Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Ted Danson's relieved to have wrapped up his role in the big-screen "Mad Money" flick with Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes. He's been juggling work on two productions for the past few weeks — flying back and forth between the New York shooting of FX's July-debuting "Damages" series and the Shreveport, La. filming of "Mad Money."

What's made the southern end of his treks more palatable is the fact that wife Mary Steenbergen "was in New Iberia, about three hours south of Shreveport, doing the Tommy Lee Jones film 'Electric Mist.' We would meet in various cities from Little Rock to New Iberia," he lets us know. "The actual moments together were romantic. That was lovely. But not the traveling."

On top of that, of course, Danson and Steenbergen are both poised to go into campaign mode on behalf of "our dear friend Senator Clinton. Mary's already been to several events to introduce her, and will continue to do whatever she can whenever called upon. We'll dive into that when the time comes."

Audiences will be hearing much more about "Damages" as its July 24 debut nears. The crackling legal thriller has Glenn Close as an ultra high-end attorney and Danson reminding us of his tremendous dramatic chops as a horribly powerful CEO. In "Mad Money," meanwhile, he's Keaton's "pantless husband … you know, the panicky guy who says, 'You can't do this. You have to stop.'" The flick has Keaton, Queen Latifah and Holmes as a trio who figure out how to rob the Federal Reserve of soon-to-be-destroyed old paper money.

"This is from a true story that happened in England," says Danson. "Three ladies found a way to take money out of their equivalent of the Federal Reserve. Even when they were caught, they could not be convicted. In essence, you're kind of stealing something that doesn't exist."

MAY THE FARCE BE WITH YOU: How did Seth Green and Matthew Senreich manage to land George Lucas to do his own voice for their kooky stop-motion animation special, "Robot Chicken: Star Wars"?

"We asked," says Green. "Actually, we didn't stop asking."

Lucas, it turns out, got a kick out of a past "Robot Chicken" installment known as "The Emperor's Phone Call." "That got his attention, and there are so many people at his company that we communicate with, we're on with them all the time.

Eventually, Green found himself at Lucas' Skywalker Sound facility in Marin County, Calif., directing the director. "It was really cool. We played a little bit. Anything he'd say off-hand or cocky, I'd come back at the same level," says Green.

The half-hour special premieres Sunday (6/17) on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim — even as Green and Senreich continue working on the forthcoming third season of the show that's gained a cult following and has tons of A-listers as guests. Besides Lucas, the "Star Wars" special alone features the voices of Mark Hamill, Conan O'Brien, Seth MacFarlane, Malcolm McDowell, Hulk Hogan, James Van Der Beek, Robert Smigel, Donald Faison, Abraham Benrubi, Breckin Meyer and Joey Fatone. And of course, Senreich and Green, the actor known to "Austin Powers" fans as Scott Evil — who does upwards of 30 voices in an average "Robot" show.

FATHER AND CHILD REUNION: Bill Cosby says he didn't even think twice about pulling strings to get his former "The Cosby Show" son Malcolm-Jamal Warner's band, Miles Long, a spot in the 29th annual Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend. "Malcolm has always been a fantastic person," says the longtime emcee of the PJF. Cosby, who lost his own son, Ennis Cosby, in 1997, says he couldn't be more proud of the progress his former TV son has made, receiving rave reviews with his band. "This is a moment for me," says Cos, whose group Cos of Good Music joins such acts as Etta James, Chris Botti and Arturo Sandoval on the bill. "It's wonderful because he and Ennis used to hang and played in this house together."

ANIMAL ATTRACTION: Betty White's been having "a little quiet time" of late — but only in terms of answering camera calls. The beloved Television Academy Hall of Famer, who's poured so much energy into the cause of animal welfare through the course of her six-decade career, is hard at work as chairperson — as well as emcee — of this Saturday's (6/16) Greater Los Angeles Zoo Beastly Ball. Again. "Last year, I said, 'That's it,'" admits White. "But it's such a terrific event, and we're so excited. Last year, for the first time in 37 years, we got to $1 million by the end of the ball. This year, we hope to do at least as well" — with food provided by top L.A. restaurants and a variety of entertainment. Among the night's auction items, White says, will be the chance to name a baby gorilla.

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2007 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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