
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 15, 1994                   TAG: 9406150013
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 7   EDITION: METRO  
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

THE PEOPLE COLUMN

The two-year quarrel between Vicki Lawrence and Group W, which distributed her program, "Vicki!", is over. Late last week, Group W dropped the actress/singer/talk show host and created a new show around former "Evening Shade" star Marilu Henner; it will launch in September.

A year ago, after prolonged bickering, Lawrence walked away from her program with about two weeks of production remaining in the first season, citing job-related stress. She was replaced for the remaining shows by guest hosts.

Then, after the two sides made up and Lawrence returned for a second season, the fireworks began again early last month, with Lawrence and her husband/producer, Al Schultz, complaining about her treatment. The two biggest gripes were that Group W executives had been critical of her performance, and that those same executives had not renewed the show. Obviously, they had something else in mind.

\ Five-time Grammy winner Whitney Houston will be singing a new song soon - as pitchwoman for AT&T's TrueVoice. That's the new-generation sound quality AT&T is about to introduce nationwide for its long-distance service.

by CNB