Clintons help pal break into biz

GOOD MORNING: President Clinton and wife Hillary applauded as pal Vernon Jordan read Sylvester Stallone's lines from the "Cop Land" script, while Stallone emoted in Robert DeNiro's role. It was at a birthday party for FOB (Friend of Bill) Jordan, held in a tent at the Farm Neck Golf Club in Martha's Vineyard, where the Clintons are vacationing. Jordan had always bugged Harvey Weinstein for a role in one of his pix, thus the surprise appearance of Stallone and "Cop Land" script at the party. By the way, the President had seen "Cop Land" and told fellow golfing fan Stallone that he loved the pic. Hillary asked Weinstein what could he now do for actor Jordan? Harvey said he has a perfect role for him in his "Rounders": to play the head of the state police. ... Harrison Ford left the "6 Days, 7 Nights" Kauai location for France, England and Italy -- but it's OK with producer-director Ivan Reitman. Ford's interrupting his shooting on the current pic to continue his p.a.'s for "Air Force One." "Harrison is a real supporter of movies he stars in and we gave him the OK, as well as for his appearance at the L.A. premiere. A lot of (high-priced) actors don't look at the responsibility of promoting their films, even those who own percentages of the films who don't feel this responsibility." Reitman also says Ford is "the most fun to work with: he has great ideas, is charming, funny, like the great actors of the '40s -- like the best of the male stars, Bogart, Holden, Gable. He has charisma a great sense of humor and masculinity." This movie started out, says Reitman, as simply a man and woman (Anne Heche) on a desert island. It's developed into an action movie with plane and boat crashes. And talking about planes, Ford is flying a single-engine DeHavilland Beaver in the pic. (He owns two jets of his own.) Heche is in the plane with him in plane-to-plane photographed scenes. Yes, insurance companies know about 'em and have cleared Ford, who has the proper qualifications and certifications. But it took a lot of "negotiations," admits Reitman. Ford has learned to fly a helicopter to take himself to the remote locations on the Hawaiian island, which is supposed to look deserted. In addition to the action, Reitman reminds there is a lot of sophisticated dialog between Ford and Heche, with the latter constantly getting under his skin. And how does their relationship come off? "It looks good to me on film," says Reitman. "The movie will speak for itself." ... Reitman's own family life story is in the works and is being written by friend of 30 years, Len Blum. It's the story of Reitman, his mother and father and their escape, in the bottom of a boat, from a small town on the Hungarian-Czech border. The versatile Blum is also writing the Marx Bros. biopic for Reitman. Kevin Kline and Martin Short (as Harpo) are two who have shown early interest. Blum also wrote "Private Parts" for Reitman and they continue to talk another Howard Stern movie -- not a sequel. "I think he (Stern) is very talented," says Reitman.

UNLIKE A HOST AT A BEAUTY PAGEANT, talkshow host Nancy Glass says she'll wear a "casual, talkshow host-ish" wardrobe. For the first time, an outsider -- Glass -- was chosen to ask the Miss America finalists "that" question before the judges select the winner Sept. 13 on ABC from Atlantic City. She hasn't yet decided on the questions, but told me (as she was trying on the "talkshow host-ish" wardrobe), "I'll ask questions which will bring out their personalities, instead of what they've memorized." No one involved with the pageant or with ABC will know what she plans to ask. ABC and Glass are, however, talking a daytime talkshow, either for the web or to syndicate. ... "Friends Helping Friends" honors the cast of "Friends" Sept. 22 at the BevHilton, with Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Marty Stuart and Lyle Lovett entertaining. The beneficiaries will be the Lookinglass Theater, the Archer School for Girls, and the John Wayne Cancer Institute. John Lovitz will emcee and NBC's Warren Littlefield makes the presentation. ... Camp Planet Hope opened this week and Kelly Stone reports Courtney Love jumped on board to help co-founder Sharon Stone underwrite the camp program. Martin Sheen will give swimming lessons. And Cedars-Sinai and Planned Parenthood will provide health care services to the homeless moms and their kids, plus services from USC Dental School.

GEENA DAVIS FILED FOR DIVORCE from Renny Harlin Tuesday. She also departed The Forge banner, which they jointly owned, and she's unfurled her indie, Genial Pictures. ... The court has approved the debtors' request to sell Bernard Erpicum's restaurant Eclipse to Bodega LLC, whose principal owner is George Pagani; it's anticipated escrow will close next week, thus ending another onetime successful (and Oscar-party colorful) L.A. eatery. ... Drai's on La Cienega will serve lunch (the Drai's Cafe menu) -- on Fridays only, starting Sept. 5. ... Can you imagine all these events on the same (last Sat.) night: at NBC, ABC taped the Aaron Spelling star-studded TV tribute, while over at the BevHilton, Fox taped George Schlatter's celeb-laden "American Comedy Honors" and, at the comics-filled Friar's, the Friar of the Year award was given to Jody Berry, while at the BevHills Crystal Room, the wedding of plastic surgeon Dr. Steven Hoefflin to Pamela Wilson included guests/previous patients Phyllis Diller and Joan Rivers. ... B'way producer Robert Whitehead is recuping at home in N.Y. following successful back surgery. ... Stanley Kramer celebrates his 84th birthday and publication of his book, "A Mad (4) World" (Harcourt Brace) Sept. 23 at the DGA. Daughter-singer Katharine Kramer entertains with songs from his legendary pix. ... Rod Steiger wraps "Cypress Ridge" in New Orleans today and heads to Montreal to receive the fest's Career Excellence award. ... Engelbert Humperdinck, who has owned the Jayne Mansfield pink palace mansion on Sunset Blvd. for the past 20 years, now has an offer to sell it to the Sultan of Brunei -- who owns the famed Pink Palace, the BevHills Hotel, a mile east, on Sunset as well.