ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION’S PRESS.

STAGE

Coming to the ‘Cabaret’: Teri Hatcher, best known for her role as TV’s Lois Lane, will play Fraulein Sally Bowles in much of the national tour of the “Cabaret” revival, including the tour’s first stop, at Los Angeles’ Wilshire Theatre, Feb. 23-March 28. Hatcher is also scheduled to play the role in Boston, Chicago and Washington. Los Angeles tickets are currently available only through subscriptions to the 1999 Broadway / L.A. Musical Season, which also features “Annie,” “Evita” and “Cirque Ingenieux.”

TV & MOVIES

CBS Again Passes NBC: CBS, which overcame traditional front-runner NBC in last year’s November sweeps, triumphed again this year in the sweeps period, as final numbers for the all-important ratings period were released Monday. CBS, bolstered by specials and movies such as “Mama Flora’s Family,” attracted an average 13.7 million viewers, with second-place NBC scoring about 13.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. ABC came in third with an average of 12.9 million viewers, with Fox posting a fourth-place finish with 11.9 million viewers. It was the first time in at least 10 years that CBS has scored back-to-back November sweeps wins.

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All-Time Favorites: Alan Alda, Tim Allen, Bill Cosby, Carroll O’Connor and Jerry Seinfeld will vie for all-time favorite television star, while Robert De Niro, Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson and Tom Hanks contend for all-time favorite movie star at the 25th annual People’s Choice Awards airing Jan. 10 on CBS. The two categories, along with one for favorite all-time musical performer--featuring nominees Garth Brooks, Michael Jackson, Elton John, George Strait and Barbra Streisand--were added this year to celebrate the program’s 25th anniversary. Other nominees include “ER,” “Law & Order” and “NYPD Blue” for favorite TV drama; “Frasier,” “Friends” and “Seinfeld” for favorite TV comedy; “Armageddon, “Saving Private Ryan” and “Titanic” for favorite motion picture; and Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet for favorite movie actress. The awards--which are decided by a Gallup Poll for all categories except the three “all-time” honors, which will be determined by Internet voting (at https://www.cbs.com)--move to a new home this year, the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

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Soapy ‘Passions’: NBC has announced a July 5 premiere date for its newest daytime serial, a New England-set drama from writer James E. Reilly (“Days of Our Lives,” “Guiding Light”). The network has not yet said what “Passions” will replace on the schedule, although the likely candidates are “Another World” or “Sunset Beach,” both of which have struggled in the ratings.

RADIO

Jackson’s KRLA Debut Set: Host Michael Jackson will debut on new talk station KRLA-AM (1110) on Jan. 4 in his familiar, former time slot of 9 a.m.-noon. Jackson--whose weekday show aired on KABC-AM (790) for more than 30 years until he was demoted to weekends in July 1997--was unable to start his new show Monday, when KRLA switched from its rock oldies format, because he is on the tail end of his contract to KABC. Meanwhile, syndicated host Doug Stephan is filling the slot until Jackson’s arrival. Longtime KNBC-TV news anchor Kelly Lange was paired with Stephan on Monday and today, and could be back for additional days, KRLA general manager Bob Moore said. Others scheduled to co-host with Stephan include Bob Eubanks (“The Newlywed Game”), Gabe Kaplan (“Welcome Back, Kotter”) and conservative columnist Arianna Huffington. Stephan will also be handling his regular KRLA shift, on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5 a.m.

QUICK TAKES

Billy Joel will receive the American Music Awards’ special Award of Merit during the ABC telecast Jan. 11. Joel will be cited for “inspired songwriting skills, musical arrangements, vocals, keyboard prowess and exciting showmanship.” Previous honorees include Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Whitney Houston and Frank Sinatra. . . . Undaunted by Disney’s record success last weekend with “A Bug’s Life,” DreamWorks will release the other animated bugs movie, “Antz,” on home video Feb. 9. . . . The infamous honeymoon sex tape made by actress Pamela Anderson and her now-estranged husband, rocker Tommy Lee, can continue to be sold over the Internet and in stores, a federal judge has ruled, dismissing the couple’s $90-million lawsuit against Internet Entertainment Group. The judge ruled the couple had signed away all rights to the tape; they maintained they had agreed only to a one-time, 1997 Internet showing.