Pampered Stars

How fleeting is fame: Eight-month-old twins Matthew and Stephen McMillen, appearing this season on “Dallas” as Lucas--the illegitimate newborn of Jenna (Priscilla Presley) and Bobby (Patrick Duffy)--probably will be over the hill by season’s end.

Because TV time ticks differently than real life, said agent Katie Russell, “We have to switch twins and find replacements all the time.” (Infant twins are hired as extras to portray a single baby because state labor regulations allow them to work on-camera only 20 minutes per day.)

Russell, of the Screen Children’s Agency, discovered the diapered duo in Palm Desert with the help of the Riverside Chapter of the Mothers of Twins Club--and their Hollywood careers were rolling at age 3 weeks. Mother Susy McMillen said her sons worked about “10-15 days” on the prime-time soap earlier this year and were scheduled to appear in 12 episodes.

While toiling under the jurisdiction of the Screen Extras Guild, Matthew and Stephen each earned $91 per day. No bonuses for tears, whimpers or goos.