Stars Done In by Kids’ Play at Box Office : Movies: “Home Alone,” “Look Who’s Talking Too” steal the thunder as Redford and Cher return to the screen with disappointing draws.

Kid stars dramatically upstaged superstars Robert Redford and Cher at the weekend box office, as a trio of youth-oriented titles--led by the runaway hit, “Home Alone”--topped the charts with combined ticket sales of more than $26 million.

“Mermaids”--the first film from Cher since her Academy Award-winning performance in “Moonstruck” in 1987--had opening weekend ticket sales of about $3.5 million on 918 screens, for a weak per-screen average of $3,812 and seventh place.

“Havana,” which marks the seventh teaming of Redford and director Sydney Pollack--following the 1985 Oscar winner, “Out of Africa”--had opening weekend receipts of about $2.2 million on 826 screens for a disappointing per-screen average of $2,663 and ninth place.

Meanwhile, first place again went to 20th Century-Fox’s family comedy “Home Alone.” Starring Macaulay Culkin as a plucky 8-year-old who must defend the homestead when he’s left home alone for the holidays, the film earned about $11.9 million on 2,017 screens for a per-screen average of $5,899. After five weeks’ release, it is poised to surpass the $100-million mark.

In second place, with receipts of about $8 million, was Tri-Star Pictures’ sequel to last year’s fall sleeper, “Look Who’s Talking Too.” About a trio of wise-cracking toddlers--who “speak” via voice-overs by Bruce Willis, Roseanne Barr and Damon Wayans--the film opened at 1,576 theaters, where it averaged $5,899 per screen.

Fox’s comedy-drama “Edward Scissorhands”--directed by Tim Burton (“Beetlejuice,” “Batman”) and starring Johnny Depp as an extraordinary young man with scissors for hands--was third with ticket sales of about $6.2 million. In its first week of wide release on 1,023 screens, the film had a per-screen average of $6,060.

Elsewhere among the weekend’s top 10:

“Dances With Wolves” (Orion Pictures) was fourth with $4.5 million; “Misery” (Columbia Pictures), fifth, $4.1 million; “The Rookie” (Warner Bros.), sixth, $3.5 million; “Three Men and a Little Lady” (Buena Vista), eighth, $2.7 million; “Predator II” (Fox), 10th, $1 million.

Hollywood’s seasonal offerings continue this week, with the opening of 10 additional titles, led by the Arnold Schwarzenegger comedy, “Kindergarten Cop” (opening Friday) and the Sean Connery-Michelle Pfeiffer romantic thriller “The Russia House” (opening Wednesday).