Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 14, 1995 TAG: 9502150002
SECTION: SPECTATOR PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK DAWIDZIAK KNIGHT-RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES LENGTH: Medium
Although Shepherd made the jump from model to actress in Bogdanovich's ``The Last Picture Show'' (1971), TV has again and again jumped to her rescue. Shepherd realizes that, without prime time coming along in the nick of time, we might have seen her last picture show several years ago.
When her Tinseltown star dimmed in the '80s, ABC's ``Moonlighting'' brightened up what seemed to be a gloomy future. Nine years after that stormy series premiered, Shepherd again is hoping that television can add some sparkle to a tarnished star.
Her CBS comedy, ``Cybill,'' premiered Jan. 2 in the 9:30-10 p.m. Monday time slot (on WDBJ-Channel 7). The good news is that it managed to hold the audience of its long-running lead-in, ``Murphy Brown.''
``I was thrilled, absolutely thrilled,'' Shepherd told critics. ``You do the best work you can do and try to get the best people involved and take the right kind of chances, but there's no guarantee that people are going to like it. You never know.''
What Shepherd does know is that TV is giving her a second second chance.
``I just feel like I've had an extraordinary career,'' said the star of such '70s films as ``The Heartbreak Kid'' and ``Taxi Driver.'' ``There are supposed to be no second acts in American careers. [F. Scott] Fitzgerald said that. I seem to have three acts, and I'm very grateful for that.''
Act One was being cast in ``The Last Picture Show,'' based on a novel by Larry McMurtry (``Lonesome Dove,'' ``The Streets of Laredo'').
``I can't say that I was ready to do `The Last Picture Show,''' Shepherd said. ``I mean, it was the first time I ever acted. But certainly I was at the right place at the right time with the right director and a great story and a great cast. So it was a tremendous opportunity to really launch myself in the business.''
Act Two was the fast-talking, fast-moving ``Moonlighting,'' which went into eclipse when clashes among the producers and stars (Shepherd and Bruce Willis) caused harmful delays.
Still, it was ``an extraordinary break at the right time,'' said Shepherd, who previously had tried television with the short-lived ``Yellow Rose'' (NBC, 1983-84). ``I also had enough dinner theater and regional theater and comedy experience that when `Moonlighting' came along, I sort of had an idea about how to do comedy.''
And ``Cybill'' is Act Three. The Memphis native plays Cybill Sheridan, a twice-married actress trying to keep a career going in her 40s. She's also trying to keep relationships going with two ex-husbands (Alan Rosenberg and Tom Wopat) and two daughters (Dedee Pfeiffer and Alicia Witt).
Her best friend, Maryann Thorpe (Christine Baranski), is a rich divorcee who crashes through life while clinging to neuroses and substance problems.
The premise obviously bears some strong similarities to ``Absolutely Fabulous,'' the British series aired on cable's ``Comedy Central.'' Even though the producers claim they were not influenced by the comedy that fans call ``AbFab,'' Shepherd admits that her daughter has taped and memorized every episode.
``I can understand this character because I went through a period when I was down and out in this business,'' Shepherd said. ``I mean, I did do `Fantasy Island' when I was making my comeback. And I thought it was a comedy, then I realized afterward it wasn't. So I can really relate to this character.''
Yet timing is everything, and Shepherd believes that ``Cybill'' has come along at the right time in her career.
If some of the risque humor in ``Cybill'' causes controversy, Shepherd will be more pleased than alarmed. ``Moonlighting'' taught her that controversy can translate into ratings.
``I wouldn't change anything about `Moonlighting,''' she said. ``Nothing that's worth doing is really easy.''
So does she think ``Cybill'' will be as controversial as ``Moonlighting''?
``I hope so.''
by CNB