Critically Acclaimed, Award Winning Producers Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana Take Cop Drama to a New Level in `The Beat` Premiering Tuesday, March 21, 9-10 p.m. ET/PT on UPN

Hot New UPN Series Features Sexy Young Actors in a City Full of Excitement

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE via COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE)--March 7, 2000--Series Premiere -- Life is not all shoot-shoot bang-bang for New York police officers Zane Marinelli and Mike Dorigan as they deal with their personal problems -- especially Mike`s indecision about marrying the beautiful med student he loves and Zane`s dangerous dealings with a loony girlfriend who burns down his apartment, on the premiere of ''The Beat,'' airing Tuesday, March 21 (9-10 p.m. ET/PT) on UPN.

This unconventional series is from the acclaimed production team of Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana (''Homicide: Life on the Street,'' ''Oz''). Emmy and Oscar-winning Producer/Director Barry Levinson directs the premiere episode which was written by creator/executive producer Tom Fontana.

Editors please note: To request screening copies of ''The Beat'' and a CD-ROM containing photos and press information, please call Eileen Eberhardt at 310/575-7183. Or visit UPN`s FTP Media Relations server at www.upnserver.upn.com/media.htm (user name: ''upnmedia'' / password: ''5bt25x'').

Among the happenings in Marinelli`s and Dorigan`s daily lives are: A shotgun-wielding Peeping Tom who has been ogling semi-nude models in a photographer`s studio; an angry crowd of protestors who surround the station when two white officers are accused of killing a black man with an illegal chokehold; the body of a teenage girl who hangs herself after suffering one rejection too many; and a vicious serial killer with a dart gun who is murdering pigeons on the city streets.

''The Beat'' stars Derek Cecil as Mike Dorigan; Mark Ruffalo (of ''You Can Count On Me,'' this year`s Sundance Grand Jury winner) as Zane Marinelli; Heather Burns (''You`ve Got Mail'') as Beatrice Felsen; and Poppy Montgomery (''Relativity'') as Elizabeth Waclawek.

A few series highlights: Academy Award-winning actress Celeste Holm (''Gentleman`s Agreement,'' ''All About Eve''), Lee Tergesen (''Oz''), Ami Brabson (''Homicide: Life on the Street''); and real-life NYPD officer David Zayas are featured in recurring roles; Richard Belzer, reprising his popular ''Homicide: Life on the Street'' role of John Munch, guest stars; and Barry Levinson, Jason Priestley, Bruno Kirby and Clark Johnson direct.

For the official backstory on ''The Beat,'' check out www.thebeattv.com, a first-of-its-kind internet site featuring weekly ''webisodes'' leading into the series premiere on Tuesday, March 21. These innovative vignettes, produced on digital camera, depict the police academy years of the series` lead characters Mike Dorigan and Zane Marinelli.

Also included on the site are hotlinks to police-oriented web pages including the official sites for the FBI, CIA and NYPD, as well as access to live police scanners in New York and other cities.