POP/ROCK - June 26, 1995

Michael’s Dreamy Deal: British singer George Michael has agreed to a deal with the Steven Spielberg-Jeffrey Katzenberg-David Geffen studio, Dreamworks SKG, which will end his long-running dispute with Sony, the Sunday Times of London reports. The deal with Virgin Records and Dreamworks will allow Michael to release his first record in more than five years. SKG reportedly will pay Sony about $16 million. Michael had sued Sony to end his six-year contract, but he lost the legal battle when Britain’s High Court ruled that the agreement was legal and binding.

TELEVISION

Like Buttah: If you’re a fan of Mike Myers’ coffee-talk skit on “Saturday Night Live,” you may be in for a jolt. The New York Daily News quoted sources at the William Morris agency who said a new talk show, “Coffee Talk With Linda Richman,” is in production. And it will be hosted not by Myers, but his real-life mother-in-law, the real Linda Richman. On the show, Richman reportedly will interview celebrities.

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Life Imitates Soap: The relationship between Erica (Susan Lucci) and her estranged daughter, Kendall Hart (Sarah Michelle Gellar), is not a happy one on ABC’s soap “All My Children.” Gellar, who leaves the show next week, told TV Guide that her real-life relationship with Lucci is also troubled. “Susan and I were not best friends and we’re never going to be,” said Gellar, 18. She asked to leave the show before her contract expired in February to work in films. Gellar won a daytime Emmy this year for her role after being nominated for the first time; although Lucci has been nominated 15 times, she has yet to win.

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Gubernatorial ‘Christy’ Fan: Tennessee’s Gov. Don Sundquist issued a somewhat unusual plea by asking all Tennesseans to support the continued broadcast of the CBS series, “Christy.” The show about a young teacher in the Tennessee mountains is filmed in the state’s Great Smokies. “He loves ‘Christy,’ ” a spokeswoman explained. “The governor tries to watch it whenever he is able.”

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Toon Time: The United Paramount Network is getting animated. The network has announced two new children’s animated series--”Space Strikers” and “Teknoman”--which will premiere Sept. 10. The shows will be the first projects from UPN Kids, a joint venture of the network and Saban Entertainment, best known for the TV show “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.” “Space Strikers” features Capt. Nemo, commander of a technologically advanced starship, who meets up with many a nefarious villain. “Teknoman” is a futuristic story about a young man trying to rescue his kidnaped family.

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New Trial: A woman sentenced to death after pleading guilty to a videotaped murder can withdraw her pleas and get a new trial because her attorney improperly made a deal with the tabloid TV show “A Current Affair,” a judge in Florida ruled. The circuit judge ruled that Deidre Hunt can withdraw the May, 1990, pleas to two counts of first-degree murder. Hunt’s first lawyer, Peter Niles, struck a deal with “A Current Affair” a month before his client pleaded guilty to the murders. Niles received $5,000 for arranging the jailhouse interview with Hunt, which aired in 1990. Hunt has been on death row in Florida.

HONORS

Lichtenstein Lauded: Artist Roy Lichtenstein will receive one of the 1995 Kyoto Prizes, Japan’s highest awards for lifetime achievement. He’ll be presented with the prize in the creative arts category at a ceremony in Kyoto, Japan, in November. Lichtenstein, a leader of the Pop art movement, is known for his enlarged comic strips. The Kyoto Prizes are presented annually by the nonprofit Inamori Foundation.

PEOPLE WATCH

Capt. Kirk on Safety: William Shatner, who rode one of his own horses in the movie “Star Trek: Generations,” is narrating an equestrian-safety video after Christopher Reeve’s accident left him unable to complete the project. The video promotes the wearing of helmets and should be ready for national distribution soon. Reeve was wearing a helmet when he was thrown from his horse but landed on his head and broke his neck.

QUICK TAKES

“Congo” star Bruce Campbell will host tonight’s Saturn Awards given out by the Academy of Science Fiction Fantasy & Horror Films in Century City. Filmmaker Wes Craven, known for the “Nightmare on Elm Street” movies, and producer Joel Silver will both receive awards for their lifetime achievements. . . . Items from the late actress Lillian Gish’s estate were scooped up by fans at a Sotheby’s auction in New York, raising $232,217 for her heirs. A gold watch given to her by director D.W. Griffith brought in $4,887. . . . “Friends” fans can see Matthew Perry before he became a friend tonight on “Dream On.” Perry did a guest spot on a 1992 episode of the show, which repeats on Fox at 9 p.m.