Morning Report / ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION’S PRESS

FILM AND TELEVISION

The Doctor Is Out: “Dr. Laura” officially ceased production on Thursday, ending a tumultuous run for the Paramount TV talk program featuring radio personality Laura Schlessinger. Though new episodes have stopped being shot, original installments will continue into May, and reruns will be available to TV stations through the summer. The show had already been shifted to late-night time slots in many key cities due to low ratings. In a statement, Schlessinger blamed the cancellation on an advertiser boycott organized by gay rights groups angry over some of her past remarks regarding characterizing homosexuality as “deviant” and “a biological error.”

Kidman Miscarriage: Nicole Kidman’s Australian publicist confirmed that the star of “Eyes Wide Shut” and “Batman Forever” suffered a miscarriage earlier this year, a Sydney newspaper reported Friday. The publicist, Wendy Day, said, “It is a private matter for Tom and Nicole to work out,” the Daily Telegraph reported. Cruise filed for divorce last month in Los Angeles, citing irreconcilable differences after 10 years of marriage. The couple separated in December, the filing said.

Mayoral Town Hall: Six Los Angeles mayoral candidates will participate in a Spanish-language town hall meeting airing Sunday at 9 a.m. on KMEX-TV. Antonio Villaraigosa, James Hahn, Joel Wachs, Kathleen Connell, Steve Soboroff and Xavier Becerra will speak in English, with their comments to be translated into Spanish for the live one-hour telecast addressing issues of concern for the city’s Latino population.

Sharpton No-Show: A demonstration planned outside BET headquarters in Washington by the Rev. Al Sharpton to protest recent remarks made by Viacom Inc. Chief Operating Officer Mel Karmazin over the firing of “BET Tonight” host Tavis Smiley largely fizzled Friday when Sharpton failed to show up. Sharpton had been angered by comments Karmazin made Wednesday when he said supporters of Smiley were playing the “race card” by focusing their criticism on the parent company rather than on BET’s management, which took responsibility for the dismissal. The civil rights leader had said he would demand an apology from Karmazin at the demonstration. No explanation was given for Sharpton’s absence.

POP/ROCK

Loretta Lynn Improving: Country singer Loretta Lynn, who was hospitalized with pneumonia last week, is improving and may be going home as early as this weekend, her manager Lane Cross said Friday. But doctors have restricted her from all activity for at least one month, which means her April 9 appearance at the Crazy Horse Steak House in Irvine, along with several other shows the 63-year-old Country Hall of Famer was slated to do that same week, will be postponed. Cross said they hope to reschedule those appearances and said, “She was doing better today than I’ve seen her since this began,” adding that doctors expect her to make a full recovery.

ARTS

Victor Building Sold: The historic Victor Clothing building at Broadway and 3rd Street in downtown Los Angeles has been sold. Ramiro Salcedo, who has been co-owner since 1962, said slow business has prompted him to find a smaller location with more pedestrian traffic. More than a dozen artists who live in the building’s lofts have been given a 30-day eviction notice. The building’s first-floor store has also been the repository of a collection of large-format works by acclaimed L.A. artists John Valadez, Eloy Torrez, Wayne Healy and David Botello, as well as smaller-format pieces by Francisco Cisneros, George Yepes and others. Salcedo is currently trying to sell the collection. Clinton Financial Corp. has purchased the building. The developer intends to restore the facade to its original 1920 status, turn the building into loft living/work spaces and add some restaurants on the bottom floor. The famous 1985 mural by Eloy Torrezof Anthony Quinn as Zorba the Greek will be preserved.

New Louvre Director: Henri Loyrette will take over as director of the Louvre Museum in April after leaving his current post as the chief of the Orsay Museum. The French Cabinet on Wednesday named Loyrette to replace Pierre Rosenberg, who is retiring after a 39-year career at the world’s largest museum. Loyrette, 48, is the author of three books on French artist Edgar Degas. He is expected to take over at the Louvre on April 14 after seven years running the Orsay, which houses France’s largest collection of 19th century art.

QUICK TAKES

CBS pulled the new crime drama “Big Apple” off its schedule Friday, a day after its fifth telecast Thursday night. The series had been drawing poor ratings against NBC’s “ER.” The newsmagazine “48 Hours” will return to the 10 p.m. slot next week. . . . KCBS-TV will host open auditions today for “Survivor III” at 6121 Sunset Blvd., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Auditions are open to people in “excellent physical and mental health” who are 21 or older.