Durst does quite a job documenting 'Livelyhood'

"Livelyhood," the delightful PBS series that celebrates working in America, returns this weekend with a new program focusing on the work ethic of Americans. It airs at 7 p.m. Sunday on Channel 19. Comedian Will Durst, who has held down more than 100 jobs in his life (including "audience wrangler" for the Jerry Lewis telethon), skips around the country interviewing ordinary Americans who are trying to adapt to an ever-changing job market. Well, maybe not so ordinary. The software guru who works 17-hour days and checks his e-mail while watching his favorite TV show - "The Price Is Right" - is a real find. So is the Girl Scout who used telemarketing to sell hundreds of boxes of cookies. But Durst also visits his dad, a charming old fellow, and he goes back to the iron foundry where he worked seven harrowing months to make enough money to buy a Volkswagen - and his freedom. Barely a minute goes by when "Livelyhood" isn't capturing something poignant, insightful or inspirational. And the visual gags nearly always hit their target, like a series of mock motivational messages ("True fulfillment is outlined in your employee handbook"). If PBS had more shows like this, Congress wouldn't be holding up its funding, that's for sure. Fittingly, Channel 19 will replay the first four episodes of "Livelyhood" on Labor Day, beginning at 1 p.m. Monday. In a new publicity photo for his long-running syndicated TV show, Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert is positioned on the picture's right-hand edge. Most of the picture is taken up by the marquee of the famous Chicago Theatre in the background. It takes a moment before you realize that Ebert isn't standing to the side to show off the theater. He's where he always used to stand - or sit - in various publicity shots taken in the last 23 years. The space next to Ebert is where his late partner, Gene Siskel, used to be. This weekend the franchise that bore the two critics' names, "Siskel & Ebert," goes away, replaced by "Roger Ebert & the Movies. " Continuing the format that was instituted after Siskel's untimely death in February, Ebert will discuss the week's new releases with a guest critic. Because KCTV, Channel 5, owns the rights to Ebert's show, and because Channel 5's weekend schedule is now clotted with CBS sports programming, "Ebert" will get pushed off into the wee hours. The season premiere airs Sunday just after midnight (that is, early Monday morning) with a repeat at the same time Monday night (which would be Tuesday morning). In coming weeks, KCTV will broadcast the first run of "Ebert" at 11 a.m. Saturday when there are no sports conflicts. Turner Classic Movies salutes the late Japanese director Akira Kurosawa with the U.S. premiere of "Madadayo," the 1993 film that was Kurosawa's last, at 7 tonight. In September TCM will show 17 films from Kurosawa, whose masterworks inspired a raft of American movies including "Star Wars" and "The Magnificent Seven." Those who can't get enough of serial killers can watch the disturbingly titled docudrama "Happy Face Murders" at 7 p.m. Sunday on Showtime. Ann-Margret and her abusive boyfriend are booked for the murder of a local woman based on a strange phone tip. Things get weirder when anonymous notes begin showing up from the real killer, who appends smiley faces to his messages. To reach Aaron Barnhart, television writer for The Star, phone (816) 234-4790 or visit the TV Barn Web site at www.tvbarn.com