TELEVISIONSpringsteen Video Premiere: Cable’s VH1 will premiere...

TELEVISION

Springsteen Video Premiere: Cable’s VH1 will premiere “Murder Incorporated,” the new Bruce Springsteen video reuniting him with his former E Street Band, on Thursday. The video will air as part of “Bruce Springsteen Greatest Hits: The Videos,” a new two-hour special that premieres at 5 p.m., with repeats at 9 p.m. Thursday, 6 p.m. Sunday, 7 p.m. Tuesday, 5 p.m. March 25, 6 p.m. April 1, and 8 p.m. April 2. In addition to videos, the VH1 special will include footage from the surprise Springsteen-E. Street performance at Manhattan’s Tramp’s, which produced footage for the “Murder Incorporated” video.

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London-Bound: Dates have been set for David Letterman’s “Late Show” trip to London. The program will broadcast from the London Studios, on the south bank of the Thames, from May 15-19. In an announcement trumpeting the weeklong trip, CBS said the broadcasts “will present to America, in Letterman’s unique style, the historical sights of Britain and the British people.” The trip will mark the first broadcasts from London by an American late-night talk show in more than 35 years. Jack Paar took his program there in the late 1950s and early 1960s. “The Late Show” has aired in London since last April.

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Another Baseball Strike: ABC has pulled the plug on “A Whole New Ballgame,” a comedy starring Corbin Bernsen as an obnoxious sports announcer. Monday’s episode was the last regularly scheduled broadcast, even though there are two more episodes that have not aired. ABC said no decision had been made on whether the remaining episodes would be shown.

RADIO

On the Air: Former Iran-Contra figure and failed Virginia Senate candidate Oliver North began his new career as a talk radio host on Monday. North’s program, a conservative afternoon drive-time show on Washington radio station WWRC, was also heard in Houston. So far though, no other stations have signed up with Dallas-based syndicator Salem Radio Network. North, who calls his show “common sense radio,” joins other unemployed politicians who have flocked to talk radio, including former Virginia Gov. Doug Wilder in Richmond, former Mayor Ed Koch in New York and three former presidential candidates--Ross Perot in Dallas, Gary Hart in Denver and Jerry Brown in Oakland.

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More Political Talk: Also joining the talk-show ranks is former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, who said Tuesday that he expects to sign a deal for a weekly New York radio show within a week. The show, which the Democrat said will be “thought talk radio instead of just talk, talk radio,” will probably air on Saturday mornings and will include a call-in segment, Cuomo said. . . . And former Rep. Pat Swindall, who was released in February after a one-year prison sentence for lying to a federal grand jury investigating his involvement in a money-laundering scheme, on Thursday will begin hosting a daily talk show on WNIV-AM in Atlanta. Swindall, 44, said he will discuss politics with a Christian viewpoint.

MOVIES

Monroe Documentary: “Marilyn Monroe: Life After Death,” a theatrical documentary featuring testimonials by Monroe’s friends and admirers, including Norman Mailer, Hugh Hefner, Dr. Joyce Brothers and columnist Liz Smith, will open nationally on May 12. The $1.2-million documentary, which is being billed as the first commercial documentary to use laser-disc technology, will be released by United Artists Theatre Circuit, in the exhibitor’s first distribution venture. The film includes interviews with coroners and law enforcement officials who investigated the actress’s death in 1962, as well as never-before-seen images by photographer and Monroe business partner Milton H. Greene. The documentary is produced by Anthony Greene, son of the late photographer.

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Chicago Critics’ Picks: Chicago’s own “Hoop Dreams” scored a slam dunk with hometown critics Monday night, winning best picture at the 70th Annual Chicago Film Critics Awards. The movie, which was shut out of Oscar nominations for both best picture and best documentary, is the first documentary to win the Chicago critics’ top prize. Among the other awards, “Pulp Fiction” won two (Quentin Tarantino, best director; Tarantino and Roger Avary, screenplay) as did “Ed Wood” (Martin Landau, supporting actor; Stefan Czapsky, cinematography). Tom Hanks was named best actor for “Forrest Gump,” and Jennifer Jason Leigh took best actress honors for “Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle.”

STAGE

‘Slavs!’ and Randy Newman’s ‘Faust’: The West Coast premiere of Tony Kushner’s “Slavs!” will mark the first co-production of La Jolla Playhouse and the Mark Taper Forum. Staged by La Jolla artistic director Michael Greif, the production will play in La Jolla July 25-Aug. 27 and at the Taper in November. La Jolla also announced Tuesday that Greif will direct a new musical comedy, “Faust,” by pop songwriter-performer Randy Newman, early next fall. It will be accompanied by an all-star studio recording of the play’s score featuring James Taylor, Elton John, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, the Eagles’ Don Henley and Newman. Greif’s work on “Slavs!” means that his previously announced staging of “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” is off; it has been replaced by Marion McClinton’s staging of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” July 11-Aug. 13.