F I by JAMIE PORTMAN Being Totally in His Own Self-Inter Love to Sit Down and Isolate Myself Southam News Est
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18 — The Prince George Citizen — Monday, January 26, 1987 Entertainment HILL STREET'S DET. NORMAN BUNTZ TNK FAR SIDK By GARY LARSON Bend-the-rules cop on roll f i by JAMIE PORTMAN being totally in his own self-inter love to sit down and isolate myself Southam News est. and puf all my energies into writ STUDIO CITY, California - A “Norman may cut corners but he ing. But these days, I have to put few years ago, TV Guide maga really believes the decisions he all my energies into Hill Street.” zine named Dennis Franz its Vil makes are the best outlook for the A lot of his fan mail comes from lain of the Year. averagt citizen. law enforcement officials. He won the title as a result of “What I like about the character “Policemen write me and say five Hill Street Blues episodes in are his wonderful extremes. they identify with Buntz and wish # n which he played a sleazebag cop Although he’s hard-edged, he’s also they Qould be like him.” named Sal Benedetto. capable of great sensitivity. You Considering the nature of the For Franz — who had also don’t know where he’s going from character he plays, Franz is sur played seedy types in a number of minute to minute.” prised that he has yet to receive a Brian de Palma shockers — Bene Franz finds himself sharing negative letter. Female viewers detto was an assignment he tackl some of his character’s views on have proved avid fans. ed with relish. the justice system. “They‘find Norman very attrac In this profane, shifty-eyed insult “Norman is skeptical of the legal tive,” Franz chuckles. “So they’re system. He feels that* too often to law enforcement, he created as constantly sending him chewing jj /•/» odious a crook as had ever slunk criminals get off. I happen to share gum and ugly ties.” across the TV screen. No activity Buntz’s feeling that too often guilty — be it graft, a frameup or calcu i / a people are let loose.” lated murder — was beyond his ca Franz considers himself a “con \J, ii/C) pacity. servative” as far as upholding the Ml, I WAS THiNKIN6 REMEMBER HOW VOU IT'S THE SORT OF TMIN6 Benedetto eventually came to an ■ - v law is concerned. “On other social ABOUT you LA5T NI6HT U5EP TO TELL ME I WE KIMP OF LOOK BACK WA5T0O0LP FOR YOU? appropriately unpleasant end. As FRANZ issues, I don’t consider myself a ON ANP LAU6H ABOUT for Franz, the powerful quality of cojaservative.at all.” ISN'T IT? his work convinced MTM Studio of Indeed, there’s talk of resurrect He is also co-author of Bleacher ficials that he had to be used ing Franz in his own Detective Bums, a play about fans of the Chi again. Norman Buntz series should Hill cago Cubs. He starred in the origi That’s why last year, Dennis Street go off the air at the end of nal stage production in his home Franz returned to Hill Street Blues the current season. town of Chicago as well as the New — this time as a regular — in the Off-screen, Dennis Franz is an York run and the PBS television newly created role of Lieut. Nor affable soul who loves children and version. The latter won him an man Buntz. animals (he goes jogging with a Emmy. • (WHAT THE HECK ARE V O O ? ^ I THOUGHT CHICKS WERE I THOUGHT SHEEP WERE SUPPOSE? « T .i s = — 1 c j y 50PP06EP TO BE VELLOW TO BE CUTE, CUPPLY ANP PLAVFO L “MTM has really taken an inter pair of 85-pound mutts named However the play’s greatest suc ANP FLUPFV j ----- est in the development of this char Bigelow and Gallagher), worships cess has been in Los Angeles A acter,” Franz says in an interview. the Chicago Cubs, and would like where it’s now in its fifth year. “For me, it’s been the most rew more time to attempt some serious He loves acting for the live thea- arding job I’ve undertaken.” creative writing. tre, but as long as Hill Street Blues But as Franz tucks into a chick “There’s no doubt that Norman is running, he doesn’t feel able to en salad at a restaurant down the Buntz often operates on the border commit himself to any stage work. street from MTM Studios, he readi line,” Franz says. “But he’s not What he also misses is time to do ly admits that Buntz is far re like Benedetto who was completely more writing. “ I make notes for moved from the simon-pure, high- self-serving with whatever he did various ideas, and I know I would principled policeman symbolized by Hill Street precinct’s Captain Frank Furillo played by Daniel J. Travanti. Rawlins was songwriter r ^ A / iatb&t c “From Norman Buntz’s first iMVgMTiO t\ , L . appearance last season, he was TORONTO (CP) - Bruce Raw Performing Rights Association of ’THeeuMflse'. marked as the ‘bad apple’ in the lins, songwriting partner with Ca Canada. .A precinct,” he declares. “It’s fasci nadian country singer Terry Car- A skilled artist, Rawlins was also nating the way viewers are attract isse, has died of cancer at Ottawa a vice-president and the creative ed to him.” Civic Hospital. He was 46. director of Banfield Seguin Ltd., an Buntz is cynical and coarse. He The award-winning duo, who Ottawa advertising firm. He de chews gum, and favors loud sport were friends for 25 years, got a signed the logo for the Neighbor jackets and grotesque neckties. boost to their careers in the mid- hood Watch program- used in many He’s suspicious of a legal system 1970s when the Mercey Brothers Canadian cities. which allows so many criminals to recorded some of their songs. Car Carisse, named best Canadian go free, and on the grounds that ol Baker and Marie Bottrell have country male singer four times, the end justifies the means, he is also recorded their compositions. cancelled a weekend engagement prepared to cut corners to serve Rawlins and Carisse were named in Hamilton. what he considers to be the cause top country composers in 1981 by of justice. the Canadian Country Music Asso Franz cites one notorious episode ciation, and their song Counting in which Buntz is enraged when a the I-Love-Yous was named coun THE punk killer is acquitted on a techni try song of the year in 1985. They cality. “He stalks the kid and received nine awards from the GOLDEN eventually executes him — alleged ly in self defence.” Prince George I CHILD But that’s just one side of Buntz. District Community Warning:M a/ Over the past year he’s also dis Arts Council's Showtimes 7 & 9 p.m. frighten young children, some played a rough but ready wit as HELD OVER 7th WEEK violence and well an emotional vulnerability. coarse * m i language. B.C. Thanks to the excellence of Hill Director. Street’s scriptwriters and to the YOUR ARTS CENTRE multi-faceted quality of Franz’s performance, he has emerged as 562-4526 one of the most interesting and or- o complex characters in the series. 'V vo Indeed, the addition of Franz is cited as a major reason for a dra matic jump in Hill Street’s ratings HELD OVER 2nd WEEK over the past year. "Thoroughly enjoyable" — Wayne Clarkson, CANADA AM CTV "Very witty.” — Ron Base, TORONTO STAR "A monster hit.” — Bruce Kirkland, TORONTO STAR W arning: Occasional coarse language and swearing. B.C. Director. SHOWTIMES 7 & 9 P.M. Guess who’s playing doctor? Richard Pryor is in C ritical C ondition HELD OVER J f e . i, INI I’I I X O lM ( >N 2ND WEEK A PARAMOUNT PICTURE cvtikkt c wi ' " I Ml AIR I GUIDf — TJ E M it nutMun rcnMl cwnMnoa ■CTIEEfiEZE u i mm m e m o • Warning: Very coarse & suggestive lan guage. Occasional violence. B.C. Director CHUCK LOU SHOWTIMES 7:15 & 9:05 P.M. MoM.tfR&BBRD Hello.dear I DO you UNCLE PtflLSFtO VOO m o m ?- NORRIS t s GOSSETT IS ftTTHE FRONT HflM&ITME FOR THROUGH THE Located In the ^ofcAuj a * * UJHRTSflFCGEV? SHOWS 7:00 & 9:00 DOOR. Tea? KITCHEN & ' IaMnqou) y B.C. WARNING: Some violence. C IN EM A 1 [occasional swearing.I f l R € W A L K € R The M aG rath sisters LAST FINAL WEEK — 1st Time In Dolby Stereo sure have a Nominated for 3 Golden Globe Awards Including Best Motion Picture — Comedy — Muscial way with m en! DUNDEE PAUL HOGAN There's a little ol him in oilol us B.C. WARNING: Occasional very coarse Shows: 7:05 & CINEMA 2 (*An*Q language and swearing 9£5~p.m. 5 m e o f j s m e m m m NOMINATED FOR 2 GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS HOW )M fm W C6 w it h u o c a l ASKEP HER IF M Y INCLUDING BEST ACTOR • DRAMA • HARRISON FORD. o r a n o la is c m m a l o n g. BOPY WRNCP HER ON.. sue SAlP A tl SHE /W QO YOU KNOW WANTS OVT OF A LO W WS W tFZ HUTCHING A m rsu esA ip r f v y s k a u y A t e ' u r s I f t SHORT snvcsm sm um tm e TO KISS ANP A SHOOIPCR O N B O T H TO CRY O N." INIkjT.INMINTC.anur DEL0 r&b c o w r S s RELEASE5E L O A l Warning: Occasional violence, nudity and swearing.