The Herald-News from Passaic, New Jersey • 82

Soap Opera Scene Gbulet's favorite Inside? Nlcolette Goulet has been playing the coveted role of Mary Ryan Fenelli in "Ryan's Hope" since the day after New Year's and she's just beginning to come down from cloud nine. The very pretty daughter of singer-actor Robert Goulet and his first wife flashes those gorgeous blue eyes of hers (inherited from her famous dad, no doubt) and says, quite honestly, that she still has a great deal to learn about working on a soap. Dally 2 4 4 ...9 Monday 12 Tuesday 13 14 Thursday 1 6 Friday. ...18 Saturday 20 TV I.Q. 22 TV Puzzle 23 Nlcolette Goulet she rehearsed, then flew to Las Vegas on a Monday morning and opened the following Wednesday.

It was baptism by fire, to say the least, but it all worked out well. Nikki would like to continue with her singing and work up a nightclub act, but that's in the future. For the time being, Nikki is content to play Mary in "Ryan's Hope." Incidentally, Nikki said her dad has become a fan of the soap. When she spoke to him recently, she asked him if he wanted a list of the dates she would be on the show, and he said not to bother since he'd be watching anyway. YOU MIGHT SAY that Nikki (most everyone calls her Nikki) got her part through her father, but only indirectly.

John Gabriel, who plays Seneca Beaulac in "Ryan' Hope," was Robert Goulet's understudy during the Broadway run of "The Happy Time," and it was John who suggested Nikki read for the part of Mary when the producers were shopping around for a new actress to play the central role. "I had watched the show when it first went on the air with Kate Mul-grew playing Mary and it was one of the few soaps I had ever seen. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to read for the part but I honestly didn't think I would get it." Nikki's manager is her mother, whom she also calls her best friend. They share digs in New York City and Mom, a former model, gives Nikki pointers and, discusses all her career moves. Nikki worked with her father a couple of years ago as part of the group of four backup singers in his nightclub act.

"My dad called me one day and asked me if I wanted to work with him and after I swallowed hard, I said, He then told me to meet him in San Francisco on the following day." NIKKI'S MOTHER urged her to go, saying she'd never forgive herself if she didn't try it. So Nikki headed for San Francisco where On the itSteve Guttenberg stars in the title role of "Billy," a 19-year-old whose "Walter Mitty" flights of fancy keep getting tangled up with the hard realities of his real life. The comedy airs Monday nights at 8 o'clock on CBS-TV. James Gallery plays his long-suffering father (who calls him a chronic liar), Peggy Pope portrays his mother (who says Billy is just going through a phase), and Paula Trueman plays his grandmother (who claims, "He's "Billy" is a John Rich Production in association with 20th Century-Fox Television. Other stars include Michael Alaimo as Billy's employer, and Bruce Talkington as his friend and co-worker.

Channel log 0 WCBS New York CBS WNBC New York NBC WNEW New York IND WABC New York ABC WOR New York IND- WPIX New York IND (9 WNET New York PBS 0 WNYE New York PBS WNYC New York PBS a WXTV Peterson IND a WNJM Montclair PBS 8 WNJT Trenton PBS 8 WBTB Newark IND 8(E) Madison Square Garden Sports (Cable) Program information is supplied by the respective stations and is correct as of that date. All stations reserve the right to make changes in programming at their HBO Home Box Office (Cable) Sunday Herald-News, Week of March 18, 1979.