Appearing at various times and dates this week on 101 TV stations in 41 states and the District of Columbia is a 90-minute documentary, China: The Roots of Madness, written by Theodore White (The Making of a President) and produced by David Wolper. It traces the course of China from 1850 to 1950, and while it fails to cope with the current maelstrom, it is a remarkably good slice of history. Wednesday, February 1 BOB HOPE PRESENTS THE CHRYSLER THEATER (NBC, 9-10 p.m.).-Bradford Dillman and Alex Cord play billiards for a fortune and Jean Simmons.
Thursday, February 2
COLISEUM (CBS, 7:30-8:30 p.m.). "The Greatest Wild Animal Trainers in the World," featuring Carl Sembach and his Lipizzaner horses, and Frieda Sembach-Krone and her Indian elephants.
HALLMARK HALL OF FAME (NBC, 9:30-11 p.m.). Jason Robards stars in a 1964 TV adaptation of Robert Sherwood's play, Abe Lincoln in Illinois. Repeat.
ABC STAGE '67 (ABC, 10-11 p.m.). A "Night Out in London," with That-Was- the-Week-That-Was Star David Frost conducting an entertainment tour that includes taped segments of Sir Laurence Olivier onstage at the Old Vic, Peter Sellers in a recording studio, Albert Finney playing Luther. Saturday, February 4
BOB HOPE DESERT CLASSIC GOLF TOURNAMENT (NBC, 4-5 p.m.). Among the pros: Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Billy Casper. Among the celebrities: Ray Bolger, Joey Bishop, James Garner, Andy Williams, Harry James. The place: Bermuda Dunes Country Club, Palm Springs, Calif. (Finals at La Quinta Country Club will be broadcast Sunday, 4:30-6 p.m.).
ABC'S WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS (ABC, 5-6:30 p.m.). The International Toboggan championship in Saint-Moritz, the World Championship Auto Demolition Derby in Islip, N.Y., and a look at the folderol and fakery surrounding the Feb. 6 Cassius Clay-Ernie Terrell heavyweight champion- ship fight.
WORLD PREMIERE ON SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES (NBC, 9-11 p.m.). Yet an- other network-made movie, The Borgia Stick, starring Don Murray as a bank executive who becomes a front man for a crime syndicate that thoughtfully provides him with a front wife—Inger Stevens. Sunday, February 5
THE CBS CHILDREN'S FILM FESTIVAL (CBS, 4-5 p.m.). A new show hosted by Burr Tillstrom and Fran Allison, of Kukla, Fran and Ollie fame, which will show the best in motion pictures for children from around the world. This week's film is Skinny and Fatty from Japan. Premiere.
THE 215T CENTURY (CBS, 6-6:30 p.m.). "To the Moon," with Walter Cronkite.
BRAVO PICASSO! (NBC, 6:30-7:30 p.m.). Documenting the artist's life and work with a massive display of canvases and sculptures, some seen via satellite from Paris' Grand Palais and Petit Palais exhibits,
-All times E.S.T. others from the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts and the Fort Worth Art Center, plus the auctioning of a Picasso painting at Manhattan's Parke-Bernet Galleries.
THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS COMEDY HOUR (CBS, 9-10 p.m.). A new variety series. Guests include Ed Sullivan, Jim Nabors and Jill St. John. Premiere.
Tuesday, February 7
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY SPECIAL (CBS, 7:30-8:30 p.m.). "Alaska," a sight-seeing trip through Alaska by boat, car, plane, foot and rail, including a hike up the Chilkoot trail.