Thanks to all the fans on the Chicago Hope Mailing List, who help keep me informed!

News

• The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER reports Mandy Patinkin (Chicago Hope) will star as Quasimodo in TNT's production of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME.
• VARIETY reports PICKET FENCES producer David E. Kelly is working on a sitcom pilot for NBC which will star FENCES stars Fyvush Finkel and Ray Walston as two relatives living together whose lives become complicated with the introduction of a young woman.
• David Kelly is also working on a legal drama for ABC called, "The Practice"
• Chicago Hope has officially been renewed for a third season by CBS! The CBS fall line-up will be announced May 2nd.
• Read the CBS Press Release about the April 29th, and May 6th episodes. Warning: Contains Spoilers
• Mandy Patinkin's return episodes will air April 29th and May 6th
• Peter Berg wrote episode 21, which will most likely air in April or May.
• Mia Sara (Kronk's ex-"girl"friend) will be returning for the 16th episode, "Women on the Verge"
• Dan Lauria (the transplantee in "Transplanted Affections") will return for episode 15, "Hearts and Minds"
• Chicago Hope has been greenlighted for 6 episodes next fall
• Sandra Bernhard will appear in the 14th episode (directed by Adam Arkin) as a replacement lawyer. Unclear if this is a one-time guest shot or a recurring role. Bernhard doesn't have a long-term contract, so it appears as if it was a one-time deal. She got the role by talking to Adam Arkin in a coffee shop, and mentioning she would like to appear on the show. Arkin took her up on her offer.
• David E. Kelley has written a feature film, which will star Michelle Pfeiffer, and is currently being filmed in North Carolina. The film is entitled "To Gillian on her 37th birthday"
• Chicago Hope was nominated for a Golden Globe in the Best Drama category (unfortunately no nominations for Best Actor/Actress)
• Peter MacNicol appeared in Dracula: Dead and Loving It (opening December 22), as Renfield.
• From Mandy himself: He will appear in two upcoming episodes, probably the 12th and 13th. One appearance confirmed by David Kelley to be on January 8th.
• Stephen Furst, of St. Elsewhere fame, will join the cast as a veterinarian December 11. According to J.M. Straczynski (writer/exec-prod Babylon 5), the appearance will only last two episodes. (Stephen Furst plays Vir on Babylon 5).
• David E. Kelley has an agreement to produce four one hours dramas, two with ABC, and two with Fox.
• David E. Kelley will also no longer be involved with the show on a day to day basis, and John Tinker will be the exec. producer.
• David E. Kelley's drama, The Pastor's Wife, didn't get picked up

Rumored

• The rumor mill continues about next season's cast. A variety of sources (USA Today and Washington Post) confirm that CH is indeed negotiating with Mark Harmon about joining the cast next season (Mark Harmon has experience with medical dramas having been on St. Elsewhere (working with John Tinker)) -- although nothing has been signed yet. Jamey Sheridan is almost certainly not coming back, and Roxanne Hart will be leaving (although whether she will return for a few episodes at the beginning of next season or just disappear is a question mark). The two sources disagree as to whether or not Mandy Patinkin will return for more appearances next season, and USA Today says there's talk of Christine Lahti not returning next season either.
• Entertainment Tonight seems to confirm the Mark Harmon rumor, stating that TV Guide says Mark Harmon will join the CH cast in the fall.
• A rumor based on hearsay and questionable sources: Roxanne Hart and Jamey Sheridan are definitely not coming back next season, and Vondie Curtis-Hall may or may not be back depending on a meeting with the producers and his agent. The rumor goes on to say that Mark Harmon (!) will join the cast next year.
• The National Enquirer (a wholly reputable source of gossip...) says that Roxanne Hart has been fired due to a largely inflated ego on the set. An "insider" claims she was difficult to work with, and would yell orders on the set. Her publicist (according to Enquirer) confirmed she has left the show, but said she was not fired.
• Ron Silver is in negotiations to become a recurring regular on Chicago Hope, playing the man we love to hate, Tommy Wilmette. Maybe he will buy the hospital...
• According to Entertainment Weekly, the following actors/characters may or may not return next season: Jayne Brook, Roxanne Hart, Thomas Gibson, and Vondie Curtis-Hall. John Tinker (exec. prod.) says he feels that 9 is large for an ensemble drama -- he'd probably prefer around 6. Although nothing has been set in stone yet, it's possible we may lose some more CHers.
• A weird rumour that Peter MacNicol's departure from CH was not as rosy and mutual as previously heard (quoted from MG): "...the Peter McNichol departure did not really come at his request. He was whining due to the fact the David Kelley was not writing a majority of the scripts, and also he was getting a little cocky. Kelley got wind of this, said, "O.k. Peter, I'll write the next one", and promptly wrote his ass off the show. To smooth things over, it was a "mutual" decision, but beleive me, it wasn't."
• Read some spoilers for the season finale from TV Guide.
• John Tinker claims that a Peter MacNicol return is not entirely ruled out (!!), saying: "Peter's got some ideas for his return, and I do too, and it wouldn't involve dreams or ghosts or anything like that" (!!)
• Sutton will be involved in a money scam, and involve both Grad and Hancock in the scam (remember the way he put Grad's name on a grant application without her approval?)
• A possible sexual harassment suit for Austin
• Look for a Watters romance in February.
• Apparently Sutton's introduction to the cast came down from above, Leslie Moonves, because he felt that the Austin character wasn't enough to offset Patinkin's departure. Jamey Sheridan, who plays Sutton, is disappointed with his lack of character so far.
• According to TV Guide (11/25), Kathy Najimy (Sister Act) will appear on several upcoming episodes of Chicago Hope as a psychiatrist who treats Dr. Shutt (Adam Arkin). She will be a manic-depressive psychiatrist named Barbara Konstadt.
• Hancock will get a love interest
• Camille and Aaron will be on again/off again
• Aaron and Kate will be a more "two steps forward, one step back" type relationship (a la Geiger and Infante???)
• Rumors persist that Geiger will return for an episode near the end of the season. TV Guide says that Mandy will indeed return for TWO episodes at the end of this season!
• Peter MacNicol may work with DEK on another series in the future

MandyScoop

Presented by Francis Robert Walters (HeyWizard@aol.com), a friend of Mandy's...

March 12, 1996 I spoke to the management office the other day, and although he's quite busy, he's got a message to call me. (He usually takes about 3 days or so.) From what I've gathered, he recently left Ohio from his tour, and is moving on to Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and then back to Philadelphia (where I will see him, hopefully have dinner, and relay your message...maybe even get you and autographed picture!) He'll be off to shoot an episode or two for Chicago Hope in late March or early April, and that should air come late April or May. By the way, one Chicago Hope episode takes about 3 days to shoot. So that's what I know so far.....the "latest."

Rumor To Reality

• For those of you with severe Alan Birch withdrawal, Peter MacNicol will appear in NBC's upcoming TV movie: "Abducted: A Father's Love": already aired (Peter MacNicol played an FBI agent in pursuit of Chris Noth's character, the father).
• Expect Austin to be embroiled in a child-custody suit, since she puts in so many hours at the hospital. Ron Silver will play Austin's ex-husband: Austin lost the custody suit, and only has her daughter on the weekends.
• In a shocking episode, "Leave of Absence," both Peter MacNicol and Mandy Patinkin left the show. The character Alan Birch was killed, and Geiger took a leave of absence, taking care of Alicia, Alan's adopted daughter.
• Jamey Sheridan joined the cast as Dr. John Sutton
• Aaron and Kate Austin indeed are beginning something -- of course, what, is anyone's guess.

Last updated on June 14, 1996