Temple celebrates quiet 70th b'day

GOOD MORNING and happy 70th birthday to Shirley Temple: She says she was thrilled when I invited fans in the stands at this year's Academy Awards at the Shrine to sing her (an early) "Happy Birthday." But today, she and husband Charles Black, their three children and granddaughter celebrate quietly, "in hiding" from you-know-whose lenses. Her fans are faithful and ageless -- and are still buying the line of Shirley Temple dolls. "The one that makes me laugh is a new one, 'Bathing Beauty,' on the sands at Santa Monica." There's also a charm bracelet (via Danbury) containing her tap shoes, a Shirley Temple police badge (!) and the lighthouse from "Captain January." Temple, who was the U.S. Representative to the United Nations' 24th General Assembly from 1969-72, dined with current U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan during his stopover in SanFran. Shirley was also our ambassador to Ghana (Annan's homeland) from 1974-7. ... At Annan's BevHilton showbiz reception hosted by Jack Valenti, the Secretary General asked Gil Cates about possible TV-show exposure for the United Nations. Cates produced (with Don Mischer) the recent Israel 50th anni special on CBS. ... Cable channel AMC, which had in the past aired the 1953 "Titanic" from 20th Century Fox and the 1958 "A Night to Remember" from Rank, is planning to air 'em again. The '53 "Titanic" was directed by Jean Negulesco and starred Clifton Webb, Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Basehart, plus Robert Wagner and Audrey Dalton in a shipboard romance. The screenplay won an Oscar. "Night to Remember," also about the sinking of the Titanic, starred Kenneth More, David McCallum, Honor Blackman, etc. and was directed by Roy Baker. Daily Variety's reviewer said this excellent version "will satisfy all but those who like their entertainment glossed over with contrived fiction." It would be interesting to again see the latter film.

WHILE NEW LINE RE-RELEASES "GWTW" in a Technicolor print June 28 to several hundred theaters, WB is readying to release a "GWTW" video later this year; TNT will then air. WB's versatile recycling of classics is now making the rounds on stage (currently in Chi) in "The Wizard of Oz" co-starring Eartha Kitt and Mickey Rooney. The 14-month tour will bring 'em to the Universal Amphi at Christmas. With WB involved in "High Society," coming next week to B'way, it's only a matter of (short) time before WB initiates new legit projects, a la Disney. ... Warren Beatty's begun to beat the bushes for "Bulworth." He took off Wednesday for N.Y. and then to D.C. No, he is not showing his politically daring pic to Clinton, but he will show it to some politicos -- who will hopefully laugh at Beatty's no punches-pulled bravado. ... An emotional Alfre Woodard hosted the premiere of "Africa's Elephant Kingdom," at the Imax theater of the Calif. Science Center. The film is produced by Discovery Communications and a percentage of proceeds go to wildlife preservation. Woodard is related by marriage to the film's scientific advisor, Dr. Iain Douglas Hamilton, founder of Save the Elephants, responsible for stopping the slaughter of elephants in Africa. Woodard has been making trips to East and South Africa and shared an experience in the land of those mighty creatures.

"IT'S A BLESSING," says John Lithgow of the fallout of a feature project he was to do on hiatus from "3rd Rock": "The last month was exhausting." They just wound the season with "a crisis" situation, natch. Lithgow will appear in Deanna McDanel's "Courage: Profiles in Creativity" preeming tonight at Raleigh Studios. ... Joe Roth, chairman of Walt Disney Studios, will be honored by the So. Calif. Multiple Sclerosis Society's Dinner of Champions, Sept. 14 at the Century Plaza. In honor of Joe, guests will be asked to arrive with no tie! Last year's event, honoring News Corp. prez-chief operating officer Peter Chernin, raised $2.1 million. ... Wednesday night's Rockefeller Center reception touting Hallmark's "Merlin" April 26 bow on NBC, featured a 70-foot inflated "Merlin" in the skating rink. Stars, including Martin Short, Sam Neill, Isabella Rossellini sipped "Merlin Martini's" -- the non-alcoholic drink by Merlin's Energy Source Beverage. ... Bill Cosby receives an honorary degree at Pepperdine's undergrad commencement, Friday. ... Syracuse U. Alumni Club of So. Cal honors Ed Goren, exec producer of Fox Sports, with the Distinguished Alumnus Award Saturday at the Four Seasons in L.A. ... Bob Willoughby's photo exhib of 20 years on/off film sets, bows tonight (until June 28) at the Motion Picture Academy and another exhib starts at N.Y.'s Staley Wise Gallery (560 B'way) on the 28th. Willoughy, an alumnus of every major magazine, is helping Life ready a special issue on Frank Sinatra. ... The Women's Guild of Cedars-Sinai once again benefits from the gala opening night party of the L.A. Antiques Show, April 30 at the Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport, continuing through May . ... ECO (Earth Communications Office) holds a benefit book signing tonight at the Regency Club for board member/author Bambi Holzer's "Retire Rich: The Baby Boomer's Guide to a Secure Future."