ON THE BLOCK

Going Once, Going Twice: Michael Crawford, who won hearts on two continents as the tortured, masked “Phantom of the Opera,” is an expensive date. In fact, a date with the British-born stage actor cost one woman $22,500. At a recent charity bachelor auction, Randa Guy made the highest bid for Crawford, getting a date that includes--what else?--a ticket to “Phantom.” Guy told an auction spokeswoman that she had saved for a year to bid for a date with Crawford, who starred in the smash musical, for which he won a Tony, for 3 1/2 years before bowing out last April, citing exhaustion. He returned to the role New Year’s Eve, saying he would stay through the end of March. A date with KNBC-TV news anchor John Beard drew the second-highest bid, $6,000. Thursday night’s bachelor auction, attended by 800 women, raised $78,800 for Big Brothers of Greater Los Angeles.