TODAY’S NEWS, TOMMOROW’S TELEVISON : The comings and goings in two daytime soaps; Branagh’s ‘Henry V’ makes its bow on Disney

Yasmine Bleeth, Ryan Fenelli on ABC’s defunct daytime drama “Ryan’s Hope,” has joined the cast of that network’s “One Life to Live.” Bleeth is playing Lee Ann, a young, naive daughter of the manipulative midwife, Du Ann Demerest.

Lisa Howard, who plays April Ramirez-Corelli, and Antony Alda, also known as Johnny Corelli, will be departing NBC’s daytime series “Days of Our Lives” this month. Official word on their departure is that there isn’t any story line left for their characters.

Patrick McGoohan of “Secret Agent” and “The Prisoner” fame is in London playing George Bernard Shaw in a TV version of the stage play “The Best of Friends” by Hugh Whitemore, based on a 20-year exchange of letters between Shaw and two friends. Sir John Gielgud and Dame Wendy Hiller portray Shaw’s friends, Sir Sydney Cockerell and Laurentia McLachlan.

TBS presents the colorized version of the 1955 black-and-white film classic “The Blackboard Jungle” on May 9 at 5:05 p.m. Glenn Ford, Sidney Poitier and Vic Morrow star in the explosive drama set in a New York inner-city high school. Richard Brooks wrote and directed; Bill Haley and the Comets perform the title tune “Rock Around the Clock.”

On June 23, The Disney Channel will present the world television premiere of “Henry V,” Kenneth Branagh’s award-winning 1989 adaptation of Shakespeare’s historical play. Branagh received Oscar nominations for best actor and best director. Derek Jacobi, Judi Dench, Paul Scofield, Ian Holm and Emma Thompson (Mrs. Branagh) also star.

TBS’ “World of Audubon” series explores the issue of livestock overgrazing on public lands in the documentary “The New Range Wars,” premiering June 23. Actor Peter Coyote hosts.

“The Statler Bros. Show,” the Nashville Network’s first original variety series, has begun production in Nashville and will premiere in October. Starring the most award-winning musical act in the history of country music, “The Statler Bros. Show” will feature such guest stars as Barbara Mandrell, Jimmy Dean, Conway Twitty, Reba McEntire and Roger Miller.