Actor William Baldwin was left terrified when a woman began stalking him for three weeks last year, only to discover the obsessed fan was invented by his practical joker wife. The Backdraft star fell for his spouse Chynna's elaborate prank, despite the fact she continually carries out such jokes.

And Baldwin only discovered the stalker, 'Melissa Farrell', was made-up when his brother Stephen revealed all at a family Thanksgiving party.

He says, "I had a celebrity stalker for three weeks. Everybody was in on it - my doorman; my neighbours; my family; my manager; my agent. I ran a political non-profit organisation, the manager of that too. I'd come home, and my wife would go, 'Honey, she called again.' So I'd go to the answering machine and she would say, 'Billy, I saw you on Columbus Avenue today. This is Melissa Farrell talking and who the hell do you think you are? You looked at me and when our eyes met, you looked the other way. All I'm asking for is a little friendship and let me tell you something mister, I'll have it.' My wife would take the cordless (phone) and record the message, and then go back in the room and play it and if it didn't sound right she'd delete it and do take two until she perfected it. Then the head of my non-profit called and said, 'Some woman named Melissa Farrell called and she was flipping out... she was ranting and raving and screaming.'"

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)