Something Old, Something New to Keep Summer Season Fresh

In order to lure viewers back to the network this summer, CBS has literally dusted off threefilms that have been sitting on its shelf since they were produced in 1996. The trio--loosely characterized as quirky, fresh summer fare--will air next month.

All the films star well-known TV and feature film actors. One is based on a beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning play and another, a classic American novel.

“All networks are struggling to get a little fresh programming on during the summer,” explains Kelly Kahl, senior vice president of programming and scheduling for CBS. “We are happy to give people some things they haven’t seen before.”

First up on July 18 is an adaptation of Mary Chase’s classic fantasy comedy, “Harvey,” starring Harry Anderson as the gentle eccentric Elwood P. Dowd whose best friend is a 6-foot-7-inch invisible white rabbit. “Harvey,” which also stars Swoosie Kurtz and Leslie Nielsen, marks the last project of the Emmy Award-winning director George Schaefer.

Though it will be the first network airing of the movie, as recently as Tuesday, the Hallmark-produced film was running on cable’s Odyssey channel, which is partially owned by Hallmark Entertainment.

Next, Brooke Shields, Dylan Walsh and Rip Torn headline the dark comedy “The Almost Perfect Bank Robbery” on July 21. Set for July 25 is the romantic drama “Passion’s Way.” Based on Edith Wharton’s novel “The Reef,” the period drama stars Timothy Dalton and Sela Ward.

The reason, Kahl says, it has taken so long for these films to surface on the network is that the projects are “a little off the beaten path. The Sunday movie has been wildly successful in the past couple of years and these movies follow a certain pattern. Usually they have strong emotional appeal. They are stories of redemption. The best way to put it in a nutshell is the movies tend to flow real well out of ‘Touched by an Angel.’ So they have similar sensibilities.”

“Harvey,” “Perfect Bank Robbery” and “Passion’s Way” don’t. But, Kahl insists, “they are good movies and all have excellent casts with big-name talent. We haven’t been able to find a comfortable home for them before. Summer affords us the opportunity to give these movies the respect and treatment they deserve.”

So why didn’t CBS air these films the previous summers?

“You end up in a situation because of financial reasons you need to repeat [certain movies],” Kahl explains. “We call them ‘must-play movies’ that you necessarily have to air. This summer we had some openings so we were able to get these movies on.”

Kahl says there may be other films still on the shelf. “Every year, a few [movies] fall through the cracks,” he says. “Not to blow our own horn too much but our content is so strong and there is such an expectation [for our movies], that it’s easier to go with a movie you have a lot of confidence in that really fits the bill. During the summer there is less pressure and you feel better about taking a chance.”