'ALLY' DOUBLE SCOOP

By MICHAEL STARR

GET ready for a double dose of "Ally McBeal."

Fox will add a second, half-hour version of "Ally McBeal" - the network's top-rated show - to its weeknight schedule beginning in September.

A second "Ally" - made from previously unaired footage and repeat footage - will probably air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. in place of the struggling "King of the Hill," which is being move elsewhere on Fox's schedule.

"Fox assumes there's a loyal audience for 'Ally' and assumes that that audience is interested in learning more about the back stories of Ally and the other characters," said a network source.

Fox will keep its mega-rated one-hour "Ally McBeal" in place on Monday night (9-10 p.m.).

Insiders say that "Ally McBeal" creator David E. Kelley was behind the move, which is expected to be officially announced Thursday when Fox unveils its fall schedule.

"It was Kelley's idea, which he pitched to [Fox entertainment president] Doug Herzog," said one source. "Kelley will take 'Ally' material that never ran and edit it together with storyline material that has already run.

"Kelley will then create 'bridges' in the stories to link them together and make them seamless to create a stand-alone version of 'Ally,'" the source said.

The new show will be called either "Ally" or "Ally McBeal" and each will be a self-contained episodes, meaning that they won't flow chronologically like the Monday-night version.

"Ally McBeal," now ending its second season, focuses on the life and loves of waifish Boston lawyer Ally McBeal (Calista Flockhart) and her eccentric collection of co-workers, lovers and roommates.

"The only wild card is how much original material Kelley will put into [the half-hour version]," a source said.

One source pooh-poohed the idea that the half-hour version of "Ally" would be a "clip job" made up of footage that viewers have already seen.

"Basically it's more along the lines of a singles remix in music ... taking the flavor of what's been there before and adding a different dimension," the source said.

"From a business standpoint, Kelley is taking the waste that's typically associated with the production process and created another viable entity. Syndicators will now be able to air a one-hour 'Ally,' half-hour 'Ally' or both."

A spokesman for Fox declined comment.

Kelley was in New York yesterday to receive his Peabody Award and was unavailable for comment.