NORRIS TO HOST ANTI-DRUG DRAMA

Chuck Norris is coming to television.

Cannon Television, the 3-month old television division of the Cannon Group, is developing a drama with an anti-drug theme that Norris will host and possibly star in, according to plans revealed Wednesday by Steve Konow, executive vice president.

Though the project is still in the development stage, Konow said, “we have been to a network and they are very interested. They think Chuck reaches the audience they want to reach with this message.”

The program’s tentative title is “Chuck Norris Presents ‘Say No.’ ”

Firm plans for Cannon’s new TV wing include made-for-TV movies starring Cheryl Ladd and Lindsay Wagner for CBS and a remake of the 1956 Alec Guinness-Peter Sellers film, “The Lady Killers.” The latter will be produced by Dick Clark Productions as part of a multiple-project arrangement with Cannon.

Clark also is developing two weekly series, a miniseries and a made-for-TV movie. All would be financed and distributed worldwide by Cannon.

Louis Gossett Jr., Lionel Chetwynd and Georg Stanford Brown are among others whom Cannon Television has signed to develop and produce TV projects. The company also is planning a weekly series based on the Cannon film “Delta Force,” which starred Norris.

Comedian Chevy Chase will be guest host of “The Tonight Show” Oct. 31, marking his first time behind Johnny Carson’s desk. Guests will include Paul Simon and Jay Leno. Chase has appeared on the show numerous times as a guest.

Home Box Office’s “Comic Relief” special, Cinemax’s “Max Headroom Show” and Garry Shandling’s “25th Anniversary” special on Showtime are among the 258 nominations for the Eighth Annual Awards for Cable Excellence announced this week by the sponsoring National Academy of Cable Programming.

HBO garnered the most nominees with 99, followed by Showtime with 71, Arts & Entertainment with 18, ESPN with 13, Cable News Network with 12 and the Disney Channel with 10.

Awards will be given out Jan. 20 at the Wiltern Theatre and televised nationally that evening on cable superstation WTBS.