Reynolds lets go of his 'anger'

GOOD MORNING: Burt Reynolds took five chapters "of anger" out of his bio, "My Life" (Hyperion). "They (publishers) weren't upset," he claims, "and I'm glad I did. There's nothing terrible about 'her' (Loni Anderson) in the book." Reynolds , relaxed in his Florida home readying to make the coast-to-coast tour next month for the book, says he's a happy man these days, having completed a joyous reunion with Angie Dickinson in "The Maddening." And he's readying to direct two NBC vidpix; "They're women's stories," he said. "I'm good with women -- as a director," he quickly added. Before starting the TV'ers, he's enjoying his first love: teaching at his Florida Institute ... John Forsythe, who rarely does guestints, has decided work is best following the death of wife Julie. Thus he's accepted (a very lucrative) offer to play a Donald Trump-like role in "Blue Skies," ABC's new series from the team of "Coach"... Anthony Hopkins paid a surprise, quiet visit to L.A. this past week following completion of directing his first feature, "August," in which he also stars. "I loved directing," he told me, and plans to continue -- if his acting sked will ever permit! Julian Mitchell scripted "August" and also adapts (the Chekhov original) for a play version, which Hopkins directs with the movie cast: Kate Burton, Leslie Phillips , Gawn Grainger and Rhian Morgan. Hopkins starts the play's rehearsals in London next week while also editing the movie. It opens Oct. 25 in Mold, Wales. He's planning a summer '95 acting return with Merchant Ivory in Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's script of "Surviving Picasso" in Paris.

PINEWOOD ADDS YET ANOTHER power picmaker, with Francis Coppola moving into the studio in Nov. to start "Pinocchio." He's deep into storyboard preparations, having returned from a vacation at his resort, Biancaneaux Lodge in Belize. I heard the "Pinocchio" music he's composed, and it sounds like a Disney epic: songs you can sing and hum. And he says it will be "in the classic tradition of Disney. I love their 'Pinocchio.' " In his feature, Coppola tells me he'll utilize the Independent Frame system, which was in use at Pinewood "before its time." It will combine with the compositing, computer-generated, animated-live action "Pinocchio" puppet. "It's science with art," says Coppola. "Like Les Paul and Mary Ford did with sound, we're now doing with picture"... At the post-Emmy HBO party, Rip Torn met up with winner, director John Frankenheimer, who promptly asked Torn to play the heavy, Gen. Winder, in "Andersonville." Torn and Frankenheimer worked together in "Playhouse 90" days. The thesp says his kids don't want him to play a villain anymore; however, he's so well established as likable "Artie" on HBO's "The Larry Sanders Show" he feels comfortable about doing a heavy ... Dana Plato's back at work after four traumatic years. She's starring in "Blade Boxer," an action'er for Glider Entertainment. The 29 -year-old alumna of "Diff'rent Strokes" has been living in Tulsa since last December and tells me, "I feel great." She's signed with manager Jerry Wolff, agent Pat Bigley ... Grant Tinker and co-author Bud Rukeyser are nursing bruises -- but are happy to be alive after a parking attendant (not the Chateau Marmont's) accidentally put their car in reverse as the duo were walking behind and knocked 'em to the ground. They were at the hotel for a lively Buzz mag literary salon celebrating "Tinker on Television" (Simon & Schuster). Tinker was able to read several chapters and answer queries, including those about Howard Stern's attacks against him. Said Tinker, who fired Stern from NBC, "I feel a little prouder every time (I see him)."

HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON IS FEATURED speaker at the Hollywood Women's Political Committee fundraising lunch Oct. 28 at the BevWilshire. Whoopi Goldberg intro's Clinton. Proceeds to Demo candidates ... George Burns' longtime secretary Jack Langdon is undergoing treatment in the same hospital, Cedars-Sinai, as his boss ... Dodo (Mrs. Stanley) Meyer is home following hospitalization for a heart procedure. Stanley underwent colon surgery same time ... Sylvia Reinhardt was killed in an auto accident last Friday. She had been a collaborator with her husband, director-producer Gottfried R., who died July 18 ..."Good Morning America" entertainment producer Jane Kaplan weds marketing exec Matt Epstein Sunday in Malibu ... Stanley Ralph Ross performs the wedding of Mark Fleischman and Mimi Leonard at Tatou on the 25th. At Ross' new Hampton's restaurant, guild members get a 10% dinner discount "and agents pay 10% more," he says ... At tonight's "Dinner With Your Agent" fund-raiser, Oscar-nominated Marc Shaiman sings a comedy version of his "Holiday for Strings (But Not For Me)."