DATE: Thursday, October 23, 1997            TAG: 9710230111

SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E7   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LARRY BONKO, TELEVISION COLUMNIST 

                                            LENGTH:   81 lines

HAL LINDEN HAS A SURPRISING ARRAY OF TALENTS

HAL LINDEN, who will appear Saturday night at the Harrison Opera House with the Virginia Symphony, starred in three TV series after ``Barney Miller.'' But who remembers ``Blacke's Magic,'' ``Jack's Place'' or ``The Boys Are Back?''

To viewers who were captivated by Linden as police Capt. Barney Miller and his merry men (Fish, ``Wojo,'' Nick Yemana and Officer Levitt), Linden's life began with ``Barney Miller'' and ended when the show concluded its seven year-run in 1982.

News flash: Linden had a life long before ``Barney Miller.'' He has a life after ``Barney Miller.

``My plate is full. I'm doing many things,'' he said by phone while on the run before arriving for his Norfolk appearance arranged by the Tidewater Jewish Forum. He's been a card-carrying union musician for decades. It's been almost 40 years since he first sang on Broadway as an understudy in ``Bells Are Ringing.''

Long before he played a sitcom detective, he was a band singer with the Ray McKinley, Bobby Sherwood and Billy Butterfield orchestras. When Sammy Kaye with his orchestra was doing ``So You Want to Lead a Band'' on TV in the 1950s, Linden often put down his saxophone and stepped up as the boy crooner.

Life before ``Barney Miller''? And how.

Linden's imprint as Capt. Barney Miller has been so strong that people who see him singing, dancing and playing musical instruments in concert today are stunned by his range of talents. ``I still get the look of surprise and the `Gee, I didn't know you could do all that.' I take it as a compliment,'' he said.

He last did a series in 1995, co-starring with Suzanne Pleshette in ``The Boys Are Back'' on CBS. It came and went quickly, as did his other TV shows since ``Barney Miller.'' ABC showed no respect at all for ``Jack's Place,'' changing its timeslot three times and finally sacrificing it to the ``Cheers'' finale.

Is Linden, therefore, bitter about network TV? Turned off by the men and women who so coldly orchestrate the schedules? Just the opposite.

``Network television has critics who say how bad it is. Frankly, I'm amazed how good it is night after night,'' he said. ``On any night of the week, you'll find at least an hour or two of outstanding television.

``Look at movies. They're made with large budgets. They take their time. How many good movies are produced? One out of ten? Television, faced with far greater budget and time constraints than the motion picture business, delivers a consistently better product.''

Would the man who was once a regular on ``Search for Tomorrow'' consider another series? Possibly. He'll listen to offers, read scripts. ``People in the business know I'm still around,'' he said.

How could they not? He's appeared in concert in many cities, including Chicago, St. Louis and Atlanta. Linden entertained passengers on a cruise to Alaska. He's just wrapped an appearance in the newest ``Rockford Files'' revival and soon begins rehearsing on stage for the Scrooge role in ``A Christmas Carol.''

Listen hard and you'll hear the Linden baritone on TV commercials. He's narrated specials for Public Broadcasting. Life after ``Barney Miller''? Yes, indeed. A busy life.

He's lucky to squeeze in a round of golf now and then.

Linden said he learned to sing, dance, act and play the clarinet and saxophone because, coming out of the Army in 1946, he realized that to be versatile was to survive in show business. ``I was a jack of all trades. If they asked if I could sing in Swedish, I learned. If they asked if I could ride a horse, I learned.''

What does one of television's most enduring sitcom stars - Linden owns two Emmys, including one for hosting a learning-made-easy show called ``FYI,'' plus a handful of nominations - think of today's sitcoms? The ol' hoofer did a soft-shoe around the question, saying only that he likes the weirdness of ``Seinfeld.''

``When it comes to TV today, I'm a news and sports guy,'' said Linden, who was born Harold Lipschitz in New York City 66 years ago. For his appearance in Norfolk, he is planning something special. Linden will play Mozart. ILLUSTRATION: Hal Linden

WANT TO GO?

What: Hal Linden with the Virginia Symphony

When: 8 p.m. Saturday

Where: Harrison Opera House in Norfolk

Tickets: $27.50. Call 489-1371 KEYWORDS: INTERVIEW

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