Today’s News, Tomorrow’s Television : Movie Channel unearths Bette Davis’ ‘Poison,’ not seen since ‘51; A&E; looks at rock ‘n’ roll in 10 parts

MOVIES

Bette Davis’ “Another Man’s Poison” has never been seen since it was first shown in movie theaters in 1951-until now. The Movie Channel will broadcast the thriller Dec. 17. It stars Davis as a mystery writer who kills her escaped convict husband and is blackmailed by another convict, played by Davis’ one-time real life husband Gary Merrill.

CBS Entertainment Productions has joined forces with Granada Television, Great Britain’s independent television company, to develop and produce up to six made-for-TV movies during the next three years.

Jaclyn Smith, Ben Gazzara and Nick Mancuso have completed the CBS movie “Lies Before Kisses” for airing later in the season. The psychological drama finds Smith playing a woman whose perfect life begins to unravel when she learns her wealthy husband (Gazzara) spent the night with a prostitute.

SERIES

NBC’s “The Golden Girls” won the first-place Women at Work Broadcast “Alice” Award in the Entertainment category in the 1990 competition, sponsored by the National Commission on Working Women. “The Golden Girls” was honored for the episode “Rose Fights Back,” which aired October, 1989.

Kevin Spacey has just completed the American Playhouse production of “Darrow,” a two-hour drama about legendary attorney Clarence Darrow, for future broadcast. Filmed on location in Pittsburgh, Pa., “Darrow,” with Spacey playing the title role, will be telecast later in the season.

John Sebastian of The Lovin’ Spoonful fame hosts “The Golden Age of Rock and Roll,” a new 10-part series on A&E;, premiering Jan. 6 at 6 p.m. The first installment, “Sweet Soul Music,” examines such soul artists as James Brown and Wilson Pickett.

Raspy-voiced Colin Quinn, late of MTV’s “Remote Control,” has been signed as the host for the new season of “Caroline’s Comedy Hour” on A&E.; In addition to introducing the comedians, Quinn will be featured in pre-taped comedy sketches interspersed between the stand-up routines.

Paul Provenza is the host of “Comics Only,” a new talk show featuring comedians exclusively, which premieres next month on HA! The TV Comedy Network. Comedians Richard Belzer, Phil Hartman, Jimmy Walker, Jeff Altman and Charles Fleischer are scheduled to appear.

Martin Mull will provide the voice of “Dad” on CBSU new animated mid-season replacement, “Family Dog.” The series, from executive producers Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton and Dennis Klein, centers on the day-to-day life of a nameless family dog.

Debbie Reynolds will host 26 segments of “Debbie Reynolds’ Movie Memories” for the AMC network, beginning June 1. The weekly series will feature Reynolds chatting with veteran Hollywood stars, producers, directors and craftspeople. Reynolds’ daughter, Carrie Fisher, also is scheduled to visit with her mother.

Throughout January, TBS will air full-length, unedited versions of the classic TV series “The Andy Griffith Show” weekdays at 3:35 p.m. These episodes feature classic epilogues--the final wrap-ups at the end of each show that had been cut for commercials-and with all other program cuts ompletely restored.

SPECIALS

Production was recently completed on “7 Up in America,” a one-hour special for future broadcast on CBS, that looks at America through the eyes of nineteen 7-year-olds. The special is based on the 1963 British documentary “7 Up” and its award-winning 1984 sequel “28 Up.” Phil Joanou, who directed “Three O’Clock High,” “U2 Rattle and Hum” and the recent “State of Grace,” directed the documentary.

CBS celebrates the ageless George Burns’ 95th birthday with a two-hour special, “George Burns’ 95th Birthday Party,” which will be taped Jan. 6 in Los Angeles for airing at a later date.

SOAPS

International model Leonard Stabb has joined the cast of ABC’s “One Life to Live” as the mysterious film producer and actor, Hunter Guthrie.