‘Grace’ Needs More Than A Few Prayers
The Nielsen ratings are in for the first two weeks of Patty Duke’s “Amazing Grace” on NBC and … Let me put it this way. I hope you weren’t planning on selling “Amazing Grace” souvenirs to the tourists this summer.
The show placed 53rd for its April 1 debut, which was shaky enough, but then it dropped to No. 78 on April 8.
These ratings are truly dismal: The show was dead last among all regular series on the Big Three networks, tied with something called “Double Rush” on CBS.
Let’s try to find some good news here. It beat the heck out of “Platypus Man” (88th) on that new Paramount network.
The even worse news is that “Amazing Grace” placed last in its time slot. The show’s 5.2 rating was beaten by “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” at 8.5, and an ABC movie called “A Horse For Danny,” at 6.5.
The final indignity, though, is that it was beaten even by “Cops” on FOX, at 6.6.
To complete the bad news, the April 8 episode should have been the one with the most drawing power. It was the Burt Reynolds episode.
It is still too early to pronounce “Amazing Grace” dead - only three out of the six episodes have been aired - but the chances of a fall pickup are looking grim.
An ‘Amazing’ predecessor
Now is an apt time to note that “Amazing Grace” is not the first network series ever filmed in Coeur d’Alene.
“The Yeagers,” a logging drama starring Andy Griffith, was filmed in the fall of 1979 in Coeur d’Alene, Wallace, Post Falls and along the St. Joe River.
Four episodes were aired on ABC in 1980, after which the series disappeared without a trace.
Not that I’m suggesting that there is some kind of parallel here.
Sad news from the Sweeneys
Julia Sweeney, the Spokane actress formerly on “Saturday Night Live,” has endured a pair of blows in the last month.
Her brother, Michael Sweeney, 31, died of lymphatic cancer on March 31 in Los Angeles. He was diagnosed with the disease last summer, and Julia had spent the greater part of the past year helping care for him. He was a 1982 graduate of Ferris High School.
And then, two weeks before Michael died, Julia was diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Fortunately, Julia’s surgery last week was a success, and doctors say the chances are good that there will be no recurrence.
We wish a speedy recovery to Julia, and our condolences to her parents, Robert and Jeri Sweeney of Spokane, and to the entire Sweeney family.
More news on KXLY
KXLY makes its bid for the lunchtime news audience with the debut of “KXLY Newsfour at 11:30” on Monday.
This 11:30 a.m. weekday half-hour show will be anchored by Rob Daugherty, Karen Kelly and Bob Day.
In addition, KXLY’s morning news show, “Good Morning Northwest,” will expand to 90 minutes. Beginning Monday, it will begin at 5:30 a.m. instead of 6 a.m. The anchors are Tonia Bendickson, Mark Wright and Bob Day.
The grand Hernandez
The consensus seems to be building: Spokane has another superstar baritone in the making.
Frank Hernandez, recent Whitworth graduate, is raking in prestigious international awards practically every week.
First, he earned a spot in the Luciano Pavarotti Competition semifinals, and he even got a 25-minute lesson from the Big Guy himself.
Then, he won the 1995 Marguerite McCammon Voice competition in Fort Worth, taking home $3,000.
Then, he won the George London Vocal Competition in New York, taking home $5,000.
Then, he won the second-place prize in the Puccini Foundation competition, which means that he will make his debut at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall on Sept. 16.
That’s quite a run for our boy Frank.
To hear what all the excitement is about, buy a ticket to the Spokane Symphony’s “War Requiem” by Benjamin Britten on May 12. Hernandez will take time out from his busy schedule of winning prizes to sing in that performance at the Spokane Opera House.
Glassy-eyed in Spokane
In an article two weeks ago about glass art, I neglected to mention the Douglas Gallery, 121 South Wall.
This gallery exhibits work by James E. Nowak, an Oregon glassblower and Pilchuck Glass School alumnus. His beautiful vases and paperweights are well worth checking out.
The gallery also has champagne flutes by Erte.
Jerry Kraft says goodbye
Jerry Kraft, the KPBX-FM theater reviewer for six years, has decided to call it quits.
Kraft said a family medical emergency helped him make the final decision.
He’ll finally get his weekends free, but he’ll be missed over the airways.
Two stations win awards
KXLY-AM, KXLY-4 and KHQ-6 won Northwest regional awards in the 1994 Radio-Television News Directors Association competition.
KHQ-6 won the TV Spot News Coverage award for “Wildfires.” KXLY-AM won the the Radio Spot News award for its coverage of the Riverside State Park fire.
KXLY-4 won the Best News Series award for “Growing Up Scared” about youth problems in the community, and Best Use of Video award for “Snowcat Skiing,” shot by Jim Bolzer.
Calling all kid’s choirs
Here’s the chance of a lifetime for a couple of Spokane area children’s choirs.
The huge Broadway production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” will come to the Spokane Opera House Sept. 26 through Oct. 1. The producers will be auditioning local amateur choirs of 18-22 children each, ages 9-14, to appear in the show.
Two are needed. They will be chosen during an all-day audition on May 4, in front of the show’s producers.
For a preliminary phone interview, choir directors should call Tim Peterson at 624-1520. Applications will be mailed to choirs that meet the eligibility requirements.
Brantley in Nashville
Joel Brantley, a 1985 graduate of University High School, will appear on the “Charlie Daniels Talent Round-up” Saturday at 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. on The Nashville Network.
Brantley has spent the last three years in Nashville, writing songs with Nashville native Jeff Reynolds. They are also recording their first CD.
The Inlander’s Bests
The Inlander issued its second annual Best of the Inland Northwest Reader’s Poll, and here are some of the winners in the arts and media categories.
Best TV newscaster: Nadine Woodward of KREM.
Best TV weathercaster: Tom Sherry of KREM.
Best TV sportscaster: Bud Nameck of KXLY.
Best radio team: KKZX’s Radio Men, C. Foster Kane and Jim Arnold.
Best artist (all arts): Sherman Alexie, poet and novelist.
Best acoustic musician: Paul Brasch.
Best local jazz artist: (three-way tie) Robert Vaughn, Planet Lounge Orchestra, Arnie Carruthers.
Best country band: The Kelly Hughes Band.
Best local rock band: Black Happy (now defunct).
Best local blues band: Too Slim and the Taildraggers.
Best local classical group: Spokane Symphony.
Best arts performance: “The Nutcracker.”
Best public festival: Pig Out in the Park.
Best local theater production: “A Child’s Christmas in Wales,” Spokane Civic.
Hampton jazz on CBS
Now that you are almost finished with Spotlight, I give you permission to run over to the TV and turn on “CBS Sunday Morning.”
This is the day they air their segment about the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho.
A crew from the show spent four days at the festival in February.
“CBS Sunday Morning” begins at 8 a.m. today.