Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Will Tim Allen's long-awaited return to series TV, "Last Man Standing," still be standing by the end of the season? The show launches tomorrow night (Oct. 11) amid a hail of critical arrows. But it's getting better and better — to hear Hector Elizondo tell it.

"Like all these shows, it's a creature that's creating its own path while walking. We're figuring things out," says the debonair actor, who plays Tim's boss and pal on the new show. "We have all the right pieces. It always takes a season with these. If the network gives us a chance, this will be a very successful show."

Elizondo tells us that Allen's involvement was the primary inducement for his joining "Last Man Standing." "I always admired his acting. Not a lot of people think about that. The movies he's done — I see the chops there, not too hidden under the surface, either. They're taking advantage of that more and more," he says of the show's writers. It's leading to "more and more real comedy."

The one-time "Chicago Hope" lead admits he "didn't want to get back up on the horse" when it came to launching a new TV series. The premature death of his last such effort, the beautifully crafted drama "Cane," with Jimmy Smits, was a heartbreaker for all involved. Ironically, it shot at the same studio as "Last Man Standing."

"That one hurt, and left me in a deep, deep funk," he says. "I said, 'That's it. I can't take another disappointment like that.' It was a damn good show, a quality show. The production values were high, it had content — that world of Florida and the Caribbean is so economically viable, so important ... we were all emotionally involved in it. There was a great feeling of Caribbean warmth on the set. There was good Cuban coffee, dancing between takes. Then the writers' strike hit for three and a half months, and we couldn't hold on."

Elizondo played shrink to Adrian Monk on "Monk" for a season after that, and made films. He has buddy Garry Marshall's "New Year's Eve" coming up Dec. 9.

And now, here he is, back at Radford Studios, emotionally invested in a series again. He has to be, he says. "It's always good and always dangerous.

You've got to dive in — in the raw. We've got a commitment of 12 (shows) to do. I would think with this caliber of talent, we'd get a full season. They've been wooing Tim for a while." He adds, "We'll know after three or four are on the air."

THE WET SET: "Bachelor Pad" pair Kasey Kahl and Vienna Girardi are among the personalities who'll be out in the surf — on behalf of the surf — at this year's Project SOS: Surf 24 Celebrity Surfathon, which runs Oct. 15 to 16 in Santa Monica, Calif. Tate Donovan, Jesse Spencer, Gregory Harrison, "Mad Men's" John Slattery, Chad Lowe, Zoe Bell and more will be out on the waves as well.

"We've got more and more celebrities coming," reports Tanna Frederick, the "Hollywood Dreams" star who co-founded the event with former world champion surfer Shaun Tomson — and who puts countless hours into it each year. "I love doing Project Save Our Surf. It's a huge, insane workload but one of the most gratifying things I've ever done in my life."

Says Frederick, "This year, we have a big emphasis on kids and kids' activities, and a first-time surfers event. The winner gets an iPad, which I think is pretty cool." She adds, "We have a lot of activities spread out over the two days — African drum circles, kite-flying, free food ... There've been a lot of misconceptions about this being just a surfer event. It's not. It's for the whole community."

However, celebrities who surf and famous surfers are still a draw for the event, which raises funds and awareness for eco-minded charities. "I think when there's something like this that's fun and celebratory of the environment, people are more likely to participate and conserve and preserve the oceans," enthuses the energetic, red-haired actress. "I think it creates better energy than, you know, panicking about our situation, which is another way to go."

QUEEN OF MEAN SCENE: Casting is underway for an actress to play notorious, late billionaire businesswoman Leona Helmsley for a sequence in Barry Levinson's January-shooting "Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father." That's the drama based on John Gotti Jr.'s story, with John Travolta as organized crime kingpin John Gotti and Ben Foster as Jr. Al Pacino. Kelly Preson and Chazz Palminteri are also in the cast. The sequence has Helmsley throwing a party for Gotti — and refusing to allow in the Feds. Also being cast is Grandma "Fresh Mouth" Gotti, John's mother.

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.

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