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Show by Joey Sasso CONFIDENTIAL REPORT: Multi-talented Rick Springfield Spring-field is just one step away from becoming the new John Travolta. The Australian-born star is riding high in the pop music charts with his best selling single, "Jesse's Girl." And as Dr. Noah Drake on the leading daytime soap opera "General Hospital," he is one of the top heartthrobs heart-throbs on TV. But he still longs for the big breakthrough that will rocket him to the top, just as "Saturday Night Fever" did for Travolta. "When I hear people call me an overnight success, I have to laugh," Springfield, 31, told me. "I mean, this 'overnight' has taken me more than nine years." The handsome young actor-singer first came to America in 1972, after a brief fling with pop stardom in Australia. He made two unsuccessful attempts to hit the music big-time in the U.S. before turning his attention to acting. "I made the decision to succeed as an actor," he says. "I took acting classes and worked on losing my . Australian accent. I knew. I had the determination and self-discipline to succeed." After numerous guest spots on shows like: "The Rockford Files,",, "Wonder Woman" and "The Six Million Dollar Man," Springfield landed the role in "General Hospital." "To be honest, was never really a fan of the soaps," he admits. "But now I concede that there is more to them than I originally credited them with." TV BACKSTAGE: Erik Estrada returned to work on the NBC series "CHiPs" after missing three episodes because of a contract dispute with MGM Television, said Bill Barron, speaking for the studio. As Estrada walked onto the soundstage, all eyes turned toward him and he said, "Remember me?" Barron said Estrada was greeted warmly by fellow cast members Larry Wilcox, Bruce Jenner, Robert Pine and Brodie Greer and the crew. Representatives of Estrada and MGM settled their differences dif-ferences and their lawsuits against each other were dismissed. The actor said: "I'm glad to be back. I'm excited ex-cited about it." Barron .said Jenner, who was hired after Estrada refused to report for work, is expected to remain. TV CLOSEUP: You can win an official Cosmic Cow Fan Club button ... if you send in a fun pun to keep our "Too Close For Comfort" star smiling. Here are a few examples of the kind of one-liners we're looking for: "When Cosmic Cow placed a really big order for Chinese food for the cast it weighed won ton." "When Cosmic Cow said he could draw with a pencil, Ted Knight thought it was pointless." The first 100 fans to send in an amoozing one-liner will receive an official and colorful Cosmic Cow Fan Club button. but-ton. Please send your gag to Cosmic Cow Fan Club, P.O. Box 215, Pearl River, New York 10965. And, of course, join the fun on "Too Close For Comfort" with stars Ted Knight, Nancy Dussault, Deborah Van Valkenburgh and Lydia Cornell on your ABC-TV station . . . "Dynasty" star Linda Evans will probably marry Beverly Hills restaurant owner George Santo Pietro before Christmas . . . British actress Joan Collins has joined "Dynasty" as John Forsythe's ex-wife. She's getting half the $1 million Sophia Loren demanded when offered the Pd1' TV COMPUIOO SISVICEI, IHC |