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Show TV20—THF. HERALD.Provo. Utah, Monday, December17, 1979 Unmournedby Viewers ‘Battlestar’ Dies Quietly By VERNON SCOTT HOLLYWOOD (UPI) — The TV series “Battlestar Galactica,’ born on the heels of ‘Star Wars” — the biggest boxoffice hit in moviehistory at $250 million-plus. — died last season, unmoumed by viewers and networkalike. Yet Universal TV,sure in the knowledge that science-fiction on the small screen rarely measures up to feature film sci-fi (excepting “Star Trek") has given us “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century’’ this season. So far the series has bounced between 30th and 50th place in the ratings. making it a marginal showbutcertainly better received —at considerably iower production costs — thantheill-fated “Galactica.” Curiously, ‘‘Buck Rogers", like ‘‘Galactica,"’ is under the Building? Remodeling? At Fred England Construction we'll not only build your home or addition to your existing home, but we'll draw up the to round with Rogers who irst appearedin 1929 as a comic strip. ‘‘Buck Rogers’’ appeared in 450 newspapersat the peak of its popularity and disappeared in 1967. Buster Crabbe (who BUSTER CRABBE,left, who with today’s Buck Rogers, Gil played Flash Gordon in 1939, is Gerard. (UPI Telephoto) Gordon) starred in Universal’s serial of the films of the year and is in sexy space suits: Twiki “Our show hasonly one daring spaceman in 12 one of the best kept (a hip R2D2-type robot) central character — Buck episodes in 1939. secrets in the industry. for the sandpile set; and Rogers. Also, Buckis not Today's Buck Rogers is “T got very little iden- Gerard in a tight white Superman. He's physicalGil Gerard. a former in- tity from the picture and outfit for ladies. ‘y vulnerable. He’s a man dustrial chemist and absolutely no sweeping “T think ‘Buck Rogers’ who does heroic things businessman - turned - acclaim fromthecritics. will succeed where andthat's where his idenactor who never saw the But the tremendous box- ‘Galactica’ failed for tity lies.” comic strip nor Crabbe’s office reaction convinced several reasons," Gerard Gerard saysin order to heroics on screen. Gerard Universal and NBC to said. play Rogers with any came to the series in make‘Buck’a series.” “First, this show has a degree of credibility he roundabout fashion. As a consequence of his sense of humor about must take the part Originally, ‘‘Buck performance as Rogers. itself. Secondly the seriously, ignoring the Rogers’’ was to have Gerard was offered a stories aren't 2th century setting. been a six-hour limited starring role opposite El- overwhelmed by special “Any time an actor series for NBC. But len Burstynin ‘Silence of effects. ‘Galactica’ con- plays a role he is fan- Universal pleased with the North,” and a couple centrated on hardware. tasizing,"” Gerard said the first two hours of the of other feature films. Weuseit judiciously. You “So it’s a matter of played Tarzan and Flash We Have Plans For You plans production aegis of Glen A. Larson who has been getting legal heat from 20th Century-Fox involving similarities between elements of “Galactica and “Star Wars.”” Larson is on safer your specifications. Nine years of quality construction experience has taught Fred that you don’t have to pay more to have it done right, project decided to But his contract with the can't fly a space ship degree when you're play release it as a feature film. “It became a ‘secret’ hit,” Gerdrd said. “It was released last March andit's done $35 million in the United States alone. “Buck Rogers’ is one of the five top grossing Fred England Construction 1032 Nob Hill Drive, American Fork Heritage View Waterbeds sci-fi epic precedence. THE HERITAGE VIEW BEDROOMIS NOW SPECIALLY PRICED FOR SEASONSSAVINGS! REGULARLY$1,599. NOW ONLY , $1,199. WITH COUPON. INCLUDES: BED W/SYSTEM, DRESSER WITH HUTCH. TOP MIRROR, CHEST AND NIGHTSTAND. CASH & CARRY “SPECIAL BASIC FRAME | NUDE $159% |” SEASONSSLEEPINGS SHEET SAVINGS Sheet Set .... $25. CASH & CARRY SPECIAL ZZZZZZZZZ777 Velvet Spread . . $89. INCLUDES: MATTRESS , HEATER $249” INCLUDES: MATTRESS, LINER, HEATER,FILL KIT. 22Z2ZZZ2ZZ2Z viewers. for real, projecting my candid man who admits “And we don’t overdo his show offers robot action either. Twiki something for every doesn’t hurt dramatic viewer — “Star Trek’- scenes with gratuitous type special effects for laughs. college kids and sci-fi “We're a well balanced freaks; for males, chicks show from the standpoint of capturing a wide spectrum of viewers. There were so many characters in ‘Galactica’ 1256 North State Provo Shop Us First or Last - For the Best PRICE ¢ QUALITY ¢ CHOICE OF STYLES ¢ SERVICE BASICBOOKCASE took across the screen for ing apart ina fantasy setvery long without boring ting. I have to play Buck Gerard is a realist. a Reversible Satin Confortors ...... .$49.% Satin Sheets .... $39, own personality into the role. “Actually. there’s no difference between play- ing Buck and Rhett Butler when it comes to infusing fantasy into a performance. “Td like to see the Series go a couple of years because I want to were never on be part of a success. But screen long enough for also because we took such anyone to care about a battering from the critics. what happened to them. they Sure USE nthe ear aid A HEARING AID YOU CAN TRUST WATURAL LOOKING |
