Great Performances

KCET-TV has already made clear that it will no longer be telling children how to get to "Sesame Street. " But that's not the only kiddie fare that the public- television station is relinquishing once it assumes its new guise as an independent channel on Saturday. Gone will be the furry friends of "Curious George," the scientific principles of "Sid the Science Kid" and the wacky adventures of "Clifford the Big Red Dog. " Ditto "Dinosaur Train," "Martha Speaks," "Super Why!" and "The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!"

'Great Performances: Magical Mystery Tour Revisited' Where: KOCE When: 9 p.m. Friday Rating: TV-PG (may be unsuitable for young children) 'Magical Mystery Tour' Where: KOCE When: 10 p.m. Friday

What was the real issue in David J. Fox's article, "Gender Bender: Leading Roles for Women? Yeah, Sure" (Calendar, Oct. 20). Fox says the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will have a hard time finding five women to nominate come awards time. He lists two possible nominees because they "command automatic attention." Isn't the object to recognize excellence, not star quality?

  Click here to download TV listings for the week of June 24 - 30 in PDF format TV listings for the week of June 24 - 30 in PDF format are also available here This week's TV Movies   SERIES My Babysitter's a Vampire:  Ethan Morgan, his half-vampire babysitter and pals battle against creatures from their nightmares in the series premiere (8 p.m. Disney). Whale Wars:  In this new episode, the Brigitte Bardot's crew evacuates its damaged boat, and the Sea Shepherds openly engage a Japanese government vessel for the first time (9 p.m. Animal Planet)

On an autumn morning in 1946, John Gielgud, who was touring the country with his one-man show, "The Ages of Man," visited a large lecture class I was taking on Shakespeare, to talk a little about acting. In an ancient tweed jacket and baggy gray flannels and carrying a well-used one-volume Shakespeare that seemed to fall open to the soliloquys at Gielgud's slightest touch, Sir John began to recite. The book was a prop; he obviously had no need to refer to it at all.

Cultural TV programming has come and gone during the past 15 years, but public television's "Great Performances" series endures. In the opinion of many on the cultural scene here, it now is "the only game in town" for fine-arts performance programming.

It's not unusual, says veteran television producer Jac Venza, for programs seen on his highly successful series, "Great Performances," to appear on the home-video market up to six months before they are seen on the PBS series. A case in point: the 90-minute video biography, "The Margot Fonteyn Story," due on PBS Feb. 16, which has been available since early fall in the Home Vision fine-arts video catalogue. There is no conflict here, Venza says.

It is no doubt sheer coincidence that PBS is telecasting Herbert von Karajan's problematic 13-year-old film of Verdi's "Otello" only a few months after Franco Zeffirelli's problematic big-screen version of the same opera was released in this country. Even so, the productions complement one another in significant ways. Scheduled to be shown on the "Great Performances" series tonight at 8 on Channel 24 and at 9 on Channels 28 and 15--with stereo simulcasts on KUSC (91.5) and KCPB (91.

"Great Performances," the public-television series that introduced a generation to classical music, modern dance, opera and "Brideshead Revisited"--a series, in fact, that gave composers, dramatists and choreographers their first continuing presence on TV--is throwing a birthday party tonight. "Great Performances' 20th Anniversary Special" (at 9 p.m. on KCET-TV Channel 28 and KPBS-TV Channel 15, at 8 p.m.

“The View” 10 a.m. Thursday, ABC: performance from “Once.” “Dudu Fisher: In Concert From Israel” Noon Thursday, KCET: Singer Dudu Fisher performs Broadway tunes and Israeli songs. “Open Call” 9 p.m. Thursday, KCET: "Kenny Burrell: Master and Mentor": Hosted by mezzo-soprano opera singer Suzanna Guzman, Open Call features a wide variety of productions from profiles of artists. “Soulful Symphony With Darin Atwater: Song in a Strange Land” Noon Saturday, KCET: Artistic director Atwater conducts an 85-member orchestra in compositions exhibiting styles ranging through gospel, jazz and symphonic music.

“The Wendy Williams Show” 11 a.m. Thursday, Fox: Broadway: actress Audra McDonald. “Open Call” 9 p.m. Thursday, KCET: Live at the Ford-Grandeza Mexicana: Hosted by mezzo-soprano opera singer Suzanna Guzman, Open Call features a wide variety of productions from profiles of artists. “Gospel Music Presents: Great Performances” 10 a.m. Saturday, CBS: Shirley Murdock performs with guests Regina Belle, Beverly Crawford and Kelly Price. From Fort Mill, S.C. “Louis CK: Live at the Beacon Theatre” 10 p.m. Saturday, FX: “Great Performances at the Met” 1 a.m. Saturday, KVCR: "Madama Butterfly": Patrick Summers conducts Puccini's tale of a Japanese geisha betrayed by an American lover.

The Lakers small forward who lingered the longest to work on his shooting Monday was the only one who can't help his team in the next two games. The suspended Metta World Peace slowly moved around the perimeter at the Lakers' practice facility, making shot after shot. Putting the ball into the basket hasn't been as routine for Matt Barnes and Devin Ebanks. Barnes has made six of 26 (23.1%) shots in the Lakers' first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets, including only one of 14 (7.1%)

KCET-TV has already made clear that it will no longer be telling children how to get to "Sesame Street. " But that's not the only kiddie fare that the public- television station is relinquishing once it assumes its new guise as an independent channel on Saturday. Gone will be the furry friends of "Curious George," the scientific principles of "Sid the Science Kid" and the wacky adventures of "Clifford the Big Red Dog. " Ditto "Dinosaur Train," "Martha Speaks," "Super Why!" and "The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!"

SERIES Great Performances: An all-star salute to Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim gets an encore showing (8 p.m. KCET). Raising Hope: Jason Lee ("My Name Is Earl") guest stars in this new episode of the sitcom (9 p.m. Fox). Strange Days With Bob Saget: The former "Full House" star and "America's Funniest Home Videos" host gets a new reality series (10 and 10:30 p.m. A&E). Sons of Anarchy: The biker-gang drama rolls to the end of another season (10 p.m. FX)

SERIES Biography: The life and career of Hollywood hunk Brad Pitt are explored in this new episode (7 and 11 p.m. Biography). Great Performances: Legendary Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim is feted in this new installment (9 p.m. KCET). SPECIALS Parades: "McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade" from Chicago (6 a.m. WGN America); "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" (9 a.m. NBC) and "The Thanksgiving Day Parade on CBS" (1 p.m. CBS) from New York City. The National Dog Show: Pampered pooches strut their stuff at the annual event in Philadelphia (noon NBC)