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

ENTERTAINMENT

Going ‘Simpsonic’: Rhino Records will release a second CD of music from Fox’s animated series “The Simpsons” on Sept. 1. “Go Simpsonic With the Simpsons: A Whole Lot More Music From the Television Series”--a follow-up to Rhino’s earlier release, “Songs in the Key of Springfield”--will feature 60 tracks, including songs, theme music and dialogue from the show.

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Cosby Speaks to Slain Son’s Peers: Bill Cosby mixed his trademark wit with tough talk about the importance of teachers in an address to graduates of the Columbia University teaching program where his slain son had studied. Cosby mentioned his son, Ennis, only at the very end of his 30-minute speech Tuesday, saying: “I hesitate to talk about Ennis at this time. . . . Even today, if Ennis were alive, I would see Ennis in your faces. If Ennis were alive, I would see you as teachers for our children.” Ennis William Cosby, 27, was a doctoral student at Teachers College at Columbia University when he was gunned down Jan. 16, 1997, after pulling off the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles to change a flat tire. Mikhail Markhasev, 19, is scheduled to stand trial for the killing in July. Police said the motive appeared to be robbery.

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Lifetime Slate: Cable’s Lifetime network plans to premiere three new prime-time series this summer: “Any Day Now,” an Annie Potts and Lorraine Toussaint drama about a friendship between a white, married homemaker and a single African American attorney; “Maggie Day,” a comedy starring Ann Cusack; and “Oh Baby,” a comedy starring Cynthia Stevenson and Joanna Gleason. Lifetime has also acquired syndication rights to repeats of “Party of Five,” “Chicago Hope” and “Ellen.”

QUICK TAKES

Warren Beatty will promote his latest film, “Bulworth,” by placing his hand and footprints in cement at Mann’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood today at noon. . . . Family members of comedian Chris Farley, who died in December of an accidental drug overdose, will be at Planet Hollywood in Beverly Hills tonight at 7 to display a costume from Farley’s last motion picture, “Almost Heroes.” The comedy, co-starring Matthew Perry, opens nationwide on May 29. . . . Pop singer Olivia Newton-John presented $50,000 worth of musical instruments to Los Angeles Unified School District elementary schools this week as part of a new partnership between the VH1 cable network’s “Save the Music” campaign and cable provider Century Communications. . . . Cable’s USA Network has acquired rights to repeats of the syndicated series “Hercules: The Legendary Journeys” and “Xena: Warrior Princess.” USA will air the shows as a 6-8 p.m. weeknight block beginning Aug. 3.