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

AUCTIONS

Calling All Elvis, Marilyn Fans: Memorabilia collectors will be out in full force in October when a large allotment of items from the estates of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley go on sale at Christie’s New York and Las Vegas’ MGM Grand, respectively. The Oct. 27-28 Monroe sale features some 1,000 lots--including the wedding ring from her short-lived marriage to Joe DiMaggio, her 1953 Golden Globe award and the certificate of her conversion to Judaism upon her marriage to playwright Arthur Miller--with many of the items not having been viewed publicly for more than 35 years. The Presley sale--set for Oct. 8-10--features more than 2,000 never-displayed treasures from his Graceland compound--the bulk of which are record, movie and performance contracts. The items include the publishing contract for “Heartbreak Hotel,” letters from Monroe, Frank Sinatra and President John F. Kennedy, and items such as Presley’s vintage yellow Cadillac station wagon. Christie’s expects the total Monroe sale to approach $10 million, with one item--the form-fitting, beaded dress in which she sang “Happy Birthday Mr. President” to Kennedy just months before her death--expected to smash auction records for fashion or celebrity memorabilia, perhaps topping $1 million.

POP/ROCK

Mail Critics: A British commemorative stamp depicting the late Queen singer Freddie Mercury has drawn objections from critics who say it is inappropriate for the Royal Mail to feature the flamboyant bisexual singer, who died of AIDS in 1991. The Mercury stamp--which went on sale Tuesday--is part of a series noting Britain’s various achievements during the last millennium. Among the critics was Daily Mail columnist Simon Heffer, who wrote: “The queen we would rather see on our postage stamps is not stripped to the waist and wearing spray-on red trousers.” The Royal Mail responded to the criticism by saying: “Every stamp is approved by the queen, including this one, which was also given the consent of Freddie Mercury’s family.”

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Weenie Roast Lineup: The Red Hot Chili Peppers and heavy metal group Metallica will headline KROQ-FM’s (106.7) seventh annual Weenie Roast and Luau concert June 19 at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre. Other acts on the main-stage bill are Smash Mouth, Live, Orgy, Blink-182, Sugar Ray, Limp Bizkit, the Living End and Kid Rock. Second-stage acts include Pennywise, Eve 6 and Lit. Ticket information has not yet been announced.

TV & MOVIES

MacNeil-Lehrer Second Hour?: The team behind PBS’ “NewsHour With Jim Lehrer” hopes to launch a second national newscast to compete with local late-night news shows early next year. About a dozen PBS stations have already agreed to air the show, which is in conjunction with the New York Times, said Robert MacNeil, the former “NewsHour” anchor whose MacNeil-Lehrer Productions is mounting the program. MacNeil said the new newscast would provide a substantive alternative to what he called the ratings-driven “body bag” journalism of local news programs.

Springer Vs. City Council: Cable’s MSNBC will televise talk-show host Jerry Springer’s testimony before the Chicago City Council today at 10 a.m. Springer was asked to appear before the council to address whether fights that occur on his show are staged or real; one councilman has proposed that if they are real, legal action should be taken against the participants.

QUICK TAKES

Actress-turned-singer Jennifer Lopez, who has the country’s No. 1 single in “If You Had My Love,” will meet fans and sign autographs during an appearance today at the Beverly Connection Wherehouse from 8 to 11 p.m. The appearance is to support her new album, “On the 6.” . . . Producer Jerry Bruckheimer will hold an open casting call for the lead actress for his upcoming Touchstone Pictures film “Coyote Ugly,” on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Hollywood United Methodist Church (16817 Franklin Ave.). He’s seeking “a sexy, young beauty, [about] 18 to 22 years old, with acting ability and a golden singing voice.” Applicants must perform two songs of contrasting styles and bring their own musical accompaniment. . . . The New York production of “Smokey Joe’s Cafe--The Songs of Leiber & Stoller” marked its 1,775th performance on Wednesday, making it the longest-running musical revue in Broadway history, the show announced Thursday. The previous record-holder was “Bob Fosse’s Dancin,’ ” which had 1,774 performances. . . . Actor David Lander, who played Squiggy on TV’s “Laverne & Shirley,” reveals in the upcoming People magazine that he’s battled multiple sclerosis for 15 years.