AUTEUR, AUTEUR!

“But what I really want to do is direct” may be spouted by every other actor in Hollywood, but some actually do get a chance to pick up the megaphone. In the last few years, several of TV’s hottest young actors have yelled, “Action,” and they just may get a chance to do it again. (Note: If you have trouble counting the number of veteran female actress-directors on one hand, you’d be even more hard-pressed to come up with names of novice actress-directors.) So here’s a sampling from the up-and-coming boys’ club.

Malcolm Jamal Warner signed onto the Directors Guild of America roster right after Bateman, and, also at 19, directed several of his NBC “Cosby” series episodes. He then directed a “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” episode and several music videos, including Arsenio Hall’s AIDS-awareness video. “I’m an actor from the heart,” he says. “What I enjoy about directing is the creative control and the creative input.”

Scott Baio, now the host of E! Entertainment’s “Behind the Scenes” shows, directed several episodes of the syndicated “Charles in Charge,” in which he starred.

Neil Patrick Harris, star of ABC’s “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” directed a scene from a “Quantum Leap” episode in which he guest-starred. Harris hopes to also direct an episode of his own show.

Kadeem Hardison directed several episodes of his “A Different World” NBC series. “If I do other things directing, I want to make sure it’s film or something I would have more control over,” he says.

Jason Bateman, at 19, became the youngest person on the DGA roster during the 1989-90 season when he directed several episodes of “The Hogan Family,” in which he starred. The actor is now in Fox’s “Black Sheep.”