NEW YORK OVERNIGHT : Sylvia Sidney, Though Ailing, Bubbly Adherent

SYLVIA SIDNEY AILING: Screen star of yesteryear Sylvia Sidney, 79, is in intensive care in serious condition in a Connecticut hospital, according to doctors. Her nephew, Dr. Albert Sabin, who found a vaccine for polio, has been at her bedside.

Sidney, star of countless films and co-star to such stars as James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart, has been in the hospital since last Sunday suffering from pneumonia. She had been on a cruise to the Caribbean and returned to her New York apartment before she became ill and was taken to the hospital, where she fell into a coma. She awoke on Thursday to face Dr. Sabin.

“Oh, my God,” said Sidney. “I haven’t seen you in years. Let’s have some champagne.” Dr. Sabin had champagne brought in and allowed some of it to touch Sidney’s lips. Then she fell asleep.

O’DWYER BACK IN POLITICS: Paul O’Dwyer, who’ll be 83 in June, will be the oldest commissioner on the New York City payroll next week when he is sworn in as commissioner for the United Nations.

“I hope that I’ll encourage people not to retire but to stay active,” O’Dwyer said.

O’Dwyer, younger brother of the late Mayor William O’Dwyer, served as City Council president 16 years ago. During his legal career, he often went to bat for unpopular causes and minority groups.

“This is an exciting time for me because I helped most of the nations now emerging independently on their own,” O’Dwyer said. “Now I’ll be greeting their leaders as they come to New York.”

The commissioner’s post is still held by Gilliam Sorenson, wife of former John F. Kennedy speech writer Ted Sorenson. Gilliam will most likely go to work for a U.N. agency.

ANNIE 2: “Annie 2” is coming back, rewritten and tightened up. The sequel to the Broadway smash “Annie” is going through the same process as the original, starting at a small theater and going through revisions.

“Annie 2,” you’ll recall, was put on the stage by Martin Charnin and Charles Strouse in Washington, bound for Broadway. It opened in Washington in January and bombed immediately.

Well, the author of “Annie,” who penned “Annie 2,” Tom Meehan, said it’s back and starts casting again April 23. Only this time it’ll be done without Dorothy Loudon, who gambled on it in Washington, and they’ve even ordered a new Sandy, the pooch. The dog used to play Sandy in the sequel got his walking papers. But Harve Presnell (Daddy Warbucks) and Maryann Seldes (Mrs. Christmas) agreed to stay with the show, which will open at the Norman Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., in May for eight weeks.

HERE AND THERE: There’s no telling about taste. Gov. Mario M. Cuomo was asked about broccoli in view of the presidential edict that there won’t be any broccoli served on Air Force One. He said, “I’m for broccoli, cauliflower and escarole. Very big on escarole.” . . . The TV film “Law and Order” was being filmed on the steps of New York’s Supreme Court the other morning and Michael Moriarty was playing the role of the Manhattan district attorney being mobbed by reporters. The scene caused quite a stir and caught the attention of Assistant Dist. Atty. John F. Kennedy Jr., who stopped to watch the scene played out. Then, it was back to work.