DUKE PLAYS DICK!

Twin Peaks´ Co-creator, Mark Frost, Reveals the Nature of Ian Buchanan´s Role .. and Other Insights.

Breaking the nearly ironclad code of silence enveloping ABC´s brooding nighttime soap Twin Peaks, co-creator and co-executive producer (with director David Lynch) Mark Frost admits that Ian Buchanan has joined the cast.

Buchanan, who played the popular character Duke Lavery on General Hospital from 1986-1989, will be playing Dick Tremain, a man who will vie with deputy And (Harry Goaz) for the fair Lucy´s (Kimmy Robertsons) attentions. As we went to press, the first episode of Twin Peaks hadn´t yet aired, so we don´t know if the father of Lucy´s unborn child has been revealed. If it hasn´t, it seems fair to speculate that if it´s not Andy, it could be Dick.

Although Frost wouldn´t talk about any other new characters who would be arriving in Twin Peaks, he did say that Albert Rosenfield - the pushy, pugilistic pathologist from last season - would be returning.

"We just loved what Michael Ferrer (son of Jose Ferrer) did with him so we brought him back," Frost says.

Speaking of famous families, Frost´s sister is Lindsay Frost, ex-Betsy Andropoulos on As the World Turns. As to whether she might appear on TP, her brother states, "It´s quite possible, but she´s got a very busy schedule and isn´t available that much. I´d love to have her on the show."

Many loose ends will be tied up in the first new episodes of Twin Peaks. Frost says the significance of the letter "R" found under Laura Palmer´s fingernail will be explained in this week´s episode and that it will lead to further things. Later on "you will find out who, or what, BOB is," promises Frost. In The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer (written by Jennifer Lynch) the shadowy, long-blond-haired BOB, whom we have only seen in visions on the air, figures prominently. It is more than suggested that Laura was sexually abused as a child and that BOB, who may or may not be imaginary and whose name always appears in capital letters, is the culprit. Frost says his identity, 'will be pretty shocking.'"

To an outsider, it seems as though David Lynch gets all the glory for Twin Peaks, but Frost isn´t concerned. "For the people that it matters to know, they know what my contribution has been. We (Lynch and Frost) dreamed up the whole world together." Much of that world was taken literally form Frost´s own dreams. "David doesn´t remember his, but I recall mine vividly," Frost says. "Many lines of dialogue and the whole thing about owls is right out of my dream."

And what about the incredible response to the show by both the public and the media? Did Frost expect this to happen? He laughs. "I think if you went around expecting this kind of reaction then you might as well be dressed up as Napoleon and living in a looney bin."

- MIMI TORCHIN