Martin, Aykroyd reuinte for 'Bilko'
GOOD MORNING: Those wild and crazy guys are together again. I found "The Festrunk Brothers" of "Saturday Night Live," Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd, reunited in "Sgt. Bilko." And, producer Brian Grazer wants NBC to rerun their "SNL" when the movie is released next Easter. The troupe was working in Universal's giant Stage 27 where epix like "Jaws" preceded. Now, the stage's converted into an Army barracks for Imagine's "Sgt. Bilko." No Army cooperation for this '95 version of Phil Silvers' irreverent series smash hit (1955-59). Martin and Aykroyd are joined by recent "SNL" alumnus Phil Hartman -- although you'd hardly recognize him -- his hair is bleached blond for his heavy role, "to give me an Aryan look," he said." The pic is looking so good, producer Grazer, director Jonathan Lynn and Universal are talking a franchise for the PG movie with an annual springtime sequel. And it's OK with the principals. Martin's playing Sgt. Bilko, Aykroyd's Col. Hall, and Hartman's Major Thorn. They are suitably beribboned in authentic uniforms, with Martin telling me each battle star refers to one of his movies. Martin's also pleased with his legit career these days. Not only is his "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" celebrating its 250th performance (grossing $ 2.9 million) at the Westwood (soon to be Geffen) Theater , extended through July 30, also making its way to N.Y., but his new play, "Wasp ," which he says is his best work, also will be Gotham-bound. No chance of Martin acting in either, he reiterates ... Aykroyd just wound "Feeling Minnesota" in time to start "Bilko" and was paged by Oliver Stone for a major role in "Nixon" but had to turn it down because of his"Bilko" commitment. Aykroyd's hoping his House of Blues boites expand "to 100"... Phil Hartman, who feels he's persona non grata at "SNL" because of comments about his treatment when he announced his upcoming NBC "NewsRadio," says the new series is a pleasure -- and has been picked up for 13 new segs ... The "Bilko" bunch are all fans of the TV series and Brit director Jonathan Lynn has a collection of all segs. He set Phil's daughter (one of five) Catherine Silvers for a role in the movie. She told me, "It's a honor to be a part of it, " and offered them tapes and tales about the series and Phil ... Steve Martin will give Blockbuster's special award to Grazer June 3 at the Pantages ... The producer, who segues between this stage and one nearby for his Eddie Murphy starrer, "The Nutty Professor," also is readying "Blow Hard," a"Die Hard" takeoff, to be directed by Brian Levant ("The Flintstones") ... Grazer told me Ron Howard's finishing final dub on "Apollo 13," which has been invited by President Clinton to the White House on June 30. All pic principals will attend.
"POLITICS IS THE ONLY GAME that adults can still play. If I accomplish nothing else, I'm asking you to get in the game. Politics is too important to be left up to politicians," said John F. Kennedy Jr. to a packed BevHilton Ballroom filled with ad execs Wednesday as Kennedy talked his magazine, George, readying for its September bow -- with 500,000 copies and 125 pages of ads. Kennedy added, "L.A. is the only place where the business of the entertainment industry meets the business of the world." He got a big laugh as he revealed, "When my cousin Maria Shriver introduced Arnold Schwarzenegger to Ted, she said, 'Don't look at him as a Republican, look at him as the man I love, and if that doesn't work, look at him as someone who can squash you!"... H. Howard Hunt, one-time member of the CIA and later member of the Nixon White House staff, convicted as a Watergate conspirator, visited the "Nixon" set, talked with director Oliver Stone and star Anthony Hopkins. Ed Harris, who portrays Hunt, was not working. Hunt, a one-time screenwriter, returns to his book writing in Florida ... Following Sen. Phil Gramm's "thumbs up" comments on "Truck Stop Women," MCEG Sterling Entertainment's has been flooded with calls about rights. CEO John Hyde in L.A. and COO Kathryn Cass in Cannes have received queries when "Truck Stop Women," the 25-year-old Manson Intl. pic, will be available!
GOOD NEWS FOR BRANDON TARTIKOFF Wednesday -- Fox picked up his D.B.Sweeney "Strange Luck" and ABC OK'd eight segs of his "Second Noah" in which he's partnered with Anheuser Busch ... And Wednesday evening, Sherwood Schwartz found himself in the "Gilligan's Island" tribute on Roseanne on ABC while CBS was airing, same time, the "Brady Bunch" special in which Sherwood appears -- as himself. Between the two shows, he figured to get a 40 share! ... The American Cancer Society raised more than $ 500,000 at the dinner honoring Sumner Redstone at the BevHilton. Kenny G, who headlined, said he'd lost his mother to cancer. Katie Couric femceed ... Artie Shaw celebrated his 85th birthday Wednesday at a dinner party hosted by Kay Pick at Cafe Med. Geoff Miller and actress-publisher-wife Kathryn Leigh Scott read letters of congrats to Shaw from fellow musician Bill Clinton and Richard Riordan.
