Never Heard of ‘Em? You Will

The public at large may never have heard of the Annie Awards, but on Friday some of the big Hollywood studios will be slugging it out to win one. That’s because whoever wins an Annie will hold bragging rights for the year in a field that is growing in importance to Hollywood: animation. For years, Walt Disney Studios has been the 800-pound gorilla in the world of animation and it still rules much of the landscape. But with 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros. and Nickelodeon testing the waters in animated feature films, and with “South Park,” “The Simpsons” and “King of the Hill” drawing huge viewership on TV, animation has never been hotter. “I think people have come to realize that animation has a far broader appeal than just being for children,” said Antran Manoogian, an associate producer at Walt Disney Television Animation. Created in 1972 by June Foray, the voice of Rocky the Flying Squirrel, the Annies (short for animation) recognize outstanding achievements in feature films, television programming, commercials, home videos and interactive productions. On Friday, ASIFA Hollywood, the international animated film society, will host the 26th annual Annie Awards at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. Vying for the top feature film prize this year are “Anastasia” (Fox Animation Studios), “I Married a Strange Person” (Bill Plympton), “Mulan” (Walt Disney Feature Animation) and “Quest for Camelot” (Warner Bros. Feature Animation). The show will be seen in the latter part of December on the Fox Family Channel.

Networks Keep Specials in Closet

Even with the November sweeps in full swing, don’t look for the usual assortment of specials and scheduling stunts. In fact, except for Fox’s latest contribution to weird titles (the special “When Good Pets Go Bad”), networks are sticking this week with their regular lineups, recognizing that the wholesale preemptions of some past ratings surveys run the risk of confusing viewers as to where shows are. ABC has temporarily shelved the new drama “Vengeance Unlimited,” airing a three-hour movie (“The Birdcage”) Thursday, while NBC and Fox are plugging holes in their Tuesday lineups by offering second runs of “Just Shoot Me” and “King of the Hill,” respectively--now the preferred stopgap measure in trying to prop up ratings. Ironically, “Just Shoot Me” is serving double duty because of disappointing results for “Encore! Encore!,” the new series built around “Birdcage” co-star Nathan Lane. NBC has said the program will return when sweeps end, but sources say the show will probably come back on Wednesday nights. Like “Encore!,” several other new shows need to prove themselves quickly, with a flurry of scheduling moves expected to occur in January.

U2 vs. the Rolling Stones: Ka-Ching!

The Rolling Stones and U2 are among the few acts in rock that can fill stadiums for a very simple reason: No matter the tour, every show is packed with classic hits guaranteed to bring the fans to their feet in the first few chords. So how will fans of both bands respond to that same hits legacy on record? We’ll find out Wednesday when SoundScan gives us first-week sales on albums by both bands that focus on classic material. From U2: the Irish group’s first greatest hits collection, “The Best of 1980-1990,” which is being sold in a budget-priced package with a second disc of 15 B-sides and rarities. And from the Stones: the venerable group’s sixth live album, “No Security,” which also features a guest appearance by Dave Matthews and Taj Mahal. Early reports from retailers suggest U2 hit the stores strong last week, while Mick Jagger & Co. limped in. “The U2 album [start] has exceeded our expectations and was second only to Alanis Morissette’s new album,” said Gary Arnold, senior vice president of marketing for Best Buy. While the U2 album appears “very important to their loyal fans,” Arnold said the Stones album “didn’t have a lot of airplay and sort of snuck up on people.”

--Compiled by Times staff writers and contributors

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