Cover: Grant Show (Melrose Place)
Melissa’s sitcom haunt
Former E Street star Melissa Tkautz, recently seen in Paradise Beach, is rumoured to have reunited with E Street producer Forrest Redlich for a new sitcom pilot he is developing for the Nine Network. It is believed Redlich wants Tkautz to star in the new project, based on the story of a man who haunts his murdering wife and daughters.
Ray treads on hallowed ground
This year’s TV Week Logie Awards host Ray Martin admits he is nervous in taking on the big gig. “There are some very tough acts to follow,” he told TV Week. This year will also see the awards presented in a theatre setting, not the traditional cabaret style. “This year’s Logies will be more like the Oscars. There won’t be the usual distractions of people talking and waiters walking around.” International guests coming to the Logies include Michael Crawford, Randy Crawford and Murphy Brown star Grant Shaud. Executive Producer Peter Wynne isn’t giving much away about the show but hints that much of the budget will go towards a futuristic light show. “It will look as if the theatre has been transported out of this world, and that’s all I’m saying,” he told TV Week.
Hot cross bunny!
Comedian Jimeoin had a novel idea for when TV Week was coming to visit on set. He took inspiration from the cooking segment that features on his self-titled comedy show and adapted it to an Easter theme. A microwave, lots of melted chocolate and a (toy) rabbit… and, well you can imagine where this was going. It was silly, but for Jimeoin that was his basic recipe for putting together his show. “We don’t worry too much about production values, and that’s probably evident when you watch the show!,” he says. “We genuinely are enjoying ourselves. I really look forward to coming in here every week and doing the show.”
Briefly…
- Former E Street star Scott McRae has been chosen to replace Eden Gaha as host of ABC‘s kids show Vidiot. Gaha is now host of Network Ten‘s Take 40 TV.
- The future of Network Ten‘s youth magazine show Level 23 is looking grim. After a brief run at 6.00pm weeknights it was bumped to one hour on a weekend afternoon. The show is now on a two-week production break and is believed to be crunch time for the network to make a decision on its future.
- Certain Home And Away starlets are seemingly none to happy about the star treatment being given to Seven‘s new star, Andrew Denton. Apparently one bone of contention is his lavish dressing room, and certain Home And Away stars think they should have the same.
Lawrie Masterson: The View From Here
“By the end of Week One of his debut season on a commercial network, Andrew Denton (pictured) had demonstrated his grasp of common sense and given a glimpse of what might be in this most interesting of television scenarios. The common sense was his choice of material for the second Denton. Or, rather, it was what he chose to leave out after, no doubt, a long post-mortem on Show One. During his second effort, I don’t recall one mention of the fact that Denton is now on a commercial network, a fact he flogged mercilessly during his opening show to the point of where it was becoming boring — not a word usually associated with Denton. His across-the-table chat with former Late Show comic Mick Molloy bordered on dull, save for a few quick grabs of Late Show sketches. Amanda Keller gave us an updated version of the “new and unusual products” segment Graham Kennedy and Bert Newton used to do 30 years ago, and Senator Cheryl Kernot confirmed that the “emergency guest” — actress Georgie Parker, shut away in a cage at the back of the set — would have been a sparkling interview by comparison.”
Program Highlights (Melbourne, April 2-8):
Saturday: Tim Webster hosts a two-hour preview (3.30pm, Ten) of tomorrow’s James Hardie 12 Hour Race from Mount Panorama, Bathurst.
Sunday: Ten’s coverage of the James Hardie 12 Hour Race kicks off with the opening hour from 6.00am, then continues with race updates at 9am, 10am and 11am before live coverage resumes at midday, continuing through to 5.30pm. Sunday night movies are The Chain (Seven), Police Academy 3: Back In Training (repeat, Nine) and Star Wars (repeat, Ten).
Monday: For Easter Monday, Nine’s usual weekday afternoon line-up makes way for an afternoon of Wide World Of Sports (12pm), including coverage of the Stawell Gift and Autumn Racing Carnival. In Neighbours (6.30pm, Ten), Brett (Brett Blewitt) is anxious about facing Stonefish (Anthony Engelman) at school, and Rick’s (Dan Falzon) obsession with Sally (Brenda Webb) continues.
Tuesday: In The Bob Morrison Show (8pm, Nine), Steve (Andy Anderson) arrives home with a brand new ute and Lizzy (Nikki Coghill) is furious because it hasn’t been discussed with her. In GP (8.30pm, ABC), the wedding of William’s (Michael Craig) friend Alistair (David Baldwin) and Julie’s (Denise Roberts) friend Doreen (Valerie Bader) is plagued with disaster. The episode guest stars Rebekah Elmaloglou (pictured) and Briony Behets.
Wednesday: In Hey Dad! (7.30pm, Seven), Ben (Ben Oxenbould) has difficulty paying his board, and Betty’s (Julie McGregor) mum panics when she hears that Mr Russell (Mark Owen-Taylor) is now running the business.
Thursday: In Home And Away (7pm, Seven), Sarah (Laura Vasquez) saves Angel (Melissa George) from being caught by the police, and Tug’s (Tristan Bancks) attempts to prove his maturity come unstuck. In Beyond 2000 (7.30pm, Ten), Iain Finlay reports on the chewing gum invented by dental scientists that cleans and polishes teeth without scratching the enamel, Dr Caroline West investigates virtual surgery in Boston, and Anthony Griffis looks at the world’s first three dimensional, animated, laser billboard.
Friday: In Rex Hunt’s Great Outdoors (7.30pm, Seven), Dieter Brummer gives some tips on budget accommodation, Ernie Dingo tries a new skateboard, Rex Hunt goes fly-fishing for trout in Cooma, and Shelley Taylor-Smith takes Frankie J Holden to Manly Dam where she prepares for ocean swimming competitions.
Source: TV Week (Melbourne edition), incorporating TV Times and TV Guide. 2 April 1994. Southdown Press.
