Roll Out

For other uses, see Rollout.

Roll Out
Stu Gilliam (top) and Hilly Hicks.
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Larry Gelbart Gene Reynolds
Written by	Gene Reynolds Don Weis Richard Kinon William Wiard
Directed by	William Wiard
Starring	Ed Begley Jr. Garrett Morris Rod Gist Mel Stewart Jimmy Lydon Stu Gilliam Hilly Hicks Darrow Igus
Theme music composer	Dave Grusin
Composers	J. J. Johnson ("Dark Victory") Benny Golson Dave Grusin
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	12
Production
Producers	Gene Reynolds Larry Gelbart
Cinematography	Robert C. Moreno
Editors	Joseph Gluck Neil Travis
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	22–24 minutes
Production company	20th Century Fox Television
Original release
Network	CBS
Release	October 5, 1973 (1973-10-05) – January 4, 1974 (1974-01-04)

Roll Out is an American sitcom that aired Friday evenings on CBS during the 1973-1974 television season. Starring nightclub comedian Stu Gilliam and Hilly Hicks, and featuring Ed Begley Jr. and Garrett Morris, the series was set in France during World War II and was loosely based on the 1952 film Red Ball Express.

Actor Jimmy Lydon, familiar as a juvenile lead in the 1940s, was cast as an Army captain. His character's name was Henry Aldrich; the same name he used in Paramount's comedy features of the 1940s.

Synopsis

In an effort to cash in on the success of M*A*S*H, CBS decided to air another Army comedy. Instead of Army medics, Roll Out highlighted the pratfalls of the supply drivers of the 5050th Quartermaster Truck Company of the U.S. Third Army's Red Ball Express, whose staff was mainly African American. The series attempted to use the World War II setting as a commentary on race relations, just as M*A*S*H's Korean War setting was also a commentary on the Vietnam War.

Roll Out aired opposite ABC's The Odd Couple. Subsequently, Roll Out failed to win its timeslot and was canceled halfway through its sole season. It was replaced on February 8, 1974, by Good Times, a spin-off of Maude starring Esther Rolle and John Amos, which would run for six seasons.

Cast

Actor	Role
Stu Gilliam	Corporal Carter "Sweet" Williams
Hilly Hicks	Private First Class Jed Brooks
Ed Begley Jr.	Lieutenant Robert Chapman
Garrett Morris	Wheels Dawson
Mel Stewart	Sergeant B.J. Bryant
Jimmy Lydon	Captain Henry Aldrich
Teddy Wilson	High Strung
Rob Gist	Phone Booth
Darrow Igus	Jersey Hampton
Val Bisoglio	Captain Rocco Calvelli
Sam Laws	Sergeant Grease
Penny Santon	Madame Delacourt
Dana Brady	Dominique Delacourt

Episodes

Nº	Title	Directed by	Written by	Air date
1	"Pilot"	William Wiard	Larry Gelbart & Gene Reynolds	October 5, 1973 (1973-10-05)
We meet the troops of the "Red Ball Express," a mostly black Army transportation unit based in France during World War II. In the premiere episode we see how Sweet honors a fellow driver's last wish by organizing a New Orleans-style funeral.
2	"Sunday, Sweet Sunday"	William Wiard	Story by : Gene Reynolds Teleplay by : Larry Gelbart & Sheldon Keller	October 12, 1973 (1973-10-12)
Sweet accepts Jed's invitation to a Sunday drive to church, but Sweet does not plan to go to church.
3	"Dark Victory"	Hugh A. Robertson	Larry Gelbart, Peter Meyerson and Gene Reynolds	October 19, 1973 (1973-10-19)
Sweet and Jed accept a volunteer mission, and stand a good chance to return as heroes if they survive.
4	"Strange Bedfellows"	William Wiard	Larry Gelbart, Sheldon Keller and Gene Reynolds	October 26, 1973 (1973-10-26)
As part of a contest, Sweet gets a chance to travel to Paris.
5	"Dear Rocco"	Robert Butler	Larry Gelbart, Rick Mittleman and Gene Reynolds	November 2, 1973 (1973-11-02)
When the mail truck explodes, Captain Calvelli receives only half of a "Dear John" letter, but that is enough to make him crazy.
6	"Sweet Millions"	Bruce Bilson	Larry Gelbart, Howard Merrill and Gene Reynolds	November 16, 1973 (1973-11-16)
Sweet finds a bag of $100 bills inside a hollow tree, and everyone else is miffed by his new affluent attitude.
7	"Members of the Wedding"	Richard Kinon	Booker Bradshaw, Larry Gelbart and Sheldon Keller	November 23, 1973 (1973-11-23)
The drivers are tasked with delivering a gift to a general's wedding, but the job is tougher than they expected.
8	"The Paper Caper"	E.W. Swackhamer	Larry Gelbart, Simon Muntner and Gene Reynolds	November 30, 1973 (1973-11-30)
Sweet and the boys become unlikely safe crackers.
9	"No Wages – All Fear"	Don Weis	Story by : Larry Gelbart & Gene Reynolds Teleplay by : Sheldon Keller	December 14, 1973 (1973-12-14)
Sweet's "high-living, always-jiving" attitude drives Jed crazy.
10	"Christmas the '44"	Michael Schultz	Story by : Sid Dorfman Teleplay by : Larry Gelbart & Sheldon Keller	December 21, 1973 (1973-12-21)
The company's Christmas looks pretty gloomy until a bunch of orphans come into their lives.
11	"Honor Truck"	Hollingsworth Morse	Larry Gelbart, Sheldon Keller and Gene Reynolds	December 28, 1973 (1973-12-28)
When Sweet realizes that the winner of "honor truck" will win a pass to Paris, nothing—including fair play—will stop him from winning.
12	"Didn't He Ramble?"	Unknown	Sid Dorfman, Larry Gelbart and Gene Reynolds	January 4, 1974 (1974-01-04)
Sweet gets an honorable discharge after he sprains his ankle.

External links

• Roll Out at IMDb