COMPANY TOWN ANNEX

Spike Lee Makes Deal With ABC: Under the agreement, the filmmaker will write, produce and direct a new comedy series to premiere in the fall of 1997. Lee--the director of such movies as “Do the Right Thing” and “Malcolm X”--will produce the project with former NBC Entertainment Chairman Brandon Tartikoff. ABC has committed to six episodes of the show, a white-black buddy comedy that will film in New York. Tartikoff recently became an independent producer after resigning as chairman of New World Entertainment. ABC recently signed another deal for a new situation comedy starring Arsenio Hall, expected to premiere early next year.