WEEKEND TV : A REPRISE FOR ‘MOTOWN RETURNS TO THE APOLLO’

With the nominees for this year’s prime-time Emmy Awards just announced, NBC this weekend is dusting off one of last year’s winners: “Motown Returns to the Apollo.”

The three-hour broadcast, which will be shown Sunday at 8 p.m. on Channels 4, 36 and 39, won the Emmy as the 1984-85 season’s best variety or music special.

Originally telecast May 19, 1985, the program pays tribute to the reopening of Harlem’s famed Apollo theater and features appearances by Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Little Richard, the Four Tops, the Temptations, Patti LaBelle, Tina Turner, James Brown and Debbie Allen, among others. Bill Cosby hosts.

For other musical palates there is “Evening at Pops,” airing Sunday at 6 p.m. on Channel 28, at 7 p.m. on Channel 50 and at 8 p.m. on Channel 15.

Today, meanwhile, KTTV Channel 11 celebrates Lucille Ball’s 75th birthday--which actually falls Wednesday--with its fourth annual birthday salute, consisting of nine hours of “I Love Lucy” episodes. The marathon begins at 9 a.m. and continues until 6 p.m., with brief appearances at various interludes by celebrities delivering birthday greetings to Lucy.