October 13 - 19, 2024
Reba McEntire returns to sitcom duty as the NBC series “Happy’s Place” premieres Friday, Oct. 18.
Reba McEntire, Melissa Peterman and Belissa Escobedo star in “Happy’s Place”
celebrityupdate
BY JAY BOBBIN
George Clooney OF SISTERS ON NBC Q: I see that the series “Sisters” is streaming now. I know George Clooney was in it, but which character did he play? A: We can confirm that it wasn’t one of the sisters … though with his famous sense of humor, George Clooney might have given that a try if that opportunity had been presented to him. The drama series, which ran on NBC from 1991 to 1996, is now available to stream via the service Plex. Clooney appeared during the fourth and fifth rounds of the show’s six-season run, playing James Falconer, a police detective who became involved with the program’s central family when he investigated an assault on one of its members. Teddy (portrayed by Sela Ward) eventually was Falconer’s love interest, with their connection advanced and strengthened by the fact that they both were recovering alcoholics. He had a tragic personal past, for sure, and that background gave Clooney plenty of opportunity to show how he handled dramatic material. That was notable since much of his television work preceding that was in the comedy realm (“The Facts of Life,” “Roseanne,” etc.). We won’t say much more about Falconer’s story here, for the benefit of those who aren’t familiar with “Sisters” and may want to check it out. Clooney stayed with NBC and production company Warner Bros. Television by segueing into the medical drama “ER,” which cemented his stardom with his portrayal of Dr. Doug Ross. His career after that is the stuff of show-business history, encompassing two Oscar wins (for his acting in 2005’s “Syriana” and his producing of 2012’s “Argo”) but no Primetime Emmy Awards as of yet.