Preview ’92 : Special Occasions : Tribute or comedy, concert or politics, cable and broadcast plan for the unusual

Look for specials this TV season with themes of comedy and politics

Awards

Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase host the “CMA Awards Preview ‘92,” Sept. 26, The Nashville Network.

“The 26th Annual Country Music Association Awards” will be broadcast from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Sept. 30, CBS.

“The 15th Annual Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts,” December, CBS.

Comedy

“Tom Arnold: The Naked Truth 2,” Sunday, HBO.

“The Comedy Store 20th Anniversary Special” will feature a look at the history of the club and some never-before-seen performances by some of the biggest names in comedy, Sept. 24, NBC.

Narrated by Tom Smothers, “Jack Benny: Comedy in Bloom” offers clips and reminiscences, Oct. 5, HBO.

“HBO 20th Anniversary Special,” with original material and on-camera interviews, stars Billy Crystal, Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg, October, CBS.

“The Selling of Vince D’Angelo,” a half-hour parody about a New Jersey mobster (Danny De Vito) running for the U.S. Senate. Rhea Perlman co-stars, October, Showtime.

“Joan Rivers: Abroad in London” has a cameo appearance by Dame Edna, October, Showtime.

“Saturday Night Live Political Special” is a comic look at the elections, Nov. 1, NBC.

Don Rickles hosts “Showtime Comedy Club All-Stars VI,” which will showcase five rising stand-up comics, November, Showtime.

“The Carol Burnett 25th Anniversary” will feature the original cast from “The Carol Burnett Show” for a variety show and clip retrospective, November, CBS.

“HBO Comedy Hour: Robert Klein,” November, HBO.

Gallagher, master of props, has his own “Gallagher Special,” December, Showtime.

“Rick Reynolds: Only the Truth Is Funny” finds Reynolds reprising his 90-minute one-man show examining his personal life, December, Showtime.

“Dame Edna’s Hollywood” will feature Burt Reynolds, Barry Manilow, Sean Young and Doc Severinsen, NBC.

“The John Candy Special,” NBC.

“Bob Hope Special,” NBC.

“HBO Comedy Hour: The 15th Annual Young Comedians Show With Dana Carvey,” HBO.

A “Spinal Tap Reunion” is planned, NBC.

Dance

“Alice--The National Ballet of Canada” features the National Ballet of Canada in Glen Tetley’s ballet inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, December, Bravo.

Documentary

“Seize the Power: A Lifetime Challenge to the Women of America,” a live two-hour show hosted by Lynn Sherr, examines the status of women in the upcoming election, Tuesday, Lifetime.

“Voices of the Electorate: The African-American Voter” (Sept. 20 on KCET, KVCR and KPBS; Sept. 22 on KOCE) and “Voices of the Electorate: The Hispanic-American Voter” (Sept. 21 on KCET, KVCR, and KPBS; Sept. 23 on KOCE) chronicles how minority voters view candidate interest in their issue. Presidential candidates will be provided with an opportunity to respond.

“A Night of Pro-Choice Television” includes three shows that explore different elements of the issue: “Contraception: The Stalled Revolution,” hosted by Linda Ellerbee; “Science Held Hostage: RU-486 and the Politics of Abortion,” narrated by Cybill Shepherd, and “Whose Choice?,” hosted by Sarah Weddington, the attorney who argued and won Roe vs. Wade, Sept. 21, TBS.

“The Making of Sgt. Pepper,” Sept. 27, the Disney Channel.

The two-part “Portrait of Japan,” examines Japanese people who seek out their individualism in a homogenous nation. Richard Chamberlain (“Shogun”) hosts, Oct. 25-26, TBS.

“Rolling Stone 25th Anniversary Special,” Nov. 18, MTV.

“Alive: Twenty Years Later” recounts the story of 16 people who survived 10 weeks on an Andes mountain peak after a 1972 plane crash, November/December, CBS.

“The Island Earth,” a one-hour environmental-music special hosted by Kenny Loggins, features portraits of endangered species, the Disney Channel.

Directed by actress Lee Grant, “Women on Trial” is about bitter divorce and child-custody cases, HBO.

“A Word From Our Sponsor” features the best award-winning ads of the previous year, plus the greatest commercials of all time, culled from 50,000 ads in the archives of The New York Ad Club, NBC.

Family

“Cartoon Madness: The Fantastic Max Fleischer Cartoons” features the work of the legendary animation pioneer, creator of “Betty Boop,” “Popeye” and “Superman,” as well “Koko,” the first animated character to interact with live actors, Oct. 27, A&E.;

“The Miss America Pageant,” hosted by Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford, airs from Atlantic City, Saturday, NBC.

“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” Nov. 26, NBC.

“The 17th Annual All-New Circus of the Stars and Side Show,” Nov. 26, CBS.

“The CBS All-American Thanksgiving Day Parade” will air on Thanksgiving Day, CBS.

“Hollywood Christmas Parade,” Nov. 29, KTLA.

“The King Orange Jamboree Parade,” Dec. 31, NBC.

“Christmas in Washington” brings forth the President and First Lady and an invited audience of dignitaries as a benefit for the Children’s Hospital, NBC.

Fashion

“House of Style: Fall Edition,” hosted by supermodel Cindy Crawford, Wednesday, MTV.

“House of Style: Winter Edition” is also hosted by Cindy Crawford, Oct. 28, MTV.

Music

“Miles and Friends” from La Grande Halle in Paris, is one of the last concerts by the late trumpeter Miles Davis. Musicians include Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Bill Evans, Al Foster, John Scofield, Dave Holland and Darryl Jones, Sept. 28, Bravo.

“High Fidelity--The Adventures of the Guarneri String Quartet,” on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the string quartet is music by Haydn, Schubert, Mozart and Beethoven, Oct. 10, Bravo.

On “Video World Series,” rock stars will be pitted against each other in a series of one-on-one face-offs, with viewers voting by on a 900-number, Oct. 17, MTV.

Highlights of the “Rock ‘N’ Jock B-Ball Jam” will feature a charity basketball game with teams of athletes, musicians and actors, Oct. 24, MTV

“The Michael Bolton Special” includes songs from his soon-to-be-released album, as well as glimpses of his personal life and professional career, late October, NBC.

“Guns N’ Roses Concert,” four hours of highlights from “Guns N’ Roses Invade Paris!,” will also include performances by Aerosmith and Soundgarden, Nov. 3, MTV.

“Paul McCartney: Get Back,” a concert, November, the Disney Channel.

“A Concert for Life,” encore presentation of a tribute to Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury, Dec. 1 (World AIDS Day), MTV.

Celebrating its 15th anniversary, “Reggae Sunsplash ‘92” features performers such as Super Cat, South Africa’s Lucky Dube as well as Aswad, Steel Pulse and The Mighty Diamonds. The program was taped at the Bob Marley Performing Arts Center in Montego Bay, Jamaica, in August. The suggested retail price is $17.50, Pay-per-view.

“Dire Straits: Live From the South of France!” will air from Arenes de Nimes, an ancient Roman amphitheater, $19.95, pay-per-view.

“Return of the No Hats” features Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart live from Knoxville, Tenn., $19.95, pay-per-view.

“Columbia Records Celebrates the Music of Bob Dylan,” filmed at Madison Square Garden, $19.95, pay-per-view.

Retro

“The Andy Griffith Retrospective” features Griffith and the original cast of his show, November, CBS.

“Twilight Zone Marathon,” Nov. 26, KTLA.

Sports

“Connors vs. Navratilova: Battle of Champions,” Jimmy Connors plays Martina Navratilovain best two-out-of-three match, Sept. 25, $24.95, pay-per-view.

Hosted by George Foreman, “Lords of the Ring” takes a historical look at the ring’s most exciting and devastating fighters, December, HBO.

“WCW Halloween Havoc ‘92” is a live pro wrestling telecast from the Philadelphia Civic Center, $19.95, Pay-per-view.

Talk

On “Celebrities Offstage,” Lorianne Crook chats with Dolly Parton, Joe Diffie and Pam Tillis, Oct. 19, The Nashville Network.

“Phil Donahue’s 25th Anniversary Special” will feature flim clips and memorable moments as well as some of his more significant interviews, Nov. 16, NBC.

Telethon

“Unfinished Stories IV” commemorates World AIDS Day, with an AIDS telethon to benefit Broadway Cares and local AIDS charities throughout the country, Dec. 1, Bravo.

Theater

Edgar Allen Poe’s “Tell Tale Heart” recounts a murder brought to life by Steven Berkoff in a one-man play, October, Bravo.

“Dylan Thomas: The Return Journey” stars Bob Kingdom in a drama directed by Anthony Hopkins, November, Bravo.

Jeremy Irons stars in “The Dream,” adapted from Dostoevsky’s short story “The Dream of a Ridiculous Man,” December, Bravo.

Variety

“Hats Off to Minnie: America Honors Minnie Pearl” is a music and comedy special taped at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry and hosted by Barbara Mandrell. Guests include Reba McEntire, Johnny Cash, Jay Leno, Emmylou Harris, Burt Reynolds, Dolly Parton and Pee-Wee Herman, as well as President George Bush and Ronald Reagan, Oct. 26, The Nashville Network.

“Cheyenne Frontier Days With Charlie Daniels and Friends,” from the world’s biggest outdoor rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyo., will include performances by Daniels, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Marty Stuart. Also included will be rodeo events such as wild horse racing and bull riding, Nov. 30, The Nashville Network.

“Jamboree in the Hills” features highlights from the festival in the hills outside of Wheeling, W. Va. Performers will be Lorrie Morgan, the Oak Ridge Boys and Diamond Rio. Backstage interviews will also be featured, Nov. 23, The Nashville Network.

“Ladies of Country Music” chronicles the evolution of women in country music, November, CBS.