Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

If all goes as Mike Myers hopes, he'll be taking on James Thurber's famous Walter Mitty character in a contemporary version of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." Myers' vehicle, which is currently being scripted by Jay Kogen, is not to be confused with the Jim Carrey or Owen Wilson "Secret Life of Walter Mitty" projects that, despite years in development, failed to jell.

Kogen tells us he's "not allowed" to even look at the past scripts — and that he's working "closely with Mike Myers" on the new version. "He's not just a star. He's very involved in conceiving the story and writing," adds multiple Emmy-winner Kogen, who has worked with Myers on all three "Shrek" pictures.

Kogen is definitely well versed in the original Thurber story and the Samuel Goldwyn-produced "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" feature that starred Danny Kaye as the timid fellow with the fantabulous imaginary life. He says everyone involved in Myers' prospective film holds that 1947 classic in esteem. "It's one of my father's favorite movies," he says of his pere, veteran Hollywood writer (for Dean Martin, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett, etc.) Arnie Kogen. "I must have seen it 40 times. Samuel Goldwyn Jr. was around for the making of that film, and he's working on this one, along with his son, John Goldwyn."

Myers, of course, "will make it his own. He'll play a lot of different characters in a lot of different fantasies. The story makes good use of his talents." But nothing will be certain until the script is complete and "Mike decides if he likes it."

HIS WICKED, WICKED WAYS: Michael Shanks says he's as far from a hero as he can get in Lifetime's erotic political thriller "Judicial Indiscretion" airing tonight (04/09). "It was nice to segue from playing the goody-two-shoes character I've played for so many years to jumping into this wicked villain," says Shanks, best known as Dr. Daniel Jackson of "Stargate SG-1. He plays the dashing Irish rogue who defiles the judge played by Anne Archer in "Judicial Indiscretion." He admits he was a little intimidated having to do a rape scene with Archer. "It would be my nightmare to be working with someone I've revered for so long, even before I got into the business, to offend them in some capacity and ruin the entire experience, but she was such a gamer. She was like, 'Oh, go to town, knock yourself out.' She said it helps her if whatever I'm doing is more forceful.

It allows her to be able to react more. I, of course, was super reverent."

Meanwhile, Shanks joins "24" in a four-part story arc April 23, and "Stargate SG-1" returns for its final season this Friday (04/13). He and the "Stargate" troupe are about to start shooting "The Ark of Truth," the first of two "Stargate SG-1" DVD feature films based on the long-running series. Knowing they'd be doing the extra flicks helped take the sting out of the show's ending, but he says on the last day of series shooting "spirits were imbibed and some tears were shed. We're a family in every way — some days we love each other, some days we hate each other, but no matter what, those ties that bind will always be there."

IN STEP: Although "Dancing With the Stars" judge Carrie Ann Inaba admits she initially thought it was a bad idea to have Heather Mills as a contestant, she's been won over — and then some — by the notorious celebrity amputee. "She is amazing, what she is doing. To do a back walkover her second time out? She came in at the level where Kelly Monaco ended," extols Inaba, making reference to the past "Dancing" winner. Inaba also points out, "There is a chance she could fall, with the way she's attacking this competition. She's not holding back at all, and when you are that way, you run the risk of falling when you have two legs. I give her enormous credit."

The dancer/choreographer, who also served as director of the enormously successful "Dancing With the Stars" live tour, says there may be another such trek "in the fall. It was such a great experience — we love that it appealed to the older generation as well as young people — but it was a rough schedule and I really felt beat up afterward."

SWITCHING HATS: Now that "Men in Trees" has wrapped for the season, John Amos reports he's gearing up to go to Uganda next month to shoot a feature film he hopes will continue to take the luster off the diamond trade as did the recent "Blood Diamond" with Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou. "I'm producing an indie film called 'Mutambi and Lindstrom,'" says Amos. "It's about two reluctant warriors. Mutambi is an aging general waging a war for his people to get a better living standard and equitable treatment and representation in the government. Lindstrom is a reserve officer, and the whole thing is fueled by the diamond trade … the misery and the deaths that it's caused to bring these precious stones to the market."

(With reports by Stephanie DuBois and Emily Feimster)

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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