Television

Paul Benedict, the actor who played the English neighbor Harry Bentley on the sitcom "The Jeffersons," has died. He was 70.

General Electric Co.'s media and theme park subsidiary, NBC Universal, this week laid off about 500 employees - about 3 percent of its work force of 15,000 - as part of a plan to trim $500 million next year, a person familiar with the situation said Thursday.

CBS' Grammy nominations special wasn't a breakaway hit with viewers Wednesday night, but it didn't play off-key.

Erik Estrada has returned to Muncie to take part in overnight police patrols in the city where he starred in the short-lived reality series "Armed & Famous." The former star of the 1970s motorcycle cop drama "CHiPs" is a reserve officer on the Muncie Police Department.

Ms. Winfrey is going to Washington.

Jon Hamm is temporarily trading the offices of Sterling Cooper for "30 Rock."

A former television host who tried to parachute off the Empire State Building has been convicted of reckless endangerment.

Julie Andrews is going from "The Sound of Music" to hosting one of music's biggest annual events.

NBC says "ER" will treat its last patients during a two-hour series finale set to air March 12.

Miles O'Brien will soon be leaving CNN after 16 years.

Rankings for the top 15 programs on cable networks as compiled by Nielsen Media Research for the week of Nov. 24-30. Day and start time (EST) are in parentheses:

Who says cartoons are for kids? "Family Guy" and "American Dad" creator Seth MacFarlane tops Entertainment Weekly's list of the 25 smartest people in television.

"Maude" and "Golden Girls" star Bea Arthur is happily poised to enter the TV Academy Hall of Fame, but she acknowledges it's her own fault the recognition didn't come sooner.

Lil Wayne - the most prolific, ubiquitous and successful performer on today's music scene - was the most rewarded by the Recording Academy on Wednesday, receiving eight Grammy nominations including album of the year for "Tha Carter III."

Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Nov. 24-30. Listings include the week's ranking, with viewership for the week. An "X" in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation.

Rosie O'Donnell's dream of bringing back the television variety show was dashed.