Quibbles & Bits

. . . So, he’s been lying about his age: The Motion Pic Academy sent out a press release with the headline, “Paul Newman to Make 60th Oscar Show Appearance.”

. . . Rating Oscar contenders in his subscription newsletter, the Hollywood Reporter’s Martin Grove included France’s “Jean de Florette,” Italy’s “Dark Eyes” and Japan’s “Tampopo” as favorites in the Foreign Language category--and Italy’s “The Family” as a dark horse. We’re betting on the latter--the official Italian entry--since the others aren’t eligible in the category.

. . . KABC TalkRadio gabber Tom Snyder has apparently made the full swing from newsman to “personality”--he’s plugging a local toy train store in a radio spot.

. . . What Vanna hath wrought: A recent Daily Variety carried an ad announcing a syndicated game show based on the Yahtzee dice game (“First the game . . . now the TV comedy game-show!”). And elsewhere in the same issue, we find “Yahtzee” dice roller Kelly Grant seeking representation--highlighting in her career description . . . “Dice girl/co-host.”

. . . We knew it was a war, but geez! Suzan O’Hara has been named “Director of Strategic Alliances” for Disney’s marketing division.

. . . The current issue of Los Angeles magazine has a big spread on Chiat/Day advertising chief Jay Chiat, whose firm is perhaps best known for its splashy Nike TV commercials. If you get far enough into the story, you’ll discover that Nike left the ad agency in 1986. Does Chiat miss ‘em? He doesn’t say. But just take a good look at the sneakers protruding from the two-page photo of him reclining in his bathtub (fully clad). He’s wearing . . . Reeboks!

. . . Public-access TV’s understated Skip E. Lowe on Frank Sinatra: “I love that man! I think he’s the greatest human being ever!”