LEGAL FILE

Music to His Ears: Two days before the start of the Woodstock reunion, the father of ‘60s psychedelic guitarist Jimi Hendrix won a round in his battle to recover the rights to his son’s musical legacy. A Seattle judge ruled Wednesday that James (Al) Hendrix has the right to control the licensing of his son’s name, likeness and image--except with regard to merchandise associated with Hendrix albums and exhibitions. Hendrix’s father filed a multimillion-dollar fraud lawsuit 16 months ago against his former attorney and several corporations, alleging that the rights to the late rock star’s catalogue were sold without his knowledge or consent. The trial to determine exactly who owns Hendrix’s music is not expected to commence until June 5. MCA Music Entertainment just released its latest Jimi Hendrix collection, “Woodstock”--which entered the nation’s pop chart at No. 40 after selling almost 28,000 copies last week in U.S. record stores.

THE ARTS

Music Director Dismissed: Just weeks before the opening of its new season, the Paris Opera on Friday fired its South Korean-born music director, Myung-Whun Chung, in a dispute over money and artistic freedom. Jean-Paul Cluzel, the opera’s interim administrator, said no replacement had been lined up for the U.S.-trained Chung even though rehearsals were to begin Monday for Verdi’s “Simon Boccanegra,” to open this year’s season on Sept. 19. The management attributed the dismissal to a dispute over the length of Chung’s contract, saying that he had rejected all proposals. “Management is saddened that Mr. Chung, whose work with the orchestra and choirs is well known, did not want to pursue this work,” it said in a statement. Chung, in an interview published in the French daily Le Monde on Thursday, said the dispute centered primarily on his freedom to select works and artists. Chung and management also acknowledged major differences over his pay and job security.

TV & VIDEO

Good Sports: Sportscaster Bob Costas will host “40 for the Ages: Sports Illustrated’s 40th Anniversary Special,” celebrating the 40 most influential sports figures since 1954 as chosen by the editors of Sports Illustrated magazine. The hourlong NBC special, the first prime-time production from Sports Illustrated Television, airs Sept. 14. . . . Cable’s HBO salutes tennis great Arthur Ashe, who died of AIDS in 1993, with “Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World,” an hourlong film written by sportswriter Frank Deford and airing Sept. 27.

* Video Vacation: If you love Lucy, soon you can own a home video collection tracing Lucy and Ricky’s wacky European vacation. “Bon Voyage: I Love Lucy Adventures in Europe,” a three-volume set with the complete 17 episodes of the vacation story line from “I Love Lucy” edited together, is due out from CBS Video on Sept. 21.

AWARDS

Taking a Bow: Robert Mitchum, Joanne Dru and director Walter Hill are among the celebrities who will receive the Golden Boot Award at ceremonies tonight in Beverly Hills. Other honorees at the 12th annual gala, which recognizes individuals who have furthered the Western on large and small screens, are actors Paul Brinegar, Gail Davis and stunt man Bill Catching. Golden Boot founder Pat Buttram will be posthumously honored with the President Reagan Award for lifetime achievement. . . . Nell Carter, Kathy Ireland and Swoosie Kurtz will be honored Aug. 29 at the inaugural Project Inform Awards dinner at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Project Inform is a non-profit organization that provides details about HIV/AIDS treatment across the country. . . . Cable TV mogul Ted Turner will be recognized for his international humanitarian efforts when he receives the 1995 Scopus Award from the American Friends of the Hebrew University on Jan. 14 at the Beverly Hilton.

MOVIES

‘Lion King’ Plans Vacation: The Walt Disney Co. will pull its animated blockbuster “The Lion King” from theaters beginning Sept. 23--when children are back in school--and re-release the film during the Thanksgiving-Christmas holidays, company officials revealed. The movie, which grossed more than $232 million through last weekend, is now in 2,355 theaters. Disney will clean the prints, prepare a new ad campaign and re-release it in about 1,500 theaters nationwide. One reason Disney is making the move, sources say, is because of a dearth of films for youngsters during the holidays this year.

PEOPLE WATCH

Beachcombers: “Daytime at the Beach,” a fund-raiser featuring soap opera stars, begins today at noon at Will Rogers State Beach in Santa Monica. Eileen Davidson (“Days of Our Lives”) is host of the benefit for Para Los Ninos, which offers child care and latch key programs for inner-city children. Ticket prices for the event, which includes dancing, entertainment and food, are $50. Performers from “Days of Our Lives,” “General Hospital,” “Guiding Light,” “One Life to Live” and “The Young and the Restless” are scheduled to attend, including Drake Hogestyn, Melissa Reeves, Matt Ashford, Hillary B. Smith and Lauralee Bell.