The Minneapolis Star from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 30

I Variety The Minneapolis Star Wednesday, June 18, 1980 2B 'Elephant' ambles lightly lit' Wn4i VSP .5 1 til through TV's sitcom jungle an elephant in his apartment. But Eugene's attorney j. Previewed by KARL VICK Mlant tpoM st" Sutt Writer To state the obvious: A situation comedy about an elephant need not be heavy. This new entertainment dictum has been taken to heart by the people who made "Ethel Is an Elephant" (7 tonight, Channel 4). It Is television's only current situation comedy about an elephant, and it is as light as a mouse.

Also, about as significant. Therein lies some of its charm. Ethel is not a socially aware elephant. She is not even a symbol of scarce exotic wildlife or mistreated mammals. Ethel is simply an elephant that a young photographer (Todd Susman) finds chained to a railing one rainy day in New York City.

He sees she has a nail in her foot and removes it. Grateful Ethel breaks her bonds and follows the Samaritan home. Fortunately, the photographer lives in a spacious warehouse apartment. Unfortunately, his landlord (Eddie Barth) lives one floor down. And more immediately troubling, Ethel Is feverish because her foot is infected.

The photographer, whose name is Eugene, calls a veterinarian named Dr. Diane Taylor (Liberty God-shall). She is beautiful, and Eugene Is cute, and when Ethel's foot is better, Eugene tells Diane he loves her. Meanwhile, the landlord evicts Eugene for having (Howard Dimitn) taices lunuiuiu vun brings Ethel as an exhibit. This brings the landlord's lawyer to his feet shouting, "Your Honor, the defense is turning this courtroom into a circus!" 1 That's about all there is to the pilot of Ethel Is an Elephant." It's a gentle, whimsical and, most of all, cute little show that is much like a good children's book.

The opening sequence, which begins with the nail, has a musical charm that the rest of the half-hour doesn't duplicate, but doesn't discard, either. The winning whimsy surfaces every few sentences or so. The line about the circus is probably ths show's best. But it works better than you'd expect because the actor who delivers it (Stephen Pcarlman) doesn't pretend it's a big joke. In fact, you get the feeling that everybody in this cast is having plenty of fun.

That must go for the people behind the scenes too, because even when they have Eugene wax weakly philosophical about people, like his landlord, who get mean living a rigid life, he finishes his declamation by saying: "You gotta take chances. Or you never know how good it feels to hug an elephant." The advance screening of this ihow was provided free to The Star by WCCO-TV end CBS. Todd Susman plays a photographer who befriends an elephant named Ethel New news works for WTCN-TV (Carman, from Page ib) TV Tonight share figure was 43. Assisted by its dominance in the late afternoon and early evening and by CBS' first-place ranking in prime time, Channel 4 had more viewers than Its competitors in the aggregate averages for the broadcast day. Channel 5, however, is the most-watched station In the Immediate metropolitan area.

Block KSTP-TV, 20 (20); "All In the Family," KMSP-TV, 17 (19); "The Newlywed Game," WTCN-TV, 17(16). KSTP-TV still shows its greatest drawing power at 10 p.m. Arbitron said 41 percent of the people viewing TV at 10 watch "Eyewitness News" on Channel 5. The Nielsen Advertisement Advertisement i a rs mil 5 Specials Ethel Is an Elephant. (Pilot) A photographer rescues an abandoned baby elephant, then wants to make her a pet over his landlord's objections.

(Ch. 4, 7 p.m.) Series PM Magazine. A visit to an off-. shore oil rig, and a look at comicbook collecting. (Ch.

4, 6:30 p.m.) Prisoner: Cell Block H. Bea tricks I Peter into revealing the identity of the mysterious new prisoner. (Ch. is, 6:30 p.m.) Family. Buddy worries about not "doing well on her college entrance exams, while Annie's classmates are jealous when she does too well in school.

(Ch. 5, 7 p.m.) Real People. Features on a pig-. guarding monkey; a hobo convention in Iowa; a school for unicycle 'riders and classes for vacuum cleaner salesmen; and a visit to modern-day lumberjacks in a logging camp in Oregon. (Ch.

11, 7 p.m.) Great Performances. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Georg Solti, performs Schubert's Symphony No. 6 and Symphony No. 8, the "Unfinished Symphony." (Ch. 2, 8 p.m.) Charlie's Angels.

(Repeat) The angels must rescue two college students who have been kidnapped by white slavers. (Ch. 8 p.m.) Aspen. Conclusion. Tom appeals Lee's murder conviction to the Su preme Court.

(Ch. 9, 8 p.m.) Diff'rent Strokes. (Repeat) Arnold and Willis find that running a home brownie factory isn't all sweetness. (Ch. 11, 8 p.m.) Facts of Life.

Blair wins a poetry contest with a "borrowed" poem. (Ch. 11,8:30 p.m.) V'egaS. Counterfeit chips mean big trouble for Roth's casinos, and Dan Tanna is enlisted to find the culprits responsible for them. (Ch.

5, 9 p.m.) Quincy. Quincy investigates a young gymnast's death. (Ch. 11, 9 p.m.) Movies That's Entertainment, Part II. (1976) A nostalgic look at clips from 75 MGM musicals, introduced by Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, who also dance together for the first time in 30 years.

(Ch. 4, 7:30 p.m.) They Made Me a Criminal. (1939) A boxer believes he has murdered a man and runs from a persistant detective. (Ch. 5, 2:40 a.m.) Documentaries China: Land of My Father.

U.S. journalist Felicia Lowe visits members of her father's family in mainland China. (Ch. 2, 9:30 p.m.) Late Night The Best of Families. The Wheelers, Raffertys and Lathrops of 1977 find themselves facing similar situations to those faced by their ancestors in 1880.

(Ch. 2, 10:30 p.m.) Bonanza. Hoss saves a dejected prize-fighter bent on committing suicide, then tries to cheer him up by introducing him to his girlfriend. (Ch. 4, 10:30 p.m.) Jim Rockford, Private Investigator.

Rockford stays one step ahead of federal agents in a hunt for a missing stockbroker. (Ch. 9, 10:30 p.m.) Tonight Show. Carson's guests are Carl Reiner, Roberta Flack and Peter Ustinov. (Ch.

11, 10:30 p.m.) Love Boat. A computer-dating specialist thinks he and Julie would be a perfect match. (Ch. 5, 10:50 p.m.) Bill Movers' Journal. A look at political action committees and their growing effects on legislation.

(Ch. 2,11:30 p.m.) The Rookies. Lt. Ryker and Jill Danko are endangered by an embittered ex-con. (Ch.

4, 11:30 p.m.) Streets of San Francisco. Steve goes undercover to investigate the murder of a war protester. (Ch. 9, 11:40 p.m.) Tomorrow. Snyder visits Wayne Newton in his Las Vegas home via remote coverage.

(Ch. 11, midnight.) Donahue. (Replay) The male mid-life crisis is the topic when Michael McGill, author of "The 40 to 60 Year Old Male," visits. (Ch. 4, 1 a.m.) LmU'V' Dill I I a j- a i i 1 1 i CBS finished first in the ratings week that ended Sunday.

It averaged a 14.9 rating in prime time, and 28.8 percent of the viewing audience. NBC was second with a 13.C rating and a 26. 1 share. And ABC was third with a 12.4 rating and a 24 share. Here's the order of finishing among prime-time programs: 1.

Jcffersons (CBS) 2. Dallas (CBS) 3. Alice (CBS) 4. Trapper John M.D. (CBS) 5.

MASII(CBS) 6. 60 Minutes (CBS) 7. Dukes of Hazzard (CBS) 8. Bridge at Remagen (NBC) 9. Phyl and Mlkhy (CBS) 10.

Three's Company (ABC) 11. CHIPs (NBC) 12. Taxi (ABC) 13. WKRP In Clnnrinatl (CBS) 14. Diff'rent Strokes (NBC) 15.

Knoll Landing (CBS) 16. Facts of Life (NBC) 17. (Tie) When the histle Blows (ABC) House Calls (CBS) Real People (NBC) 20. Quincy (NBC) 21. Lou Grant (CBS) 22.

Little House on the Prairie (NBC) 23. Benson (ABC) 24. Archie Bunker's Place (CBS) 25. (Tie) The Love Boat (ABC) Women In White, Part 1 (NBC) 27. One Day at a Time (ABC) 28.

Women In White, Part 2 (NBC) 28. Happy Days (ABC) 30. (Tie) Laverne and Shirley (ABC) Vega (ABC) 32. Station Hawaii (CBS) 33. Hart to Hart (ABC) 34.

Mork and Mindy (ABC) 33. (Tie) Getting Married (CBS) Disney's Wonderful World (NBC) 37. Barney Miller (ABC) 38. (Tie) Barnaby Jones (CBS) Charlie's Angels (ABC) 40. Omnibus (ABC) 41.

(Tie) Family (ABC) King Crab (ABC) 43. Incredible Hulk (CBS) 41. Gtrl In the Park (NBC) 45. (Tie) Semi Tough (ABC) Union, Landon, Landon (CBS) The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (NBC) 48. (Tie) ABC Monday Night Baseball (ABC) Captain America (CBS) Buck Rogers In the 25th Century (NBC) 51.

(Tie) Panic at Lakewood Manor (ABC) BJ and the Bear (NBC) 53. Prime Time Saturday (NBC) 34. Tenspeed and Brownshoe (ABC) 55. Sanford (NBC) 56. White Shadow (CBS) 57.

ABC News Closeup: To Die for Ireland (ABC) 58. Me and Maxx (NBC) 59. Here's Boomer (NBC) 60. CBS Reports: The Return of the CIA (CBS) 81. The Waltons (CBS) 62.

Rockford Files (NBC) 83. One In Million (ABC) 64. Bad Newt Bears (CBS) 63. 240-Robert (ABC) 86. Joe's World (NBC) 67.

Stockard Channing (CBS) 68. A Man Called Sloan (NBC) 69. John Denver Special: Higher We Fly (ABC) Television Listings Warning- The Surgpon General Has Determined i 1 that Cigarette Smoking Is Dangerous to Your Health, whi -w 0 9n9 m'cw'ein, HC hian Dec 79 fiJSGJ -1 Ipca licco 1kfp 1(DKMSP Wednesday p.m. 5:00 Sesame Street 5 PM Report Hogan's Heroes Brady Bunch M'A'S'H Studio See Cronklte News AbC World News Dick Van Dyke Newscenter 11 6 KM) Re bop 6 PM Report Fyewilness News Tic Tac Douih NBC Nightly News :30 MacNeilLehrer PM Magazine Cell Block All in the Family Newlywed Game 7KK) Dick Cavett Ethel an Elephtnt Family Gunsmoke Real People JO Pavarotti Movie: That't Family Gunsmoke Real People 8:00 Solti Conducts Entertainment, Charlie's Angels TV Novel Diff'rent Strokes .10 Schubert Part II" (1876) Charlie's Angels "Aspen" Kacts Lite 9:0 Solti Conducts Fred Astaire TV Novel Quinry China Gene Kelly Prime Time News Quincy 1AKK Dad's Army 10 PM Report Eyewitness News Santord Son Newscenter 11 11 Best of Families Bonanza ABC NewsLove Boat Rockford, Private Tonight Show Best of Families Bonanza Love Boat Investigator David Steinberg Bill Moyers' TheRookies LoveBoat (1 1:40) Streets of Kelly Garrett Thursday 10:00 Journal The Rookies barelta San Francisco Tomorrow LU News Replay Baretta 1 Zone Tom Snyder 1:00 Phil Donahue (1:10) News Replay (1:20) Gong Show "Merv Griffin :30 Replay (1:40) Match Game (1:50) News Replay Merv Griffin 20 All Night News. (2:10) Little Rascals Famify Affair :30 Weather, Sports (2:40) Movie: Adam 12 3:60 Update "TbeyMadeMei Mavberry R.F D.

.30 News Criminal" (1939) Dating Game 4:00 News John Garfield Ironside :30 News Claude Rains Ironside 50 News Selected Short What's New? :30 News Subjects What's New? 6:00 Thursday Morning NewsFarm Report 700 Club PTLClub :30 (6:45) Weather Thursday Morning Country Day 700 Club PTLClub 7:00 Maggie 4 Machine F'red Flintstone Good Morning Popeye Today :80 Mister Rogers Cartoon Time America Underdog Tom Brokaw 8 KM) Sesame Street Donahue wtopic Good Morning Bullwinkle Today :30 Sesame Street Battered Women America Kroffl Superstars Today 9:00 Electric Company Crosswits Twin Cities Today I Dream of Jeannie Card Sharks Studio See Alice Twin Cities Today Candid Camera Hollywood Squares Making Things Grow Price is Right Laverne Shirley Perry Mason High Rollers :30 Daniel Foster M.D. Price is Right Family Feud Perry Mason Wheel of Fortune UKM) Love Tennis Young and Restless $20,000 Pyramid Bold Ones Bob Newhart :30 Sesame Street Young and Restless Ryan's Hope Bold Ones Password Plus 1 :00 Sesame Street Midday All My Children Ghost and Mrs. Muir Days of Our Lives 1.4:30 Mister Rogers Search for Tomorrow All My Children Percentages Days of Our Lives 1:00 Electric Company As the World Turns One Life to Live Dinah and Friends The Doctors .30 To Your Health As the World Turns One Life to Live Dinah and Friends Ano'her World 2 KM) Over Easy Guiding Light General Hospital Dinah and Friends Another World Dick Cavett Guiding Light General Hospital Groucho Another World 3:00 Bill Moyers' Joker's Wild Match Game Casper I Love Lucy :30 Journal Mike Douglas Emergency One Popeye My Three Sons 4:00 Mister Rogers co-host Emergency One Munsters M'A'S'H :3 Sesame Street Claude Akins Happy Days Again Gilligan's Island Welcome Back Kotter 50 Sesame Street 5 PM Report Hogan's Heroes Brady Bunch M'A'S'H :30 Studio See Cronkite News ABC World News Dick Van Dyke Newscenter 1 1 6 KM) Rebop 6 PM Report Eyewitness News Tic Tac Dough NBC Nightly News :30 MacNeilLehrer PM Magazine Cell Block All in the Family Newlywed Game 7 KM) Dick Cavett The Walton Mork Mindy Gunsmoke Buck Rogers in the 40 Sneak Previews The Waltons Benson Gunsmoke 25th Century 8 KM) All Creatures Barnaby Jones Barney Miller TV Novel Movie: "Cry of :30 Great and Small Barnaby Jones Families "Harvest Flome" the 9' -oT Odyssey LT" Knots Landing 2020 Parti Rod Taylor S0 Odyssey Knots Landing 2020 Prime Time News 'Joanna Putin irii n.H' army 10 PM Report 'Eye witness News Sar.ford Son 1 1 Exit 10Nomadic Bonanza ABC NewsCharlie's Rockford, Private' Tonight Show Livei Bonanza Angels Investigator Gregory Peck :30 Nomadic Lives The Rookies Charlie's Angels (11:40) Streets Martin Mull I A GLACIER NATIONAL PARK 12Weekty Train Trips July 1 Aug 28 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK 6 Weekly Train Trips July 16-Aug 7 CANADIAN ROCKIES 2 Train Tripa July-AutMAuoSept. CUlTOUtlOCUMUlM IMKl If UtNT 01 TIAVU NtUQUUTEIS. MC.

mcrn. will have to hum rr and more co.il in the luttirc. Amtrak i Tours National Wats 1-800-533-0363 Minn. Wats 1-800-722-9351 Kill do you know the or example, burninneoal ean lui noui rainfall into atid. killing crops and dumafin) v.

ikllile Kcninninn loniglil. in a two part "Special Assignment'' report, AKC News correspondent Roger I'etersim examines the plentiful energy sou it wilh the deadly side eltei Is. You tan't afford lo miss our news this week. Meet new, interesting people ABC News WORLD NEWS TONIGHT mi Closed etplhat ivlitble tor the ittl tnd heiring Imptlrtd. moo Pr546 8131 rrognm luiingi ut turmsn oy ine unworn na unions, ine itr a not Tsponsioie iot uamnmiuncea caMngn..