The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 151

'Rosie O'Neill' public defender helps break Jewish stereotype MON. If ') Ik mm -f Rosie O'Neill (Sharon Gless) has her faith In Christmas restored when she defends an E.L.F., Sven Ingerson (Paul Williams) a member of the Exceptional Life Foundation on "The Trials of Rosle O'Neill," at 10 p.m. Monday on CBS. to many people of all faiths. In fact, executive producer Barney Rosenzweig says he got the idea from a Catholic priest.

It came in the last year of "Cag-ney Lacey," for which Rosenz-wieg was also producer, when Gless, as police officer Chris Cag-ney, was battling alcoholism. "In a small publication in the East," Rosenzweig says, "there was an open letter to Christine Cagney from a priest, who said, in effect, 'Why don't you try God, And if we had been on another year, I would have had her go back to Catholicism. Spiritually, there's a lot going on in this country. And I thought about such a character." Besides questions from CBS executives about the yarmulke, there were letters. Oh, not a whole lot, says a spokeswoman for "Rosie O'Neill." But, oh yes, some phone calls too.

And the questions they raised were important, and some were hostile. Some of the mail, according to Rosenzweig, said "it was OK to be Jewish, but why make a big thing of it? We also had letters asking how come Rosie isn't wearing a rosary or a crucifix." One big question, however, seemed to be why viewers were getting this so-called "stereotype" of a Jew with his yarmulke. And that reaction absolutely flabbergasts Rosenzweig, Rifkin and religious figures who support the vivid character of Ben Meyer. "My question," Rosenzweig says, "is how anybody can call this a stereotype when there is no other character like this on television." "The stereotype is usually a bent-over, pathetic character," adds Irwin Katsof, executive director of the American Friends of Aish HaTorah, an organization that educates Jewish adults about their heritage. "Here you have a guy who's involved in the world, who works in the public defender's office in downtown LA, and outside of his yarmulke you wouldn't know he's Jewish.

So where's the stereotype?" Actor Rifkin, notable as Meyer, concurs: "I'm astounded that people consider this character a stereotype. There's never been anyone on TV like this before, so to say it's stereotypical is insane to me. The guy's job comes first. I think Barney's doing something important with this." By RICK Du BROW Los Angeles Times HOLLYWOOD Ben Meyer considers it just part of his normal garb. He wears it every day," all through the workday, as chief deputy public defender in downtown Los Angeles.

It is a yarmulke, a skullcap associated with Jewish prayer and other occasions. Ben Meyer is a fictitious character who is Sharon Gless' supervisor on the new CBS series "The Trials of Rosie O'Neill" that airs at 10 p.m. on Monday. And some viewers and several Jewish CBS executives have questioned the use of the yarmulke on the weekly one-hour drama. Is it preachy? An affectation? Or just an intriguing dramatic device to make people think? In a recent episode of "The Trials of Rosie O'Neill," Meyer, portrayed by Ron Rifkin, gave his own answer.

Walking with O'Neill (Gless) from a Jewish cemetery that has been desecrated, he said he wears it for two reasons: "It gives me constant awareness that there's something above me God. It also lets the other people know that I'm very proud of who I am." Simple enough. He'll continue to wear the yarmulke in the series, which thus far has attracted a good-size audience. But in fact, there is much more significance to "Rosie O'Neill," because Ben Meyer, by simply being himself each week, is helping demolish Hollywood's old sensitivities to real portrayals of minorities. Despite the success of clearly Jewish lead characters in such past series as "Rhoda" and "The Goldbergs," Hollywood executives, particularly older ones, have been cautious in this area.

A concern was that most of the audience might not relate to such characters; less than 3 percent of Americans are Jewish. Last year, for instance, Jewish comedian Jackie Mason's highly ethnic "Chicken Soup" series was quickly canceled. But several other shows, "LA Law" and "thirtysomething," have presented significant portrayals of religious awareness by Jewish characters at a time when spiritual reawakening has become important 6:30 (MAX) Crazy About the Movies A profile Grace Kelly's dim career and marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco. (R) (cc) 6:30 (HBO) Family Playhouse "Home Sweet Homeless." When a mother loses her job, she must take her three sons and leave their home. (R) 7:00 (MTV) Awake on the Wild Side "Best Music Videos of 1990." (2:00) 9:00 (MTV) Daisy Fuentes "Best Music Videos of 1990" (3:00) 9:00 (SH) Moonstone Gem Follows the adventures of the Gun-derlings, little green people living atop a mountain.

9:30 (LIFE) Born Famous Robert Wagner; Cheryl Crane. 10:00 (DISN) Big Bird In Japan Big Bird and Barkley visit Japan, learning about Japanese food, customs and language. (R) 11:00 (DISN) Christmas Under the Umbrella Tree Holly, Iggy, Gloria and Jacob share their own favorite ways of celebrating the holiday season. (R) (cc) 11:30 (DISN) Frosty's Winter Wonderland Animated. Just as Frosty is about to marry, mean Jack Frost puts him into a deep freeze.

(R) 1 p.m. (AMC) This Is Your Life: Pat O'Brien Actor Pat O'Brien gets a surprise on Fay Wray's Show. 1:00 (MTV) Andrew Daddo "Best Music Videos of 1990." (3:00) 1:30 (HBO) Tim Burton Behind the Scenes: Edward Scissorhands Director Tim Burton goes behind the scenes of his new movie, "Edward Scissorhands." (R) 1:30 (SH) Carol Lelfer: Really Big Shoo Comic Carol Leifer performs at the Ed Sullivan Theater. (R) 4:00 (MTV) Yol MTV Raps "Best Music Shows of 1990." 6:00 (DISN) Lights Judd Hirsch narrates this animated Hanukkah story set in an ancient time when the Jewish culture was threatened. (R) 7:00 (AMC) This Is Your Life: Pat O'Brien See 1 p.m.

listing. 7:00 (MTV) 12 Hour Comedy Hour "Best Shows of 1990." 8:00 And Away We Go A look at the history of the auto industry. 8:00 (NASH) Oak Ridge Boys' Christmas Aboard the General Jackson river showboat in Nashville, Tenn. (R) 8:30 (NASH) Christmas, the Cowboy Way Riders in the Sky entertains with rope tricks, varmit dancing, songs and a zany Christmas story. 9:00 Secret Adversary Supersleuths Tommy and Tuppence track down a woman who could destroy the British empire.

(Part 2 of 2) 10:00 No Crying He Makes Inspector Wexford's Christmas is darkened by a missing baby. (Part 1 of 2) 11:00 (MTV) 12 Hour Comedy Hour See 7 p.m. listing 11:00 Allyce Beasley at the Improv Comics: Don Reed, Monica Piper, Fred Stoller and Dennis Blair. 11:00 (NASH) Oak Ridge Boys' Christmas See 8 p.m. listing.

11:30 (NASH) Christmas, the Cowboy Way See 8 30 p.m. listing. Midnight And Away We Go See 8 p.m. listing. 1 a.m.

Secret Adversary See 9 p.m. listing. 1:30 (SH) Carol Lelfer: Really Big Shoo Comic Carol Leifer performs at the Ed Sullivan Theater. (R) 2:00 No Crying He Makes See 10 p.m. listing.

3:00 Allyce Beasley at the Improv See 11 p.m. listing. CABLE MOVIES Hare are today's cabla movies and times. For descriptions, ratings and running times, see the Cabla Movie Guide, which starts on Page 27. MORNING 5:00 Hills of Oklahoma (WGN) 5:00 Dead Man Out (HBO) 5:40 Magic Moments (SH) 6:00 The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (AMC) 6:30 Broken Vows (MC) 7:30 Texas (MAX) 7:30 Animal Behavior (SH) 8:00 The Web (AMC) V4 8:00 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (HBO) 8:05 The Big Clock (MC) 9:00 The Stranger Wore a Gun (MAX) 8:30 Are These Our Children? (AMC) 14 10:00 Tragedy of Flight 103: The Inside Story (HBO) V4 10:00 Double Trouble (SH) 10:00 (Dollars) (MC) 10:00 The Unfinished Dance (TNT) 'A 10:05 My Husband Is Missing (TBS) 10:30 The Way We Were (MAX) 14 11:00 The Avenging Rider (AMC) 11:30 100 Rifles (HBO) V4 11:30 Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives (SH) V4 11:55 Two Thoroughbreds (AMC) 12:00 Rocket Gibraltar (MC) AFTERNOON 12:05 Three Wise Fools (TNT) 12:30 Soldier of Fortune (MAX) 1:00 Dot and the Smugglers (DISN) 1:00 Clarence (FAM) 1:05 Sunburn (TBS) 14 1:30 The Seventh Victim (AMC) 2:00 Lilith (MAX) 2:00 Loverboy (HBO) 2:00 The Karate Kid, Part II (SH) V4 2:00 A Thunder of Drums (MC) Vi 2:00 Lost Angel (TNT) 14 3:00 Fighting Father Dunne (AMC) 14 4:00 The Looking Glass War (MAX) 4:00 The Prince of Pennsylvania (MC) V4 4:00 Love Child (LIFE) 14 4:00 The Lawless Breed (TNT) 5:00 A Woman's World (AMC) NIGHT 8:00 Chances Are (MAX) 14 6:00 A Perfect Match (HBO) 14 6:00 Cactus Flower (SH) 6:00 Another Man's Poison (MC) 6:30 The Story of Snow White (DISN) 7:30 Imitation of Life (AMC) 14 8:00 A Child Called Jesus (WGN) 8:00 The Last Picture Show (MAX) 8:00 Pink Cadillac (HBO) 8:00 Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives (SH) V4 8:00 Look Who's Talking (MC) 8:00 Kings Row (TNT) 8:05 Miracle on 34th Street (TBS) 9:00 The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (DISN) 9:00 The Young Pioneers (LIFE) 9:30 Back Street (AMC) 10:00 Triumph of the Spirit (MAX) 10:00 Tragedy of Flight 103: The Inside Story (HBO) 14 10:00 Old Gringo (MC) 10:05 Once Upon a Starry Night (TBS) 10:15 Arizona Heat (SH) 10:45 A Stolen Life (TNT) 14 11:00 Back Street (AMC) 11:30 Rude Awakening (HBO) 11:30 23 Paces to Baker Street (DISN) 11:45 Getting It Right (SH) 54 12:00 Sister, Sister (MAX) 12:00 The Fantasist (MC) 12:30 Return of a Man Called Horse (WGN) 12:30 Imitation of Life (AMC) 14 1:00 Easy to Wed (TNT) 1:15 Out Cold (HBO) 14 1:30 The Story of Snow White (DISN) 1:35 Puppet Master (MAX) 2:00 Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (SH) 2:00 Look Who's Talking (MC) 2:30 Back Street (AMC) 2:35 Coast of Skeletons (TBS) 2:45 Twister (HBO) 14 3:00 The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (DISN) 3:05 A Return to Salem's Lot (MAX) 3:15 Her Highness and the Bellboy (TNT) 14 3:35 Old Gringo (MC) V4 3:50 Lady Godiva Rides (SH) 4:00 Cannery Row (WGN) 14 4:00 Hollow Triumph 4:00 Back Street (AMC) 4:50 Private Road (MAX) 4:50 Descending Angel (HBO) Pastorelli sees 'Murphy Brown' as stepping stone to stage, film The Baltimore Evening Sun Robert Pastorelli plays Timmons, Kevin Costner's traveling companion in "Dances With Wolves." You may have trouble recognizing him, since he looks nothing like the character he plays on "Murphy Brown." He's Elvin Barnecky, ever-present handyman to star Candice Bergen, on the TV sitcom.

'Murphy Brown' has been great for me," Pastorelli says. "I'm grateful for it, but I look on it as a stepping stone. My desire is to do more stage. I just started a theater group in Los Angeles. I'll do more television, but 'Here's no." Brown" is on CBS at 9 p.m.

Mondays.) Pastorelli is one of the first casualties in "Dances With Wolves." He dies when arrows pierce his chest. It is a particularly realistic sequence, and Pastorelli explains how it was done. "You want to make sure you know the first name of the special-effects guy," he said. "Actually, I wore a breast plate. Some of the arrows that 'hit' me were made to pop out.

Others were already in place when the cameras moved in, but others, those that 'pierce' my chest, were on wires," he said. "The wires guide them to my Sunday, December 16, 1990 TV WEEK Page 10 A i.