Talk of the Town -Oscar ballot deadline

The latest celebrity and entertainment headlines including the Oscar ballot deadline, Elton John's new movie venture and Jerry Springer on stage.

Oscar voters had a deadline today. The members of the academy were required to get their ballots to the official tabulators, PricewaterhouseCoopers, by 5 pm pacific time today. The ballot lists nominees in only 19 of the 24 categories. Academy members were required to attend screenings if they wished to vote for foreign-language film, documentary features and shorts, and animated and live-action shorts. Oscar nominations were announced Jan. 22 which gave academy members less than four weeks to make up their minds. Ballots were sent out to the 5,810 voting members by the academy on Jan. 28.

Sir Elton John is planning on making a sci-fi horror film where aliens wreak havoc on a Jane Austen-style period drama. The pop star's film company, Rocket Pictures, has announced plans to start filming Pride and Predator in London later this year. Sir Elton will supervise the music and act as executive producer.

British band Coldplay and Welsh singer Duffy will be hoping to add to their Grammy success as they head the field at the 2009 BRITs on Wednesday night with four nominations apiece. Coldplay are up for best British group and best British album, considered the most prestigious prize at the BRITs. The group is also competing for best British single and British live act.

Talk-show host Jerry Springer says he will perform in the musical "Chicago" at London's West End. He will play the slick lawyer Billy Flynn in the show, which is about glamorous women who murder their lovers for fame. The 65-year-old television host said Tuesday he will perform the role at the Cambridge Theater for six weeks starting in June. He says he will take singing lessons for the role.