Box office

‘Beauty and the Beast’ roars:

Disney’s live-action “Beauty” was a beast at the box office, opening with an estimated $170 million in North American ticket sales and setting a new high for family movies. According to studio estimates Sunday, “Beauty and the Beast” blew past the previous recordholder for G- or PG-rated releases — Disney’s “Finding Dory” debuted last year with $135 million. “Beauty and the Beast” is the latest effort by Disney to re-create one of its animated classics with live action and digital effects.

March 20 birthdays:

Actor-producer Carl Reiner is 95. Actor Hal Linden is 86. Actor William Hurt is 67. Director Spike Lee is 60. Actress Holly Hunter is 59. Model Kathy Ireland is 54. Actor Michael Rapaport is 47. Actress Ruby Rose is 31.

SOURCE: Associated Press, estimated sales, Friday–Sunday.