Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Timothy Hutton, in the midst of filming his second season of TNT's "Leverage" in Portland is combining business with fatherhood.

His 7-year-old son, Milo, by Hutton's current wife, French illustrator Aurore Giscard, attends school in Paris, but will be spending the summer with his dad in Portland. So will 22-year-old son Noah, Tim's son by actress Debra Winger. Noah has just graduated college as an art history major. According to Tim, Milo wants to be Indiana Jones. Neither son has any interest in acting — and Tim might not be too disappointed about that.

As the son of the late actor Jim Hutton, Tim learned early "that an acting career has a lot of ups and down. You make a movie that does well, but then, unexpectedly, a rough spot comes along."

He, of course, couldn't have hit it much bigger than he did when he received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar at age 20 for his remarkable work as Conrad Jarrett in "Ordinary People." Within the next few years, he would star in such hit films as "Taps" and "The Falcon and the Snowman." But there was also the 1983 "Daniel" for Sidney Lumet. "That was a great movie, but no one seemed to want to see it. It's one of the things in this business you can't control, but you have to move on." And move on Hutton has.

Since "Ordinary People," he has been featured in 36 features, starred in three TV series and has been in dozens of television movies and specials.

"There's a lot you can't do anything about," notes Hutton. "You never know when a rough patch is coming. You've just got to keep yourself ready and maintain a good work ethic."

Handy advice to his sons — regardless of whatever career they choose to follow.

TUNING UP AND TUNING IN: Bill Engvall, who recently hosted the CMT Music Awards, tells us the biggest shock was discovering how many country singers are tuning in to his TBS sitcom. "I was amazed at how many of the country stars came up to me and said, 'Hey, man! I just wanted you to know our family watches your show, and we love it,'" says Engvall of his self-titled series, which returns July 18 for a third season.

For an industry that is big on family values, Engvall feels it's a good fit.

"I think what sets us apart is the fact that we don't delve into the gutter. What drives me crazy is when I see a show that has so much potential, and then there's potty humor and smart-ass kids. I just don't think that's real," he notes. "There's a lot out there that can make you laugh that isn't dirty."

  Luckily for the fans, Engvall claims this season will be one of their best. "Last year was fun, and I didn't know if we could top it, but we did. The writers really stepped up this year. I think the show is funnier. I love that in the first episode we deal with what's going on in the economy in that the family is affected by tighter money issues," says Engvall, who also uses personal experiences from his own family for storylines. "I don't mind doing that because that's one of the reasons for my success in stand-up comedy. I keep my stuff very relatable. I think it's important that I keep my finger on the pulse of the show because in the end, it's my name on the show." And what a good feeling that is! "Every day I sit outside of my dressing room, and I look over at this big stage door that says "The Bill Engvall Show," and I hope that never gets old."

RINGING ENDORSEMENT: Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who has had a thriving career in his adulthood with "NYPD Blue" and "Raising the Bar," says people still think of him as Zack Morris from "Saved By the Bell," but luckily, he's OK with it. "Anytime I'm out, I'd say out of five people who come up to me and say, 'Oh, I love your show,' three of them are talking about 'Saved By the Bell.' It was such a big part of people's lives. I don't mind at all," he claims. "If I wasn't working and that was the culprit for my not being able to find a job then I'd be bitter, but it's actually helped me."

BACK AT THE FUNNY FARM: "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star Cheryl Hines, who studied at the same sketch comedy and improv school as Will Ferrell, Lisa Kudrow and Kathy Griffin, tells us she's glad to have such a strong comedy background, but she can't tell how far her improv skills have come. "I wouldn't say I've gotten any better at it. Who knows? I suppose in theory I probably should be," notes the actress, whose HBO series is mostly improvised. "It's a bit terrifying. It's hard. Once in a while, I'll go back to my stomping grounds and perform at the Groundlings to brush up."

With reports by Emily Feimster.

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2009 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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