Roberts once again working, in 'Trouble'

GOOD MORNING: "I feel ready to blow the door open," an enthusiastic Julia Roberts told me as she readies her work return after a year's absence. In addition to "The Pelican Brief" at WB with Denzel Washington and "I Love Trouble" at Disney with Nick Nolte, Julia tells me she's looking forward to co-starring with Susan Sarandon in "In a County of Mothers" for Joe Roth's Caravan Pictures and her YMA Prods. Sarandon plays a psychiatrist and Roberts is her patient. Are the roles interchangeable? "I'm sure Susan would be better analyzing me," Julia laughed ... Two-time Oscar nominee Roberts, 25, who went from one movie to another, admits, "I don't have a single regret" about her year's absence. "I went with my instincts -- waiting for something perfect. And what I'd been looking for hasn't been around -- until now." Roberts said she's seen the movies she passed on and has "no regrets." She illustrated her enthusiasm about working with Alan Pakula in "Pelican" and with Nancy Meyers and Chuck Shyer in "Trouble" by describing the films in detail. They do sound good. As for her non-professional life, she said, "I'm really a homebody -- and try to lead a quiet, simple life. I'm not mean to anyone"... Faye Dunaway wasn't kidding when she said how much she was looking forward to making her comedy bow in a sitcom with Robert Urich in CBS' "Marry Me Anyway"-- Dunaway caught comedian Tom Dreesen at the Improv and then talked to him at length, taking copious notes about his theories on comedy. They'd never met -- but Faye said she'd seen Tom work with Frank Sinatra. "She was very passionate about her questions on comedy," Dreesen told me. "I told her if I get a dramatic role, I'll ask her for advice."

WHATEVER YOU'VE HEARD or seen on TV about a Shirley Temple biopic, she has not authorized any to be made in the past and the same applies to the present. Last night, Shirley reunioned with old friend Henry Kissinger as she introduced him at the 90th-anni party of the Commonwealth Club at the Fairmont in SanFran. They'd worked together in three administrations, starting with Nixon in '69. And the Kissingers twice visited Shirley and her husband Charles Black in Prague where she was our Ambassador ... Dustin Hoffman joined the list of those who signed their opposition to Panama's banning of "The Panama Deception"-- which finally got its reprieve late yesterday ... Pierce Brosnan stars in his first romantic movie comedy, "Mrs. Doubtfire" with Robin Williams and Sally Field at Fox. Chris Columbus directs, Marsha and Robin Williams produce. This summer, Brosnan segues back to New Line's "Lawnmower Man 2"-- the original grossed over $ 100 million ... Jackie Mason winged from N.Y. to London and next on to South Africa as the guest of Nelson Mandela. Mason makes his own political run for office in N.Y. this year ... The Masons were on the same Concorde London flight with the Larry Gelbarts, who attended the successful N.Y. screening of HBO's "Barbarians at the Gate." The power guest list (including Barry Diller, David Geffen, Herb Allen, Warren Buffet, Ray Stark) at the 21 party that followed was so heavy, one wag claimed, "Bill Clinton could solve the national debt with the net worth of half these guests"... Noting yesterday's L.A. Times front-page 1935 photo of Helen Hayes and Vincent Price in "Victoria Regina," we phoned Price to express our feelings to him about Hayes' passing and we were also saddened when Price told us he is suffering from Parkinson's disease ... Among the theaters paying homage to Hayes last night was the Westwood Playhouse, where lights were dimmed before the curtain on "Beau Jest"... Eddie Bracken joins the TNT Screenworks cast of Arthur Miller's "The American Clock," in the role of Grandpa.

CAN A TV REUNION SPECIAL of "The Jeffersons" be far off? Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley re-create their starring roles along with the original cast of the CBSeries, which ran 11 years, in a live, theatrical play version of three of the best segs. The cast includes Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker, Marla Gibbs, Ned Wertimer and Paul Benedict, who will also direct the legiter, which bows as "The Best of the Jeffersons" April 8 at Detroit's Fox theater with a national tour to follow. As an appetizer to whet the vidviewing? ... Frank Sinatra will be on hand Sunday when wife Barbara is honored by Women in Show Business at the BevHilton. Vicki Lawrence femcees and Gladys Knight and Don Rickles entertain ... Lunching together today at the Columbia Bar & Grill are presidents of the DGA (Arthur Hiller), WGA (Del Reisman) and SAG (Barry Gordon) with women of their corresponding guilds who won "lunch with their president" at the three guilds' Women's Benefit lunch party. The winners: Barbara Recchia (SAG), Martha Cusand (DGA) and Bethany Yahr (WGA). ... Actors and Others for Animals, celebrating its 22nd year, holds a "Celebration of Caring" luncheon, silent auction and celeb-modeled fashion show (Valentino) April 3 at the Hotel Bel Age. Earl Holliman, prez of Actors and Others for Animals, goes back on the air in "Delta" April 6 following "Roseanne." He says, "I love doing a sitcom -- it's like I've died and gone to heaven!"