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

TELEVISION

‘Friends’ Survives ‘Survivor: Africa’ Finale

In a head-to-head ratings battle between hit shows Thursday night, an original episode of NBC’s “Friends” beat the finale of “Survivor: Africa,” the third installment of the CBS unscripted series.

Overall, however, CBS won the night, with an average of 24.5 million viewers in prime time compared to NBC’s 21.6 million. “Survivor” steadily built to more than 30 million viewers in its final half-hour against the NBC sitcoms “Will & Grace” and “Just Shoot Me.”

Still, CBS’ margin of victory was much slimmer than when “Survivor: The Australian Outback” ended in May, underscoring “Friends’” breakout popularity this season and suggesting that the “Survivor” novelty is wearing off. Thursday’s two-hour finale averaged about 27.3 million viewers, down 25% from the second edition’s conclusion.

The winner of “Survivor: Africa” was Ethan Zohn, a 27-year-old soccer player from Lexington, Mass., who beat out retired teacher Kim Johnson, 57, from Oyster Bay, N.Y., for the $1-million top prize. Zohn said he’ll use some of the money to start a soccer league for children.

*

Fox Tries Star Power to Boost Ratings of ‘Ally’

Acknowledging that ratings for “Ally McBeal” have been disappointing this season, Fox is hoping some guest casting will help revive the show, with actress Christina Ricci joining the series for a five-episode arc later this year and Jon Bon Jovi coming aboard Monday.

“Ally” will take six weeks off beginning March 11, when Fox plans to introduce “The American Embassy,” a drama about a young woman working at an embassy abroad. Originally titled “Emma Brody,” the series was renamed and its focus slightly altered after the events of Sept. 11.

*

THE ARTS

Pasadena Civic Cancels Its Musical Series

The Pasadena Civic Auditorium’s Musical Series, a combination of dance and touring musicals, has been canceled because of falling attendance, and the nonprofit Pasadena Civic Auditorium Foundation that supported the series is dissolving.

Richard Barr, president of the foundation, said an average attendance of at least 50% was necessary to continue, and the overall average since the series began in 1998 had fallen to 40% over the last three months, when the series presented “Tap Dogs” and “Nutcracker.”

The canceled shows are “Spartacus/Swan Lake,” “Riverdance,” “Annie Get Your Gun” and “My Fair Lady.” Ticket-holders have been sent full refunds, said spokeswoman Leann Lampe. The closing of the series does not affect other Pasadena Civic programming.

*

San Diego Symphony Gift to Be $100 Million

The San Diego Symphony will receive a $100-million donation to its endowment fund from local philanthropists Irwin and Joan Jacobs--$50 million of which will go into the fund now. Another $50 million will be a bequest upon the death of both Jacobses.

The symphony, financially resurgent after a bankruptcy reorganization that began in 1996, currently has an endowment of just $1 million.

Word of the gift began to leak earlier this week, when insiders said it would be the largest individual donation ever to an American orchestra, surpassing previous $40-million gifts to the St. Louis Symphony and the Miami Beach-based New World Symphony. On Friday, symphony officials affirmed the $100-million figure.

Irwin Jacobs, 68, is the co-founder, chief executive and chairman of the board at the San Diego-based wireless communications giant Qualcomm.

*

A Cut for the Arts in New State Budget

In the aftermath of Sept. 11, all California state agencies were asked by the governor to cut 15% from their proposed budgets for fiscal year 2002-2003, due to effects from the struggling economy that were exacerbated by the terrorist attacks. So, all things considered, the California Arts Council was pleasantly surprised to find that its budget has received only a 7.7% reduction in its general fund--about half what was expected--in the governor’s 2002-2003 fiscal year budget released Thursday.

The new figures will shave $2.178 million from last year’s general funding budget of $32 million, the council said Friday.

“We won’t be able to reach the high-water mark of bringing the arts into the 1,200 schools that we reached last year, but we are encouraged that the economy will turn around,” said Juan Carillo, the council’s chief of grant programs.

The council will hold its first public meeting of 2002 in Los Angeles at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Self Help Graphics & Art, 3802 Cesar Chavez Ave.

*

El Portal Postpones Jule Styne Revue

The opening production of El Portal Center’s mainstage season, a Jule Styne revue called “Vamps,” has been postponed indefinitely because of a financial crunch faced by the company. It was to have played Jan. 29 to Feb. 23. Company officials say the second show, “70 Girls 70,” is still due to open in May at the North Hollywood venue.

Meanwhile, the Actors Alley company that operates from El Portal’s 99-seat Circle Theatre has changed its name to the Company Rep; its production of “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” is still slated for mid-February.

*

MOVIES

Five Films Vie for Producers Guild Award

Giving a boost to more mainstream, studio moneymakers, the Producers Guild of America has selected “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” “Moulin Rouge,” “Shrek” and “A Beautiful Mind” to vie for its Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award. In nine of the past 12 years, the winner has gone on to win the best picture Oscar.

*

Elaine Dutka