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

THE ARTS

Kennedy Center Honorees: Actors Charlton Heston and Lauren Bacall, singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, opera singer Jessye Norman and dancer Edward Villella were named Thursday as the 20th annual batch of Kennedy Center Honorees. The eclectic group will be greeted by President Clinton at the White House on Dec. 7 before being honored that night at a gala performance at Washington’s Kennedy Center Opera House. Said Heston, who was reached by The Times in Washington, where he had delivered a C-SPAN-televised speech at the National Press Club: “It will be the first time I’ve been hugged by a president. It’s very exciting.” The annual Kennedy Center Honors recognize individuals who have made “lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts.” Past recipients include Johnny Cash, Sidney Poitier, Kirk Douglas, Johnny Carson, Stephen Sondheim, George Balanchine, Katharine Hepburn, Dizzy Gillespie, George Burns, Arthur Miller and Lucille Ball.

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Lyric Strike Averted: Chicago’s Lyric Opera reached agreement with the union representing its musicians late Wednesday, averting a potential strike that would have jeopardized the company’s season opening on Sept. 20. Terms of the deal, which was overseen by a federal mediator, were not disclosed pending formal approval by the entire 75-member orchestra. Rehearsals--which had been stopped by the contract dispute over potential raises--were set to resume this weekend. Meanwhile, William Mason, general director of the Lyric, said that more than 98% of tickets for the upcoming 24-week season have been sold and that the season will be lengthened to 25 weeks beginning in 1999-2000.

POP/ROCK

Diana Single Delayed: Elton John’s revised “Candle in the Wind” single, recorded following his performance of the same song at Princess Diana’s funeral, has been delayed for one week and is now scheduled to be in stores Sept. 23. (The change was announced after the original date was published in this weekend’s Sunday Calendar.) A spokeswoman at A&M; Records said the delay was due to changes in the artwork accompanying the single. Meanwhile, U.S. orders for the song were nearing the 5 million mark Friday. (Proceeds from the CD single, offered with a suggested retail price of $3.49, will go to a Princess Diana memorial fund.) Meanwhile, John--who’s said he will never again perform the Diana tribute song--will be the subject of VH1’s “Storytellers” on Sept. 29. The 90-minute cable special, from the House of Blues in New Orleans, will be the first “Storytellers” to air live on the East Coast, with the feed airing tape-delayed here at 9 p.m.

TELEVISION

‘Top’ Spin: ABC will delay the premiere of its new comedy “Over the Top,” starring Tim Curry and Annie Potts, from Sept. 23 until Oct. 21. In its place the network will air repeats of “Home Improvement” at 8 p.m. Tuesdays, followed by the Dan Aykroyd sitcom “Soul Man,” which was to have led off that night. ABC said its aim is to help “Soul Man”--which comes from the producers of “Home Improvement”--get off to a strong start rather than having to immediately compete head-to-head with NBC’s “Mad About You” and “Clueless,” which is moving to UPN from ABC. The delay means “Over the Top,” which has already undergone significant creative revisions, will now premiere against coverage of baseball’s World Series on NBC.

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The ‘Search’ Is On: “Star Search,” the syndicated series that launched the careers of such celebrities as Sinbad and Martin Lawrence, is returning in “Star Search 2000,” a 100-city talent scouting that will culminate in a televised final competition next July. Although Ed McMahon has left the “Search” franchise, 14 celebrities including Whoopi Goldberg, Dustin Hoffman, David Copperfield, Gregory Hines, Marvin Hamlisch, Carl Reiner and Robert Goulet have signed on as advisory board members. More than $10 million in scholarships and awards have been pledged for the effort. Los Angeles auditions are being planned for May.

QUICK TAKES

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is saying that Sunday’s Emmy Awards (airing on CBS) will be the “most star-studded” ever. Among the 40 presenters confirmed thus far: Glenn Close, Demi Moore, Jay Leno, Carol Burnett, Laurence Fishburne, Mel Brooks, Michael J. Fox, Ellen DeGeneres, Gregory Hines, Bob Newhart, Carl Reiner, Jerry Seinfeld, Kelsey Grammer, Candice Bergen, Gillian Anderson and Anthony Edwards. . . . Late-night’s 5-week-old “Keenen Ivory Wayans Show” finally has a name for its all-female band: No Man’s Band. The winning name was submitted by viewer Joyce Johnson of Lawndale. Meanwhile, Joe Davola, who helped establish DreamWorks’ TV division and helped develop ABC’s “Spin City,” has been named executive producer of Wayans’ show, succeeding Charlie Parsons, who stepped down last week. . . . Newsman Mike Wallace has signed a new contract that will keep him at CBS’ “60 Minutes” until age 83. “Term limits are for politicians,” said Wallace, 79, after announcing the deal. . . . Former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo is returning to talk radio with a weekly half-hour show that will be offered free to public and commercial radio stations nationwide. He’ll begin his Sunday evening show on Sept. 21. Stay tuned for local stations.