Douglas jumps ship on 'Cutthroat Island'

GOOD MORNING: Michael Douglas admitted, "I always wanted to do a picture like this"-- the 17th century-set swashbuckler "Cutthroat Island"-- adding, "I'm a big fan of Geena Davis." Thus, he told me between takes of his current "Disclosure" starrer for WB, Douglas was "reluctant" to withdraw from the $ 70 million Carolco "Cutthroat." He admitted that he and Demi Moore have been shooting six days a week on "Disclosure" so she can make her start date on "The Scarlet Letter" and he "Island," which is skedded to shoot in Malta and Thailand. When I was told the new draft of "Cutthroat Island," to be directed by Davis' husband, Renny Harlin, had added action-filled scenes, I asked Michael if that had a bearing on his decision to depart the project. "No," he said, "physical action never bothered me ("Romancing the Stone,""Jewel of the Nile"). But there would only be a short break and I'd have to devote that to fencing rehearsals and then I'd be in almost every scene -- just like this one ("Disclosure")." He admitted he liked to do two pix back-to-back: "Fatal Attraction" and "Wall Street,""Black Rain" and "The War of the Roses,""Basic Instinct" and "Falling Down." Further -- he hasn't worked since "Falling Down," two years ago. So what's he going to do instead? "Spend more time with my family and my new company with Steve Reuther at Paramount," where they'll also co-finance films as well as produce those "in which I can act." As for his acting in "Disclosure," Douglas says the movie "will force everyone to look at the issue (of sexual harassment) from another point of view."

WITH A COURT RECESS from the O.J. case, the Faye Dunaway-Andrew Lloyd Webber case heats up with word from Lloyd Webber saying, while he regrets Dunaway's decision to commence legal proceedings, he "also greatly welcomes it." He further sez his management "has acted with not only the utmost propriety but also with great sympathy at all stages in this sorry saga." Lloyd Webber also "welcomes that these actions are properly examined in court," saying he "is confident that a very different perception of what occurred will be demonstrated rather than the very one-sided version of the events so far." Wonder if their court battle will also be played out on TV? ... With their court break, Robert Shapiro and Alan Dershowitz lunched Monday at the Grill in BevHills ... And F. Lee Bailey was among those viewing "Forrest Gump" at the Jerry Weintraubs' Malibu home. This weekend, Barbara and George Bush will houseguest with the Weintraubs, who also take them to Saturday's "Three Tenors" concert at Dodger Stadium. Jane and Jerry were among guests last week at Sylvester Stallone's birthday party, hostessed by model-photog Janice Dickinson at Granita. Other guests included Renny Harlin and Geena Davis (before they got word of Michael Douglas' departure from their pic), the Terry Semels, Ron Meyers, Jimmy Woods, Whoopi Goldberg and fiance Lyle Trachtenberg, Keith Barish, Andy Vajna. Stallone's "The Specialist" for Weintraub bows Oct. 7 and they'll do another film for WB next February ... Sunday's Rodeo Drive Block Party for Concern for Cancer raised more than $ 750,000. Among those there, D.A. Gil Garcetti, "NYPD Blue's" assistant D.A. Sharon Lawrence, Tommy Lasorda sharing bartending duties with young thesp Max Casella. Mary Wilson delighted the 3,000 partygoers when she stepped up to sing. And the night finale'd with a New Age music and light show projected on the Regent BevWilshire's walls.

NOT TO WORRY ABOUT LANA TURNER'S hospital visit this week. I'm told she's there for a physical and there's no recurrence of the cancer ... Also not to worry: Ed Limato's in the hospital for a skedded, minor surgical procedure. He'll be back at his ICM office next week ... A giant movie screen hanging from the top of the Hollywood Bowl's shell thrilled the almost-packed house with "A Night at the Movies" program. Classic clips ranged from the vintage "Things to Come" to the spectacular "Ben-Hur" parade of the charioteers (I had watched the filming in Rome!) to "The Bride of Frankenstein,""The Wizard of Oz" backed by the sensaysh Hollywood Bowl orch under the baton and bon mots of the incomparable John Mauceri. It was another wonderful reason to support the Bowl ... Neile (Mrs. Al) Toffel was birthday-partied Sunday by Niki Bautzer and Darrell Kuelpman. Neile's friends were told she was readying another singing stint -- this time at the Cinegrill ... Edgar J. Scherick's announcement that he'll do a bigscreen remake of the RKO classic "Spiral Staircase" recalls how he once bought the RKO movie (among others) for ABC when he headed the web's programming. He now bought it for himself -- from ABC.