Million-dollar soapie

Press, 7 December 1987, Page 11

Million-dollar soapie

David Hartnells

HOLLYWOOD

I’m not one to gossip but ... “Dallas” has become a million-dollar soapie. That’s how much it costs to produce every episode. Here’s a run-down of expenses for just one episode: creative staff $150,000; wardrobe $23,000; set $21,000; set dressing $42,000; transportation $70,000; extras $40,000; make-up and hair $22,000; technical crew $150,000; miscellaneous $30,000. Larry Hagman now makes $220,000, Patrick Duffy $lBO,OOO, Linda Gray $150,000, Barbara Bel Geddes $120,000, Howard Keel $90,000, and Priscilla Presley $60,000. They are the top money-makers on the show. Farrah Fawcett is telling her pals that her son . Redmond has brought her such joy that she and live-in-lover Ryan O’Neal are thinking about inviting the stork back for another visit But now that her fortieth birthday has come and well gone, Farrah says she’ll seek her doctor’s advice before making a decision. There is more than talk around Hollywood that Joan Collins and Victoria Principal will team up in a new soapie. They plan to invest a healthy chunk of their own hefty fortunes in the still-unnamed show, on a gamble that it’ll be bigger than either “Dallas” or “Dynasty” ever was. The stars have already agreed in writing to share top billing as soon as their project goes to air.

Boy George is losing millions of dollars, because of his recent drug bust Now he finds that his records are banned in Japan for the next 25 years. On the black market in Japan they are fetching anything between $4OO and $5OO a copy. Rock star David Bowie

told me he’s thinking of teaming up with Prince for a coast-to-coast American tour in June next year.

Now what do Sly Stallone and plastic little Michael Jackson’s chimp have in common? Give up? All right. Well, it’s the same tailor. Michael’s just ordered a whole new designer wardrobe of monkey suits for his pet Bubbles. Included in Bubbles’ new look are a fancy dinner jacket, silk shirts, linen pants, and more than 200 pure-silk bowties.

Until recently singer Tom Jones has had the same personal manager for all of his career. Now he has signed up his son Mark to take over. Tom thinks it’s about time that he kept things more in the family. After all, Mark has been around showbiz for the past 29 years, so he knows the ropes.

Whitney Houston is gearing up for her first movie role. She is all set to play the lead in "Cinderella.” She has signed to star in an all-black version of the classic story, and will pocket a cool $5 million for the role. I hear the movie will be the big American attraction for Christmas 1988.

Madonna is right back at the top of the pile of popular celebrities, having smouldered from the covers of the most magazines over the months of October and November. The late Lorne Greene tied with Dolly Parton for second place, then came Pope John Paul 11, followed by the not-so-popular Jim and Tammy Bakker.

Next year Dolly Parton will spend about $llO million updating her "Dollywood” park in Tennessee. Dolly's television series has not been the smash hit the network thought it would be, and they have now cancelled the series.

Bo Derek has written a comedy series for TV. She will star in it and produce it — if the network picks it up.

The wedding of Florence Henderson and physician John Knapps was a sudden thing. Florence says that when they went to Las Vegas, where she was hostess of the Mrs America pageant, the sight of all those married women brought on the urge to get married. So she and John popped over to one of the Las Vegas chapels and got married. By the way, they have been an item for quite a few years. I wonder if she wants a large family like she had on the “Brady Bunch” TV series. Mind you, at her age this will be a problem ... but my lips are sealed!