Today’s News, Tomorrow’s Television : NBC reconstructs the slashing of Marla Hanson; TBS presents a week of the best movies ever made

Movies

New York model Marla Hanson made headlines a few years ago when men hired by her jealous admirer slashed her face with a razor. That attack and Hanson’s subsequent recovery are the subject of the upcoming NBC movie “The Marla Hanson Story,” starring Cheryl Pollak, late of NBC’s ill-fated “Hull High,” as Hanson.

Production has been completed on the TNT comedy “Crazy From the Heart,” starring Christine Lahti and Ruben Blades. Lahti plays a conservative high school principal who falls in love with a down-on-his-luck, Mexican-American farmer (Blades). Lahti’s husband, Thomas Schlamme, directs. “Crazy from the Heart” will air on TNT next year.

Paul Anka, Michael Nader and Mason Adams are featured in the latest NBC Perry Mason mystery: “Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster,” set for airing next year. This time around, Mason (Raymond Burr) defends an ex-Mafia chieftain accused of murdering his wife, only to find many other skeletons in the don’s closet.

TBS is presenting “The Greatest Week of Movies Ever II,” a weeklong festival beginning Christmas Eve and running through Dec. 30. The 36 films in the festival have won a total of 87 Oscars, 38 Golden Globes, 22 New York Film Critics awards, 13 National Board of Review citations, 14 British Academy Awards, six Directors Guild of America awards and 13 Writers Guild of America awards and have grossed in excess of $900 million. Among the films are “Cabaret,” “Ben Hur,” “On the Waterfront,” “Mutiny on the Bounty” (1935); “Patton,” “Casablanca,” “From Here to Eternity” and “Amadeus.” Series

Country-music singer/songwriter Randy Travis will make his prime-time series acting debut on NBC’s mid-season comedy “Down Home.” Travis plays himself as he visits the small Texas town of Hadley Cove to seek solace while writing new songs.

B.D. Wong, who won a Tony Award for his performance in “M. Butterfly,” will guest as a Korean immigrant in an upcoming two-hour episode of NBC’s mid-season series “Shannon’s Deal.” Tom Rickman, who wrote the films “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and “Men Don’t Leave,” scripted the episode.

Thirteen/WNET in New York, BBC/UK, ABC/Australia and TVE/ Spain are co-producing a new science series, “The Future of Medicine,” which will air on PBS in eight one-hour episodes during the 1992-93 season and will be seen worldwide. The show will examine the impact on medical practice of new scientific discoveries and the social forces that will alter the opportunities and conditions of medical care in the future.

Comedian/actress Rhonda Shear has been named host of USA Network’s “USA: Up All Night,” beginning next month. Shear, a former Miss Louisiana, has been featured in the film “Spaceballs” and has guest starred on the TV series “Cheers,” “Dallas,” and “Married I With Children.” “USA: Up All Night” features back-to-back horror, cult and futuristic action films. The series airs Fridays from midnight to 6 a.m.

A&E; unveils 42 episodes never seen in America of the classic British series “The Avengers,” starring Honor Blackman as Mrs. Catherine Gale, Patrick Macnee’s first partner, beginning Jan. 25 at 3 p.m. In addition to the 42 Blackman-Macnee episodes, there are an additional nine episodes that have never been seen here, six co-starring Julie Stevens as Venus Smith and three co-starring John Rollason as Dr. Martin King.

Lauren Bacall is the host of A&E;’s new series “General Motors Playwrights Theater,” featuring world premiere productions of one-act plays by Arthur Miller, Israel Horovitz, Robert Anderson and Jonathan C. Levine. The premiere productions begin Feb. 5 at 6 p.m. and will feature actors Darren McGavin, Fisher Stevens, Ione Skye, Olympia Dukakis, Edward Hermann and Anthony Edwards. Specials

NBC is developing “True Tales: The Real Heroes of America,” a series of four dramatic prime-time family specials featuring unusual and heroic achievements of children, adults and celebrities. The specials will be telecast later this season. SOAPS

Charles Van Eman has joined the cast of ABC’s “All My Children” as Charlie Brent, the grandson of Ruth and Joe Martin, a medical student who comes to town for Tad and Dixie’s wedding and decides to stay in Pine Valley.