This is the news for March 18 from Nan Dibble and Helpers' Network 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 Helpers' Network website is at
http://home.fuse.net/helpnet.

I couldn't get to the update last week not because of any health problem (I
was embarrassed by the many worried posts/phone calls) but because I sort
of got volunteered to do what was needed to "spring" a friend with MS from
the extended care facility where she's been the past couple of months. That
entailed cleaning her very strewn house, including removing about a pint of
spit-up hairballs from her bed (her cats were MOST impatient to get her
home!) and other miscellany. That took a couple of days and was on a
deadline, inasmuch as she couldn't be discharged until her home had been
pronounced fit for her occupancy and she capable of handling herself in it.
An INSPECTION was involved. After that was done, there was her electric
cart to get disassembled, moved, and reassembled, and then the move itself,
going grocery shopping for her after her two months' absence, and so forth.
By that time, it was Thursday, and it seemed to make more sense just to do
the update tonight.

However, I didn't mean to worry anybody. Hereafter, if circumstances
prevent me from doing the update in a timely manner, I'll put a notice on
the website, such as "To be updated on so-and-so date," so you'll all know
everything is all right-just strange and unexpected, as life often is.

Are you noticing that the website is approaching a quarter million hits?
That will be a milestone, considering I'm not trying to sell anything
there. Speaks for the liveliness and interest of that part of the fandom
who are capable of getting online--a larger percentage of the total than it
used to be, I think..

Linda Hamilton has a new movie that airs tonight. In regard to it, here's
an interview to which I was alerted by Helper Tom Witt (thanks, Tom!).

Saturday March 17 4:25 AM ET
Linda Hamilton Seeks Softer Image

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) - She's best known as Sarah Connor, the superfit
survivor of ``The Terminator'' and ``Terminator 2: Judgment Day,'' but
Linda Hamilton wants to soften her image.

``You're as strong as your last big movie and people just think I'm so
strong, strong, strong,'' she told The Associated Press. ``There's nothing
wrong with being strong, but strong and heavy, strong and heavy, strong and
heavy! I want to do strong and light. I want to do light and playful. I
want to do light and weak. I want to do it all.''

In ``Bailey's Mistake,'' which airs Sunday night on ABC, Hamilton plays a
single mother who discovers that her late husband had bought property on an
island off the coast of Maine.

There are ingredients that tie this Wonderful World of Disney movie to its
St. Patrick's Day weekend airdate: a flying boy, grief, joy, a drunken cat
- maybe even the devil himself.

``It takes wonderful little turns, so you go, `What was that about!'''
Hamilton said.

Ron Perlman also has a new movie, "Enemy at the Gates," in which he has a
supporting role. It premiered on Friday. Though my local reviewer didn't
consider the movie entirely successful, she singled out Ron for special
mention. The end of the review reads, ".the love story takes up too much
screen time, making the movie overlong by at least 20 minutes.

The cast is more than competent, including the always interesting Bob
Hoskins as Nikita Khrushchev and Ron Perlman as one of Vassili's
soldier-sidekicks. Production values are impressive, including the
believable use of special effects.

While Enemy at the Gates aims to do justice to history, it trips and falls
on its own romantic pretense."

I've posted the full review on the HN website, in the online version of
this update, if you're interested.

Had an interesting post from buddy Amber James, across the pond, who told
me that "for her sins," she's taken on responsibility for running the
British B&B fanclub, as well as its annual convention. Whew!

Amber sends out a call inviting writers and artists to contact her with
materials which may not have seen the light of day for some while and
therefore would be fresh to newbies. She goes on, "It's going to be hard
work to build up the fan club, I'm afraid it's been rather neglected in the
past couple of years, so I'm really looking for quality stuff..... need to
encourage people to join us. If you know of any other writers, artists,
poets..... that I can drop a 'begging' email to, than I'd be grateful, you
above all people must know how onerous a task it is to get hold of anything.

The convention is getting very near now (the beginning of May) and we're on
that last minute "Oh my God, we've forgotten...........!" stage. But we'll
survive, we always do."

Nan again. If you'd be interested in giving a second life to B&B stories or
art you've done, or (gasp) would like to do something new to benefit the
Brits (sorry, Amber! I couldn't resist!), you can e-mail her at
amber@classic-themes.freeserve.co.uk. Despite Amber's edress at "classic
themes" etc., I am absolutely certain that ANY B&B-based fiction/art would
be welcome.

Now, here's Amber's further announcement:
_______________
Your chance to own authentic costume items worn by Vincent in Beauty And
The Beast for as little as £1.

Sounds too good to be true? Well it's not. We have been very fortunate to
obtain a navy and brown jumper, with back fastening zip. Also a pair of
gray cord trousers with leather knee patches and lacing, still with their
identifying studio label.

These are not copies but authentic items of costume worn by Ron Perlman as
the character "Vincent" in the TV series.

It is rare that items such as this come into the hands of fans, especially
in the UK. Because of the uniqueness of these 2 items we have decided that
a raffle is the fairest way of ensuring every fan has an opportunity to own
them. The two items will be offered as a single prize.

Tickets are on sale now at only £1 or $2 each. You can buy as many or as
few as you wish, as often as you wish, and can purchase them up to A Moment
In Time 2001.

To obtain your ticket/s:
Send your request, stating the number of tickets and enclosing £1 or $2 for
each ticket requested, with a self addressed and stamped envelope to:

Sylvia Brookfield14 Wincham Road,Sale,Cheshire.M33 4PL.(Please add
"England" if sending from outside the UK)

Please note: If you wish to send US dollars we can only accept them in
actual currency, tickets in US dollars are $2 each plus a self addressed
unstamped envelope. If the costume is won by someone outside the UK then
they will be responsible for postage/shipping costs.

All cheques and postal orders [from within the U.K.] should be made payable
to: B&B Convention.

All proceeds of the charity auction at the convention are donated to our
designated charity. However any profit made over the weekend, and from fund
raisers such as this raffle, will be added to that amount and donated on
your behalf. So supporting this raffle means you are also supporting Family
First and helping them to continue their much-needed work.

Helper Eve posted with an idea:

"Hi, Nan- You know how the Lifetime channel has biographies they call
Intimate Portraits? I wrote in and suggested they do one on Linda Hamilton.
Maybe others would also like to write in! [The website is at]
http://Lifetimetv.com."

Neat idea, Eve! I'd presume that the website has some e-mail link that
people could use to send a post to add their voices to yours, asking for a
bio of everybody's favorite Catherine.

Fine fan writer Sandie Dapoz announces,
"Sandie Dapoz is cleaning closets and has decided, regretfully, to part
with a portion of her collection. You can go to
http://www.sandie.net/bb/list.htm to see her list. The last closet isn't
empty yet, so the list will be updated shortly!"

Moreover, Sandie is seeking contact information for fan artist Pam
Tuck-either land address or e-mail (though I've never heard that Pam is
online) or a phone number. I can't provide this. Can someone help Sandie
get in touch with Pam? If you can, please post Sandie at
sdapoz@mail.sandie.net. Sandie is now a freelance web designer with other
interesting (and profitable) irons in the fire, and hopes to make Pam an
offer she can't refuse, so this is a matter to Pam's benefit and of some
importance, not just a casual "Hi, there." So help really WOULD be
appreciated!

Here are the Sightings for the coming week from Helper/Correspondent Maxine
Mayer:

Saturday, March 17
9 a Jayne Atkinson (Molly Nolan, "Trial") in Blank Check (MAX)

Sunday, March 4
3 p Ron Perlman in ep of Magnificent 7 (TNN)
7 p Linda Hamilton in Bailey's Mistake (ABC)
10 p Isabella Hofmann (Erica Salvin, "Temptation") in ep of The Practice (ABC)
1 a Beauty and the Beast (ODY)
3:45 a Piper Laurie (mother, "A Gentle Rain") in Tiger Warsaw (ENC)

Monday, March 18
8 p Linda Hamilton in Dante's Peak (ABC)
10 p Ron Perlman in Stephen King's Sleepwalkers (TBS)

Tuesday, March 19
9 p Lance Henriksen (Snow, "Snow") in Gunfighter's Moon (TNN)

Wednesday, March 20
2:30 p Jayne Atkinson in Blank Check (MAX)
4 p Lance Henriksen in Gunfighter's Moon (TNN)
11 p Ron Perlman in ep of Magnificent 7 (TNN)
1:35 a Brian Bloom (Cameron Benson, "The Hollow Men") in Knocking on
Death's Door (SHO)

Thursday, March 21
4:30 a Edward Albert in Sorceress (SHO)

Friday, March 22
Nothing of interest noted.

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