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Battlestar Galactica Revival

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Here are some messages from the Sarah Rush fan club about the revival. These are exact copies of the messages from the club. Thanks to "lionhart321" for keeping us up to date on this subject.

Message #411 - Posted Thu, 28 Jun 2001 Breaking news -- re: the new BSG

6/28/01 >From Sci Fi Wire - The News Service of the Sci Fi Channel "Galactica May Revive Roles" Dan Angel and Billy Brown--who will produce and run The SCI FI Channel's upcoming Battlestar Galactica series--told SCI FI Wire that the proposed series will feature some characters from the classic 1970s Galactica TV series. "Some of the characters will be revived," Brown said in an interview, but declined to say which ones. Added Angel, "All that is in discussion stage right now, but absolutely, the intention is to keep in the spirit of what was there before and to preserve--as Billy said--what was there." Angel and Brown will run the series, which is being developed with X-Men producer Tom DeSanto and director Bryan Singer. "Hopefully, what we're trying to aim for is, there will be new characters, there will be some of the old characters," Brown said. "But since it's not totally written and totally signed off on--and also because there's such a huge fan base--we don't want to get out false rumors and have people, like, go crazy. But I think one thing we can say is that we're very much aware of the old fans. ... We want to honor the old show. We don't want to violate anything. It's like, if you watch the show, you're not going to go, 'Oh, well, they totally contradicted what was in the old show.' There won't be any contradictions, but there will be a taking it further and taking it further in time." Brown added that he and Angel were working on the script for a two-hour pilot for the series, which will advance the original storyline. "It does take place in a not-so-distant future from the end of the old show," Brown said. "It's going to be a sprawling, family saga that is set amongst the travails and adventures of the human colony." http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/art-main.html?2001-06/28/13.00.sfc

Message #412 - Posted Thu, 28 Jun 2001 Statement from Michael Faries -- 6/28/01

Re-posting this from the scifi.com bboard. Joe ------------------------------ Does everyone now understand why I'm not sweating bullets about the new show? The show *is* in good hands. The lack of information has made that faith difficult, but this latest post on SciFi.com was a very welcome breath of fresh air. I maintain, though: While the news from the showrunners is VERY positive, VERY optimistic, Richard, Dirk, Jack, Herb, Laurette, Anne, Terry, Sarah, etc. have *not* been signed to the new show yet. That continues to concern me. Hopefully, that will be allayed soon, as the scripts are formalized and the pre-production is formulated/finalized. I believe that Dan and Billy are very sincere. I would feel a LOT more positive once Richard, Dirk, etc. have been signed aboard. I want to *thank them* on behalf of Battlestar Galactica fans for, at least, addressing the immediate concerns of fandom. It's very, very appreciated -- especially given the lack of news and information about the new Battlestar Galactica production. I hope we'll hear more in the coming month on the new Battlestar Galactica production. Keep an open mind -- and keep sending those fan feedback letters to The Powers That Be via:  http://www.battlestargalactica.com/features/revival/ Michael RichardHatch.com * BattlestarGalactica.com * BattlestarPegasus.com

Message #413 - Posted Fri, 29 Jun 2001 Network deal confirmed, new BSG is a GO!

6/29/01 >From Sci Fi Wire, the News Service of the Sci Fi Channel "FOX Orders Galactica Telefilm" FOX has ordered a two-hour Battlestar Galactica movie from Studios USA, based on the 1970s series, which will stand as a pilot for a proposed Galactica series for the 2002-03 season that will run jointly on FOX and The SCI FI Channel, Sarah Timberman, president of Studios USA Programming, announced. As previously reported, X-Men director Bryan Singer will helm and will also executive produce with Tom DeSanto, Dan Angel and Billy Brown. "We're tremendously excited to be bringing the originality and immense talent of Bryan Singer, Tom DeSanto, Dan Angel and Billy Brown to bear on reinventing what was clearly such a pop culture phenomenon," Timberman said in a statement. The next-generation Galactica will be set after the seventh-millennium time frame of the original series, which ran on ABC from 1978-80. "Our goal is to take the Galactica franchise and move it forward in both style and character, while bringing the scope and sensibility of epic science-fiction filmmaking to the small screen," Singer said in a statement. Studios USA is a division of USA Networks, which also owns SCIFI.COM and The SCI FI Channel.  http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/art-main.html?2001-06/29/12.00.sfc

Message #414 - Posted Fri, 29 Jun 2001 Another article about the FOX deal

'Battlestar Galactica' Lands at FOX Fri, Jun 29, 2001 11:55 AM PDT LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - FOX has ordered a pilot of an updated version of the science fiction, classic "Battlestar Galactica." The two-hour pilot from Studios USA is based on the original '70s series. The project will be directed by Bryan Singer ("X-Men"), who will also executive produce along with partners Tom DeSanto, Dan Angel and Billy Brown. "Our goal is to take the 'Galactica' franchise and move it forward in both style and character while bringing the scope and sensibility of epic science fiction filmmaking to the small screen," says Singer. The update on "Galactica" will be set after the seventh-millennium time frame of the original series, which ran on ABC from 1978-80 and starred Lorne Greene as the commander of a battleship of humans fleeing Earth after an intergalactic war. "I've dreamed of bringing 'Battlestar Galactica' back for over 10 years now and could not think of a better home for it than FOX," says DeSanto. If picked up as a series, the pilot is would air during the 2002-03 season with Angel and Brown serving as the show's showrunners. In addition, the series would have a shared broadcast window with Studio USA's sister company, Sci Fi Channel.  http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?18899

Message #415 - Posted Fri, 29 Jun 2001 Q&A from Michael Faries

Another re-post from scifi.com, with some questions and answers from Michael Faries concerning today's announcements. Mike, I hope you are getting all of this for sarahrush.com! Joe --------------------------- 1. Only the pilot has been ordered? Lots of pilots are made that either never air or never develop into series. FOX needs to see the financial viability of the new series. Two words: "Dark Angel." Telemovie, followed by television series. Big name: James Cameron. Big name: Bryan Singer. Bottom line: It is likely that the BSG regular series deal-making is (almost) a done-deal, pending the completion of the BSG telemovie. Welcome to the wacky world of television programming. Sell the pilot; sell the regular series. 2. 2002- 2003 season? That means no sooner than Sept. 2002. No mid-season replacement now. Correct. 3. If the pilot is to be filmed in two or three months, that means it's going to sit on a shelf for a year. Actually, filming would start late this year, with pre-production starting soon. I can say no more. 4. Series to be set after the Seventh Millennium? That means the new show takes place in the Eighth Millenium, I suppose. A thousand years after the series, I suppose. Actually, 20-40 yahrens since the close of the original series, still within the Seventh Millenium. (And remember: Our beloved Colonials age slower than us Thirteenth Tribe folks.) 20-40 yahrens is time enough for the Colonials to settle down, start families, rebuild their civilization and build a foundation for a new set of adventures as the Cylons reappear... ;-) Sounds a tad bit like parts of Richard's trailer, but hey, if they're borrowing from his concepts, it's a *great* way to go, imho. Keep the letters of support for the original cast coming in. I apologize for being enigmatic, but I'm very, VERY optimistic about the return of various original cast members right now. We do need to continue voicing our support for the new show -- and what we'd like to see. That's all I can say. Michael .who's feeling exceptionally good about the new "Battlestar Galactica" production.

Message #417 - Mon, 02 Jul 2001 NEW interview with the BSG2 producers

A new interview with BSG2 producers Singer, DeSanto, Angel, and Brown was posted this morning. Lots of pics and other good stuff, so follow the link to see for yourself:  http://www.cinescape.com/0/editorial.asp?aff_id=0&this_cat=Television&action=page&obj_id=27503 Joe

Here is Sarah's interview with Michael A. Faries about the Battlestar Galactica revival.

Read more about the revival at battlestargalactica.com/features/revival/.

An Interview with Sarah Rush By Michael A. Faries (BattlestarGalactica.com/BattlestarPegasus.com) Sarah Rush graced our screen in 1978 as Flight Corporal Rigel on television's Battlestar Galactica. We caught up with Sarah in June 2001 to reflect upon the show and current events in her life. First and foremost, how have you been? Really, really well!!!!! You know, life is such an amazing journey. As anyone, I have had my tough times, but I find that I am so grateful now for the small joys in life, as well as the great things. I seem to be getting really fun roles now, and I feel more free in my work as an actor. When I was a very young actor, I was so hard on myself. I would watch myself on television, and think, "Oh, no, I don't look very pretty, or yikes, I didn't like that moment, or ... " Now, I am much more supportive of myself!!!!!! Maybe it comes with age, but I don't want to beat myself up anymore. I just want to celebrate when I have a show on TV or a commercial running!!!! It's just great to be working at a job that I love. Any recent happenings in your life you'd like to share? Recent happenings in my life: I was married almost two years ago to a wonderful man, Fred Bova. He's such a good guy, and I'm so thankful for him. Friends had tried to get us together for two years, and I finally relinquished and agreed to meet him. We were engaged two months later!!! He was a professional quitar player for years, playing with folks like Michael Bolton, Larry Norman, and Randy Stonehill, and now he is a technician at Saban. As far as work goes, I'll be in two upcoming movies. One is called Max Feeble's Big Move for Disney, and the other is Fangs (It's about bats and is fun!!!!) for Porchlight Entertainment. We're really glad to see you're active with your acting career. Let's take our readers back in time briefly: I actually remember watching you on CBS in the Philip DeGuere TV production of Dr. Strange with Peter Hooten in the mid-1970s. When did the "acting bug" bite you? When inspired you to act professionally? When did the acting bug hit me?? I have wanted to be an actress all my life. Even as a child doing school plays, I found it was a way to express myself. I'm not a show-off kind of person. Actually, when I was doing a lot of television and people were asking me for my autograph and making a fuss over me, I felt really uncomfortable. I have just always loved to act, to get lost in a role, and to channel all of the emotion that I experience in my life. I love the moment to moment of acting, the intimacy of working with other actors, and the challenge of finding the life of another person in a character. Most of our readers are familiar with you for your role on television's Battlestar Galactica as Flight Corporal Rigel. Your very memorable line, "Launch when ready," sent Colonial Viper pilots turbo'ing down the Galactica's launch tubes. (We should note that you had more lines in the episodes, "Saga of a Star World" (pilot) and "Gun on Ice Planet Zero" parts I and II.) Please do share with us how you were "brought aboard the Galactica." What do you remember about the audition/hiring process, showing up to work, getting your scripted lines, the costume process, the hairstyle changes, etc. How did I get the role of Flight Corporal Rigel? When I think about the audition, I have to laugh! I was a contract player at Universal, and I think that certainly helped me to get the role. However, I remember walking in to a huge office in the Black Tower at Universal, and along with Glen Larson, there were about seven other people. It was pretty amazing to see all these folks in one room, looking at me! Anyway, I had one line, something like "100 microns and closing, 99 microns and closing. . . Red alert!" I said these lines into my fist, as if it were a microphone. I have always been very serious about acting, and so I took it very seriously. When I finished, I looked up at everyone, and after a moment of total silence, we all started laughing!!!!! Glen Larson was so kind to me, and I am so grateful that he gave me the job. I wish I had done more episodes, but I was doing a lot of episodic television at the time, and it seemed that I was busy. I loved putting on my space outfit!!!!!! I designed the hair style with the braids, which I thought was perfect for the role, but I understand that someone, and I truly don't know who, didn't like it. At one point, the hairdresser took out my braids on the set, and we started filming the scene even before I had combed my hair! Any recollections about the change from director Richard Colla to Alan J. Levi on the first episode? Did it impact your work on the set? Did you see/feel the pressures of the show going overbudget/overtime? I do remember. I felt so bad for Richard, and I had no idea why he left the show, but of course, I was concerned for him. I know that he has been very successful, and I am glad of that. I admit that I loved Alan Levi!! I did an episode of The Oregon Trail with him as well, and he is such a lovely man. I haven't seen him in many years, but I was so fond of him. I think I was aware of the pressures of the show, as it seemed like such a huge undertaking. The production values were HUGE, and with so many talented people involved, I'm sure that the pressure was intense. I, of course, was just having a blast being a part of it, and was not privy to the demands made on the producers. I'm sure it was very difficult. I'd like to name various actors and get your heartfelt thoughts and memories about them: Lorne Greene - What a lovely man. He was such a gentleman, and so kind. I remember going to a Christmas party at his home and feeling so welcomed. He was such a real and authentic person, and I never remember any Star status behavior. I was so sad when he passed away, because he was such a quality man. Terry Carter - Talk about a quality man!!! Terry is such a wonderful man, just beautiful. I enjoyed so much having lunch with Terry and his wife at the last Battlestar Galactica reunion. He was so lovely to me when I was on the show, always so interested in how my life was going. I loved talking about acting with him. David Greenan - David is the BEST!!!! I'm so glad we became friends, and I loved seeing him when I lived in New York. We studied with the same acting teacher, Uta Hagen at HB Studios, and David had a play reading group that I was involved with. I miss David, and so hope that all is well in this life. Maren Jensen - Maren is so beautiful!!!! I don't know where she is now, but I hope that she is happy and well. I always felt like such a moose compared to her, but she couldn't have been sweeter. Aren't her eyes just beautiful!!!! Richard Hatch - Well, I can't say enough about Richard!!!! We all had enormous crushes on him, and he is such a beautiful person. It amazes me to this day how wonderful he was to me, as I was just a 22 year old nobody!!!!! I also loved talking to Richard about acting, and I have always admired his commitment and passion. I confess that Richard gave the best neck massages on the face of the earth!!!!! Dirk Benedict - Dirk is great!! I loved talking to him about health and fitness. He was so knowledgeable about healthy eating, and such a fun guy. It was wonderful to see him at the last reunion as well. Herb Jefferson, Jr. - What a kick he is!!!!! I loved Herb, as he was so much fun. He really is a great guy. We shared the same acting teacher here in L.A. What a wonderful actor he is. Laurette Spang and Anne Lockhart - I love these gals. When I see them at reunions, I regret that I don't get together with them more often. They both have precious families, and they are so wonderful. I remember working with Laurette, and she is so beautiful and kind. David Matthau - I adored David, and have unfortunately lost contact with him. I know that he is a sportscaster somewhere. He is married to a really brilliant woman, and I know that they have at least one child. David was under contract with me at Universal, and he is the greatest guy!! (Note: David is the son of the late Walter Matthau, and played a fellow Galactica bridge crew member..) Were there any notable pranks which occured on the set? Any funny moments which come to mind with the Galactica crew? For me, Battlestar Galactica was such a great experience. The cast was so marvelous to me, and as I've said, I was just a 22 year old nobody!!! The quality of the people involved was amazing, and I really appreciate the encouragement I received as an actor from everyone. It was such a ball putting on my space suit, and hanging around the set was absolutely fabulous. It was an amazing set!!!!!!!!! I think we all knew that the project was special, and it was so much fun to be a part of it. So many times you hear of series casts who are perhaps aloof and don't become "family" with each other, but the cast of Battlestar Galactica was very close. I heard the cast threw a birthday party for you... I loved having lunch with the actors, and it's true that they did celebrate my 22nd birthday!!!!!! Can you imagine that!!!!! We all went to a restaurant at the Universal City Wok, and what a thrilling way to celebrate a birthday. It was a lunch, and we were all in our costumes!!!!!! My memories of the show are so terrific, and I am so grateful to have been a very small part of it. Maybe a "small part", but fans have certainly remembered you fondly. A while back, you discovered that you had a fan club online at SarahRush.com. What was your initial reaction? You can't imagine how shocked I was to have learned that there is a fan club in my honor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it!!!!! I am so grateful to Paul and Mike and the others who have been involved. I feel that it is an encouragement for me to just keep plugging away. Many of the members are science fiction fans, and some of them are also Christians. At the risk of stereotyping, I think science fiction fans are really extraordinary people. I think it involves a special creativity and intelligence to grasp the complexities of the infinity of Space, and I have found that these folks are also really nice people. Because I am also a Christian, it really touches me that their are some people in the club who appreciate that about me. I have been so overwhelmed by the support of the club. I still can't get over it, and it is really special to check in and read messages from people. I feel like it's a friend club, not a fan club, and I really appreciate the encouragement and support it has provided. Do you attend any conventions? I have just learned about one convention in Atlanta, and it would be great fun to attend. I'm not sure that I can, but perhaps!!!!! As you know, Richard Hatch put together a professional, promotional trailer reel, titled Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming to sell a new Battlestar Galactica series. Have you seen Richard's trailer yet? I haven't seen it yet. I am so amazed by Richard's tenacity and passion for Battlestar Galactica, and I truly hope that he will be able to be involved in the new series. He is such a wonderful actor, so committed and talented, and he's just a doll. I know that he is really beloved by lots of people. Any possibilities that you would like to return to Battlestar Galactica (by co-Executive Producers Tom DeSanto and Bryan Singer) if asked? Would I like to be a part of the new series?? You bet I would. It would be such a miracle and honor, and I would love to. I have grown more and more to appreciate of my Battlestar Galactica experience, and it would be so wonderful to reprise Rigel. One of the best compliments I received was from a fellow who had become a member of the club. He said that he remembered an episode I was in from his childhood days, and he remembered me very specifically, including my lines. He wanted to watch it again to see if he remembered it correctly, and he had. He said that he had remembered me because I had been truthful and honest and brought real humanity to the moment in the scene. I was so touched by that, because even though Battlestar Galactica's time frame is set in extraordinary circumstances with amazing technological effects, people are human and real and experience true feelings. That's actually one of the reasons I would love to do a science fiction show again, to bring that humanity in the midst of the vastness of Space. Thanks, Sarah!     The author would like to thank Joseph Ambrosio for helping to make this interview possible. For additional fan sites devoted to Sarah, please visit SarahRush.com (be sure to sign the Guest Book in support of Sarah's return to Battlestar Galactica!) and Yahoo! Clubs: Sarah Rush.     Copyright © 1999-2001 BattlestarGalactica.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the terms of use. Legal Terms of Use  | Privacy Policy

Many thanks to Michael Faries from Mike, (webmaster); Paul, (website and fanclub president/owner); and Sarah Rush, (you know who she is), for allowing us to put the interview on this site.

URGENT

The following is a request from Michael Faries to Battlestar Galactica fans (re-posted from a re-post in the fan club) It can also be found in the fan club, message #424.

How you can have an influence in the new Battlestar Galactica.

All, From what I'm seeing/hearing, BSG filming for the pilot episode will take place between November 2001 and January 2002, with delivery of the finished pilot to FOX and Sci-Fi Channel executives by April 2002. (Some of this is public knowledge anyway.) Casting decisions aren't being announced yet. From this perspective, there remains more work before that happens (getting the script finalized, for one). Right now, it is VITAL that all Battlestar Galactica fans send their support to Tom DeSanto, Bryan Singer and Studios USA for the original characters/cast members (actors) -- and moreso HOW they want those characters to return. I can't acknowledge publicly that any of the original cast are returning. But it's important that fandom signals HOW they want the characters to return. My questions to ALL of you is simple, straightforward and *important* to ask: How have these characters aged? Where are they, twenty to forty yahrens since the original series ended? This question is AS IMPORTANT AS WANTING THE ORIGINAL CAST MEMBERS BACK. Measure your answers against the characters' growth within the Richard Hatch "Battlestar Galactica" novels -- or your own thoughts on how these characters have grown. Are they married? To whom? Do they have children? What/how are they contributing to the fleet right now? Are they true to their former selves, or have they changed completely? Are they war-weary veterans -- or champions against the Cylon menace? Have they chosen new roles, whether in the military command structure, political life, civilian life? Share your thoughts. Be forthright, bold and honest. I'd hate to see some of these original actors return to lackluster characterizations. Do you merely want to see them on-screen in token appearances? What level of participation/interaction should they have? How have the characters grown? How are they NOW, within the Battlestar Galactica universe? Let your thoughts be heard: http://www.battlestargalactica.com/features/revival/ I don't think I've asked a more serious question of fans in recent times... and I REALLY hope everyone takes this seriously. Spread the word. It is VERY important. Hear me. I don't envy Tom DeSanto's mission to bring back the Galactica. He is working with executives from Vivendi Universal, Fox, and Studios USA (and with his own organization) -- ALL OF WHOM have their vision, creative direction, etc. to input. That creates change/flux in the production plans. But tell him what YOU, the fans, want from the characters. You should be messaging that every single day! You need to make those points LOUD and CLEAR (in a polite way, too). *Focus* on "Battlestar Galactica"! Thanks, Michael Faries RichardHatch.com * BattlestarGalactica.com * BattlestarPegasus.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comment added by lionhart321: If I may add, for those who are unaccustomed to reading between Michael's lines, this is his thinly veiled attempt to let us know that Tom DeSanto is requesting this input. Michael DOES have contact with the BSG2 production team (he has their phone number and e-mail address), and I take what he says very seriously. This is not just some silly fanboy exercise. It would be worth the time for the BSG fans in this club to answer Michael's question, specifically in regard to Sarah's character of Rigel. I'll be posting my own response, in the form of a letter to Tom DeSanto, immediately following this message. If you have any thoughts, even a paragraph or two (don't be overwhelmed by the Tolstoy novel I have written), please share them here, at the revival link above. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Comment of my own (webmaster): If you want to have input to the new "Battlestar Galactica", now is your chance. Your feedback will be heard. They do want to know what you are looking for in the new show. You should go to: http://www.battlestargalactica.com/features/revival/. On that page you will find addresses you can write to and a link to provide your feedback through the site. You can also post your feedback in the fan club, or through the guestbook here, but through battlestargalactica.com will be the most effective.

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