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Just call him Super Sleuth.

May Lead to Contract Role

Your First Look Photos of the Episode!

Paul Leyden (ex Simon, ATWT) makes his ABC television debut this Sunday, April 27, 2003 in a guest starring role on Dragnet (starring Ed O'Neill and Ethan Embry).

In the episode titled "For Whom the Whistle Blows," Leyden's character, Detective Langer, gets called in on a special case.  Here's the set up:

A woman is found dead in her car in a remote revine. The original script called for the body to be found on a remote Santa Monica beach. For the most interesting visual, producers selected a secluded spot at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro. But as shooting was to take place just after the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Port voiced concerns about the possibility of having to cancel the filming permit due to the "orange" alert status.  Rather than gamble, the script was re-written and the venue was changed to a remote, woodsy revine where the body is found.  The murder investigation leads to the discovery of a six year old missing person's case gone cold -- until now. In their quest to find the killer, the detectives look for clues from the woman's son, her husband and even her former co-workers at a major corporation.

The Inside the Bubble set-side word is everyone liked Leyden a lot.  According to one production person -- and an extremely reliable source -- the character of Detective Langer was not introduced in any special way. He was just a guest-starring character in one episode.

But Leyden made more than a great impression. The show liked his performance and they liked him personally.  It looks like he may be back next season in a contract role.  In fact, one producer said there is a 75% chance of Leyden joining the show as a series regular.

Part of what could beat the odds is if the show does not get a pick up for next season. As of today, there is still no definite word whether Dragnet will be back next year or not.  So if any of you Leyden fans out there are Neilson families, be sure to tune into Dragnet this Sunday and every Sunday!

A native Aussie, Leyden became disenfranchised with his role of Simon on As the World Turns when his character's raison d'etre changed and his storyline dwindled.  He did not re-sign with the soap when his contract expired earlier this year.

Dragnet airs Sundays at 10PM ET/PT on the ABC Television Network.

Dragnet Photos (c) 2003 ABC

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