A pair of Savages

Fred Savage, 28, star of the former “Wonder Years,” on Aug. 7 married Jennifer Stone, 31, a real estate broker who was a childhood friend. The couple lost touch when Savage moved from Chicago to Hollywood in 1988, but met at a birthday party in 1999 and sparks flew. (“We started talking and smooching, and we’ve been together ever since,” Savage told People.) Stanford-grad Savage described Stone as “a nice Jewish girl” in a 2001 interview, adding that this was his first serious relationship.

A new Morningstar?

Earlier this year, I was a bit intrigued when actress Scarlett Johansson, 19, who shot to stardom in the indie hits “Lost in Translation” and “Girl with the Pearl Earring,” paid for the movie rights for a possible remake of “Marjorie Morningstar.” The Herman Wouk best-selling novel about a pretty, bright young Jewish woman was made into a so/so movie in the ’50s, with the “ethnic part” downplayed.

A recent BBC interview with English director Peter Webber (“Girl with a Pearl Earring”) helps explain Johannson’s interest in “Morningstar.” Webber, who is Jewish on his father’s side, told the BBC, “Her parentage is — mum’s side, Jewish family from outta the Bronx. Her dad is from Denmark. So … interesting!”

Johansson grew up mostly in New York; her dad was an architect, her mom a movie producer. Named after the heroine of “Gone With the Wind,” she began acting at 8 and turned in memorable performances even as a child. The young actress is universally described as beautiful and intelligent, and I think she would make a great Marjorie Morningstar.

Kirk gets legal

William Shatner is up for a 2004 Emmy for his guest performances as a high-powered lawyer on “The Practice.” He will co-star with James Spader of “The Practice” in the series “Boston Legal,” starting Oct. 3 on ABC-TV. They will reprise their “Practice” roles and will be joined by a bunch of other lawyers who are much better looking than the average members of the bar.

Courtside

“Bookkeeper to Supreme Court justice in one generation”: That was the way Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg described her own family history. She spoke Aug. 22 at a celebration of the 350th anniversary of Jewish settlement in America at the country’s oldest synagogue, Touro, in Newport, R.I. Ginsburg’s mother was a bookkeeper. Like many U.S. Jews of the post-war era, Ginsburg said she benefited from the virtual end of discrimination against American Jews and could reach heights her mother could only imagine.

Isaacs to Scaasi in one minute

Fashion designer Arnold Scaasi, 73, has written a “catty and chatty” autobiography titled “Women I Have Dressed (and Undressed).” This guilty pleasure will appeal most to those who want the inside scoop on the famous women of a prior generation — like Jackie Onassis (“Never wanted to pay for anything”) and Barbara Bush (Has only four toes on each foot. Her husband’s nickname for her is “Eight.”).

Scaasi was born Arnold Isaacs to a Montreal Jewish family and his continental last name is simply “Isaacs” spelled backwards. Scaasi’s popularity has faded in recent years and he doesn’t offer his readers much first-hand gossip on today’s hottest stars. As a matter-of-fact, even some of his revelations about famous women of the past falls into the “we really didn’t need to know this” category. Like First Lady Mamie Eisenhower’s refusal to wear a bra.

Nate Bloom is the Oakland-based editor of www.Jewhoo.com.