HOLLYWOOD

Robin Williams wouldn’t do it for McDonald’s. KEVIN COSTNER wouldn’t do it for Ralston Purina. But PIERCE BROSNAN has to do it for BMW, Visa, Smirnoff, Heineken, Omega watches, L’Oreal cosmetics and Ericcson cellular phones. The “it” is shilling for products with promotional tie-ins to the new James Bond movie, Tomorrow Never Dies, which MGM/UA will release Dec. 19. The current 007, wanting more control over his image, is likely to renegotiate a tougher deal with the studio for the next Bond installment. Most A-list actors refuse to do commercials for product tie-ins, but when Brosnan signed on as Bond three years ago, he didn’t have the clout to make such demands. According to his spokesman, Dick Guttman, “[Brosnan] has a classical actor’s training from London, and there’s not a class in endorsements or implied endorsements.” Perhaps there ought to be, or maybe Brosnan should take some lessons from his fellow thespians.

–By Anita M. Busch/Los Angeles