http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=st...evision_mork_dc

Quote:

By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - NBC is extending its successful "Behind the Camera" movie franchise with "Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Mork & Mindy,"' a behind-the-scenes look at the 1978 ABC sitcom's instant success with a focus on the meteoric rise to fame of its star Robin Williams.

Canadian actor Chris Diamantopoulos, who starred in the Broadway version of "The Full Monty," has been tapped to play Williams. Production is slated to begin next month.

"The movie is a celebration of a great sitcom and the comic genius of Robin Williams," said executive producer Matt Dorff. "It also explores the downside of the show's overnight success when the network takes a hit show and tries to fix it."

"Mork & Mindy," a spinoff from a February 1978 episode of "Happy Days" that featured Williams as an alien from the planet Ork, had a tumultuous four-year run on ABC.

Casting the role of Williams was crucial to the project, and Diamantopoulos "knocked everybody's socks off" during the audition, Dorff said.

"There was no doubt that he was our Robin Williams, and we believe that -- like 'Mork & Mindy' was for Williams -- this is going be his springboard to TV stardom," Dorff said.

Neill Fearnley, who directed ABC's "Inside the Osmonds" from a script by Dorff, will shoot the NBC film from a script by former "Mork & Mindy" scribe David Misch.

The story also will center on Garry Marshall, executive producer of "Mork & Mindy" as well as of such comedy classics as "Happy Days," "Laverne & Shirley" and "The Odd Couple." Dorff described him as "an institution." The role is currently casting.

Dorff most recently wrote and executive produced the A&E Arnold Schwarzenegger (news - web sites) biopic "See Arnold Run."

NBC's "Behind the Camera" series has previously tackled "Three's Company" and "Charlie's Angels." Next up is a look at "Dynasty."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter


whomod said: I generally don't like it when people decide to play by the rules against people who don't play by the rules.
It tends to put you immediately at a disadvantage and IMO is a sign of true weakness.
This is true both in politics and on the internet."

Our Friendly Neighborhood Ray-man said: "no, the doctor's right. besides, he has seniority."