Violence gives way for healthier shows

Press, 27 August 1977, Page 13

Violence gives way for healthier shows

By

ROBIN TURKEL

Violence is out, and wholesomeness in, according to Twentieth Century Fox representatives who have just completed a sales mission to New Zealand. Shows to be seen here in the next few months include “James at 15,” a drama series about the pain and joy of growing up, and “Young Dan’l Boone,” who seems pretty grown up at the age of 18. Both will go to the next Broadcasting Corporation ballot, and could show up on either channel. Another series sought by both South Pacific and TVI is “That’s Hollywood,” 26 half-hours of movie nostalgia. “Probably, South Pacific would want it more,” said a Fox vice-president, Peter Broome, a Sydney-based salesman who is in charge of a territory stretching from Pakistan to American Samoa, and from South Korea to New Zealand. “They already have our ‘Life Goes to the Movies,’ a three-hour special that is a definitive study of Hollywood in the ’3os and ’4os, and how the industry mirrored the people of those decades.” Fred Astaire and other period cinema stars narrate the show, which should delight cinema buffs, and be worth at least an initial look.

Television One already has Fox’s “Richard Rod-

gers: The Sound of Music,” a dramatic special done in an empty theatre that gradually fills with music and dialogue from such modem stage musical classics as “Oklohoma,” “South Pacific,” “Carousel,” “The Sound of Music,” and many other Rodgers shows.

Another show Peter Broome has sold to TVI is “Animals, Animals, Animals,” 32 half-hours about as many different animals — a combination of film and graphics hosted by Hal Linden, who plays the title role of “Barney Miller” in the New York cop situation comedy. Altogether, New Zealand is a $500,000 to $600,000 market for Fox, at about $lOOO per programming hour. These hours will be filled with less violence. “American networks are getting so silly about it now that you cannot even show an Indian shooting someone with a bow and arrow,” Broome said.

“You can show him pulling back the bowstring — that’s all. And hangings are out. What’s that going to do to the old-fashioned western?”