New Zealand actress Angela Dotchin, who starred last season as feisty young innkeeper Kora in Young Hercules, is also set to star in the new syndicated action series from Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi's Renaissance Pictures ("Timecop," "Hard Target," "Army of Darkness," "Hercules" and " Xena" ).
The new weekly half-hour, created by Eric Morris ("The Pretender," "Spy Game," "Sliders," "The Outer Limits") and distributed by Studios USA Domestic Television, will be paired with Renaissance Pictures' new futuristic half-hour series Cleopatra 2525 in the weekly Back 2 Back Action hour, replacing Hercules in national syndication the week of Jan. 17, 2000.
Set in the French East Indies in the mid-18th century, "Jack of All Trades" revolves around the exploits of Jack Stiles, a James Bond-like spy in the British Secret Service, played by Bruce Campbell. A daring adventurer and irresistible rogue, Jack is sent to an island controlled by the French, where he establishes himself as a wealthy spice merchant while serving as an undercover agent for the Crown. Entirely a man of his time, Jack believes a woman's place is in the home -- ideally his home fulfilling his every desire. He is therefore completely unprepared when he discovers that his boss on this mission is Emilia, the French Governor's niece, played by Angela Dotchin.
Appalled by her uncle's treatment of the local people, Emilia is also working undercover for the British as a double-agent. A feminist hell-bent on enforcing human rights and a woman clearly ahead of her time, the smart and highly idealistic Emilia proves to be a worthy match for the swashbuckling Jack.
Disguised as a British dragoon, Jack teams up with Emilia on secret missions to prevent the evil governor from spreading his tyranny across the New World. They overcome their foes through an array of ingenious gadgets built by Emilia and Jack's convincing way with a sword.
Filled with high action, drama and humor, "Jack of All Trades" is executive produced by Tapert and Raimi. David Misch ("Duckman," "Monsters," "Police Squad!," "Mork and Mindy") and Bruce Campbell are co-executive producers and series creator Eric Morris is supervising producer.
Campbell has enjoyed a wide variety of roles on television. In addition to his popular role as Autolycus, the King of Thieves, in "Hercules" and "Xena, " he starred as the title character in the acclaimed Fox series "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.," and has starred or guest-starred in numerous other dramas and comedies, including "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," "The X-Files," "Homicide: Life on the Street and Ellen." His TV film credits include "The Love Bug," "Tornado!," "In the Line of Duty: Blaze of Glory" and "Gold Rush."
Campbell also has an extensive list of film credits. In addition to starring in the highly successful Evil Dead trilogy, he has been featured in such motion pictures as Ethan and Joel Coen's big business comedy "The Hudsucker Proxy," "Congo," John Carpenter's "Escape From L.A.," and McHale's "Navy." He also starred in the award-winning independent crime drama "Running Time." In addition, Campbell has written his autobiography, "Confessions of a 'B' Movie Actor," which will be released by St. Martin's Press in the spring of 2000.
Angela Dotchin is a major star in New Zealand, having spent six years playing Kirsty Knight, one of the most popular characters in the country's top-rated primetime soap opera Shortland Street. The role earned her two TV Guide New Zealand Film & Television Award nominations for best actress. Dotchin has also guest starred as Nautica in Hercules and as Soraya in Xena.
"Jack of All Trades" is a Renaissance Pictures production distributed in national syndication by Studios USA Domestic Television.
Studios USA, a USA company (Nasdaq: USAI), consists of first-run production and distribution, television movie and miniseries development and production, and network development and production.
SOURCE Studios USA
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