Sunday Telegraph T.V. Guide [Australia] 11/14/1999 JAG Star's Rise to a Major Role

You could be forgiven for thinking that anyone cast originally as a dead body had no long term prospects. But Catherine Bell reveals how a little perserverance paid off. Catherine Bell is one actor who can honestly say she managed to raise herself from the dead, on screen at least. Bell was initially brought onto the action adventure series JAG as a guest, opposite the star, David James Elliott. She enjoyed the role so much, she approached the producer whe she heard he was looking for a leading lady. After a supreme effort, she won the role, and, four years later, is every bit the Hollywood star, reportedly earning a five-figure salary per episode. "Acting as a dead person was a little eerie the first time I appeared on JAG," she recalls. "It was a very quick scene, as I had to hold my breath the whole time, and it was a strange feeling when the body bag was zipped up." "Even though I has a short role as a Navy lieutenant initially, it was enough to give me a very good insight into the show. I loved it, and thought the environment was excellent. "When I heard they were looking to cast someone in a permanent role, I wanted it. "I wrote a letter to the creator and executive producer Donald Bellisario, explaining why I thought I would be right for the role. After several screen tests, I got it." When Bell landed the role of Major Sarah MacKenzie, she was sent to San Diego to meet some members of the US Navy, for some hands-on experience. But she said it did not take long before she felt at home on the set in her new role. "My first day was nerve-racking, but I fitted in quickly," she says. "Everyone made me feel very welcome." Bellisario nursed the show from precarious beinnings to become one of TV's great success stories. "I'm a former marine, and my shows always have military experience in them," he says. "Magnum (Tom Selleck) was a navy SEAL in Vietnam," says Bellisario. "I started to write about aircraft carriers and pilots, and during an investigation I found out about JAG officers. "I discovered that they investigate, prosecute and defend. I thought that was perfect: a legal show with flying." The pilot script for the series was written in six weeks, and the show was launched amid heavy duty network fanfare. But then disaster: in the US the series bombed and was dumped. A strong following overseas (the show has been a consistent winner in Australia) coupled with another US network's faith brought the show back from the dead. "They wanted an action show," says Bellisario, of the show's early failure. "I tried to give them some of that , but I never was able to do the show I wanted." "The eventual popularity of the show is due to its attractive cast, the fast-paced action and the tension of the courtroom," says Bellisario. He even admits he and his writing staff comb newspapers and magazines looking for interesting subject matter, such as the Gulf War, the Bosnia and Kosovo conflicts, the fate of Vietnam and Korean POWs, and discrimination against women and homosexuals. "In some cases we're ahead of the news," he says. Bell says her biggest fan and supporter is her actor husband Adam who has won a guest role on a JAG episode, which will air next year. "Adam only recently decided to explore the acting world," she says. "It was a lot of fun having him on the set with me, and it's great being married to someone who understands the industry." The fourth series will begin screening in February next year, after the program shoots its 100th anniversary episode in Sydney next year. The logistics of moving the program to Sydney for the movie-length episode are enormous but, as is the case in the US, the show is depending on the assistance of the Australian Navy. But that's okay with Bell. After all, she says, the cast of JAG is used to doing things tough. "We had some tough times, but I always had faith in the show," she says. "In the first year I said we were going to be in the top 30 (rated series), and we were. The next year I said we'd be in the top 20, and we were. Last year I said we'd make the top 10 and we did." Amen to that.