Tortellis spin off defends slimeball and dumb blonde duo
Los Angeles NBC unveils The Tortellis with Dan Hedaya as Nick and Jean Kasem as Loretta. The new Cheers spinoff debuts tonight amid questions of tone as critics note the pair’s blunt descriptions, with producer Patricia Nardo and co star Carlene Watkins backing the characters’ appeal.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Los Angeles
NBC
Dan Hedaya
Jean Kasem
Hedaya and
Kasem
Carlene Watkins
Tortellis
Patricia Nardo
Nick
Tortellis cast and Kasem clash over dumb blonde image
TV personality Casey Kasem plays Nick Tortelli as a flashy Las Vegas husband in The Tortellis. Hedaya notes the character is not evil but driven by passion and struggles to reform, while Kasem works to convince viewers Loretta Tortelli is not a dumb blonde.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Las Vegas
Loretta
Charlotte
Watkins
Nick
Hedaya
Nick Tortelli
Buffalo Bil
Kasem
Loretta Tortelli
Voices on fame and love from Kasem and Hedaya
The interview recalls Kasem praising Suzanne Somers as naive yet loyal to Nick and eager to prove her marriage, while revealing Somers, raised in Guam and driven by broadcasting, and Hedaya from Tufts and a former Brooklyn math teacher, discuss acting paths and personal motives.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Hedaya
New York
Lebanon
Tufts University
Brooklyn
Dynasty backstage battles derail hit soap Dynasty
Los Angeles based report details a public feud between Dynasty creators Richard and Esther Shapiro and Aaron Spelling. The behind the scenes dispute led to casting and plot shifts, sparking a ratings decline and prompting apologies. Shapiro says the feud influenced on screen storylines and promises stronger, more realistic plots ahead.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Richard and
Esther Shapiro
Aaron Spelling
Spelling
Shapiro
Soap opera and TV executive notes on Cybill Shepherd and Aaron Spelling
The piece discusses where to write for Cybill Shepherd and costume credits on NBCs Hunter, plus moves by Aaron Spelling. It covers Spelling contract with ABC, talk of NBC film meetings, Dynasty and The Colbys performance, and a shift toward social issue storytelling in TV movies. It notes Spelling's long list of credits and his comment on comedy learning.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cybill Shepherd
Shepherd
ABC TV
Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles
Calif
NBC
Hunter
Swerling Jr
Stephen J. Cannell
Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood
Evans, Collins
Forsythe
Dynasty
Spelling
Colbys
Sive TV
ABC
NBC Entertainment
Brandon Tartikoff
Aaron
Texas
Prime Time Local Viewing and Generation at Risk Tonight
TV listings preview two segments. Prime Time Local Viewing airs a prom era episode where Jonathan and Mark act as teachers before the Senior Prom. Generation at Risk features First Lady Nancy Reagan appearing in this follow up to The Chemical People about youth substance abuse with actor Sam from The Killing Fields.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Spelling
Shapiro
Jonathan
Michael Landon
Mark
Victor French
Nancy Reagan
Chemical People
Sam
Broken Vows and St Elsewhere Lead Nightline Schedule
Waterston hosts a TV movie night featuring Broken Vows a tale of a priest torn by a murder and romance as he aids a victim’s girlfriend. Later St Elsewhere follows Dr Griffin facing a scandal involving a patient’s daughter revealing her pregnancy.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Tan
Annette O'Toole
ST. Elsewhere
Dr. Griffin
Bruce Greenwood
Dana Short
Westphall
Ed Flanders
Also Mentioned on This Page
Chronicle-Telegram
By Diane Haithman
Knight-Ridder Newspapers
Surry
Carla Tortelli
Radio and
TV News
Casey Kasem
John Darling
Suzanne Somers
BY Batiuk
Shamray
New Hampshire
Guam
Southeast Asia
Nam
AAA
By Robert Bianco
Scripps
Howard News Service
Alexis
Joan Collins
Blake
Linda Evans
Krystle
Evans
John Forsythe
Tvq&a
Life With
Lucy
Joe
Terri Garber
Ashley Main
Leslie Carrington
Ben Carrington
Baskettral
Cleveland
Tawonea
Igor
Ewones
Fsgaoe
Waterston
Tommy Lee Jones
Iea
Atoz
USA
Jack Benery
ESPN
N. Ridge RD
Lorain
Elyria
SUN
Lorain County
Shang-Hai Health Spal
Lal Stele Arenere
St. Ogl
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