facial workouts and peels: A look at red carpet skin care routines

From facial workouts to laser peels, celebrities will be turning to a range of skincare routines to look their best for the Oscars red carpet on Sunday. Estheticians, dermatologists, and other beauty teams are busy preparing their clients ahead of Hollywood's top ceremony, the culmination of awards season.

(With inputs from agencies.)