FIRST OFF . . .

Sean Penn’s ongoing legal problems now include a civil suit, filed Wednesday by Jeffrey Klein, a 32-year-old movie extra allegedly pummeled by Penn, 26, during filming of the movie “Colors.” The Los Angeles County Superior Court suit also alleges that Orion Pictures and other firms involved with producing the film are negligent for subjecting employees to Penn’s reputed temper. “It’s sort of like having a dangerous dog where you work, and the dog’s been known to bite before,” said Mark Licker, the Santa Ana attorney representing Klein. Penn already faces a June 23 hearing in connection with the incident for allegedly violating terms of probation after he pleaded no contest in February to a misdemeanor battery charge in a previous assault at a nightclub. The actor also is being sued in connection with the nightclub scuffle and was booked for investigation of drunken driving in an unrelated incident May 25. During a break in the filming of “Colors” at Venice Beach on April 2, Penn allegedly cursed Klein for snapping photographs of him and co-star Robert Duvall, then allegedly hit him as the altercation escalated.