This is the news for August 19 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.

Starting with the Hallmark Channel (formerly Odyssey): their schedule now extends beyond a couple of days, and it's confusing. Various sources of TV listings differ on where they "slice" their day--at midnight, or at 6 a the following morning. The printed TV Guide, for instance, has always (and still) taken a Monday from 6 in the morning to 5:59 a the next morning. That's the format I've followed, even though the online TV Guide slices the day at midnight, assuming that would be most familiar to people. However, Hallmark shows as Monday evening's listings 11:00 p, 11:30 p 12:00 a, 12:30 a, then 1:00 a--still as Monday. That makes it seem as if they're carrying their broadcast day through midnight to 6 a. But despite appearances, evidently they're NOT. Are you half as confused as I am yet?

The bottom line: it appears that Beauty and the Beast is STILL where it's been until now: at 1 a Sunday night/Monday morning, even though it seems to be listed for 1 a Monday night/Tuesday morning. Kind Helpers have posted and told me that they've found it there.

Now that their listings have stretched out beyond the present week, I checked for the announced Beauty and the Beast marathon, which was to begin in the afternoon of August 28 (2 p - 4 p ET/PT). No sign of it. I am amply content to lose the marathon as long as the series continues to air, but it seems as if Hallmark channel hasn't quite gotten itself altogether organized yet. I sympathize.

Their new URL is http://www.hallmarkchannel.com, but the former URL (http://www.odysseyonline.com) will still get you there. Just remember, when checking their TV schedule, that what seems the following night is really the previous morning and you'll be fine.

Many thanks to those who actually GET the Hallmark channel, who reported what their eyes told them and thereby helped me straighten this all out. You done good, kids! Incidentally, many cable providers that didn't carry Odyssey will now be carrying the broader-based Hallmark channel. It might be a good idea to call your cable company, if it's one that didn't carry Odyssey, and find out if they're planning to add Hallmark to their "basic" lineup. You may now (or soon) be able to get Hallmark and not know it!

Helper Debbie Smith, chair for 2003 BATB Convention (NOT Lisa Howard Bock, so quit e-mailing Lisa about it!), sent these announcements:


2003 BATB Convention:

BATB Conventions are a central part of our culture.  It was great to see so many people in NYC last month - and am looking forward to seeing everyone again in Orlando next summer.  (Also looking forward to some new "con virgins"!  There were a "lot" of them running around in NYC!!!
 lol).

This note comes to announce that the tradition continues!!  Plans are set to hold the 2003 BATB Convention in San Francisco, California.  It will be sponsored by "bbtv west".  We'll keep you all posted on the details as we move forward - but for now - hold to just two thoughts:

1)  Orlando in 2002
and
2)  San Francisco in 2003

Conventions - a place and time - to be in the tunnels for awhile!!

ANNOUNCEMENT

This is the first of several sales to be announced over the next few weeks from the 2001 convention committee.  You will see sales going on throughout Aug and Sept.  Here's the scoop:

(1)  2001 Con Merchandise (Once Upon a Time in NYC) still in hand from July in NYC is available NOW.  What we have left is "it" for:  con zines, con tote bags and con water bottles.  These will be sold on a first come, first served basis. 

(2)  In addition, we are taking orders for 2001 Con t-shirts.  Thus, you can snatch up one that's left - or - order one in any size you like - and we'll get them made up and sent to you.  We're even going to offer 3 more colors - so make a run for them!! 

For a list of what we have in hand - how to buy existing inventory - how to place a t-shirt order - and see photos of all the items, please visit the following URL:

http://www.i-star.com/users/sshelton/stuff/merchandise

More announcements will be made on other sales to come.  As a "preview" for you?  Know that there are ZINES, club newsletters, posters, crystals, books, tunnel clothes, past con mugs & t-shirts, videos, postcards - you name it! 

So - call this "sale number 1" for 2001 con memorabilia - and look forward to "sale number 2" for lots of other neat stuff!!

Happy hunting, everyone!!

debbie (on behalf of the 2001 Con Com)

Helper Tom Witt notes, "If you go to the "News " Section of the Linda Hamilton Online website [http://www.lhow.com], it lists the release dates of several Linda-related DVD's . "Sex and Mrs. X," (September 4) and "The Terminator-Special Edition"( October 2) are being released in the USA and Canada. "Terminator 2-Ultimate Edition" (October 2) is being released in Europe and Japan."

Thanks, Tom!

On another front, thanks to those who responded (or at least LOOKED) in response to Stephanie Wiltse's attempt, midweek, to find, for David Greenlee, a picture from his days on the series FAME. Steff tells me that screen captures (Helper Judy Adams' suggestion, which I passed along) have turned up, been offered, and received. Perhaps they will do. Steff was kind enough to send along one of them, which I'll post in this update on the website.

Here's news from Helper Amber James about new developments with the British fandom:

If you do not wish to join the fan club but would like to register an interest in the proposed net-based services or have questions to ask regarding them, please Email AmberJames@btinternet.com.

It is now blatantly obvious that the Internet is the way we will all communicate in the years ahead, it is the future, and we must embrace it and use it to our advantage. As time has passed the number of active fans has reduced, it is important that we have a strong presence on the Internet. This new venture is designed to do just that. A strong, solid and united fan base, will give us a little more ‘clout’ with ‘the powers that be’ when it comes to getting our favourite series back on our screens again. It is for this reason we are venturing forth, and we ask you to take the journey with us.

In other developments UK-ward, Simon Huggins announces changes to the Helpers Network UK website:

The Helper's Network (UK) Web Site has had been updated to bring you the latest in Beauty & The Beast news. There's been quite a few additions, revisions and restructurings this month, so it should be worth a visit. Catch us at the following address:
http://www.simonhuggins.com/helpers/index.htm

Here is a summary of the changes:
5th August 2001

Helper's Eye
This has now been reorganized so that the title page only has current news.
Older items are now archived via a chronological index. Also Nan Dibble's Updates: 8th July, 9th July, 15th July, 16th July, 20th July, 23rd July, 29th July

Conventions
This section now has a contents page, and each convention now has its own page(s), accessible from the contents page. Gwen Lord looks back at the 2001 con in NYC. Also message from Roy Dotrice. Also commentary and photos from 2001 (photos available for sale) con in Manchester, UK - and another message from Roy!

Subscriptions
Back issues: May 1997 and Nov 1996. Added no. of pages to many of the issue details. Printable subscription order form added.

Merchandise
Updated Bookshelf list for HNUK and Gwen Lord Productions distributed fanzines. Roy Dotrice xmas cards now available. Also recipe book O-Kay Cooking from Kay Dotrice. Below the Belt series discontinued. Continued moving some items from older merchandise pages.

Links
Updated tunnelring links in order to join new ring. Added Gwen's Links section - list of emails/URLs linked to BATB fandom.

Episodes
Beauty and the Beast Companion: Series 2, Episodes 5, 6, 7, and 8. Epilog Journal: Series 1 Episode 13 (China Moon), Episode 14 (The Alchemist).

Classic Poetry
Orpheus and Eurydice by Robert Henryson.

Fan's Literature
Once Upon A Hot Roof by Rhonda Collins and She Walks In Silence by Donna A. Lordi. Also Gwen Lord's winning entry to the UK Chambers Tunnel Post Competition of August 1993 (Letter to Jessica from Jacob Wells).

Picture Gallery
No. 32 (Ron Perlman pose), No. 33 (Ready for Bed Vincent?), No.34 (Armin Shimerman), No. 35 (Dramatic B/W Photo of Roy Dotrice as Father), No. 36 (Gwen & Jacqui at 1991 UK Convention), No. 37 (Catherine in Kimono with Vincent in background).

Cast
Update to Ron Perlman's Picture Gallery. New Gallery for Armin Shimerman.
Update to Roy Dotrice's Picture Gallery. Update to Linda Hamilton's Picture Gallery.

Roy Dotrice Fan Association
More information about Subscribing. Latest news: Roy sends a message to the 2001 NYC convention, 2001 xmas cards available. O-Kay cooking recipe collection released.

You may also be interested to know that I've updated a few of my own personal web sites, relating to poetry, teaching, and my family...

http://www.simonhuggins.com/uricon/index.htm
8 classic poems - D.H. Lawrence (Piano), Edward Thomas (Aspens), Harry Graham (L'Enfant Glacé with illustration), John Masefield (Sea Fever); incl. four New Zealand Poems: A R D Fairburn (I'm Older Than You, Please Listen; Tapu), Charles Spear (Audrey), Denis Glover (The River Crossing).
Start of classic text - Tao Te Ching by Lao-tzu - chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4 of 81.
5 Poems by SH - Entropy; Empty Bench; Culture Damning; Back-To-Back in Tintagel; Surf; Sandbag or Sheep.
1 Prose by SH - Colour Co-Ordination.  SH: Work-In-Progress of fantasy work: Second draft of chapter 1 completed, chapter 2 started. First draft still available for comparison.
Warning: First chapter, although action-packed, is a bit 'icky' in places.

http://www.simonhuggins.com/personal/changes.htm
Standard (Formal) CV added for Simon. Added another batch of pictures to photo album for 05/07/2001 - Ben & Sam join in the garden delights.

http://www.simonhuggins.com/courses/javaweb/index.htm
Web site released about Java Course that I am to run this September - Introduction, Course Outline, Enrolment Details, History section.

On August 4, Helper Judy Adams relayed the following letter to the Magnificent 7 fandom from John Watson, its executive producer:

July 30, 2001
From:  John Watson

It is a consistent source of delight to me every time I check in on the website and discover how many people enjoy the show. I share with everyone who worked on the series an immense pride in the quality of the production and the storytelling and the performances, and it is especially rewarding to know that viewers from all around the globe are now getting the chance to see it, and that they seem to truly appreciate it.

My heartfelt thanks to all of you who have written your thoughts and expressed your feelings. I recently had a reunion of "The Magnificent Seven" cast at my house and I printed out recent pages from the website for them all to see. They were very much enjoyed. Please keep your comments coming. I guarantee they are not going out into the void.

They are being read and appreciated.

                              John Watson
                              Executive Producer

I'm sorry to report that increased numbers of updates are bouncing because of full e-mailboxes. The length is no doubt a factor. So beginning now, I will post the Sightings on the HN website but NOT include them in the e-mailed updates. I assume anybody with e-mail capability can also get online and check out the Sightings there (http://home.fuse.net/helpnet/sight.htm), if they're interested. I'll post them when I do them--about the middle of the week. However, if something is new or unusual by way of a Sighting, I'll still call it to your attention in the update, lest you miss it. I hope this strikes a useful balance between information, accessibility, and length.

This of course has nothing to do with the fact that I left the Sightings at the office on Friday. I'll transcribe and update them on the HN website tomorrow (Monday) evening.

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