Preview ’94 : Baby, It’s Special

This fall’s TV specials revolve around celebrities who continue to enchant viewers. Some of them are feted, others are interviewed and a few are having babies.

Documentaries will profile legends, real and imagined, and stop to examine life’s everyday troubles.

Adding shape to the season’s schedule are a few glimpses into the future, some peeks behind the bushes at nature and musical performances, concert-style.

AWARD SHOWS

“The 1994 Billboard Music Awards”: Chart-toppers are honored. December. Fox.

“The 9th Annual American Comedy Awards”: Honors to the year’s best comedic talent. TBA. ABC.

“The 22nd Annual American Music Awards”: Winners are determined by the record-buying public. Hits in pop, rock, soul, R&B;, hard rock/heavy metal, hip-hop and adult contemporary. TBA. ABC.

“The 28th Annual Country Music Assn. Awards”: Vince Gill is the host from Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House. Oct. 5 at 8 p.m. CBS.

“The 46th Annual Prime Time Emmy Awards”: The best in television is honored from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Sunday at 8 p.m. ABC.

“America’s Christian Music Awards”: A “people’s choice” Christian music awards ceremony. Sept. 18 at 9 p.m. Family Channel.

“The Best on Record: The Gold and Platinum Honors”: Performers from rock, pop, country and R&B; are honored by the Recording Industry Assn. of America. November. NBC.

“Canadian Country Music Awards”: The show salutes the cream of the Canadian crop of country singers. Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. TNN.

“The Clio Awards”: Kelsey Grammer (“Frasier”) is the host of this show which honors the best in advertising. Gabrielle Carteris, Siskel & Ebert, Bruce Jenner and Calvert DeForest are among the presenters. TBA. Fox.

“Cybermania: The 1994 Interactive Games Awards”: The best video games of the year. Nov. 5 at 5:05 p.m. TBS.

“The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts”: A salute to five outstanding Americans. December. CBS.

FAMILY

“In Search of Dr. Seuss”: A tribute to the life and work of Dr. Theodor Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss. Kathy Najimy, Matt Frewer, Robin Williams, Chrisopher Lloyd, Andrea Martin, Patrick Stewart and Eileen Brennan are among the stars bringing Seuss characters to life. Nov. 6 at 5 p.m. TNT.

“Lamb Chop’s Spooky Stuff”: Lamb Chop and Shari Lewis go trick-or-treating and scare up some classic movie monsters in this Halloween special. October. PBS.

“Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus: The Return of Gunther Gebel-Williams”: Williams goes into the tiger cage. TBA. CBS.

MUSIC

“American Music Shop Special”: Lorrie Morgan and Kris Kristofferson perform their hits. Wednesday at 5 p.m. TNN.

“Backstage With Tanya Tucker”: The singer (and her family and friends) reflects on her career and visits Meridian, Miss., where she performs with Willie Nelson. Oct. 26 at 5 p.m. TNN.

“Buckmasters Country Jam”: Country rocker Travis Tritt and Jackie Bushman are hosts of this concert special from the Buckmasters Country Jam Expo concert in Atlanta, with performances by Hank Williams Jr., the Charlie Daniels Band and Martina McBride. Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. TNN.

“Cecilia Bartoli: In Recital”: Filmed in Venice, Rome, Tuscany and London; featured are Gioacchino Rossini operas. Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. Bravo.

“The Eagles: Hell Freezes Over”: A concert taped in Burbank in April. Tuesday at 9 p.m. MTV.

“Great America Music: A Salute to Fast Cars”: Denver Pyle and Tom Wopat (“Dukes of Hazzard”) are hosts of this show honoring auto racing. Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. Family Channel.

“Peter Gabriel’s Secret World”: Art and rock combine in these performances from his most recent tour. Oct. 2 at 9 p.m. Disney Channel.

“Reba!”: Reba McEntire on tour. November. NBC.

“Sinatra Duets”: Footage, interviews and behind the scenes with Frank Sinatra and vocalists on his “Duets” and upcoming “Duets 2.” November. CBS.

“Smokin’ Joe Bonamesa and the History of the Blues Guitar”: A profile of the 16-year-old blues-guitar wizard. Oct. 13 at 5 p.m. Bravo.

“Tosca”: The Puccini opera stars Placido Domingo, with production design from Italian filmmaker Franco Zeffirelli. Sept. 28 at 5 p.m. Bravo.

“A Year in the Life of Billy Ray”: A profile of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus. TBA. ABC.

HOLIDAY

“Eek! The Cat Christmas”: Eek tries to save Christmas when the reindeer strike. December. Fox.

“Encounter Halloween”: An eerie look into paranormal phenomena. TBA. Fox.

“Entertainment Weekly: Hot for the Holiday”: A look at what’s on tap for the holiday season and what’s hot in books, TV, movies and records. December. ABC.

“Halloween”: A reality-based special examines the holiday from a spooky perspective. October. CBS.

“Honeymooners First Christmas”: The final “lost” episode where Jackie Gleason not only plays Ralph, but The Poor Soul, Joe the Bartender and Reginald Van Gleason III. December. Disney Channel.

“The Kathie Lee Gifford Christmas Special”: Gifford performs holiday tunes with her guests and family. December. CBS.

“The Nancy Kerrigan Holiday Ice Special”: The silver medalist and other Olympic skaters perform. December. CBS.

“The Nutcracker”: A new version performed by the Russian Kirov ballet. December. Bravo.

“Steven Spielberg Presents It’s A Wonderful Tiny Toon Christmas”: Buster’s burdened down by the annual Christmas Pageant when a guardian angel shows what life in Acme would be without him. December. Fox.

“Television’s Christmas Classics”: Highlights of holiday moments from classic shows. December. CBS.

INTERVIEW

“Barbara Walters Specials”: Included will be “The 12 Most Fascinating People of 1994.” TBA. ABC.

“Behind Closed Doors With Joan Lunden”: In her prime-time specials, the “Good Morning America” host takes viewers where the public is normally not allowed. TBA. ABC.

“David Letterman”: His first prime-time special. November. CBS.

“Off Camera With Dean Cain”: The star of “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” interviews young stars in action. TBA. ABC.

PAGEANT

“The Miss America Pageant”: The 74th edition of the extravaganza is hosted by Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford from Atlantic City. Saturday at 9 p.m. NBC.

DOCUMENTARIES

“Ancient Prophecies II”: Doomsday predictions. TBA. NBC.

“Angels II”: A look at America’s fascination with angels. TBA. NBC.

“Angels Among Us”: Hosted by Roma Downey, the show dramatizes three stories of apparent angelic intervention. Wednesday at 9 p.m. CBS.

“Anne Rice: Birth of a Vampire”: Rice is profiled through the places and events that shaped her life and art. Oct. 28 at 8 p.m. Lifetime.

“Arthur Ashe: Citizen of the World”: The life and accomplishments of the tennis great, focusing on his tennis victories and his civil rights efforts off the court. Ossie Davis narrates. Interviews with Nelson Mandela, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Frank Deford and others. Sept. 27. HBO.

“Ballroom Dancing”: Two brothers compete internationally in a ballroom and Latin American dance championship. Oct. 13 at 5:30 p.m. Bravo.

“The Bermuda Triangle: Secrets Revealed”: From the beginning of the legend to current phenomena. Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. NBC.

“Children’s Express”: A report on the New York-based news organization run completely by kids, for kids. Oct. 30 at 5 p.m. Bravo.

“The Cousteau Society: Mekong: The Children of Rice and Guns”: The Cousteau Society camera captures the dramatic difference between river life in Vietnam and Cambodia. Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. TBS.

“Help Not Wanted”: A look at the harsh realities that young adults face in the job world. Oct. 25 at 10 p.m. MTV.

“Homicidal Mission: Murder in the Workplace”: A report on the increasing trend of employee revenge raises questions about corporate responsibility for workplace safety. December. HBO.

“Picture What Women Do”: Mary Alice Williams is the host of this report following five women through a “typical” day. Tuesday at 9 p.m. Lifetime.

“The Real Frankenstein: The Untold Story”: A look at the real-life inspiration for the Mary Shelley classic. TBA. ABC.

“Sex in the ‘90s Part V: Love Sucks”: A lighthearted look at the dark side of falling in love and how young people cope with the unhappy realities of rejection, jealousy and all-around heartbreak. Oct. 18. MTV.

“Smart Sex”: A cross-section of young Americans talk about their sexual attitudes, choices and experiences. Sept. 27 at 10 p.m. MTV.

“The Space Shuttle”: A look at the men and women around the world who work with and in space shuttles. Nov. 13 at 9 p.m. Discovery Channel.

“Stargazers”: Focuses on the 100th anniversary of the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Ariz., and the advances in astronomy made there. Dec. 5 at 9 p.m. Discovery Channel.

“Taxicab Confessions”: Real-life conversations between urban taxi-drivers and their passengers. November. HBO.

“We’re Having a Baby!”: A look at several celebrity couples in various stages of “the baby experience.” TBA. ABC.

“World of Audubon: Audubon’s 10th Anniversary Special”: Lauren Hutton and Richard Dean Anderson are hosts of a two-hour celebration of Audubon TV’s first decade of environmental programs. Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. TBS.

“World of Kilimanjaro and Under the Emerald Sea”: Walter Cronkite hosts a journey of the world’s wonders. Oct. 2 at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. A&E.;

“The UFO Conspiracy: A Larry King Investigation Live on TNT”: An interactive look at UFOs and the many theories surrounding them and possible government cover-ups. Oct. 1 at 5 p.m. TNT.

RETROSPECTIVE

“50 Years of Soaps”: A tribute to five decades of soap operas. Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. CBS.

“40 Years of Disney Television”: Disney’s history on TV, including moments from series, movies-for-television and special events. Hosts will be stationed at various Disneyland locations. TBA. ABC.

“100 Years of Hollywood Westerns”: The Western genre in film. November. NBC.

“Abbott & Costello Meet Jerry Seinfeld”: A look at the comedy team, hosted by Seinfeld. November. NBC.

“The Museum of Television and Radio Presents Science Fiction”: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Carrie Fisher and Dean Cain host a look at science fiction over the last 40 years. TBA. Fox.

“Taxi Retrospective”: Cast members reunite to share irreverent quips, cracks and inside observations. TBA. CBS.

“The Very Best of Ed Sullivan”: Highlights of the popular host’s show. TBA. CBS.

SPORTS

“40 for the Ages: Sports Illustrated’s 40th Anniversary Special”: Bob Costas is the host of this special about the top 40 people who have made the most impact in sports. Wednesday at 10 p.m. NBC.

“75 Seasons: The Story of the National Football League”: A special celebrating 75 years of pro football. Wednesday at 5 p.m. TNT.

“Bass Masters Classic”: Anglers fish for the angler-of-the-year title in a tournament sponsored by the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society. Sept. 25 at 9:30 p.m. TNN.

“Disney’s Greatest Hits on Ice”: Olympic skaters perform. TBA. CBS.

“Lillehammer ‘94: 16 Days of Glory”: This two-part program focuses on the human drama at the 1994 Olympic Winter Games. TBA. Disney Channel.

“Rock N’ Jock B-Ball Jam”: Rock ‘n’ roll meets basketball, as a game of celebrity hoops benefits Pediatric AIDS. Oct. 22. MTV.

VARIETY

“The 19th Annual Circus of the Stars”: The show goes to Disneyland. TBA. CBS.

“Bob Hope Specials”: His 56th year of specials. TBA. NBC.

“Carol Burnett and Her Men”: Burnett performs with guests. Oct. 24 at 10 p.m. CBS.

“Dallas Cowboys Celebrate Special Olympics”: Performances by country singer Collin Raye, Pirates of the Mississippi and T. Graham Brown. Oct. 12 at 5 p.m. TNN.

“Fun and Feel of the Fifties”: This two-part special looks at sights and sounds of the 1950s. Nov. 22 and 29 at 9 p.m. Disney Channel.

“House of Style: Back to School Edition”: A must for fashion-conscious students. Sept. 20 at 10 p.m. MTV.

“Second Annual Comedy Hall of Fame”: Sid Caesar, George Carlin, Bob Hope, Shirley MacLaine, Mary Tyler Moore and Richard Pryor are honored. TBA. NBC.

“Siegfried & Roy Special”: Never-performed illusions will be done; off-stage lives of the duo. TBA. ABC.

“Who Makes You Laugh?”: Brett Butler and others reveal who inspired them. TBA. ABC.

“Will You Marry Me? Part 2”: Imaginative proposals are the subject of this special from dick clark productions. TBA. ABC.