"Battlestar Galactica" (1978) TV series 1978-1979

Creator:

Glen A. Larson
(more)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

17 September 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Action | Adventure

Plot:

The last major Colonial fighter carrier leads a makeshift fleet of human refugees on a desperate search for the legendary planet Earth.

Plot Keywords:

Commander | Space | Fugitive | Refugee | Spaceship Name In Title

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Richard Hatch	...	Capt. Apollo (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Dirk Benedict	...	Lt. Starbuck (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Lorne Greene	...	Commander Adama / ... (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Herbert Jefferson Jr.	...	Lt. Boomer (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
John Colicos	...	Baltar (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Maren Jensen	...	Athena (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Noah Hathaway	...	Boxey (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Laurette Spang	...	Cassiopeia (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Tony Swartz	...	Flight Sgt. Jolly / ... (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Terry Carter	...	Colonel Tigh (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
David Greenan	...	Omega / ... (19 episodes, 1978-1979)
Patrick Macnee	...	Opening Credit Announcer / ... (14 episodes, 1978-1979)
Anne Lockhart	...	Sheba (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Sarah Rush	...	Flight Cpl. Rigel / ... (11 episodes, 1978-1979)
Felix Silla	...	Lucifer (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jonathan Harris	...	Lucifer (9 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Directed by
Rod Holcomb		(5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Christian I. Nyby II		(5 episodes, 1978)
Alan J. Levi		(3 episodes, 1978)
Daniel Haller		(3 episodes, 1979)
Donald P. Bellisario		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Richard A. Colla		(2 episodes, 1978)
Vince Edwards		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Writing credits
Glen A. Larson		(22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Donald P. Bellisario		(11 episodes, 1978-1979)
Michael Sloan		(4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jim Carlson		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Terrence McDonnell		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
John Ireland		(2 episodes, 1978)
Ken Pettus		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Produced by
Glen A. Larson	....	executive producer (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Donald P. Bellisario	....	supervising producer / producer (20 episodes, 1978-1979)
David J. O'Connell	....	producer / co-producer (18 episodes, 1978-1979)
David G. Phinney	....	associate producer (18 episodes, 1978-1979)
Gary Winter	....	associate producer (16 episodes, 1978-1979)
John Dykstra	....	producer (4 episodes, 1978)
Winrich Kolbe	....	associate producer (2 episodes, 1978)
Leslie Stevens	....	supervising producer (2 episodes, 1978)
Michael Sloan	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Stu Phillips		(22 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Cinematography by
Ben Colman		(11 episodes, 1978-1979)
H. John Penner		(7 episodes, 1978)
Enzo A. Martinelli		(2 episodes, 1978)
Frank Thackery		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Film Editing by
Leon Ortiz-Gil		(11 episodes, 1978-1979)
Michael Berman		(7 episodes, 1978-1979)
George Potter		(7 episodes, 1978-1979)
David Howe		(6 episodes, 1978-1979)
John J. Dumas		(2 episodes, 1978)
Robert L. Kimble		(2 episodes, 1978)
John F. Schreyer		(2 episodes, 1978)
Larry Strong		(2 episodes, 1978)
John Elias		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Patti Hayes		(15 episodes, 1978-1979)
Mark Malis		(7 episodes, 1978)

Series Art Direction by
Paul Peters		(8 episodes, 1979)
Richard D. James		(7 episodes, 1978)
Bill Camden		(6 episodes, 1979)
Mary Dodson		(4 episodes, 1978)
James J. Murakami		(4 episodes, 1979)
John E. Chilberg II		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Set Decoration by
Lowell Chambers		(13 episodes, 1978)
Sam Gross		(9 episodes, 1979)
Mickey S. Michaels		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Costume Design by
Jean-Pierre Dorléac		(22 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Makeup Department
Scott H. Eddo	....	makeup artist (1 episode, 1978)
Paul Griffin	....	hair stylist (1 episode, 1978)
Marvin C. Thompson	....	makeup artist (1 episode, 1978)
Joy Zapata	....	hair stylist (1 episode, 1978)

Series Production Management
Harker Wade	....	unit production manager (19 episodes, 1978-1979)
Rowe Wallerstein	....	unit production manager (2 episodes, 1978)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Watson Sanford	....	second assistant director (14 episodes, 1978-1979)
William Holbrook	....	first assistant director (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Phil Cook	....	first assistant director (9 episodes, 1978-1979)
Katy Emde	....	second assistant director (2 episodes, 1978)
Britt Lomond	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 1978)
Chuck Lowry	....	second assistant director (2 episodes, 1978)
Nick Marck	....	second assistant director (2 episodes, 1978)
Herb Adelman	....	second assistant director (2 episodes, 1979)

Series Art Department
Margaret Mazzola	....	set dressing (4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Yarek Alfer	....	property maker (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Earl Crain Jr.	....	sound / sound mixer (14 episodes, 1978-1979)
Dick Wahrman	....	sound effects editor (13 episodes, 1978-1979)
Peter Berkos	....	sound effects editor (9 episodes, 1978)
James R. Alexander	....	sound (4 episodes, 1978)
Cliff Bell Jr.	....	dialogue editor (2 episodes, 1978)
Charlie King	....	sound (2 episodes, 1979)

Series Special Effects by
Joe Goss	....	special effects (2 episodes, 1978)
Karl G. Miller	....	special effects (2 episodes, 1978)
John Peyser	....	special electronics effects (2 episodes, 1978)

Series Visual Effects by
David M. Garber	....	production and special effects consultant (17 episodes, 1978-1979)
Wayne Smith	....	production and special effects consultant (17 episodes, 1978-1979)
David Stipes	....	visual effects (3 episodes, 1979)

Series Stunts
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunts (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
John Ashby	....	utility stunts (6 episodes, 1978-1979)
Marneen Fields	....	stunt double: Jane Seymour / stunt performer: camel rider / ... (4 episodes, 1978)
Bob Bralver	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Paula Crist	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Michael M. Vendrell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Michael J. Schwartz	....	electrician (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Mario DiLeo	....	camera operator: second unit / director of photography: second unit (2 episodes, 1978)
Stephen Vaughan	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mark Peterson	....	costume supervisor (16 episodes, 1978-1979)
Haleen K. Holt	....	costume illustrator (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Virgil E. Hammond III	....	post-production: Universal Studios, Los Angeles (3 episodes, 1978)

Series Music Department
Stu Phillips	....	composer: theme / composer: theme music / ... (22 episodes, 1978-1979)
Glen A. Larson	....	composer: theme music (21 episodes, 1978-1979)
Herbert D. Woods	....	music editor (18 episodes, 1978-1979)
James D. Young	....	music editor (6 episodes, 1978)

Series Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (2 episodes, 1978)

Series Other crew
Jim Carlson	....	story editor (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Terrence McDonnell	....	story editor (10 episodes, 1978-1979)

Production Companies

• Glen A. Larson Productions
• Universal TV

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1978-1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• AXN (2009) (Hungary) (TV) (as AXN Sci-Fi)
• Katholieke Radio Omroep (KRO) (1981-1982) (Netherlands) (TV) (17 episodes)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Studios USA Television
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (complete series)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Apogee
• Universal Hartland

Also Known As:

Runtime:

60 min (24 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) (VHS/DVD rating) | Canada:PG (TV rating) | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Red Rock Canyon State Park - Highway 14, Cantil, California, USA

Company:

Glen A. Larson Productions

Trivia:

Props from this series were later recycled for "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" (1979).

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In Mission Galactica:The Cylon Attack" (a VHS television movie comprised of parts of the "Living Legend I and II" episodes plus parts of the "Fire in Space" episode), Cain sends the Pegasus through a bright starfield after Baltar's Baseship. According to the dialogue, the Pegasus is traveling alone at this point. However, the exterior shots in this sequence show the Battlestar being followed by at least half a dozen other ships. (These shots are actually of the Galactica leading the fleet through the Nova of Madagon, from "Saga of a Star World"). In the "Living Legend" episodes original form (now available on DVD), the sequence is different and doesn't show this supposed goof.

Quotes:

Lucifer:Anything is possible, but the odds are astronomically against it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Muppets Tonight: Episode #2.11" (1998)

Soundtrack:

It's Love, Love, Love

One of those nostalgic "space mania" TV shows of the late 70's

Who, having grown up at the time, can ever forget the good old days, when TV shows like this were the ultimate scream of fashion?

I wasn't even born in the 70's, but I still remember very well that in the early 90's TV often aired TV series like this, which now looking back were made before my time but as a child I didn't know that fact nor do I cared.

'Battlestar Galactica' was created by Glen A. Larson, who also created 'Knight Rider', another TV series from my childhood.

Now, looking at it through an adult's perspective, it is lesser great than it was in the days of innocence, but still 'Battlestar Gallactica' shines in nostalgia. Although some episodes were better than others and they always had their flaws, the show really gives that feeling of nostalgia. If not perfect, at least it is authentic. It is from a time when things were real, when things had a special magic. The opening, for example, is fantastic, with those spectacular images of space and space wars. The opening music too is absolutely wonderful, and that opening quote is memorable:

«There are those who believe that life here began out there, far across the universe, with tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians, or the Toltecs, or the Mayans. Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to survive somewhere beyond the heavens.»

Like I said, it's by no means a perfect TV show. But the action scenes and their delicious sounds, the special effects, the space backgrounds... ahhh.... it's all so authentic and perfect (as it should be), without any of the excessive action and explosive noise seen these days.

It starred Lorne Greene as Commander Adama, Richard Hatch as Captain Apollo and Dirk Benedict as Lt. Starbuck, all of them great. Most of these episodes also had Noah Hathaway in a minor role as Boxey, Apollo's little son. Boxey is the cute little tyke. Him and his Muffit. This was a few years before he "became" Atreyu. Too bad Boxey doesn't have a bigger role.

Inevitably, this TV series resembles '2001: A Space Odyssey', 'Star Trek' and 'Star Wars'. It was even accused of plagiarism when 'Star Wars' itself heavily drank ideas from an early 70's film called 'Silent Running'.