AWARDSBy the People: Tim Allen, “Forrest Gump”...

AWARDS

By the People: Tim Allen, “Forrest Gump” and NBC’s “ER” were the big winners with two awards apiece at the 21st annual People’s Choice Awards at Universal Studios on Sunday. Allen won for favorite male television performer as well as favorite actor in a comedy motion picture (“The Santa Clause”); “Forrest Gump” was named favorite motion picture in addition to favorite dramatic motion picture and “ER” won for favorite television dramatic series and favorite new television dramatic series. Other winners included Roseanne for favorite female television performer, Tom Hanks for favorite actor in a dramatic motion picture (“Forrest Gump”) and Jodie Foster (“Nell”) for favorite actress in the same category. Favorite male music performer went to Garth Brooks; Reba McEntire took the female music award. The awards are chosen by a representative sampling of the American public polled by the Gallup Organization and were shown on CBS-TV.

TELEVISION

‘Hope’ Springs Eternal: There’s hope for CBS’ “Chicago Hope.” Creator and executive producer David E. Kelley said during the weekend at the Museum of Television and Radio’s session devoted to the medical drama that it has already been picked up for next season. The program, set in a fictional Chicago hospital, was trounced in the ratings earlier this season when it went head-to-head with NBC’s ratings powerhouse “ER.” But since moving to “Northern Exposure’s” former Monday at 10 p.m. time slot, “Chicago Hope” has risen in the ratings. When asked by a fan at the session at the Directors Guild if the show would return next season, Kelley said, “I’m not supposed to say anything officially, but yes.”

Mia Speaks Out: Actress Mia Farrow was not pleased with “Love and Betrayal: The Mia Farrow Story,” the unauthorized TV tell-all miniseries that aired last week on Fox. “I cannot remain silent in the face of Fox’s unconscionable disregard for the true facts of my life, particularly the film’s gross distortion of the Woody Allen child abuse incident. . .,” Farrow said Friday in a statement. She said that the network’s portrayal of her life underplayed her contention that Allen sexually abused her children. Farrow was awarded custody of the couple’s three children after the much-publicized court battle that focused on allegations that the director had sexually abused his adopted daughter. Allen denied the charge and medical experts found no evidence of sexual abuse.

MOVIES

Open House: Disney’s new release, “The Man of the House,” starring Chevy Chase and “Home Improvement’s” Jonathan Taylor Thomas, was the No. 1 film in movie houses over the weekend with $9.2 million, according to early industry estimates. Paramount’s “The Brady Bunch Movie” dropped to second place with $5.9 million. In third was TriStar’s “The Hideaway” with $5.3 million for its opening weekend. Warner Bros.’ “Just Cause” took fourth place with $4.9 million, followed by “Roommates” with $3.7 million.

RADIO

Fistell Still Off Air: KABC-AM (790) talk-show host Ira Fistell, facing possible hit-and-run charges for leaving the scene of a fatal auto accident, will remain off the air this week by a mutual agreement between him and management. Station spokesperson Shelley Wagner said his reinstatement “will continue to be re-evaluated on a weekly basis.” Fistell has been absent from his late-night slot since Feb. 17, when he was arrested and released on $20,000 bail in the wake of an accident that killed a 16-year-old girl in another car. The district attorney’s office is expected to decide this week whether to file charges against Fistell, who left the scene to report for his KABC shift; his wife, Tonda, whom he summoned to the crash site and who police said initially told them that she was driving her husband’s car, or Josh DeJean, 19, who was driving the other car.

LEGAL FILE

A Clothing Suit: A St. Louis clothing maker filed a lawsuit against Yoko Ono and the estate of the late John Lennon claiming it was defrauded into believing it had bought an exclusive license to use his picture and drawings on clothing. The lawsuit, filed in a Missouri federal court, seeks $51 million in damages. Leggoons Inc. said it was damaged when the defendants--Ono and Bag One Arts Inc., a New York company representing the estate--signed other, similar licensing agreements.

QUICK TAKES

The IRS, showing no “R-E-S-P-E-C-T,” has placed a $489,525 lien on soul queen Aretha Franklin’s home in suburban Michigan’s Bloomfield Township. In 1993, the singer paid more than $225,000 in back taxes to the IRS. Her home is valued for property taxes at more than $1 million. . . . National Endowment for the Arts head Jane Alexander announced that Cynthia Mayeda will be the interim director of the NEA’s dance program. Mayeda, former chair of the Dayton Hudson Foundation in Minneapolis, will assume her new position late this month after the departure of Sali Ann Kreigsman, who has been named executive director of the Jacobs Pillow Dance Festival. . . . For foodies who are also Academy Award groupies: super chef Wolfgang Puck, the official chef for the Governors Ball Dinner after the 67th Academy Awards show on March 27, will appear live from his famed Spago tonight in an ABC Online session.