Weaver gets call for 'Virginian'

GOOD MORNING: Who would you cast to play the key heavy in a western? Dennis Weaver! That's the choice of "The Virginian" director, coproducer and actor in the heroic title role, Bill Pullman. Howcum? Pullman says he remembers Weaver from his portrayal in Orson Welles' 1958 "Touch of Evil." The duo met to discuss the pic and Pullman says Weaver will now make the role more complicated. "And he (Weaver) is such an icon of this (western) genre, he will give the part more credibility and sensitivity. When I approached him for the role, I didn't think he'd be interested. But he has some great ideas." You may recall, Brian Donlevy last portrayed that villain role. Of course Weaver is better known for more heroic parts like Chester Goode on "Gunsmoke" or the victimized driver in 1971's "Duel," the debut for a young director named Steven Spielberg ... As for Pullman's interpreation of the role of "The Virginian" -- a role originally played by Dustin Farnum, later by Gary Cooper, later Joel McCrea (plus James Drury on the small screen), Pullman says he will play him as originally written in the novel by Owen Wister and now scripted by Larry Gross and Sara Goodman. They start filming in June in Calgary. The pic is a Daniel H. Blatt and Big Town production for TNT. Pullman, who had a small (one-day) role in "The Thin Red Line" and also did some of the narration for director Terrence Malick, is now also in a diffferent role, as a judge in a noir thriller, "Guilty," filming in Vancouver ... .Ed McMahon is among the few in the biz with whom Johnny Carson has maintained contact since leaving showbiz. Even though they worked together for 34 years, it was only special occasions when they saw one another, the last time in October when Johnny invited him out to lunch. McMahon says that Carson's love for boating is nothing new: They both had boats during the N.Y. show days. Recently Johnny sailed his boat up to SanFran from its L.A. waters -- and sailing northward is no picnic, proving Carson must be a helluva sailor! While Carson called it totally quits with showbiz, McMahon (76) has no intention of slowing down and is always talking new ventures. "I'm in this business for life. I love broadcasting. I'm gonna keep doing it until the last station break!"

THE STAGE BELONGS TO ANNETTE BENING and Bening belongs to the stage: I'm sorry to have to steal the description of Annette from her husband, Warren Beatty, but he put it perfectly to me after only the first act of "Hedda Gabler" at the Geffen: "She is dazzling." The stand at the Geffen Playhouse is sold out -- but Gil Cates said Thursday it may be extended one week beyond its skedded April 18 closing. When Cates first approached the theater-loving Bening to ask her if she'd do a play on the Westwood boards, he suggested a Noel Coward play. But it was she who wanted only to do "Gabler," one of the best dramatic woman's role of the century (along with Nora in "A Doll's House," also by Ibsen). The success of the evening was proven at the post-performance party at the Gardens on Glendon, where Bening and Beatty closed the place in the early ayem. Among those applauding her and the rest of the cast and director Daniel Sullivan: David Geffen, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Ron Meyer, Mike Nichols, Beatty's sister Shirley MacLaine, the theater's Charles E. Young and managing director Lou More, Debbie Allen, Garry Shandling, Garry Marshall, Karl Malden, Val Kilmer, Carol Burnett, Paul Mazursky, etc. Before curtain, Geffen theater supporters and potential donors dined at the theater. They included Jerry Perenchio, Andy Spahn, Ginny Mancini, Bruce and Larry Ramer ... Gil Cates and his producing partner Denis Doty next team on a dramatic telepic for ABC, the (untitled) story of Carla Mancari, the first white student in an all-black university.

KATHY BATES SEGUED from Sunday's ABC Oscar spectacular on Monday to CBS Studio City's "3rd Rock From the Sun" stage to tape a seg, to air May 4 on NBC. Bates and John Lithgow became friends when working in the film "At Play in the Fields of the Lord" (1991) and she's a fan of the series. Bates plays a mysterious character stalking Lithgow ... "I'm not First Lady of Kentucky, or Miss America or Chicken By George, I'm myself for the first time," Phyllis George exuded as she readied her return to daily daytime TV with "Woman's Day With Phyllis George," March 29 on TNN (2:30 p.m. with a 9:30 ayem rerun next day). "I'm happiest I've ever been," said Phyllis. Although she's seen regularly with Charles Gargano (and was at a N.Y. furniture store Wednesday, helping to decorate his new house), she says, "I'm not getting married right now!" She has a formidable list of guests on camera with her -- plus heavy names phoning in ... Dodo (Mrs. Stanley) Meyer is at St. John's hospital recuping post heart surgery ... A memorial to Lord Lew Grade will be held April 18 at London's Prince of Wales theatre. The list of performers expected includes: Diana Rigg, Roger Moore, Richard Attenborough, Shirley MacLaine, Ian Bannen, Frankie Vaughn, Jim Tarbuck, Michael Eisner, Martin Starger, Lord Thomson, Michael Grade, the Muppets and more ... The Genesis Awards Saturday at the BevHilton will honor Oleg Cassini for his creation of "Evolutionary (Faux) Fur" -- the event is sponsored by the Ark Trust non-profit animal protection org.