HOME ENTERTAINMENT : Several Great Movies to Honor Peck’s 80th Birthday

Today marks the 80th birthday of one of Hollywood’s brightest stars: Gregory Peck. The La Jolla-born Peck made his film debut in 1944’s “Days of Glory,” won the best actor Oscar for 1962’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” and was recipient of the 1989 AFI Life Achievement Award. What better away to celebrate his birthday than with a bushel of great Peck videos?

Peck received his first best actor Oscar nomination for 1945’s “The Keys of the Kingdom” (FoxVideo, $20) for his warm, earnest portrayal of a Scottish missionary spreading God’s word in 19th century China. Based on A.J. Cronin’s novel.

That same year, Peck and Ingrid Bergman teamed for Alfred Hitchcock’s delicious, sexy thriller “Spellbound” (FoxVideo, $20). Peck plays an amnesia victim accused of murder who uncovers his past thanks to his beautiful shrink (Bergman).

There’s plenty of lust on the prairie in David O. Selznick’s lavish 1946 western “Duel in the Sun” (FoxVideo, $20), starring Peck and Joseph Cotten as two brothers (Peck is the wild, handsome one) who both fall in love with a sultry mixed-race Native American (Jennifer Jones). The outrageous ending has to be seen to be believed.

Get out your hankies for 1946’s “The Yearling” (MGM/UA, $20), a dear adaptation of Marjorie Kinan Rawling’s classic novel about a boy (Claude Jarman Jr.) and his pet fawn. Peck and Jane Wyman received Oscar nominations for their memorable performances as the parents.

“Gentleman’s Agreement” (FoxVideo, $20), the 1947 Oscar-winning best picture, was Hollywood’s first major expose of anti-Semitism. Peck gives a strong performance as a writer pretending to be Jewish for an article he’s doing on anti-Semitism. Dorothy McGuire, John Garfield and Oscar-winning Celeste Holm offer fine support.

Peck and Audrey Hepburn are a sheer delight in the enchanting 1953 romantic comedy “Roman Holiday” (Paramount, $15). Peck gives a breezy performance as a reporter stationed in Rome who discovers that a visiting princess (Hepburn, in her Oscar-winning role) is touring the Eternal City incognito. William Wyler directed. One of the best.

Peck makes a rugged action hero in 1961’s “Guns of Navarone” (Columbia TriStar, $20), an explosive--in more ways than one--adaptation of Alistair MacLean’s novel about a group of men sent by British intelligence to an Aegean island to destroy guns manned by the Nazis.

The chilling 1962 suspense thriller “Cape Fear” (MCA/Universal, $20) features a sturdy Peck as an ex-prosecutor turned small-town lawyer whose family is terrorized by a sadistic criminal (Robert Mitchum) recently released from prison. Far superior to Martin Scorsese’s 1991 remake that features a cameo by Peck.

Peck won his Oscar for his masterful, touching performance in “To Kill a Mockingbird” (MCA/Universal, $15) as a caring Southern lawyer. Horton Foote won an Oscar for his exquisite adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel. Phillip Alford and Mary Badham are terrific as Peck’s children, as is Robert Duvall as Boo Radley. Wonderful Elmer Bernstein score.

Also worth watching: “The Big Country” (MGM/UA, $30); “The Gunfighter” (Fox, $20); “Captain Horatio Hornblower” (Warner, $20); “Designing Woman” (MGM/UA, $20); “Twelve O’Clock High” (FoxVideo, $15).

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Religious: Using scientific research and theological insight, A&E;’s new “Ancient Mysteries” ($30) documentary explores “Who Wrote the Bible?”

“The Gospel According to Jesus” (Magnetic Arts, $30) features the readings and teachings of Jesus and reflections and comments from theologians, priests, rabbis, Muslim leaders and skeptics. Based on Stephen Mitchell’s book.

“Survivors of the Holocaust” (Turner, $20) is a poignant documentary chronicling Jewish life before, during and after World War II.

Special Interest: E.G. Marshall and Apollo 11 moon-walker Neil Armstrong narrate “Tornadoes!! The Entity” (Norman Beerger Productions, $20), a fascinating but terrifying look at the spiraling natural disasters featuring footage of 46 amazing twisters.

“Hearing Loss” (Interlingual Images, $25) is a concise, informative tape targeted at the 22 million Americans who have a hearing loss. To order: (800) 383-8811.

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Coming Next Week: “Tremors 2: Aftershocks” (MCA/Universal) is a moderately entertaining straight-to-video sequel of the popular 1990 sci-fi comedy. This time out, Fred Ward and Michael Gross travel to Mexico to hunt down those pesky man-eating Graboids.

“Outrage” (A-Pix) is a so-so 1993 Spanish thriller starring the ever-busy Antonio Banderas as a reporter whose romance with a circus sharpshooter (Francesca Neri) ends in tragedy.

Harvey Keitel and William Hurt star in the comedy-drama “Smoke” (Miramax).

Eddie Murphy and Angela Bassett star in the thriller-comedy “Vampire in Brooklyn” (Paramount). . . . Also new: “The Heidi Chronicles” (Turner); “Riders of the Purple Sage” (Turner); “Kicking and Screaming” (Vidmark); “The Innocent” (Miramax); “Out There” (Paramount).