Cruise Biographer Defends Book, Talks Holmes Marriage Contract

NEW YORK - Andrew Morton, author of "Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography," published by St. Martin's Press, claims that the 45-year-old actor ranks second in command in the Church of Scientology. The book, which came out this week, also says that some Scientologists believe that Cruise's daughter Suri was conceived using frozen sperm from Scientology founder and science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard. In a statement to The Associated Press, Cruise's lawyer, Bertram Fields, said Wednesday that Morton's book is "absolutely loaded with false statements" and "Mr. Morton should be ashamed of himself for telling such vicious lies about a child to hype sales of his book." The church has responded with a 15-page statement, calling the book "a bigoted, defamatory assault replete with lies" and saying Cruise "is a Scientology parishioner and holds no official or unofficial position in the Church hierarchy." The 54-year-old Morton, who has written books about Princess Diana, David and Victoria ... (link)