The Bad News Bears (1979–1980)

The comic misadventures of a misfit Little League baseball team.

Stars:

Jack Warden, J. Brennan Smith, Tricia Cast

Cast

Series cast summary:
Jack Warden	...	Morris Buttermaker (26 episodes, 1979-1980)
J. Brennan Smith	...	Mike Engelberg (26 episodes, 1979-1980)
Tricia Cast	...	Amanda Whirlitzer (26 episodes, 1979-1980)
Billy Jayne	...	Rudi Stein (26 episodes, 1979-1980)
Sparky Marcus	...	Leslie Ogilvie (26 episodes, 1979-1980)
Corey Feldman	...	Regi Tower (26 episodes, 1979-1980)
Meeno Peluce	...	Tanner Boyle (26 episodes, 1979-1980)
Kristoff St. John	...	Ahmad Abdul Rahim (26 episodes, 1979-1980)
Shane Butterworth	...	Timmy Lupus (26 episodes, 1979-1980)
Catherine Hicks	...	Dr. Emily Rappant (26 episodes, 1979-1980)
Phillip R. Allen	...	Roy Turner (18 episodes, 1979-1980)
Rad Daly	...	Josh (12 episodes, 1979-1980)
Bill Lazarus	...	Frosty (12 episodes, 1979-1980)

Storyline

To avoid a year in jail, swimming pool cleaner Morris Buttermaker agrees to coach a Little League baseball team called the Bears. Unfortunately, the Bears are the worst team in the league, boasting a roster of the most inept and least disciplined players in school. Buttermaker, with the help of principal Rappant, eventually wins the respect of the Bears, and they even win a few games along the way.

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Plot Keywords:

team | little league | baseball | baseball team | game | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Sport

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 March 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Bären sind los

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Huk & Frog Productions, Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min (26 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Married with Children: A Man for No Seasons (1994)

User Reviews

Had Potential But Hampered By Time Changes

The Bad News Bears is one of my all-time favorite baseball movies that spawned two sequels and a prime time sitcom. The good news is that the show had an outstanding cast, anchored by Jack Warden who took over Walter Mattheu's role as Buttermaker and Catherine Hicks, years before she played Annie on 7th Heaven. There were also outstanding young actors, including Kristoff St. John as Ahmad, Corey Feldman as Regi and Meeno Peluce (Soleil Moon Frye's brother) as Tanner.

With a cast like that, the show had lots of potential. Warden's Buttermaker was still a swimming pool cleaner who was faced with going to jail after driving a client's car into a pool or coaching a little league team. He chose the latter and as the season progressed it was better than the big house.

Also, the producers did the right thing in keeping "March of the Toreadors" from the Bizet opera Carmen as the sitcom's theme music. It was also used over the closing credits in the original Bad News Bears movie.

Unfortunately, CBS kept moving the show around, confusing viewers over when it would be shown and three episodes into its second season, it struck out. Hopefully someday, the episodes will be available on DVD, proving to viewers that The Bad News Bears wasn't bad news.