BY BELINDA BREMNER

The tide is turning, the talks are on and the world has its collective ear to the door. Do I overstate my case? It wouldn’t be the first accusation of exaggeration I’ve fielded, but in this case, I don’t think so. A funny and wonderful thing happened on the way to the strike forum. Folks in the industry (and we’re talking about both sides) got fed up and spoke up. Some were very big names. Every actor should get a copy of Richard Dreyfuss’ beautiful letter that was printed in the Daily News, cross stitch it and give it place of pride in their homes (and hearts). And there were folks with deep pockets–Jay Leno forked over $10,000. Not missing a beat, both Kevin Spacey and Harrison Ford each added a zero to that sum, donating $100,000 each. The field of gold ribbons at the Emmy’s didn’t hurt either. Rosie’s audience cheered Dreyfuss when he appeared on her talk show. That’s great. But the most important thing is that they heard. These celebrities have stuck their necks out to get our message out to the public. The same message that the JPC and its fully owned subsidiaries has tried to stifle over the last five months. Each day I wear my ribbon and folks who have heard about the strike wish me luck. Those who don’t know ask (and boy, do I tell them). In the end (perhaps just to shut me up), they wish us luck.

We knew early on in this action that the other side had talked to their staffs and told them not to talk to us. Now we learn that they are talking to each other–especially after getting an earful from clients who are fed up with wasting their time, energy and money on no talent scabs. The letter leaked from Leo Burnett about Disney refusing to throw away a campaign on substandard performers was a doozy. Want to know just how abysmal the level of (and I use the term so very loosely) talent is? There was a pitiful attempt to cast a Campbell’s soup ad. This from a Chicago casting director who has urged clients to sign the interim. You all know the slogan, Mmmmmm good. Well, the tape they sent to the client was full of reads saying "Campbell’s soup, it’s "m," "m," "m," "m," "m" good. It would be funny if it weren’t so miserably true.

Expect backpedaling and history rewriting from the agents who abetted the strike. As for union franchised agents, there have been only two cases of agencies taking scab work. One is out of town and one is here. Action is being taken against them by the unions they betrayed. There was also an isolated case of an agent within a highly reputable agency taking known struck work and thinking (ridiculously) that it would never come to light. Well the check hit the accountant’s desk and something else hit the fan soon after. This former agent will no doubt find getting a new job in this town very, very difficult.

So what is up? The Illinois Film Office reports that the "Joan Cusack" show will tape the pilot and two episodes, go on hiatus and then come back for another 11 shows. "ER" will be returning at the end of the month and the Muhammad Ali biopic looks good for February. There is some scouting for two Dreamworks projects and we have several independents such as Design, Tenfold and Dreamcatcher. Dragonfly, the Kevin Costner film, is currently on hold. MGM has pulled out of the deal and Universal is debating about what they want to do.

When all those dandy docs from "ER" return, the intrepid Jane Alderman will be doing the local casting. At the moment she is ankle deep in moppets with sausage curls as she conducts a search for the young Shirley Temple for an upcoming bio pic of the child star.

Tenner Paskal is casting Rain for Martin Scorsese and Katherine Lindblom. Traveling to Des Moines to shoot will be Mary Sieble, Thamus Rounds and Bill Dick. More bookings to follow. They are also casting the independents Dreamcatcher and In Between Time.

Things have been busy over at Lily’s. There were a flock of industrial bookings. Those cast include: Glenn Fahlstrom, Quinton James, Michael Kieronomas, Christopher Stingini, Marc Van Minor, Phil Tang, Megan Crosby, Tumer Simmons, Michael Joyner, Barry Seigel, Kalvin Catlin, Noelle Hardy, Dana Richards, Michael Wills, Gerry Gosnell, Jack Mountain, Katie Arundel, Julie Handy, Joe Ahmadyar, Adam Strojny, Kelly Jang, Jean Sawin, Ron Marce, Heather Olsen, Gloria Bannon, Javier Lopez, Trish Schaefer, Frank LaVecchia, Madrid St. Angelo, Rolanda Klyce, John Woo, Ryan Santee and Kevin Weeder. Non struck commercials went to Perry Williams, Chad Moskal, Frank LaVecchia, Becky Birdsong, Charles Young, Dianna Martinez and Kisha Knazze. Feature film bookings went to David Johnson, Dale Englehardt and Kellie Hallihan. And the "Lucky Seven" for October are Dale Engelhardt, Frank LaVecchia, Becky Birdsong, Rita Reed, Kayla Ready, Melissa Demczak, and Michael Kleronomos.

Congratulations to the spectacular Daine Dorsey and Danny Goldring on becoming grandparents (though they hardly look)! Their new grandson, Trevor, has remarkable taste in choosing grandparents.

Peace.

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