Competish continues for O.J. lawyers

GOOD MORNING: The battle of the barristers continues now on TV. As noted earlier, Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. will co-host a talkshow on Court TV and now comes word about his former O.J. Simpson legal opposition, namely Chris Darden and Marcia Clark. Norman Brokaw, who reps the latter two, tells me the William Morris Agency is negotiating with a network for Darden to host a series of reality-based, compelling court cases and not limited to criminal. Ed Tivnan is scripting the series. Darden, as earlier reported, is prepping a feature at Par based loosely on his book, "In Contempt" with Abby Mann scripting and Steve Tisch producing. Mann meets with the duo next week, he says, to blueprint the pic. Meanwhile, Darden continues his other career of professor and lecturer. And Marcia Clark is busy completing her book, as yet untitled, and the Morris men are already plotting a movie and TV shows for her. So the (court) beat goes on. ... Stanley Donen, who directed the live-action/animated "Anchors Aweigh" with Gene Kelly dancing with Jerry (of "Tom & Jerry"), will now direct a live-action/animated "Puss in Boots." The songs will be by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and the pic will be produced by Bob Chartoff, long absent from the movie scene -- he's been busy with human relations efforts like schools in India. Donen is still planning to direct the film version of "Vita and Virginia" early next year in England with Vanessa Redgrave reprising her stage role in the story of Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf. ... Add musical note: MCA/Universal's (soon to be called Universal Studios) Edgar Bronfman Jr. adds songwriter to his list of credits. Under the pseudonym of "Sam Roman," he co-wrote, with pal-songwriter Bruce Roberts, the main track to the Universal Records soundtrack for the Sylvester Stallone starrer "Daylight." The song, "Whenever There Is Love" is performed by Donna Summer and Roberts.

"WE FEEL THE SAME as George Clooney," said "ER" costar Eriq La Salle, referring to Clooney's boycott of "ET" due to Par's sister show "Hard Copy's" hard treatment of celebs via stalkerazzi footage. "We showed him (Clooney) our support and stand behind him 100%," said La Salle. And, Clooney and the rest of the "ER" cast showed their support for La Salle as they applauded his feature directorial debut of "Rebound -- The Legend of Earl 'The Goat' Manigault," which preemed at the DGA Monday night. La Salle also plays the role of a basketball player turned drug addict in his movie. "I'm a little burned out," he admitted to me having made the movie while bicycling to "ER" duties -- he thanked TV toppers for making it possible to direct the pic. On hand for the preem, in addition to the "ER" gang, were the "Rebound" cast headed by Don and Colin Cheadle, Forest Whitaker, James Earl Jones, Glynn Turman, Loretta Devine, Monica Calhoun and "The Goat" himself, Earl Manigault who winged out from N.Y. to get a standing ovation when intro'd by HBO's exec VP Richard Waltzer. ... "Celebrate the Dream -- 50 Years of Ebony Magazine" tapes Nov. 17 at the Shrine to air Nov. 28 on ABC, 9-11 p.m. Exec producer-director Jeff Margolis (who'll be back at the Shrine for the Oscars again), has assembled a star list of achievers from the world of music, movies, TV, sports, public office and civil rights. They include Quincy Jones, Whoopi Goldberg, Whitney Houston (in a gospel medley from "The Preacher's Wife"), Gregory Hines in a tap tribute "like never seen before," Debbie Allen, Muhammad Ali, Florence Griffith Joyner, Meadowlark Lemon, Lou Rawls, Smokey Robinson, Sinbad, Stevie Wonder, Bill Cosby, Cicely Tyson and Oprah Winfrey, to name a few.

FRESH FROM THE PREEM of "The Mirror Has Two Faces," Jeff Bridges appears solo at the Lobero Theater in Santa Barbara Nov. 16 to screen his 1989 "The Fabulous Baker Boys." It's a benefit for the historic theater's seismic renovation campaign. Jeff is a local resident. His brother Beau and Michelle Pfeiffer co-starred in "Boys" you recall Pfeiffer is among celebs hosting the "Children at Play" fundraiser Nov. 17 at Will Rogers State Park on behalf of "Victory Over Violence" to increase public awareness about domestic violence. ... Gabriel Byrne joins the presenters at Saturday's (16) CableAce Awards. ... Neile Adams, at her CineGrill preview Monday (she officially opens next Monday) was cheered by Anne and Kirk Douglas, Angie Dickinson, Edie Adams, Neile's son Chad McQueen, husband Al Toffel, Paula Stewart, Hadda Brooks and Joni James. ... Jim Bailey bows at the CineGrill tonight as himself. ... "Forever Plaid" returns to the Canon Dec. 13 with Steven Freeman again musical director, Veronica Chambers and Joan Stein again producing. Returning Plaid members are David Engel and Larry Raben with Neil Nash and Paul Castree joining. Chambers also brings Uta Hagen to the Doolittle Theatre in "Mrs. Klein" Feb. 4 following her succesful stand in N.Y. at the Lucille Lortel. Stuart Ross directs.