WEEKEND TV : PBS OFFERS FIVE NOEL COWARD STORIES

Writers of drama and fiction often liken their work to giving birth. The analogy is carried one step further in “Star Quality,” where a writer’s trauma about the transformation of his play from page to stage is that of a parent sending his child off to school for the first time. He knows the offspring will be influenced by the outside world; he just doesn’t know how.

Could such a fragile, internal theme be the subject of a TV movie? Not on our commercial networks. But leave it to the BBC. Gently, deftly, Noel Coward’s short story about the fitful machinations of mounting a theatrical production has been turned into a lively and evocative drama that stars Peter Chelsom as the writer, Ian Richardson as the director and Susannah York as the leading actress.

The 90-minute program is the first of five Coward short stories that form the newest offering on public television’s “Masterpiece Theatre,” airing Sunday at 8 p.m. on Channels 50 and 24 and at 9 p.m. on Channels 28 and 15. They are being presented under the umbrella title of the first one, “Star Quality.”

Coward was well beyond “Private Lives” and his other droll comedies when he wrote these stories, and his themes are certainly more serious. But flashes of wit are there to be savored--as when Richardson’s director meets York’s actress for the first time and, in the opening round of their subtle battle of one-upmanship, cryptically gushes, “I’ve admired nearly everything you’ve ever done.”

Adapted by Stanley Price and directed by Alan Dossor, “Star Quality” demonstrates that small themes can deliver large pleasures.

Meanwhile, on the movie front, Monday’s presentation of the 59th Academy Awards will be previewed and handicapped throughout the weekend.

Film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert will reveal how they would vote on this year’s Oscar nominees in an hourlong special edition of their syndicated show. It will be seen today at 1 p.m. (7) and 11 p.m. (42), and on Sunday at 11 a.m. (7) and 5 p.m. (7).

Their public-television counterparts, Michael Medved and Jeffrey Lyons, will do the same on “Sneak Previews,” at 10:30 tonight (28).

KABC-TV Channel 7, which will broadcast the ceremonies Monday at 6 p.m., will try to get viewers ready with “Countdown to the Academy Awards” (at 7 tonight and 11:45 p.m. Sunday, with Steve Edwards and Dee Wallace Stone as hosts) and “Road to the Academy Awards,” a syndicated special hosted by critic Joel Siegel (Sunday at noon).

KTLA Channel 5 gets into the act with “Rex Reed & Bill Harris at the Oscars,” at midnight tonight and Sunday at 8 p.m. “Entertainment This Week” also will preview the awards ceremonies: today at 2 p.m. (3) and 7 p.m. (36), and Sunday at 6 p.m. (4) and 11:30 p.m. (10).