NED KANDEL is the producer of the forthcoming TV movie - YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME, based on Dusty's life. He gives us an EXCLUSIVE interview on Dusty Devotedly. Here are some of Ned's TELEVISION AND MOVIE CREDITS.....

LIVE ACTION SERIES
Executive Producer and Producer

THE MALL Sesame Workshop/Syndication
65 episodes
AMONG THE HIDDEN(2001) Showtime
Movie and Pilot
BackPack (2001) Discovery Channel
13 Episodes.
Are You Afraid Of The Dark? (1992-2000) Nickelodeon
91 Episodes. 3 time CableACE Award Nominee. American/Canadian Co-Production.
The New Ghostwriter Mysteries (1997) CBS/CTW
13 Episodes.
Chris Cross (1993-1994) Showtime
13 Episodes. CableACE Award Winner--Best Children’s Series. American/Canadian/UK Co-Production.
Swans Crossing (1992) Syndication
65 Episodes. Children’s Soap Opera starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Mira Sorvino.
Encyclopedia Brown (1988-1989) HBO
8 Episodes.

MOVIES
Executive Producer and Producer

DUSTY SPRINGFIELD (2000) VH1 Movie of the Week.
ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK? THE MOVIE (2001) Nickelodeon
Matewan (1987) Written and directed by John Sayles. Academy Award Nominee.
Night Train To Kathmandu (1987) Disney Channel and Paramount Television. Starring Milla Jovovich.
Somewhere, Tomorrow (1983) Comworld Pictures and Disney. Starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Elisabeth Shue.

DOCUMENTARIES
Executive Producer and Producer

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS (2000)Food Network
6 episode series behind the scenes in the food industry.
between The Madness (1998) FOX Sports
2 hour feature documentary film.
Baseball, Minnesota (1996) F/X Cable Network
22 Episode documentary series.
World Ride: The Impossible Dream (1995) CBS Network
90 minute Thanksgiving Day Special hosted by Charles Kuralt.
Let Me Be Brave (1991) CBS Network
A climb of Mount Kilimanjaro by Special Olympics Athletes. EMMY Award winner.

Q1:

Few events around Dusty have aroused such combined excitement & suspicion as
this movie. Just what will the storyline be? Which years of her life are to be covered?

The movie is a chronicle of Dusty's life, beginning in her teenage years
in Ealing and continuing through her death. It closely (for the most part,
in linear fashion) tracks the major career events in her life, beginning
with the Lana Sisters and ending with the Pet Shop Boys. There are three
themes running through the film. 1) Her ambition, her Catholicism and her
sexuality. And our major effort is to reconcile how these themes affected
who she was and what she did.

Q2:

Is there a title?

Working title--YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME

Q3:

I know you’ve signed Nancy Savoca to write. Can you tell us something about
her previous work?

I'll send you a credit list. I don't have your address.

Q4:

When we first met some months ago, the Vicki Wickham/Penny Valentine book
had not been published and you were using Lucy O’Brien’s as source. Did the
revelations in "Demons" change the projected movie?

Vicki's book didn't really change anything. But there are a couple of
incidents that we've noted and then have gone back to the real source to get
confirmation. For example, we're thinking of using (name removed) and that's why
I asked you for her number.

Q5:

Rumours are abounding about the casting of Madonna or Joanne Walley-Kilmer
as Dusty. Is anyone cast yet?

We have done no casting. In fact, until we get a script I'm not even thinking about it. Nor is VH1.Beleive me, anything you've heard or read is not from the people who are making the movie. As a matter of fact, when we get to that point, I'm going to ask your opinion.

Q6:

…. And just what is the Madonna/Guy Ritchie involvement?

Madonna's company is involved. I have no idea of whether she's even
aware of this project.

Q7:

Originally Granada were behind the project. Why did that change, and are we
likely to see it in the UK, bearing in mind that VH1 Europe doesn’t always
show stuff that’s seen in the States (we didn’t get the Rock’n Roll Hall of
Fame induction).

Granada was involved for a while, but ultimately decided not to go
forward. The movie will definitely air in England. I just don't know which
network, yet.

Q8:

Has a decision been made as to whether the eventual actress will mime to
Dusty’s recordings or not? It’s the only way in my opinion. No-one can sing
those songs & convey the greatness of Dusty.

We won't know the answer about lipsynching or rerecording until we cast
the role.

Q9:

How much do you intend to focus on her private life; that part that she
protected so staunchly in life?

As with biopic, we will use her private life to comment on the whole of her life.But, as I've said all along this is not a movie about a lesbian singer. It's a movie about Dusty
Springfield.

Q10:

In British press reports recently, the Gay "marriage" (reported in "Dancing
With Demons") was mentioned. Do you intend to use this, and the inaccurately
reported incidents around it?

Nope.

Q11:

Overall, how do you want the viewer to, feel after seeing the finished
movie?

We want them to understand who she was. We also want them to like the
movie and Dusty. I believe you need to root for your heroine to make a good
movie. I wouldn't have gotten involved with this project, if I didn't
believe Dusty was a sympathetic character.

Q12:

When should production begin?

Sometime in late spring or during the summer.

This interview is (c) SIMON BELL(DUSTY DEVOTEDLY) 2001.

The other Dusty site on the net can refer to this interview; please use a link to this site.

Question One:
How long have you been a producer for the BBC?
Can you give us a brief summary of your programmes.

I joined Radio 1 as a producer in September 1981 and worked there until April 1995. I left to set up my independent production company and have made programmes mainly for Radio 2. I currently produce the weekly Paul Gambaccini show 'America's Greatest Hits' on Saturdays at 6.30pm and also produce Suzi Quatro's rock 'n' roll shows 'Rockin' With Suzi Q' - returning in May on Monday nights on Radio 2. In addition to my music programming, I am known for my music documentaries - the first in 1982 was 'The Beatles At The Beeb'. I've been lucky enough to make programmes about and meet most of my musical heroes from Paul McCartney to Leonard Cohen, Paul Simon to Pete Seeger, Art Garfunkel to Ray Charles, George Martin to Jerry Wexler…and Dusty too!

Question Two:
It’s a daunting task - running a poll to find the greatest "Voices of the 20th Century". How can you compare Aretha to Ella, or Sinatra to Otis. How do you think the public is going to vote?

Although there will be a great deal of subjectivity - the way a singer moves you is a personal thing - voters will, I think, also consider a singer's impact on popular music both in commercial and social terms. Of course, any poll will, undoubtedly, arouse debate (along the lines of 'Surely, Baby Washington should be in the 100 - what's Mariah Carey doing there?!').
<P>Judging by the previous project I produced for Radio 2 along these lines - 'Songs Of The Century', the listeners and 'expert panel' were careful to consider the whole century and the resulting chart did cover a wide time span pretty evenly. I imagine the first few decades of the twentieth century may not be so well represented with singers - but I am sure Bing Crosby will be high up the chart!

Question Three:
Is the public poll the only influence on the outcome?

No, in addition to listeners voting, there will be a panel of singers and other music business luminaries. Paul Gambaccini and I will also look at record sales as a factor but most weight will go to the choices of listeners and experts.

Question Four:
Readers of these pages are particularly interested in Dusty. Lately she has done very well in polls of critics &amp; fellow professionals. How do you think she will fare?

I think Dusty will do very well. As often happens, her greatness is now more valued and appreciated since her death.

Question Five:
Are you allowed to tell us who your own votes would go to? (I can reveal that my 3 choices are Dusty, Aretha, &; Levi Stubbs Jr. Of the 4 Tops).

No!

Question Six:
Your Radio 2 series "Remembering Dusty Springfield" was well received by fans &amp; friends alike. What drew you to Dusty as a subject?

I was six years old when 'I Only Want To Be With You' was a hit but like so many of my generation (especially if you had an older brother or sister), I lived through the sixties era absorbing everything. I remember hearing her records at the time and seeing her on TV. I always thought she was incredible! If you've heard the series, you should know it was made as a labour of love - I was delighted that the schedulers at Radio 2 let me do it. Having four half-hour shows allowed me to play some less familiar material. I have a reputation as someone who loves unearthing archive material so I was keen to get a lot of that into the series…also I wanted Dusty to be in it as much as possible!

Question Seven:
What do you see as her lasting contribution to Popular music? (what a question!!)

What a question, indeed!
Firstly, a great singer and interpreter- soulful, accurate, with great dynamics. Secondly, a great selector of material. Thirdly, really independent minded so she pushed down some barriers in the British music business. She was a great communicator. She'll always be remembered and new generations - given the opportunity - will discover her great recordings and the personality that shines through her voice.

Question Eight:
Was there anything in the Dusty series that you would have liked to have done, but couldn’t for some reason?
I'm pretty happy with it!

Question Nine:
I see there are to be programmes featuring the Top Jazz Voices, Top Soul Voices, Top Rock Voices etc… How likely is it that we might hear Dusty in all of those? Uniquely, she seems able to fit in almost any genre.
<BR>
It depends on how the listeners to those specialist programmes vote.
By the way, I hope Dusty fans will not do any block voting - it would be much more interesting to see how she fares without any tactical voting (We can spot that kind of thing and the votes would be disqualified).


As a Radio 1 producer from 1981 to 1995, Kevin Howlett made a variety of programmes - from award-winning music documentaries to DJ shows broadcast at lunchtime and Saturday morning. In 1987, he devised and produced the "Stereo Sequence "presented by Johnnie Walker, Richard Skinner and Roger Scott. Since 1995, his independent production company has made programmes primarily for BBC Radio 2. Kevin has been nominated twelve times for Sony Radio Awards and won three Gold Awards. In 1996, he received a Grammy nomination for his involvement in the album "The Beatles Live At The BBC". He is married with two sons and two cats.

This interview is (c) SIMON BELL(DUSTY DEVOTEDLY) 2000.