Green Acres:  Are They Kidding?

A Fox spokesman said today that the network is developing a reality series that, like the original "Green Acres," turns the idea of the "The Beverly Hillbillies" upside down by transplanting upper-crust city folk  to a rural setting, surrounded by  animals, farmers and plain folks with cute expressions like "Howdy." Cameras will follow members of an erstwhile high-society family, cut off from their luxury cars, health clubs and bank accounts, as they move into rustic new digs, and go about finding work.

Two days ago, CBS said its talent scouts were fanning out across the backwoods of America in search of a rural family willing to move into a Beverly Hills mansion for a separate show tentatively titled "The Real Beverly Hillbillies."  Read Here.   The "Green Acres" reality concept has been in development for several weeks by Bunim-Murray Productions, which makes MTV's "The Real World," Fox spokesman Scott Grogin said.  Fox said the project was still in its early stages, with no time frame set for actual production or launch of the series.  It's doubtful the series will use the name "Green Acres," as the title is now owned by Bette Midler. 

"I see a limo with a U-Haul attached," executive producer Jon Murray told Daily Variety. "There's going to be wonderful humor in this show, as there is with anyone who's a fish out of water. It's like when the first George Bush went to the supermarket and (apparently) didn't understand what a scanner was. It's a funny thing to watch."

Marc Summers Hosting Again

[August 30, 2002]

The Game Show Network (GSN) has named Marc host of "WinTuition,"  a new knowledge-based game that tests contestants' general education smarts from the first grade through college and offers a chance to win $50,000 towards their college tuition.  And another name you might know has his hands in this,  Henry Winkler is executive producing the show for  LMNO Cable Group, and Sugar Bros. Entertainment. 

Trivia:  Marc Summers changed his name from Berkowitz.  He may look 30, he's 51.  Marc has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and is a germaphobe, and it's all detailed along with cool show biz stories in the book he wrote, "Everything in its Place"  which you can buy for $15.37 by clicking HERE.  And it is about more than just OCD, he was the warm-up act for the "Soap," audience, almost got into a fistfight with Burt Reynolds on the "Tonight Show", and other cool stuff. 

CBS is Bringing Back The Beverly Hillbillies as a Reality Show

During their one-year stay in California, they'll be afforded a wide variety of luxuries they'd normally be unable to afford, from maid service to personal assistants. They'll also have a chance to earn a substantial income each week. Cameras will watch their every move as the rural clan attempts to fit in with folks who eat at the Grill rather than use a grill, or who shop at Harry Winston instead of Wal-Mart. And while the series will focus on a group of five or six, (and yes, there will be a 'Granny') it's expected their extended family will also stop by for a visit sometime during their stay in the mansion.

CBS vice president of alternative programming Ghen Maynard said the series will have a humorous tone, though with a respect for the family and some elements of drama.  "A lot of it will be funny, but a lot of it will be real. We want to find a family that's different from what most people know but still relatable, a family that loves each other a lot." 

The concept was pitched by producers Gary Auerbach and James Jones and veteran documentarian Dub Cornett, and CBS bought it almost immediately. "Imagine the episode where they have to interview maids," he said.  "It's rare that you hear an idea and in the first 30 seconds, you instantly get it," Maynard said. It helped that CBS still owns the right to the "Beverly Hillbillies" title.

Maynard expects to have several episodes of "Hillbillies" in the can before the show launches, but it's possible some future episodes will focus on how the fame of the Eye TV show further changes the clan.  While the new "Hillbillies" will borrow the overall structure of the original comedy, many elements of the first show will not be repeated. It's not a given, for example, that the family will get their own Miss Jane Hathaway.

CBS hopes to zero in on the same geographical origins of the sitcom's Clampett Clan, who hailed from the Ozarks.  A hotline has opened allowing potential families to audition for the show:  323-993-7104

Classic TV in a Casino Near You

[August 30, 2002]

The other slots also include dialog recorded either from the series, or in the case of "I Dream of Jeannie," and "Jeopardy,"  by the stars themselves. These games can take up to 90 nickels per game, but most require a minimum of six.   I'm not a slot player, but these are real fun. Maybe Samantha will twitch up a $50,000 jackpot for you.  Good Luck! Slot machines are the Trademarks of Screen Gems and International Game Technology.

Suzanne Somers Buries the Hatchet With John Ritter

Passings

Norman Jolley,  Actor in '40s Westerns Wrote TV Series 'Space Patrol' Norman Jolley, prolific writer of such series as "Space Patrol," "Wagon Train" and "Cimarron City" during television's golden age in the 1950s, has died. He also served as producer on Raymond Burr's "Ironside." Jolley died August 13th at the Mayo Clinic facility in Scottsdale, Arizona, of cardiac arrest following surgery for pancreatic cancer, he was 86.

John Peyser, Veteran Director in Television, Movies John Peyser,  veteran television director of more than 100 television series, including the live drama "Studio One," died Friday of natural causes in his sleep in Woodland Hills. He is best known for directing "The Man from U.N.C.L.E., " "Honey West,"  "The Rat Patrol," "Hawaii Five-O,"  "Charlie's Angels," "Quincy," and "CHiPs"  Peyser died on August 16th, he was 86.

Jeff Corey, Blacklist Led Actor to Teaching Jeff Corey, a gifted actor who was blacklisted for refusing to name names before the House Committee on Un-American Activities in the 1950s but emerged as one of the most sought-after teachers in Hollywood.  Through it all, he never stopped acting and appeared in over 100 movies, score of TV guest appearances and in the series "Santa Barbara"  as Roger Wainwright.   Also a gifted directed on, "The Bob Newhart Show," "Night Gallery," and others. Corey died on August 16th, he was 88.

Ted Ashley, talent agent turned movie mogul who reversed the sagging fortunes of Warner Bros. in the 1970s with such blockbuster motion pictures as "A Clockwork Orange," "Dirty Harry" and "The Exorcist," has died. He was 80. Ashley Ashley became a major packager of television shows, including "The Carol Burnett Show," "The Doris Day Show" and "Mission: Impossible."   Ashley, as a hands-on leader who constantly read scripts and books that might be turned into movies, made the studio commercially successful with such films as "What's Up, Doc?" "Blazing Saddles," "Mame," "Dog Day Afternoon," "All the President's Men," "The Outlaw Josey Wales," "The Goodbye Girl," "Summer of '42," the "Superman" series and "Death in Venice."  Already adept in small-screen fare, Ashley also helped Warner Bros. become prominent in the new television miniseries genre. He brought in David L. Wolper, who produced "Roots," "The Thorn Birds" and "North & South."  In 1982 became vice chairman and member of the board of the parent Warner Communications Inc. He retired in 1988.

TV Execs do the Darndest Things

All times are Eastern Daylight Time.

Tentative Changes on Hallmark Channel

Passings

Robinson produced and wrote the films "Save The Children" (1973) and "Amazing Grace" (1974). He also wrote several plays including the off-Broadway production "The Confessions of Stepin Fetchit."  His most significant contribution to the entertainment community was as a television writer, penning scripts for such shows as "Sanford and Son" and "Eight is Enough."  He joined with fellow Philadelphia native Bill Cosby in 1983 as a staff writer and producer for "The Cosby Show."

Josh Ryan Evans, who portrayed Timmy the living doll on the NBC soap opera "Passions," died unexpectedly during a medical procedure, the network said Tuesday. He was 20. Evans died in a San Diego hospital on Monday,  the cause of death wasn't immediately known, and the type of medical procedure wasn't disclosed.  The 3-foot-2-inch actor was born with a rare disease that prevented his body from growing.  On Monday's episode of "Passions," taped last month, his character died. On the show, Timmy is a doll created by a witch and then turned into a real boy.  The role won Mr. Evans two Soap Opera Digest Awards for outstanding male scene-stealer.

Born in Hayward on Jan. 10, 1982, Mr. Evans was 12 when he got national exposure in a Dreyer's Ice Cream commercial titled "The Dancing Baby." It resulted in a role in the movie "Baby Geniuses."  His other TV credits include "Ally McBeal," which featured him as young attorney Oren, nemesis of Calista Flockhart's character; Tom Thumb in the A&E miniseries "P.T. Barnum;" Showtime's "Poltergeist: The Legacy,"  and the young Grinch in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

Peter Matz, musical director, composer, arranger, orchestrator and conductor for Broadway, Hollywood and – most prolifically – television who earned Emmys for programs featuring Barbra Streisand, Burt Bacharach and Carol Burnett, has died. He was 73.  In his long association with Ms. Streisand, Mr. Matz earned a Grammy for his accompaniment arrangement of her 1964 album People, an Emmy for her 1965 television special My Name Is Barbra and an Academy Award nomination for best original score for her 1975 film Funny Lady .  Mr. Matz's other two Emmys were for his work on the 1970 Kraft Music Hall presentation of The Sound of Burt Bacharach and a 1973 segment of The Carol Burnett Show, for which he served as musical director for eight years.

Stay at Camp two More Weeks

Revised TNN lineup for September

All times are Eastern Daylight Time.

Coming Soon to Cable

A&E: "Third Watch"  Starts with a September 1st, marathon from 8PM-2AM, then weeknights at 11PM
ABC Family: "7th Heaven" Starts with a September 15th marathon from 12PM-8PM, then weekdays at 3PM and 7PM.  "The Caroline Rhea Show"  (these are the week after reruns of "The Caroline Rhea Show" the replacement for "Rosie O'Donnell")   Starts: September 9
Bravo: "Larry Sanders Show" Starts September 30th
Comedy Central: "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"  day after reruns.
Disney Channel: "Sister, Sister"  Starts: September 9, Everyday at 6PM and 2AM, Mon-Thurs 7AM, 10PM and 3AM  and Fri-Sun at 5:30PM and 1:30AM.
Hallmark Channel: "Touched by an Angel"  Starts September 16
Lifetime: "The Nanny" and "Caroline in the City"  Starts in November
Nick at Nite: "Coach"  Starts in October
Sci-Fi: "Roswell" and "X-Files" Starts in October
TBS: "Seinfeld" Starts October 1  "Drew Carey" Starts September 9 and "Parent'Hood"  Starts September 23
TNN: "V.I.P." Starts September 2  "CSI" Starts Mondays at 11:08pm on September 30
TNT: "Charmed" Starts weekdays September 3 "X-Files" Starts in October
WE (Women's Entertainment [formerly Romance Classics]: "Felicity"  and "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place" this fall.

Davey and Goliath to Return

[August 4, 2002]

The United Lutheran Church in America, produced 65 episodes of the "Davey and Goliath" show and six specials from 1960 to 1971.The shows were made by Art and Ruth Clokey, who also created "Gumby."

The church hopes to introduce a new generation to the characters and create quality children's programming with a moral center and a Christian theme," said the Rev. Eric Shafer, the ELCA's communications director.  To help pay production costs, the ELCA agreed to sell the characters for commercial endorsements, leading to their appearance in a commercial for Mountain Dew this year.

The new shows are expected to go on the air next year.   Visit the Web Site 

Morty's Miscellany

[August 3, 2002]

Norman Lear sports a "South Park" necktie in this 1999 stock photo.

Norman Lear Birthday Party:  TV Land will pay tribute to the legendary writer, producer, and director Norman Lear as he celebrates his 80th birthday on Tuesday, August 27th.  Join TV Land from 9 p.m. until 2:30 a.m. and see the following Norman Lear "classics": "All in the Family," "The Jeffersons," "Good Times," "Maude," "Grady," "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman," "Fernwood 2 Night," "Forever Fernwood,"  and the 1991 sit-com set on Long Island NY, "Sunday Dinner."

Did you miss "The Rerun Show?" Reruns of "The Rerun Show" will air on VH-1! starting Sunday August 11 at 11pm; Sundays at 11:00PM (same rerun on Monday at 7:30pm, Friday at 11pm and Saturday at 7pm) for 6  weeks, all 6 episodes.  Be sure to catch the first of two "Bewitched" sketches on August 13th, 8:00PM on NBC.

Dr. Will's Love Shack:  The NBC summer special series, "Love Shack," hosted by "Big Brother 2" winner, Dr. Will Kirby, has been postponed to a date to be announced later.  Hey, Will, I know what it feels like...