MOVIES - Oct. 4, 1993

An Act of ‘Malice’: “Malice” knocked “The Good Son” out of the No. 1 spot to take first place in the box-office race over the weekend. Columbia’s new release, a thriller starring Alec Baldwin and Nicole Kidman, earned $9.5 million, according to early industry estimates. 20th Century Fox’s “The Good Son,” starring Macaulay Culkin, fell to second place with $7.8 million. Disney’s “Cool Runnings” earned a cool $7.2 million its first weekend out to take third place. Columbia’s “The Age of Innocence” was in fourth with $4.5 million; it tied with “The Program,” from Disney’s Touchstone Pictures. A newcomer from Universal, “For Love or Money,” was next with $4.2 million. And for the first time since its release nine weeks ago, Warner Bros.’ “The Fugitive” fell out of the top five to take seventh with $3.7 million.

LEGAL FILE

Foreman for the Jury?: Boxer George Foreman’s sitcom isn’t even on the air yet and already it’s taken a punch. Writer-producers Rodney Sheldon and Mort Lachman filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court last week against ABC, Columbia Pictures Television and the producers of “George,” saying they came up with the idea for the series but were squeezed out of its production without any compensation. Their breach-of-contract suit asks for $230 million in damages. ABC and Columbia declined to comment. “George” is scheduled to premiere Nov. 6.

THE ARTS

Art on Your Plate: The California Arts Council expects to receive the minimum of 5,000 requests for its “arts license plate” by Dec. 31 so that the first plate can be issued. So far, 2,750 people have requested the plates, designed by California artist Wayne Thiebaud and created to support local arts education. Actor Sylvester Stallone has been plugging the plates in public service announcements being shown in movie theaters around the state. The arts plate, which can be ordered by calling (800) 201-6201, costs $20 and $60 for a personalization.

TELEVISION

MADD About Drunk Driving: Film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, joined by Leeza Gibbons, are the hosts of an upcoming TV special that focuses on Hollywood’s support of efforts by Mothers Against Drunk Driving to get drinking drivers off the road. “Hollywood Gets MADD” will premiere on cable’s TBS on Nov. 6. Before that, the National Assn. of Broadcasters will satellite the special to every TV station in America with a recommendation that it be aired during the holiday season as a public service. Patrick Duffy and Annie Potts appear in the program, which is narrated by James Earl Jones.

PEOPLE WATCH

Wedding Fever: Spike Lee and Washington attorney Tanya Lynette Lewis were married on Saturday at the Riverside Church in New York. Guests included Bill Cosby, Denzel Washington, John Singleton and basketball star Patrick Ewing. Stevie Wonder and the Boys Choir of Harlem helped provide music. The film director reportedly met his bride in Washington last year while attending the annual Congressional Black Caucus meeting.

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Tenor Trouble?: Luciano Pavarotti’s wife scoffs at rumors that the singer is romantically involved with a younger woman. “Do you know what my reaction and that of my children was? We had a hearty laugh,” Adua Veroni told the Italian newspaper Il Tempo over the weekend. Stories of an affair between Pavarotti, 57, and Italian model Lucia Debrilli, 28, surfaced last week after she attended his concert at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House.

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Arnold Speaks Out: Comedian Tom Arnold told a conference of male survivors of abuse in Maryland over the weekend that ever since he confronted the man who allegedly abused him sexually as a child his own trauma has been “so much easier to deal with.” Arnold was the scheduled speaker at the conference and received applause when he completed his story. He said his own memory of abuse--by a male baby-sitter--when he was between the ages of 3 and 7 is accurate even though he suppressed it until he was 30 years old and was undergoing treatment for alcoholism and drug addiction.

QUICK TAKES

Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, film producer Keith Barish and restaurateur Robert Earl have opened their sixth Planet Hollywood restaurant--filled with movie and TV memorabilia including the “Terminator 2” cyborg--a few blocks from the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington. . . . The stars will be out when Whoopi Goldberg is honored at a New York Friars Club luncheon on Friday. Roastmaster Ted Danson will be joined by Michael Douglas, Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, Morgan Freeman, Tom Selleck, Robin Williams, Mike Nichols, Luke Perry, Robert De Niro, Natalie Cole, Kathy Bates and New York’s Mayor David Dinkins among others.