Unabomber vidpic ticks

GOOD MORNING: The fuse is lit for the start of a script about the Unabomber suspect, Theodore J. Kaczynski. Emmy-winning producer Edgar Scherick -- who brought us the other real-life dramas "Raid on Entebbe," "On Wings of Eagles" and next month's sweeps vidpic "Ruby Ridge"-- has made a deal with CBS for the terrifying tale of the suspected Montana murderer. "To me, this is as exciting as any story," Scherick says. He believes bigscreen "movies would never have the courage or ingenuity to make these (four) stories. We can learn from them." He also believes the telling of these amazing tales "can be very entertaining as well." Although the decision was made immediately with CBS, Scherick says, "It is not a rush to judgment to make it immediately. Sometimes TV makes these stories too fast. A good yarn has a goal of its own." He says he will develop it himself and is already putting researchers on it ... Meanwhile, Pocket Books says it "will rush into publication" "Unabomber: On the Trail of America's Most-Wanted Serial Killer" by former FBI unit chief John Douglas and Mark Olshaker. It will be on sale April 25! ... Comments continued in Hollywood on Monday on the damage done by Marlon Brando and his "shoot from the hip" comments on Larry King's show, as well as criticism of King's failure to elicit amplification from Brando after the irresponsible remarks. Further, the "sound bite" reportage of Brando's quotes added fuel to his fiery statements ... One defender of Brando is John Frankenheimer, who said, "I still love him, and I know he's not anti-Semitic." Frankenheimer added, "I wonder if it (Brando's interview with King) will hurt our movie?" He directed Brando in "The Island of Dr. Moreau," due out Oct. 11 from New Line ... Meanwhile, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on April 22, the American Jewish Committee honors Earvin (Magic) Johnson with the Social Concern Award; CNN's Bernard Shaw is keynoter. The gala is chaired by Motown Records chair Clarence Avant, Quincy Jones, Arsenio Hall, Urban League prez John W. Mack , Michael Ovitz, Bruce Ramer and former Capitol-EMI president and CEO Joe Smith.

"JUST AS CHINESE FOOD IS NOT just for Chinese people, we believe this cinema is American cinema, and thus for all people," according to Doug McHenry and George Jackson, producers of Savoy and New Line's "A Thin Line Between Love and Hate." They report their $10 million-budgeted "Thin Line" grossed an impressive $11,885,000 for Wednesday through Sunday and that their "Thin" picture had a per-screen average of $8,100. The black producing team, whose pics have grossed over $160 million, emphasized to me, "Unlike the other pictures (in the top B.O. this week), this African-American movie is good news for all producers who make movies for a price. And also, ours cost a lot less to put out. In this area, we have the best track record by far." Obviously they're finished with Savoy, but they have several majors now bidding for 'em. "We took a chance on this movie (with Savoy's Victor Kaufman and Lew Korman) on something no one else in town would make."... Tim Reid is also jubilant because his ($2.5 million) "Once Upon a Time ... When We Were Colored" is not only invited to the Intl. Student Film Fest in Tel Aviv on June 1-8, as chosen by Israel to represent the U.S., but he is leading a delegation of four students sponsored by the United Negro College Fund. And, at a special festival "Day of Tolerance," Reid proudly tells me his film will also be highlighted "as the best of tolerance." He calls the film " 'the little engine that could.' I was feeling down when it wasn't invited to Cannes -- then this! They say black films don't sell internationally. This film will show in more international markets than in the U.S.: South Africa, Germany, England are all calling me." He'll next film author Clifton Taulbert's "Last Train North"-- it's not a sequel, but a continuation, through the civil-rights movement. He'll again be partnered financially with Black Entertainment TV ... Cary Elwes said he never considered doing TV, but then was asked to guest on "Seinfeld." Who could refuse? After doing the seg, Elwes told me, "The reason this show is No. 1 is because it's like a family. And they took me in. They are the coolest!" P.S. He's also a pal of Jason Alexander. In the seg, Elwes tries to bamboozle Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Some change for the Elwes of bigscreen "The Princess Bride," "Glory," "Days of Thunder" and the upcoming "Twister"... Kim Cattrall and Jeff Fahey co-star in Kushner-Locke's CBS telepic "Everywoman's Dream," which films in New Zealand starting Friday -- while Cattrall's real-life leading man, "Murder One's" Daniel Benzali, heads to New Zealand and Australia for the bow of his series down there. But Brooklyn is first on his itinerary: He and Harvey Keitel are honored by the Friars as inductees into the Celebrity Path of the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.

HOWARD W. KOCH CELEBRATES his 80th birthday Thursday with a family gathering at the home of son Howard Jr. The senior Koch, at Paramount (forever!), plans to start two pics this year. Koch Jr., exec producer of "Primal Fear," next produces (with Todd Graff) Fran Drescher's feature bow at Par, "The Beautician and the Beast"... Harold Robbins, who will be 80 on May 21, is writing his autobiography; he's up to page 270, his 46th birthday -- that's when he started writing novels. He's written 22 of 'em (and sold 750 million copies) and has the outlines for two more, one more under a pact to Simon & Schuster.