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Inside Politics

Celebrities ante up for Democratic campaigns

Story Highlights

• Contributors to Democratic presidential campaigns resemble Hollywood A-list
• Some celebrities contributed to more than one campaign
• A number of celebrities donated maximum amount allowed by law
By Robert Yoon
CNN Washington Bureau
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- What do Hugh Hefner, Jennifer Aniston, Jerry Springer, and Mr. Spock have in common?

They've all weighed in on the 2008 presidential race and given their two cents (plus a little extra) to their favorite White House hopefuls.

Scores of Oscar-winners, sitcom actors and high-powered studio executives have opened their wallets this year and given much-needed campaign cash to several candidates, according to a CNN review of reports filed with the Federal Election Commission over the weekend.

Some stars are regular political contributors, like actress Susan Sarandon and Barbra Streisand, but several, like Aniston and "Scrubs" actor Zach Braff, are fairly new to the game.

A few donors, like Streisand and film director Steven Spielberg, couldn't decide on a single candidate and gave to all three Democratic frontrunners: senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, and former Sen. John Edwards.

While Democratic candidates have fared best so far among these high-profile donors, Republican Rudy Giuliani scored a handful of notable contributions, including checks from comedic actors Adam Sandler and Kelsey Grammer.

Here is a list of more celebrities who contributed to the 2008 presidential candidates from January through March 2007:

Sen. Hillary Clinton

Comedian Chevy Chase, $4,600

TV's "Murphy Brown" and "Boston Legal" star Candice Bergen, $4,600

"King of the Hill" and "Sister Act" star Kathy Najimy, $2,300

Film director/producer Steven Spielberg and his wife, actress Kate Capshaw Spielberg, each gave $2,300 for a total of $4,600

Actress Mary Steenburgen, $4,600

Actress Christine Lahti, $2,300

Music producer Quincy Jones, $4,600

Film critic Rex Reed, $1,000

Film director/producer/actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner each gave $2,300, for a total of $4,600

Donald Trump's children and "The Apprentice" co-stars each gave to Clinton. Daughter Ivanka Trump gave $1,000, while son Donald J. Trump Jr. gave $4,000. Trump's ex-wife Marla Maples gave $1,000.

Talk show host Rosie O'Donnell, $2,300.

Singer and actress Barbra Streisand, $2,300

Model Christie Brinkley, $1,650

Singer Barry Manilow, $2,300

Producer and activist Laurie David, wife of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star and "Seinfeld" co-creator Larry David, $4,600

Actor and producer Michael Douglas, $4,600

Talk show host and former Cincinnati mayor Jerry Springer, $4,600

"Cosby Show" producer Marcy Carsey, $4,600

"All in the Family" producer Norman Lear, $2,300

Novelist Anne Rice, $4,600

Singer and Eagles drummer Don Henley, $4,600

Motown founder Berry Gordy, $4,600

Playboy founder Hugh Hefner gave $2,300. His estranged wife Kimberly Hefner also gave $2,300.

Philanthropist/former studio executive Sherry Lansing, $2,300

Songwriter Carole Bayer Sager, $4,600

"21 Jump Street" star Holly Robinson-Peete, $2,300

Actress Jami Gertz, $2,000

"St. Elsewhere" actress Cynthia Sikes Yorkin gave $9,200, although the limit is $4,600. Her husband, director Bud Yorkin, gave an additional $4,600.

Sen. Barack Obama

Singer and actress Barbra Streisand, $2,300

"Scrubs" star Zach Braff, $2,300

Actor Morgan Freeman, $2,300

Actor Tom Hanks, $4,600

Actor and former "24" president Dennis Haysbert, $2,300

"Spiderman" actor Tobey Maguire, $2,300

Actor and comedian Eddie Murphy, $2,300

Actor Edward Norton, $2,300

"Heroes" co-star Adrian Pasdar, $2,300

Actor and director Mario Van Peebles, $2,300

Actor and comedian Ben Stiller gave $2,300. His wife and sometimes-co-star Christine Taylor gave $2,300.

"Gilmore Girls" co-star David Sutcliffe, $250

The original Willy Wonka, Gene Wilder, and his wife Karen Wilder each gave $2,300, for a total of $4,600.

"Amen" co-star Anna Maria Horsford, ave $2,300

"Star Trek" actor Leonard Nimoy and his wife Susan Nimoy each gave $2,300.

"Friends" star Jennifer Aniston, $2,300

Actress Rosanna Arquette, $2,300

Actress Angela Bassett, $2,300

"Sabrina the Teenage Witch" co-star Beth Broderick, $500

Film director and producer Steven Spielberg gave $2,300. His wife actress Kate Capshaw, also gave $2,300.

Dreamworks SKG co-founder David Geffen, $2,300

Dreamworks SKG co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg, Marilyn Katzenberg and David Katzenberg each gave $2,300, for a total of $6,900

Actress Jodie Foster, $2,300

Actress Jami Gertz, $2,300

Character actress Dana Ivey, $1,000

"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" Oscar-winner and "Roseanne" co-star Estelle Parsons, $1,000

"St. Elsewhere" actress Cynthia Sikes, $2,300

Actress Gabrielle Union, $2,300

Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines, $4,600

Talk show host Rosie O'Donnell, $2,300

TV interviewer Byron Allen, $4,600

Model Kate Dillon, $532.55

Film producer Brian Grazer, $4,600

Musician Branford Marsalis, $4,600

Singer Barry Manilow, $2,300

Singer Graham Nash, $2,300

TV producer Steven Bochco, $2,100

Film producer Lawrence Bender, $2,300

Motown founder Berry Gordy, $2,300

TV producer Norman Lear, $2,300

"Mad About You" star Paul Reiser, $2,300

Actress Susan Sarandon, $1,000

Hair products mogul Vidal Sassoon and Rhonda Sassoon each gave $2,300 for a total of $4,600

Songwriter Carole Bayer Sager, $2,300

Reality show producer Mark Burnett, $2,300

TV producer Marcy Carsey, $2,300

Former Playboy bunny Kimberly Hefner, estranged wife of Hugh Hefner, gave $2,300

"Friends" creator and producer Marta Kauffman, $4,200

Philanthropist and former studio executive Sherry Lansing, $2,300

Film and TV producer James L. Brooks, $2,300

TV producer Paul Witt, $2,300

Singer-songwriter Jackson Browne, $4,600

Former Sen. John Edwards

Actor and "Simpsons" voice-over Hank Azaria, $2,300

Actor and former "West Wing" vice president Gary Cole, $2,300

Actor Seth Green, $4,600

Steven Spielberg and his wife actress Kate Capshaw Spielberg each gave $2,300 for a total of $4,600

Actress Madeleine Stowe, $1,000

Director Brett Ratner, $4,600

Film director and producer Rob Reiner, $2,300

Singer and actress Barbra Streisand, $2,300

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani

"Frasier" and "Cheers" star Kelsey Grammer, $2,300

Actor and "Dancing with the Stars" contestant John O'Hurley, $4,600

Actor and former "Saturday Night Live" cast member Adam Sandler, $2,100

Actor and conservative commentator Ben Stein, $750


story.streisand.gi.gif

Longtime Democratic activist Barbra Streisand, shown here with former President Bill Clinton, contributed to all three Democratic front-runners.

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