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Show I V It 1 ' V - 1 V x- H . - I 't " S - I . i IS , " f " ' - ' A .4''' ; ' : ' f " e-. LL ;LJ'1iKlJ i - ; ,' , ! T t a ' ; .. r A portrait album of the company of young comedy players who appear each week on the new late-night series, FRIDAYS, on ABC-TV. The company includes: Mark Blankfield, Maryedith Burrell, and Larry David (bottom row, left to right); Darrow Igus, Melanie Chartoff, and Michael Richards (middle row, left to right); Bruce Mahler, Brandis Kemp, and John Roarke (top row, left to right). : ,' ;:. i ' : ' " ! 'A i ' '.', s .VV;; I : . by Joey Sasso CONFIDENTIAL REPORT: Filming has resumed on 'Damien, the Leper Priest' with Ken Howard who plays the basketball coach in 'The White Shadow' in the title role, replacing the late David Janssen. The NBC producers intend to use actual lepers in the film . . . 'Star Wars' hero Mark Hamlll was one of the original Bradford kids when the 'Eight is Enough' pilot was made back in 1976, but an auto accident kept him from going on with the series. Now he complains, "The only one from the whole cast to visit me in the hospital was Diana Hyland who later died. It was like they were all trying to punish me for not being able to go on with the show. Anyway," he adds, "I hear theirs is not a very happy set to be working on." . . . Acting great Henry Fonda takes a giant step toward winning an Emmy next year with his performance in a two-hour CBS special 'Gideon's Trumpet' on April 30 . . . George Burns will aim at becoming a country-western favorite in the fall. NBC will spotlight the 84-year-old entertainer in a country music special, based on his latest recording hit, 'I Wish I Were 18 Again.' . . . David i Carradine attempts the challenging role of French painter Paul Gauguin in ABC's April 29 drama, 'Gauguin The Savage.' The two-and-a-half-hour special co-stars Lynn Redgrave and Dame Flora Robson TV TICKER: Erik Estrada's friends can't believe the difference. The star of 'CHiPs,' in nine short months, has completely transformed his personality. Gone is the Estrada lady-killer image. Gone is the devil-may-care Hollywood high-life. Almost losing his life in a motorcycle accident last summer, and getting married last November to Joyce Miller, 10 years his senior, have stabilized his life and turned him into a quiet, sensitive recluse and a dedicated father to his 14-year-old stepson, Larry. It is hard to imagine the Estrada of today telling reporters one short year ago that he liked women only for their bodies because he was married to his career . . . Many believe that Mario Thomas and Phil Donahue will never marry. They think that the romance will probably go the same route as her relationships with actor Ted Bessell, and playwright Herb Gardner nowhere. TV CLOSEUP: NBC chiefs and top producers are now using an amazing mind-reading machine to tell them which TV pilots will lead to sure-fire hit series. The other TV networks, ABC and CBS, are negotiating to use the same system, called Critical Evoked Potential (CEP), developed by neurophysiologist Dr. Sidney Welnsten. The networks hope it will save them some of the $50 million they spend each year on pilot shows which are often shelved before they even get on the air . . . Says Bjorn Borg of mixed doubles and the Love Doubles match: "When a couple goes out to play mixed doubles they should enjoy themselves and have fun. We have fun out there, too, but we take it more seriously. It's good to laugh and joke, which we do, but we also play at 100 percent and give it everything we have. You hit the hardest you can and try to win every point. But in serious doubles, like the Love Doubles match, you don't joke around." Mixed doubles takes a lot of strategy and concentration, and fans are sure to be able to pick up a lot of tips and ideas by watching these top tennis-playing couples on television n May 19. . y ; v . I |