HOLLYWOOD -- Not only was former Oscar winner Tommy Lee Jones smiling, he was actually laughing out loud at a recent shindig.

The usually terse actor was grinning and guffawing just before a mini-preview of the disaster flick, Volcano, at the L.A County Museum on Wilshire Blvd near the LaBrea tarpits.

Jones, who will be an Oscar presenter Monday night, stars in the picture with Anne Heche and Don Cheadle.

All three attended the presentation, which included a 45-minute preview of the Mick Jackson-directed film set to open in late April.

The movie deals with a volcanic eruption at the tar pits, which is located just off Wilshire.

Meanwhile, back at Jones' good humor. It could've been set off by his optimistic outlook for the picture. But there might've been something else.

Fact is the arrival of Heche had him grinning like a schoolboy. His playfulness continued when he pretended to walk by Cheadle already seated in the theatre.

Just before the partial screening, director Jackson kept it light and lively. He told the audience that the movie crew had to recreate the Wilshire Blvd. area, because they couldn't get permits to burn down the real area.

And yes, Jackson continued to be the jokester when he said, "We're thinking of a sequel set in New York called Volcano 2:The Melting Pot."


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