A trip to the movies is supposed to mean a reprieve from television. But a night at the multiplex won't seem much different from a night in the living room, as more and more classic television shows make their way to the big screen.
We've had "Star Trek" and its sequels, "Dragnet" and "The Untouchables," to name a few, but at last count there were more than a dozen projects in development based on hit television shows of the '50s and '60s, including "The Fugitive," "Hawaii Five-0," "Mission: Impossible," "The Beverly Hillbillies," "The Little Rascals" and even a live-action version of 'The Flintstones." Already finished are Orion's version of "Car 54, Where Are You?" and the upcoming "The Addams Family."
Why are TV shows being turned into movies? Robert Solo ("Colors"), who produced Orion's "Car 54" movie, says, "It's happening for the same reason studios like to make sequels -- they're easier to sell."