24

Eric Balfour's neighbors claim the actor's latest role is peeping tom, but Eric thinks the buzz next door -- from a beehive -- is killing him ... this according to court docs filed in their block war.

Eric, who starred in "24" and "Six Feet Under," is in a heated dispute with his Venice neighbors, who tried to get a restraining order against him. In the docs, they say he's harassing their whole family by peeping at the wife and daughter through bathroom and bedroom windows.

The neighbors, Douglas Dick and Nuanchan Suklom, also say Balfour has been putting threatening letters in their mailbox for years. According to the docs, they're worried because they claim he owns a gun.

As for why Balfour would have it out for them ... the couple says he's been accusing them of running an Airbnb out of their home, and keeping a thriving beehive in their backyard. Best of all, they say Eric blasted them for extra loud meditating.

Eric's rep tells TMZ ... Eric and his wife are renovating their home, and were aware the neighbors made numerous complaints to the city about the remodel. She adds, "They have been friendly and cordial through the entire process with Eric agreeing to the neighbors' requested changes."

Fox is being sued by a watch company that made a deal to produce special "24" timepieces ... a deal which turned into a financial disaster.

The U.S. Agency Watch Company claims Fox was asleep at the wheel in providing a style guide and approving watch designs branded specifically for "24." The company claims Fox dragged it's feet for months, and by the time they finally got approval they couldn't meet their production deadline.

They say as a result 15,000 orders had to be cancelled.

On the bright side, we're thinking the watches that were actually produced may become collector's items and more valuable.

Sounds like Jack Bauer needed just a few more minutes.

Kiefer Sutherland didn't just drink while filming -- "24" co-star Giles Matthey says ... he drank BIG ... which is interesting in the wake of Freddie Prinze, Jr.'s recent rant.

Giles played Jordan Reed on the latest season of the hit show and was known to partake in an adult beverage or two (or 3 or 4) with Kiefer. When we caught up to him back in May, Giles said there's no hops or barley on Jack Bauer's party menu -- only WHISKEY.

"No beers for him," Giles tells us.

This comes on the heels of former "24" star Prinze going off on Kiefer yesterday -- as we reported ... Prinze claimed Kiefer would regularly show up on set drunk and was so unprofessional Freddie almost quit acting altogether.

Cool thing is -- this video was shot two months ago, so Giles wasn't reacting to recent events.

Gotta give it to Kiefer, though ... when he goes hard, so does everybody else -- he's well known for ringing the bell and hooking up the entire bar.

Freddie Prinze, Jr. believes alcohol made Kiefer Sutherland impossible to deal with on the set of "24" ... but a key Fox source tells TMZ Freddie's claims are BS.

Sources connected with Freddie tell TMZ ... the actor claims Kiefer would regularly show up on set drunk ... sitting in his trailer often for hours, as everyone waited. The sources say it messed with the lives of the family of cast and crew.

Freddie, we're told, claims Kiefer was temperamental and got people fired he didn't like, yet "24" producers consistently cow-towed to him ... as one source put it, "All they did was keep rewarding him."

Our sources claim Freddie was groomed to take over the series but it became such a nightmare for him he bailed.

Keifer's rep tells TMZ, "Kiefer worked with Freddie Prinze, Jr. more than 5 years ago, and this is the first he has heard of Freddie's grievances." The rep adds, "Kiefer enjoyed working with Freddie and wishes him the best."

A Fox official tells TMZ ... Kiefer was "nothing but professional during the run of the show and is beloved by cast and crew." The honcho adds, "It's so out of left field, 5 years later."

The official goes on, "We wouldn't have done another '24' if Kiefer were anything like Freddie described."

Freddie Prinze Jr. just UNLOADED on Kiefer Sutherland -- saying he HATED working with Kiefer on "24" and calling him the "most unprofessional dude in the world."

Freddie made the comments at Comic-Con -- telling ABC News Radio his experience on "24" in 2010 was so bad, he wanted to quit acting altogether.

"I did '24' ... it was terrible. I hated every moment of it. I just wanted to quit the business after that. So, I just sort of stopped."

He then turned his sights to Sutherland -- saying, "Kiefer was the most unprofessional dude in the world. That's not me talking trash, I'd say it to his face. I think everyone that's worked with him has said that."

In fact, Prinze Jr. still hates Kiefer so badly, he took a shot at the actor for being short -- saying, "I went and worked for Vince McMahon at the WWE, for Christ's sake … but, at least he was cool and tall. I didn't have to take my shoes off to do scenes with him, which they made me do [at 24]. Just put the guy on an apple box or don't hire me next time. You know I'm 6 feet and he's 5'4."

He clearly changed his tune ... back in 2010 Prinze had nothing but good things to say about working with Kiefer.

Ouch.

Jack Bauer could FINALLY end up killing terrorists on the big screen ... at least according to Kiefer Sutherland who tells TMZ there's still a very real chance "24" could be made into a feature film.

Kiefer was out with his '24' team at Mr. Chow last night -- executive producer Howard Gordon and director Jon Cassar -- and we figured it was the perfect time to ask about Jack's long-term future.

The rumors of a "24" movie have been swirling for years -- and got even stronger when show honchos announced the series was returning to TV next summer after taking a break back in 2010.

Howard Gordon, the Executive Producer of "Homeland" and "24" has been sued by the family of a man who was killed after Gordon's wife struck him with the family car.

Here's what we know ... Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Gordon's wife, Cambria, was driving in Santa Monica on July 20th when her cell phone fell off the seat onto the floor of the car. Cambria reached down to retrieve the phone when her car struck 83-year-old pedestrian William Howard Smerling.

Smerling was taken to the hospital, where he hung on but died a month later.

According to the lawsuit, Smerling had the right of way and Cambria was negligent by taking her eyes off the road. Howard is being sued because he's the registered owner of the car along with his wife. Under California law, the registered owners are responsible for the misdeeds of those who drive with their permission.

And law enforcement sources tell us ... Cambria will be charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. The maximum penalty is 1 year in jail, but typically first offenders end up on probation.

We've learned the "24" star and members of the show's crew popped into The Spot in San Pedro, California last week after wrapping up a shoot nearby -- and they were ready to get their drink on.

According to an employee at the bar, Kiefer was throwing back scotch & Cokes and bought drinks for everybody in the joint -- roughly 30 people. The total damage: $500. No food ... all booze.

The drinks may have been stiff, but Kiefer wasn't -- we're told he tipped $200.

FYI: We're told Sutherland -- who has a few DUIs under his belt -- was responsible this time and used a designated driver when he left the bar.

Kiefer went on the celebratory bender in Covina, Cal. Saturday, after blowing $20,000 on two Kawasaki street bikes at Bert's Mega Mall.

After the big buy, we're told Kiefer and pals -- including a few bike shop employees -- headed over to Clancy's bar a few blocks away. Our sources say Kiefer slammed shots and beer until 2 in the morning -- falling to the ground at one point.

Somewhere, Kiefer Sutherland is icing down his dome.

So, we ask ... really broken or an excuse for a nose job?

In Brentwood yesterday, our photog's attempts to pick her up didn't go quite as planned.

The three guys are now facing second degree felony charges after they allegedly set up bombs made out of "two liter bottles, fireworks and Styrofoam cups" on top of parking garage in Lakeland, Fla. on Monday. The bombs were props the morons were using for a video competition sponsored by Mountain Dew and the TV show "24" called "24 Seconds to Save the World."

Cops told us the morons turned themselves in after a parking garage attendant noticed the devices -- and then alerted pretty much the entire Lakeland law enforcement. The bomb squad ended up "neutralizing" one of the bombs and detonating the other.

The three amigos each face a charge of "making, possessing, throwing, projecting, placing, or discharging a destructive device or attempt to do so" -- a far cry from the $2,400 cash prize and trip to L.A. they were trying to win.

In less than a minute, Jack Bauer's ultra-efficient confidant Chloe O'Brian -- aka Mary Lynn Rajskub -- let us know how she thinks "24" is all gonna end.

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