Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation’s press.

MOVIES

Renewed Stars: Hollywood Mayor Johnny Grant welcomed Elvis Presley “back to the Hollywood Walk of Fame” Friday morning by unveiling the late King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s restored star on Hollywood Boulevard. The ceremony kicked off a restoration campaign for the entire Walk of Fame, to which the Hollywood Historic Trust already has committed $100,000, Grant said. Presley’s star was one of 1,558 original stars dedicated in 1960, and several of those have been damaged over the years by wear, ground sinkage, earthquakes, tree roots and fans chipping off pieces of the stars for souvenirs. Presley’s restored star still bears its original brass nameplate and insignia--a recording symbol.

‘Fargo’s’ Oscar Push: In a bid to boost Oscar consideration of one of the year’s best-reviewed films, Gramercy Pictures is re-releasing “Fargo,” starring Frances McDormand, for a one-week engagement at Laemmle’s Monica in Santa Monica, starting Friday. Meanwhile, the film’s directors, Joel and Ethan Coen, will receive a Golden Chair Award from the Minnesota Film Board and Minnesota Gov. Arne Carlson on Monday honoring their work on “Fargo,” which was filmed entirely in the state. To celebrate, Gramercy Pictures will hold a free screening of the film at 8 p.m. Monday at AMC Santa Monica. However, only those with Minnesota roots will be admitted.

STAGE

Not Enough Laughing: Broadway has proved a little big for Julia Sweeney’s “God Said ‘Ha!’ ” The show has been selling between 400 and 600 seats a night since its move to Broadway on Nov. 19--enough to fill an off-Broadway house, but not enough for the 700-seat Lyceum Theatre. So the play will close Sunday after 21 performances, leaving producer Jim Freydberg again searching for a smaller house. However, off-Broadway gridlock had forced the show to Broadway in the first place, so although Freydberg was said to be “optimistic,” a show spokesman said that the search for an open theater remains one of “get in line.”

TELEVISION

Madonna Meets Oprah: Madonna will give her first TV interview since the birth of her baby, Lourdes, to Oprah Winfrey. The interview, billed as the “Evita” star’s first televised hourlong chat ever, will air Fridayat 3 p.m. on KABC-TV Channel 7.

LEGAL FILE

Visitation Denied: Woody Allen lost another round in his bitter custody battle with former lover Mia Farrow Thursday when a New York judge barred him from visiting his adopted daughter, Dylan, saying the director still didn’t understand how he’d made his children suffer by becoming romantically involved with Soon-Yi Previn, another of Farrow’s adopted daughters. However, Allen will be allowed to resume weekly hourlong visits with his son Satchel, even though Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Elliot Wilk cited psychiatric experts who testified that Satchel hated his father. Allen’s attorney said he would seek an appeal to get Allen more access to his children.

More Talk-Show Troubles: A New Hampshire man who went on Sally Jessy Raphael’s talk show for a Nov. 22 episode titled “I’m 14 and I Want a Baby” was charged this week with statutory rape after his lover’s mother gave police a video of his televised admission that he fathered a 14-year-old’s baby. Carl Carlson, 20, faces one count of felonious sexual assault, which carries a maximum sentence of 3 1/2 years in prison.

HOLIDAY CHEER

Toy Stories: Several entertainment folks are taking part in toy drives for the needy this year. Among them: Comics Richard Jeni, Larry Milly, Jay Thomas, Margaret Cho and John Mendoza will perform Sunday at 4 p.m. at Billboard Live in a benefit for the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots campaign; admission is either $20 or a new, unwrapped toy of equal value. Billboard Live will continue taking the toys through December. Also, joining the Toys for Tots drive is Six Flags Magic Mountain, which is offering free admission today, Sunday and Dec. 14-15 to anyone bringing an unwrapped toy valued at $10 or more. And radio station KRTH-FM (101) is sponsoring the California Highway Patrol’s annual CHiP’s for Kids toy drive, and will set up collection bins on Friday from 5-9 a.m. at FAO Schwarz stores in the South Coast Plaza, Glendale Galleria and Beverly Center.

QUICK TAKES

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Demi Moore and Bruce Willis broke ground Thursday on a Las Vegas Planet Hollywood Casino scheduled to open in early 1999. Plans call for a 3,000-room hotel and a 120,000-square-foot casino. . . . Julia Yarbough has been named weekend anchor at KCBS-TV’s “Channel 2 News.” Yarbough, who comes from WSVN-TV in Miami, will co-anchor the Saturday and Sunday newscasts at both 6 and 11 p.m. . . . Fox stations including KTTV-TV Channel 11 will begin airing Buena Vista Television’s “The John Salley Show,” a new weekly late-night talk program starring the former Detroit Piston, in June. . . . As expected, ABC is putting Molly Ringwald’s “Townies” on hiatus, replacing it with “Coach” starting Wednesday. The network said it plans to bring “Townies” back in a different time period later in the season.