Rob Morrow To Return To `Exposure' Set

LOS ANGELES - Actor Rob Morrow was scheduled to return today to the Washington state set of CBS' "Northern Exposure" after boycotting the series in a contractual dispute, a studio spokesman said yesterday.

Morrow had been AWOL since June 30. Producers of the hit series, filmed in Roslyn and Redmond, filed suit the next day, seeking $5 million in damages and claiming Morrow violated his contract.

"He's back, he starts tomorrow," MCA Universal spokesman Bob Crutchfield said. "He's working while his people work out the details" of the pending litigation, Crutchfield said.

He declined further comment. CBS referred all calls to the studio.

Morrow reportedly demanded more money. According to the suit, Morrow's five-year contract stipulated his salary would increase annually from $12,500 per episode to $21,175 per installment.

Morrow's salary is low by Hollywood TV standards. It was negotiated as "Exposure" readied to become a 1990 summer replacement series. Since then, the program has become hugely popular.

Comparatively, actor Michael Chiklis of ABC's lesser-rated "The Commish," earns $30,000 per episode. Chiklis also has been sued by his producers - after demanding $20,000 more per installment.