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

MUSIC/DANCE

Real Bolshoi to Return: In its first Southern California engagement since 1990, the full Bolshoi Ballet is scheduled to dance eight performances at the Shrine Auditorium, Oct. 23-31. In contrast to small tour groups that have danced Russian ballet excerpts to taped music under the Bolshoi name in the last few years, plans for the October tour call for the 80-piece Bolshoi orchestra to back 145 company dancers in three full-length classics from the 19th century: “Don Quixote,” “Swan Lake” and “La Sylphide.” Russian Legend Productions of Oklahoma City is presenting the tour, which also stops in Las Vegas, Oct. 8-20.

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The Absent-Minded Diva?: An opera singer named Sarah Connolly forgot to turn up for her debut performance at Britain’s prestigious Glyndebourne festival, leaving “Yevgeny Onegin” without its leading lady. Hundreds of picnickers had made the 50-mile trip from London to the outdoor opera site Monday night, but mezzo soprano Connolly was sitting at home. She had put the wrong date in her diary, her agent said. Glyndebourne organizers eventually tracked down her understudy, and the performance began 45 minutes late.

MOVIES

The Cat on the Screen: DreamWorks SKG has acquired rights to the 1957 classic Dr. Seuss children’s book “The Cat in the Hat” and plans to produce a live-action film version of the nonsensical story about a cat who encourages mischief in children. DreamWorks partner Steven Spielberg, who personally sought rights to the book from Audrey Geisel, widow of Dr. Seuss alter ego Theodor Geisel, will produce, and Oscar winner Eric Roth (“Forrest Gump”) is set to write the screenplay. “Home Improvement” star Tim Allen is reportedly interested in starring in the project, but his spokeswoman said she couldn’t confirm or deny the report.

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‘Double’ Switch: Comedian Steve Martin is taking over for John Travolta in Mandalay Entertainment’s “The Double,” a studio source confirmed Wednesday. Travolta, who had earlier replaced Anthony Hopkins in the title role, walked off the film during rehearsals in Paris last week, reportedly because of difficulties with director Roman Polanski. (Travolta’s representatives, however, said he’d left because his son was having medical problems).

TELEVISION

HBO, Court TV to Collaborate: Cable’s HBO and Court TV will join to produce “Mumia Abu-Jamal: A Case for Reasonable Doubt?,” a documentary special examining the case of African American journalist and radio commentator Jamal, whose conviction for the murder of white Philadelphia policeman Daniel Faulkner has sparked a worldwide controversy. The hourlong documentary, which includes Jamal telling his story on-camera for the first time, will premiere July 7 on HBO, then air July 11 on Court TV, where it will be followed by a one-hour panel discussion.

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Rosy ‘Rosie’ Ratings: “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” is off to a solid start ratings-wise with its first two telecasts. In Los Angeles, the program has improved on “Sally Jessy Raphael’s” recent ratings in the same time period by more than 70%. On Tuesday, “Rosie” beat “The Oprah Winfrey Show” locally--watched in roughly 255,000 homes compared to 240,000 for “Oprah”--the first time KNBC-TV has edged the longtime front-runner since January. The program is also doing well elsewhere, with the best initial ratings results for any daytime talk show introduced in the 1990s.

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Recognizing Family Fare: CBS’ “Touched by an Angel,” ABC’s “Second Noah” and the WB network’s “Kirk” were the three most “family-friendly” prime-time shows on television this past season, according to the conservative Media Research Center in Alexandria, Va. The group has previously rated prime-time shows by political content, but decided this year to look at family values. In all, the group found only seven positive candidates, which also included CBS’ “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” ABC’s “Home Improvement” and “Lois & Clark: the Adventures of Superman,” and WB’s “The Parent ‘Hood.” The group also rated the 10 least family-friendly shows, with that list topped by Fox’s “Married . . . With Children,” NBC’s “Friends” and ABC’s “Roseanne.”

QUICK TAKES

Former “St. Elsewhere” star Mark Harmon may be preparing to don doctors’ scrubs once again. Sources say he is in preliminary discussions to join the cast of the CBS medical drama “Chicago Hope” in the fall. . . . Recent Tony winner Savion Glover, 22, was ordered to serve 50 hours of community service this week after pleading guilty in New York to a disorderly conduct charge of driving under the influence of marijuana. Glover, the creator and star of Broadway’s “Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk,” was arrested Dec. 1 during a routine license check when police allegedly found marijuana in his truck. . . . Actor Dudley Moore, 61, has filed for divorce from wife No. 4., the former Nicole Rothschild, 32. Moore was arrested at his Venice home after a 1994 squabble with Rothschild, but police declined to file charges and the couple married the following month. . . . Hard-rock group Prong has landed the opening spot on Ozzy Osbourne’s tour, so the group has canceled its three weeks of national club dates--including tonight’s show at the Troubadour. . . . Filmmaker Robert Altman, television producer Steven Bochco and film production designer Robert Boyle will receive honorary degrees from the American Film Institute today during commencement ceremonies for the AFI Conservatory’s Class of 1996.