'Murphy' shoots back at Quayle

GOOD MORNING: You can look for "Murphy Brown" to spell out some bons mots about Dan Quayle on the first show of the new (fifth) season--Sept. 21. It's written by exec producers Gary Dontzig and Steven Peterman, who remind us, Quayle "got us when we were on hiatus." So now "Murphy" gets her return shot. The producers also remind, "Mr. Quayle seems to have mistaken 'Murphy' for a real person." They revealed to us that in 1989, at the start of the show's second season, there was a request from Quayle's office stating that he planned to be in L.A. and would like to visit the set and be photographed with the "Brown" company. "We had a talk with the cast and crew--and decided not to be on any sides or be associated with either party," said the producers. So Quayle's recent comments on the show "demonstrate another example of Washington's selective memory," said Peterman and Dontzig. Will George Bush also be a subject on the show? "If he's in power. If he's not, we'll probably be nicer to him. And if Clinton's in--he'll have to watch his ass. Comedy gives us the power to keep the man in power on his toes." They agree with other comedy writers that "it's a rich year for us in terms of the election--and we'll do what we have always done , cross over between reality and fiction." ... Whoever wins, they definitely plan to have a seg about the inauguration. They did one on the '89 Bush bash--about "Murphy" not being invited. When the White House heard (saw?) it, Bergen got a bid to attend--but didn't, because of her sked, they claim. Oh, yes--"Murphy" will also revolve about her new (single) parenthood and its impact on her life as a working woman. CBS has already warned that the show may be asked for a couple of extra segs beyond the 24 already set It's obvious Dontzig and Peterman--in their first year at the helm of the show following Diane English's departure for her new "Love and War"--enjoy their work, and particularly "working with women." And they hope to develop other series for femmes. "There are so many great (feature) actresses out there who aren't working. And we believe, for women, there are more interesting things for them to do in TV than in today's features" Bergen, Esquire's August double cover as "Woman of the Year," is also posed with a dummy--no, not Charlie McCarthy, but Dan Quayle. ... The Earth Communications Office delegation to the convention's panel on "Environment and Economy" meets today at the Sheraton and includes Dennis Weaver--and expected to attend are Michael J. Fox, Jennifer Grey and Julie Warner.

AND TALKING ABOUT presidents--Acad prez Karl Malden is in Washington--as a member of the Postage Stamp Advisory Council of the Post Office, which selects subjects--like the recent Fanny Brice, Laurel & Hardy, Elvis Presley, Jack Benny. ... Teenage idols--dating back 50 years--are the subject of the next People ma. ... The Second Circuit Court of Appeals in N.Y., in a 58-page opinion, ruled in favor of Jett Williams, reversing a lower district court decision against her and approving her portion of Hank Williams Sr.'s copyright renewals (royalties) retroactive to 1982. It remanded to a lower court for a determination of percentages--25% or 33 1/3%, says Jett's attorney-husband, Keith Adkinson. ... Brad Dourif, who made his comedy bow in Castle Rock's "Amos & Andrew" and Steven Spielberg's "Class of '61," now joins Oliver Stone's "Wild Palms," playing a computer genius who creates his own virtual reality world--complete with his own love interest. ... Isabella Rossellini, now in Berlin co-starring with Anthony Hopkins in John Schlesinger's "The Innocent," next co-stars as Jeff Bridges' wife in "Joy Ride" for director Peter Weir, producers Paula Weinstein and Mark Rosenberg at WB.

AN ACTING SCHOLARSHIP in Sir Ian McKellan's name will be announced at a gala Sept. 17 at UCLA, where McKellan stars in "Richard III" at Royce Hall. Jack Lemmon will intro McKellen at Dean Gil Cates' Bruin School of Theater, Film and TV. ... Nell Carter, who became ill at home Sunday, was operated on yesterday at Cedars-Sinai for successful removal of an aneurysm. The indomitable Carter was feeling strong enough to talk on the phone from ICU to her pal Ceil Kasha shortly after the surgery. ... "General Hospital's" Jacklyn Zeman and husband Glenn Gorden welcomed their second daughter yesterday at C-S. Little Lacey Rose Gorden arrived three weeks early--thus the ABC soap's writers are busy rewriting. ... Thesp Linda Rands and writer Mike Krohn eloped July 6 in L.A. after he proposed to her in Disneyland. ... Victoria Principal and Robert Guillaume host the U.S. Transplant Games this weekend at UCLA. Principal's showbiz attorney Gerald Edelstein was a heart transplant recipient two years ago--and he now will run along with 1,000 organ transplant recipients in Olympic-style competition. ... The Columbia Bar & Grill inaugurates Karaoke sing-along videos Saturday nights, starting this weekend. Tonight, the Super Models of the World hold their bash at the restaurant after taping the Sam Riddle-produced syndie'd spec. ... Madg Sinclair, Paul Rodriguez, Chao-Li Chi and Belita Moreno are among those taping segs this month for KCET's "Storytime" series, "designed to help parents and adult care-givers appreciate the delights of reading to children and demonstrating for them the skills necessary to be effective readers." They join an already announced hefty celeb list.