ABC Makes Schedule Changes


The astounding success of the game show WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE is causing major changes in the ABC-TV lineup. The show, hosted by Regis Philbin, is about to become a regular series and will air three evenings a week starting in late January. To make room for the new series ABC is pulling the plug on two freshmen series SNOOPS and ODD MAN OUT.

There had been a raging debate among ABC executives about whether to keep MILLIONAIRE as a series of specials or to make it a weekly series. Given the outstanding ratings the series enjoys, and the fact that ABC is desperate for hit shows, it was decided to make MILLIONAIRE a weekly series. Time will tell if viewers will enjoy the regular version as much as they do the specials.

USA Network Commits to made-for-tv moviesThe USA cable network has made a major commitment to produce between 24 and 30 major television movies a year. The total budget for all these movies is well over $100 million.

Some of the projects under production at USA include biographies of Boxing Champion George Foreman and the late Basketball Superstar Wilt Chamberlain. I'll have more information on these and other USA pictures as their air dates draw near.

Here are my television viewing recommendations for the week of December 4th. Enjoy.

Saturday, December 4th AMY GRANT: A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER, CBS, 8:00 - 9:00 p.m., PST Tony Benett and 98 Degrees join Amy in this holiday special.

AN AMERICAN CHRISTMAS CAROL, Fox Family Channel, 10:00 p.m. -12 a.m. Henry Winkler stars in the 1979 made-for-tv twist of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Winkler stars as a Scrooge-like character in the 1930s United States.

Sunday, December 5th A CHRISTMAS CAROL, TNT, 8:00 - 10:00 p.m., PST Patrick Stewart stars in this new production of the Charles Dickens classic tale.

TUESDAYS WITH MORIE, ABC, 9:00 - 11:00 p.m., PST Jack Lemon and Hank Azaria star in this made-for-tv movie based on the best-selling book of the same name.

Monday, December 6th MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, ABC, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m., PST The Minnesota Vikings square off against the Tampa Bay Bucs in this battle of rivals from the so-called "black and blue division" of the NFL.

AND SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS, CBS, 10:00 - 11:00 p.m., PST A variety of music stars including Ricky Martin, Babyface and Charlotte Church perform holiday favorites.

Tuesday, December 7th FROSTY THE SNOWMAN, CBS, 8:00 - 8:30 p.m., PST The late Jimmy Durants provides the voice of Frosty in this animated classic which first aired in 1969.

The copyright of the article ABC Makes Schedule Changes in American Television is owned by F. Colin Kingston. Permission to republish ABC Makes Schedule Changes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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