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Show WaaD5o-Q-- 7 By Buck We interrupt for this important message DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE: Who do you think is this country's best known doctor You'd be close if you guessed e actordoctors like Marcus Welby or psycologist Joyce Brothers But we mean your real family physician Well, the answer is almost certainly Dr Art Ulene He "visits" about 5,000,000 people every week and recently received letters from 2,000,000 patients' Dr Ulene, in case you didn't know, is the resident physician on the 'Today" show, where he talks about everything from arthritis to marijuana to plastic surgery Oh sure, you say. he visits millions of people via TV. but his schedule is nothing compared to one of those old country doctors Wrong Dr Ulene works a day. He makes live appearances on the "Today" show, also tapes many segments for that program, teaches at USC, tapes medical "featurettes" for a Washington TV station, spends hours each week answering his mail, and keeps up his regular practice' Why does he do it "We're all anxious to improve the length and quality of our lives," says Art Ulene "We have the ability to do it and my goal is to aid in achieving that end " real-lif- honest-to-goodne- 12-ho- Skelton is making waves Big waves His recent appearances have stirred up far more s comment than anyone could possible have anticipated Sure, the comedian's initial announcement that he was considering coming out of retirement" brought some interest, but most network programmers greeted the announcement with yawns And then things began 'e happen Skelton made an aprearance on 'The Mike Doug'as bei'y-iaugShow, and he was so funny that he funny ON THE INSIDE: Red behind-the-scene- h PAGE 8 THIS WEEK Biggers literally had the audience falling out of their chairs Surprising, admitted many of the tough guys at the networks, but one swallow doesn t make a summer And then Skelton did his bit on ABC s Academy Awards Show (March 28) and the "People s Command Performance" special on CBS (April 8) These were Red s first network appearances in 6 years, yet the sketches he did were such remarkable pieces of entertainment that he got standing ovations Now, the networks are burning midnight oil as their programmers attempt to discern what this means Should they try to get Skelton for specials For a weekly series Was the spectacular audience reaction due to Red, himself, or was it also an indication that viewers are hungry for the kind of slapstick comedy they once got from other comics (Milton Berle, for example) as well as Red Skelton? Just as the networks are about to announce their opening schedules for 1977-78- , Skelton has caused more than a little consternation At the very least, thanks to Red, you can " expect to see several shows being readied as replacements for the first failures in the new schedule d broad-comedy- NEW COMMERCIALS: Vicki Lawrence, who looks like and sounds like the star on 'The Carol Burnett Show," advertising a dry milk that looks like and tastes like the real thing Danny Thomas, whose doctor series was not hot enough to set the ratings on fire, selling a smoke alarm system Benny Goodman, whose great swing band was a credit to the music world, extolling the merits on g one pa'ticu'ar credit card Until next time look happy |