- Out of the Blue (1979 TV series)
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Out of the Blue Genre Sitcom/Fantasy Created by Thomas L. Miller
Robert L. BoyettWritten by Barry Kemp Directed by Peter Baldwin
Jeff Chambers
Duncan Scott McGibbon
John TracyStarring See: #Cast list Theme music composer Charles Fox Country of origin United States Language(s) English No. of seasons 1 No. of episodes 9 (4 unaired) (List of episodes) Production Executive producer(s) Austin Kalish
Irma KalishEditor(s) C. Cory M. McCrum-Abdo Location(s) Paramount Studios Camera setup Multi-camera Running time 22–24 minutes Distributor CBS Television Distribution Broadcast Original channel ABC Audio format Monaural Original run September 9, 1979 – December 16, 1979Chronology Preceded by Love, American Style
Happy DaysRelated shows Laverne & Shirley
Blansky's Beauties
Mork & Mindy
Joanie Loves Chachi
The New Love, American StyleOut Of The Blue is an American fantasy sitcom that aired on ABC during the fall of 1979. It is chiefly notable as having featured a Mork & Mindy crossover, and for the controversy surrounding its status as a spin-off of Happy Days.
The series stars Jimmy Brogan as Random, an angel-in-training who is assigned to live with (and act as guardian angel for) a family and work as a high school teacher. The series aired from September 9 to December 16, 1979. Nine episodes had been aired at the time of cancellation. Some completed material was never broadcast.
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Spin-off debate
Out of the Blue has engendered debate amongst some viewers concerning its precise relationship to Happy Days. The controversy arises from the fact that the first episode of the show was broadcast a little over one week prior to an episode of Happy Days featuring Jimmy Brogan as the character, Random. Television observer and owner of Sitcoms Online, Todd Fuller, maintains that because "Chachi Sells His Soul" aired on 18 September 1979, Random's appearance on this Happy Days episode was a crossover. He goes on to postulate: "The Happy Days episode was likely a promotional tool for Out of the Blue to make the character more known."[1]
Thom Holbrook, veteran crossover and spin-off analyst, sees the arguments against calling it a spin-off, but ultimately concludes: "Making it a crossover would be basing things all on an odd bit of scheduling decades ago. The intent was spin off. The tone of the Happy Days episode is that of a dry run on the character, that of a pilot episode."[2]
Cast list
- Jimmy Brogan as Random
- Dixie Carter as Aunt Marion
- Clark Brandon as Chris Richards
- Olivia Barash as Laura Richards
- Tammy Lauren as Stacey Richards
- Jason Keller as Jason Richards
- Shane Keller as Shane Richards
- Hannah Dean as Gladys
- Eileen Heckart as The Boss Angel
Episode list
Of the following 13 episodes, only 9 were aired.
№ Title Air date Production code 1 "Random's Arrival (Part 1)" September 9, 1979 101 2 "Random's Arrival (Part 2)" September 9, 1979 102 3 "The Random Bust" September 16, 1979 103 4 "The Hustle" September 23, 1979 112 5 "Laura the Runaway" September 30, 1979 106 6 "Out for the Season" October 7, 1979 107 7 "Stacey's Nightmare" October 14, 1979 110 8 "The Coin of Truth" October 21, 1979 104 9 "Double Jeopardy" December 16, 1979 105 10 "Random, Who?" Never aired 108 11 "The Reluctant Angel" Never aired 109 12 "Keeping the Housekeeper" Never aired 111 13 "The Thanksgiving Story" Never aired 113 References
- ^ Out of the Blue at sitcomsonline.com
- ^ Out of the Blue at Thom Holbrook's Spin-Offs and Crossovers Pages
External links
- Out of the Blue at the Internet Movie Database
- Out of the Blue at TV.com
- Series intro at RetroJunk
- Out of the Blue at epguides.com
Happy Days Characters Cast Spin-offs - Laverne & Shirley
- Blansky's Beauties
- Mork & Mindy
- Out of the Blue
- Joanie Loves Chachi
- The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang
- Laverne & Shirley in the Army
- The Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour
Music Related - Episodes
- Garry Marshall
- Miller-Boyett Productions
- Happy Days (musical)
- Jumping the shark
- "Buddy Holly"
- Fonz
- Love, American Style
- American Graffiti
Television series and films produced by Thomas L. Miller, Edward K. Milkis and Robert L. Boyett Miller-Milkis
ProductionsTV seriesPetrocelli (1974–76) · Happy Days (1974–84)1 · Laverne and Shirley (1976–83)1 · Blansky's Beauties (1977) ·
Mork and Mindy (1978–82)1 · Makin' It (1979) · Out of the Blue (1979) · $weepstake$ (1979) · Angie (1979–80)FilmsThe Heist (1972) · The Weekend Nun (1972) · Silver Streak (1976) · Walkin' Walter (1977) · Foul Play (1978)Miller-Milkis-Boyett
ProductionsTV seriesFilmsMiller-Boyett
ProductionsThe Hogan Family (1986–91) · Perfect Strangers (1986–93) · Full House (1987–95) · Family Matters (1989–98) ·
The Family Man (1990–91) · Going Places (1990–91) · Step by Step (1991–98) · Getting By (1993–94) · On Our Own (1994–95)Miller-Boyett-Warren
ProductionsMeego (1997) · Two of a Kind (1998–99)1 This series became produced under the Miller-Milkis-Boyett banner beginning with the 1980-81 television season.See also Charles Fox · Jesse Frederick · Bickley-Warren Productions · Paramount Television · Lorimar Television · Warner Bros. TelevisionCategories:- 1979 television series debuts
- 1979 television series endings
- 1970s American television series
- American Broadcasting Company network shows
- American television sitcoms
- English-language television series
- Fantasy television series
- Television spin-offs
- Television series by CBS Paramount Television
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