Cover: Sharon Stone
Big screen rescue!
Nothing has been formally announced but there are plans for production of a film version of ABC‘s Police Rescue. Producer Southern Star Xanadu is seeking funding for the project from the Film Finance Corporation and the ABC has already given the green light to go ahead. Police Rescue — The Movie is expected to feature all the show’s regular cast — including Gary Sweet, Sonia Todd, Steve Bastoni, Tammy MacIntosh, Steve Bisley and Jeremy Callaghan — with production due to commence late in the year after Sweet finishes his commitment to upcoming mini-series The Battlers.
Paradise bitch!
Former E Street star Melissa Tkautz has scored a guest role in the Nine Network‘s upcoming series Paradise Beach. Tkautz plays Vanessa Campbell, a scorned woman who arrives in Paradise Beach intent on causing trouble for Sean Hayden, played by Ingo Rademacher, who had ditched her after a three-year relationship. “She’s a bit of a psycho, a real bitch,” Tkautz told TV Week. “She is nothing like (her character) Nicki in E Street. This one’s a real troublemaker.” It is unknown if Tkautz will extend her stay in Paradise Beach beyond the initial guest appearance. “At the moment this is just a guest role and I’ve got my music to get back to,” she said.
Greg’s full frontal assault on Phoenix
Greg Fleet not only plays an undercover drug squad detective in ABC‘s Phoenix, but he also stars in Seven‘s new sketch comedy series Full Frontal — and both programs air in the same timeslot (8.30pm Thursday). Fleet says that if Full Frontal decides to give a serve to Phoenix it is likely he will be cast as the same character! “It could prove to be very interesting,” he said.
Briefly…
- Sydney model Theresa Page (pictured) walked into the offices of A Country Practice producer JNP Productions to drop off her CV… and she walked out with a guest role. Page will play the part of Maryam Zahedi, a war refugee.
- Former E Street star Bruce Samazan is soon to be a resident in Neighbours. There are also rumours that producer Grundys are keen to develop a spin-off series for his character Mark Gottlieb and Scott Michaelson‘s character Brad Willis. The word is that Ten may consider the spin-off project for the 7.00pm timeslot, ditching current affairs program Hinch.
- The Seven Network has swooped in on a deal to buy the screening rights to Scarlett, the eight-hour mini-series sequel to Gone With The Wind, at the TV buyers’ market in Cannes. The series was first thought to have been sold to Ten. Seven is also in negotiation for the rights to Return To Lonesome Dove, the sequel to the late ’80s mini-series Lonesome Dove.
Lawrie Masterson: The View From Here
“With E Street now closed to traffic, Network Ten has been left with two gaping holes in its prime time schedule, and filling them, of course, has been a major headache. And let’s face it, paraplegics who suddenly walk, serial killers, hit men and the occasional werewolf do take some replacing. Melrose Place — the sort of poor cousin of the network’s only genuine hit, Beverly Hills 90210 — looks like being put in one of the hot seats. Reruns of ABC‘s delightful comedy series Mother And Son are likely to fill the other. Ten has bought rerun rights to five series of the Ruth Cracknell–Garry McDonald hit but, great as it is, Mother And Son can’t expect to be a blockbuster third time around.”
Program Highlights (Melbourne, May 23-29):
Sunday: Sunday night movies are Deceived (Seven) and City Slickers (Ten), while Nine crosses to Lords, United Kingdom, for the third One Day International cricket match — Australia versus England.
Monday: Wonder World, the ’90s remake of the former series hosted by Simon Townsend, makes its debut (4.30pm, Nine) — and Eden Gaha returns with a new series of Vidiot (5.30pm, ABC). In A Country Practice (7.30pm, Seven), Harry (Andrew Blackman) is still guilt ridden about the accident, and Jules’ (Loene Carmen) husband is unable to cope with her paralysis.
Tuesday: In GP (8.30pm, ABC), Tessa (Marilynne Paspaley) faces legal action four years after attending the scene of an accident. Harold Hopkins (pictured) guest stars in Law Of The Land (9.30pm, Nine).
Wednesday: In Hey Dad! (7.30pm, Seven), Martin (Robert Hughes), Ben (Ben Oxenbould) and Betty (Julie McGregor) decide to go on a fishing expedition. The 7.30pm timeslot formerly occupied by E Street is filled by the one-hour final episode of US series The Wonder Years.
Thursday: Re-runs of Mother And Son commence in the former E Street Thursday timeslot (7.30pm, Ten).
Friday: In The Great Outdoors (7.30pm, Seven), Rex Hunt goes fishing off Coffs Harbour; Sofie Formica and Neil Crompton head up the highway for a Harley Davidson experience; Ernie Dingo visits the South Australian mining town of Burra; and Sharron Tyrrell visits Cadman’s Cottage in Sydney’s Rocks district.
Saturday: Bert Newton hosts the Series Two final of New Faces (6.30pm, Ten). In Beyond 2000 (7.30pm, Seven), Andrew Waterworth looks at an invention that enables paralysed people to walk without crutches; Amanda Keller finds a safer, friendlier alternative to insecticides; and Tracey Curro reports on the development of a drug delivery system — a remote-controlled electronic pill. The Scottish Cup Final — Rangers versus Aberdeen — is broadcast live (11.30pm, SBS) from Celtic Park, Glasgow.
Source: TV Week (Melbourne edition), incorporating TV Times and TV Guide. 22 May 1993. Southdown Press.
