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

MOVIES

Classics to Return to Big Screen: Classic films including “Gone With the Wind” (1939), “Citizen Kane” (1941), “The Wizard of Oz” (1939), “Mutiny on the Bounty” (1935), “On the Town” (1949) and Stanley Kubrick’s “Lolita” (1962) will return to movie theaters in cities around the country as part of “Turner Classic Movies on the Big Screen,” a program spearheaded by the Turner Entertainment Co. and its cable television channel, Turner Classic Movies. The programming kicks off in Los Angeles Oct. 1 with a 10-day festival at the Laemmle Royal Theater featuring such classics as “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968), “Ben-Hur” (1959) and Alfred Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest” (1959). Tom Karsch, TCM’s general manager, says the movies will be screened in theaters “as they were originally presented, complete with intermission and original music scores.”

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Blockbuster Ride: Universal Studios’ new Jurassic Park--The Ride was a dino-sized hit this summer, helping to draw a record 2.5 million people to the park. That’s a 35% increase over last year’s summer tally, said officials, who predict that overall 1996 attendance will exceed the record of 5.1 million visitors set in 1989--the year Earthquake--The Big One debuted. The park also shattered its all-time daily attendance record on July 5 when 43,000 braved what must have been maddeningly long lines at Universal’s attractions. The previous record was 35,200 guests on Feb. 21, 1994.

OPERA

Eaglen Out of ‘Turandot’: Soprano Jane Eaglen has dropped out of the title role of Puccini’s “Turandot” for Opera Pacific’s production opening Sept. 21 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa. Singing the role while also starring as the tragic heroine of Bellini’s “Norma” for the L.A. Opera “has proved too much of a stretch for her,” an Opera Pacific spokesman said. Alessandra Marc, who had been scheduled to alternate “Turandot” duties with Eaglen, will now handle all six performances.

POP/ROCK

Last Album: The surviving members of the band Blind Melon are releasing a collection of outtakes and rarities on Nov. 12 as the final album by the group, which came to a tragic end last year with the cocaine overdose death of singer Shannon Hoon. The album, titled “Nico” after Hoon’s young daughter, is being released simultaneously with “Letters From a Porcupine,” a documentary home video of the band’s history. A portion of album proceeds will be donated to the Musician’s Assistance Program, the organization that this week received a $2-million grant from the Recording Industry Assn. of America to fight drug abuse in the music business. Blind Melon’s remaining members--guitarists Rogers Stevens and Christopher Thorn, bassist Brad Smith and drummer Glen Graham--are auditioning singers with plans to resume performing under a new name.

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Soul Ladies: Faith Evans and TLC were the top winners at Monday’s second annual “Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards,” telecast on the WB network from the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Evans, wife of rapper Notorious B.I.G., was named best new artist, and her “Faith” album was named best solo R&B; album. TLC picked up two awards for its “Waterfalls” single. Other winners included Mary J. Blige (best solo R&B; single) and Xscape (best group R&B; album). Vanessa Williams and Brandy were presented with special awards for career achievement and entertainer of the year, respectively. The Saturday night shooting of rapper Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas was mentioned only once from the stage--by Bobby Brown of New Edition. LL Cool J, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and MC Lyte all made backstage statements of concern and empathy for the hospitalized rapper. Meanwhile, Dalvin Ertemus Degrate, a member of the R&B; group Jodeci, was arrested for allegedly failing to obey a traffic officer as deputies tried to disperse a post-awards show crowd that had gathered outside the Billboard Live nightclub on Sunset Strip.

TELEVISION

Happy Birthday: “48 Hours” will celebrate its 10th anniversary Thursday with a show that revisits a former “crack baby” and others who have been profiled over the years. The newsmagazine--TV’s fourth-longest-running show--has survived “ER” and other competition and recently increased its ratings with a new format that includes one in-depth segment, plus several breaking-news stories. It was also announced that former CBS morning anchor Paula Zahn will contribute stories to the show this fall.

QUICK TAKES

MTV personality and former Playboy playmate Jenny McCarthy will make her network comedy debut with a guest-starring role Oct. 2 on NBC’s “Wings.” McCarthy plays a beautiful woman who tantalizes Brian Hackett (Steven Weber), right after he declares that he will no longer choose his dates for superficial reasons. . . . NBC’s best drama Emmy winner, “ER,” will have a new recurring cast member starting Oct. 10: actress Glenne Headly (“Lonesome Dove,” “Mr. Holland’s Opus”). She will play a respected pediatric surgeon who supervises Dr. Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle). . . . Award-winning Broadway, movie and television actress Leslie Uggams will join the cast of ABC’s daytime drama “All My Children” for about three months beginning Oct. 15. She will play an unidentified woman whose presence will stir up painful emotions for her son, Noah (Keith Hamilton Cobb). . . . Rock star David Bowie will release a single, “Telling Lies,” exclusively on the Internet today at 7 p.m. at https://www.davidbowie.com. Bowie’s new album, “Earthlings,” is due out early next year. . . . Fox Video has confirmed that it will release the summer blockbuster “Independence Day” on home video Nov. 22, with a suggested retail price of $22.98.