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Show chonnols BY JOEY SASSO CONFIDENTIAL REPORT: The race is on between CBS-TV CBS-TV and the producers of 'The Greek Tycoon,' a forthcoming for-thcoming motion picture of you know who. The network Is putting together a multipart program on the life of the late Aristotle Onassls, and we doubt very much if Jackie O. will be called in as an advisor . . . CBS-TV is interested in airing a fall special starring Elvis Presley in concert. But the network demands Elvis lose weight first fir-st .. . When TV's 'Happy Days' returns in the fall, viewers will find Potsie, Richie and Ralph (portrayed by Anson Williams, Ron Howard and Donny Most) as University of Wisconsin students. Henry Winkler, Fonzie, will have an adventure in Hollywood where he's given a screen test for producer looking for a 'new James Dean.' . . . Ron Glass, who plays black detective Harris on 'Barney Miller,' dates women of all races. "To me, it's more important what a woman is all about than whether she's white or black," declares Glass. "I won't say it doesn't matter but I'm comfortable with girls of all races." . . . When NBC decided to cancel David Birney's 'Serpico' series, he wasn't very upset he planned to quit anyway In a last attempt to save his failing marriage. The series put a tremendous strain on Birney's three-year three-year marriage to actress Meredith Baxter, who plays Nancy on the popular ABC series 'Family.' "I almost blew it," recalls 36-year-old Birney, who recently starred In the mini-series 'Testimony of Two Men.' "Our marriage was over. I could feel the tension between us and it was like the Berlin Wall!" . . . Vivian, who is Maude's TV sidekick, side-kick, is a lot smarter than she looks. Beneath that dizzy smile and scattered brain is a Phi Beta Kappa intellect and also a four-times married woman. "I worry sometimes that people will see me only as Vivian," Rue McClanahan, who portrays her, told me. "I'm really much deeper than anyone thinks." She's an expert in archaeology, ar-chaeology, astronomy and history and she's an absolute demon at chess, as Bea Arthur, Maude herself, can attest. at-test. After six yeais of chess with Rue on the set, Bea is still looking for her first victory. EYE ON TV: Maybe it's just coincidental, but Cheryl Ladd, the new Angel at Charlie's, is the wife of David Ladd, brother of Alan Ladd, Jr., an executive at 20th Century-Fox, Century-Fox, where the series is filmed. Nobody can say for sure that Ladd swung any weight in his wife's selection, but up till the last moment, one of the producers was still insisting in-sisting the new girl would be a 'total unknown,' which Cheryl isn't . . . Gabe Kaplan may be lucky In love, but he's not so lucky in weight. Like so many of us in this fattening world, Gabe just can't keep the pounds off. It's reached the serious stage and 'Welcome Back, Kotter' producer Jimmy Komack has given Gabe an ultimatum- lose 30 pounds or else. To help his 'spreading' ste along, Jimmy sent Gabe packing to a diet spa. INSIDE THE TUBE: Bonnie Franklin, TV's top divorcee on 'One Day At A Time,' is a real-life divorcee who wants to remarry and have children soon. "I'm very security conscious," admits red-headed Bonnie, whose mother taught her "getting married and having kids were synonymous with security." At 33, Bonnie's been divorced for seven years. "I was glad I got married and thrilled when I got my divorce. I was finally free." She Is looking for a husband, and after she succeeds in that mission, she reveals, "I want children. I guess I better hurrv uo." s |