The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • 71

THE SUN SECTION wp Personalities Television Comics FRIDAY MAY 19, 1989 JlK ieCTS tec I '5 i 1 i Vv A J3U "Miami Vice" launched the careers of Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas when it went on the air five years ago. --'i iitriiirwiiiijimiWiWiiLiilMiiiMriiir- 'j I 1 J' I Actress Fay Wray says she doesn't mM that her movie career has been overshadowed by "King Kong." Honest Michael Mann promises slick send-off for 'Vice's' Crockett and Tubbs PHOTOPRESS Fay Wray remembers when King Kong took her -and her career-to the top of the world By Kathryn Baker Associated Press New York BV BC is showing some class this week-. I end by giving its now-lukewarm but once sizzling detective series "Miami Vice" an honorable send-off in a spe-J cial two-hour conclusion Sunday. The series that launched Don Johnson's career and a wave of fashion trends is leaving the air after five seasons. Unlike ABC, which allowed its once-ballyhooed "Moonlighting" to whimper away in a so-so final episode that ended up at the bottom of the Nielsens.

NBC is giving "Vice" the coveted Sunday movie slot (9 p.m. on Channel 2 in Baltimore). The producers and the network have refused to pre-screen or discuss the episode in order to keep the ending a secret. But executive producer Michael Mann has a penchant for the dramatic. He ended "Crime Story" prematurely, it turned out by incinerating his villains with no less than an atomic bomb.

When "Miami Vice" premiered in 1984, it amazed Jaded television critics with its fresh writing, charmingly seedy characters and art deco Miami landscapes. The show derived from a now-fabled scribble of an idea by NBC Entertainment President Brandon Tartikoff "MTV cops." Anthony Yerkovich, a producer-writer on "Hill Street Blues," created the characters and wrote the two-hour pilot, which still stands as one of the best cop shows ever. The look came from Michael Mann, then a relatively obscure film director Jericho Mile," Thier) who knew how to put film and rock music together in a way that made hair stand up on the back of necks beginning with the opening montage set to pounding, synthesized Caribbean rhythms created by Jan Hammer. Thomas Carter directed the first episode, and American TV entered a new era of style cool colors, hot sounds. Straight-from-the-charts music such as Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" wafted from television speakers in the middle of network prime time.

The show didn't catch on in the ratings until summer reruns, when word of mouth got around. In later seasons, the kids' favorite show met its ratings demise, ironically enough, at the hands of CBS' aging, night-time soap "Dallas." In the beginning, "Vice" viewers were as intrigued by the characters as the color scheme. Don Johnson was a virtual unknown, with a credit list of failed pilots and ignominious movie parts. But he connected with Sonny Crockett, a down-at-the-heels former football star who lived on a boat guarded by an alligator named Elvis. See MIAMI VICE, 4E, Col.

4 By Cbxis Kaltenbach pend just a few minutes talking with Fay Wray, and you discover just what a together monkey King Kong was. Sure, Miss Wray was a beautiful young woman few who have seen the 1 933 film classic will argue with that. From a libidinous point of view, Kong's behavior rarely has been questioned. What the film doesn't really tell the viewer, but what even the briefest of conversations reveals, is just well, what a nice person Fay Wray is. After all, this is a woman who, for 56 years, has had the world's biggest monkey on her back.

Living in Los Angeles with her third husband, neurosurgeon Sanford Rothenberg, she's an actress who's appeared in more than 75 films, and yet is remembered almost universally for one. And she swears that's OK by her. "I don't object, because it's a very good movie, it's a very interesting and very entertaining movie," Miss Wray, 81, said during a recent interview in Washington, where See FAY WRAY, 3E, Col. 1 Fay Wray covered her own dark red hak with a blonde wig to play opposite the furry Kong. INSIDE Keillor: not too shy to return to airwaves with a new show i Goal to entertain tops list as WNUV revamps its lineup i I tmUt.t (11 I Associated Press San Francisco Garrison Keillor, whose "Prairie Home Companion" stories about mythical Lake Wobegon warmed radio audiences for 13 years, said yesterday he'll be returning to the U.S.

airwaves with a series after a two-year absence. His "American Radio Company of the Air," to be produced by Minnesota Public Radio, will feature sketches, monologues and a variety of American music. The program will be performed before theater audiences In New York, St. Paul, and other cities in a 12-show series to be broadcast live on Saturday nights starting Sept. 30.

(It could not be determined last night if Baltimore's public radio stations. WJHU-FM or WBJC-FM which have been airing rebroadcasts of "A Prairie Home Companion" would carry the new program.) Mr. Keillor, who is in San Francisco for a public radio conference, said the show will have the music of Fats Waller, Aaron Copland, Leon- 3ee KEILLOR, 3E Col. 4 TIT By Henry Scarupa Channel 54, recently acquired by ABRY Communications of Boston, yesterday announced technical improvements and programming changes which officials hope will boost the independent station's goal of becoming "the entertainment station for Baltimore." ABRY is spending more than $2.5 million to replace the station's transmitter and antenna with a system that will triple its signal strength and enhance reception. By fall WNUV (Channel 54's call letters) should have signal parity with Channels 2.

1 1 and 13, the area's VHF stations. The new programming will feature movies as the chief viewer enticement. In addition. Channel 54 officials said they will avoid duplicating what other Baltimore TV stations are already doing well, such as news, soaps, sitcoms and network specials. "We're not here to do home shopping or put news on the air," said Dale Snyder, WNUV director of programming.

"We're here to entertain in a light fashion with programs that families can enjoy and to pit on a lot of movies. Our main goal is tp become the entertainment station full- Channel 54's movie library includes Dirty Dancing" starring Cynthia Rhodes, Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze. Judy Tenuta, above, says Sonny Bono knew in advance about her impersonation of Cher. Names Faces. 2E Baltimore Symphony Orchestra announces its summer lineup at Oregon Ridge, Stephen Wigler reports.

4E time, and our secondary goal is to become the movie station as much as possible." As Baltimore's only wholly independent TV station. WNUV is in a good position to tailor its programming to the needs of local viewers, officials said. General manager Gary Marshall, who doubles as ABRY's director of station development, emphasized viewers' interests would play an important part in determing programming. "One of the things we'll be doing is asking people what they want to see," he See WNUV, 4E, Cok4 Garrison Keillor's "American Radio Company of the Air" will feature music and monologues when it begins in September. Index Bridge 6E Comics 6-7E Dear Abby 51 Horoscope 7E Uz Smith 2E Television 4E.