Little wizard Harry Potter has spellbound millions of children and adults alike as well as catapulting a local boy into the spotlight. Xu Gang, 14, has five years experience doing voice overs for nearly 100 plays and films, but it is the character of Harry Potter that made him famous overnight. Two bits of information …read more!

Box-office races are like a good Quidditch match: Just leave it to Harry Potter and his trusty Nimbus 2000 to wipe up the competition. Harry Potter has reclaimed the number one spot in the UK book charts. The Hogwarts Express made a secret journey from its base in Carnforth to London for filming of the …read more!

Providing a counterpoint to “Harry Potter” bookburnings and bannings, here’s part of what the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops had to say in their review of the film: Parents concerned about the film’s sorcery elements should know that it is unlikely to pose any threat to Catholic beliefs. “Harry Potter” is so obviously innocuous …read more!

More on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone becoming the second highest grossing film in history from The Age.com. In a rare interview, two-time Oscar winner and newly nominated Dame Maggie Smith is asked to look back on her long, illustrious career, but she really can’t imagine why anyone would be interested in talking about …read more!

Warner Bros. said Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone has become the second [highest]-grossing movie worldwide of all time, surpassing Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace. The boy-wizard film, known as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in most countries outside the United States, has grossed $926.1 million, beating Phantom Menace’s $922.8 million …read more!

From Dark Horizons: “Word has gone round that Warner Home Video in Australia has apparently made the decision to release the first HP film’s DVD in ONLY Pan & Scan 4:3 format rather than the choice of widescreen or pan & scan which all other regions are getting.” JK Rowling and David Beckham could turn …read more!

Harry Potter, boy wizard, has faced some formidable foes, from abusive Uncle Vernon and nasty Draco Malfoy to malevolent Lord Voldemort. Never before, though, had he come up against an adversary quite like the Penryn Fire Police. Audio clips of Daniel Radcliffe’s acceptance speech after winning the Variety Club “Newcomer” award for 2001 can be …read more!

Much thanks to reader Kate who sent us this article from USA’s weekend section about Sean Biggerstaff (with a picture of him sporting a positively shaggy new do [and I mean that in the HAIR sense of the word, thankyouverymuch]).

Thanks to the Sylvan Lane Shoppe for the news that the LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle has won the award for Best Activity Toy of the Year from the Toy Industry Association. A dress worn by screen icon Marilyn Monroe, a Dalek from the Dr Who series and Harry Potter’s movie outfit are to be …read more!

The magic of J.K. Rowlings’ book “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” was the inspiration for a performance on Friday for pupils at Jefferson Elementary School. Steven Wronker, a master magician from West Hartford, recreated his show based on Harry Potter and entitled it Muggles Magic, based on a character in Rowlings’ book. Paul Hemstreet, …read more!