BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton will star in the TV version of the film "Fargo." Alas, it will not include the actress who put Brainerd, Minn., on the map.

FX network boss John Landgraf said Friday that Thornton has signed on to a limited series based on the 1996 crime comedy-drama. It's scheduled for a 10-episode run on FX next spring. Thornton will play a rootless con artist. No characters will be carried over from the film, which brought a best-actress Oscar to Frances McDormand, who played Brainerd's police chief in the movie.

Even so, Landgraf says the series will be "remarkably true to the film. " Its creators, Joel and Ethan Coen are associated with the series.

Thornton won an Oscar for writing the 1996 drama "Sling Blade," in which he also starred.

Spelling counts, Jeopardy! says

A Connecticut eighth-grader who misspelled the correct answer to a "Jeopardy!" question and lost money over it says he was cheated. Thomas Hurley III correctly answered the Final Jeopardy question about the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Abraham Lincoln. But Thomas spelled it "emanciptation" and was ruled out by host Alex Trebek. He bet $3,000 of his $9,600 in winnings and lost to a rival who amassed $66,600. The 12-year-old Newtown boy says that he was cheated and is upset. Producers of Jeopardy said in an e-mail that the show would penalize other players if it credited a contestant's incorrect response. Hundreds vented their anger at the game show on its Facebook page. The Kids Jeopardy program was filmed in February and broadcast last week.

trial set: Sally Struthers will go on trial in September on a criminal charge of driving under the influence in Maine. Court records say the 66-year-old Struthers must be present for the trial. Jury selection is scheduled for Sept. 23 in York County Superior Court. Police arrested Struthers on Sept. 12, 2012, in the resort town of Ogunquit, where she was performing in the musical "9 to 5." Struthers, who has pleaded not guilty, is best known for her role as Gloria Stivic in the TV sitcom "All in the Family."

Struthers

Chicago extras: An Al Pacino movie broke out in the middle of a concert by the band Chicago, with thousands of fans serving as extras. Cameras were wheeled onstage during intermission of the group's show at the Greek Theatre in Chicago on Friday night to film a scene from Pacino's upcoming movie "Imagine," in which he plays aging rock star Danny Collins.

associated press