THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, July 11, 1995 TAG: 9507110062
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
LET'S START this column on Mary Tyler Moore with the stuff you're dying to know.
How does she look in the flesh? Is she still a babe at 50something? Moore looks like she hasn't gained an ounce or developed a wrinkle since she played Laura Petrie on ``The Dick Van Dyke Show.''
OK. I saw a tiny wrinkle or two around her eyes. But that was it.
Now let's get into the bet-you-didn't-know-this-about-her department.
Bet you didn't know that Moore's paternal grandparents hail from Winchester, her great-great grandfather rode with Stonewall Jackson in the Civil War, and Moore summered in Virginia as a schoolgirl.
Now let's talk about what she thinks - specifically what she thinks about working for a company headed by Pat Robertson.
Moore recently completed work in North Carolina on ``The Rose Garden,'' a film set in South Carolina, about a 12-year-old boy, his three spinster aunts and their family's dark secret.
It will run on The Family Channel, which is owned by International Family Entertainment, which was founded by Robertson, whose national platform is ``The 700 Club.''
They don't much like Robertson or what he stands for here in Sodom West. The man is too conservative for people who believe nothing is too decadent to be art. And he is forever thrashing gays, who are prominent in the TV and film business.
So, it's easy to understand why Hollywood was buzzing when some of its biggest and brightest players, including producer Tony Thomopoulos and actresses Moore and Linda Lavin, went to work for Robertson's International Family Entertainment. When Moore and William and Mary grad Lavin appeared before the TV press to promote ``The Rose Garden,'' Moore found herself being asked how-could-you-ever-work-for-that-man kind of questions.
Moore handled the polite grilling with ease. The press didn't lay a glove on her.
Question: ``Are you supporting Robertson's way or life, validating his beliefs or helping him to spread the word of Pat by appearing on The Family Channel?''
Answer: ``I don't get involved in anyone's personal politics. I am aware that Mr. Robertson has come into some criticism from time to time for his stand on issues of which I know little. I am not working for Pat Robertson. I am working for a company that is producing a film from a brilliant script. I am thrilled that The Family Channel got behind it and is willing to put it on television. It's been a wonderful experience.''
Is this weird or what?
Moore works on a TV film in North Carolina for MTM Entertainment, which is named for her. Moore and her partners, including former husband Grant Tinker, sold MTM years ago to a British company that later sold it to International Family Entertainment of Virginia Beach. They operate The Family Channel out of headquarters in Lynnhaven.
Now comes Moore to do a picture for a company that she used to own in part. IFE, which has MTM Entertainment, now has Mary Tyler Moore herself - Mary and the kitten in the MTM logo.
How about if they bring her to corporate headquarters in Virginia Beach and show her off as they did with The Family Channel's Grand National race not long ago?
Wouldn't that be cool?
Moore wasn't the only one on The Family Channel panel to face questions about Robertson's role in the programming on cable's 11th largest channel. Thomopoulos, as MTM Entertainment's chief executive officer, assured the skeptical writers that ``there is no political or religious agenda tied to our programming.''
Then he and Gus Lucas, senior vice president of programming at IFE, announced a fall schedule for The Family Channel that includes reruns of the Michael Landon series ``Highway to Heaven,'' ``Newhart,'' the two-hour ``Columbo'' films and more new ``Hart to Hart'' films. Producer Woody Frazier is developing two new shows, ``Wild Animal Games'' and ``Family Challenge.'' ``The Hallmark Entertainment Family Showcase'' premieres in October.
The first film in that series, ``Kidnapped,'' is filming in Ireland with Armand Assante assuming the lead role for the paralyzed Christopher Reeve. Speaking from Ireland by satellite, Assante acknowledged that it has been difficult to step into a production that was to feature Reeve.
``Actually, it's been terrifying to come in at the last minute,'' Assante said. ``But I am sure that I have Christopher's support in helping finish a project that he started. What happened to him was tragic.''
It was a big day for The Family Channel before the nation's TV press. There were stars all over the place, a feed live from Ireland and news of all that new programming. (Alas, ``That's My Dog'' has been dropped from The Family Channel's fall schedule.)
When the question-and-answer thing was over, Moore, in a summery orange pantsuit thing, found a corner in the Ritz-Carlton to reflect on her past and present.
``One of my goals today as an actress is to go to work scared, to not be sure of how I will play a role. To be challenged.''
And Mary Tyler Moore of the past? Laura? Mary Richards? ``I'm richer than those girls . . . .'' by CNB