Preview ’94 : A Feel for Family : ABC PINS ITS SATURDAY NIGHT VALUES ON WHOLESOME MOVIES

A certain former vice president’s quest for “family values” had nothing to do with the inception of the new “The ABC Family Movie,” which premiered Saturday.

“I don’t think you can credit Dan Quayle with this,” says Judd Parkin, ABC senior vice president of motion pictures for TV and miniseries.

Parkin and ABC Entertainment president Ted Harbert realized the need for shows that promote “family values” on TV. Both happen to have young children.

“For the longest time, we’ve been making noise that there’s nothing on (Saturday nights) except Nickelodeon for kids to watch with any consistency,” Parkin says. “We had all gotten a bit burned out on the tabloid movie-of-the-week race. This is an attempt to try to do something different.”

Every Saturday from 8 to 10 p.m., the “Family Movie” will rotate popular theatrical films (“The Bad News Bears,” “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”), with new films such as remakes of Disney’s “The Shaggy Dog” and “Freaky Friday”; “Fudge-a-Mania,” based on Judy Blume’s “Fudge” books; “How the West Was Fun,” starring Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen; and “Father and Scout,” with Bob Saget.

Parkin says he’s thrilled with the response from the creative community: “People have been clamoring to do these kinds of films.”

ABC’s goal is to present a whole range of movies that parents and their kids--and don’t forget about their Saturday night baby-sitters--will watch. “We’re kind of reinventing the (movie) wheel,” Parkin explains. “We don’t know what a Saturday-night movie is. I’d have to say what we’re aiming for is largely an entertainment-based film.”

Saget, the star of ABC’s “Full House” and “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” headlines and is executive producer of “Father and Scout,” a comedy set for the fall about a hapless yuppie dad who accompanies his 8-year-old son (Brian Bonsall) on a father-son camping trip.

The father of three daughters, Saget loves the “Family Movie” concept. “I think it’s a great idea,” he says. “A lot of families are home on Saturday nights. I’m so tired of watching cop shows. I’m so tired of all of this action stuff on shows. A lot of people don’t want to see me get hit. This is not ‘MacGyver.’ ”

Ditto “How the West Was Fun,” another fall entry, which stars those “Full House” phenoms, the Olsen twins. In the lighthearted Western, the girls help their godmother (Peg Philips of “Northern Exposure”) save her dude ranch from her conniving son (Martin Mull) who wants to turn the place into an amusement park.

Green/Epstein Productions, which produce all of the Olsens’ TV movies, try to develop vehicles that also contain a message for viewers. “We decided that these kids at 8 years old have some responsibility,” says executive producer Jim Green.

“We find that making these movies is really fun because we are with kids,” adds producer Mark Bacino. “ And we’re not dealing with the murder of the week.”

Walt Disney Television is giving a ‘90s twist to four of its popular features--”The Shaggy Dog,” “Escape to Witch Mountain,” “Freaky Friday” and “The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes--for ABC.

“I think that there’s a certain nostalgic value the titles have that will pull in an adult audience who will probably sit there and enjoy watching it with their kids,” says George Zaloom, who is executive producer of the Disney films.

Many names familiar from television star in “Father and Scout,” “How the West Was Fun,” and “Shaggy Dog.” Among them: Sharon Lawrence, Ed Begley Jr. and Scott Weinger. Shelley Long and Gaby Hoffmann are currently in production on “Freaky Friday,” which “thirtysomething’s” Melanie Mayron is directing.

Signboard Hill, a division of Hallmark, originally had a deal with ABC to produce adult-oriented movies. (Their productions, ‘Getting Out” and “Spoils of War,” aired last season on ABC). When ABC approved the “Family Movie” concept, the network asked Signboard Hill to switch gears.

On Signboard’s roster are “Johnny’s Girl,” a drama about a low-level crook who suddenly has to take care of his 18-year-old daughter; “Secrets,” a period piece about adoption; and “The Ranger, the Cook and a Hole in the Sky,” a comedy-adventure based on a Norman Maclean (“A River Runs Through It”) story.

“The movies we’re making or have made, I would say, require the family to watch together,” says Signboard executive produce Richard Welsh. “I really congratulate ABC for doing this. I think it provides different movies for people.”

“The ABC Family Movie” airs Saturdays at 8 p.m. This week: “Teen Wolf.”