Michael Denis and Alex Pangburn have booked roles in “The Unauthorized Melrose Place Story“.
Lifetime Cable Network has greenlighted The Unauthorized Melrose Place Story.
Launched in 1992 as a companion to Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place became a hit in its own right. Originally designed to be an authentic, grounded look at 20-something life in Los Angeles, the Aaron Spelling series created by Darren Star became 90210’s soapier, yet equally popular, cousin. It ran for seven seasons and 226 episodes on Fox from 1992-99 and spawned a short-lived reboot that ran for one season on The CW in 2009.
The original series starred Courtney Thorne-Smith, Andrew Shue, Grant Show, Doug Savant and later, Marcia Cross and Heather Locklear, among others.
Drawing on true stories and anecdotes from interviews with the original cast and crew, the Lifetime movie will highlight the remarkable behind-the-scenes moments that shaped the series — from early casting drama and Locklear arriving to “save” Melrose Place to the actors begging its writers for even wilder storylines to make them fan favorites. The Unauthorized Melrose Place Story will be executive produced by Michael Larkin (Secrets in the Walls) and Howard Braunstein (The Informant!), produced by Christian Bruyere (A Girl’s Best Friend) and written by Dana Schmalenberg (Single Ladies). Mark Griffiths (A Novel Romance) will direct.
Melrose Place becomes the fourth movie in Lifetime’s “unauthorized” series that launched with 2014’s Saved By the Bell and continues with the upcoming Full House and Beverly Hills, 90210 entries.