TELEVISION’Martin’ Gets Hat Trick With Kids: Fox’s...

TELEVISION

‘Martin’ Gets Hat Trick With Kids: Fox’s “Martin” leads the competition in Nickelodeon’s seventh annual Kids Choice Awards, with 1,500 8-to-12-year-olds from across the country nominating raunchy star Martin Lawrence, whose controversial upcoming movie is said to be unacceptable for young audiences, for favorite TV actor. Co-star Tisha Campbell also got a nod for favorite TV actress, and the series was picked for favorite TV show along with NBC’s “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and ABC’s “Home Improvement.” Among other categories, “Cool Runnings,” “Free Willy” and “Jurassic Park” got nods for favorite movie; Aerosmith, Shai and SWV were nominated for favorite music group; and Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson were named as favorite singers. Teen stars Joey Lawrence (“Blossom”) and Candace Cameron (“Full House”) will host the awards program, which airs on the cable network May 7.

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‘Models’ Slide Into ‘Melrose Place’: Fox-TV will premiere its “Melrose Place” spinoff, “Models Inc.,” with a 90-minute episode airing June 29. The Aaron Spelling series stars Linda Gray as the owner of a successful Hollywood modeling agency--and the mother of “Melrose Place’s” resident bad girl, Amanda (Heather Locklear). The new serial debuts in a summer spot likely to serve up instant viewers--in “Melrose Place’s” 9 p.m. Wednesday time slot. “Melrose Place,” which will then return in the fall, will introduce three “Models Inc.” characters in its season-ending episodes beginning April 27.

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Joint Court Date: Cable’s Court TV and “Dateline NBC” have agreed to produce joint programming focusing on outstanding legal cases and issues. The stories, ranging from five-minute segments to one-hour special broadcasts, will feature both Court TV and “Dateline NBC” correspondents and will air several times yearly on “Dateline NBC.” The two entities previously worked together in coverage of the Menendez brothers’ murder trial. Meanwhile, NBC has announced plans to air “Dateline NBC” on both Tuesday and Thursday nights throughout the summer, beginning May 24.

MOVIES

‘Cowgirls’ Kept Waiting: Gus Van Sant’s “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues,” which was already retooled once after a disastrous reception at last fall’s Toronto Film Festival, has been delayed further. The latest in a series of scheduled release dates for the film, which stars Uma Thurman, Rain Phoenix and Lorraine Bracco, was the end of April, but on Tuesday distributor Fine Line decided to wait until May 20.

RADIO

Deejay Shifts: Longtime KLOS-FM (95.9) deejay Steve Downes, who hosts the nationally syndicated radio show “Rockline,” on Tuesday took over the weekday 3-8 p.m. drive-time period on rival classic rock station KLSX-FM (97.1). Veteran KLSX personality Jim Ladd will move into the weekday 8 p.m. to midnight slot, following Downes. In other KLSX changes, late-night host Dusty Street has left the station.

STAGE

Musicals, Musicals, Musicals: The second series of musicals at the recently restored Alex Theatre in Glendale will include “Sophisticated Ladies” with Harold Nicholas and Freda Payne (July 21-Aug. 7), “La Cage aux Folles” (Sept. 22-Oct. 9) and Shirley Jones in “Perfect Harmony,” a new musical about two actresses, using music from former decades (Nov. 17-Dec. 4). The Alex is the first stop in a circuit that also includes the Spreckels Theater in San Diego and the Warnors in Fresno.

JAZZ

Dueling Record Companies: PolyGram Records Inc. has sued fellow record company Delta Music Inc., alleging that Delta has illegally sold inferior quality duplicate recordings of duets by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. The Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit contends that PolyGram has sole rights to the duets--including “Don’t Be That Way,” “A Fine Romance,” “Love Is Here to Stay,” “Tenderly” and “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off”--which were recorded in 1956 and 1957 for PolyGram’s Verve jazz label.

QUICK TAKES

Speaking of Ella Fitzgerald, the jazz legend is set to join filmmakers Steven Spielberg and George Lucas in receiving honorary doctorates from USC during the university’s 111th commencement ceremonies on May 6. Spielberg and Lucas are expected to attend the ceremonies, and Fitzgerald is expected to either offer a taped message or be represented by family members. . . . Actor Howard Rollins pleaded innocent to driving under the influence of cocaine and other charges in his third round in traffic court. Following a Nov. 6 arrest, the former “In the Heat of the Night” star was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, fleeing and attempting to elude a police officer, driving with a suspended license and failing to maintain his lane. No court date was set at Monday’s hearing. He is free on $10,500 bond. . . . Beating charges against singer Bobby Brown and two of his bodyguards were dropped Monday. Lee Rucker, who gave no reason for withdrawing the charges, had alleged that the beatings took place in 1992 at an Atlanta nightclub. . . . Cloris Leachman will star in Stephen Pouliot’s “Joy Ride: The True Story of Grandma Moses” at the Westwood Playhouse, May 11-29.