Thanks to Susan O -- The Irish Independent:

Lise at Large: Richard would be proud of you, Russ

It's spot-a-celeb week in Ireland, what with Bill Clinton in town today, Kate 'n' Pete sightings all over the place, Michael Jackson away with the fairies in Wicklow, and Russell Crowe due in Kilkee in Co Clare this weekend.

The actor is taking a break from filming Ridley Scott's new movie, American Gangster, in New York, to fly to Ireland for the unveiling of a statue to the late Richard Harris who died in October 2002. The pair became close pals in 1999 during the filming of Gladiator - the Limerick-born Harris played Marcus Aurelius.

Shortly before his death, the legendary hell-raiser tipped the Antipodean star to carry on his bad boy behaviour.

Richard said, "Top bloke, loves his rugby, doesn't give a stuff, brilliant actor, a much-loved new friend. He will carry the baton on. He irritates the hell out of the Hollywood bigwigs, but he's much too good for them to ignore."

In return, Russell flew from Mexico for the Irish actor's London funeral, and told reporters, "I love him and I miss him."

But another Harris baton may yet be passed to the Oscar-winning star. "An Irish production company is floating the idea of doing a biopic of Richard, and the producers reckon that Russell would be perfect to play him," an industry insider said yesterday. [ed note: Oh no!! Not another rumour]

"Richard had a pretty colourful life, and if the script is up to scratch it might be hard for Russell to resist. And let's face it - playing a hard-partying rebel wouldn't be too much of a stretch!"

And it seems that cranky Crowe is still intent on winding up the bigwigs, after he said earlier this week that he quit an epic movie about the Australian outback co-starring Nicole Kidman because the budget was too small.

"I do charity work," he told a press conference. "But I don't do charity work for major studios."

No doubt his old friend would approve.