American Masters

They were, actor Norman Lloyd recalls, "two sticks rubbing together to make fire."David O. Selznick was a producer at the top of his game, at a time in Hollywood when producing was the only game in town. As head of his own studio, he delighted in telling his directors what to do, operating on the spur of the moment and trusting his instincts, even if those instincts told him it was time to start from scratch.The result of that scattershot approach to moviemaking: "Gone With the Wind," a film that still stands as the crown jewel of the Golden Age of Hollywood.

James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) was one of the most gifted, colorful - and eccentric - American artists of the 19th century, though for most of his career he lived abroad, traveling extensively in France, Italy and the Netherlands before finally settling in London. Everything about Whistler was slightly oversized: his personality, his feuds, his love affairs and his wildly original artistic temperament. He loved the grand gesture, as when he lavishly redecorated the "Peacock Room" in the London residence of British shipping tycoon Frederick R. Leyland without the owner's permission (and then entertained his friends in the opulent chamber while Leyland was away)

Even after a century of abstract art, the viewer tends to try to find suggestions of representation in abstract work. Jon Isherwood's fine stone sculptures at the C. Grimaldis Gallery serve as a good case in point.The sculptures don't depict anything. The artist leaves some of the sides of his stone slabs in their natural state, smooths and polishes others, makes striation-like cuts, often hollows them out so that one can peer into a vertical interior space but not penetrate it.As worked pieces of stone, they fully satisfy the demands of sculpture.

Lucille Ball (above) is the subject of the PBS American Masters profile Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy (10 p.m.-11:30 p.m., WETA, Channel 26).

The unexpected highlight tonight is an old-fashioned Christmas drama in every sense of the word: It's set in the past, it goes for honest emotion, and, in the end, it manages to be sentimentally effective. Plus, it has Katharine Hepburn.* "Melrose Place" (8 p.m.-9 p.m., Channel 45) -- Perhaps it's too much of a stretch to call any "Melrose Place" plot line "inspired," but it certainly is a good idea to have Bruce (Stanley Kamel), the executive who just killed himself because of Amanda's corporate gamesmanship, be her ethereal guide on Amanda's flu-induced "Christmas Carol"-type adventure.

WASHINGTON -- The National Endowment for the Arts announced a set of drastically reduced grants to organizations yesterday, the first to reflect major budget cuts imposed by Congress.And for the first time, impact on the community was used as a criterion for selecting winners. In the past, grants were awarded on artistic merit alone.Jane Alexander, NEA's chairwoman, said the finalists are of such high quality, and money is now so limited, the agency had to find a new standard to pick winners.

PICK OF THE WEEK What: An Evening of Poetry with Billy Corgan, in which he will read from his book Blinking With Fists When: Sunday night at 6:30; doors open at 5:30 Where: 9:30 Club, 815 V St. N.W., Washington Why: Because he's proven himself as a lyricist for Smashing Pumpkins and Zwan, so one can hope this will translate into good poetic instincts. (Though this doesn't always prove true. We're looking at you, Jewel.) Admission: $15, available through www.tickets.com or by calling 800-955-5566 Information: www.930.

Series The New Adventures of Old Christine: : Christine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) puts her son into public school. (8 p.m., WJZ-Channel 13) Life: : The police drama starring Damian Lewis presents its season finale. (9 p.m., WBAL-Channel 11) Lost: : Ben gets a little face time with the island's mysterious "smoke monster." (9 p.m., WMAR-Channel 2) American Masters: : Minimalist composer Philip Glass is profiled in Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts. (10 p.m., WMPT-Channels 22/67)

For years, American music lovers have paid far greater homage to their 20th-century masters than to late 19th-century composers such as Amy Beach. But more attention is being lavished on the last century these days.A top-notch recording of Ms. Beach's "Gaelic" Symphony, chock full of Irish melodies, is available in a delightful performance by the Detroit Symphony under the direction of Neeme Jarvi.(Chandos 8958)Mr. Jarvi also has recorded the delightful Third Symphony of George Whitefield Chadwick (1854-1931)

USA Network, the American Film Institute and Universal Pictures said today that President Barack Obama will introduce Saturday's airing of “To Kill A Mockingbird,“ the acclaimed adaptation of Harper Lee's acclaimed novel. The tale of lawyer Atticus Finch's battle against racial injustice still resonates with many today -- particularly in light of the Trayvon Martin demonstrations -- and Lee's simple prose makes the novel appropriate for a wide range of readers. The movie, considered one of the best literary adaptations ever made, brings home her powerful message.