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Show Oe ae eee ae Page 3 various cast changes By Brian Lowry (c) 1996, Los Angeles Times HOLLYWOOD — If you can't name a single current star on NBC's “Law & Order” who was in the show's first episode, not to worry: There aren't any, Yet that series is hardly the only prime-time drama to experience its own share of drama when it comes to cast changes. ABC renewed “Murder One” for next season without knowing who the leading man would be, while CBS’ “Chicago Hope”is undergoing its third round of casting surgery in as many years. Manyof these shows nevertheless continueto thrive, suggesting that the storytelling qualities provided by their pedigreed producers — including “NYPD Bine” and ‘‘Murder One’s”’ Steven Bochco, “Law & Order's” Dick Wolf and “Chicago Hope” creator David E. Kelley — may be more important than individual performers, allowing series to roll along despite on-screen turnover. “Asit alwaysis, it’s the writing that supports these characters and presents them in the right way,” said Wolf, whom “Homicide: Life on the Street” executive producer Tom Fontanaonly halfjokingly called “a hero among writer-producers” based on his ability to keep plugging in new cast members without breaking stride. Industry executives say that dy- namie makes ensemble dramas moreattractive to networks and have seemed more commonin the last two years. “Of late it’s been pandemic,” said John Tinker, executive producer of “Chicago Hope.” Part of that can beattributed to the aliure of jumping from televi- sion to feature films, as well as the sense among manyproducers that their shows are bigger than any single actor. As “Homicide's” Third Location, Weare celebrating the best prices of the year senseofreality in these programs andan understanding that, in real life, people do move around. “When you look back five, six, seven years, how many (of the Atone point during the runofthe series, half this crew made up the law and half the order on “Law & Order.” ing over somecharacters several times. The only survivor from the same) peopleare youstill working with?” Wolf pointed out. “This is like a real first season is Steven Hill, who place: plays the crusty district attorney People come and go,” added Tin- and started in the second episode. ker, whois still wrestling with the configuration of next year’s “Chicago Hope” cast, Negotiations split whether the trend is to be embraced. Recent examplesincludethe casts called Franz and Caruso's re- zali, whose departurewill be ad- and that someof them dic, some of them crack,” he said. Bochco, however, thinks there “Tt would seem, based on myrecent past, that I'm a proponent of that, but in truth I’m really not,” building vehicles around them. star in a sitcom pilot), Bochco they replace, he noted, but must establish themselves individually. bility of the show, becauseit really allowsyouto explore that these people have life-and-death jobs, Producers themselves remain are core performers even an ensemble show can’t replace. He cites actor Michael Conrad, who played ‘Hill Street Blues’ " Sgt. Esterhaus anddied during the series. When that happened, Bochcosaid, “something went out of that show that it never recovered,” doesoffer financial benefits as series age andstarsalaries increase. Ensemble dramas have always On the other hand, “Law & Order” — which enters its seventh seasonstill looking for someone experienced some turnover, as witnessed by “St Elsewhere” and to replace Jill Hennessy's prose- cutor Claire Kincaid — has seen sue a feature career but that his ace-in-the-hole was co-star Den- “L.A. Law.” Yet such defections its ratings improve despite turn- nis Franz. Though thepolice dra- Bochco added that “everybody was nervousashell" about Caruso leaving “NYPD Blue” to pur- perception that TV often does a better job creating stars than Gail O'Grady, whorecentlyleft to placement, Fontana agreed, having gone through several departures early in “Homicide’s” run. “I think whatit does is great for the credi- make any more appearances. ma has lost supporting players (including Sherry Stringfield and Wolf thinks adding new faces has helped to keep the series fresh. The new characters, however, can’t be clones of the ones continue with fellow “St. Elsewhere” alumnus Mark Harmon, while Ron Silver is in talks regardingat least a limited number of episodes. Roxanne Hart will leave, and it’s undetermined whether Mandy Patinkin will vid Caruso’s much-publicized exit from “NYPD Blue” early in its second season. “It’s not my impulse, and I don’t believe it works most of the time. ... I really think you take a great risk when you do somethinglike that." rather than design — theability to insert new performersinto a show at All 3 Locations! gest, because of the heightened said Bochco, who weathered Da- though they'd prefer not to risk making changes — which, pro- Bradley's is Opening a casting changes, producers sug- studios, who can’t be held up as ducers note, have in most instances been doneoutof necessity To Better Serve You, Fontana putit: “I think this show nowlives without any particular character being the focus.” Meanwhile, audiences accept easily by a discontented star. Al- Jimmy Smits, “un- touchables,” In “Murder One,” Anthony La Paglia will replace Daniel Bendressed. Grace Phillips, one of the attorneys,will also leave, but other cast membersin the law firm return. Bochcohasreceived some negative mail about Benzali’s exit, as he did with Caruso. “Viewers don’t like to feel manipulated, and I understand that,” he said. Tinker added that the audience maybereluctant to invest in characters “if you change too many people, too fast, too often.” Still, for most producers, dealing with disgruntled stars falls into the “life’s too short” catego“If someone comes to me and says, ‘I'm unhappy,’ (and) I can't fix that, who wants them here?” Tinker said. Despite a slew of new sitcoms starring Bill Cosby, Ted Danson, Michael J. Fox, Brooke Shields and Rhea Perlman,there's also a on “ER” and “Friends,” as well as once-little-known comicslike Roseanne, Tim Allen and Brett Butler. Televisionis “the fastest known By Desmond Ryan Knight-Ridder Newspapers Look past the seductive poster and strip away the hype and publicity and youarrive at the naked truth about “Striptease.” Theele- ment that matters is not what Demi Moore takes off but what writer-director Andrew Bergman has taken out. In adapting author Carl Hiassen's hilarious skewering of greed, corruption and good ole boy sexism in Florida, Bergman has replaced the pinpoint satire of the best-selling novel with comedy that aims muchlower. But at least ‘Striptease’ hits on one of iassen’s main targets. What is laid bare hereis not the strippers but the macho buffoonery of the men whogatherin dingy bars and clubs to ogle them. dignity they had at the beginning The club that hires Erin Grant of the movie. The marketers of “Striptease” (Moore) after an improbable set have taken understandable pains of circumstances sends her look- ing for moneyis called the Eager Beaver, andits patrons might be called Panting Pigs. Few of the men in “Striptease,” whether heedless, a quart low, or just plain nuts, escape with whatlittle to distance it from any associations with Paul Verhoeven's “Showgirls,” one of the vilest has parlayed her supporting role into starring in an upcoming NBC sitcom while she’s gradually phasedout of her current series, With TV stars increasingly doing movies, ensemble casts provide greater flexibility in working around outside projects. “If somebody got a movie that they really want to do, the joy of being in an ensemble is you can let them out,” Fontana said, “If you're the single lead in a show, you can’t say, ‘I need a couple of In general, producers say they'd rather actors honor the multiple-year contracts they sign when beginning a new series. From a bottom-line standpoint, though. there can be advantages to being able to substitute in new actors. somebody has a camera and the question is whether Dilbeck and his shadowy backers amongFlorida’s sugar growers will ante up morethan oneof the supermarket the shabby stage of the Eager Beaver, where patrons come to drink watered-down liquor and drool overthe strippers. Her hus- band is a career petty criminal whoseactivities eause Erin to lose her job as an FBI secretary. A judge, who wouldfit right in with the boys hollering at the bar down at the Eager Beaver, awards the father custody of their 7-year-old daughter. To raise moneyin a hurry and win backthelittle girl, Erin joins the club. Bergman captures the backstage camaraderie of the wo- bee men and the sordid atmosphere out front quite neatly. But the plot moves in more random directions than the stripper with the snake she aptly christens Monty ¥e4 3 Ps . 4 ae f Python. Burt Reynolds, choosing from ave his world-class collection of hair- tabloids The innocent Erin, who simply wantsto rescueherlittle girl from an ex whose idea of an uplifting day is to pose as a doctor-and steal expensive wheelchairs from hospitals, is trapped in an increasingly dangerous situation. It’s also a pretty silly one. Reynolds does Dilbeck asif he werestill churning out ‘Smokey Seattle Times 0? Everywhere he goes, he’s the center of attention. In fact, his traveling companions, well, what can you say. They're just along for the ride. “You learn to acceptit,” said Betty Linn of Lebec,Calif., trainer of 8-year-old Murray (his real name is Maui), top dog on NBC'shit series “Mad About You.” Also accompanying the canine celebrity on this last stop of a 17-city tour were Dr. Jan Strother, a Hartsville, Ala., veterinarian, and Chuck Casto, vice president of a New York advertising/promotion agency. who came to offer tips for solving your pet's spring and summer health peeves. But I've written about fleas, skin care and heat prostration before. I was interested in meeting Maui, up close and personal. A photo session in front of the Seattle Times brought a flock of co-workers to the side of the shiny black limousine from which the white-and-tan-coated border-collie mix sporting sun glasses peered out with a whimsical “Well, here I am!” expression. No big deal for this character actor. Ear- lier in the day whenhe arrived at a Seattle television station for an on-air appearance, station personnel came to the limousine, thinking comic Pauly Shore was inside When the door was opened, there was Maui, “They were flabbergasted and made the most of the moment,” laughed Linn Who knows what kind of reception Shore received later, The four-legged entertainer is reveling in his off-season right now, doing promo tours, making special appearances and even shooting an occasional commercial or two. He and Linnreturn to the CulverCity, Spirited, resilient and confident are just a few of the qualities that make this former pound pooch one of America’s most popular celebrity canines. He has appeared on the cover of 7V Calif., studio in August to begin filming for the 22-episode 1996-97 ‘Mad About You” Guide and was a key reason why “Mad About You” won a Genesis Award for a ries. He has appeared in several movies, story written about Maui “Age hasn't slowed him bit,” said Linn. “If anything, he's getting better. But by the time Friday night roils around after the live-audience shoot, he's ready for bed and season, Maui's credits aren't limited to this seincluding “Airheads,” plus numerous commercials Maui is one of 30 dogs who cali Boone’s Animals For Hollywood in Castaic, Calif., home. in fact, he has his own roomin a beautiful Spanish-style house. Like the vast majority of the others, he comes from shelter lineage, the offspring of two dogs rescued from the Castaic Animal Shelter. Although Linn and thesix other trainers work with almost everyone of the 30, a dog is assigned to one for television series or films. “The animal can identify better with one,” said Linn, “plus it's also easier on the production crew. “You build up a rapport and confidence that makes you a team member. There's a chemistry and bonding that develops with time.” Consequently, Linn and Maui have been teammates since the series began four seasons ago. Because Linn works Maui strictly by hand signals, it's critical the animal be tightly focused capable of patterning. a dog's ability to repeat in an ing fashion aninstructed behavioral routine. “We put several pieces of tape on the floor, and on hand signal, he should head right te the designated spot without even thinking about it,” explained Linn. a weekendofrelaxation.” The key with Maui or any other canine actor is to get it to peak at the right time, said Linn. “It's like getting an athlete ready for the big game.” Because the original script is often changed and fine-tuned several times early in the week, Linn and the dog will sometimes not get in the mix, for fearit will simply confuse the dog. “The set time each week dependson the extent of his role and how many new routines he'll perform.” One week it might be one or two days, the next four or five. ‘Maui knows he’s a star,” adds Linn, ‘and he thrives on the attention. He goes into the audience Fridayafter filming, just to say hi and show his appreciation,” The dog has a dossier full of tricks but Linn says his leg lift (as if he was going to urinate), yawn and sneeze set him apart from Hollywood's other prolific pooches. And, of course, he performs all the other basics — crawl, speak, ete backing up, Maui makes work fun,” rollover said Linn. “He enjoys himself, does what's expected and $239 & TWIN FULL SET QUEEN SET KING SET Now ‘279 Now ‘349 Now ‘399 COMPARE THESE FEATURES OF THE ORTHOTONIC: 1. NON-PRO RATA WARRANTIES (CALL FOR DETAILS) 2. REINFORCED CENTER (PREVENTS SAGGING) 3. HANDLES: 4. NATIONAL BRAND CRAFTEDIN $399 ..... FULL SET QUEEN SET KING SET *399 *499 *699 trast, Moore's Erin is a nicely turned view of a womandiscover- ing that, as George Orwell forecast in “Animal Farm,” the pigs run the world. Men will doubtless be lured to ‘Striptease’ by Moore's beautifully sculpted body. But it’s the heart she puts into Erin that gives this more erratic than erotic picture the centering presenceit needs Top dog on ‘Mad About You’ knowshe’s a star, according to his trainer By Ranny Green 15 year warranty Extra-Firm and the Bandit” movies. In con- Art imitates life as Moore plays a scene with real-life and on-screen daughter Rumer Willis in “Striptease,” Guess who came to see me several days Now ‘249 Now ‘299 Wow ‘379 pieces, cuts the rug as raucousiy randy Congressman David Dilbeck. Dilbeck gets a load of Erin on one of his soused forays to the Eager Beaver and is immediately smitten. When hestaggers toward the stage, he is soon in the center of a drunken brawl with naked womenin the picture. Of course, fers a very peremptory set-up of FULL SET QUEEN SET KING SET weeksoff.’ " has ever re- the predicamentthat puts Erin on 10 year whose clients include “NYPD Blue's” Sharon Lawrence, who Bergman's rambling script of- movies Hollywe leased. $ way to be a movie star these days,” said Joan Hyler, a manager Best-selling novel‘Striptease’ doesn’t adapt well to film ™ ee) a | July 19, 1996 ‘Law & Order’ survives ee ee a ers. Ete. helps keep the cast loose. His energy level rises as he knows it's nearing time to perform. He has given the production crew a Sy TOP OF THE LINE PILLOW TOP SAGO mse FULL SET QUEEN SET KING SET *599 *699 *899 sense of confidence that he will deliver whenit's his turn.” But he has his moments, too. “Once in rehearsal,” Linn recalled, “Paul (Reiser) and Helen (Hunt) weresit- ting around table talking. There were papers laid across the top. Maui was supposed to come over and put his feet upas if he were to be greeted. But when he was given the signal, he headed for thetable at full speed. Paul and Helen jumped out of the way and Maui landed atop thetable on all fours as papers went flying everywhere.” During a Friday night filming, Reiser and Maui were sitting on the couch together. On cue, Maui began licking himself and Reiser reacted by laughing and ad-libbing RESTONIC ELECTRIC BED Starting at $599 his lines for a few moments. “The audi- ence,” said Linn, “thoughtit was all one big mistake. Paul knew it was coming but was uncertain when. It came off beautifully with a touch of humor thrownin.” From the time Maui first set foot on the set four years ago, he hasfilled the role perfectly — the producers wanted a dog CLV ipe 2 SkeeR OeyCreme Cring that would be himself and act like just any viewer's dog at home. Now:Open-In err everywhere. Look at him,” she said, as the four ofus sat in a cramped interview room with Maui sound asleep, fullyoutstret on the floor. A few hours later, he was 392-4005 Linn concluded, "He feels right at home winging his way back home to Southern California in a first-class airliner section. Oh, for the life of a dog sometime. 4046 Riverdale Rd. Traditional Quality, Value & Service |