The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 62

Saturday Television Guide by Sandy Smithies 9 9.30 am Storybook Classics: The Ugly Duckling (R). 10.0 Film: Northwest Passage (1940) King Vidor's convincing outdoor epic with Spencer Tracy trailblazing and fighting Indians. 12.20 Terror Faces Magoo. 12.30 Empress Wu. 9.0 am Ceefax pages.

12.15 Peter No-Tail. 1.30 Tom And Jerry Festival. 2.10 The Day They Gave Babies Away. Glynis Johns, Cameron Mitchell lead this 1957 saga about a family of Scottish immigrants struggling to survive as pioneers in the American backwoods. 3.50 Little Nezha Fights Great Dragon Kings.

An old Chinese legend inspired this cartoon feature from Shanghai Animation Studios. 4.50 New Year's Eve Concert. Herbert Von Karajan conducts the Berlin Philharmonic in this concert, coming live from Berlin. The 16-year-old Russian pianist Yevgeny is the soloist in a performance of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No 1, and the programme also includes Prokofiev's Symphony No 1, the Classical. 5.50 Great Day In The Morning.

Robert Stack, Virginia Mayo, Ruth Roman lead this nicely-crafted tale of pre-Civil War gold and secession fever in Technicolor Colorado, made in 1956 by Jacques Tourneur. 7.20 NewsVIew. The day's news and sport, plus the weekly, sub-titled review. Weather. 8.0 Island Of Birds.

Tony Soper narrates this wildlife special, filmed over a few days in April on a Florida island bird sanctuary which is home to 20,000 birds of 18 species including egrets, herens, pelicans and spoonbills. 8.30 What's Cuba Playing At? Another showing, on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the Cuban revolution, for this lively Arena programme exploring the island's rich musical heritage (R). 9.45 Lost In America. Actor Albert Brooks wrote, directed and stars in this latest entry in the American Wave 2 season an affectionate satire on Eighties dropouts. He and Julie Hagerty play a successful, professional West Coast couple who give it all up for the freewheeling joys of easy riding on the road albeit in a luxury mobile home and with a comforting nest egg to fall back on.

Made in 1985. 11.15 Eurthymlcs Live. Annie and Dave recorded in concert in Sydney, on the final leg of their Revenge tour. 12.50 David Bowies Glass Spider. Same venue, different gig.

Highlights of Bowie's classi-ly-choreographed stage show, with a band featuring Peter Frampton on guitar. 1.45 Close. 5.0 am ITN Morning News. 6.0 TV-am. 9.25 Walt Disney Presents.

9.45 Film: Laputa The Flying Island (1987) above-par fantasy animation from Japan. 12.0 Athletics '88 review of the year. .1.0 News; Granada Reports; weather. 1.5 Saint And Greavsle. 1.40 Assault Course.

What sort of people join the Territorial Army? What does their training involve? Anneka Rice at the annual congress and military competition of NATO reserve forces. 2.40 Darts. Dave Lanning with afternnon action from the British Open in Kensington. 4.45 Results Service. 5.0 News; Granada Reports weather.

5.15 A Gentleman's Vintage Disney. 5.25 Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo. Thi rd (1977) excursion for the Love Bug Volkswagen with a mind of its own, here racing against Ferraris and chasing stolen gems. 7.30 Catchphrase Celebrity Special. Roy Walker with a charity edition of the game show.

8.0 Every Penny Counted Telethon '88. Michael Aspel recalls the highlights of last May's charity extravaganza, and looks at some of the good causes which shared the 21 proceeds. 9.30 News; Weather. 9.40 Murder, She Wrote: The Body Politic. Another case for Jessica the crime-solving crime-writer (Angela Lansbury).

10.35 Cilia's Goodbye '88. Ring-out-the-old time, with Cilia Black and assorted celebs recalling the landmarks of the past year's entertainment scene, and joining in the Trafalgar Square jollifications just before midnight. 12.5 The New Year Show. Live from Hogmanay-high Edinburgh, with Nicky Campbell racing from the Tron Kirk to the Gateway Studios for entertainment from Stanley Baxter and Scottish back-up. 1.05 Kojak.

Followed by news headlines. 2.0 The Hit Man And Her Into '89. Partying at Hammersmith Palais with Pete Waterman and Michaela Strachan. Followed by news headlines. 4.0 The Gumball Rally.

Michael Sarrazin, Gary Busey lead this stunt-filled, smash-and-cash road chase caper, made in 1977. Followed by news headlines. 6.0 TV-am. CeefaxOracle subtitles (R) Repeat 8.15 am Saturday Starts Here: Henry's Cat (R); 8.20 Corners (R); 8.3S Space Baby (R); 9.0 Going Live! 10.40 Film: One Hour To Doomsday futuristic hokum with good special effects, made for TV in 1970 by disaster king Irwin Allen. 12.12 Weather.

12.15 Grandstand. 12.20 Ice Hockey. .1230 Newj5.2rfWxaeina.ffohYflewbarVr 1 rSKi Jurhpin j-froTrfcObersfaorf. TSWGc- AtrlleUcsslrem Durham: 3J) -0wrtiitotIhg'iBritisJh Offshore Charnpi- T- 4.0 Rugby Irefonorv ItafyTrofn Dublin. 4.40 Final Score.

5.5 News; Weather; Regional News. 5.20 Top Of The Pops. 6.30 Bob's Full House. Bob Monkhouse with the bingo quiz. 7.5 'Alio 'Alio! More fun with the Occupation crowd, as the hot money becomes even hotter, and Leclerc's goose looks like being cooked.

7.30 Hearts Of Gold. Esther Rantzen with tales of inspiration, uplift and good cheer. 8.1 0 Perry Mason: The Case Of The Sinister Spirit Raymond Burr as the indefatigable attorney, defending an old publisher buddy accused of the murder of a thriller writer at a haunted hotel, in one of the series of made-for-TV Mason revivals. Made in 1987, it's showing here for the first time. With Robert Stack and Leigh Taylor-Young.

9.45 News; Sport; Weather. 10.0 Comic Relief's Nose At Ten. Lenny Henry and Griff Rhys Jones introduce this comic compilation of sketches and turns from the red-nose telethon, staged last February, which raised 15m for charity. 11.0- Clive James On 88. The Aussie wit offers his-personal reflections on the memorable events of the past 12 months.

12.0 Happy New Year! The chimes of Big Ben, and' a New Year message from the Archbishop of Canterbury. 12.10 Can-Can. Cole Porter's Broadway musical turned into a showy, brash star vehicle, with F. Sinatra as judge defending right of Shirley Maclaine to perform naughty dance in her nightclub, plus Maurice Che- valier, Louis Jourdan, and Juliet Prowse helping with the high kicks. Walter Lang directed in 1960.

2.15 Close. Wales: 5.18 pm Wales on Saturday Scotland S.15 pm Scottish News and Sport. 7.30 A Scottish Landscape 7.40 City Lights 8.40 The White Bird Passes. 10.0 Sportscene. 10.S0 Scotch and Wry.

11.50 The Hogmanay Party. 12.40 am Prologue 12.45 Music Through the Night. Northern Inland! 4.55 Northern Ireland Results 5.15 Inside Ulster Newsline. 1.0 I Was A Male War Bride. Saucy (for its day) comedy, made in 1949 by Howard Hawks, with Ann Sheridan as US Army Lieutenant marrying French officer Cary Grant in wartime Europe.

Brookslde. Jumbo omnibus. Baka People Of The Rainforest. A welcome repeat for Phil Agland's delightful and absorbing portrait of the Baka Pygmies who live in the tropical rainforest of east Cameroon. Winner of several major awards, it sets the scene for two new documentaries about the Baka and their world, showing tomorrow and Monday.

7.0 News summary; weather. The Cotton Collection: The BIRy Cotton Band Show. A graceful cross-channel tribute to the former Managing Director of BBC Television, showing to mark Bill Cotton's retirement last April, and recalling the highlights of his long reign as head of light entertainment. A four-programme bill (all in BW) begins with the 50th edition of the TV variety show starring Cotton Sr and his orchestra, here with Russ Conway and Max Bygraves. Frost Over England.

This compilation edition of The Frost Report featured Ronnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett, John Cleese, and won the 1967 Golden Rose of Mon-treux award. Top Of The Pops '67. See Watching Brief. Dad's Army: Museum Piece. The second-ever episode of the much-loved Home Guard comedy, first screened in 1968, with Arthur Lowe, John le Mesurier and the rest.

The Steamle. See Watching Brief. PavarotU Returns To Naples. The great Italian tenor goes walkabout in the great Italian city, serenading its citizens with Neapolitan songs. Aly Meets The Cajuns.

No black bun but plenty of gumbo. C4's unconventional Hogmanay show was filmed on location in Louisiana, and features Celtic fiddler Aly Bain jamming with the French-descended Cajun folk. Or Mabuse The Gambler. Fritz Lang's silent adventure thriller, key work of German expressionist cinema, with Rudolf Klein-Rogge as megalomaniac criminal mastermind operating in a gloomy, decadent Berlin. Made in 1922.

2.25 Close. 3.0 5.0 7.5 7.30 8.0 8.25 9.0 10.30 11.30 12.30 Ulster As Granada. Yorkshire As Granada. S4C 10.0 Cricket. 10.58 Film: The Gingerbread Man.

Children's Musical. 12.35 Flight of the Wind-horse. 1.35 Film: Gasbags. 1940 comedy starring the Crazy Gang. 3.0 Brookside.

5.0 Caught in the Act. 6.0 Remembering Marilyn. 7.0 Carreg Ateb. 7.30 Newyddion. 7.50 Ibiza! Ibiza! 9.25 Gwyl Gorawl Cymru 1988.

10.25 Cefn Gwlad. 11.25 Blwyddyn Newydd Dda. 12.0 Nid Oes Neb Wedi Gweld Duw Erioed. 12.5 Blwyddyn Newydd Dda. 12.30 Film: Dr Mabuse the Gambler.

Fritz Lang's 1922 adventure thriller with Rudolf Kelin-Rogge as criminal mastermind. Co-starring Alfred Abel, Aud Egede Nissen. 2.45 DiweddClose. Office 01-836 3161 Credit Cards 01-240 5258 Anglia 5.0 As Granada. 5.5 Anglia News; Sport.

5.15 As Granada. 12.5 am Film: The Gauntlet. 1977 police drama with Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke. 2.0 As Granada. 6.0 TV-am.

11.15 pm Film: Can Can (ends 1.20). Wheel of Fortune Forecast. 10.10 Victor and Barry Take the High Road. 10.40 Scotland the What? 1 1.30 Ring Out the Old. 12.20 The New Year Show.

1.5 As Granada. 6.0 TV-am. HTV Wales 5.0 As Granada. 12.5 am Film: The Gauntlet. 1977 police drama with Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke.

2.0 As Granada. 6.0 TV-am. Scottish 5.0 As Granada. 9.25 Glen Michael's New Year Boxes. 9-45 Film: Laputa The Flying Island.

1987 animated fantasy. 12.0 And They're a Grand Old Team to Know. 1.0 As Granada. 5.15 Steel and Fire. 5.30 Victor and Barry Take the High Road.

6.0 Scotland the What? 6.30 Scottish Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. 7.0 Film: Comfort and Joy. 1984 drama with Bill Paterson, Eleanor David, and C.P.Grogan involved in an 'ice-cream' war in a Scottish town. 8.55 ITN News. 9.5 Every Penny Border Counted Telethon '88.

10.35 Cilia's Goodbye '88. 1 1 .50 The New Year Show. 1.5 Ring Out the Old. 1.55 Mod for Rockers. 2.55 McGinn of the Calton.

3.55 Celtic Routes. 5.10 Aly Bain Friends. 6.0 TV-am. London 5.0 As Granada. 12.5 am Film: The Gauntlet.

1977 thriller with Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke. 2.0 As Granada. 6.0 TV-am. TVS 5.0 As Granada. 12.5 am New Year's Viewers' Choice: Clint Eastwood in The Gauntlet or Play Misty for Me; George Segal in The Last Married Couple in America; or Vincent Price in The House of the Long Shadows.

2.0 As Granada. 6.0 TV-am. Tyne-Teea 5.0 As Granada. 2.40 This Sporting Year. 3.15 Darts.

4.45 As Granada. 5.0 am News; TV-am. As Granada. Central 5.0 As Granada. 12.5 am Film: The Gauntlet.

1977 police drama with Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke. 2.0 As Granada. 6.0 TV-am. Grampian 5.0 As Granada. 9.40 pm Scotfish Celebrity OPENS JANUARY 6 then January 12, 18, 20, 25, 28 February 1,4 at 7.30 A classic love story made immortal by Puccini's magnificent music in one of ENO's most popular and romantic stagings.

ChRMSTMUS UTTHe COLiSeUM mmm I Box The Weekend Guardian New Year 1989.