Cruise’s camp bashes Morton, unauthorized bio

Representatives for Tom Cruise wasted no time in speaking out against Andrew Morton’s new book “Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography,” saying that even though Cruise has been “a top star for 25 years, (Morton) never spoke to Cruise’s business partners, directors, studio executives, friends or family, and the list can go on.”

Morton, who has also written a number of dubiously sourced biographies and entered the public eye with his biography of Princess Diana, has been threatened with lawsuits from the Cruise camp at virtually every step of the publishing process. Morton goes so far as to claim that he’s been forced to vacate his home out of fear of retribution, but sources close to both Morton and Cruise claim the author knows he can’t back up many of the book’s claims.

Among the claims in the book is that Cruise is the de facto No. 2 leader of the Church of Scientology.

“The guy is a liar,” says one source who is very familiar with Morton’s writing process. “It’s shocking what little legitimacy any of his work has.” Indeed, even publishers in England — a country with very liberal libel standards — are wary of their countryman’s claim, and will not publish the book in England. Moreover, in 2005, Morton lost a libel case in Africa, and was made to pay Kenya's Chief of Justice 45,000 pounds for a statement Morton made in his biography of former Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi.

Video   Battle over Cruise bio Jan 7: A book about Tom Cruise to be published by Princess Diana biographer Andrew Morton is making waves. NBC’s Dawna Friesen reports. Today show

One of the more troubling aspects of the tome, according to insiders, is that this time around Morton involves Cruise’s children. “Anybody who would stoop as low as to insult Tom’s children deserves to be called out on the lies. He says that Suri was ‘conceived like Rosemary’s Baby,’ which is like calling her the devil. That’s outrageous and insulting,” says one source.

A variety of other issues in the book involve clear inconsistencies or falsehoods, according to Cruise's camp:

• In one instance Morton refers to Dustin Hoffman as Cruise’s best man in his wedding to Nicole Kidman then later claims that Cruise’s close friend (and noted Scientologist) David Miscavige was his best man.
• Morton resurrects the rumor that Scientologists “planted a meadow of flowers for Tom and Nicole to run through.” For years, scores of Scientologist sources and non-Scientologist sources claim that the “meadow” existed long before Tom and Nicole’s union.
• Morton claims that Miscavige accompanied Cruise and Holmes on their honeymoon. Not only was Miscavige spotted in London by a number of people at the same time he should have been with Cruise, but a source claimed to be on a plane leaving Italy after the wedding with Miscavige.

At best, Morton’s book is a best-of collection of Cruise rumors, most of which (if not all) have been refuted time and again. At worst, the book appears to be a personal attack on Cruise and his family. “He’s got an agenda, this is what Andrew Morton does. It’s just outrageous that he gets away with it.”

Don't miss this on MSNBC.com Pass it on: Sons of infertile men may be next The eight biggest Olympic marketing debacles Reality show judges range from wise to wacko Cosmic Log: Is this your jetpack? Forget your inhibitions: World's sexiest islands

MORE FROM ENTERTAINMENT

Entertainment Section Front

Susan Boyle to her bullies: ‘I’m all grown up’ NPR’s Carl Kasell to leave ‘Morning Edition’ Michael Jackson ‘Opus’ book offers rare images Big night for Michael Jackson at AMAs ‘New Moon’ takes in $142.8 million at box office Oprah decides to end show ‘after much prayer’ Will Ferrell is Hollywood's most overpaid star Robert Pattinson talks about dating Kristen   Lautner: Swift’s 'SNL' shout out made me blush Do you have a question for Susan Boyle? Entertainment Section Front   Add Entertainment headlines to your news reader: