Writer of ABC sitcom says he is living his dream

Joe Kelly
Observer-Dispatch

It’s the old story of local boy makes good.

When we talked in 1982, Kim Bass was in Japan and the conversation was about his acting, one of many subjects I know nothing about.

Bass is the son of Clarence and Juanita Bass of Frankfort. His mother owns and operates the White House Berries Inn in Bridgewater.

Bass appeared in several movies made for Japanese television. He also had a leading role in a Japanese television series.

Bass, who is fluent in Japanese, used his martial arts skills in some of those roles. Martial arts is something he studied while attending Notre Dame High School, class of 1974. He is a black belt.

When we talked last week, Bass was in Los Angeles and the conversation was about writing. I discovered we have several things in common.

Bass writes on a computer. I write on a computer.

He hates writing but loves having written. I’m the same way.

He writes best under the pressure of a deadline. I write best under a deadline.
He just created a television series and wrote the first episode. I write best under a deadline.

Bass created the comedy series “Sister Sister,” which premiered last Friday night on ABC. It stars Tim Reid (WKRP in Cincinnati), Jackee’ Harry (227), and twin sisters Tia and Tamera Mowry.

A program was needed to showcase the twins. Their manager asked Bass to develop something. He came up with “Sister Sister.”

“It was a no-brainer for me,” Bass said. “I grew up with twins.”

His twin sisters, Janice and Joyce, are a year and a half older than Kim, who is 38.

“I thought about it for a day or two and came up with the concept.”

The show is about a newly reunited set of 14-year-old identical twin girls. Each twin’s single parent is a complete opposite of the other. So are the sisters.

“ABC liked what they saw and committed to doing 12 shows,” Bass said. “All 12 are in the can.”

The first show was written by Bass and the writing team of Gary Gilbert and Fred Shafferman.

Bass didn’t write any of the other “Sister Sister” shows. He has been working on other projects, including ideas for new sitcoms and an hour-long action show.

“My favorite part of all this is coming up with the idea.”

He got an idea, for example, for a movie about the old Negro baseball league. Bass collaborated with Donald Lamoreaux and wrote a proposal for “Black Ball.”

“There’s a lot of drama and comedy in it. It’s a story of triumph. I’m looking for a studio who will say ’that will make a good movie.’ We’re very hopeful,” Bass said.

His credits include writing two episodes of “Not Necessarily the News” for HBO; writing and co-producing “True Colors,” starring Cleavon Little and Nancy Walker; working as a staff writer on “In Living Color;’’ directing “Ballistic,” a feature film which will go directly to cable TV and should be in video stores this summer.

Is Bass enjoying his work?

It’s more than enjoyment, he said. “I’m living my dream.”

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