Tartikoff: What’s His Film Taste? : Movies: The Paramount chief-designate has the industry guessing whether he will bring the same energy and intelligence to film that he delivered on TV.

“Think ‘Zippy the Pinhead,’ ” NBC Entertainment Group Chairman Brandon Tartikoff reportedly told an associate who was trying to get a fix on the network executive’s personal taste in movies.

Tartikoff was so fond of the offbeat comic strip--once described by its creator as a sort of “crude ‘Mork and Mindy’ ” --that he tried to turn it into a movie with Randy Quaid in the title role.

Tartikoff, who has been appointed chairman of Paramount Pictures, defies categorization--and his affection for “Zippy the Pinhead” only adds to the confusion. Laudatory press reports give him credit for putting hip, intelligent programming on NBC, shows like “L.A. Law,” “Hill Street Blues” and “Late Night With David Letterman.”

But many Hollywood insiders remember him as the guy behind low-brow fare like “The A-Team,” the man who supposedly launched “Miami Vice” by writing “MTV Cops” on a cocktail napkin, the executive who never saw a car chase he didn’t like. “He has the most primitive taste,” grumbled one Hollywood agent.

What Tartikoff is going to need at the troubled studio he takes over, however, is a taste for hit movies. Long the reigning box office champ, Paramount now ranks a dismal sixth place in market share, according to the industry trade paper Daily Variety, and has been in tumult since Frank G. Mancuso left in a dispute with Paramount chief executive Martin Davis.

At a press conference Thursday morning, Tartikoff said he couldn’t predict what kinds of films he will make at the studio. But it was clear in the comments of both Tartikoff and Paramount’s new president, Stanley Jaffe, that the studio--now operating under tight budget controls on movies--will loosen its purse strings under the new management team.

“Each project has to be evaluated on its own merits. I’m not looking to be one of the flagrant spenders in town,” said Tartikoff. “But sometimes money is well spent on quality projects.” Jaffe added, “If we have to spend $30 million we will spend it. If we have to spend $40 million we will spend it.”

Tartikoff, who has been granted autonomy to “greenlight” movies, added that initially he will rely heavily on Jaffe’s expertise and Rolodex. Tartikoff noted that while he is close with some feature filmmakers--Steven Spielberg, Barry Levinson and TV producer-turned-film director Michael Mann--he plans a series of meetings to get to know others.

So far, Tartikoff’s track record in feature films is not heartening. At NBC Productions, the network’s in-house feature film operation, Tartikoff’s films included “Elvira: Mistress of the Dark,” a campy comedy that grossed only $5.6 million, according to Entertainment Data Inc.; “Satisfaction,” starring Justine Bateman in a movie about an all-girl rock band that grossed $8.1 million, and “Square Dance,” a coming-of-age story starring Winona Ryder and Jason Robards that grossed under $1 million.

Tartikoff’s more quirky side was evident not only with “Zippy the Pinhead,” a film he didn’t end up making, but also “Tapeheads,” which featured John Cusack and Tim Robbins as two guys trying to make it in L.A’s music scene. “Tapeheads” grossed less than $1 million.

Tartikoff’s biggest hit at NBC Productions was “Who’s Harry Crumb?” starring John Candy as a klutzy private eye. That 1989 film grossed $10.1 million, according to Entertainment Data.

Defenders of Tartikoff point out he operated under tight budgetary constraints at NBC Productions. And many inside Hollywood believe Tartikoff and Jaffe will make a dynamic creative combination--particularly, said one source close to Paramount, if Davis stays out of the way. In the past, Davis has had a reputation for imposing his views on subordinates, sometimes to detrimental effect.

“He’s a thoroughly commercial, tasteful creator of great entertainment,” Ricardo Mestres, president of Disney’s Hollywood Pictures division, said of Tartikoff. “I think those instincts will span from TV to features.”

Tartikoff steps into a studio already somewhat divided by competing philosophies about movie-making. Jaffe, whose appointment helped prompt Mancuso’s departure, is known for a brand of hard-edged melodrama--like “Fatal Attraction” and “The Accused”--that became one of Paramount’s trademarks during his tenure as a producer on the lot. With partner Sherry Lansing, Jaffe made slick, expensive productions with big-name stars.

In contrast, Paramount production chief David Kirkpatrick came into the studio last year with a mandate to cut costs and bring independent producers into line. Noticeably missing from his summer lineup are the kinds of expensive action-adventure movies--like “Days of Thunder” and “Another 48 HRS.”--that got the studio into financial trouble last year.

And Hollywood insiders say Kirkpatrick has kept costs down on the comedies and dramas that he did greenlight. Even “Star Trek 6”--set to open next winter--felt the budget ax, as Kirkpatrick lopped off some $10 million in proposed production costs and told the producers to drag out old sets to keep costs down.

Kirkpatrick’s summer lineup kicks off with “Soapdish,” a ribald comedy about daytime soap operas that stars Sally Field and Kevin Kline. The studio has high hopes for the film, which has already received good word-of-mouth around town. (Inside the studio, it’s being touted as “A Fish Called Wanda” meets “Tootsie.”)

The studio has even higher expectations for Mike Nichols’ “Regarding Henry,” a drama starring Harrison Ford and Annette Bening in a story abut a rich and heartless New York lawyer whose life is changed by a tragic event. The Zucker brothers (of “Airplane” fame) have two entries for Paramount this summer: the sequel “Naked Gun 2 1/2” and “Lame Ducks,” a comedy with Marx Brothers kind of humor.

The studio also hopes to capitalize on Demi Moore’s popularity from its sleeper hit “Ghost” with an early fall movie called “The Butcher’s Wife,” a comedy about a clairvoyant woman that co-stars Jeff Daniels.

During his short tenure as studio boss, Jaffe has kept that line-up intact. However, he is already putting his stamp on next year’s schedule. At the top of Jaffe’s agenda, insiders say, is continuing a series of films based on Tom Clancy’s best-selling books. The successful “The Hunt for Red October” will be followed by “Patriot Games” and “Clear and Present Danger.” Jaffe is also in the process of adding other action-adventure films to next year’s slate, according to studio sources.

MOVIES BY THE PARAMOUNT TEAM

Brandon Tartikoff’s

films include:

“Elvira: Mistress of the Dark” (1988)

“Square Dance” (1987)

“Tapeheads” (1988)

“Satisfaction” (1988)

“Who’s Harry Crumb?” (1989)

David Kirkpatrick’s

films in production:

“Soapdish”

“Regarding Henry”

“The Naked Gun 2 1/2”

“Lame Ducks”

“The Butcher’s Wife”

“Body Parts”

Stanley Jaffe’s

films include:

“Goodbye, Columbus” (1969)

“Bad News Bears” (1976)

“Kramer vs. Kramer” (1979)

“Fatal Attraction” (1987)

“The Accused” (1988)

“Black Rain” (1989)