Cassidy ready for TV return

GOOD MORNING: "It's time again for me," sez David Cassidy. Before his "EFX" show tonight at the MGM Grand, he wings to L.A. for network talks on his half-hour pilot, "Ask Sylvia." Melanie Greene will produce with Cassidy. It's been 15 years since his last series, "Man Undercover," and 22 years since the finale of his four seasons-long "The Partridge Family." He has, however, been hosting VH1's "Eight Track Flashback," which airs eight times a week. After a week of previews at the MGM Grand in the extravaganza in which he replaced Michael Crawford, Cassidy tells me, "I feel like I'm 17." Tonight, after two shows, he takes the red eye out of Vegas to guest Thursday with Rosie O'Donnell and to pick up wife Sue and their son Beau to move them to Vegas. He plans a long stand at the Grand. How can he tape a series while doing two shows on stage at the MGM nightly? "No problem," he enthuses. Vegas is not new to him: his mother Evelyn Ward headlined at the New Frontier with Ronald Reagan as her opening act! As for his "EFX" role, Cassidy says, "I'm playing a whole new character (differing from Michael Crawford's). It was serious and dark and now it's funnier and with new songs. I'm having a ball (although working 12-15 hours getting the show ready for its official opening in February.) His contract is "for a while and I'm being well-paid, " he added happily. Cassidy was the toast of "Blood Brothers" on B'way, London's West End and Toronto and admits, "My life and career are now as good as ever and I'm in control." He has no agent; hasn't had one for eight years. His attorneys Michael Gendler and John Frankenheimer represent him Michael Crawford is still recuping in Las Vegas following injury to his hip during his "EFX" stand and has not made any plans for the new year as yet.

THE GEORGE BURNS OFFICE is finally closing next month, after 44 years on the same lot (originally the General Service Studios, then Francis Coppola's Zoetrope and now the Hollywood Center). Irving Fein will, of course, continue to manage the limited Burns biz. He has offers to write a book, but he reminds, "All the nice things have been written about George, and I'm certainly not going to write anything that wouldn't be nice." ... Continuing comedically, Buddy Hackett and Soupy Sales are guesting this week in a seg of Touchstone TV's ABC "Boy Meets World" starring Ben Savage and Rider Strong. The show, which airs Dec. 13, has Hackett and Sales playing a coupla shady characters. No pies are skedded to be tossed in the script yet. Hackett says Soupy hit him with a pie in 1971. "And it was a lousy flavor, too!" ... Connie Stevens bridal-showered daughter Joely Fisher at the House of Blues. When a gospel group started to entertain the ladies, Connie, Joely and her sister Tricia Leigh F. joined 'em in gospel-rockin' the House. Joely weds cinematographer Christopher Duddy New Year's Eve. ... Cicada closes Dec. 31 and moves downtown to the site of Rex in March '97. ... Mireille Mathieu followed her first stand in L.A. at the U Amphi with a supper party celebration at L.A.'s finest French restaurant, L'Orangerie, partying until 4 ayem, with Antonio Castillo de la Gula at the piano, playing his remarkable repertoire of movie themes. ... Meanwhile, at Elaine's in N.Y., Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham Carter supped with Woody Allen and Soon-Yi and Jean Domanian. Doumanian produced Woody's upcoming "Everybody Says I Love You," as well as "Mighty Aphrodite," in which Bonham Carter starred as Woody's wife. Also at Elaine's, Robert Altman talking to Branagh about "The Gingerbread Man," to go in Savannah; Bobby and Danny Zarem, Savannahians, offered 'em the family homestead when shooting there.

PAMELA ANDERSON LEE'S FILING for divorce is the latest sad chapter about a young performer who had everything and everyone going for her only a short while ago. ... "Comics 4 Kids," hosted for the 10th year by KNBC weatherman-comedian Fritz Coleman, brought out a sensaysh septet of comics at the Comedy Store and all to bring cheer (and $29,000) to the ERAS Center. The comedians: Bruce Fine, Jeff Rothpan, Dom Irrera, Jeff Jenna, Jimmy Brogan, Anthony Griffin, Jake Johanssen and Heath Hyche. Mike Franks intro'd ERAS director Barbara Cull, who plaqued the sponsors. ... "Melrose Place" and "BevHillls 90210" stars worked the auction at the Beverly Center Traffic Studio, raising $10,000 for the L.A. Mission. ... The May Co. building (Fairfax and Wilshire) is the site Saturday for "Appetite for Art, an Evening of Art, Food, Sex and Videotape." The bidding will benefit the L.A. County Museum of Art and American Institute of Wine & Food L.A. ... Neile Adams, in her new cabaret act at the Cinegrill, reminds of her B'way musical skills as she unspools her own story (which would make a legit musical on its own. ... Connie Chung made a rare appearance as she presented husband Maury Povich with the Tourette Syndrome Assn. award at N.Y.'s Pierre. Povich was very emotional in explaining his dedication because of a little girl he knows who has the neurological disorder.