TV TRACK RECORD

Before NBC’s Warren Littlefield and Paramount’s Kerry McCluggage anoint David Angell, Peter Casey and David Lee as the saviors of TV, let’s look at the facts (“Post-’Frasier’ Cheers,” by Steve Weinstein, Oct. 22).

Using “Cheers” as the hammer, Paramount compelled NBC to give the trio’s “Wings” the time slot following “Cheers,” a guarantee of success. When “Wings” ran in non-protected time slots, its ratings were terrible. And their “Frasier” has a built-in sampling appeal to the millions of “Cheers” lovers, giving it a major leg up on other new programs.

Which brings us to “The Pursuit of Happiness,” the only show they created that’s forced to succeed totally on its own, without the advantages of a great time slot or an established character--and it’s a complete failure.

The bigger issue here is: When is The Times going to realize that TV executives and developers are incompetent? If these five gave a seminar entitled “Everything We Know About Making a Hit TV Program,” it would last as long as an Amish fashion show.

C. RICHARD KAJELYN

Sherman Oaks