<i> Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, news services and the nation’s press.</i>

TV & MOVIES

House Honors Stewart: The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution Tuesday honoring the late actor James Stewart for his artistic, political and military contributions. “He personified the very best of what it means to be an American,” said Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), the measure’s sponsor. The Academy Award-winning actor died in July at age 89. He had received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in 1985.

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Giving Thanks: “The X-Files’ ” Gillian Anderson took out full-page ads in both Hollywood trade papers Wednesday thanking the show’s cast and crew. Some of Anderson’s co-workers were said to be a bit miffed that she failed to mention them when accepting her best actress Emmy Sunday. After the show, Anderson had said that she wanted to thank her family, having previously acknowledged her colleagues at the Golden Globes. Wednesday’s ad specifically addressed both “X-Files” creator Chris Carter and series co-star David Duchovny. To the latter she wrote: “Your talent has always inspired me--without your ‘Mulder’ there would be no ‘Scully.’ ”

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Lawrence Sentenced: Actor Martin Lawrence was given two years probation and ordered to perform community service and organize a charity fund-raiser after pleading no contest Wednesday to misdemeanor battery for punching a man at a Hollywood nightclub last March. Lawrence, 32, was also ordered to remain in a drug treatment program and return to court next March for a progress report.

RADIO

New Groove: After 24 hours of playing a single Spice Girls line, “Tell me what you want, what you really really want,” repeatedly, 103.1 FM (both KACD and KBCD) was to switch formats today from its electronic dance and techno “Groove Radio” premise to focus on the “song, melody and hit-driven” side of dance music. Station owner Ken Roberts said the new format will target 18- to 34-year-old females who had listened to KPWR-FM (105.9) before that station shifted to a hip-hop emphasis.

QUICK TAKES

Country music star Willie Nelson has canceled his Farm Aid ’97 benefit because of weak ticket sales and corporate support, organizers said Tuesday. Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, the Dave Matthews Band and John Fogerty had been slated to perform Oct. 4 at Dallas’ Texas Stadium. . . . Former “Coach” co-star Jerry Van Dyke has joined the cast of ABC’s new Friday night comedy “You Wish,” about a woman who inherits a genie. Van Dyke will play the genie’s 50,000-year-old Grampa Max.