Kate And Allie, CBS-TV's highly acclaimed weekly program, chronicles the lives of two divorced women sharing a house.   Allison Smith and Ari Meyers, playing the roles of two teenage children in the makeshift family, bring a special magic to this fine and funny show.

Fourteen-year-old Allison Smith, who plays "Jennie", Jane Curtins "Connecticut preppy" daughter on TV, has temporarily shifted her career from songstress to actress.

"I used to be a singer/actress," Allison explains. "But now that I am in Kate & Allie, I am more of an actress/singer.   But I think I might grow up to be a singer".

Unpretentious, freckled, and thin as a rail, Allison has sung for some pretty powerful audiences.   She was the youngest and longest running 'Annie' on Broadway - with 1,056 performances under her belt.   Allison performed at the 1981 Inaugural Ball, sang twice at the White House - where President Reagan rewarded her with a. kiss ---- and sang with Cardinal Cooke six months before he died.   She has also starred in the After-School Special A Different. Twist, appeared on Silver Spoons, and performed on a variety of specials.   One appearance that ranks particularly high in Allison's Memory was ABC-TV's Night Of 100 Stars.   "It had at least 200 stars on it, from Lillian Gish to kids like Ricky Schroder and me" Allison recalls. "That was an experience I will never forget."

Allison enjoys many of the .fringe benefits that her career brings her.   A definite positive thing about show business is having the advantage of being abte to go places and meet people." Allison notes.   But: she best describes herself as a small town girl.   "I love it where live," Allison says.   "It's a small town, and I've lived there all my life.   If I had to move because of show business, I'd get out of show business.   Show business is worth a lot but not worth exchanging my life for.

Ari Meyers, a hip New York kid who plays another hip New York kid on Kate And Allie, has accomplished a lot in her 15 years.   Born in Puerto Rico where her performer parents were touring, Ari kicked off a successful modeling career at the tender age of five.   After a.year.and a half of modeling and acting in national commercials, Ari decided to give up her budding career in order to have more time to devote to traditional childhood pursuits -- like playing.

Ari, who has lived in New York City with her mother, Taro, for most of her life, opted to go back to work at the age of 12.   She decided not to go back to modeling, but instead began looking for work in commercials.   "I also got offers for TV movies and things like that" Ari says.   The first role Ari landed was in the movie Author Author!, where she worked with screen veterans Al Pacino and Dyan Cannon.   Several roles in TV movies, such as Running Out, Haunted, and License To Kill, followed.   Now, playing Susan St. James' high school-age daughter, Ari has her first role on a series. "The show is not just a silly show," she says.   "It deals with real problems.   It really has a meaning or a moral, personal story to it."

Ari says she really enjoys working on the show, but she's got different dreams for the future.   "I want to do different characters," she notes. "I have always played a fairly normal person -- nice, secure.   I always wanted to play someone really different.