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

TV & VIDEO

‘ER’ Crew Will Profit, Too: The executive producers of NBC’s “ER,” which has just been rewarded with an $850-million windfall because of its pricey renewal, is spreading some of the jackpot among the cast and crew. Insiders say John Wells, Michael Crichton and Steven Spielberg have donated $6 million to those working behind the scenes on the show, leaving the distribution of the money up to department heads. Warner Bros. Television, which produces the drama, declined comment, and no specifics were offered on how the money was being distributed.

Headed to Video: Fox, which challenged Disney’s animation arm when it released its own animated musical, “Anastasia,” in November, is continuing to take on animation master Disney with plans for a heavily marketed video release of “Anastasia” on April 28. Fox Home Entertainment said it will spend a whopping $100 million on marketing, and the video will be offered “for a limited time only” (through the end of the year), as is much of Disney’s animated fare. The campaign, Fox said, will be its biggest yet, surpassing promotional efforts even for “Independence Day” and “Star Wars Trilogy.” The video, with a suggested retail price of $27, will be available in both wide-screen and pan-and-scan formats. Disney’s animated “Hercules,” meanwhile, comes out on video on Feb. 3.

PEOPLE WATCH

Crawford Vs. MGM: Former “Phantom of the Opera” star Michael Crawford has sued Las Vegas’ MGM-Grand for unspecified damages, claiming the hotel-casino unfairly fired him. Crawford, 56, claims that he was injured repeatedly while performing stunts in the high-tech MGM show “EFX” but continued to perform even with the injuries. However, in September 1996, a doctor recommended he take some time off for rest and physical therapy to recuperate; four days later, the lawsuit claims, the hotel terminated his $150,000-a-week contract. His contract was to have run through March 1997, Crawford said. MGM-Grand spokesman Jack Leone had no comment Tuesday.

Babs Loves Grammy: Barbra Streisand will make a rare TV performance when she performs with Celine Dion on the 40th annual Grammy Awards Feb. 25 on CBS. The two have agreed to do their first-ever live performance of their nominated duet, “Tell Him.” Additional Grammy performers have not been announced.

Versace Tribute: Supermodel Naomi Campbell will host and produce a charity auction and fashion show, the first of its kind in South Africa, honoring the late fashion designer Gianni Versace. The event, to be held on Feb. 14 at the presidential palace in Cape Town, will benefit South African President Nelson Mandela’s Children’s Fund. Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Mia Farrow will be among the participants.

STAGE

Chicago Casting: The cast for the Ahmanson Theatre’s upcoming engagement of “Chicago” will feature Charlotte d’Amboise as Roxie Hart, Jasmine Guy as Velma Kelly, Brent Barrett as Billy Flynn and Ron Orbach as Amos Hart. Performances of the Broadway hit are scheduled for May 6 through July 5.

KUDOS

Eastwood Honor: Oscar-winning actor-director Clint Eastwood will receive the Producer’s Guild of America’s David O. Selznick Lifetime Achievement Award. The honor will be presented during the guild’s annual Golden Laurel Awards on March 3 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel; previous recipients include Billy Wilder, Richard Zanuck and Howard W. Koch.

Genesis Honors: “Shiloh,” a Utopia Pictures movie about a boy’s dilemma when he is forced to return a hunting dog to an abusive owner, was named the best feature film of 1997 by the Encino-based Ark Trust Inc., which honors entertainment fare that “spotlights animal issues with courage, creativity and integrity.” Additional award recipients, to be honored during the 12th annual Genesis Awards on March 28 at the Beverly Hilton, include the classic 1972 picture “Charlotte’s Web,” the CBS comedy “Everybody Loves Raymond,” the Fox drama “Millennium,” ABC’s “PrimeTime Live” and the syndicated shows “Hard Copy” and “Leeza.” In addition, the late John Denver will receive the 1997 Doris Day Music Award Classic, honoring his song, “You Say the Battle Is Over,” about the slaughter of wildlife.

QUICK TAKES

The new WB Tuesday night teen drama “Dawson’s Creek,” which drew promising ratings for the fledgling network when it premiered last week, has secured permission to use Grammy-nominated artist Paula Cole’s hit song, “I Don’t Want to Wait,” as its opening theme song. . . . Singer James Brown, 64, returned to rehearsals in Augusta, Ga., Monday with his band, jumping around and pretending to pitch a baseball and play football to prove that he’s fit and ready to embark on a world tour. Brown spent a week in a hospital earlier this month, while he was treated for what was said to be an addiction to painkillers. . . . PBS will offer free prime time to the major presidential candidates in 2000, as it did in 1996. . . . Cable’s E! Entertainment Television will air daily Winter Olympics reports from Nagano, Japan, Feb. 6 through 22 on its programs “E! News Daily” and “E! News Weekend.” The reports will “examine Hollywood’s influence” on the Games. . . . Ceremonies naming the KTLA-TV Channel 5 administration building in honor of longtime newsman Stan Chambers will take place Thursday at 8:30 a.m., at 5800 Sunset Blvd.