Spelling Names Execs to Head New TV Comedy Unit

Lawrence A. Lyttle has been named to head Big Ticket Television, a new arm of Spelling Entertainment Group.

Big Ticket will focus on comedy series development. Bill Sanders has been named its senior vice president of creative affairs. Neil R. Shenker is head of business and legal affairs. Spelling is a unit of Blockbuster Entertainment Corp., which was recently acquired by Viacom Inc.

* Valerie Cavanaugh, former executive vice president of Gracie Films, has been named senior vice president of business and legal affairs for the United Paramount Network.

* Lana Corbi and Adam Ware have been named senior vice presidents of network distribution for Fox Broadcasting Co.

* Chris Ender, director of publicity at Columbia TriStar Television Distribution, has been promoted to vice president of public relations, overseeing the company’s media relations and publicity campaigns for the studio’s first-run syndicated programming unit.

* Daniel Crane was named director of finance at Warner Bros. feature animation.

* Columbia Pictures named Doug Belgrad and Michael Costigan vice presidents of production.

* PolyGram said it will relocate its U.S. Polydor Records company to Los Angeles under a new president, Nick Gatfield, with A&M; Records providing marketing, promotion and sales services to the label.

* Stephen C. Lama was promoted to vice president of broadcasting at USC Radio, with Terry S. Knowles joining as executive director of development and Cynthia A. Logan director of human resources.

* Music composers Tony Humecke and Harmon Smith have formed Planet Music, a high-tech music production house in Los Angeles.