ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, April 21, 1997 TAG: 9704210104
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES
SOURCE: JENNIFER BOWLES ASSOCIATED PRES|
``Gun'' producer took his time finding the perfect-looking star.
Casting the lead for the new ABC series ``Gun,'' creator and executive producer James Sadwith thought long and hard about the would-be star.
Acting wasn't a prerequisite. Color and sleekness, however, were.
If a gun was going to be the only mainstay in an anthology series featuring a revolving door of such high-powered stars as Randy Quaid, Daryl Hannah, Sean Young, Jennifer Tilly, Edward James Olmos and Rosanna Arquette, Sadwith knew it had better stand out.
``I wanted a gun that was aesthetically interesting to look at that would become a character in and of itself,'' Sadwith said. ``A black gun looks like it could be plastic on film, so that's not very interesting.''
In a prop house, he spotted his star: a pearl-handled, silver Colt .45 semiautomatic.
``This gun catches all kinds of light,'' he said. ``You recognize this gun from week to week.''
The gun, Sadwith is quick to point out, is not actually the star, despite the series' title. Rather, it's used as a cinematic device to introduce new characters who come into contact with the meandering weapon from week to week.
``It's how people's lives are affected by this gun,'' Sadwith said. ``In many episodes, it doesn't even go off. In one, it's at the bottom of a swimming hole for most of the time.''
The series, a midseason replacement with a six-week run, airs Saturdays at 10 p.m. It premiered this month.
``Gun'' is not the first time Hollywood has used an inanimate object as a source for storytelling. ``Tales of Manhattan,'' a 1940s movie, followed a coat as it passed from owner to owner, and some 20 years later, the film ``The Yellow Rolls-Royce'' followed the romantic lives of three of its owners.
Thanks to Robert Altman's association with ``Gun,'' the series attracted film actors who normally shun the small screen.
The director-producer known for such movies as ``Nashville,'' ``Shortcuts'' and ``The Player'' serves as an executive producer of ``Gun,'' along with Sadwith and Rob Dwek. Altman also directed one of the episodes.
``Altman came in once we had the pilot done,'' said Sadwith. ``We love his sensibilities and quirkiness. We wanted a godfather of his stature to help not only in shaping the show but bringing in feature directors and stars.''
And it was like attracting bees to honey.
``He's the magic name on the label,'' said Martin Sheen, who appeared in Saturday's episode as a detective determined to solve the murder of a Japanese businessman killed by the gun.
``He's one of the heroes in our business,'' Sheen said. ``He's been an actor's director and a real fighter for independent filmmakers. He's a hell of a filmmaker, so I'm very proud to be involved with anything that he does.''
Altman says he was glad to return to the medium.
``I started in television, and I've always stayed in touch with television,'' said Altman, who teamed with ``Doonesbury'' creator Gary Trudeau on HBO's ``Tanner 88'' series - a satirical look at a presidential campaign. ``Of all the work I've done, [that was] the most creative. ... I think it's the best work I've done.''
Both Altman and Sadwith say ``Gun'' is a non-political show that in no way promotes any philosophy when it comes to gun control issues.
``It doesn't promote guns any more than `Homicide' promotes homicide, or `Murder, She Wrote' promotes murders,'' Sadwith said. ``I mean you put something in the title and you hope it attracts an interest.''
Well, what about something else, like a Corvette? Or an Italian straw hat (a suggestion by ABC executives)?
``We chose a gun because it is such a powerful icon in this society and elicits emotions,'' Sadwith said. ``And I think it's a tremendous thing to get people's attention, and get them hooked into this show. Then they will find out it is about great storytelling.''
Sadwith also chose this particular gun because it was manufactured in 1911.
``Should the series continue, I would like to go back in the past life of this gun,'' Sadwith says. ``You could put this gun at the RFK assassination, maybe it was there and somehow would be able to prevent the assassination. Or maybe go back to Vietnam or maybe Al Capone owned this gun, or maybe ...''
LENGTH: Medium: 82 linesby CNB