On brink of nighttime soap's 40th anniversary, 'Knots Landing' leads say they're ready for onscreen

(19 Jul 2019) ON BRINK OF NIGHTTIME SOAP'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY, 'KNOTS LANDING' LEADS SAY THEY'RE READY FOR ONSCREEN REUNION
Nearly 40 years after first forging their friendship while working together on the nighttime drama "Knot's Landing," actresses Joan Van Ark, Michele Lee and Donna Mills are more than just friends, they're a sister act.
In fact, at one point during an interview Thursday (18JULY19), the three actually broke into song: Irving Berlin's campy "Sisters" from the holiday-film classic, "White Christmas."
"The truth is that we are, in fact, sisters," said Van Ark, who portrayed the sweet but frequently frantic Valene on "Knots," which aired on CBS from 1979-93.
"And when we're together," Van Ark continued, "It's goofy and fun. When we have our three-way conversations, which might be just the three of us, we are truly joined soul-to-soul, heart-to-heart."
The three got together Thursday at the Hollywood Bowl for a dinner hosted by The Jose Iturbi Foundation, which promotes classical music to mainstream audiences, and awards grants to musicians. The dinner preceded a concert celebrating the 10th anniversary of conductor Gustavo Dudamel serving as music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
"We always meet for dinner," Van Ark noted. "And if we've got a special event like this one tonight, then we have all the more reason to do so."
December will mark the 40th anniversary of "Knots Landing"'s debut.
Mills said the actress-centric series was ahead of its time in terms of female empowerment in Hollywood.
"On 'Knots,'" Mills explained, "(empowerment) was so strong, because we were so strong, our characters were so strong, that it was like, 'Don't mess with them.'"
As for plans for an onscreen reunion to mark "Knots"' 40th?
Van Ark joked about the characters, "They'll all have facelifts, I hope."
"Because I've never had any work done," added Lee, with a laugh.
And if an anniversary special fails to materialize, Van Ark said there's Plan B for her, Lee and Mills that's been developed.
"Yeah, last year, (we) went round and round about a show that we were going to call, 'We're 'Knot' Done Yet.' And we're not. We're not."

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