'Ocean's' cast shines o'seas

It's a GOOD MORNING for us back in L.A. after the whirlwind weekend of Kennedy Center Honors and an equally busy week in Gotham. Today is also a good morning for "Ocean's 12" -- that's right, "12." Jerry Weintraub arrived back in town Monday night after the star-studded cast winged to Turkey to preem the pic for our troops stationed at a giant airbase there. They followed with a stop in London for press, then on to Rome and N.Y. After that, George Clooney headed to Canada to direct "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," in which his "Eleven" costar Julia Roberts will cameo. "Ocean's" cast performed magnificently for the troops, Jerry reports. They arrived at the Incirlik base at 3 ayem and "went to work at 7 -- handshaking, everyone, visiting schools and hospitals on the base. They were incredible. They told the troops, 'Don't thank us; we thank you.' Nobody complained about anything -- they worked in the pouring rain. At the autograph session, they didn't quit until everyone received one." In London they appeared before a packed press group at the Dorchester, and in Rome ditto at the Grand where Monday morning Jerry received a fax of Monday's Daily Variety front page with the headline "Rat Pack Blackjack," noting the pic's record-breaking three-day opening. At the stop in N.Y. for refueling and customs, Andy Garcia headed to the Letterman show. Weintraub said, "I'm gong to look back on this as the most worthwhile experience." P.S. he has further plans to promote the pic: On Wednesday, he films a commercial.

AS FOR NEW YORK, well, what more can I say -- I will always love it. (After all, I was born in the Bronx, went to P.S. 70, subway'd to 23rd and Lexington to Townsend Harris High School while working nights ushering at the Criterion in the heart of Broadway.) So it was off to catch up with B'way for a few nights. For the newest show, we caught Neil Simon's "45 Seconds From Broadway." Doc tells me, "I don't know if I want to do any more; I've done 32 plays. It's hard to keep up your enthusiasm." But when I pressured, he relented with, "-- not that I won't (do any more)." He's been in L.A. since before the show opened, having undergone back surgery. The recovery has been very slow and it has "depressed" Simon. Although Daily Variety reviewer Charles Isherwood called the play "flimsy," he noted, "Simon's loyal audience doesn't seem to care -- they laugh affectionately." They did indeed at the performance we caught. The lead character, played accurately by Lewis J. Stadlen, is a Jackie Mason carbon. Simon says Jackie has not only read it but wants to tour in a national company, ditto London ... In two nights of sheer theater fun, we saw revivals of "The Music Man" and "Noises Off," which remain must-sees on any evergreen Broadway list … Before starting rehearsals for Edward Albee's "The Occupant," the first week in January, Anne Bancroft and hubby Mel Brooks head to vacation in the Caribbean. With Bancroft on stage in N.Y. while Mel's "The Producers" goes on (forever!), it does not necessarily mean they'd be in town together. Mel reminds me he commutes to L.A. for Brooksfilms biz -- but nothing's yet set to film. As for "Producers," road companies plus London and Australia are in the works. While Matthew Broderick may take another job when his pact's up in March, he would like to return to the legiter ... A "sneak peak" of the musicalized "Sweet Smell of Success" was KO'd as director Nicholas Hytner wanted to devoted more time pre-Chi's preview bow Dec. 23; previews in N.Y. start Feb. 23. John Lithgow and Brian d'Arcy star in the Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis roles of the Ernie Lehman and Clifford Odets script now written by John Guare, musicalized by Marvin Hamlisch and lyricked by Craig Carnelia.

ALSO IN N.Y., we hello'd former President Clinton among guests at the reception given Ann Richards by Liz Smith at Le Cirque in the sparkling Christmas-decked Palace Hotel. When we told Clinton of our visit at the White House for the Laura & George W. Bush reception for the Kennedy Center Honorees, Clinton admitted he was sorry to not have been there, because his "pals" (and supporters) Jack Nicholson and Quincy Jones were this year's awardees ... Bo Derek is expected to be appointed by President Bush to the board of trustees of the Kennedy Center. She's adding a chapter to her autobio "Riding Lessons" (Regan-HarperCollins), due in Feb. .. In Manhattan, Elaine's continues to be the hot spot until the wee hours. We had a long talk there with "The Sopranos' " Vincent Curatola, who told us of the continuing camaraderie in the HBO company, off- and on-screen. Also at Elaine's, Mary Higgins Clark and her daughter, Ruda Dauphin and Orin Lehman, Elliott Kastner and the China Club's Danny Fried. Another night, we were in Brooklyn at Peter Luger's 113-year-old steak house for a memorable meal with Carole and Bill Haber as he readied to leave for Pakistan to work for Save the Children .. Back in L.A., Dr. Dilys Bart (daughter of Daily Variety Editor-in-Chief Peter Bart) married Tyler Shelton in Brentwood Saturday. She's an eye surgeon in San Francisco, where Shelton is an architect.