MOVIESU.S. Premiere Scheduled: Shekhar Kapur’s controversial film...

MOVIES

U.S. Premiere Scheduled: Shekhar Kapur’s controversial film “Bandit Queen,” based on the life of notorious Indian outlaw Phoolan Devi, is scheduled to have its U.S. premiere Jan. 14 as part of the Sixth Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival. Last week a New Delhi judge banned the movie’s screening in India, after Devi sued producers saying they had not let her see the film, which she believes is inaccurate. Although the New Delhi judge reportedly told producers not to show the film in India or abroad, distributors Film Four London maintain that they have the rights to show the film, and barring any further court action, plan to go ahead with the U.S. premiere. The film made waves when it was shown at the Cannes Film Festival.

TELEVISION

Ready to Roll: The guest list has been firmed up for the premiere week of “The Late Late Show With Tom Snyder,” Jan. 9-13 on CBS. Among those scheduled for the former CNBC host’s debut in the new post-Letterman slot are “Murphy Brown” star Candice Bergen on the Monday program; poet laureate Maya Angelou, who discusses her upcoming role in Stephen Spielberg’s film “How to Make an American Quilt,” on Tuesday; author and political figure Arianna Huffington and controversial rap singer Ice-T on Wednesday; “Frasier” star Kelsey Grammer on Thursday; and pop star Jon Bon Jovi, along with whiz-kid-turned-convicted-con-man Barry Minkow, in his first interview since being released from prison, on Friday.

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More Congressional Coverage?: C-SPAN’s campaign for increased coverage of Congress got a boost Tuesday as incoming Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) threw his support behind several of the cable channel’s proposals. In a letter to C-SPAN chief Brian Lamb, Dole promised to “do what I can to increase public access to Congress” and said he supports opening to television cameras “all public meetings of Senate-House conference committees” as well as the majority leader’s so-called “dugout” briefings for reporters. Since allowing coverage of the conference committees would require a concurrent resolution passed by both houses, Dole said he will consult with incoming House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and others about initiating such a resolution. Dole also said he would work to form a bipartisan Senate group to examine the feasibility and cost effectiveness of expanded coverage. Last month, Lamb wrote the leadership of the new GOP majorities in the House and Senate proposing a liberalization of rules governing the public affairs network’s access to daily events in both houses.

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Kudos: Actress Whoopi Goldberg will receive the 1995 Sheba Humanitarian Award at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel on Jan. 22. The award, from the Friends of the Sheba Medical Center, the Middle East’s largest health-care complex, recognizes Goldberg’s six years as co-host of the “Comic Relief” TV specials, which have raised more than $25 million for the homeless. Previous award winners include former President and Mrs. Gerald Ford, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and actors Elizabeth Taylor and Kirk Douglas.

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Cops on Cable: Cable’s TNT next week will begin airing two classic police dramas, Carroll O’Connor’s “In the Heat of the Night” and the 1970s series “Starsky and Hutch,” starring David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser. “In the Heat of the Night” will kick off Monday with a nine-hour “Heat Fest Marathon,” beginning at 1:30 p.m. with the Oscar-winning 1967 motion picture (starring Rod Steiger and Sidney Poitier) on which O’Connor’s series was based. Starting Tuesday, “Starsky and Hutch” will be seen weekdays at 3 p.m., followed by “In the Heat of the Night” at 4 p.m.

QUICK TAKES

Due to continued recuperation from September surgery to drain fluid from his brain, which accumulated after a bathtub fall, George Burns has canceled his 99th birthday show on Jan. 20 at Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace. However, Burns’ manager says that the comedian hopes to do a show at Caesars for birthday No. 100. . . . Talk-show maven Oprah Winfrey will guest star on ABC’s “All-American Girl” during the February sweeps. The story line finds the Kims scheduled as guests for a “family make-over” program on the “Oprah” show, but when Margaret Cho’s character announces her decision to leave college, Winfrey is forced to mediate between the family members. . . . Author and child-rearing expert Dr. Benjamin Spock offers his latest advice to parents on Friday’s installment of ABC News’ “20/20.”