News

Lecture Series Features Tomlin

Celebrities Mary Tyler Moore, Marlee Matlin, The Hosts of The View, Lily
Tomlin and Maya Angelou will be featured in a new series of lectures at the
Providence Performing Arts Center, entitled Unique Lives & Experiences, beginning January 18, 1999 at 7:00 p.m. The
series will be sold by subscription only.

Unique Lives & Experiences' ground-breaking ``talk theatre'' concept is
the brainchild of producer Robert Benia. Predominantly geared toward women,
each lecture not only allows the audience to listen to the words, wit and
wisdom of the celebrity speaker, but also to participate in a question and
answer session.

Tuesday, April 13............Lily Tomlin

Beginning November 23nd, series tickets (includes all five lectures) go on
sale to the public and are available by calling (401) 421-ARTS (2787),
TicketMaster (401) 331-2211 or in person at The Providence Performing Arts
Center Box Office. Prices start at $99 for the series of five lectures. A 10%
discount on selected seats is available to Providence Performing Arts Center
subscribers and Providence Journal Press Pass Card holders when they show
their cards.

For more information on the Unique Lives & Experiences lecture series (It may be coming to a city near you!)
please visit our web site at www.uniquelives.com.


"Tea with Moussolini" Filmed
Earlier this year, Lily Tomlin filmed "Tea With Mussolini" for director
Franco Zefferelli. A tragic comedy about women during World War II,
the film stars Cher, Joan Plowright, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench and Lily
Tomlin.


Teen Learns About the Most Important Lessons In Life; Celebrities Answer the Call For Answers

BOSTON, Nov. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The question was simple. What was surprising was the number of answers that followed.

What began as a small Girl Scout project in 1993 has resulted in a newly released book called "The Most Important Lessons in Life - Letters to A Young Girl," by Virginia teenager Rachel Chandler.

"I guess I was just wondering about the meaning of life," says Chandler. "I wanted to know what was the most important lesson and what it takes to succeed."

After receiving answers from her mom and dad ("understanding the value of family" said her mom, while her dad answered with "perseverance") Rachel wrote letters to people she admired -- authors, politicians, actors and actresses, religious leaders and humanitarians -- asking for their advice. The response was astounding.

Rachel's parents had tried to prepare her for minimal results because of the busy schedules of the recipients. Their advice went for naught as the responses came in droves. "I thought I might get letters from a few people but I never thought I'd get this many."

Her favorite letters include those from Mother Teresa and novelist Danielle Steel. Mother Teresa told Rachel that Jesus and God love her and for her to be the sunshine of her parents and neighbors. Steel's letter was one of the first ones Rachel received, a 5-pager done on an old manual typewriter. Steel's primary message? "If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it."

In all, 74 letters were used for the book. Other letters that stand out for the 15-year old include the following: Lily Tomlin: "The human mind cannot hold two opposing thoughts at the same time so, if you hold a positive thought, you cannot hold a negative one." John Gray: "Always remember it is a loving family and relationships that provide a solid foundation for a lifetime of success and fulfillment."

Chandler, an honor-roll student who also suffers from dyslexia, continues to refer to her letters for inspiration. What has she learned from the experience? "My family briefly put their lives on hold to help me with my project, so I learned a valuable lesson on giving of yourself and what it takes to make a family work. I also hope people realize that even though it is OK to ask others for advice, sometimes the best advice comes from within yourself. I hope that my book can bring as much joy and comfort to others as it has to me."

"The Most Important Lessons in Life" (Element Books, $10.95) is available in bookstores or by calling 1-800-253-6476.

SOURCE Element Books, Inc.

CO: Element Books, Inc.

ST: Virginia

IN: ENT

SU:

11/23/98 05:07 EST http://www.prnewswire.com




'Murphy Brown' Tapes Final Episode

.c The Associated Press

By LYNN ELBER

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) - Candice Bergen and the cast of ``Murphy Brown'' shared hugs and tears as they filmed the final episode of their sitcom, which brought viewers a decade of laughs and an occasional controversy.

Among the guest stars making appearances on the hour-long finale of the show, which chronicled the fictional newsmagazine ``FYI,'' were Julia Roberts, Bette Midler and George Clooney, as well as Bergen's mother, Frances. The episode airs May 18 on CBS.

Bergen and the cast took the stage Friday night to a standing ovation from the studio audience on the Warner Bros. lot before shooting the 245th episode.

The show has slipped in the ratings recently, finishing 52nd in the Nielsen ratings for the first week of March.

Faith Ford, who plays newswoman Corky Sherwood, and Lily Tomlin, who plays executive producer Kay Carter-Shepley, each clutched tissues.

``We feel relieved. We didn't think we'd get through this,'' Ford said after the show. ``We were kind of emotional basket cases all morning.''

Guests in the audience and the stars gathered for champagne and cake in an on-stage celebration after wrapping the episode. Bergen and other cast members posed for souvenir photos for security guards and audience members.

The final episode carries Brown through her battle with breast cancer and sees her making a decision about whether to continue on ``FYI.''

``Murphy Brown'' became a centerpiece of political discussion in 1992 when then-Vice President Dan Quayle criticized a plot line that had the unmarried Brown having a child. He said it damaged family values.

When Bergen won her second Emmy for the role in 1992, she jokingly thanked Quayle and ``the members of the cultural elite.''

The final year's story line about Brown's breast cancer revived political debate. In one episode, Bergen's character smoked marijuana to ease the pain of chemotherapy - a move that drew both cheers and jeers.

When ``Murphy Brown'' went on the air Nov. 14, 1988, it merited attention mostly because it marked the move of glamorous film actress Bergen to a TV sitcom.

In an interview that year with The Associated Press, Bergen said seeing the first script about a hard-driving TV reporter fresh out of alcohol and nicotine rehab persuaded her to take the job.

``I wasn't quite ready to do a television series, but then there were whispers about this pilot script,'' Bergen said. ``Everybody was sort of grabbing it and there were little fingernail marks all over it, and they said, `You know there's this pilot script that's as if it's been written for you.

The other original cast members still with the sitcom are Charles Kimbrough as Jim Dial; Joe Regalbuto as Frank Fontana and Ford as Corky Sherwood. Grant Shaud (producer Miles Silverberg) and Robert Pastorelli (Eldin the houspainter) left.

AP-NY-03-14-98 0410EST

Copyright 1997 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without prior written authority of The Associated Press.