JACKIE COLLINS' LADY BOSS {PART 1 OF 2} (TV)
Summary
The first of this two-part miniseries based on the novel of the same name by Jackie Collins, serving as a sequel to “Lucky Chances,” about Lucky Santangelo’s attempts to gain a foothold in Hollywood.
Lucky visits Lennie at Panther Studios in Hollywood, where he is starring in a major motion picture. They are to meet Steven for lunch, and Lucky is excited to see him ever since she learned that Steven was her half-brother. Steven arrives while Lennie is filming a scene and Lucky greets him, both happy to see each other. They go to see Lennie; Lucky explains to Steven that Lennie is having a miserable time filming due to his distaste for the script and the director. She plans to buy Panther Studios in order to alleviate Lennie’s grievances, and she asks Steven not to tell Lennie, as she wants it to be a surprise. Steven relocates to Los Angeles as a partner of a large firm, and learns that wealthy socialite Deena Swanson plans to start her own cosmetics company and is seeking legal representation. The firm plans to lobby for her and her husband Martin’s favor while Steven takes on the case of Mary Lou Morley, a television actress who is suing a tabloid magazine for publishing nude photographs taken of her when she was a teenager. Meanwhile, Deena chides Martin in private for ignoring her as of late, and accuses him of having an extramarital affair.
Steven goes out to dinner with Mary Lou and they talk. Mary Lou knows that Lucky and Steven are half-siblings, and Steven tells her about how that came to be. The Swansons attend a costume party benefit for AIDS, and Martin meets actress Venus Maria and her date Cooper Turner. Martin is visibly attracted to her, although Venus acts coy around him and leaves him alone. Cooper warns her not to get involved with Martin. Lennie argues with the director of his film again, but to no avail. Lucky meets with Abe Panther, the elderly owner of Panther Studios, and they talk about the operation of the studio in the hands of his son-in-law Mickey Stoner. She tries to convince Abe that his studio has become a producer of “sexist schlock” and that she can restore it to its former glory. He agrees with her and wants to sell the studio to her, but first he asks that she expose his son-in-law’s illicit activities by going undercover as his secretary.
Santino Bonnatti is released from prison, eager to get revenge on Lucky and Steven for imprisoning him. Steven and Mary Lou go to visit Lucky and Steven in their home, and while there Steven is informed of Santino’s release. Martin tells Deena that he plans on buying Panther Studios, although Deena is increasingly suspicious that he is having an affair. He keeps sending flowers to Venus, who appreciates his attentions. Cooper has lunch with Lennie; Mickey and his distributor Eddie note that Lennie has been troublesome lately, but they are unconcerned as long as he makes them money. While in Los Angeles, Martin sleeps with Venus, and she comes away with photographs of the two of them together. Lucky considers Abe’s request and decides to accept, determined to show him how badly his studio is being run in exchange for a substantial reduction in price. She lies to Lennie, claiming that she has to oversee a major international deal, which upsets him as he feels he needs her on set with him. She manages to convince him to go along with it, and he confesses that what he really wants is to have a child with her.
Lucky infiltrates Steven’s office disguised as a hysterical woman, and once inside she reveals herself to Steven. The disguise is part of her undercover work, along with a sophisticated tape recorder she plans to use to gain incriminating evidence on Mickey. Steven is made aware of her plans and warns her to be careful. Under this disguise, Lucky reports for work as a secretary at the executive building at Panther Studios. She quickly endears herself to the head secretary Olive Sertner, who has worked for the studio for nearly thirty years at Abe’s request. Lucky secretly plants a listening device in Mickey’s phone just before he arrives. Santino is frustrated; Panther Studios has a deal with him to help distribute his pornographic films overseas and cut him in on the profits, but he has seen little in the way of money since returning from jail. His lawyer Bruce is more concerned with the immediate matter of Mary Lou suing one of Santino’s magazines. Santino learns that Steven is representing Mary Lou, but decides to leave him alone for the time being.
While on location in Mexico, Lennie attempts to call Lucky but can’t get through to her. Christie, his personal assistant, helps him fend off the various women attempting to hit on him. Lucky manages to secure Mickey’s private phone number, and listens in on a phone conversation between him and his wife Abigaile. Unbeknownst to her, Mickey is having an affair with a prostitute called Warner. Santino calls Eddie Kane, a movie producer who he says owes him money, and tells him to pay up; Eddie is Mickey’s head of distribution. Mickey and Abigaile hold a brunch, and Venus and Cooper are in attendance. Eddie warns Mickey about Santino’s threats, but Mickey puts off dealing with it. In private, Cooper warns Venus about getting too involved with Martin, and expresses frustration that their relationship remains “platonic.” Later Venus goes to see Mickey in his office, complaining about the latest film he’s cast her in. She threatens to walk unless the film is rewritten to be less chauvinist and excise its nudity.
Lucky finds and introduces herself to Harry, the studio’s senior projectionist, who has been with the company longer than any other current employee. She catches his interest and tries to get him to open up about what he’s seen during his long career. Later Lucky has dinner with Steven, who tells her that Lennie is becoming impatient with her absence. She plans to surprise him in Mexico that weekend, as she also misses him. Martin returns to Los Angeles again, further frustrating Deena. She calls Steven and his partner Jerry Masterson and tells them that she needs their assistance in New York for “the perfect murder.” Martin goes to see Venus at her home, and tells her that he is purchasing the studio for her, and that he plans to divorce Deena. Jerry tells Steven that they discovered that the magazine Mary Lou is suing is indirectly owned by Santino, although Steven claims that his history with Santino is “not a big deal” and that he relishes the chance to litigate him again. Venus’s freeloading brother Emilio sees her in bed with Martin and runs off.
While out on a date with Harry, Lucky learns about all manner of illegal activities perpetrated by Panther Studios; Lucky records their entire conversation as she plies him with alcohol. Deena tells Steven and Jerry that she expects them to defend her if her murder attempt against Martin goes awry, although Steven is staunchly opposed to such a proposition, but can do nothing to stop her. Christie helps Lennie rewrite portions of his movie’s script, and unbeknownst to him Lucky is in his hotel lobby and goes up to see him. When she arrives Christie answers the door and Lennie is soon on hand to greet her. Christie, disappointed, leaves them alone as they get intimate with each other. Venus argues with Emilio and tells him that he can no longer stay in her house. Eddie receives another threat from Santino’s people and barges in to Mickey’s office, monitored by Lucky in disguise. Mickey does not take Santino’s threats seriously despite Eddie’s repeated attempts to convince him otherwise. Lucky calls Steven and tells him about Panther Studios’ involvement with Santino, and also receives a call from Martin about a meeting to consider purchasing the studio.
Mary Lou’s case goes to court, and Santino takes the stand, claiming that Mary Lou sent his magazine the photographs in the hopes that they would be publicized, claiming that she was “desperate.” Mary Lou becomes quite angry at this assertion and calls Santino a liar; a short recess is declared so that she can calm down. Santino speaks to Steven and makes a threat against Lucky. Emilio speaks to the editor of a tabloid magazine in order to sell them the story of Venus’s relationship with Martin. Lennie’s director rejects the changes he made to the script, much to Lennie’s disappointment. Christie reveals to Lennie that Lucky lied to him about her whereabouts; her friend works for an airline and determined that her flight came from Los Angeles. Lennie, angry, tells Christie to stay out of his personal life. However, Lennie calls her and accuses her of lying to him, hanging up on her angrily. He immediately decides to return to Los Angeles regardless of the consequences for the movie.
The court finds in favor of Mary Lou, awarding her eight million dollars in compensatory and punitive damages. However, Santino indicates to Steven that he will not allow this decision to go forward. Lucky brings her findings to Abe and presents her evidence of the studio’s wrongdoing, including Mickey’s involvement with Santino’s pornography operation. Abe is satisfied with Lucky’s work and finalizes their deal to sell her the studio. Lucky learns that Lennie has flown to New York; she gives Abigaile Mickey’s private number, thus exposing his affair with Warner to her. Steven celebrates his court victory with Lucky, and Lucky indicates that she will stay another day to finalize her deal with Abe before flying out to New York to see Lennie and reveal her plot. Santino plans to discredit Mary Lou by printing additional previously-unrevealed nude photographs of her and in another of his magazines. Lucky signs her deal with Abe and surprises Lennie in his apartment in New York; they spend the night together, quite happy to see each other.
Emilio visits Venus, supposedly to apologize, and while he is there he catches a glimpse of the interior of Venus’s safe, which contains the candid photographs she took of herself and Martin. Mickey tells Eddie that he has arranged to pay off Santino; he plans to sell the studio to Martin and collect a massive finder’s fee. Lucky finally reveals to Lennie that she purchased Panther Studios, and talks about everything she went through in order to secure the deal. Lennie is shocked and somewhat angry at Lucky for her deceptive behavior; he believed that she was going to tell him that she was pregnant with their child. She says that it is not the right time for them to have children, and they get into an argument. Lennie tells Lucky that if she leaves he doesn’t want to see her again. Eddie is killed when a bomb explodes in his car. Abe calls a board meeting to announce the sale of Panther Studios to Lucky. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: October 11, 1992 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:31:41
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:31612
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Literature; Hollywood
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV, 1992
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Frank Von Zerneck … Executive Producer
- Robert M. Sertner … Executive Producer
- Jackie Collins … Executive Producer, Writer, Based on the book "Lady Boss" by
- Steve McGlothen … Producer
- Deborah Edell … Co-Producer
- Randy Sutter … Associate Producer
- Charles Jarrott … Director
- Dana Kaproff … Music by
- Kim Delaney … Cast, Lucky Santangelo
- Jack Scalia … Cast, Lennie Golden
- Alan Rachins … Cast, Mickey Stoner
- Phil Morris … Cast, Steven Dimes
- Yvette Mimieux … Cast, Deena Swanson
- Beth Toussaint … Cast, Venus Maria
- Vanity … Cast, Mary Lou Morley
- Scott Valentine … Cast, Ron
- Robin Strasser … Cast, Abigaile Stoner
- John Randolph … Cast, Abe Panther
- Joe Cortese … Cast, Santino Bonnatti
- Jeff Kaake … Cast, Eddie Kane
- Douglas Barr … Cast, Jerry Masterson
- Georgann Johnson … Cast, Olive Sertner
- Anthony John Denison … Cast, Cooper Turner
- Joan Rivers … Cast, Bibi Grant
- David Selby … Cast, Martin Swanson
- Daniel Quinn … Cast, Emilio
- William Shockley … Cast, Axel Porter
- Vanessa Angel … Cast, Christie
- Kiki Shepard … Cast, Warner Franklin
- Eugenie Bondorant … Cast, Luna
- Marty Rackham … Cast, Artie
- Paula McClure … Cast, TV Reporter
- Mort Sertner … Cast, Judge
- Donald Trump … Cast, Himself
- Floyd Levine … Cast, Bruce
- Jeff Austin … Cast, Policeman
- Nancy Kyes … Cast, Doctor
- Mark St. James … Cast, Photographer
- Eric Fleeks … Cast, Male Guard
- Diane Almeida … Cast, Female Guard
- Anita Ortega … Cast, Houseperson
- Aleisa Shirley … Cast, Beauty I
- Jennifer Campbell … Cast, Beauty II
- Kimberly Oja … Cast, Marisa
- Gordon Hurst … Cast, Jury Foreman
- Lauren Bacich … Cast, Rental Clerk
- Eddie Mui … Cast, Venus' Butler
- Marykate Harris … Cast, Preacher
- Kevin Ryder … Cast, Himself
- Gene "Bean" Baxter … Cast, Himself
- Maura Soden … Cast, Reporter #1
- Mary Major … Cast, Reporter #2
- Jo Yang … Cast, Commissary Hostess
- Caren Bronson … Cast, Secretary
- Mark Blankfeld … Cast
- Jake Dengel … Cast
- John Sanderford … Cast
- Nick Tate … Cast