"Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" (1979) TV series 1979-1981

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

20 September 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A 20th century astronaut is revived out of 500 years of suspended animation to become the greatest hero of a future Earth.

Plot Keywords:

Astronaut | Spacecraft | Buck Rogers | 25th Century | Based On Comic Strip

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 5 nominations

Cast

Gil Gerard	...	Capt. William "Buck" Rogers / ... (32 episodes, 1979-1981)
Erin Gray	...	Col. Wilma Deering (32 episodes, 1979-1981)
Felix Silla	...	Twiki / ... (30 episodes, 1979-1981)
Mel Blanc	...	Twiki (27 episodes, 1979-1981)
Tim O'Connor	...	Dr. Elias Huer (21 episodes, 1979-1980)
William Conrad	...	Narrator (21 episodes, 1979-1980)
Eric Server	...	Dr. Theopolis (19 episodes, 1979-1980)

Series Directed by
Sigmund Neufeld Jr.		(4 episodes, 1979-1980)
Larry Stewart		(4 episodes, 1980)
Dick Lowry		(3 episodes, 1979)
David G. Phinney		(3 episodes, 1980-1981)
Vincent McEveety		(3 episodes, 1981)
Daniel Haller		(2 episodes, 1979-1981)
Philip Leacock		(2 episodes, 1979)
Jack Arnold		(2 episodes, 1981)

Series Writing credits
Robert C. Dille		(32 episodes, 1979-1981)
Glen A. Larson		(25 episodes, 1979-1981)
Leslie Stevens		(25 episodes, 1979-1981)
Alan Brennert		(6 episodes, 1979-1980)
Cory Applebaum		(3 episodes, 1979)
Stephen McPherson		(3 episodes, 1981)
Anne Collins		(2 episodes, 1979)
Chris Bunch		(2 episodes, 1980)
Allan Cole		(2 episodes, 1980)
Rob Gilmer		(2 episodes, 1980)
Bob Mitchell		(2 episodes, 1981)
Esther Mitchell		(2 episodes, 1981)
Francis Moss		(2 episodes, 1981)
Margaret Schneider		(2 episodes, 1981)
Paul Schneider		(2 episodes, 1981)

Series Produced by
David J. O'Connell	....	producer (22 episodes, 1979-1981)
David G. Phinney	....	associate producer (21 episodes, 1979-1981)
Glen A. Larson	....	executive producer (21 episodes, 1979-1980)
Jock Gaynor	....	producer (20 episodes, 1979-1980)
Bruce Lansbury	....	supervising producer (20 episodes, 1979-1980)
Medora Heilbron	....	associate producer (18 episodes, 1979-1980)
Calvin Clements Jr.	....	supervising producer (11 episodes, 1981)
John Mantley	....	executive producer (11 episodes, 1981)
John G. Stephens	....	producer (11 episodes, 1981)
Karen Welch	....	associate producer (5 episodes, 1981)
Tim King	....	associate producer (2 episodes, 1980)

Series Original Music by
J.J. Johnson		(5 episodes, 1979-1980)
Bruce Broughton		(5 episodes, 1981)
Stu Phillips		(4 episodes, 1979-1981)
Johnny Harris		(4 episodes, 1979-1980)
Herbert D. Woods		(2 episodes, 1980-1981)
Donald Woods		(2 episodes, 1981)

Series Cinematography by
Ben Colman		(29 episodes, 1979-1981)
Frank Thackery		(2 episodes, 1980)

Series Film Editing by
George Potter		(11 episodes, 1979-1981)
Michael Berman		(6 episodes, 1979-1980)
Howard B. Anderson		(5 episodes, 1979-1980)
Leon Ortiz-Gil		(5 episodes, 1979-1980)
Neil MacDonald		(3 episodes, 1981)
Edward W. Williams		(3 episodes, 1981)
John J. Dumas		(2 episodes, 1979)
Ron Honthaner		(2 episodes, 1981)

Series Casting by
Phil Benjamin		(13 episodes, 1979-1980)
Joe Reich		(10 episodes, 1981)
Simon Ayer		(7 episodes, 1980)

Series Art Direction by
Fred Luff III		(17 episodes, 1979-1980)
Bill Camden		(10 episodes, 1979-1980)
William H. Tuntke		(7 episodes, 1981)
Paul Peters		(5 episodes, 1979)
Hub Braden		(4 episodes, 1979-1980)
Peter Clemens		(4 episodes, 1981)
Bill Taliaferro		(3 episodes, 1980)
David L. Snyder		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Frank Lombardo		(21 episodes, 1979-1981)
Joanne MacDougall		(9 episodes, 1979-1980)
Victor Hugo		(2 episodes, 1979)

Series Costume Design by
Al Lehman		(26 episodes, 1979-1981)
Sal Anthony		(5 episodes, 1979)

Series Makeup Department
Jerry Gugliemotto	....	hair stylist (2 episodes, 1981)
Werner Keppler	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1981)
Jack Stone	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1981)
Brenda Todd	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1981)

Series Production Management
Harker Wade	....	unit production manager (25 episodes, 1979-1981)
Charles E. Walker	....	unit production manager (4 episodes, 1980)
Paul Wurtzel	....	unit production manager (4 episodes, 1981)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gerald T. Olson	....	second assistant director / first assistant director (18 episodes, 1979-1980)
Bob Bender	....	first assistant director (12 episodes, 1979-1981)
Stephen Lillis	....	second assistant director (11 episodes, 1981)
Frank Crawford	....	first assistant director (10 episodes, 1979-1981)
Robert Villar	....	first assistant director / second assistant director (7 episodes, 1979-1981)
David Kahler	....	second assistant director (2 episodes, 1980)
Dick Erickson	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Ted Wilson	....	carpenter (32 episodes, 1979-1981)
William Apperson	....	construction coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Dick Wahrman	....	sound effects editor (31 episodes, 1979-1981)
Earl Crain Jr.	....	sound (29 episodes, 1979-1981)
Barney Cabral	....	adr editor (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Robert Cole	....	special effects (unknown episodes)
Courtney Dane	....	special effects (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
David M. Garber	....	miniature effects / miniatures (21 episodes, 1979-1980)
Wayne Smith	....	miniature effects / miniatures (21 episodes, 1979-1980)
Peter Anderson	....	special photographic effects supervisor: Universal Hartland (11 episodes, 1981)
David Jones	....	special photographic effects supervisor: Universal Hartland (11 episodes, 1981)
C. Cory M. McCrum-Abdo	....	special visual effects coordinator (unknown episodes)
Dennis Michelson	....	visual effects editor (unknown episodes)
David Stipes	....	visual effects (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunt performer (1 episode, 1980)
Larry Holt	....	stunts (1 episode, 1980)
Mickey Caruso	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Roydon Clark	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Nick Dimitri	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Dick Durock	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Tony Epper	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Dean Raphael Ferrandini	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Whitey Hughes	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Gene LeBell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Bob Minor	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt performer (unknown episodes)
Michael Runyard	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Rick Sawaya	....	stunt performer (unknown episodes)
Ron Stein	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Kym Washington	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Richard Washington	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
James Winburn	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Bob Yerkes	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Reggie Newkirk	....	key first assistant camera (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Joe Reich	....	casting (1 episode, 1981)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barry Downing	....	costume supervisor: Gil Gerard (20 episodes, 1980-1981)

Series Editorial Department
Maureen O'Connell	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Johnny Harris	....	composer: theme music (32 episodes, 1979-1981)
Stu Phillips	....	composer: theme music / conductor (32 episodes, 1979-1981)
Glen A. Larson	....	composer: theme music (29 episodes, 1979-1981)
Herbert D. Woods	....	music editor (19 episodes, 1979-1980)
Donald Woods	....	music editor (6 episodes, 1981)
John W. Morgan	....	orchestrator (unknown episodes)
Don Nemitz	....	orchestrator (unknown episodes)
Will Schaefer	....	conductor (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (2 episodes, 1979-1980)

Series Other crew
Alan Brennert	....	story editor (12 episodes, 1979-1980)
Anne Collins	....	story consultant / story editor (11 episodes, 1979-1980)
Stephen McPherson	....	executive story consultant (11 episodes, 1981)
Rob Gilmer	....	story editor (7 episodes, 1980)

Production Companies

• Glen A. Larson Productions (1979-1980)
• Bruce Lansbury Productions (1979-1980)
• John Mantley Productions (1981)
• Universal TV

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1979-1981) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MCA (video)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (laserdisc)
• Studios USA Television
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (season 1)
• Veronica Omroep Organisatie (1985-1986) (Netherlands) (TV)

Special Effects

• Universal Hartland (special photographic effects)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

60 min (37 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-11 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Tower of London, Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Glen A. Larson Productions

Trivia:

The enemy spaceship in "Flight of the War Witch" was unfinished when shooting was scheduled to begin, so it was turned upside down to add an alien look to it.

Goofs:

Continuity: Throughout the series, there are many sequences when Buck and/or Wilma would take off in one configuration of a starfighter and then different cuts would have them sitting side by side and then a moment later one in front of the other. There would also be different ships (sky sled) where they would take off in one type of ship,exterior shots show them as they fly through space in a totally different looking ship, and then either land in the same ship they took off in, or in another different looking ship.

Quotes:

Narrator:[voiceover during opening] The year is 1987, and NASA launches the last of America's deep space probes. In a freak mishap, Ranger 3 and its pilot, Captain William "Buck" Rogers, are blown out of their trajectory into an orbit which freezes his life support systems, and returns Buck Rogers to Earth... 500 years later.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Ted Knight/Desmond Child & Rouge (#5.8)" (1979)

entertaining and watchable

Although I didn't like this series as much as Battlestar Galactica which was out at the same time, as a kid the more scifi series on TV the better. And I would never pass up the chance each week to see the beautiful Erin Gray. I also thought it was neat when they had one episode where they had the original Buck Rogers, Buster Crabbe, make a special appearance as an old fighter pilot.

It was too bad that they changed the format of the series in the second season, but it was still watchable.