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

TELEVISION

Look Who’s Joining ABC News: Senior White House Advisor George Stephanopoulos has been named a contributing correspondent for ABC News. Stephanopoulos, who already had announced that he would leave the White House in January, will contribute regularly to a variety of ABC News broadcasts including “This Week” and “Good Morning America.” He will serve as both a political analyst and as a correspondent. In making the announcement, ABC News President Roone Arledge called Stephanopoulos, 35, “one of the best-known and most articulate presidential advisors this country has ever seen.”

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Bravo to All: ABC’s “Dangerous Minds,” “High Incident” and “NYPD Blue”; CBS’ “Chicago Hope” and “Nash Bridges”; Fox’s “New York Undercover”; and the UPN Network’s “Live Shot” will compete for outstanding drama series when the National Council of La Raza honors Hispanic TV and film stars Saturday at the Wiltern Theater. Other Bravo Award nominees, announced Wednesday, include two canceled series, ABC’s “Common Law” and NBC’s “The John Larroquette Show,” which will vie for best comedy, variety or music series/special with UPN’s “First Time Out,” HBO’s “Gloria Estefan: The Evolution Tour--Live in Miami” and Showtime’s “Latino Laugh Festival.” The awards show, hosted by Cheech Marin and Giselle Fernandez for broadcast Dec. 28 on Fox, will include performances by Los Lobos, Chaka Khan and Ricky Martin, plus a tribute to the late Freddie Prinze.

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Rosie and Tom: Rosie O’Donnell’s long-held infatuation with Tom Cruise--a much-discussed topic on her talk show--apparently rubbed off on the viewers as Cruise’s guest appearance earned O’Donnell an estimated 26% share of the audience Tuesday, according to early Nielsen ratings. It was O’Donnell’s highest rating ever for the show, which debuted June 10. In Los Angeles, she earned an estimated 25% of the audience, topping rival Oprah Winfrey, who drew only 8%.

POP/ROCK

American Music Nominees: Hollywood usually saves its best movies until the end of the year, in the belief that Oscar voters won’t remember earlier fare. But a national sampling of 20,000 music listeners has leaned heavily in the other direction. Three compilations released more than a year ago are among the favorite album nominees for the 24th annual American Music Awards, being given Jan. 27 at the Shrine Auditorium and broadcast on ABC. Last year’s multiple Grammy winner, Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill,” released in June of 1995, is going up against Mariah Carey’s 14-month-old “Daydream” and the combined entry of the Beatles’ “Anthology 1,” released Thanksgiving week 1995, and “Anthology 2,” the only nominee released this year. Carey was the runaway leader overall with five nominations (including favorite female artist in the pop/rock and R&B; categories) while 11 artists, including Morissette, Toni Braxton, Celine Dion and the Smashing Pumpkins, drew two nods each. Among other categories, Jewel, Donna Lewis and Orange County’s No Doubt will vie for favorite new artist while Bush, Smashing Pumpkins and Stone Temple Pilots compete for favorite alternative artist.

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No Doubt About This: No Doubt had more than its American Music Award nomination to celebrate Wednesday as the ska-pop band’s 14-month-old “Tragic Kingdom” became the nation’s top-selling album, completing its long climb to No. 1 by selling nearly 229,000 copies last week. Celine Dion’s “Falling Into You” hangs on to the second spot, according to SoundScan, followed by Bush’s “Razorblade Suitcase,” which had been No. 1 for two weeks. “Tragic Kingdom” makes it five weeks in a row that the No. 1 album has been distributed by Interscope Records (the others were “Razorblade Suitcase,” Tupac Shakur’s “Don Killumaniti: The 7 Day Theory” and Snoop Doggy Dogg’s “Tha Doggfather”). Meanwhile, sales for Whitney Houston’s soundtrack for “The Preacher’s Wife,” hampered by distribution problems its first week in release, increased by almost 70%, vaulting the album from No. 12 to No. 4.

JAZZ

Torme Rehospitalized: Singer Mel Torme is back in a Los Angeles-area hospital with respiratory problems that his spokesman, Rob Wilcox, called “the kind of thing ordinarily associated with a cold.” However, Wilcox said, doctors thought it best to hospitalize the 71-year-old crooner for “tests and evaluation” while they determine if the pneumonia he contracted after a stroke in August has recurred. Wilcox added that Torme is alert and awake and is continuing with physical therapy.

QUICK TAKES

The Hollywood Foreign Press Assn., under fire in the media because of its membership rules, said Wednesday that it has received a record number of submissions for its 1997 Golden Globe Awards, being given Jan. 19. Among the entries: 114 dramas, 81 comedies, 32 foreign films, 120 TV series and 142 miniseries or TV films. Nominations will be announced next Thursday. . . . Richard Pryor was honored by the L.A. Commission on Disability Wednesday for his true-to-life portrayal on “Chicago Hope” of a man suffering from multiple sclerosis. The CBS series also was honored, for “demonstrating a sincere commitment and sensitivity to people with disabilities.” . . . The full four-hour version of “Hamlet,” which already was set to open in Los Angeles and New York on Christmas Day, now will be seen in 50 cities nationwide. Director Kenneth Branagh is preparing a two-hour-plus version for other purposes, such as airlines, but only the long version will be shown in theaters. . . . Anjelica Huston, Gregory Peck, Gabriel Byrne and Fionnula Flanagan will appear in “And Wisdom Is a Butterfly--a Celebration of Irish Poetry, Prose and Song,” a one-night production to raise awareness for Project Children and Amnesty International, Monday at 8 at the Mark Taper Forum. Tickets are $30.