Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 63

As? (5 Leis we Asbury Park Press March 30, 1983 C19 Art director Thorn Birds9 ii multi-talented ives ABC lead fessional Nielsen Ratings By BOB THOMAS The Associated Press LOS ANGELES How does the art director fit Into filmmaking? Lyle Wheeler can tell you. His art direction has 4S'J ft drawn 29 nominations from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and five Oscars, including one for "Gone with the Wind." He started in the movie business in 1930, and at 78 he still helps young works say this means that in an averajge prime-time minute 20.8 percent of homes with television were tuned to ABC. CBS leads by one rating point in the current season'which runs from Sept. 27" to April 17. The season-to-date averages are CBS 18.4, ABC 17.4 and NBC 15.4.

Here are the week's Top 10 shows. Ratings are based on percentage and actual number of homes (in millions) viewisg each program.The week's Top 10 The Associated Press LOS ANGELES "The Thorn Birds," a miniseries about a priest torn between love for a woman and his dedication to God, carried ABC to a major victory as the current television ratings seasons nears its end. The opening chapter of "The Thorn Birds" on Sunday was seen by an audience estimated at 80 million by ABC. It had a rating of 39.5 and a share of 55 percent. The A.C.

Nielsen Co. ratings for the week ended March 27 placed ABC 4y2 ratings points ahead of CBS. In all, ABC estimated that 95 million people saw at least some part of the first two episodes. In a special six-city survey, the miniseries got an average rating of 41.9 for the second chapter Monday night, which was not counted in the weekly ratings for March 27. "The Thorn Birds" opener fared slightly better in the national ratings than "The Winds of War," which ABC telecast in February.

"Winds of War" was second only to "Roots" as the highest-rated miniseries. The opening-night chapter of "Winds" had a national rating of 39.1 and a share of 53 percent. The 10-hour "Thorn Birds," adapted from the best-selling novel by Colleen McCullough, concludes Wednesday night. ABC was first in the network averages with a rating of 20.8. CBS, which still leads the ratings for the season, was second with 16.3.

NBC was third with 14.6. The net- Program Ritlng-HomM Ntwk. 1. Th Thorn Birds 39.5-32.9 AIC 2.60Mlnutn 26.6H-22.2 CtS 3. Dallas 25.1V20.9 CIS 4.

Dynasty 24.6H-20.S A8C 5. The Fall Guy 24.3H-20.2 ABC 6. Tha Love Boat ABC 7. Intimate Agony 23.5H-19.6 ABC 8. The A-Team 20.5H-17.1 NBC 9.

Mignum.P.I. 20.4H-16.9 CBS 10. Simon Simon 20.3H16.9 CQS "The art director really designs the physical background of the picture," says Wheeler. "He creates the sets and today he also advises on color. He has to know architecture, and he needs to know how the picture can stay within its budget.

In some cases, he will help the director find locations." WHEN AN ART DIRECTOR wins an Oscar, the set decorator on the same film is also awarded. "The set decorator actually dresses the set, finds the furniture, fixes the props, under the supervision of the art director." Wheeler was born in Cambridge, graduated from the University of Southern California in architecture, industrial design and art history. Jobs in architecture were scarce during the Depression, so Wheeler heeded a friend's advice to seek a job at MGM. He left the studio a few years later to join David 0. Selznick's independent company.

He worked on Selznick's "Gone With the Wind" for three years. During that time, Wheeler also designed "Rebecca" and other Selznick films, always returning to "Gone With the Wind." He toured the South for research, then designed and built Tara at the Selznick studio in Culver City. Wheeler moved to 20th Century-Fox, where he worked 18 years and won his other Oscars for "Anna and the King of Siam," "The Robe," "The King and and "The Diary of Anne Frank." He virtually built the back lot, which was a wonderland of English villages, 1890s New York Streets, lakes and jungles. It now contains the silver towers of Century City. THE ART DIRECTOR'S WORK often starts even before the writing of the script.

He advises on how and Hart are tha next 10: "On the Mississippi," 20.0 pr 16.6 million, CBS; "Three's Company," 19.6 or 16.3 million, ABC; "Hart to Hart," 19.0 or 15.8 million, ABC; "That's Incredible," 18.6 or 15.3 million, ABC; CBS Tuesday Night Movie "The Other Woman" and NBCTs "Real People," 18.5 or 15.4 million, tied; "Little House: A New Beginning," 18.3 or 15.2, NBC; "The Dukes bf Hazzard," 17.7 or 14.7 million, CBS; "9-to-5," 17.6 or 14.6 million, ABC; "Hill Street Blues," 17.3 or 14.4 mil lion, NBC. Tonight the story might be filmed most effectively. "I never try to influence the writer," said Wheeler. "But I may advise him on how the story can be staged without breaking the budget." When the script is completed, the art director starts making sketches and exploring locations. Then he works on the plans for construction.

"ft takes time for an art director to 'unlearn' said Wheeler. "You don't design a 91 University Place. Princeton. Paper Mill Playhouse "Suite in Two Keys, "8 p.m.; (through April 3); Brookside Drive, Millburn Township. ATLANTIC CITY Bally's Park Place Park Cabaret: "More Outrageous!" with comedian Kelly McDonald, 8 and 11:15 p.m.; $10 plus two-drink minimum; Park Place and Boardwalk.

Caesar's Cabaret Theatre: Nelson Sardelli, 9 p.m.; $10 and $15; Regency Bar: The Classics, B.L.T. and lllusia; Sand Bar: Bobby Dickerson, no admission fee; Arkansas Avenue and Boardwalk. Claridge Palace Theater: "Ain't Misbehavin'," 3 and 8 p.m.; Indiana Avenue and Boardwalk. Golden Nugget Elaine's: Billy Daniels; Boston and Pacific avenues. Resorts International Hotel ft Casino Rendezvous Lounge: Steamheat, On the Loose, Sunspots, Victory, Sam Butera and the Wildest; North Carolina Avenue and Boardwalk.

Tropicana Hotel ft Casino Wild Swan Lounge: Frankie Fanelli, Grimm Raye, Rich Kelly Friendship, Mary June Maranda: Iowa and Boardwalk. uilding the way it would be in real life. You have to iscard what is unimportant, so it won't clutter up the ilctura. It's important to have a silhouette and to CONCERTS Newark Museum Planetarium "Music Under the Stars." p.m. (through March); 50 cents, adults only: 49 Washington Newark.

LECTURES Douglass College "Achieving Women in the Eighties," by Eleanor Holmes Norton, 7:30 p.m.; free; Voorhees Chapel, George Street, New Brunswick. Stockton State College Vietnam Veterans Day observance with speeches by Lynda Van Devanter, 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; free; Jim Leeds Road and College Drive, Galloway Township. THEATER Dam Site Dinner Theater "The Mating Game," 6:30 p.m. dinner, 8:30 p.m.

show, (through April 24); 1213 Sycamore. Tinton Falls. McCarter Theater "A Delicate Balance," 8 p.m. (through April 17); avoid having too much detail too high it won't be seen. "You design a column not how it would normally Oscar-winning art director Lyle Wheeler leafs through photos taken for some of the many films on which he has worked since the 1930s, including "Gone with the Wind." ver Dam, the Hanalei Plantation in Hawaii, site of "We had no painters during 'Anna and the King of "South Pacific," Jungleland and many public and he recalled.

"Everything had the color of private buildings. His long studio experience has white plaster (it was a black-and-white movie)." taught him to improvise, especially during labor dis- Wheeler recently watched part of "Gone With the be, but 'how It would look when it is lit on a set. You design a corridor with perspective so it looks three to five times longer than it really is. Otherwise it would require three stages." putes. Wind" on television.

His assessment: "The color is not good enough by today's standards; the blues are too blue. But it still has the compositions we strove so hard to achieve. It's still a beautiful picture." Art directors have learned to work with actual locales. "Advise and Consent" was filmed in offices and houses in and around Washington. "THE ONE PLACE we couldn't shoot was the U.S.

Senate," Wheeler recalled. "I was given permission to spend a day in the Senate chamber with a photographer; I made sketches and he photographed everything. The Senate was rebuilt on a stage at Columbia studio, exactly to scale and with every detail, down to the carvings on each of the desks." -ZeKl AT allaqbeis1 Wheeler has designed the ornamentation for Hoo- ENJOY EASTER DINNER WITH US FULL COURSE BAKED HAM DINNER WITH EASTER BASKET CENTERPIECE gL OTHER ENTREES AVAILABLE AISO MTU RESERVATIONS WHOLE IAKED HAM DINNERS SERVED FAMILY STYLI MONOAV TO nOAV FROM 11 CJH. -1 pJR. TRY OUR DAILY DINNER SPECIAL8 INCLUDES: CUP OF SOUP.

UNLIMITED SALAD BAR, CHOICE OF 6 ENTREES DAILY ROME- 999 MADE BREAD, BEVERAGE a DESSERT 4 VISA MASTER CARD ACCEPTED COUNTRY VILLAGE COFFEE SHOP COR. 537 195 (Exit 16) JACKSON iv Mil From QrMt Advantur (609)259-9764 I. ffrrtasterSundatj hftljj Overt rresh Popeoers 7T House Salad uit SKriwp "Potatoes Served Family Style Chocolate Mousse CofiTeeTea FULL COURSE TRADITIONAL Easter Dinner with a view BAKED HAM UITH FRUIT SAUCE ADULT WITH FRUIT SAUCE ADULT 2.99 cm. SIEVED ROM 11 AJLlelMl 1 8EE THE EASTER BUNNY 12 to 4 PM CATERING FROM Mr I -At the key boards BAKING DONE ON PREMI8E8 complete dinner starting at $9.95 i 0 1-7PM MXXICAN DtUtZt MOW A VAILABUT 4 "op our young guests HIBACHI fin I WEDME I WEDNESDAY (SHRIMP STEAKCHICKEN i COMBINATION txkraSpecial $2P tntireChildrerisMeno Easter Sunday Dinner 1:00 P.M.-5:00 P.M. Appetizers Choice of One Chilled Garden Tomato Juice Fresh Florida Fruit Cup Norwegian Herring in Sour Cream Pink Shrimp on Ice $4.00 Extra Soup Chef Vichyssoise Jellied Madrilene Chicken Consomme Brunqise Salad Easter Salad Mimosa Entrees Roast Vermont Turkey.

Giblet Gravy 9.95 Roast Leg of Spring Lamb, Mint Jelly $10.50 Roast Prime Ribs of Western Beef, Au Jus $12.50 Broiled Boston Scrod, Lobster Sauce $10.95 Creamy Whipped Potatoes Mashed Sweet Potatoes Buttered Garden Peas Glazed Carrots Desserts Fresh Baked Apple Pie Lemon Meringue Pie Chilled Melon with Sherbert A Selection of Ice Creams and Sherbets Coffee Tea Sanka Milk Children Under 12 Less Reservations Recommended All Major Credit Cards Plus Japanese Onion Soup, Vegetable, dies, fresh salad, bean sprouts, tried rice, ice I cream, green tea. 12 Years and Under- $1195 also Available COMPLETE DINNER Please present this coupon before being served with SALAD BAR 16.95 i i NITE SPECIAL fm 1 ym mUJi ialad uMI potato MftmI tnm i WJL to II M. hi i aji Tl i l01 nations Nl Cmmrm Exfirf April IT, 1983 "Now ServinSTSHU SASHll Celebrate Your BIRTHDAY Here! We assign a chef to you and a private section of the restaurant. r-J oil anhni 4Cte Mil 11 -775-600 If HAPPY HOUR 1 DULY LjA 410 7 PM al Iha i. -m HOLIDAY INN RT 96 WE8T LONG BRANCH 870-3362 Route 35.

Red Bank NJ 07701 (201) 747-2500 CS-4CT VXX Cawy Jones rjwnM, Rt tC9. Yrtfc IX I'-.