BIG NAMES GATHER FOR AUTISM BENEFIT.

Byline: Evan Henerson Staff Writer

It would have to be a unique set of circumstances to place Jerry Seinfeld, Paul Simon and Tom Brokaw on the same stage for anything other than an awards show.

But such is the pull of Autism Speaks, the research and advocacy nonprofit organization founded by NBC Universal Chief Executive Officer Bob Wright and his wife, Suzanne. The Wrights, whose 2 1/2-year-old grandson was diagnosed with the developmental disorder, have raised $30 million for autism research since founding Autism Speaks in February.

That amount figures to climb after Saturday when Seinfeld, Simon (the scheduled performers) and Brokaw (the evening's emcee) will headline ``One Night Only: A Concert for Autism Speaks'' at the Kodak Theatre.

``Bob and Suzanne are such effective spokespeople with such tremendous resources,'' says Alison Tepper Singer, Autism Speaks' acting CEO. ``Every parent of a child with autism has to maximize the resources at their disposal. Bob and Suzanne have more resources and have been able to attract the types of large donors that, up until now, have not paid attention to autism.''

According to Singer, the idea was hatched with Seinfeld, who approached the Wrights asking how he could help. He offered to headline a concert and, with a phone call, brought Simon aboard.

``I'm not familiar with how things work in Hollywood,'' says Singer, who had previously produced a series on autism for NBC and CNBC. ``Everyone who hears that this was done with one phone call seems to think that's pretty amazing.''

Considered among the nation's fastest-growing developmental disorders, autism is estimated to affect one in every 166 children and one in every 104 boys. According to Singer, more children are diagnosed with autism than with cancer, AIDS and diabetes combined. Researchers disagree over what causes autism, and there is no cure.

Singer has an 8-year-old daughter with autism as well as an adult brother with the disorder. She says that through sibling studies, children can be diagnosed as early as six months.

``Short of a cure, early detection and intervention are the best weapons we have,'' Singer says.

Tickets range from $100 to $500. For more information, call [phone] or [phone]. www.ticketmaster.com, www.autismspeaks.com.

Evan Henerson, [phone]

evan.henerson(at)dailynews.com

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(1 -- 2) Paul Simon, left, and Jerry Seinfeld are headlining Saturday's benefit concert for Autism Speaks at the Kodak Theatre.