Reynolds-Anderson divorce gets ugly
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Variety
GOOD MORNING: Burt Reynolds sez he’s “going for full custody of son Quinton.” As everyone knows by now, he initiated divorce proceedings in Florida vs. Loni Anderson and she recently ditto’d in California. Reynolds admits, “She won the first round”– in the battle of words — but he is now taking the offensive, claiming he had indeed told her of his intentions to serve her with the papers. And that he’d also told her two years ago their marriage had pffft. “Now she’s torpedoing me,” said Reynolds. He doesn’t want to bring up sordid details in a possible custody hearing because of their son, but if necessary–. He’s planning to write a book. Reynolds says he now has custody every Wednesday –“but that’s when I’m shooting”–and every other weekend. Last Friday, Reynolds said the youngster was with Loni until she finished taping her “Nurses” seg, and then Quinton headed to Burt’s “Evening Shade” set — and home with him for the weekend … Reynolds is mad as hell over Loni’s quotes about him. He says, “The only thing I’m saying about her is, ‘She’s one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever known’ “… When I asked about this week’s story in the National Enquirer telling of his two-year affair with waitress Pam Seals, he said she “gave every dime of it (the Enquirer $ 150,000 fee) to me and I gave it to several children’s charities. (Plus a smaller sum to her mother.)” As for his status with Seals, he says, “We are not engaged, we are not going to get married. I am not ‘going steady.’ She is not living at my house. She is working (as a waitress) in Florida. And I am not taking her to the Golden Boot Awards (Aug. 21). I’m going with my father”… Reynolds says everything is happy on the “Evening Shade” set again and he’ll sked four segs in a row, then take a week off. He plans to direct a feature and has three movie acting offers as well in the hiatus season. His CBS “Man From Left Field” airs Dec. 26.

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MEL GIBSON WON’T HAVE TO WORK again for scale as a director, nor will he have to take a cut in his superstar salary in a movie he directs. He was loudly applauded and gladhanded after last Thursday’s Bruin screening of WB’s “Man Without a Face,” which he directed and in which he stars … Dick Donner, who directed Gibson and dittoes in the upcoming “Maverick,” said no one could have done a better job directing “Face.” Gibson admitted Donner was one of the directors from whom he learned/stole techniques to direct. Donner and wife Lauren Shuler-Donner were among those who segued from the theater to continue the cheers at Chasen’s, where Ronnie Clint’s men served up an appropriate-to-the-movie New England supper with clams, lobster stew, etc. … Gibson’s Icon Prods. is in high gear with pix for him and others — including “Immortal Beloved,” a Ludwig Van Beethoven biopic to star Anthony Hopkins. Bernard Rose directs in Vienna next year. Hopkins, who wound “Remains of the Day” and is currently in “Legend of the Fall,” segues to “Road to Wellville” before Beethoven … WB would like Gibson to star in “Lethal Weapon IV” but — ? He wants to direct again … Among those at “Man Without a Face” was Donald Ginsberg, in from Toronto. He packaged the pic for WB from the Isabella Holland novel. Ginsberg’s optioned a second Holland book, “Of Love and Death and Other Journeys” and is talking to Shirley MacLaine to star. Ginsberg’s also readying the start of “Witness to Murder” with producer Marilyn Lewis … Christine Lahti and husband-director Thomas Schlamme welcomed twins, a boy and girl, Aug. 3. All are doing fine.