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RADIORecord Support: Public radio station KCRW-FM (89.9)...

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Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation's press

RADIO

Record Support: Public radio station KCRW-FM (89.9) concluded its annual fund-raising drive on Tuesday with a record tally of $1.05 million, raised from 13,407 subscribers. That makes the nine-day drive the largest fund-raiser ever for a single public radio station and comes at a time when Republican congressional leaders are threatening to defund the Corp. for Public Broadcasting, which supports public TV and radio. “It’s just amazing--no single radio station has ever broken a million dollars before,” said a KCRW spokeswoman.

TELEVISION

New CBS Schedule: CBS on Wednesday announced mid-season schedule changes, including the March 8 premiere of “The George Wendt Show,” starring the former “Cheers” alum, and the March 11 premiere of “The Office,” starring Valerie Harper. Wendt’s show will air Wednesday nights at 8, in place of Delta Burke’s “Women of the House,” which is scheduled to return for three additional airings in the spring. Harper’s show will run Saturdays at 9 p.m., replacing “The Boys Are Back.” Also new on the schedule will be the one-hour drama “Under One Roof,” starring James Earl Jones, Joe Morton and Vanessa Bell Calloway, airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m., starting March 14, temporarily replacing “Rescue 911.” In addition, “Double Rush,” starring Robert Pastorelli, will move to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays (it was previously seen at 9 p.m.), starting March 8.

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Comedy Tribute: Comedians Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Jay Leno, Lily Tomlin, David Letterman, Michael Richards, Mary Tyler Moore, Rodney Dangerfield, Dick Van Dyke and Garry Shandling are among those who will join hosts Marilu Henner and Bob Saget in “A Comedy Salute to Andy Kaufman,” airing March 29 on NBC. The special, honoring the late star of “Taxi” and “Saturday Night Live,” includes clips of Kaufman’s characterizations of Foreign Man, Elvis, Tony Clifton and Latka Gravas, as well as sketches from his “SNL” performances and controversial inter-gender wrestling matches.

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MOVIES

A Color Boost: Trimark Pictures, which opens its black-and-white film “Federal Hill” in Los Angeles Feb. 24, on Wednesday said it will colorize the movie in an effort to “broaden the audience” and attract “those who would not normally go to see a black-and-white film.” Although the original version has met with great reviews since opening in New York Dec. 9, Trimark said it “chose to have a few scenes colorized to see what the film would look like,” then decided to go ahead with the process, which is expected to be completed in the coming months. Written, directed and produced by Michael Corrente, “Federal Hill” features “NYPD Blue” star Nicholas Turturro in a story about five youths in a tough Italian American neighborhood in Rhode Island. The film has already won the Deauville Film Festival’s critics’ and audience awards, and Turturro earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for best supporting actor. Trimark said “Federal Hill” will become the first black-and-white film from the current era to be colorized.

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Double-Teaming: Writer-director John Hughes (“Home Alone,” “Pretty in Pink”) has teamed with former Hollywood Pictures president-turned-producer Ricardo Mestres in a new creative partnership called Great Oaks Entertainment. Between them, Hughes and Mestres bring 12 motion picture commitments at three studios into the partnership, including Hughes’ live-action/animated film “The Bee” and “Home Alone 3,” and Mestres’ “Jack” and “Fire and Rain.” The duo also has a 13-episode commitment from NBC for an as-yet-untitled television project. Great Oaks will be based at the Walt Disney Studios, where Mestres has an exclusive, long-term production deal.

POP/ROCK

Still in the Saddle: Garth Brooks’ “The Hits” sold an estimated 150,000 units last week and will continue to command the No. 1 position this week on Billboard’s pop album sales chart. The only new entry in the Top 10 is Hootie & the Blowfish’s “Cracked Rear View,” which after seven months leaps to the No. 7 position, with sales last week of approximately 82,000 copies.

QUICK TAKES

Comedian Chevy Chase was formally charged Tuesday with misdemeanor drunk driving, resulting from a Jan. 26 arrest in Beverly Hills. Chase, 51, is scheduled to be arraigned March 2 in Beverly Hills Municipal Court. . . . Entertainer Gene Kelly, 82, was transferred from Cedars-Sinai to UCLA Medical Center on Wednesday to continue treatment for a mild stroke he suffered Feb. 7. He was reported to be alert and conversational. . . . ABC will bring back its comedy series “On Our Own,” starring the real-life Smollett family, on March 3 at 8:30 p.m. The show will move into its new regular 9:30 p.m. Friday time period on March 10, replacing “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper,” which is scheduled to return in late April. . . . Burt Reynolds and George Segal will perform a reading of Jason Milligan’s new play, “Walking on the Moon,” at 8 tonight at Hollywood’s Egyptian Arena Theatre. Tickets are $50, and proceeds go to the Grace Players’ 1995 theater season.

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