Blue Thunder (TV series)
| Blue Thunder | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Action |
| Directed by | Guy Magar |
| Starring | James Farentino Dana Carvey Sandy McPeak Dick Butkus Bubba Smith |
| Country of origin | USA |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 11 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | ABC |
| Original run | 6 January 1984 – 16 April 1984 |
Blue Thunder is a 1984 ABC TV series based on the movie of the same title featuring the Blue Thunder helicopter.[1]
The series uses the converted Aérospatiale Gazelle helicopter and large portions of stock footage from the 1983 film. A ground unit named "Rolling Thunder" backed up the helicopter in the TV series. This was a large support van with a desert camouflage off-road vehicle stored inside.
The television series cast includes James Farentino, Dana Carvey, and former professional American football players Bubba Smith and Dick Butkus. The show was canceled by ABC after they felt the similar Airwolf on CBS would win the ratings battle. Also, the series aired at the same time as the CBS series Dallas on Friday nights, and lost.
Eleven episodes were made before the series was cancelled. [2]
Contents |
[edit] Cast
- James Farentino as Frank Chaney
- Dana Carvey as Clinton Wonderlove, aka "JAFO"
- Sandy McPeak as Captain Braddock
- Bubba Smith as "Bubba" Kelsey
- Dick Butkus as "Ski" Butowski
- Ann Cooper as J.J. Douglas
[edit] International broadcasters
Algeria - ENTV "Tonnerre de feu"
Brazil - Rede Globo "Trovão Azul"
Germany - RTL "Das fliegende Auge"
Italy - Rete televisiva - "Tuono blu"
Spain - TVE "El trueno azul"
UK - BBC1, Bravo
[edit] DVD release
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the complete series on DVD in Region 1 on August 22, 2006.[3] A Region 2 release followed on 27th September 2010.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ O'Connor, John J. (6 January 1984). "TV WEEKEND; 'JERK TOO,' 'BLUE THUNDER'". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/06/arts/tv-weekend-jerk-too-blue-thunder.html?scp=5&sq=blue%20thunder&st=cse. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
- ^ "Blue Thunder: The Complete Series". DVD Talk. http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/23052/blue-thunder-the-complete-series/. Retrieved 2010-11-19.
- ^ http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Blue-Thunder/5835
- ^ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Thunder-Complete-James-Farentino/dp/B003WP9CY0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1320342867&sr=8-3
