television

THURSDAY: Advocates, Kevin Phillips, author of "The Emerging Republican Majority," argues presidential politics with Larry O'Brien. CH. 2, 8 p.m. Color. 60 min.

The Dirty Dozen. A two-part presentation of Robert Aldrich's 1967 thriller about 12 condemned men on a WWII sabotage mission, CH. 7. There, 9 p.m. and Fri. 9 p.m. Color. 3 1/2 hrs.

The Thief. This standard 1952 nuclear spy-thriller has one novel convention: there is absolutely no dialogue. Filmed in New York and Washington. CH. 27. 10:30 p.m. B.W. 90 min.

FRIDAY: Dr. Strangelove: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Purity of Essence. Stanley Kubrick's brilliant nightmare about military paranoia and nuclear holocaust. Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, and Slim Pickens push Kubrick's humor to the limits. Keenan Wynn as Bat Guano. CH. 7, 11:30 p.m. B-W. 2 hrs.

SUNDAY: The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Charles Laughton turns in a superb performance in this 1939 classic from the Victor Hugo novel. CH. 56, 8 p.m. B-W. 2 hrs.

TUESDAY: The Election. The three networks pull out all the stops in bringing you the gameshow to end all game shows. ABC, NBC, and CBS will lay out $10 million on election night in an effort to call the winner by computer before the polls close in L.A. Coverage begins on ALL CHANNELS at 7 p.m. Color.