The Town Talk from Alexandria, Louisiana • Page 68

asms "S' Mrs. H.Q., Memphis, Tenn. A. To the best of our knowledge, there is no touring Lawrence Welk Band. Q.

What ever became of "The Days and Nights of Molly I thought it was a big hit according to all that I read. How come it hasnt been back. J. Cromwell, Ind. A.

"The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd" is set to return to NBC in March. Keep your eye on the listings. Q. Please settle a disagreement with a friend. She says Loretta Lynn, Crystal Gale and Dottie West are all sisters.

I say lust Loretta and Crystal are kin. K.F., Anchorage, Alaska A. You are right. Dottie West belongs to the big sisterhood of country sisters but she is not related to real life sisters Loretta and Crystal. Q.

Is Tommy Lee Jones going to have a new series? What has he done lately? D.P., San Antonio, Texas A. Tommy Lee Jones's latest theatrical release was "The Big Town" with Matt Dillon. He also had a leading role in the cable TV film, "Yuri Nosenko, K.G.B." He is not slated to star in his own TV series at this time. Q. Is "Cagney Lacey" definitely going off the air after this season? I tape the show occasionally but if this is the last season I will tape it every week.

H.D.R., Sarasota, Fla. A. In TV, nothing is written in stone. However, all indications point to the current season being the last. Q.

Please tell me the names of Patrick Macnee's co-stars in "The Avengers" and the characters they Played. C.L., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada A. Patrick Macnee's Jonathan Steed had Honor Blackman as his original co-star, Cathy Gayle. By the time the series reached the U.S., Diana Rigg was cast as Emma Peel. The final female Avenger was Linda Thorson, who played Tera King.

By John N. Goudas Q. I am thrilled that "Happy Days" is coming back with new shows. When will it begin? I will be happily counting the days. P.L., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada A.

Sorry it's not. You'll have to content yourself with reruns. This is hardly a time In which a show tike "Happy Days" would find the success it found originally. Q. It was good to see Candice Bergen in "The Mayflower Madam." Did she ever marry and does she have any children? A.B., Albany, N.Y.

A. Candice Bergen is married to French film director Louis Malle. They have a young daughter named Chloe. Q. I saw a surprisingly sophisticated show called "The Thorns" and enioyed it immensely.

It's so far above the mundane sitcoms that one has to put up with these days. O.D., Memphis, Tenn. Q. Are they kidding with "The This is the worst comedy show that I have seen in many seasons. I thought it was going to be good, but it's awful.

D.V., Staten Island, N.Y. A. These two letters above prove that there is an audience for everything and two sides to every Issue. The mailbag tends to agree with the latter evaluation. Q.

I like "The Law and Harry McGraw" and I particularly like Jerry Orbach. Is he the same guy who originated the part of El Gallo in the musical "Fantasticks?" I saw the show over 25 years ago in New York on my honeymoon. Mrs. E.G., San Antonio, Texas A. Jerry Orbach has sung in many musicals, both on and off Broadway.

He was the original El Gallo in "The Fantasticks" which, incidentally, is still running in the same theatre in Greenwich Village where you saw the show on your honeymoon. Q. I heard Lisa Bonet was busted for cocaine and will not be on "A Different World" anymore. I am saddened by this news. T.W, Delmar, N.Y.

A. You have been misinformed. Lisa Bonet wasn't involved with any drug busts. She is healthy, and happy that her show "A Different World" is doing so well in the ratings. Q.

Does the Lawrence Welk band still play concerts with a different leader? I heard they travel around the country, mostly in the south. Is this true? (Because of the volume of mail received, TV Mailbg can answer only letters of general interest and cannot make individual replies. Address all letters to TV Mailbag, King Features Syndicate, 235 E. 45th St. New York, N.Y.

10017). Stern's broadcast black mark for cable television view idea was formulated. Since pay-per-view entries aren't subject to FCC regulations, this format seemed ideal for Stern's outspoken brand of humor. The live telecast was carried by about 40 cable services (mostly in the East) at the going rate of $19.95. As it turned out, the 2Vi hour cablecast of Howard's party would have been overpriced at 19 cents.

The show was bone-achingly dull and stupe-fyingly simple-minded. Howard the Vulgarian insisted that his audience get down to their underwear before he would admit them to the studio. Howard soon ioined them by stripping down to what looked suspiciously like a leather lock strap. Even the talented Penn Teller couldn't save the night with their usually droll magic act. By John N.

Goudas Saturday, February 27, 1988 should go down In history as the night Howard Stern single-handedly set back cable pay-per-view a millenium or two. The controversial radio personality (Howard holds court for four hours every morning on New York's WXRK-FM) hosted "Howard Stern's Negligee and Underpants Party" on pay-per-view. His outlandish antics on radio have earned him a reputation as Radio's Raiah of Raunch. Awhile back. Fox Broadcasting looked Into the possibility of finding a weekly spot for the unorthodox Stern.

But try as they might, Fox and Howard lust couldn't come up with a suitable pilot. For a time, It looked as if Howard Stern would be confined to radio forever until the cable pay-per- PAGE 32 TOWN TALK, Alexandria-Pineville, March 12, 1988.