H'w'd roots for Mitchell in D.C.

GOOD MORNING: It's good news for Hollywood if George Mitchell is confirmed as the new secretary of state. Mitchell, former Senate majority leader, and a former secretary of state for economic affairs in Ireland, as well as a former U.S. district judge, etc., is a "friend of the industry" and "a good friend of mine," adds Lew Wasserman. Edie Wasserman was toasted on her 81st birthday by her family at Drai's, Monday night Kirk Douglas, who will celebrate his 80th birthday Dec. 9 at L'Orangerie, has been making excellent speech progress since his stroke you don't have to take it from me you can see and hear for yourself when he's interviewed by Barbara Walters on "20/20" Nov. 15. The Douglases returned from a visit to N.Y. where they not only caught up with shows in Manhattan, but winged upstate to visit his relatives to assure 'em how well he's doing Merv Griffin, who says his radiation treatments for prostate cancer are coming along well, will receive the John Wayne Cancer Institute's "Duke" award at their Odyssey Ball, April 5 at the BevHilton, 'natch. The "Duke" guested often on Griffin's talker "and they were fast friends," says Michael Wayne Charles Bronson celebrated his 75th birthday with family and Kim Weeks at his Malibu home. Charlie admits, "I'm trying to sneak away from the business." He's committed to two more "Family of Cops," but after that--? CAA alumnus Bill Haber comes back to Hollywood Nov. 12-15 it's for his new love and affiliation, Save the Children. He brings a 17-min. film to show to 15 entertainment industry moguls to get their involvement and feedback on his five-part program in U.S. urban cities. L.A. is the pilot city. Haber has set Catharine Milton of the Clinton Administration's Americorp Program to head Save the Children, U.S.

IN CASE YOU EVER wondered about film preservation, stay tuned: A "newly restored" print by UA of "Rocky," celebrating its 20th anni, is being presented by the Academy Nov. 15. But producer Irwin Winkler reveals to me they had hoped to include in the screening and a planned video some of the outtakes from the John Avildsen-directed movie. Plus behind the scenes of the making of the film, and the trailers and interviews with the cast which, of course, included the "unknown" (at that time) star, creator, etc., Sylvester Stallone. "But," sez Winkler, "someone who was in one of the administrations at MGM during the time was in the studio for three days and decided to burn all this (and other) film. Talk of the need for film preservation education!" A Q&A will follow the screening of the restored print and participants are expected to include Sly and co-stars Burt Young, Talia Shire, composer Bill Conti, Winkler and fellow producer Bob Chartoff. ... The "Rocky" pix have grossed over $ 1 billion to date. ... Further on Frank Sinatra's health from his longtime friend Larry Manetti who had gotten Frank guestints on the "Magnum, P.I." series. Manetti told me he'd been over to see Frank at his house to bring him some of his cooking just prior to Sinatra's hospitalization and his only problem (and that was enough!) at that time was the pinched nerve which had been bothering him for several months. And talking of cooking, Manetti is in partnership on a new Duet eatery on Westwood Blvd. along with Jayson Kane, formerly of the Columbia Bar & Grill . Their boite will also feature music and other entertainment in the village, which is enjoying something of a rebirth thanks to the arrival of Jerry's Deli. Manetti is also busy acting in "Top of the World" for New Image with Dennis Hopper, Chazz Palminteri, Peter Weller, Tia Carrere and directed by Sidney Furie. Angie Dickinson will play the wife of Robert Loggia and girlfriend of Joe Bologna in Showtime's "Family Therapy." Merritt Blake set Angie for the fun role Roger Corman plays a network news exec in HBO's "The Second Civil War" directed by Joe Dante who began his feature directing career under Corman at New World.

THE ACLU, which has already filed suit against Proposition 209 anti-affirmative actions, will honor William Baldwin, composer Kenneth (Babyface) Edmonds and choreo Bella Lewitzky at their Bill of Rights dinner Dec. 16 at the BevWilshire Ernie Chambers taped Jackie Mason at the London Palladium for airing in the Spring on PBS here, BBC there. Chambers also taped Janeane Garofalo in Ireland for ABC's "What Makes You Laugh," both shows for Merv Griffin Entertainment. ... The William Morris agency took over Billboard Live! to showcase 14 of their top comedic talent prospects Wednesday night. ... And, the versatility dept.: Sally Kirkland, guesting on "The Nanny" this week, recently played an heiress who has an affair with Sherman Hemsley on his "Goode Behavior" series, and a lesbian in the "Hotel Paradiso" seg of Playboy's Showtime series, "Women." ... Sally also appears in the December issue of Playboy.