The Paris News from Paris, Texas • Page 30

14 The Porli Nawi. 9. 1979 'The Associates' suits Shelley Smith "Believe it or not, I was offered a co-anchor role on with no prior news New York. N.Y.— How many law firms do you know that boast a 5'9" green-eyed, blonde attorney with a figure that would make an all-male jury drool with glee as they listen to her spiel in court? ABC and Paramount are hoping that Shelley Smith, who fits that description, will make 'The a unique sitcom about a stodgy Wall St. law firm, a hit show.

To date, the series, which also stars stately British actor- comedian Wilfrid-Hyde White as the crusty old senior partner of 'Bass and has meandered in the ratings race. But ABC feels that there is much too much talent in this program and is willing to give 'The Associates' enough time to win over a sizeable audience. For Shelley Smith, The Associates' is her big breakthrough in show-biz. Born in Princeton, N.J., Smith graduated from Connecticut with a degree in Art History. Her modeling career, which started at age 16, mushroomed in Paris, where she lived for a year after graduating from college before returning to the Big Apple.

Shelley continually studied acting in her spare time and was able to make cameo appearances in such TV productions as 'Mirror, Mirror' and 'Swan Two years ago, Shelley's luck began to take a turn for the better as she achieved a number one ranking in the modeling profession, while her TV commercial value (remember Lip Quencher?) catapulted the gorgeous femme fatale to national fame. During that same period, Shelley met and subsequently married ABC-TV executive Jonathan Axelrod. Upon their arrival in Los Angeles, the newlywed model found that she was in demand for prime time television roles. It pays to be married to a TV executive these days. "Believe it or not, I was offered a co-anchor role on ABC's news program.

I was so surprised, since I had no prior news experience," Shelley stated. Sort of makes you wonder about the credibility of ABC News. Anyway, Shelley's career didn't begin and end with She continued, "I was also offered to do the CBS series 'Flying High' (since defunct), but that sort of show didn't appeal to me. I wanted to try something a little smarter and something that had comedy. I don't think I really fit into the jiggly roles.

Then I got the offer to do 'The Associates' and I'm really excited about it. We all play graduates of top law schools who must work their way up. Of course, we want to change things a bit in the law firm, taking on more cases that are more idealistic but don't necessarily bring in more money." Law yuks But the question that is paramount in the minds of many viewers is. "How many jokes can you make about a law firm?" Shelley laughed and then presented her defense. "I admit that this type of program is not as slapstick-oriented as most other TV comedies, but we do have a lawyer-advisor for the show.

We are not allowed to tell you his name or firm, or he might get into trouble. He actually tells about certain situations that might happen in a law firm. 'The Associates' is basically about regular people who happen to be lawyers." When asked if she would ever consider going back to modeling and making commercials again if The Associates' falters, Smith said frankly, "Modeling was an accident that was a terrific experience, but the commercials were too visible. I'd rather people associate me with my name rather than my face." NBC presents a new Saturday show for kids B.vTOMJORY Associated Press Writer NEW YORK (AP) "Adolescents are subjected to enormous amounts of strain," says Bruce Hart, a TV producer with a special sensitivity toward kids and their problems, "and they have a tendency to feel isolated and maybe that they're going a little bit crazy." To answer that very serious concern, Hart and his wife, Carole, came up with "Hot Hero Sandwich," a new weekend series on NBC that tries to demonstrate, in Hart's words, "that what these young people are feeling is not unusual, that they're not alone in feeling the way they do." -The series premieres Saturday at noon EST, with Erik Estrada, Bruce Jenner, Olivia Newton-John and Donna Pescow the heroes in "Hot Hero Sandwich." "We figured the way to go with this," Hart says, "was to go to people that young people admired most. We thought if they were candid in answering our questions, they would bring up subjects that young people were most concerned about." "And the amazing thing," Carole Hart says, "was that everybody's experiences were so similar.

It is extraordinary how similar they are." Dr. Thomas J. Cottle, a clincial psychologist and sociologist who lectures at Harvard Medical School, conducted the interviews for "Hot Hero Sandwich" with people as widely separated in age as Henry Fonda and Jimmy McNichol. The interviews were organized so that there is at least a common thread through each hour-long progam, Mrs. Hart PROFESSIONAL REDUCING CENTERS NOW IN PARIS! Mow's the time to get rid of ugly fat! Let the program that really works work for you! No exercise! No dangerous fad dieting! fast! Lose pounds and inches immediately! Here's just one success story: "My mother asked me what I would like for a graduation present.

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