Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 11, 1995 TAG: 9505110042
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LYNN ELBER/AP TELEVISION WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
As ``Hope & Gloria's'' Dennis Dupree, a talk show host who refuses to let scant success deflate his ego or his hair, Thicke borders on mockery of some of the lesser moments of his own career.
He's also getting the kind of critical strokes for his skillfully smarmy performance in the NBC comedy that can take the ache out of such comparisons. The season finale airs tonight at 8:30 p.m. (WSLS, Channel 10)
Maybe that's why Thicke so readily accepts the parallels. In fact, he notes them himself with a Zen-like calm that forestalls any criticism as unenlightened. Uninformed. And rude, to boot.
``I've been Dennis Dupree. I have lived this life,'' Thicke, 48, says during a break on the set of ``Hope & Gloria,'' which stars Cynthia Stevenson as Dupree's producer, Hope, and Jessica Lundy as neighbor Gloria.
``I'm aware and having some fun with the fact there's an element of self-parody. ... I'm the guy who all through the '80s emceed everything (Bill) Cosby wasn't available for. And who hosted every parade and pageant that Dick Clark wasn't available for,'' Thicke said.
``Actually, I probably had the career that Dennis would aspire to,'' he finishes, wryly.
Be fair now. Thicke hosted a popular daytime TV talk show in his native Canada, was a successful TV producer and writer for Cosby, Flip Wilson and others, is a songwriter, movie scriptwriter and, of course, had a seven-year run on the ABC sitcom ``Growing Pains.''
Thicke earned two Emmy nominations for writing and producing the slyly satirical ``Fernwood Tonite'' and ``America 2-Nite.''
He is even, after a fashion, a film star: ``I have a Blockbuster movie career, which means they go direct to video.''
And just eight months ago he took a beauty queen bride, former Miss World Gina Tolleson.
But then there's the circa 1983 Horror that Came in the Dark. Also known as ``Thicke of the Night,'' it was a syndicated talk show which positioned itself as a threat to Johnny Carson and ended up a brief TV blip.
Thicke verbally squirms as he recalls the bravura promotional campaign - not his doing, he says - introducing an unknown Canadian to American viewers as the man who would be late-night king.
It left an odd, oily sheen of arrogance and flop sweat that Thicke had to overcome. And which he now uses in conjuring Dupree, Pittsburgh TV's ``host who cares the most.''
``Certainly everything I needed to learn about failure, struggle, damage control, career rehabilitation and ego bashing I learned in that,'' he says.
Thicke also acknowledges Dennis' deeper television roots. He's part of a loosely knit clan of what Thicke calls ``on-camera dunderheads,'' starting with Alan Brady (Carl Reiner) in ``The Dick Van Dyke Show'' and including Ted Baxter (Ted Knight) in ``The Mary Tyler Moore Show.''
But Dennis, hey, he has his own fresh charm.
``This guy is kind of an all-purpose threat - and I mean threat to your artistic sensibilities,'' Thicke says. ``He acts, he charms, he schmoozes.''
With Thicke, expert comic actresses Stevenson and Lundy and sharp writing, ``Hope & Gloria'' has toted impressive ratings since its midseason bow and seems a shoo-in to return next year.
That creates a welcome comfort zone, says Thicke, one that allows him to concentrate on his new wife and his family, including sons Brennan, 19, a film student, and Robin, 17, a rhythm-and-blues singer.
``Can't complain,'' Thicke says, taking stock. He knows Dennis Dupree wouldn't.
by CNB