November 24, 1998

DATELINE: BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 24, 1998



Brian Davis Lyles announced today that he will be leaving the 94-year-old daytime soap opera "The Engineers Club" after a six-year stint as the show's handsome young executive and romantic heartthrob. His departure occurs as his character was being abruptly written out of the storyline and is the latest in an upheaval by show producers that saw several long-time cast members leave at the end of summer. Critics had panned the show in recent weeks, although the humor, pathos and particularly the hilarious antics of the show's new diva Dandi Rutch have garnered high ratings... However, the new star's popularity may be overrated. When polled, most viewers could not distinguish Ms. Rutch from Quark, the Ferengi on Star Trek's "Deep Space Nine", or Francis, the talking mule... Only time will tell if the series will be renewed next season.