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

MOVIES

Mom Didn’t Know Either: Movie fans weren’t the only ones caught off guard by this week’s news of the Tom Cruise-Nicole Kidman split. Kidman’s mother, Janelle, tells People magazine in its next issue that the couple’s friends and family didn’t hear of the split until the morning it was announced. “We are all very upset,” she says. Meanwhile, in an attempt to scotch one of the various rumors circulating about the breakup, the couple’s publicist tells the magazine that “Scientology [Cruise’s religion] had nothing to do with this.”

Space Detente: The Cuban missile crisis drama “Thirteen Days” is headed into space. A DVD of the film was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis Wednesday night and will be delivered today to crew members of Expedition One at the International Space Station, New Line Cinema said Thursday. The crew members--two Russian cosmonauts and American astronaut Cmdr. William Shepherd--have been in space since October.

Smiles All Around: Superstars Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts will do their first online chats in a joint session on AOL on Feb. 18 at 4:30 p.m. The live half-hour streaming Webcast is to promote their movie, “The Mexican,” which opens on March 2. Keyword: Live.

TELEVISION

Survival Lessons: “Survivor” producer Mark Burnett has hired Rudy Boesch, the 72-year-old former Navy SEAL who made it to the final four in “Survivor’s” first incarnation, to be the “Camp Commander” for Burnett’s forthcoming USA Network series, “Combat Missions.” The 15-episode program will feature competitions between teams of existing and former military members. Earlier this week, Burnett was sued by another original “Survivor” contestant, Stacey Stillman, who claims that Burnett rigged the show and had her voted off to keep Boesch in the game. Burnett has denied the charges.

ABC Moves: “My Wife and Kids,” a new family comedy starring Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell-Martin, and the new Denis Leary comedy “The Job” will premiere on ABC March 14, airing Wednesday nights at 8 and 9:30 p.m., respectively. Also joining the schedule that night is an 8:30 Wednesday night run of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” which has its last Wednesday airing on March 7, will resume its Tuesday night run on March 6 after the conclusion of “The Mole.” ABC said “Spin City” will return to its Wednesday night slot after “The Job” completes its six-episode run.

OPERA

Four-Conductor Salute: The L.A. Philharmonic’s Esa-Pekka Salonen, L.A. Opera’s Kent Nagano and guest conductors Valery Gergiev and John Williams will share the podium in a welcoming gala for Los Angeles Opera Artistic Director Placido Domingo on March 21 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Also taking part in the program are opera artists Frederica von Stade, Catherine Malfitano, Jennifer Larmore, Ruth Ann Swenson, Julia Migenes, Isabel Bayrakdarian and Samuel Ramey, plus Kirov ballerina Uliana Lopatkina and percussionist Evelyn Glennie. Domingo is also slated to perform.

POP/ROCK

Rocking the Vote: The Rock the Vote organization will honor Carlos Santana and Mary J. Blige with its annual Patrick Lippert Awards on Feb. 20 during ceremonies at L.A.’s House of Blues. Santana will be honored for his “longtime support in the fight for the rights of indigenous peoples,” while Blige will be feted for “her countless hours of community activism.” The Foo Fighters, Black Eyed Peas and Jill Scott will perform at the event.

Dave Matthews Tour: The Dave Matthews Band, long a stadium headliner in the eastern United States, will give its first Los Angeles concert on that scale when it plays Dodger Stadium May 22. Tickets are expected to go on sale March 10 or 11. The show is part of a tour that will kick off with a benefit show April 24 in Charlottesville, Va.--the band’s first hometown show since 1994. The DMB, whose new album “Everyday” comes out Feb. 27, is also set to appear on “Saturday Night Live” Feb. 24.

QUICK TAKES

Sitar master Ravi Shankar has received an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire title from Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his services to music. . . . Fox will hold an open casting call for African American children on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Regency West, 3339 W. 43rd St., L.A. The network is casting for a “sarcastic” 13-year-old girl, a “cheerful” 5-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy, characters who will play children of comedian Bernie Mac in an upcoming pilot. . . . David E. Kelley--the creator and writer of “The Practice,” “Ally McBeal” and “Boston Public”--will receive a new honor at the Feb. 24 TV Guide Awards celebrating those working behind-the-scenes in television. The annual award will be named for the late TV executive Brandon Tartikoff. . . . NBC’s “Tonight Show With Jay Leno” had its highest Wednesday night rating in more than a year this week with guests Billy Joel and Elton John, whose sold-out shows continue at the Forum this weekend. . . . Cable’s Women’s Entertainment network will pay tribute tonight to Dale Evans and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, both of whom died this week. The network, formerly known as Romance Classics, will air a half-hour look at Evans and her relationship with her late husband Roy Rogers at 8, followed by a “Great Romances” program about aviators Anne and Charles Lindbergh at 8:30.