SEASON THREE
The third season started out with a bang... episode-wise. Unfortunately not ratings-wise. "TGAH's" third season was its most troubled. Pitted again NBC's powerhouse new series Knight Rider, and CBS’s Dallas the show was yanked back and forth on the ABC schedule until finally cancelled with four episodes left unaired
This season we finally get to see inside the eerie spacecraft and meet the greenguy's face to face. The series moved away a bit from including Ralph's class in episodes, some students were gone and new students added. The most important event was Ralph and Pam were finally married, in what should have been a 2 hour episode. (It was in Japan) The flying scenes were greatly improved, showing some of the best flying effects shot for television.
DIVORCE VENUSIAN STYLE
Episode 30
Production#9303
Air Date: October 29, 1982
Written By: Patrick Burke Hasburgh
Directed By: Ivan Dixon
Guest Cast: Jeremy Kemp (Franz Zedlocker), Dean Santoro (Jackson), Kurt Grayson (Hertzog), James McIntire (Billy Boy Floyd), Jason Bernard (Morgan), Shane Dixon (ranch guard), Wayne Storm (police officer), Robert Gray, Al W. Coss, Joe Clarke, Frank Doubleday, Eugene Brezany
The greenguys return to save Ralph's life after he is wounded saving Bill without the suit's protection, and a group of Nazis come into possession of the super powered costume.
COMMENTARY:
The third season premiered with an excellent choice for the opener. Unfortunately, ABC moved the series to Fridays at 8 p.m. where it didn't stand a chance against NBC's new hit, "Knight Rider" and the CBS powerhouse Dallas. Finally after a season and a half we get to see the inside of the eerie spacecraft, plus Ralph and Bill get to meet one of the greenguys face to face. Culp has some great moments in this episode as he plays with Maxwell's fear of the aliens. Katt is wonderful as he walks through the ship in awe and comes to the understanding of why he must continue to use the suit.
From the beginning of the scene with Ralph getting another copy of the instruction book the viewer knows it will only be a matter of time before its lost once again. I understand the series would have been totally different had he had the book, but many detractors pick this key point to use in badmouthing the series. The show would have lost some of its charm with Ralph becoming the standard superhero had he known exactly how to use the powers, and what all the powers were. However, we do see Ralph has improved on the flying during the season with not so many wobblly flights.
NOTES:
After Ralph and Bill's fight in the motel, Ralph leaves. It's clearly a double, not Katt, walking away from the camera as the music starts. The same double jumps into the trash dumpster moments later.
During Ralph's flight towards the lightpole, in one of the shots from the rear, you can see one of the supports of the flying rig.
It seems once again the producers have had some silly garbled screams dubbed as Ralph flies, like last heard in Lilacs, Mr. Maxwell.
During the scene with Katt and Culp, after Ralph's crash into the pole, Katt's hair has been teased back as if to show the wind's effect on his hair after flying. This was something not usually paid any attention to in the series except for his hair actually blowing during flight.
The windshield glass in the bad guys' car is frosted movie glass. It breaks into several big chunks when Ralph's fist smashes it.
Not much blank ammunition was used during Maxwell's gun battle with the Nazis. When the Nazis fire their weapons it's just gun sound effects dubbed in.
One of the best looks at the communicator (that was slightly changed for this season) is seen in this episode in a close up right before Pam picks it up from the ground.
The suit's insignia is slightly altered once again for use in the third season.
The spaceship, when coming in over the weiner wagon, is way too small in comparison to the van. You can actually see the circle of light on the ground showing the size the ship was actually supposed to be.
The outer space scenes shown on the screens of the ship's interior were taken from the PBS series "Cosmos."
At the very end of the episode, Katt wears what is possibly the shortest cape ever made for the suit.
When Ralph shrinks, you can see through the cape as the ants approach him.
THE PRICE IS RIGHT
Episode 31
Production #9301
Air Date: November 5, 1982
Ralph helps out a old high school friend who is now a pro football player, plus reluctantly attends his 10 year high school reunion.
Written By: Stephen J. Cannell
Directed By: Ivan Dixon
Guest Cast: Stephen Shortridge (Price Cobb), Jack Andreozzi (Florenzia), Don Pulford (Miller), Patrick Collins (Gertmanian), Martin Speer (Stan Hawn), Heather Lowe (Wendy Cobb), Chip Johnson (Deke), p.i. Butkus (coach), Anthony Davis, Doug France (Caprice), Tom Harmon, Edith Fields, Cathryn Hart (Gloria), Louise Hoven (Roberta), Susan Duvall (Angie)
COMMENTARY:
A "gimmick" episode that gets the suit involved with another sport. The best scenes in this episode deals with Ralph not wanting to attend his high school reunion, the reunion itself, and Connie Sellecca's hilarious bit as "The Red Cross Lady".
Ralph flys in front regular people the most ever in this episode,(chopper pilot,coach,etc.) it would have been nice if in a later episode there would have been a plot with one of these people talking about what they saw, and maybe some other authorities checking into these flying guy stories.
NOTES:
Amazingly, Bob Hastings, who appeared as Pam's father in the first season, turns up yet again in another sports commentator role. He was last seen performing the same duties in It's All Downhill from Here.
Look at the back of Hastings play-by-play monitors, no cables are hooked up to the input ports!
A photo of Barbara Hale as Ralph's mom Paula has been added to the Hinkley living room desk.
On Ralph's reunion invitation the normal fake 555 phone prefix has been relaced with 557 for Cobb's number. Also we learn Ralph's number is 555-4365.
It's supposed to be Ralph's 10-year high school reunion. That would put his age roughly around 28 or 29, a bit younger than Katt actually was when filming this episode.
The car chase is made up mostly of stock footage from The Good Samaritan. In fact Maxwell is not even driving the normal model tan sedan he usually drove, and the newly shot footage of the older model he was driving mixes back and forth with the newer one.
One again thugs show up driving the Ford Fairlane with the plate TVG-911.
Watch as Katt is "suiting" up, as he says the line: "I'm outta here" instead of attaching the cape he mearly holds it together at the neck as he starts to exit the car.
Right before Ralph brings the Fairlane to a halt, we can see the stuntman poised on the dash with his feet against the front seat. He pushes against the seat to launch himself through the glass. As he hits the pavement you can see the elbow and kneepads he's wearing under his clothes. Of course the real windshield has been replaced with frosted "movie" glass.
We learn Bill's unit he drives is designated X-Ray 6.
Katt's take-off after the line "With doctors Davidson and Maxwell, of course." is stock footage from Fire Man.
Ralph's quick change at the football stadium, was done with a Katt double dressed as Ralph running behind a closed door, then Katt exiting in the suit.
After narrowly missing the helicopter you can see the the flying rig's mounting plate poking out from Katt's left side underneath the costume.
Stuntman Dennis Madalone's crash through the trees was originally seen in My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys.
In this season, Pam works for the firm Sellquist Allen & Minor.
Watch as Katt exits the reunion as he looks to change into the suit. You can see he's wearing the suits red shoes, not his regular street shoes.
High school chum "Ivan" could have possibly been an in-joke, with him being named for this episodes director Ivan Dixon.
One effects shot of Katt shows the ends of the cape hardly blowing. They are drooping at both sides, giving the cape a funky vulture wing look.
In the hand held shot through Price's windshield, notice the skid marks on the pavement as he avoids the oncoming car, indicating this scene had already been shot once.
The shot showing the underside of Price's car as it rolls off the cliff, is in fact not his car at all, but another vehicle. The rims and what you see of the body are totally different.
After stopping Price, Bill tells him again he's with the FBI. Price's response is that he hasn't done anything so he can't be arrested. However he did assault a federal officer after said officer had identified himself.
The interior shot of Bill's car crashing through the thugs house was reused later in "The A-Team" episode Pros and Cons.
You can see the blackness of the soundstage through the hole in the ceiling as Katt's stuntman Dennis Madalone crashes into a thug.
It sounds as if the actress who appears as "Wendy" has had all her lines re-dubbed.
The majority of shots and landing from Ralph's flight to the stadium were lifted from the second season episode Dreams.
The medium shots showing Katt with a stadium full of people behind him were process shots. No stadium full of people exisited behind him as this was filmed.
The uniforms used for the Hawks and Mustangs do not match the uniforms in the stock footage. In fact the quality of the stock footage doesn't match either.
Watch as Ralph plays, sometimes he has regular football footwear on, and sometimes it's the red shoes from the suit.
Another quick change into the suit, performed by a Katt double in the football get-up, and Katt in the costume.
THIS IS THE ONE THE SUIT
WAS MEANT FOR
Episode 32
Production #9308
Air Date: November 12, 1982
When one too many "suit scenarios" has Pam ready to leave Ralph, Bill steps in with tickets to a vacation spot that just happens to be in the area where a top secret jet disappeared.
Written By: Babs Greyhosky
Directed By: Ivan Dixon
Guest Cast: Bo Brundin (Stanislov), Pepe Serna (Cortez), Jay Varela (Fernandez), Loyita Chapel (Bunny), Dean Wein (Mitchell), Randall Nazarian, Bob Basso, Dean Wein (Mitchell), Maurie Lauren (Sandy), Bobby Don McGaughey (employee)
COMMENTARY:
Pam's building frustration with the suit finally comes to a head with this show. For a year and a half she has been dealing with the problems of having a super powered boyfriend. Plus this episode lets Sellecca do more than get "burgers and cokes" The almost break up was a great way to lead up to the episode where Ralph and Pam get married. One wishes that the almost break up would have lasted 2 or 3 episodes just to stretch it out, it's hard to believe the couple could have resolved all of the suit problems in one. The tropical type locations used were a nice change from the tall buildings and city streets.
NOTES:
As the Zephyr 1 prepares to take off and during it’s flight, several bits of stock footage are used. Many shots of this footage are from the film Capricorn One.
Several effects shots of Ralph flying and one interior bit are lifted from Dreams and Operation: Spoilsport for use in the bank robbery scenes.
Culp didn't have as many "doubles" as Katt did, however one can be seen during Bill's fight with the "dame" bank robber.
Pam has moved since the second season. She now lives in a apartment instead of the house seen in Classical Gas.
The shot of Ralph crashing into the wall outside of what's intended to be Pam's apartment was originally seen in The Two-Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Fastball.
Once again you can see what appears to be a Connie Sellecca resume photo used as set decoration in Ralph's bedroom. The photo must be really popular because as the scene switches to the Hinkley living room, it can be found again on a shelf.
After Bill surprises Ralph at the hotel a very cool shot can be seen using Katt's reflection in a mirror while he argue's with Culp.
MORE TO COME...
THE RESURRECTION OF CARLINI
Episode 33
Production #9305
Air Date: November 19, 1982
Ralph and the suit dive into the world of magic, to try and discover who is out to stop a group of magicians from performing a series of illusions.
Written By: Frank Lupo
Directed By: Arnold Laven
Guest Cast: Andrew Robinson, Jack Magee, Timothy Carey, Ferdinand Mayne, Randi Brooks (Beverly), Sandy Martin (woman), Troy Slater (little boy), Robert Aberdeen (magician)
NOTES:
In a script dated July 13, 1982, Carlini is originally named Cardini.
The exterior shot establishing Carlini's home appears to be footage of what's known as the "Harvey House" that sits on Universal Studio's backlot. The shot could have originally been filmed for the movie The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. The house looks a lot like the "Psycho" house that is also on the Universal lot. Looking at the exterior the cast appears in front of when meeting the three magicians, it's obvious the production did not film at the "Harvey House" backlot location.
The close-up of the fireplace is stock footage from the second season episode The Beast in the Black.
Timothy Carey also appears in the first season episode Fire Man as Cameron.
Pam mentions Leo Gorcey and Huntz Hall in "Hold That Ghost." Gorcey and Hall, two of the Dead End Kids/Bowery Boys, didn't make Ghost; it was Abbott and Costello in "Hold That Ghost."
Troy Slaten, the young Carlini, is probably best known for his role in the FOX series "Parker Lewis Can't Lose."
Bill briefly mentions "Ice Planet Zero". Frank Lupo who wrote this episode also worked on Battlestar Galactica. Galactica had an episode called The Gun On Ice Planet Zero; while Lupo was not credited on that specific Galactica episode, it's possible this was his "tip of the hat," so to speak, to that series.
The first effects shot of Ralph flying to save Toby Roberts is stock from Divorce Venusian Style; it shows him flying towards the street light pole that he crashes into in that episode. One rod from the flying rig can also be noticed in the shot.
Nice touch by Sellecca when she looks out the car window and up, as she and Maxwell speed away to follow Ralph.
As Ralph flys in a awkward position downward, you can see a portion of the flying rig, or chestplate sticking out (on Katt's left)from underneath the costume. Also notice right before he falls out of frame the cape blows slightly to one side, revealing yet another portion of the rig normally covered by the cape.
One can assume the audience thought it was "magic" when Ralph uses the power of the suit to break the chains to save Marco from Carlini's trap.
After Ralph saves Marco, Stoppard heads off to his dressing room. Watch as he bursts through the door followed by Maxwell; we hear Culp's voice start with, "Okay Stoppard...." but it's not Culp entering the room, it's a double dressed in the pirate costume! He also appears again in the Carlini/Maxwell fight; watch for the shot in which Carlini knocks the fake sword handle from Maxwell's grip.
THE NEWLYWED GAME
Episode 34
Production #9309
Air Date: January 3, 1983
On the way to Ralph's bachelor party, he and Bill are kidnapped and Ralph is persuaded to fly a mission for the president.
Written By: Babs Greyhosky
Directed By: Chuck Bowman
Guest Cast: Hansford Rowe (Matthew Powell), Norman Alden (Mrs. Davidson), Woody Eney (Martin), Terrence McNally (Campbell), Pamela Bowman (Boom Boom), Dan Peterson (stripper), Alice Backes (Eleanor Pilburn), Frank K. Wheaton (videoman), Robby Weaver (Ray), Cynthia Steele
COMMENTARY:
This episode is one of the best in the series run. Again if Ralph and Bill were really going to work directly for the White House the format of the show would have been altered, but the episode has the viewer guessing as to what is really going on. I can understand why ABC held this episode back to use for the return of the series in January of 1983.
The episode has a great balance of Ralph's personal life and life with the suit, much like the first season's episodes.
*This episode and This Is The One The Suit Was Meant For were edited together as a TV movie for either a Japanese TV broadcast or Home video release. If anyone has a copy, please contact me.
NOTES:
During a scene of bullets bouncing of Ralph's chest, we get to see a rare special fx close up shot of sparks zig-zagging across the suit depicting the bullet hits.
Also in the same scene the suit Katt has on has possibly the worst insignia ever made for the series. It's all wrinkled like it had been wadded up, then sewed on the costume.
Also in the same scene as Katt leaps over the hood of the car, notice he's wearing the shoes that have the grid like tread on the bottom, instead of the smooth soled version.
As the rogue government agents go over the slides of Ralph with Matthew Powers, we see a slide of Ralph in flight. It's taken from the 2nd season episode Now You See It....
Norman Alden now plays Pam's father, instead of Bob Hastings.
Michael Pare' appears for the last time as Tony, and this is the only time in the third season.
In the flight scene of Ralph taking the photo's at the North Pole, there are close-up shots of Katt in front of a white background. If you look close you can see what he's laying on from time to time.
When Ralph lands back at the jeep from the photo mission, you can see Katt's microphone battery pack under the suit.
After the wedding, the shot of Dennis Madalone as Ralph laying on the street and grabbing the bumper of the bad guys car and bringing it to a stop was actually ran in reverse for safety reasons to show him grabbing the bumper. He slid with the car going backwards then let go. When ran the other way it looks like he's on the ground and the car runs fast up on him and he grabs it.
When Katt's double (Madalone?) lands in front of the door of the underground bunker and rips it off, look at the butt of the costume, it has dirt and grass stains all over it. Probably the same costume the double was wearing at the start of the episode when he grabbed the hose on the back of the tanker truck and slid on the grass to stop the truck from trashing Bill's car.
HEAVEN IS IN YOUR GENES
Episode 36
Production #9307
Air Date: January 13, 1983
Ralph must rescue Bill who has been kidnapped by a crazed scientist, who wants to experiment on him to find out what makes him such a successful agent.
Written By: Patrick Hasbough
Directed By: Christian I. Nyby, Jr.
Guest Cast: William Price (Dr. Striegel), Dennis Lipscomb (Tom Gardener), Andre the Giant (monster), George McDaniel (Rutter), Carolyn Seymour (Kris Peterson), Rick Barker (Bradley), Ted Gehring (Lutz), Richard Fullerton, Gene Ross (Plummer), Patricia Wilson (Barbara Lutz), Ruben Morino (gas station attendant), Gina Alvarrado (receptionist)
NOTES:
Maxwell trashes yet another car, but it's not the usual model tan sedan.
Not a very spectacular crash though the boarded-up window at the Airport Cafe. It appears the stuntman jumps from the ground up, instead of crashing as if in-flight.
You can catch a glimpse of the flying rig a couple of times during the Ralph & Pam flight. If you have a copy of the episode as it originally aired on ABC, during the same flight you can see something wing-like all during this shot. This "wing" has been removed from the episode prints currently used.
Watch for the bounce as Katt's double carrying the Sellecca "dummy" hits the safety padding hidden behind the brush.
One of the oldest stock shots of the series can be seen as Ralph (Dennis Madalone) takes off towards the Hunting Club.
In this same flight a not-very-impressive close-up of Katt in front of a white background is used. The cape is all bunched up on his back instead of blowing. Sometimes due to the hectic shooting schedule, there was no time to pull Katt into a soundstage for FX shots, and the production had to do the best they could given the time allowed.
Watch as the creature escapes Building A: the last stunt guy he throws against the supposed rock wall forces the whole rock wall facade to move!
LIVE AT ELEVEN
Episode 37
Production #9304
Air Date: January 20, 1983
Ralph tries to make the connection between terrorists who tried to steal plutonium, and a TV news anchor who plans to run for President.
Written By: Babs Greyhosky
Directed By: Arnold Laven
Guest Cast: William Windom (Henry Williams), Alan Fudge (Chuck Cole), Miguel Fernandes (Canton), Will MacMillan (Fields), Eugene Peterson (Sherwood Davis), Melvin E. Allen (security guard #1), Debra Mays (Tammy), Charles Walker (Shelton), Woody Skaggs (Coursey), Victoria Boyd (Vicki), Mary York (policeman), Eileen Saki (nurse), Amanda Harley (Gladine), Dudley Knight (foreman), Terrence Beasor (Schneider), Will MacMillan
NOTES:
The opening shot of Ralph flying in the teaser/preview is not seen in the finished episode.
In the opening credits Connie Sellecca is credited as Pam Davidson, instead of Pam Hinkley. This info is from my original ABC version, I have no idea if it was corrected for syndication.
Eugene Peterson appears once again as an attorney, in the same law firm as Pam, but not in the role of her crooked boss from the 1st season episode The Best Desk Scenario
The shot of Ralph's takeoff from the party is stock footage from There's Just No Accounting.... Plus, if you listen close, the flying sound FX is heard BEFORE he leaps into the air.
Great shots of Ralph flying down the LA river, the shadows added passing over Katt as he flys underneath bridges gives the scene a touch of reality that was missing in the flying FX from the first two seasons.
Ralph's crash into the FBI offices from Saturday on Sunset Boulevard is recycled once again in this episode, as he enters the power plant through the roof.
More stock footage can be seen from the second season episodes The Shock Will Kill You and The Hand Painted Thai as Ralph searches for the plutonium thugs. Katt's shorter hair in the 3rd season made mixing footage from the previous seasons difficult, in the sense that even someone not well acquainted with the series could tell something funky was going on with Katt's appearance changing back and forth.
Kinda cool effect of Ralph glowing as he handles the exposed plutonium rods. ABC used the scene for the network promo in the days before this episodes airing.
We get another glimpse of the little seen Hinkley kitchen in this episode.
Ralph's takeoff outside of Chuck Cole's house is stock from Dreams.
As Ralph is flying down the street after the above takeoff, watch below him as he tilts from back and forth, you can see what look like some sort of shadows that tilt with him. You can see these, and a little black mark right beneath him. The shadow like marks look like they are from the base of the flying rig Katt was mounted on. Onscreen they tilt when the camera tilted, Katt was for the most part positioned straight and the effect of him tilted, turning, etc. was done with the camera.
The plutonium thugs don't seem surprised when a guy in tights and a cape pops up in front of them, demanding to know what they've done.
More stock footage is seen as Ralph heads off to fix the turbine, we see film from The Hand Painted Thai, Operation: Spoilsport, and Plague.
After Ralph crashes thru the wall and skids along the floor, you can see the line pulling him along.
SPACE RANGER
Episode 38
Production#9311
Air Date: January 27, 1983
Ralph's finds that his newest student is wanted by the CIA and KGB after tapping into a Soviet satellite.
Written By: Rudolph Borchert
Directed By: Ivan Dixon
Guest Cast: Douglas Warhit (Allen Smith/Longstress), Joe Santos (Fetchner), James Beach (Oscar), Alex Rodine (Proslov), Jan-Ivan Dorin (Zatkoff), Billy Zabka (Clarence Mortner, Jr.), Evonne Kezios (Zelda), Steve Alterman (Milton), Kene Holliday, Jay Gerber, Edward Bell, James Beach
NOTES:
The stock footage depicting the CIA's trace on Alan's phone call appears to be several years older than the time period it takes place in.
Check out the framed B&W publicity photo as Ralph and Pam's wedding picture.
Joey must have inherited the Piranha from Tony, as he mentions it, but it's not seen.
Notice the way the stuntman doubling for Douglas Warhit (Alan) trys to hide his face as he runs away from his house with the Russian agent on his tail.
Dennis Madalone as Ralph makes an awesome leap over the stair's railing as he chases after Alan and the Russian agent. A shot made even more effective by shooting from such a low angle, making it look like the leap was a lot higher than it really was.
We get to see the Hinkley kitchen once again in this episode. During the third season we get to see a lot more of the Hinkley house's interior than in the previous two seasons.
When Katt bolts from behind the overturned table during the gun battle scene, he's still wearing his street pants with only the top half of the suit exposed. Yet when he emerges from his house (stock footage from The Two-Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Fastball) he's in full costume.
As Ralph lands to bring the CIA car to a halt, notice the treadmarks already on the pavement. Possibly due to the fact the stunt had already been performed and shot from a different camera angle.
Clarence, the inventor of the solar-powered attache case, is played by Billy Zabka, probably best known for his role as Johnny in The Karate Kid. Also of note is the fact that the first assistant director on this episode is Stan Zabka; I believe his father.
Ralph's exit into the hallway, the leap through the closed window, AND the two flying shots can first be seen in the second season episode Plague.
Ralph's catching Alan and falling out of frame revealing the chopper retreating was first seen in Who's Woo In America.
Madalone performs a grand leap when he catches ahold of the helicopter skid in mid-air.
It's a huge shock that the producers actually let Katt hang off the helicopter in flight as Ralph forces the chopper to land. If you look close you can see the "hook" taped to the helicopter's skid that allowed Katt to rest his right leg inside of it while he hung on with his right arm.
THIRTY SECONDS OVER LITTLE TOKYO
Episode 39
Production #9302
Air Date: February 3, 1983
Ralph and Bill find themselves trying to protect a Japanese man after agang tries to kidnap him to force his nephew to turn over a weapon he created.
Written By: Danny Lee Cole and J. Duncan Ray
Directed By: Arnold Laven
Guest Cast: Soon-Teck Oh (Ernie Shikinami), Mako (Master of Flowers), Lloyd Kino (Isoroku Shikinami), Christine Belford (Dotty), Peter Kwong (Tanaka), Dana Lee, Edward Bell, Robert Alan Browne, John Wyler (Benning), George Paul (landlady), Bert Henchman (security guard)
NOTES:
In this episode's teaser we see Ralph run into his living room in the full suit: "I'm ready Bill... which way did they go!?!" Right in front of a shaken and now startled Dotty Parker who replies, "Who are you supposed to be?" This scene does not appear in the finished episode.
Fan favorite Christine Belford also portrayed the spooky Sheila Redman in the second season's The Beast in The Black.
We get to see a bit of Ralph's (Katt's double) improvement with the suit, as it's no struggle to quick-change from his street clothes to the magic jammies in a couple of seconds, as he races to catch the thugs who abducted Isoroko.
This episode features the last appearance of the Villicana Piranha and Edward Bell as Mr. Knight.
We also get to see a rare stunt performed by a Katt stunt double {Madalone?) dressed in street clothes instead of the suit.
Once again for the upteenth time we get to see Ralph's leap out the hotel window from The Hit Car.
Ralph getting hit by the truck while in mid-flight first appeared in The Good Samaritan.
We learn in this episode Ralph now has a bizarre phone number....555-800, radically changed from 555-4635 given a few episodes before in The Price is Right.
Ralph's take off to catch Ernie is lifted from the second season episode There's Just No Accounting...
Watch as Ralph turns invisible. Maxwell: "Okay Ralph, go do your stuff... beam in on the beam." Notice when Katt disappears, the surrounding image, Culp, etc. shifts slightly, showing the fade from one source to another instead of the more effective "I Dream of Jeannie" pop in and out, that has everything and everyone in the frame perfectly frozen to avoid noticing the camera trick.
When you see the close-up of the laser bouncing off of the suit, take a look at the suit's belt buckle. It's upside down!
WIZARDS & WARLOCKS
Episode 40
Production #9306
Air Date: First aired in syndication.
Ralph, Pam and Bill become involved in a role-playing fantasy game to help find a young prince.
Written By: Shel Willens
Directed By: Bruce Kessler
Guest Cast: Steve Peteman, Shunil Borpujari, Nicko Minardos, James Whitmore, Jr. (Norman Fakler)
NOTES:
The script dated Oct. 14, 1982, is called "Swords & Sorcerers."
Take a look at the photo of Stambouli that's given to Maxwell. It's a photo taken during the filming of the mini-golf course scenes featured at the end of this episode.
The stand up coin-op video game Margolis is playing is called Tempest; it has nothing to do with wizards or warlocks. The home video game system Intellivision and it's version of Dungeons & Dragons was used for the close-up insert shots.
After Ralph's crash into the tree with the curtain, look while the cape is up over Katt. Just below the silver/gray trim on the bottom of the tunic, you can see the wireless microphone system pack that he's wearing under the suit.
I'm sure most everyone recognizes Bob Saget (Dennis) in this early role, before he became well known on Full House and America's Funniest Home Videos.
Norman Fackler is played by accomplished actor/director James Whitmore Jr. in his third appearance on the show.
Ralph's flight up the tunnel after Stambouli's thugs is stock footage from Operation: Spoilsport, and the "live action" flying right before Ralph smashes into the thugs was a nice touch.
Some of the most impressive flying can be seen in this episode, as Ralph flies down through the concrete L.A. River area, complete with Katt ducking and shadows falling across him as he passes under bridges.
Nice one-handed catch by Sellecca when Katt tosses the jester's hat to her.
Watch carefully as Stambouli's thug rolls off of the gingerbread house. Right before he falls out of frame, a single mysterious hand appears on the left side of the screen.
DESPERADO
Episode 41
Production#9310
Air Date: First Aired In Syndication
Ralph, Pam and Bill try to save a wild stallion from a ruthless cattle rancher, who's out for revenge against the horse
Written By: Stephen J. Cannell and Frank Lupo
Directed By: Christopher Nelson
Guest Cast: John Vernon (Justin King), James Hampton (sheriff), Red West (Charley), Luke Askew (Matt), Rick Lenz, Conlan Carter, Linda Hoy (Martha Wells), Beach p.i.erson (judge)
NOTES:
Just about a year after this episode was produced, The A-Team aired a two-hour TV movie with a similar theme called When You Comin' Back Range Rider.
With this episode Red West makes his third appearance in the series.
A nice simple "live" effect is used with excellent results, as Ralph picks up Red with one hand and carries him through mid-air.
An obvious "dummy" is used in place of Red West when Katt hoists Red over his shoulder; notice Katt holding onto the dummy's hands to keep them from flopping around before he leaps over the camera.
With production time at a minimum, there was no chance to get Katt and West into a studio for new flying FX to be shot. So the old method of shooting them close in front of a solid background was used. The rear angle was more effective, but the close-up of Katt while flying Red was less so, because you can see whatever it was on which he was lying sneak into the shot from time to time.
Kudos to the Katt stuntman Dennis Madalone who had to leap off of the peak backwards with the Red "dummy" so the reverse film effect could be used, giving the impression that Ralph flew Red up to the top of the rock.
Look at the framed photo of President Ronald Reagan that hangs in the sheriff's office. Now the next time you go back and watch all of the second and third season episodes, count how many times this photo shows up in various offices.
Two shots of flying FX (seen when Ralph is following one of the King pick-up trucks) were originally used in The Price Is Right.
IT'S ONLY ROCK 'N' ROLL
Episode 42
Production #9312
Air Date: First Aired In Syndication
Ralph tries to save a rock star who has become a target of members of a motorcycle gang who helped finance his first album.
Written By: Babs Greyhosky
Directed By: Christian I. Nyby, Jr.
Guest Cast: Judson Scott (Dak Hampton), Anthony Charnoto (Mike Christopher), Robert Dryer, George p.i.erson, Leslie Woods, Dennis Stewart, Andy Wood, Michael Mancini, Sheila Frazer, Rick Dees (announcer), David Sage (official)
NOTES:
Fans of The A-Team should recognize the man's voice performing the pilot's voiceover. It's actor/producer John Ashley, who can also be heard performing the voiceover for four seasons at the beginning of every A-Team episode.
Great "live" flying as Ralph skims closely alongside the plane as he nears the baggage compartment door.
More evidence of Ralph gaining more control over the suit's powers, as we see that he doesn't need to take three-steps-and-a-jump as he exits the baggage compartment. He merely drops out and into the air to resume flight.
One of the better "under the gun" flying FX shots can be quickly glimpsed in close-up as Katt is holding the explosive luggage. The shot of Ralph flying wildly just after the explosion is originally from the Now You See It... episode. Notice the smoke trail from the missile in the background. The stuntman falling into the water is also stock, seen before in previous episodes.
Great rare close-up of the communicator as Bill calls Ralph for help with the Road Hogs.
We get to see, yet again, the Madalone leap out the window originally used in The Hit Car. If I only had a dollar for each time this shot was recycled!
More proof of Ralph gaining control over the suit's abilities, as he crashes through the safe-house window, lands on his feet and goes after the attacking Road Hogs.
The stuntman that Katt appears to pitch through the air hits the wall so hard the whole wall facade moves!
When Maxwell runs to check on Dak, he opens the door to what appears to be a dark room. Yet in the close-up as the camera pans across the empty bed, the entire room is brightly lit. Cut back to Culp turning away once again from the darkened doorway.
We see Ralph's exit and flight from his house once again used from The Two-Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Fastball.
It’s a stuntman who drops the shotgun to the ground as he leaps over the camera.
Nice effect as Ralph knocks one Hog from his motorcycle. Watch the bike's left handlebar snag the cape and rip it from the stuntman's back.
VANITY, SAYS THE PREACHER
Episode 43
Production #9313
Air Date: First Aired In Syndication
Bill accepts an invitation to be honored as Man Of The Year by a Latin American country where years before he was instrumental in helping them establish a democratic government.
Written By: Robert Culp
Directed By: Robert Culp
Guest Cast: Isela Vega, Julio Medina, Dehl Berti, Joseph Culp, Jason Culp, Luis Moreno, Frankie Pesce (bartender)
NOTES:
The same hotel exterior stock footage from It's Only Rock 'N' Roll is used again here.
Ralph bunches up his clothes as he leaps into the air going after Bill, but when we actually see him in flight he's carrying nothing.
Excellent idea using one of Culp's sons as a younger Bill Maxwell in the newsreel footage.
When Ralph tells Bill he's not bringing the suit into the politics of a country, he appears and disappears without the use of any sound effects. This makes the scene much more dramatic than it would have been if the normal cartoon-like sounds had been heard.
This episode is the only time we see Ralph use the suit's power of voice projection.
The opticals of the spaceship approaching, coming in low over the trees and then over the crowd, doesn't match the live action spotlight used on location. Besides the model ship looking a bit small for the shot, when the crowd is illuminated directly in the light and looking up, the craft is not yet above them.
This is the only episode in which people are transported into the spaceship WITHOUT the use of the "light elevator".
Much of the sequence showing Bill and the greenguy is stock footage originally shot for Divorce Venusian Style. In fact, the only new greenguy shot is from the shoulder down as he speaks to Ralph and Bill. More than likely no money was available for the make-up needed to create the greenguy's head, and the hands were just slip-on gloves.
Also, the greenguy now speaks with a cartoon-like voice, not nearly as effective as the original voice heard in Divorce Venusian Style.
If you look closely, Ralph and Bill actually start to float BEFORE the greenguy activates the system allowing them to do so.
THE GREATEST AMERICAN HEROINE
Pilot Episode
Production #13000
Air Date: First Aired In Syndication
Ralph and the suit are exposed, and he lets all the attention inflate his ego. The greenguys return with the order that he must give up the super powered costume to make the world forget, and he must also pick someone to carry on.
Written By: Babs Greyhosky
Directed By: Tony Mordente
Guest Cast: Mary Ellen Stuart (Holley Hathaway), Mya Akerling (Sarah), John Zee, Jerry Potter, Wayne Grace, Jeffrey Markel (Timothy)
COMMENTARY
In 1986 Stephen J. Cannell was being honored in his role in creating some of televisions most popular series. At this function he was sitting next to NBC’s Brandon Tartikoff, all the while clips from Cannell’s series were being shown. When clips of TGAH came up Tartikoff supposedy said, “ABC made a big mistake in canceling that show”. So a deal was set in motion for a return of TGAH.