1994: June 4-10

Cover: Tori Spelling (Beverly Hills 90210)

Michelle back to nurse ACP’s ratings
Michelle Pettigrove didn’t follow A Country Practice when it shifted from the Seven Network to Ten. With ratings for the ‘new’ ACP needing improvement, and the loose ends left by her prolonged disappearance from Wandin Valley, Pettigrove is returning for one episode to explain her character Kate’s decision to separate from husband Dr Harry Morrison (Andrew Blackman). “Yes, Michelle has agreed to return and film an episode,” a Ten spokesperson told TV Week. “It is a few months away and they haven’t written the episode yet, but nurse Kate Bryant will be back to say goodbye to the Valley.”

Forced to choose
Blue Heelers star William McInnes was driving one day when he got pulled over by a police officer. “He flashed his lights and waved at me, and I thought, ‘Oh no’,” McInnes told TV Week. “I pulled over and he said, ‘You’re a cop, aren’t you?’ He was having a bit of a gag. He just wanted to have a chat about the show.” McInnes says talking to real police officers about their jobs helps keep him in touch with his character Nick Schultz’s background. This week’s episode of Blue Heelers sees Senior-Constable Schultz having to choose between his commitment to the police force and to his girlfriend Jennifer (Belinda McClory). “The great thing about working on a series like this is you build up your character from week to week, and every once in a while you get a really good episode,” he said.

Alex in wonderland!
Attitude reporter Alex Tarney is looking forward to the challenge facing the show as it moves from 9.30pm Wednesday to 7.30pm Saturday in August. The move will put the program up against Hey Hey It’s Saturday (Nine), A Country Practice (Ten) and the new US series Lois And Clark (Seven). “It is a big move,” she told TV Week. “But I’m sure there’s a lot of people who don’t want to watch either of those shows, so hopefully we’ll be able to make a bit of a mark. We’ve had a lot of support from within the ABC.”

Briefly…

• Law Of The Land star Peter O’Brien is the hot tip to replace David Reyne on Nine‘s Getaway.
• Former Newlyweds star Cathy Godbold will soon be appearing in a guest role on Hey Dad! “I’m Ben’s (Ben Oxenbould) ex. I’ve decided to try and get him back, so I turn up with a story about a rich fiance to make Ben jealous,” she told TV Week. “To try and avoid me, he makes up a story saying he’s engaged to Tracy (Belinda Emmett). I break down and tell him the truth, and so does he, then the comedy follows.” Godbold, daughter of former TV presenter Rosemary Margan, has also filmed a guest role for Blue Heelers. “It was for a 16-year-old, tough, semi-alcoholic prostitute. So opposite to anything I’ve ever done. It’s so different to Newlyweds!”
• “It’s come to this… chatting to an ostrich,” said Hollywood star Billy Crystal, in Australia to promote the film City Slickers II, having a chat with Daryl Somers and Ossie Ostrich in Sydney. The interview was mostly serious but ended with Crystal recreating a scene from earlier film Throw Momma From The Train — with Daryl and Ossie both copping a whack from a frying pan.
• Former A Country Practice star Brian Wenzel is returning to the theatre for his first stage role in 23 years. He is starring in David Williamson‘s Brilliant Lies as the father of a woman who accuses her boss of sexual harassment. “I accepted the role because he’s an incredible change from (ACP character) Frank Gilroy,” Wenzel told TV Week. Meanwhile, the actor is reserving judgement on the revamped ACP which hasn’t rated so well since debuting on Ten. “I wish it well, the main reason being I like to see Australian actors in work,” he said. “I notice they haven’t said anything yet about what happened to Frank Gilroy. I just hope they don’t say he’s in an old folks’ home, because he was too strong a person for that.”

Lawrie Masterson: The View From Here

“There was a lot of shock and horror surrounding the recent publication of pictures of (Molly) Meldrum and a former girlfriend, Joy Antonie, with whom he had supposedly had a “bizarre marriage pact”. The Sydney newspapers jumped on the bandwagon days later — typically — and there was much ado. Here at TV Week we were shocked and horrified too… mainly because we’d already run the story and pictures. Nine years ago!”

Program Highlights (Melbourne, June 4-10, 1994):
Saturday: Australia takes on Italy in 12th Women’s Basketball World Championships (4.45pm, ABC). In A Country Practice (7.30pm, Ten), Ian’s (Paul Gleeson) joy at finding a family of possums turns to horror when he finds them sick from toxic waste.

Sunday: Sunday AFL includes Sydney Swans versus North Melbourne (2pm, Seven) and Melbourne versus West Coast Eagles (5pm, Seven). Sunday night movies are 1492: Conquest Of Paradise (Seven), Quick Change (repeat, Nine) and Marked For Death (repeat, Ten).

Monday: In Home And Away (7pm, Seven), Jack’s (Daniel Amalm) decision not to partner Selina (Tempany Deckert) to the debutante ball lands him in the firing lane. The Talk Show (7.30pm, SBS) features social scientist Hugh MacKay and journalist Richard Glover as they talk about masculinity, the male ego and the changing role of men in society. This week’s Frontline (8pm, ABC) covers the fictional current affairs show’s attempts to contact a gunman holed up in a farmhouse with several hostages. Interview series Ray Martin Presents (8.30pm, Nine) features Billy Crystal and Jodie Foster. Seven presents a Normandy D Day Celebration special from the US, hosted by newscaster Walter Kronkite, commemorating the 50th anniversary of D Day.

Tuesday: In GP (8.30pm, ABC), Ian (Tony Llewellyn-Jones) leads the Dean family through their emotional crises, but feels responsible for the drug arrest of their son.

Wednesday: In Heartbreak High (7.30pm, Ten), the school dance is on and the place is abuzz with gossip and speculation, while Con (Salvatore Coco) organises Jodie (Abi Tucker) to sing with the band. In Hey Dad (8pm, Seven), Arthur (Matthew Krok) is sick and tired of being constantly ordered around by Tracy (Belinda Emmett) and Ben (Ben Oxenbould) and plots his revenge.

Thursday: Beyond 2000 (7.30pm, Ten) reports on the Luxor Pyramid, a new Las Vegas theme park with a casino and hotel large enough to house nine 747s and home to world’s wildest virtual reality system. Actress Sarah Chadwick guest stars in The Damnation Of Harvey McHugh (8.30pm, ABC).

Friday: Neighbours star Bruce Samazan hosts the new country music program Stampede (6pm, ABC). In Rex Hunt’s The Great Outdoors (7.30pm, Seven), guest reporter Rebekah Elmaloglou visits the Out Bound camp in Victoria’s Grampians, Frankie J Holden joins a group of boat enthusiasts, and Penny Cook is shown how all the essentials for camping can fit into one backpack.

Source: TV Week (Melbourne edition), incorporating TV Times and TV Guide. 4 June 1994. Pacific Publications Pty Ltd.