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

TELEVISION

‘Cosby Show’ Redux: Phylicia Rashad, who played Bill Cosby’s wife on “The Cosby Show” for eight years, will play his wife again on a new, unnamed series being developed for the CBS fall lineup, it was announced by executive producers Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner. Rashad replaces Telma Hopkins, who was originally cast in the role. Carsey said Hopkins “is a wonderfully talented actress” but that script changes necessitated the replacement. The series is based loosely on a British hit, “One Foot in the Grave,” which focuses on a man who is forced to take early retirement. Rashad has appeared on stage, TV and in film since “The Cosby Show” ended in 1992. Werner said pairing her with Cosby reunites “our Fred and Ginger.”

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MTV’s Flick Picks: MTV on Monday broadcast the nominations for its fifth annual “MTV Movie Awards,” which will air June 13. Leading the list were best movie nominees “Apollo 13,” “Braveheart,” “Clueless,” “Dangerous Minds” and “Seven.” Nominees for best actor were Jim Carrey (“Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls”), Mel Gibson (“Braveheart”), Tom Hanks (“Apollo 13”), Brad Pitt (“12 Monkeys”) and Denzel Washington (“Crimson Tide”). Best actress nominees were Sandra Bullock (“While You Were Sleeping”), Michelle Pfeiffer (“Dangerous Minds”), Susan Sarandon (“Dead Man Walking”), Alicia Silverstone (“Clueless”) and Sharon Stone (“Casino”). Nominations are chosen by a national poll of MTV viewers. Winners are selected by telephone balloting.

MOVIES

Austen Wins at Home, Too: Jane Austen swept Britain’s film awards on Sunday, when adaptations of her almost 200-year-old novels “Sense and Sensibility” and “Persuasion” won best film and best television drama. (The latter was released as a feature film in the United States.) “Sense and Sensibility” beat “Babe” and “The Usual Suspects” for best film in the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards. “Sensibility” stars Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet won for best actress and best supporting actress, respectively, for their performances as the all-too marriageable Dashwood sisters in late 18th century England. Thompson surprisingly did not win in the category of best adapted screenplay--a category that brought her an Oscar last month. That prize went to John Hodge for “Trainspotting,” about heroin addiction in Glasgow. “The Madness of King George,” an Oscar hopeful in 1995, won prizes for best British film and best actor for Nigel Hawthorne. Best director went to Englishman Michael Radford for Italy’s “Il Postino (The Postman),” which was named best foreign film. Best supporting actor went to Tim Roth, the lisping villain of “Rob Roy.” The original screenplay prize went to last month’s Oscar winner, Christopher McQuarrie, for “The Usual Suspects.” Director John Schlesinger, whose films include “Midnight Cowboy” and “Marathon Man,” was made an honorary fellow of the British Academy.

MUSIC

‘Streetcar’ for San Francisco: Sylvia McNair as Blanche DuBois and Rodney Gilfry as Stanley Kowalski in an operatic “Streetcar Named Desire”? An opera lover’s fantasy? No--San Francisco Opera has commissioned an opera based on Tennessee Williams’ most famous play, from composer Andre Previn (former music director of the L.A. Philharmonic) and L.A.-based librettist Philip Littell, who created the text for “Dangerous Liaisons,” commissioned by the San Francisco company in 1994. “Streetcar” will be staged by Colin Graham and is scheduled for performances in the 1998 season, according to SFO General Director Lotfi Mansouri, who announced the commission Monday in San Francisco.

POP/ROCK

Violence at Rap Concert: Two men speeding away from thousands of rioters outside a rap concert in Oakland died when their car plowed through a fence and smashed into an empty school, police said. The crowd became restless when guards tried to search everyone entering the Eastmont Pavilion to see Death Row recording artists Tha Dogg Pound. Residents called police to report gun shots and speeding vehicles during the three-hour melee that began Saturday night. Police said the crowd threw rocks and bottles and ripped off some women’s clothes. Daniel Thrower, 21, and Saul Beltram, 24, died after their car, moving at 100 mph, smashed through a wall at Sister Clara Mohammed Elementary School and came to a halt inside a first-grade classroom, police said. Two passengers were seriously hurt.

QUICK TAKES

Despite a ticket price of $50, all 25 scheduled performances of “Ricky Jay & His 52 Assistants”--opening May 3 at the 99-seat Tiffany Theater--sold out within a few hours after the upcoming engagement became known on Friday. Although telephone ticket sales have stopped, a few house seats may be sold at the box office on the day of each performance, beginning around 5 p.m. . . . The Australian federal court got a snoot full of Homer Simpson Monday when 20th Century Fox opened its case against South Australian Brewing Co. Ltd. over rights to Duff beer. That’s what the brewing company sells; it’s also what Homer drinks in “The Simpsons.” The studio, amid exhibits of T-shirts, hats and video clips, said it used Duff first. The brewing company said its product had no relation to the cartoon series. The case will continue in Sydney today.