LEGAL FILE

Court Loss: A Rome court on Friday banned the sale of Michael Jackson’s “Dangerous” album in Italy, after ruling that the American pop star’s song “Will You Be There” had plagiarized a song by Italian singer Al Bano entitled “I Cigni di Balaka” (The Swans of Balaka). Al Bano, whose light music has been played in Italy for decades, sued Jackson in May 1992. The songs in question were registered by Al Bano in 1987 and by Jackson in 1991. “Besides the differences in language and text, both songs appear identical,” Rome civil magistrate Domenico Bonaccorsi said in a 13-page ruling. “The similarity cannot be put down to chance.” The ruling gave both parties 120 days to make representations before the court decides on any further actions, including setting damages. Jackson’s offices were closed for the holidays on Friday and his representatives could not be reached for comment.

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Guilty Plea: Rap singer Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes pleaded guilty in Atlanta on Thursday to arson charges in conjunction with a fire that destroyed the $1-million mansion of her boyfriend, Atlanta Falcons receiver Andre Rison. Lopes, a member of the hip-hop group TLC, was sentenced to a halfway house and five years probation, plus a $10,000 fine. Lopes must complete the halfway house’s program of treatment for drug and alcohol abuse, and its counseling program for battered women. Evidence presented at the hearing indicated Rison had hit her just before the fire. Rison and Lopes were in court together Thursday, however, smiling and holding hands, and Rison said he plans to marry Lopes. Lloyd’s of London, which insured the house, has a lawsuit pending against Lopes for more than $1 million.

POP/ROCK

Hall of Famers: Classic recordings ranging from the Beatles’ 1969 album “Abbey Road” to Elvis Presley’s 1956 single “Heartbreak Hotel” were announced Friday as inductees into the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences’ 22nd annual Hall of Fame. Other inductees include the 1953 compilation album “Jazz at Massey Hall,” featuring Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Max Roach and Charles Mingus, and the singles “Star Dust” by Hoagy Carmichael & His Pals (1927), “Cocktails for Two” by Spike Jones & His City Slickers (1945), and “Some of These Days” by Sophie Tucker (1911). The inductees, which will be formally recognized Jan. 5 during the announcement of nominations for the 37th annual Grammy Awards, join 106 other early recordings previously entered into the hall of fame in recognition of their “lasting qualitative or historical significance.”

MOVIES

X-Rated Surprise: An Ohio woman who took her grandchildren to see the PG-rated Disney movie “The Santa Clause” this week got a surprise when the children called an 800 number mentioned in the movie and were connected to a sex line. “I don’t think children need to be exposed to that,” said Shirley Dearth, who took her 7-year-old granddaughter and 9-year-old grandson to see the movie starring Tim Allen. In the movie, Allen’s ex-wife wants to give him her phone number, and he quips, “What is it? 1-800-SPANK ME?” Dearth said she let the kids call the number on a family speaker phone, thinking it probably didn’t exist. Instead they got a sultry woman’s voice saying: “Hi sexy! You’ve just connected to the hottest phone line in America, brought to you by American TelNet. Our one-of-a-kind service lets you choose your own phone fantasy.” The phone message first told callers under 18 to hang up, then described various 900-number sex lines and their fees. Disney spokesman Howard Green said the number in the movie was simply a joke: “It’s a fictitious movie. . . . If a real number like that exists, it’s coincidence.”

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Two Thumbs Up: Television’s best-known film critics, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, have weighed in with their picks for the best movie of 1994, and neither one has named Oscar front-runners “Forrest Gump” or “Pulp Fiction.” Both top their annual lists of the year’s best films with Fine Line Features’ acclaimed documentary “Hoop Dreams.” Only three other selections made both critics’ 10 Best lists: “Pulp” (rated second by Siskel and third by Ebert), “Gump” (picked fourth by Ebert and sixth by Siskel), and Robert Redford’s “Quiz Show” (picked fifth by Siskel and 10th by Ebert). The critics discuss their picks on “Siskel’s & Ebert’s 10 Best Films of 1994,” airing Sunday at 6:30 p.m. on KABC Channel 7.

STAGE

Three-Week Delay: Stephen Sondheim’s musical black comedy “Assassins,” which was scheduled to move within the Los Angeles Theatre Center from the 68-seat Theatre 4 to the 498-seat Tom Bradley Theatre on Jan. 20, will now remain in the smaller theater through Feb. 5, with the opening in the larger venue pushed back to Feb. 10 (preview performances start Feb. 7). The delay was needed to accommodate changes in plans for the “Assassins” set, according to Peter Ellenstein, L.A. Repertory Company managing director, who also directed “Assassins.” When the move was first announced, the company planned to simply modify the set but has since found that it must be completely rebuilt for the larger space. Ellenstein said the new set will maintain “the same basic feel” but will be “showier” and include new elements, such as an added staircase and additional balcony. Because of the delay, the engagement’s run has been extended three weeks, through March 5. Affected ticket holders can obtain refunds or exchanges through Theatix.