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Don't dust off those red lifeguard swimsuits just yet. Planned ‘Baywatch’
reunion awaits approval
from Fox TVBy Tim Ryan
tryan@starbulletin.comA "Baywatch" reunion movie is in the works, to be shot this summer in Los Angeles and Hawaii, but Fox Television has not yet approved the project, and only star David Hasselhoff has been confirmed.
"No deals with any of the other actors are in place yet," said Doug Schwartz, who would co-produce the two-hour, $5 million movie-of-the-week, tentatively titled "Baywatch Obsession."
Fox is waiting to see screenwriter Chuck Rosen's script, due by May 8. Rosen spent seven years as writer for "90210," "Dawson's Creek" and the short-lived Big Island-based series "Wind on Water," starring Bo Derek.
Hasselhoff, vacationing on Oahu over the weekend, said producers are "trying to put the pieces together to bring it to Hawaii."
According to Schwartz, co-creator of the original series with Greg Bonann, "Baywatch Obsession" will begin pre-production soon after Memorial Day. Filming will take place in Los Angeles for two weeks beginning July 9, then move to Hawaii July 22 to Aug. 9. Schwartz was not part of the "Baywatch Hawaii" team; Bonann was but is not connected with this project.
"Baywatch Obsession" would reunite some 20 actors from the original "Baywatch" and "Baywatch Hawaii," though he declined to name them until contracts are signed.
Some of the major stars of the lifeguard drama have maintained high public profiles: Pamela Anderson recently announced she has hepatitis C; Gena Lee Nolin went through a nasty, highly publicized divorce; Yasmine Bleeth pleaded guilty earlier this year to drug charges; and Carmen Electra was briefly married to basketball player Dennis Rodman. "Baywatch Hawaii" lifeguards included Michael Bergin, Jason Brooks and Stacy Kamano.
Schwartz described the story line as "Baywatch" meets "Survivor."
The show would air this fall on Fox TV.
Neither the state nor Honolulu film offices were aware that the production had been revived and planned to film here.
"Baywatch Hawaii" filmed on Oahu for two years before owner Pearson Television canceled the show in 2001.
Rosen and company will have some explaining to do in the new story: How will they bring Hasselhoff's Mitch Buchannon back to life? He was supposedly blown to pieces in the season-ending episode.
"Baywatch" premiered on NBC in 1989, starring Hasselhoff as the leader of a crack team of Malibu-based lifeguards. At its peak the show aired in more than 140 countries, and producers claimed it was the most popular show in the world.
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