Hattiesburg American from Hattiesburg, Mississippi • 17

Tuesday, April 5, 1988 Hattiesburg AMERICAN 7B Off-center comic Ullman embarks on U.S. tour vr' fiwm .1 ff I I 1 ttfo, I let" Gannett News Service Whenever a visiting celebrity stops by The Detroit News for an interview, editors always ask permission for a staff photographer to take a picture. But no visiting celebrity in memory ever asked to take a picture of the staff photographer and the interviewer. That is, not until off-center British comedian Tracey Ullman blew into the office and turned things around. "Do you suppose we could take a photograph of you?" cooed Ullman, star of Fox Broadcasting's critically beloved sketch comedy series.

As her makeup person part of her three-woman entourage produced a Polaroid, Ullman told her interviewer: "You've got a bit of that classic Detroit guy's walk. Besides, we just want a little something to remember this all by." After completing her photo session, Ullman freely consented to the photographer's request for a series of pictures. Doing the unexpected has been Ullman's trademark in the two seasons of her half-hour Fox series, particularly in her rich and diverse assortment of characterizations. At its best which it usually is "The Tracey Ullman Show" suggests a fresh, youthful version of Carol Burnett's skit-com brilliance. Ullman's recent tour of the United States was a whirlwind promotional push for her show, sure, but also something of a fact-finding mission.

"I want to see America a bit, I really do," Ullman said. "Up to now, I've only been to L.A. and New York, and they make very disparaging remarks about Middle America there. I mean, Des Moines, Iowa, is the place network executives always talk about, like, "Would they like this in Des Moines? "They think you just want 'Facts of Life' and 'She's the that you really want that type of television, and I don't believe that you do. There's no intelligence, no truth in anything like that.

I think that you want something a bit smarter." While conducting her one-woman poll of popular tastes, Ullman is also taking notes on the personalities and mannerisms of people she's encountering, as possible springboards for future skits. She can use all the material she can get: Three separate sketches must be created for a single show. "We take pictures everywhere; we're taping people's voices," she said. "I'm taking it all in, and it's great. Some journalist once said I was a 'social and I thought, 'That sounds quite intelligent, doesn't So that's what I'm doing, I'm meeting people from a social satirist's point of view." In person, it's easier to believe Ullman as a social commentator than a zany comic.

She arrived in a gray pin-striped suit and severe black heels, the small braid protruding from her maximum-tease hairstyle the only hint of a wilder side. Like many comedians, she is not "on" all the time, but can lapse into a character or routine at the drop of an inspiration. She is the wife of a British TV producer, longtime U.S. resident Allan McKeown, and the mother of a 2-year-old girl, Mabel Ellen. Mostly, Ullman is reflective, articulate, steeped in British earnestness.

She is not wacky on command. "What do you say to wacky, zany comedienne type'?" she asked, a bit ruefully. "You play up to that a bit, but I'm quite reserved, really. Some of the stuff we do on the show is pretty smart; it's smart writing. I'm a thinking person." Born near London of British-Polish descent (her Polish father died when she was 6), Ullman began as a dancer and stage actress, winning the London Theatre Critics Award in 1981 for the play "Four in a Million." She has worked opposite Meryl Streep in the film "Plenty," and was introduced to the United States as a pop singer on the 1984 album "You Broke My Heart in 17 Places" and its girl-groupy single "They Don't Know About Us," a modest American hit that featured Paul McCartney on its video.

From 1981-83, she starred on a BBC series of sketch comedies called "Three of a Kind," a forerunner of "The Tracey Ullman Show." "Everyone liked that show, from every age range. It wasn't a late-night political thing, or a silly kids' 'Captain Bananas Whizzy Hour' type thing. It really covered a broad spectrum, and that's what I hope to do with the show here." Ullman wants to continue doing the show, as long as it lasts. vi in ri. 'Family Double Dare' to launch -t.

nominee Lasse Hallstrom Life as a about the world seen through the eyes of a group of kids; "When in Rome," starring Kate Capshaw as a New Yorker who flees to rural Rome, N.D. DISNEY DOINGS: NBC hasn't forgotten the kids. In bringing the Disney franchise back to the network, it has developed a "Disney Hour," with four rotating program elements. One week will feature a movie-entertainment-variety offering; the next will be a recurring "Absent-Minded Professor" series starring "Night Court's" Harry Anderson; the next week an action-adventure series; and the fourth week a new "Davy Crockett" series, with Fess Parker returning to his famed '50s role, joined by a young Davy. starring "Hill Street's" Michael Warren as a foster father.

NBC already announced a commitment for "Tattinger's," a New York-based drama from "St. Elsewhere's" producers. NBC's other comedy commitments: "Baby Boom," based on the movie and penned by the original screenwriters, Charles Shyre and Nancy Meyers; "Dear John," with Judd Hirsch as a man re-adjusting to single life after his wife leaves him; and "Channel 99," cited by Tartikoff as the "most innovative" of the lot. Marilu Henner stars as a program manager of the country's worst television station, in Elmira, N.Y. Pilots include a "My Two Dads" spinoff starring Dick Butkus; "The Big Five," created by Oscar Gannett News Service "Family Double-Dare" will join the Fox Broadcasting Co.

on April 9, as a prime-time version of the popular "Double-Dare" children's show on Nickelodeon. The new show will use two children and their parents as contestants competing for prizes. The winners go on to compete in an obstacle course appropriately called "the messiest minute on television." Marc Summers is the host of the show. NBC DRAMAS: Among the drama pilots under consideration at NBC: "Dream Street," by "thir-tysomething" creators Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick, about blue-collar life in New Jersey; and "Home Free," written by "Hill Street Blues'" David Milch, AP Pholo THESE CHILDREN in 1954 were among the first vaccinated against one of the most dreaded childhood diseases: polio. Although now largely conquered, polio continues to afflict a small number of people, including Emit Johnson, bottom photo, who have contracted it from the standard vaccine given in this country.

NOVA examines the controversy surrounding the United States vaccine policy on "Can You Still Get Polio?" It airs tonight at 8 on ETV. Si 1 A -v PICK THE STARS Academy Award jc tp- only in TV WEEK Alpha Chemical and Supply Petal Lawn 4 Garden Center FIRST PRIZE 20 off purchase, one time only PLUS! a Kodak disc 3600 camera Hattiesburg American FOURTH PRIZE Fuller Electrostatic carpet sweeper (retail value $37) MARGARETS KIM'S Dog Cat Grooming Pet Grooming FIFTH PRIZE 1 free grooming from Kim's SIXTH PRIZE 1 free grooming from Margaret's (includes both, dip, haircut, toenail, trim, ears cleaned, You pick the winning stars of the Academy Awards Pick all six categories correctly; best actor, best actress, best supporting actor, best supporting actress, best director and best movie. After the Oscar winners are announced on Tuesday, April 42th we will place all correct contest entries into a drawing. On Wednesday afternoon we will draw for the contest winners. Thursday, April 14th winners will -be announced in the Hattiesburg American.

Custom Furniture Selections SECOND PRIZE Additional 10 discount off of our already discounted price! PLUS! a Kodak disc 3600 camera Hattiesburg American 1 1 jf0tJf Design SEVENTH PRIZE Free shampoo and cut and blow dry UA Cablesystems THIRD PRIZE two free large pizzas! EIGHTH PRIZE Choice of Mickey Mouse telephone or an M-TV satin jacket No purchase Necessary. Look for the contest entry form inside TV WEEK (April 3rd issue). Where the stars ore.