PGA to address producer abuse

GOOD MORNING and congrats to the Academy on its strong stand on credits -- for Oscar consideration. Now the Guilds will continue the cleanup. When producer Kathleen Kennedy had been talking recently about the abuse of the "producer" credit she noted how it had fallen into disrespect -- recognition of the work of a true producer had dissipated. Kennedy, in N.Y. for tonight's preem of "A.I.: Artifical Intelligence," said "moves like this (the Acad's) will help us (producers) a lot." At the next Producers Guild of America meeting, July 20, this matter will get further action. "It's completely unfair," she noted of the current abuse. Kennedy's first producer credit was for "E.T." in 1982. She winged into N.Y. from producing chores on "Jurassic Park 3" for the preem at the Ziegfeld. Fellow producer Steven Spielberg (who also directed-scripted) wings in from the D.C. location of "Minority Report" to introduce the film. No big post-preem party's planned -- but a reception, beforehand. Stanley Kubrick's entire family winged in from England.

LIFE IS A 'B' SCRIPT: On June 18, Pat Boone, a regular blood donor at UCLA, was joined by friends Shirley Jones, Marty Ingels and Charlton Heston in contributing to their blood bank. On June 19, Boone's oldest grandson, Ryan Corbin, went to UCLA's emergency room suffering multiple, critical injuries from an accidental three-story fall at his condo building. The 24-year-old Corbin, on vacation from "Will and Grace," had been sunning on the condo roof. Corbin remains in critical condition ... The first reading at this morning's Mass for Carroll O'Connor will be by Larry Hagman. They had known each other 42 years -- dating back to B'way and "live" TV days. "He was my mentor," Hagman tells me. "I never made a move without asking him -- like for my 'Dallas' deal." Hagman's winding his autobiog for Simon & Schuster -- Michael Korda edits. Hagman may title it, "The Son Also Rises." His mom was Mary Martin, you remember. Among others that will be attending the service: Norman Lear, Rob Reiner, Denise Nicholas, Martin Sheen, Dom DeLuise, Jerry Brown, Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller, Liam Gannon. Wife Nancy asks, in lieu of flowers, please support the Actors' Fund, John Wayne Cancer Institute and the National Museum of the American Indian. One of the stories about O'Connor and "All In The Family" was told to me by -- Sherwood Schwartz, who claims credit for Carroll getting the Archie Bunker role. Schwartz says he nixed Carroll for the role of the Skipper in "Gilligan's Island" -- thus letting him get Norman Lear's Archie -- and Alan Hale Jr. to become Schwartz's Skipper ... Norman Lear's Fourth of July Declaration of Independence reading in Philly gets bigger with the addition of Winona Ryder plus Benicio Del Toro, with the cast-enclosed fractured wrist that shuttered "The Hunted." The star-studded reading airs on ABC at 10 p.m. It's only the beginning of Lear's TV plans for Declaration of Independence events annually. The Lear Foundation purchased for $8 million-plus an original copy of the historic document that was first found in a flea market -- where it sold for $7. Lear's Act III Prods. and producer John Baskin will produce the animated "'Til the Fat Lady Sings" and the revival of the planned live action "Lovers, Liars and Thieves," once skedded for Renee Zelwegger, Robin Williams and Antonio Banderas.

THIS YEAR MARKS THE 20TH anni of "A Capitol Fourth" -- the special to air live on PBS This holiday event is staged on the West Lawn of the Capitol building before a cheering crowd of up to -- 500,000! Barry Bostwick hosts the program produced by Walter C. Miller and directed by his son, Paul Miller. Buz Kohan scripts. The talented TV trio consider creating this show their gift to America. Among those performing: Luther Vandross, the Pointer Sisters, Donny Osmond, Harlyn Blackwell, Chely Wright and the National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Erich Kunzel. And hoped-for is a phoner from the international space station ... Veteran praise agent Lee Solters was surprise birthday-partied at Le Dome by philanthropist Sonia (Mrs. Pierre) Falcone, founder, president of Essante. Making the congratulatory speech was Marty Erlichman who admitted he's known Solters 50 years. He did not, however, note that Solters has the unique distinction of being the only press agent who ever fired -- Barbra Streisand, Erlichman's longtime and continued current client. Lee has another first -- as the only press agent to ever fire client Frank Sinatra. His daughter, Susan Reynolds, took over that account in 1979. She segued from Frank's p.r. to exec director of the non-profit Barbara Sinatra Children's Center for abused children in Rancho Mirage. Also on hand, Lee's son Larry Solters, who is also a well-respected praise agent. The evening also celebrated the news Lee is to become a great-grandfather: his grandson, Jonah Reynolds, and wife-to-be Heidi (to wed Sept. 22) are expecting a baby early next year. It was a warm non-showbiz evening for a showbiz icon who started his publicity career planting the likes of Walter Winchell, Leonard Lyons and Earl Wilson. But Solters admitted, "the most important things are family and friends." And both showed their love and admiration for him Saturday night.