TV & RADIOOpening the Closet: “The Celluloid...

TV & RADIO

Opening the Closet: “The Celluloid Closet,” Vito Russo’s groundbreaking book about Hollywood’s portrayal of gay and lesbian characters in the movies, is being made into a feature-length documentary for cable’s HBO. The movie, which began production this week, is produced and directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, who produced 1989’s Oscar- and Peabody-winning documentary “Common Threads: Stories From the Quilt.” “The Celluloid Closet”--which will include clips from more than 100 films and interviews with several Hollywood actors, writers, producers and directors--is slated to premiere on HBO in late 1995. Proceeds from the nonprofit project will benefit the AIDS awareness organization Hollywood Supports.

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Volunteer Call: Actress Whoopi Goldberg on Thursday urged kids to spend their time volunteering to improve their communities. During a press conference in Los Angeles to kick off “The Big Help,” a national, multiyear campaign by cable’s Nickelodeon to encourage such youth volunteerism, Goldberg, the campaign’s new spokesperson, said the effort would help kids learn through helping others. The campaign includes an Oct. 15 telethon, in which kids will be encouraged to call in and pledge their participation in community activities.

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‘Today’s’ Revolving Door: Jeff Zucker will return to the helm of NBC’s “Today” show as executive producer, replacing Steve Friedman, who had produced the show for several years prior to Zucker and took over the show’s reins once again when Zucker left last year to launch the network’s “Now With Tom Brokaw and Katie Couric.” Zucker, who will continue to produce prime-time news specials for NBC, flirted with ABC News before electing to stay with NBC. Meanwhile, NBC is talking to Friedman, who recently brought “Today” new ratings successes, about other assignments.

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Billboards Flushed: Just three weeks after they were put up all over Southern California, about 10 billboards featuring “Tha Baka Boyz,” KPWR’s (“Power 106”) morning team of Eric and Nick Vidal, are being removed as a result of “feedback from the community,” said KPWR-FM promotions director John Boyle. In the billboard, the deejays, who are brothers, are sitting back-to-back on toilets looking at each other and eating pizza. Other billboards featuring the pair will take their place.

MOVIES

‘Beethoven’ Suit: ITC Entertainment is accusing Universal Studios of stealing the story line for its own project “Dwayne” and turning it into the successful dog tale “Beethoven.” In a federal suit filed in Los Angeles, ITC says that its work had been submitted to Universal as a possible project and that the studio later put out the similar “Beethoven” in 1992, and a sequel this year. ITC alleges its losses at $10 million. The complaint also seeks an injunction barring Universal from continuing to distribute the “Beethoven” films.

POP/ROCK

Country Theme Plans: Top country stars Reba McEntire, Vince Gill and Wynonna Judd, along with country music broadcasters Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase, have become celebrity owners of Country Star Restaurants, a new chain of theme restaurants that will open its three-story flagship location at Hollywood’s Universal CityWalk on Aug. 21. A second Country Star location is slated to open in Las Vegas in 1995, with future restaurants planned for London, Tokyo and New York. . . . Dolly Parton on Thursday announced plans for a $6-million, 7-acre 1950s theme area scheduled to open next year at Dollywood, Parton’s entertainment park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Parton plans a TV special to celebrate the park’s expansion.

QUICK TAKES

Jack Palance, Tony Curtis, John Forsythe, Jack Valenti, Roddy McDowall, Lorna Luft, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Jayne Meadows and Mayor Richard Riordan are among those scheduled to take the dais tonight when actor Charlton Heston receives the Friars Club Lifetime Achievement Award at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. . . . Actor Michael Todd Jones has sued Snoop Doggy Dogg’s backup rappers in Los Angeles for assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and the civil equivalent of theft, alleging they beat him up and stole his wallet on a music video set because he denied that he was part of their ranks. . . . Actor Denis Leary will host a two-hour Fox-TV special Monday night on the Rolling Stones’ kickoff concert in Washington. Leary’s running commentary will include live cut-ins of the night’s events, including backstage peeks, interviews and the broadcast of the concert’s opening number. . . . The Samuel Goldwyn Co. is offering two-for-one admission to folks dressed in drag for tonight’s late-night showings (at the NuWilshire and Los Feliz theaters) of the theatrical cross-dressing theatrical comedy “Just Like a Woman.” . . . “Forever Tango: The Eternal Dance” has been extended at the Wilshire Theatre for a second time. It will now play through Aug. 14.