Creator Of ‘Star Trek’ The Logical Choice For Film-Story About Encountering Aliens

A hitherto-unknown script from the late “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry is being planned as a film, director Phillipe Mora says.

Called “The Nine,” the script tells the story of Roddenberry’s exploration of extraterrestrial phenomena on Earth. Roddenberry spent a year of his life researching the project after being commissioned in 1975 by a group in England called Lab Nine.

“Lab Nine believed there was going to be alien contact with human beings and said they were told telepathically that they should prepare man culturally,” Mora said. “One of the ways they were to do that was to make a motion picture about alien contact.

They thought the logical person to write it was Gene, because of the impact of ‘Star Trek’ at the time.”

Mora explained the film would deal with both scientific and paranormal aspects of the issue.

‘Melrose’ premiere to air

Fox is dusting the cobwebs off the very first episode of its steamy “Melrose Place,” and will air it March 27 at 8 p.m.

It’s a can’t-miss show for those who didn’t get hooked on the Aaron Spelling series until sometime after this 1-hour pilot aired on July 8, 1992.

This gem includes the scene where Alison (Courtney Thorne-Smith) meets Billy (Andrew Shue) for the first time, and appearances by Steve (Ian Ziering) and David (Brian Austin Green) from “Beverly Hills, 90210.”

The show is also a collectors item of sorts, because it includes original-but-now-departed characters Sandy Louise Harling (Amy Locane) and Rhonda Blair (Vanessa Williams). Locane, the first to leave the cast, was with the show only for a short period.

Guns N’ Roses milestone

Guns N’ Roses hit a milestone in February when the group’s 1987 debut “Appetite for Destruction” passed the 13 million mark in sales, making it the largest-selling hard rock album in history, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

“Appetite for Destruction,” on Geffen Records, has also become the second-best-selling debut after Boston’s self-titled album, which holds sales of 15 million copies.

Not to be outdone, the biggest-selling artist of the past decade, Garth Brooks, also scored in February. His “No Fences” jumped to 13 million, setting a record for a country release. His most recent release, “The Hits” collection, topped the 5 million mark, becoming the best-selling greatest hits compilation of the 1990s.

NBC wins sweeps month

Anyone care about February sweeps results? NBC was the big winner; CBS the big loser, though mostly because it had Winter Olympics in February ‘94.

Nationally, NBC had a 12.6 rating and 20 share; ABC, 12.1 rating/19 share; CBS, 11.7 rating/19 share; Fox, 8.1 rating/13 share. (Each ratings point equals 954,000 homes, and a share is percent of sets in use).

‘Full House’ evicted

“Full House” is being canceled after a successful eight-year run on ABC, though it could land at another network. ABC pulled the plug because the show has proven too costly, after success gave Bob Saget and the rest of the cast very large paychecks. Oh, gee, what will those darling Olsen twins do now? A finale airs in May.

Danza comeback

Return to sitcomland: Tony Danza (“Who’s the Boss?”) begins work on the pilot for a new ABC comedy series this month. No title yet, but Danza plays a divorced ex-cop who shares custody of a young son with his former wife.

It takes no imagination

Yet another old television series will get a bigscreen makeover as producer John Davis has negotiated a development deal for “It Takes a Thief” with Universal Pictures.

Davis Entertainment and Joseph Singer Productions will develop a feature version of the old Robert Wagner TV series. While no star is attached to the project, sources indicated that Davis and Singer hope to attract Michael Douglas to star in the film.

“It Takes a Thief” debuted on ABC on Jan. 9, 1968, and ran until Sept. 14, 1970. It concerned a cat burglar named Alex Mundy, played by Wagner, who gets blackmailed by the U.S. government into performing larceny on behalf of his country. Fred Astaire had a recurring role as Alex’s father.