Hotline for fans of Beauty and the Beast. To contact me by e-mail, post to
ndibble@fuse.net. To stop (or to begin) receiving updates as e-mail, notify
me at the above e-mail address. To reach me by phone (evenings/weekends),
call (513) 961-4813.The website is at http://home.fuse.net/helpnet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'll start with the largest item. It's a couple of letters from Gwen Lord,
of Helpers' Network UK, as relayed by Marina Broers (in BELGIUM! BELGIUM!-I
got it wrong once). I'm sure the layers will all make sense as you read on..
_____
Hi Everyone,
The first letter (see below) appeared in the most recent HNUK newsletter.
The second letter was written because there were some misunderstandings
going on...
It explains why Gwen needs those letters ... she needs an exact
amount...not just a rough idea like "Oh, there are so many fans in fandom
... all these people would buy the video." No! She needs an exact amount of
people who are really interested in buying a video.
So please send these letters/pledges to Gwen or to me if you want to use
email. Don't forget to include your snail mail address, if you sent your
letter via me, by email.
Please read further and you will understand what's this about .... :-)
Marina
===========
(HNUK letter)
Dear Friends, With the Millennium year rushing headlong to its final
weeks, we have to look back over this special year. As we do so, we see
that one highlight was the Los Angeles CA Beauty and the Beast Convention
in July. Then on September 30th and October 1st it was our Beauty and the
Beast convention 'Masquerades 2000' in Nottingham, England.
After 18 months of planning every detail, it came and went in a flash. It
is quite indescribable to put into words the very feel of attending such an
event. Even the air is charged with excitement, love, hope and the warmth
these gatherings generate.
My husband Rex and myself would like to thank everyone who helped make the
weekend such a success. The people who attended it, and those who couldn't
attend, but who sent in so much to help. BATB fans pulling together for a
dream we were given, is surely a dream worth hanging on to at all cost!
This newsletter carries reviews, write ups, letters and photographs of it,
so those who couldn't attend could still feel apart of this wonderful
world-wide family, and those who did attend, could recapture memories of it
all.
Christopher Toyne the associate producer of Beauty and the Beast was a
guest who flew in from Portland, OR and Jamie Murray (Myhr) from Texas USA
to help make our convention the huge success it was. They worked as a
tireless team from start to finish and the auction was a delight to
witness. With the money raised at this venue as well as the raffles, we
were able to replace much needed equipment to continue running HNUK, as
well as sending money to the British Red Cross and the Hospice at Lincoln.
To everyone who put their hands in their pockets to produce this event, my
husband and I, as the convention managers, thank you from the bottom of our
hearts.
We had fans attending from Scotland, Wales, England, Texas and Portland
USA, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Malta, and yes, even from
China. It was towards the end of the Banquet, on the Saturday evening, that
Amy Hazzard and Philip Ward invited me to go step forward, and in front of
the 133 attendees, presented me with thee most fantastic gift : a huge fine
line drawing of Vincent, Father and myself in a beautiful frame. It
completely took my breath away. (you'll find this art within this issue)
When I asked how all this came about, it seems Amy and Philip have been
organizing it for months. They asked the talented USA artist Kevin Barnes
if he would do this special piece of art for them, and the reply was that
he would be delighted. Thank you Kevin for the most fabulous and lifelike
piece of art I've ever seen and to Amy and Philip who filled an album of
letters and cards to me ... there are no words.
The 'A Moment in Time' convention manager, Amber James attended and kindly
donated a huge mega bottle of champagne with the Millennium label, a major
souvenir for the lady who bid for it the following day, at the auction.
Thank you, Amber.
Another welcome attendee was Kevin Waters, of those lovely early UK Chamber
days. Also, I was very pleased to have my friend and ex-partner in
attendance, Mrs. Jacqui Armitage.
The age spectrum span across, from baby Sam Pike aged 2 1/2 months, to
Hilda Carvell who is close to 80, but didn't want to miss the weekend. I
believe there is a need for us all, involved, connected, so each of us can
enjoy belonging to this extra family of ours, which we are proud to be a
part of.
As everyone knows, I do not have a computer so I cannot see or enjoy the
many websites and receive e-mails. But those who can, have found yet
another way to keep BATB alive and well. But to those like myself, with no
computer, either by choice or necessity, I ask you to please keep those
letters rolling in, in what is now known as 'snail mail'. I still love to
hear the postman pushing my mail through the letter box, and opening it up,
to see who had been kind enough to want to say hello to me.
Sitting in front of the computer screen isn't every one's forte, but this
is the age of the TV screens. When I was a child, we played outside! We
climbed trees, went fishing for tiddlers. We played Ludo, Snakes and
Ladders, Skipping, Hopscotch etc. The kids of today sit and play games in
their room! What a lot I feel they are missing.
As the year winds down as we head to Christmas, with this Xmas issue, may I
thank you for your love and support. I love running this club for us all,
please feel free to help me in endless ways; by supporting the newsletters,
so we can continue for years to come, buying the fanzines which are written
with only you in mind. By attending the conventions or collecting used
stamps I can pass on to various charities. By sending photos to include in
this newsletter, articles you think others would like to share, etc. And by
being on file, we have proof for whenever it's needed, that we're still out
there and will not fade away and vanish forever! Long live Beauty and the
Beast! It is many years now, since we felt the promised film or TV movie
was only around the next corner! But we are a patient lot and we always
hope that 'next year' we'll be lucky. So now I want to put something to
each one of you as you read this opening letter, dotted as you are, all
over the world, from Russia to Japan and China, Australia to Canada and the
USA and all the countries in between, because that is where you all are.
Would you as a Beauty and the Beast fan, be willing to promise to purchase
a B&B new TV film video, if one could be produced, and available to fandom
through the clubs?
A guaranteed number of pledges, fans would be willing to pay, an x number
of pounds or dollars, for this video, would first give us a rough idea if
enough fans are out there to warrant this venture. A project like this will
take millions of dollars, and the cash will have to be from all of us who
want this item.
Consider that each episode Witt Thomas made of BATB cost $ 1,200,000 [read:
over a million dollars] over twelve years ago. So please write in to me, if
you'd be willing to make this pledge, our dream a reality. As not until we
see how many would support this, can we tell if it is a viable idea, so
will you please support it? Tell all those who loved it, members and none
members, and get everyone to write in. This would be only the 1st step up
the ladder but if we got enough numbers, then the work would begin to
develop a new film and secure the rights, based on your support. One idea
is to create a development budget in order to produce a professionally
written motion picture script, based on the best selected fanzines. With a
Hollywood style script we can find a producer and achieve a studio 'deal'
by approaching our desire to have a film or TV movie produced in a
professional way. We, as a group would also own a small percentage of the
film if we are successful.
Shall we see what we can do? It's a long shot, but we have to try, don't
we? May I wish you all, a very Merry Christmas, in true tunnel love, and a
very happy New Year.
With deep appreciation for your continual support.
Gwen. (typed by Marina Broers. Belgium)
*************************
(This is the letter to explain things more)
Dear friends. Towards the end of my opening letter in the latest HNUK
newsletter, # 45, I put to you an idea. I did say ... IDEA!!! ... because
at this stage it is only an idea. I also said it was a long shot. Letters
in reply to this section of my letter, are now starting to come through,
hence my note now. At one period in this cult series when it first aired,
there were 13+ million of fans who loved this show. Over the years we have
lost fans, and gained some, as re-runs happen. But nobody knows just how
much of us are really out there today, do we?! There is no forum outside of
the web these days I know of, apart from Nan's regular sheets, where fans
can have it as a forum, like when 'Once upon a Time', and 'Chatterbox' and
'Pipeline' were readily available to write and reply to. I have over 1000
B&B fans on my primitive filling system, and of those, almost 600 take the
four times a year newsletter. Those who do not take the newsletter, want to
be kept on file ... IN CASE a ONE-OF TV movie ever becomes a reality.
Maybe there are no many more than the 560 or so on file, and maybe we won't
get 100 replies! But who is to know if we don't find out by asking??? If
there really is only this handful, then of course no way could we ever go
one more rung up the ladder with this. In which case, what we have is what
we got, And that is : We have the most fantastic circle of Beauty and the
Beast FRIENDS in the world. We have this network of contact, brought about
by a show which captured our hearts over a decade ago. We have the episodes
on video to us keep our dream alive. We have fanzines we can read and enjoy
and the yearly BATB conventions, which are a kind of THANKSGIVING tunnel
fashion, which allows us all to meet up in one place to keep the
friendships alive and to renew our love of it all. If this is all we have
we are still rich beyond wealth.
If we have more, then this rough idea may lead us further, but if we don't
know what numbers we are talking about, then we could get hurt, thinking
there are more than there are. If over the next months thousands, millions
say yes, then we could have something solid to go one step up the ladder.
If we get but a few, then we continue as we are, being supportive of each
other, knowing our loyalty and friendship will keep it all alive, so we can
all keep sharing all of it, which as we know has enriched us all in so many
ways, and continues to guide us all, in one form or another still, today.
By the way, I did not say I wanted to resurrect the series ... I want ONE
TV MOVIE to give us a real and dignified and happy end to the series, a one
of, and nothing more!
If enough letters/pledges came in, then, and only then, could we take one
step up the ladder, and then another.
If you send in a pledge, then this means that you promise to buy a video of
the TV Movie, which will be available via - and only via - the Helpers
Network UK fanclub. Nothing more! It doesn't mean that the fans - those who
sent in a pledge - have to 'sponsor' this project ... it doesn't mean that
this TV Movie (if there is going to be one) will be produced by fandom or
so...it just means buying the video of the TV Movie, if it all goes through.
So it really is very important that those who really want to have a movie,
to send in these letters/pledges ... I need a correct number ... I need to
know how many fans will actually buy the video. If I receive enough
letters, then I can take the next step - but I can only do it if I have
received enough letters from you.
So please, send your letters to (and don't forget to include your
address!!!): Gwen Lord 6 Meadow Lane Leasingham, Sleaford, Lincs. NG34 8LL
England. For those of you who don't like to send the letters via snail
mail, please send the letters via email to Marina Broers - email address:
dirk.vanraes@skynet.be - she will then forward everything to me.
Thank you. Gwen Lord. HNUK. England.
_____
Nan again: Throwing my 2 cents' worth in, I thought that a pledge drive
with a similar premise was a good idea 10 years ago. I still think so.
Maybe now that full-scale movies are being made direct-to-video, this will
be an idea whose time has finally come, and the Powers That Be will be more
receptive to such pledges than they were the last time around. I support
Gwen's project and encourage everyone to stand up and be counted.one more
time! End of editorial.for now, anyway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Helper Dianne Hartzell Haines, relayed by an anonymous helper, alerts us
that the latest issue of A&E Biography magazine, with Antonio Banderas on
the cover, has a "where are they now" article on Linda Hamilton. Says
Dianne, "[there's] a decent size pic of Catherine and Vincent that catches
your eye as you flip the magazine and a smaller pic of Linda as she looks
today and an update on her." She offers to have it scanned. Yes, Dianne,
YES! If I receive such a scan, I'll post it on the website for all to enjoy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Helper Kendra told/confirmed the website of the 2001 convention in NYC,
which has full information on dates, times, hotel, and so forth. I've put a
link on the front page of my website. But you may want to note the URL
yourself for future reference:
http://www.onceuponatimeinnyc.org/con2001.html
NYC Convention Registration Page
Thanks, helper! I NEEDED that!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Helper Cheryl Pfeifer (clp@rooftop.net) says that you have ANOTHER chance
to bid on her Vincent cross-stitch, based on a drawing by Claire Siefert I
happen to like VERY much! The new eBAY URL is:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=487805495. But
Cheryl says you can also find it by searching on Beauty and the Beast TV.
There are only 6 days left on this auction.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Helper Les Leist notes that the Nickelodeon show "Are You Afraid of the
Dark?" (airs at 6 P.M. Eastern time Sundays) has an episode called "The
Tale of the Last Dance." The writer must have been a B&B fan, because the
story is about a rec hall that is going to be torn down, and a very
B&B-like situation that develops between a girl who plays violin there and
someone special. It was rerun a few weeks ago, but it should cycle around
again soon.
___
Those echoes keep returning to us.sometimes from the most surprising
directions! Thanks, Les. We can all keep an eye out for that episode on its
next go-round.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another anonymous helper informs us that Terminator 2 aired on Wed. Nov.
8th. on WGN at 8p.m., and Terminator was on SciFi on Sat. Nov 11th. 9 p.m.
Belated Sightings are better than no sightings at all...to wit, the following:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I learn that Helper/Correspondent Maxine Mayer is resting up after her
Canadian jaunt, and it's a bit late to be doing the Sightings now and still
get the updates out and the website up for the week. So I'll do and post
them tomorrow-with luck, 2 weeks worth, since I get my TV Guide on Mondays.
So that may make up a bit for the (dare I say it?) delay.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If it's news and has to do with Beauty and the Beast, please think of the
Hotline and relay. We're all in this together, keeping the dream of Beauty
and the Beast alive however we can. Beast wishes, be well, and goodbye.
ndibble@fuse.net
http://home.fuse.net/helpnet
