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

MOVIES

Devore’s Wife Takes Over Estate: Six weeks after her husband’s mysterious disappearance, the wife of Hollywood screenwriter Gary Devore was granted court approval Friday to become conservator of his estate until he returns or is declared dead. Wendy Oates-Devore of Carpenteria said she took the Santa Barbara County Superior Court action because Devore’s business affairs “have to be taken care of . . . in his absence.” Oates-Devore said she did not know how much her husband’s estate is worth but her attorney, L. Donald Boden of Santa Barbara, said her petition puts an initial estimate of only $40,000 on his business and personal property. A full accounting must be filed with the court within 90 days, Boden said. He explained that Oates-Devore will now have legal authority to take action with regard to her husband’s estate, including stock in Devore’s Hollywood production company, Back Roads Productions. “She has authority over the stocks and assets of the corporation, but she may not withdraw, encumber or borrow from [Devore’s] pension plan without court authorization,” Boden said. Devore disappeared June 28 while driving from Santa Fe, N.M., to his Santa Barbara County home. There has been no trace of him or his Ford Explorer since that time.

RADIO & TV

TV Is Tough: ABC’s “TV Is Good” ad campaign is being turned against the network on multiple fronts. NBC spoofed ABC’s bright yellow ads with its own spots during Thursday’s “Seinfeld,” telling viewers that they could be watching another network, “But you’re not stupid.” Meanwhile, the National Assn. of Broadcast Employees & Technicians--whose members have been working at ABC without a contract since March 31--took out full-page ads in the Hollywood trade papers Friday that read, “TV Is Good? Not at ABC,” Then cited, “Bad Management. Low Morale. Even Lower Ratings.” Union official Gena Stinnett said the dispute stems from ABC’s desire to increase use of temporary part-time workers while cutting pension benefits. Union members have even inserted signs that read “ABC-Disney Hurts Working Families” into live shots during “Good Morning America” and KABC-TV Channel 7 newscasts. Further contract talks are scheduled next week in New York. An ABC representative, meanwhile, said the network is seeking greater flexibility because of technological advancements, as well as increased competition. ABC also dismissed the NBC ad, saying, “We think imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”

Announcing the Show Tunes: KGIL-AM (1260), the station that recently began a new format featuring Broadway and Hollywood show tunes, has set its on-air weekdays lineup. Beginning Monday, Ian Freebairn-Smith, a TV and movie composer who won a Grammy for arranging Barbra Streisand’s “Evergreen,” will kick things off from 7-10 a.m., followed by Rose Parade announcer Stephanie Edwards from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Radio Hall of Famer Gary Owens will take the station’s reigns from 3 to 7 p.m., while “Carol Brady” herself, Florence Henderson, will air from 7-10 p.m. Jim Roope, the station’s program director, will handle the 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift.

Late-Night Update: In the first week of the showdown between the two new late-night entries, “Vibe” and “The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show,” Wayans appeared to be the close winner. From Monday through Thursday, Wayans averaged a 12% share of the available audience in Los Angeles, as opposed to 10% for “Vibe.” In 38 of the nation’s top markets where ratings were available, Wayans earned an average 9% audience share while “Vibe” attracted 7%. Both of the 11 p.m. shows lost out to NBC’s “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” between 11:35 p.m. and midnight, but the two new shows drew larger Los Angeles audiences in that time period than CBS’ “Late Show With David Letterman.” Meanwhile, KTTV-TV Channel 11 will repeat Wednesday night’s episode of Wayans’ show on Sunday at 6 p.m. The episode had been knocked off the air in Los Angeles for more than 10 minutes Wednesday due to technical difficulties. And over at “Vibe,” which airs locally on KCOP-TV Channel 13, Laugh Factory founder Jamie Masada has been named a comedy consultant.

Newscaster Switches: Terry Anzur, a former anchor at KCBS “Action News,” will become co-anchor of KTLA-TV Channel 5’s “News at 10.” Anzur, who has held several news positions since the end of her four-year stint at KCBS in 1994, will pair with current anchor Hal Fishman. She officially joins the station on Aug. 18, but the date of her first broadcast has not been set. . . . David Jackson, who left KCAL-TV Channel 9 this year after eight years as a reporter-anchor with the station, has signed as a corespondent on the syndicated magazine show “Extra.” He will do his first reports next week.

QUICK TAKES

George Harrison is only in negotiations to do the music for “Everest,” a new large-format film scheduled to debut in Imax theaters in March. Due to incorrect information supplied to The Times, Morning Report indicated Friday that he was committed to the project. . . Actress Gwyneth Paltrow is trying out the magazine business. She’s been named the first guest editor-in-chief of Marie Claire, meaning that she’ll oversee all editorial content for the beauty magazine’s January issue, including story development, cover design and layout. . . . Members of the Goo Goo Dolls are close to a confidential settlement in the rock band’s legal dispute against its label, Metal Blade Records, according to court papers. The musicians had claimed a “grossly unfair” contract prevented them from receiving album loyalties.