Side Show

IF YOU THINK THAT ARM LOOKS FAMILIAR . . .: Survivor: Thailand contestant Brian Heidik readily admits in his official bio that he was an actor for a while. What he doesn't admit is that his credits include The Virgins of Sherwood Forest, The Pleasure Zone and Sinful Obsession.

Heidik was a regular on the soft-porn circuit.

Under the name Dave Roth, Heidik, 34, appeared in several Cinemax and Playboy TV productions that involved "cavorting naked with a variety of chesty partners," says the Court TV-affiliated Web site TheSmokingGun.com. All the sex appears to have been simulated, the site says, but the movies' plots, such as they are, required it to be simulated in all forms and shot from multiple angles.

Heidik is easy to spot because of a tiger tattoo on his right upper arm, a tattoo that can be seen on promotional pictures for Survivor.

For its part, CBS is spiking the Survivor formula by going for the most obvious ratings ploy in TV history. Not only did it know about Heidik's "past film credits," the network says it a release, it doesn't care.

"We feel he definitely brings something to the show," the network says.

Like thousands of new viewers waiting for him to reprise some of his most famous scenes.

THE OFFICIAL RESUME: Among the acting jobs Heidik is willing to admit to are a stint on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives and guest spots on Doogie Howser, M.D. and Baywatch Nights. The Internet Movie Database Web site, imdb.com, says he also had a bit part on a 1990 episode of the HBO cult favorite Dream On; his role was billed as "Porno Actor."

Heidik's Survivor bio says he is now a successful used car salesman and chamber of commerce member in Southern California, where he lives with his wife and son.

THE BIG SHILL: Tom Berenger, wondering why actors can't just act and go home, rides through Times Square in the TV promotional gimmick version of a cattle drive for his Hallmark Channel movie, Johnson County War. Berenger, co-star Adam Storke, left, and others were on their way to the Good Morning America studio Monday to sell the movie, which premieres Saturday..

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