TITLE PRELIMS--Writer-director Allan Burns, about to start...

TITLE PRELIMS--Writer-director Allan Burns, about to start shooting “Something in Common” this month for Orion Pictures, was caught by surprise when Calendar called about Simon & Schuster’s novel of the same title, due out next month. The novel by Robert Robin deals with the resurfacing of long-dormant homosexual feelings in a family man and the impact on his marriage. Burns’ film is a comedy-drama about two women who turn out to be the wife and mistress of the same man.

Burns, in pre-production rehearsals with his cast (Mary Tyler Moore, Sam Waterston, Christine Lahti, Ted Danson), said that he registered his title three years ago and “from a legal standpoint, I don’t really know who has a proprietary interest. I should add that I’m always willing to change a title.”

He said he was “more concerned” about Tri-Star’s “Nothing in Common,” a comedy about father-son conflicts in pre-production under director Garry Marshall.