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"Profiler's" New Face

Saturday, July 10, 1999

10:00 PM PT

Only a few weeks after official word of Ally Walker's departure from NBC's thriller "Profiler," a replacement has been found. Jamie Luner, best known to television audiences for her co-starring role on "Melrose Place," will join the show at the beginning of the show's fourth season. She will play Rachel Burke, who will be introduced in the premiere, and take over Ally Walker's place after Walker leaves following the first two episodes. There is no word on how Walker's character will be written out of the series.

>Before "Melrose Place," Luner starred in The WB's Southern belle series "Savannah," and also appeared in the series "Just the Ten of Us." She was also the lead in a pilot made for The WB this year named "The Force."

Since it premiered in 1996, "Profiler" and it companion on the night "The Pretender" have been a staple of NBC's Saturday night 'thrillogy' lineup, though the net has been unable to find a show that has been suitable to lead off the night. "Profiler" has seen its share of controversy in past seasons, with some cast members leaving at the end of the second season.