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The Bad News Bears (TV series)

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The Bad News Bears
GenreSitcom
Based onCharacters created by
Bill Lancaster
Developed by
Written by
  • Paul Diamond
  • Stephen Fischer
Directed by
Starring
Theme music composerDavid Michael Frank
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes26 (3 unaired)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
Running time22–24 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseMarch 24, 1979 (1979-03-24) –
July 26, 1980 (1980-07-26)
Related
The Bad News Bears

The Bad News Bears is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from March 24, 1979, until July 26, 1980, consisting of 26 episodes (three unaired by CBS). It was based on the 1976 film of the same name, that was followed by two sequels in 1977 and 1978.

Synopsis

In the television series, Jack Warden portrayed former minor-leaguer Morris Buttermaker, the coach of the Hoover Junior High Bears, a team of young adolescents with poor skills and little ability to play baseball. Catherine Hicks played the role of Hoover Junior High principal Dr. Emily Rappant, Phillip Richard Allen played Roy Turner, the coach of the rival team the Lions. Corey Feldman, Billy Jayne (then credited as Billy Jacoby) and Meeno Peluce were cast amongst the team's players, and Tricia Cast played Amanda Wurlitzer, the Bears' talented pitcher. Kristoff St. John, Cast's future co-star on The Young and The Restless, played Ahmad.

The series was originally scheduled on Saturday nights at 8:00 p.m. In September 1979, it was moved to 8:30 p.m. Three episodes into the series' second season, CBS canceled The Bad News Bears due to low ratings. When the CBS broadcast unaired episodes in June 1980, it was moved back to 8:00 p.m. One month later, the series was again moved to the 8:30 timeslot, but by then, audiences were confused by the frequent time changes and stopped tuning in.[2]

Cast

  • Jack Warden ... Morris Buttermaker
  • Catherine Hicks ... Dr. Emily Rappant
  • Phillip Richard Allen ... Roy Turner
  • Sparky Marcus ... Leslie Ogilvie
  • Meeno Peluce ... Tanner Boyle
  • Billy Jayne ... Rudi Stein
  • Corey Feldman ... Regi Tower
  • Shane Butterworth ... Timmy Lupus
  • Kristoff St. John ... Ahmad Abdul Rahim
  • J. Brennan Smith ... Mike Engelberg
  • Charles Nunez ... Miguel Agilar
  • Danny Nunez ... Jose Agilar
  • Tricia Cast ... Amanda Wurlitzer
  • Bill Lazarus ... Frosty
  • Gregg Forrest ... Kelly Leak
  • Rad Daly ... Josh Matthews
  • Persephanie Silverthorn ... Student
  • Sherrie Wills ... Marsha

Episodes

Season 1: 1979

Nº Ep Title Directed by: Written by: Air date
11"Here Comes the Coach"Bruce BilsonBob Brunner,
Arthur Silver		March 24, 1979 (1979-03-24)
22"Amanda Joins the Bears"William AsherJohn Boni (s),
Hap Schlein (t),
Betty Steck (t),
Norman Stiles (s)		March 31, 1979 (1979-03-31)
33"Nakedness Is Next to Godliness"Norman AbbottSam GreenbaumApril 7, 1979 (1979-04-07)
44"The Kelly Story"Norman AbbottTom Moore,
Jeremy Stevens		April 21, 1979 (1979-04-21)
55"Tanner's Bird"Jeremy StevensTom Moore,
Jeremy Stevens		April 28, 1979 (1979-04-28)
66"Emily Loves Morris"William AsherJeff FranklinMay 5, 1979 (1979-05-05)
77"The Food Caper"Gene NelsonJim BrecherMay 12, 1979 (1979-05-12)
88"Men Will Be Boys"William AsherRichard RosenstockMay 19, 1979 (1979-05-19)
99"Three's a Crowd"Alan MyersonRichard RosenstockMay 26, 1979 (1979-05-26)
1010"Save the Bears"William AsherJeff Franklin (t),
Elliot Werber (s)		June 2, 1979 (1979-06-02)
1111"Dance Fever"Lowell GanzRoy TeicherJune 9, 1979 (1979-06-09)
1212"Fielder's Choice"William AsherJeff FranklinJune 23, 1979 (1979-06-23)

Season 2: 1979–80

Nº Ep Title Directed by: Written by: Air date
131"Run Down"Jeffrey GanzJeffrey Ganz,
Brian Levant		September 15, 1979 (1979-09-15)
142"Buttermaker Rides Again"Brian LevantRon LeavittSeptember 22, 1979 (1979-09-22)
153"First Base"Ron LeavittRon Leavitt,
Brian Levant		September 29, 1979 (1979-09-29)
164"Wedding Bells: Part 1"William AsherPaul DiamondOctober 6, 1979 (1979-10-06)
175"The Birds, the Bees and the Bears"Jeffrey GanzRichard RosenstockJune 7, 1980 (1980-06-07)
186"Lights Out"Jeffrey HaydenAl Aidekman (t)June 14, 1980 (1980-06-14)
197"Wedding Bells: Part 2"UnknownUnknownJune 21, 1980 (1980-06-21)
208"Matched Set"Jeffrey GanzCindy Begel,
David Lerner		June 28, 1980 (1980-06-28)
219"Old Timers' Day"William AsherAllen Goldstein,
Levi Taylor		July 12, 1980 (1980-07-12)
2210"Scrambled Eggs"John TracyRichard Gurman,
Lesa Kite		July 19, 1980 (1980-07-19)
2311"Double Play"William AsherFred Fox Jr.July 26, 1980 (1980-07-26)
2412"The Good Life"William AsherJudy OlsteinN/A
2513"The Pride of the Bears"William AsherRichard RosenstockN/A
2614"The Headless Ghost of MacKintosh Manor"William AsherPaul DiamondN/A

Syndication

In the late 1980s, the show was occasionally rerun on Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite. In the early 1990s, it was rerun on Comedy Central.

Home media

Visual Entertainment released the complete series on DVD in Region 1 in October 2018.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Bob Brunner, 'Happy Days' writer, dies". Variety. 2012-11-08. Retrieved 2012-11-27.
  2. ^ Brant, Marley (2006). Happier Days: Paramount Television's Classic Sitcoms, 1974-1984. Billboard Books. p. 196. ISBN 0-8230-8933-9.
  3. ^ "The Bad News Bears". Retrieved 2018-10-12.
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