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

TELEVISION

Anchored Again: Paul Dandridge, a familiar face on local TV news programs for more than two decades, is returning as weekend anchor for KCBS-TV Channel 2 and daily reporter on “Action News.” Dandridge was replaced as 6 p.m. weekday anchor at KABC-TV’s “Eyewitness News” last summer and has been off the air since. He had been an anchor-reporter with KABC since 1982 and was a weekend anchor and reporter at KNBC-TV from 1975-82. He has received Emmy, Golden Mike and Associated Press awards and has covered virtually every major local story in Southern California during his career. He starts his new job Wednesday and will be teamed with another anchor-reporter to be named later, according to Channel 2 News Director Larry Perret. Dandridge replaces Brad Goode, who transfers to reporting and fill-in anchoring duties, Perret said.

*

All She Wrote: After 12 seasons of “Murder, She Wrote,” Angela Lansbury didn’t go out with a whimper Sunday night, offering some gracious words in her alter-ego super-sleuth role: “My gratitude and appreciation to all of you, our great family of viewers--who along with me have solved 264 murder mysteries over 12 great years. With Love, Jessica Fletcher.” On the other hand, the last episode of the historically popular show didn’t go out with a bang, either, losing the ratings race to NBC’s “Mad About You,” which got a major market overnight Nielsen rating of 29% to the CBS series’ 20%.

*

Bochco’s Moment: Talk about a tough crowd. Steven Bochco was cheered wildly by graduating seniors at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh on Sunday at the mere mention of his television creations: “Hill Street Blues,” “Doogie Howser, M.D.” and “NYPD Blue.” But when university President Robert Mehrabian mentioned “Murder One,” there was dead silence. Bochco acknowledged that the ABC show had ratings problems this season, especially because it competed with “ER” and “Chicago Hope,” but said the trial drama will be back next season in better shape than ever. Bochco is a 1966 graduate of Carnegie Mellon.

*

Kermit’s Words: Also on the graduation circuit was Kermit the Frog. The Muppet star received an honorary doctorate of amphibious letters from Long Island University’s Southampton College for his work on environmental issues. Although he has spoken at Harvard and Oxford universities, this was Kermit’s first commencement address. He advised graduates to save the world’s swamps “and give those of us who live there a chance to survive.”

*

Kids’ Stuff: Starting this fall, UPN will offer two hours of Sunday morning animated series via KCOP-TV Channel 13. The lineup, starting at 9 a.m., will include “The Mouse & the Monster,” “Jumanji,” “The Incredible Hulk” and “B.A.D. (Bureau of Alien Defenders).” Among the regular voice actors signed for the “Hulk” are Luke Perry, Genie Francis, Mark Hamill, Shadoe Stevens and Matt Frewer. Lou Ferrigno, who starred in the prime-time series of the same name from 1978-82, lips the title role.

ART

Treasures for Met: The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York received a bonanza of 20th century art--13 major works reportedly valued at $60 million--from Manhattan art dealers and collectors Klaus and Amelia Perls. The donation comprises six paintings by Picasso, ranging in styles and dates from the Cubist composition “Woman in an Armchair” (1910) to the Expressionistic “Dora Maar in (Wicker) Armchair” (1939). Also included: a painting of a reclining nude and a stone sculpture head of a woman by Amedeo Modigliani, a still-life and a landscape by Chaim Soutine, a Cubist still-life by Georges Braque, a late painting by Fernand Leger and a portrait by Jules Pascin. The artworks will be incorporated into displays of the museum’s permanent collection.

MOVIES

On ‘The Rock’: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, seeking to introduce its new Sean Connery adventure film with a flourish, announced Monday that it will hold the world premiere of Hollywood Pictures’ “The Rock” on Alcatraz Island on June 3. Five hundred guests will be ferried to the island in San Francisco Bay to join Connery and co-stars Nicolas Cage and Ed Harris for a tour of the former federal penitentiary, now a historic site, and a screening in a huge tent. “The Rock” is about a group that takes over the island and threatens to launch deadly rockets into the city if its demands are not met.

STAGE

Down but Not Out: Two scheduled concert performances of Hal Linden, Lucie Arnaz and orchestra were called off at Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts on Friday and Saturday after Linden injured a leg during a rehearsal Friday. A Cerritos spokesman said Monday that the center’s staff reached most of the reserved ticket holders by phone, before they showed up for the performances. Ticket-holders should hang on to the tickets, he said, for the show is likely to be rescheduled.