Bravo's Inside the Actors Studio: Harrison Ford Secures Top Ratings Honor With .93.

Entertainment Editors

BETHPAGE, N.Y.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Aug. 22, 2000

Helen Hunt, Michael Douglas & Mike Myers are Among

the Stars Lined Up to Tape Fall 2000 Season

Bravo's Sunday night (August 20) premiere of Inside The Actors Studio: Harrison Ford became the network's highest-rated original series episode securing a .93 prime time rating.(a) On the heels of the series' strong performance, Bravo also announced today its spectacular line-up of stars for eight new shows going into production for its Emmy nominated Inside The Actors Studio series.

"We are particularly pleased with the overwhelmingly positive response to our signature series, Inside The Actors Studio," comments Ed Carroll, General Manager and Executive Vice President, Bravo Networks. "The series' high ratings along with its recent Emmy nomination are strong indicators that our viewers are enjoying our commitment to offering original arts programming that is unmatched in the industry."

The network continues to bring top-level talent to its signature series this fall. Among those set to take the stage with host James Lipton are Spike Lee, Helen Hunt, and Michael Douglas. Each guest will join Lipton and his audience of MFA candidates at Manhattan's New School University and engage in an intimate conversation that gets straight to the heart of the actor's craft.

       Bravo's Inside The Actors Studio Fall 2000 taping schedule is as
follows(1):

       -    September 11 - Spike Lee
       -    September 25 - Ed Harris
       -    October 10 - Jeff Bridges
       -    October 23 - Helen Hunt
       -    November 6 - Mike Myers
       -    November 20 - Melanie Griffith
       -    December 4 - Michael Douglas
       -    December 18 - Kevin Costner

(1)  (All dates are subject to change)

"The growing number and diversity of artists who are lining up to be guests of Inside The Actors Studio is testimony to James Lipton's reputation as a host," comments Frances Berwick, Senior Vice President of Programming for Bravo. "His skills as a master conversationalist have attracted a wide range of talented actors, directors and writers in the past. This upcoming season will continue in that tradition."

       Rounding out Bravo's top 5 highest rated Inside The Actors Studio
premieres are:

       -    .93 Harrison Ford (8/20/00)(b)
       -    .74 Tom Hanks (12/12/99)(b)
       -    .65 Sharon Stone (1/10/99)(b)
       -    .60 Mary Tyler Moore (10/24/99)(b)
       -    .59 Michael Caine (5/21/00)(b)

Bravo's Inside The Actors Studio, now with more than 80 shows to its credit, launched in April 1994 with Academy Award-winning actor and longtime Actor Studio President, Paul Newman. Past guests have included: Anthony Hopkins, Danny Glover, Kevin Spacey, Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Julia Roberts, Stephen Sondheim, Harrison Ford, Dennis Hopper, Faye Dunaway, Christopher Reeve, Glenn Close, Gene Wilder, Jack Lemmon, Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon and Sharon Stone. For ticket information, call The New School at [phone].

Bravo's signature series, Inside The Actors Studio was recently nominated in the category of Outstanding Non-Fiction Series for the episode Inside The Actors Studio: Kevin Spacey. The awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, August 26, 2000.

Bravo, The Film and Arts Network, offers critically acclaimed American and international films as well as performing arts, including dance, theater, classical music and jazz. Bravo can be seen in more than 47 million homes nationwide.

(a) Source: Nielsen Media Research, Inc., Ratings for August 20,

2000.

(b) Source: Nielsen Media Research, Inc., Ratings for December 12,

1999, January 10, 1999, November 24, 1999 and May 21, 2000.