Babar

This small college town is home to a clock tower, an old-fashioned diner, a main street called Main Street and one of history's legendary elephants. Most people probably believe that this benevolent beast, known round the world by the nonsense name of Babar, lives in a forest whose capital is Celesteville. Followers of Babar's nearly 60 years of adventures would place that expanse of greenery somewhere near Paris.

Marie Babare Edwards, a psychologist who helped pioneer a "singles pride" movement in the 1970s through her book, "The Challenge of Being Single," and workshops she taught at USC, died two days before her 90th birthday. Edwards died Dec. 31 of complications related to old age at the Belmont Village assisted-living facility in Hollywood. Her family announced her death this week.

Summertime--and screen fare is already on the light side. the just-released "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" is only the beginning. En route are ghosts (and ghostbusters), guys in bat suits, star-trekkers, underwater thrills, wise-cracking cops and perennial chill-sters named Jason and Freddy. There's some serious and semi-serious material, too. A note of caution: The list of titles that follows is subject to change--and studio strategies. "THE ABYSS"-- James Cameron ("The Terminator," "Aliens")

Babar the Elephant, a timeless figure in children's literature, turns 75 this year, his trademark crown and green suit unmarked by changing fashions or criticism that his jungle realm is a relic of colonialism. Babar was created one evening in 1931 when Cecile de Brunhoff, a piano teacher, told her two small sons the story of an elephant whose mother was killed by hunters and who fled to a town where he learned to dress as a human.

"Long Live Happiness!" --Babar * Babar, the plump and benevolent elephant king who loves bright green suits, shiny red roadsters and cradle-to-grave social welfare, has enjoyed many adventures in his long and mostly felicitous fictional life. He has honeymooned in a hot-air balloon, been abducted (gently) by aliens and even survived a visit to New York City. But until recently, Babar had been deprived of the most life-altering experience of all--going to college.

Warners' "Batman" became only the 10th motion picture in history to gross more than $200 million after earning $8.9 million over the weekend. The caped crusader reached the $202.9-million mark in six weeks, faster than any other super-blockbuster. Tom Hank's canine co-star in Touchstone's comedy "Turner and Hooch" slobbered and drooled on 1,877 screens for a weekend opening of $12.2 million and a per-screen average of $6,506.

Rahnesha White has a joyous smile on her face as she moves purposefully among the displays at the Gap Kids store in Sherman Oaks Fashion Square. Personally, I would rather be in labor than 11 again and shopping for school clothes. But Rahnesha, who starts sixth grade at Millikan Middle School in a couple of weeks, seems to be having a wonderful time. Her mother, Elizabeth White, has burdened the youngster with a minimum of taboos in choosing a back-to-school wardrobe.

Nelvana Ltd.--a little production company pitted against the likes of Disney, Time Warner, News Corp. and Viacom--no doubt feels that Oscar-nominated song from "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" possesses a grain of truth: "Blame Canada."

That famous elephant Babar, already the star of a slew of children's books, is making the jump to TV. HBO plans to run 13 episodes of an animated "Babar" series, beginning April 2. The shows will feature new stories as well as adaptations of the famous books by Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff.

Babar the elephant, a character in children's books by Jean de Brunhoff, will be marketed as a stuffed toy by Applause Inc., a Woodland Hills-based toy and gift company. The character, created in 1931, has been licensed as part of Applause's agreement with Nelvana Ltd. and The Clifford Ross Co. Applause obtained licenses to market Babar as plush dolls, figurines and mugs.

Cecile de Brunhoff, the inspiration for Babar, the enchanting little elephant whose adventures captivated generations of children, has died. She was 99. De Brunhoff had a stroke Saturday and died Monday in a hospital in Paris where she lived, said Mathieu de Brunhoff, one of her sons. She invented the tale of a little elephant as a bedtime story for her boys in 1931.

Nelvana Ltd.--a little production company pitted against the likes of Disney, Time Warner, News Corp. and Viacom--no doubt feels that Oscar-nominated song from "South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut" possesses a grain of truth: "Blame Canada."

Audio Rhythm in My Shoes. Jessica Harper. Rounder Records. CD: $17. Cassette: $11. (800) 768-6337. http://www.harpcomusic.com What a lucky day for children's music when film actress Jessica Harper ("My Favorite Year," "Stardust Memories," "Pennies From Heaven") decided to apply her pure and supple alto, her prodigious talent for sophisticated rhythm and harmony--and her experience as a parent--to writing and recording children's songs.

Rahnesha White has a joyous smile on her face as she moves purposefully among the displays at the Gap Kids store in Sherman Oaks Fashion Square. Personally, I would rather be in labor than 11 again and shopping for school clothes. But Rahnesha, who starts sixth grade at Millikan Middle School in a couple of weeks, seems to be having a wonderful time. Her mother, Elizabeth White, has burdened the youngster with a minimum of taboos in choosing a back-to-school wardrobe.

"Long Live Happiness!" --Babar * Babar, the plump and benevolent elephant king who loves bright green suits, shiny red roadsters and cradle-to-grave social welfare, has enjoyed many adventures in his long and mostly felicitous fictional life. He has honeymooned in a hot-air balloon, been abducted (gently) by aliens and even survived a visit to New York City. But until recently, Babar had been deprived of the most life-altering experience of all--going to college.

In the great forest, a little elephant was born . . . So begins "Babar the Elephant," an evocative new recording of the seldom-heard work by Francis Poulenc, based on Jean de Brunhoff's beloved children's book creation and with spellbinding narration by Meryl Streep. The new release also features two versions of Ravel's "Mother Goose" Suite, one played by nationally acclaimed duo pianists Mona and Renee Golabek, with poetic fairy tale introductions performed by Streep.

"Babar," the famous children's book, has been the subject of a bitter two-year legal battle over licensing agreements. As one newspaper headline read last week: "Lawyers In Celesteville? Babar Is In Court." One morning Babar, the king of the elephants, opens his mail. "Damn it, another subpoena," he shouts. Babar looks out the window of his palace. He sees the crowds lined up in front of the savings-and-loan office. He sees the police pushing angry depositors back in line.

Funny to see the influences of "Indiana Jones" and " 'Crocodile' Dundee" casting their shadows on the film version of a character as presumably sturdy and indelible as Babar the Elephant, but they're there, sure as grosses are grosses. To be sure, the ample young king of "Babar: The Movie" (citywide) doesn't crack a bullwhip and he still wears a crown, not a Stetson, but the perils that lurk for him, Celeste and the mischievous monkey Zephir have a distinctly Indiana-ish flavor.

Babar the elephant, a character in children's books by Jean de Brunhoff, will be marketed as a stuffed toy by Applause Inc., a Woodland Hills-based toy and gift company. The character, created in 1931, has been licensed as part of Applause's agreement with Nelvana Ltd. and The Clifford Ross Co. Applause obtained licenses to market Babar as plush dolls, figurines and mugs.

In his seventh decade as king of the elephants, Babar has survived competition from ninja turtles, become a movie star and reached new heights of popularity with French children. Signs of Babarmania are everywhere: baby bloomers and kiddy perfume, coat racks and bath towels. Grandparents who read Babar stories in their own childhoods pay small fortunes for wagons and chairs decorated with the green-suited elephant. About 300 Babar products are sold by 70 licensed companies around the world.