MORNING REPORT - News from Aug. 17, 2000

TELEVISION

Submarine Disasters: Against the backdrop of efforts to save more than 100 Russian sailors trapped in a nuclear submarine at the bottom of the Barents Sea, the History Channel tonight will present “Suicide Missions: Deep Sea Rescues.” The documentary series, which begins at 10 p.m., will range from successful rescue missions to the earliest submarine disasters such as the Squalus and Thresher tragedies.

Homemaker Cast for ‘Sopranos’: Marie Donato, a 50-year-old New Jersey homemaker and grandmother of three, beat out 28,000 people in an open casting call to appear in an episode of HBO’s “The Sopranos.” Donato, who has no acting experience, says she was cast because “I’m an Italian-looking person. Honest and sincere. Very straightforward. If anybody knows me, they know I’ll say what I think, right off.” Donato has already shot one episode, which includes some dialogue, and may appear in more depending on how the scripts are written.

STAGE

Beverly Hills Accord: Theatre 40 and the Beverly Hills School District have signed a contract allowing the company to resume its long-standing residency at Beverly Hills High School next year. Last year, a school board member challenged the professional nonprofit company’s stay at the school, resulting in the troupe vacating the campus; it was later allowed to finish its scheduled season. The agreement, signed by Beverly Hills School District Superintendent Gwen Gross, begins March 1, and runs three years.

FILM

Miramax Getting ‘All the Pretty Horses’: Columbia Pictures is turning over domestic distribution and marketing on Billy Bob Thornton’s “All the Pretty Horses” to Miramax Films. The two studios continue to share production costs and will still split the worldwide box-office proceeds. Under contractual agreement, the film must run no longer than 2 hours, 15 minutes; right now the running time is 2 hours, 30 minutes.

QUICK TAKES

Julie Harris and Seth MacFarlane have been chosen to receive Emmy Awards in the voice-over performance category. Harris won for “Not for Ourselves Alone: The Story of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony,” a PBS special. MacFarlane’s Emmy is for the voice of the homicidal baby, Stewie, on the Fox animated comedy “Family Guy,” which MacFarlane also created. . . . Natalie Cole’s concert tonight at the Greek Theatre has been postponed until the 2001 season due to a rescheduling of production on an NBC movie about the singer. Refunds are available at point of purchase. . . . Robert Rehme has been elected to his fourth term as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. . . . NBC rescheduled a two-part TV movie about the wives of John, Robert and Edward Kennedy after campaign staff for Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) complained that the original air date coincided with his November re-election bid. “We realized that airing the special two nights before the election was inappropriate,” NBC West Coast President Scott Sassa said. “Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot” will now air in February.