You have questions. I have some answers.
Q: 鈥淢urder, She Baked,鈥� a movie series on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel, is based on books by Joanne Fluke. The movies differ from the books. When a movie is made and very different from the book, where does the movie鈥檚 idea come from? Does a book鈥檚 author give up all say? Is the author asked to do a rewrite, or does the movie staff hire someone?
A: It depends. If an author has a lot of clout and wants some control, he or she may have the final say on an adapted screenplay. 鈥淔ifty Shades of Grey鈥� author E.L. James reportedly had absolute control over the screenplays from her books, enough to overrule scriptwriters and directors. In other cases, when authors sell the rights to their books, they give up pretty much all control. They participate only as much as the filmmakers allow. Producers, directors, stars, writers and studio executives all get ideas for how to make a movie better, or how to turn pages of print into images on a screen.
Stephen King, whose books have been turned into movies and TV productions, once told Deadline.com鈥檚 Mike Fleming Jr. that he expects approval of the screenwriter, director and principal cast when he makes a deal. But, he added, 鈥測ou start from the belief that these people know their business. ... I鈥檝e worked with an awful lot of movie people over the years that I think are very, very smart, very persistent and find ways to get things done. And I like that. ... If it doesn鈥檛 work so well, I can say, well, they went out and they gave their best shot but I didn鈥檛 have anything to do with it. I鈥檓 just a bystander in this car wreck.鈥�
Fluke, by the way, seems more than content about having her books turned into TV movies. She has promoted them on her website, and Hallmark plugs Fluke鈥檚 books on its site.
Q: I was wondering if 鈥淐hicago Med鈥� and 鈥淐ode Black鈥� will be back this fall. Both are good medical dramas.
A: NBC has ordered more 鈥淐hicago Med,鈥� and CBS wants more 鈥淐ode Black.鈥� Neither show is in its network鈥檚 fall lineup but they should return later this season.
Q: Back in radio I remember there was a show called 鈥淗op Harrigan.鈥� I was wondering who was the voice that played Hop, and who played Tank Tinker on the show. I believe it was Mason Adams. Am I right?
A: Sorry, no. 鈥淭he Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio鈥� says that 鈥淗op Harrigan,鈥� about two adventurers, starred Chester Stratton as 鈥淎merica鈥檚 ace of the airways.鈥� Two different actors, Ken Lynch and Jackson Beck, played Tank during the series, which originally aired from 1942 to 1948.
Q: I would like to know what years 鈥淭he Match Game鈥� with Gene Rayburn ran, and if he is still alive.
A: 鈥淭he Match Game,鈥� seen lately with Alec Baldwin hosting, has been the home of wisecracking and often naughty celebrities for than 50 years, with Rayburn often hosting. 鈥淭he Encyclopedia of TV Game Shows鈥� (continuing this week鈥檚 use of media encyclopedias) says it premiered in December 1962 as a daytime show, with Rayburn hosting what became a seven-year run. The series returned to TV in 1973, again with Rayburn, for nine years including daytime and prime-time renditions. After that string ended, it became part of a prime-time 鈥淢atch Game/Hollywood Squares Hour鈥� in 1983-84, with Rayburn hosting the 鈥淢atch Game鈥� portion as well as being a panelist on 鈥淗ollywood Squares鈥� (which was hosted by Sha Na Na鈥檚 Jon 鈥淏owzer鈥� Bauman). That was the end of Rayburn鈥檚 鈥淢atch鈥�-making. He died in 1999 at the age of 81.
