The Gossip Columnist (1980)

Genres - Drama  |   Run Time - 120 min.  |   Countries - United States  |   MPAA Rating - NR
  • AllMovie Rating
    5
  • User Ratings (0)
  • Your Rating

Share on

Synopsis by Hal Erickson

The Gossip Columnist is a rare one-part offering from Operation Prime Time, the TV-syndication service responsible for such miniseries as The Kent Family Chronicles. Fourth-billed Kim Cattrall plays the title character, journalist Dina Moran. Instructed by her boss (Dick Sargent) to take over the gossip column previously written by Hedda Hopper-clone Alma Llewellyn (Sylvia Sidney), Dina becomes a veritable Rona Barrett (why, one would think that scenarist Michael Gleason had purposely based the character on Barrett). In the course of 2 hours, our heroine makes and breaks several celebrities. Martha Raye plays a character not far removed from herself: a formerly big star hoping for a comeback. The cast includes such TV perennials as Robert Vaughn, Bobby Vinton, Bobby Sherman, Richard Deacon and Lyle Waggoner, along with such guest stars as Steve Allen, Jim Backus, Jack Carter, Allen Ludden, Jayne Meadows, Rip Taylor and Betty White. The Gossip Columnist first aired during the third week of March, 1980.

Characteristics

Keywords

politics, career, columnist, dream, gossip, gossip-columnist, investigation, journalism, politician, reporter, retirement, veteran [military], writing