Weldon, whose given name is Jolyon, was the longtime proprietor of Jolly's American Bar inside the Latham Hotel (17th & Walnut) and opened the Prime Rib (17th & Locust) with his brother Garth, who runs the spot now.
He's due in court Dec. 20 for a preliminary hearing; he did not respond to requests for comment.
Ana Ortiz has a pilot
"Ugly Betty" actress Ana Ortiz told us yesterday that she's "thrilled to be employed again" when we asked about "Outnumbered," a comedy pilot she's shooting for Fox, as Deadline.com reported.
The BBC-sitcom-inspired show about overwhelmed parents of three children would feature Ortiz, a University of the Arts graduate, as a hot-tempered working mom. Ortiz, daughter of former City Councilman Angel Ortiz, says that director Larry Charles, a "Seinfeld" veteran, is "brilliant, creative and just very cool," and she's got her "fingers crossed that it gets picked up."
Out and about
* "Entourage" actor Kevin Dillon partied into the wee hours Saturday at after-hours club Zee Bar (100 Spring Garden). He played craps at Parx Casino in Bensalem past 1 a.m. after a paid appearance hosting a party Friday to celebrate the casino's new poker room. Dillon, who plays Johnny Drama on the HBO series, took pictures with fans and signed autographs and dined at Parx Grille with Greenwood Gaming Chairman Bob Green before a party at the casino's Club 360.
* Phillies hurler Cole Hamels and a few
pals went for drinks Saturday night at Ryan's Pub (124 W. Gay) in West Chester.
A big 'Wheel' passes
Charlie O'Donnell's old Southwest Philly friends are mourning the loss of the longtime "Wheel of Fortune" announcer, who died last week at age 78. O'Donnell, from 53rd & Chester, worked at WFIL on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand," then went out to L.A. with the show. He later worked on the Oscars, the Golden Globes, the Emmys and some game shows.
"He was a great guy. He was always well- liked and came from a great family, really nice people," said Joe Inemer, president of Pressman's Local 16, who knew O'Donnell as a young guy and said he would always remind people that the famous voice they heard was from Philadelphia.
Honorable mentions
Congratulations to political consultant and Water Works Restaurant owner Michael Karloutsos on being named an Archon - the highest honor a lay person can receive in the Orthodox Christian Church - by His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Karloutsos was chief liaison between the Greek Orthodox Church and New York's Crisis Management Office after 9/11 as the church and city tried to recover relics from St. Nicholas Church, which was destroyed.
_ 6 ABC's Cecily Tynan took second place
in the female-masters portion in Sunday's Cooper Norcross Run the Bridge 10K to benefit special-needs children. Daily News columnist Jenice Armstrong and reporter Barbara Laker, and Inquirer columnists Elizabeth Wellington and Monica Yant Kinney were among those who also ran.
Mummer's the word
The Vaudevillains New Year's Brigade, of which Your Humble Narrator is a member, is hosting a dance-party fundraiser tonight at the Barbary (Delaware & Frankford). KurtLife and Emilio Airhorn will DJ the $5 event, from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., that willhelp fund the 2011 Mummers Parade.
Visit PhillyGossip.com for Dan's latest updates or follow PhillyGossip on Twitter. Have a tip? Call 215-854-5963, or e-mail grossd@phillynews.com. For recent columns, visit go.philly.com/dangross.
