Michael Gross, the yuppie father and star of the hit TV show “Family Ties,” gives messages of support and encouragement in the hour-long telethon, Feel the Heartbeat, the production of which was completed in the last week of January. This half million dollar pro-life spectacular also features Catherine Swing, a former Miss Canada, who shares the pro-life messages of support and encouragement with Michael Gross and makes for lively viewing.
Feel the Heartbeat is an upbeat look at various facets of the pro-life movement, entertainingly done and fast paced throughout, featuring talented singers and other guest entertainers with original toe-tapping music, especially written for the show. Previews of the show have drawn enthusiastic comments from viewers.
A seduction scene is tastefully handled and an unmarried girl’s pregnancy is followed through to the birth of her child. A touching scene occurs when adopting parents are interviewed and express admiration for the birth mother’s decision to have her baby.
Brief street interviews are conducted with young business women who were asked the question: “When do you think life beings?” Nobody interviewed got the question right. Some said at birth, some said at six months. Rev. David Mainse, popular host of 100 Huntley Street, makes a brief guest appearance with a stimulating, challenging message.
Previewers agree that Feel the Heartbeat presents the pro-life movement in a positive, enlightening and entertaining way. Never has a programme of this scope been undertaken anywhere, Rev. Gary Sweetman, Alliance for Life National Telephone Co-ordinator, said in an interview.
“This pilot project, we hope, said Rev. Sweetman, “will raise several million dollars in Canada to be distributed to contributing pro-life groups. But before Feel the Heartbeat can be shown on a number of stations – even though Alliance for Life is buying the time – they demand to see a print to make sure it is not offensive to their viewing audience. Strange, isn’t it – for all the fare they show on TV? We’re after prime time only from seven to eleven and the price ranges up to $40,000 an hour. Thousands of hours of work have been put into making and marketing of the programme and we’re confident that it’s going to be a rousing success.”
