From March 1985: A V: THE SERIES interview with Lane (Nathan Bates) Smith from ENTERPRISE INCIDENTS.
Smith was a venerable TV and movie trouper, often cast as unsavory or unscrupulous business or political leaders (indeed, I was watching the original RED DAWN over the weekend and there he was as the town mayor... also an untrustworthy collaborator name of Bates. It's easy to believe the movie influenced the thinking of the weekly series, especially episodes like The Wildcats). His others great genre TV contribution, playing somewhat against type, was as Daily Planet editor Perry White in LOUS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTUTUES OF SUPERMAN the next decade.
This interview must have been carried out early in his run as manipulating businessman Nathan Bates in the ill-judged weekly incarnation of the NBC invasion franchise. He was one of a number of cast members (arguably all the most interesting characters... Or expensive talent) jettisoned in the mid-season purge which coincided with a hefty budget cut and simplified (LA as an "Open City" governed by Bates becomes a all-out war zone, albeit with a budget too small to realistically realise it) format. The writing was on the wall.
The show was cancelled the following year.
He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Nixon in the 1989 ABC teleflick THE FINAL DAYS.
Smith died, aged 69, in 2005.
The now-professional EI, having jettisoned its origins as a TREK fanzine was already tranisioning into SF MOVIELAND by running both logos.
a bit confusing having two logos and a fairly gross cover of baron ' bring me spice ! ' harkonnen.
ReplyDeleteV stands as a textbook example of how a once good show can fall apart so rapidly. It was bewildering and off-putting at how so many characters were either killed off or just forgotten about. It became so ludicrous that at one point, my brother turned to me and remarked : " its dynasty in space ! "