"The White Shadow" (1978) TV series 1978-1981

Creator:

Bruce Paltrow

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | unknown

Release Date:

27 November 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Plot:

A white former NBA professional retires from the pro game and gets a job as a basketball coach in a predominantly black inner-city high school.

Plot Keywords:

School | Basketball | Coach | High School | Baseball

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Ken Howard	...	Ken Reeves (54 episodes, 1978-1981)
Kevin Hooks	...	Morris Thorpe (33 episodes, 1978-1981)
Timothy Van Patten	...	Mario 'Salami' Pettrino / ... (33 episodes, 1978-1981)
Byron Stewart	...	Warren Coolidge (33 episodes, 1978-1981)
Thomas Carter	...	James Hayward (29 episodes, 1978-1981)
Joan Pringle	...	Sybil Buchanan (28 episodes, 1978-1981)
Ken Michelman	...	Abner Goldstein (28 episodes, 1978-1981)
Ira Angustain	...	Ricky Gomez / ... (28 episodes, 1978-1981)
Nathan Cook	...	Milton Reese (27 episodes, 1978-1981)
Erik Kilpatrick	...	Curtis Jackson (25 episodes, 1978-1980)
John Mengatti	...	Nick Vitaglia (23 episodes, 1979-1981)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Company Four

Trivia:

In the pilot, Reeves drives a snazzy red Mustang convertible sports car. In subsequent episodes, he is seen driving only an old station wagon, probably in an attempt to show Reeves as more down-to-earth instead of a glamorous ex-NBA player.

Goofs:

Factual errors: At the end of the following episodes, "Wanna Bet?" and "That Old Gang of Mine". The roman numeral of the year 1979 at the end of the credits, was MCMLXXVIX. There was confusion of that because, the "V" should've been removed. The remaining first season episodes were finalized as MCMLXXIX, which was 1979 when the "V" was deleted.

Quotes:

Jim Willis: You had it easy sonny boy. You'll never know what it's like have to sit in the back of the bus and then give up your seat to a white man or pee in your pants because you can't find a bathroom that'll take you... Now I know a racist when I see one. And I'm looking at one right now.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Master Ninja I (#4.22)" (1992)

The Greatest Series of All-Time

Some might say the greatest television series of all-time is I Love Lucy, or The Honeymooners but for this recliner critic it has to be The White Shadow. The White Shadow focused on urban problems of high school kids while at the same time teaching the viewer ethics and morals and how to shoot a jump shot. It's sad to see that The White Shadow has fallen out of television's limelight, it is almost impossible to find an episode anymore. I believe if The White Shadow was seen by the kids of today it would be more popular than ever before. The NBA has probably taken over football and baseball as the most popular sport in America so why not let The White Shadow in on some of the exposure. It's a really great show and it will live in this viewer's mind all the way to the boneyard. I also want to answer the lifelong question that this show has posed, Tim Van-Patten(Salami) is actually Dick Van-Patten's brother and not son.