From D.W.Rowlands@open.ac.uk Sat Sep 17 17:06:37 1994
Date: Mon, 22 Aug 94 13:31:00 BST
Subject: "Automan" episode guide.


[[ AUTOMAN.TXT : 3382 in AUTOMAN.TXT ]]

Note: The listings below are taken directly from the Radio Times for the weeks
in question.  All episodes were broadcast once only on BBC1 - in the missing
dates the programme was simply not shown.  Although transmitted without
commercials, slot times are not 100% accurate as a guide to the "true" running
time because:- 

.a) the times printed are rounded up to the next 5 minutes, and
.b) the episodes were run at 25fps.

Additional (or contradictory) cast information from the Epi-log guide for each
episode is also listed. No attempt is made to reconcile any contradictions -
these are merely noted, although it is worth pointing out from past 
experience that the Radio Times has always proven to be definitive.
("In cases of major discrepancy it is always reality that's got it wrong.")


                                                               Dariush Rowlands
                                                        d.w.rowlands@open.ac.uk

John Craven's Back Pages: 12 - 18 May 1984; Vol. 243, No. 3156.

   If you use your television screen for playing video games, you'd better
unplug them on Saturday and turn to Automan on BBC1.
   For the hero is this new US-made series will step straight out of the world
of computer games and take on human form.
   Not that he'll behave much like a human being - he can walk through walls
and can make a high-speed sports car appear out of nowhere just when he needs
it, for instance.  But he's played by a real actor, Chuck Wagner (left).
   In fact Automan is a hologram - a three-dimensional, computer-generated
picture - created by Los Angeles policeman Walter Nebicher, played by Desi
Arnaz Jr (above, with Automan).  Walter, who would like to be out on the
streets chasing criminals, is stuck with a job on the police computer at
headquarters.  His boss doesn't think much of the ability of either Walter or
his computer - until Automan comes along.
   The only trouble is that Automan needs a lot of electricity to keep going -
so he's usually in action while the city sleeps.  Once the toasters and
electric toothbrushes get switched on in the morning his power supplies
fade...a peak-time television hero working from off-peak power!    JOHN DAVIES


"Sadly Automan was not renewed by its American network and BBC1 has now shown
all 13 programmes that were made." - Radio Times Letters Editor:
                                     22 - 28 September 1984; Vol. 244, No 3176.
----------

Saturday 12th May 1984

5.20 - 6.30  New Series

Automan

A special feature-length episode intro-
ducing the ultimate television hero -
Automan - a holographic image who
starts life as a character in a computer
game and ends up as Los Angeles
Police Department's greatest asset in
their fight against crime

starring
Chuck Wagner as Automan
Desi Arnaz Jr as Walter Nebicher
Robert Lansing as Lt Jack Curtis
Heather McNair as
Roxanne Caldwell
Doug McClure as Det Ted Smithers
Steven Franken as P. J. Hawkins
Patrick Macnee as Lydell Hamilton
Robert J. Hogan as Peterson
Steven Keats as Collins
James Antonio Jr as Cramer
Don Galloway as Martin Wills
Robert Dunlap as Chuck Wilson
Camilla Spaarv as Tanya

Automan and his creator, mild-
mannered computer expert Walter
Nebicher, turn their unique talents to
solving the mysterious disappearance
of key personnel from several big
corporations - even the cop
assigned to the case has gone missing!

Written By GLEN A. LARSON
Directed by LEE KATZIN

@ BACK PAGES: 82 [See Above]
* Subtitles on Ceefax page 170

Photograph:
"Automation comes to crime-fighting when Nebicher introduces Automan: 5.20"

[Epi-log also gives the following information: ...with Sid Haig, Mickey Jones,
Herman Poppe, Dennis Fimple, Gloria LeRoy, Carol Vogel.  In contradiction they
credit the role of Tanya to Camilla Sparv.  Director: Lee H. Katzin.
U.S. airdate: 15th December 1983]
----------

Saturday 19th May 1984

5.50 [- 6.40] Automan

The handsome, holographic hero
programmed as a super-sleuth but
with little experience in the ways of
this world.

Starring Chuck Wagner as Automan
and Desi Arnaz Jr
as Walter Nebicher

The Biggest Game in Town

Three computer wizards create a
terror-filled game which threatens the
entire city of Los Angeles with chaos,
death and destruction if their de-
mands are not met.  But they reckon
without Automan's inside con-
nections in the computer world!

Lt Jack Curtis......ROBERT LANSING
Roxanne Caldwell....HEATHER MCNAIR
Capt E. G. Boyd
              GERALD S. O'LOUGHLIN
Ronald Tilson............RICK LENZ
Ellie Harmon.......KRISTEN MEADOWS
Bart Johnson..........FELTON PERRY
Sam Maroni...........TIMOTHY BLAKE

Written by LARRY BRODY
Directed by RICK KOLBE

*Subtitles on Ceefax page 170

[Epi-log adds the following:  Jeff Pomerantz as Lt. Malcom Whittaker, Africanus
Roscius as the street guy, Ron Harvey as Frank Cooney, Tami Barber as Laurie.
Director: Winrich Kolbe.  Title given as - "Biggest Game in Town".
U.S. airdate: 26th January 1984]
----------

Saturday 26th May 1984

5.5 [- 5.55]pm

Automan

The handsome, holographic hero pro-
grammed as a super-sleuth but with
little experience in the ways of this
world. Starring

Chuck Wagner as Automan and
Desi Arnaz Jr as Walter Nebicher

Styaing Alive while Running a High
Flash Dance Fever

When underworld gambling tsar,
Leonard Martin, hatches a plot to
discredit a respected judge, Automan
taps his own database to find a suit-
able guise to go undercover in Las
Vegas.  Programmed with superlatives
only, a John Travolta clone seems as
inconspicuous a choice as any.

Lt Jack Curtis........ROBERT LANSING
Roxanne...............HEATHER MCNAIR
Captain Boyd....GERALD S. O'LOUGHLIN
Farnsworth............WILLIAM WINDOM
Ellen Fowler.............MARY CROSBY
Martin....................DON GORDON
Bartender................ANGELA AMES
Jason................ROBERT F. LYONS
Jackson.............JORGE CERVERA JR
Drunk...................JACK PERKINS

Written by GLEN A. LARSON
Directed by RICK KOLBE

*Subtitles on Ceefax page 170

[Epi-log: Mary Crosby as Ellen Fowler/Miss Simmons, William Windom as Judge
Alexander Farnesworth, Don Gordon as Leonard Martin, Jim Storm.  The
Bartender's part is credited to Angela Aames.  Director: Winrich Kolbe.
U.S. airdate: 22nd December 1983]
----------

Saturday 2nd June 1984

5.5 - 5.55

Automan

starring Chuck Wagner as Automan
and
Desi Arnaz Jr as Walter Nebicher

The Great Pretender

Walker [sic] and Automan go under cover
as a couple of big-time underworld
operators to capture Rudolph Brock,
a powerful syndicate counterfeiter.
With Automan's data base packed
with scenes from classic gangster
movies, he doesn't find it too difficult
to penetrate Brock's criminal empire.

Lt Jack Curtis........ROBERT LANSING
Roxanne Caldwell......HEATHER MCNAIR
Capt E. G. Boyd.GERALD S. O'LOUGHLIN
Rudolph Brock............CLU GULAGER
Robinson................RICHARD DEER
Seymour Laird............ED GRIFFITH
Russo................WILLIAM LONG JR
Gritch....................TOD MARTIN
Solt...................FIL FORMICOLA
Lauren Robinson........ANDREA HOWARD
Parsons..............JAMES ANDRONICA

Written by SAM EGAN
Directed by KIM MANNERS

*Subtitles on Ceefax page 170

[Epi-log: Michael Callan as Kevin Mayhew, Rick Jason as Nelson Trotter, Cliff
Emmich, Paul Lambert, Richard Derr, Kevin Sansom.  In addition they
contra-credit Robert Long Jr. as Russo, and Todd Martin as Gritch.
U.S. airdate: 29th December 1983]
----------

Saturday 9th June 1984

5.5 [- 5.55]pm

Automan

starring Chuck Wagner as Automan
and
Desi Arnaz Jr as Walter Nebicher

Ships in the Night

On a Caribbean island, Robert Sawyer
has a profitable racket going - con-
ning near bankrupt businessmen out
of their money, then dumping them
into the ocean from his private jet.
Posing as a big-time crook with more
money than sense, Automan soon
finds himself taking his last flight
aboard Sawyer's plane...

Lt Jack Curtis........ROBERT LANSING
Roxanne...............HEATHER MCNAIR
Capt E. G. Boyd.GERALD S. O'LOUGHLIN
Robert Sawyer..........SCOTT MARLOWE
Liang Lew...............FRANCE NUYEN
James Dowling..........FRANK ALETTER
Captain Romano.........CESARE DANOVA
Woody....................STEVE HANKS

Written by PARKE PERINE
Directed by BOB CLAVER

*Subtitles on Ceefax page 170

[Epi-log: Abraham Alvarez as police sergeant, Branscombe Richmond as Johnson,
Rick Garcia as bank guard, Javier Grajeda, Bridget Sienna.
U.S. airdate: 5th January 1984]
----------

Saturday 16th June 1984

5.5 - 5.55

Automan

starring
Chuck Wagner as Automan and
Desi Arnaz Jr as Walter Nebicher

Unreasonable Facsimile

Automan's personality changes when
his database becomes cluttered with
soap-opera.  A very cool hologram sets
out to crack the case of a murdered
businessman and a police helicopter
that fell out of the sky.

Lt Jack Curtis........ROBERT LANSING
Roxanne Caldwell......HEATHER MCNAIR
Capt E. G. Boyd.GERALD S. O'LOUGHLIN
Henry Innis...........ROBERT SAMPSON
Rachel Innis.............DELTA BURKE
Christine Powers........LINA RAYMOND
Bartender..............CONROY GEDEON
Francine...................TONI NERO
Hortense Behrens.....RUTH WARSHAWSKY
Theodore Behrens.......WALTER BROOKE

Written by SAM EGAN
Directed by RICK KOLBE

*Subtitles on Ceefax page 170

[Epi-log: Glenn Corbett as Jarrett Powers, Gerald Gordon as Edward M. Scanlin,
David S. Sheiner as Norman.  Director: Winrich Kolbe.
U.S. airdate: 12th January 1984]
----------

Saturday 23rd June 1984

5.10[- 5.55] Automan

starring Chuck Wagner as Automan
Desi Arnaz Jr as Walter Nebicher

Flashes and Ashes

What happens when police in-
vestigators looking into corruption on
the force turn out to be corrupt them-
selves?  This is the awkward question
asked by Walter Nebicher who soon
finds himself suspended from duty.  It
is left to Automan to find an answer
though he has to go beyond the grave
to do it!

Lt Jack Curtis......ROBERT LANSING
Roxanne Caldwell....HEATHER MCNAIR
Capt E. G. Boyd
              GERALD S. O'LOUGHLIN
Malcom Whittaker....JEFF PONERANTZ
Tennis pro...........ROSCOE TANNER
Madame Russo.........ANITA DANGLER
Sam Lymon.............DANIL TORPPE
Dean Springer..........JAMES EMERY
Rollie Dumont..........HARI RHODES
Jeff Coe...........MICHAEL HORSLEY
Street Guy.......AFRICANUS ROSCIUS
Frank Cooney............RON HARVEY
Laurie.................TAMI BARBER

Written by DOUG HEYES JR
Directed by KIM MANNERS

*Subtitles on Ceefax page 170

[Epi-log: Contra-credits - Jeff Pomerantz as Lt. Whittaker, Daniel Torppe as
Sam Lymon.
U.S. airdate: 19th January 1984]
----------

Saturday 14th July 1984  [Two week break due to Wimbledon coverage]

5.10 [- 5.55]pm

Automan

starring
Chuck Wagner as Automan
and
Desi Arnaz Jr as Walter Nebicher

Renegade Run

Walter investigates the case of a
crooked sheriff who steals the land of
Chico Fuentes as part of a plan to run
illegal immigrants over the border as
forced labour on road gangs.  Automan
is soon in action, leading a motor-
cycle gang to spring his partner and
Walter's old friend Chico from jail.

Lt Jack Curtis......ROBERT LANSING
Roxanne Caldwell....HEATHER MCNAIR
Capt E. G. Boyd
              GERALD S. O'LOUGHLIN
Chico Fuentes..........BILLY DRAGO
Teresa Fuentes........GINA GALLEGO
Gretchen Lewis.....GRETA BLACKBURN
Carl Donovan......RICHARD ANDERSON
Stone..................TERRY KISER
Miss Lucy............CAROL WEBSTER
Sheriff Clay Horton..RICHARD LYNCH
J. P. Crazy.........MICHAEL MACRAE
Travis...............DAMON DOUGLAS

Written by LARRY BRODY and DOUG HEYES JR
Directed by ALLEN BURNS

*Subtitles on Ceefax page 170

[Epi-log: Contra-credit - Gretta Blackburn as Gretchen Lewis.
U.S. airdate: 6th March 1984]
----------

Saturday 28th July 1984

5.10[- 5.55] Automan

Chuck Wagner as Automan and
Desi Arnaz Jr as Walter Nebicher

Murder MTV

Sweet Kicks is an all-girl band on the
rise.  At the shooting of the group's
video, an explosion rocks the stage.
Walter's and Automan's attempts to
track down the would-be killers are
hampered when the girls' father seeks
help from the underworld...

Lt Jack Curtis........ROBERT LANSING
Roxanne Caldwell......HEATHER MCNAIR
Capt E. G. Boyd.GERALD S. O'LOUGHLIN
Sid Cole.............MICHAEL MCGUIRE
Frank Ladrone.........ALBERT PAULSEN
Monica Cole...........LAURA BRANIGAN
Sam Clementine........SANDER JOHNSON
Josie..............CHRISTIE CLARIDGE
Leo Shane...............GERALD BERNS
Delivery boy..............PAUL HABER
Tony Lupus...........MICHAEL GREGORY
Joanne.......................OLA RAY
Carlo Crane.............ZITTO KAZANN

Written by DOUG HEYES JR
Directed by BRUCE GREEN

*Subtitles on Ceefax page 170

[Epi-log: Contra-credits - Albert Paulson as Frank Ladrone, Christie Clardige
as Josie, Gerald Burns as Leo Shane.  Lists Michael McGuires's character as Lee
Cole, Laura Branigan's as Jessie Cole, and Michael Gregory's as Tony Lupas.
Writers given as Guerdon Trueblood and Doug Heyes, Jr., director as Bruce Seth
Green.
U.S. airdate: 12th March 1984]
----------

Saturday 11th August 1984

5.10 [- 5.55]pm

Automan

starring Chuck Wagner as Automan
and
Desi Arnaz Jr as Walter Nebicher

Murder, Take One

When gossip columnist Ray Gillette is
murdered, suspicion falls on former
movie star Veronica Everly.  But Auto-
man uncovers incriminating evidence
suggesting that producer Michael
Hagedorn had a greater motive for
wanting Gillette out of the way.  To
trap this killer, Automan goes under-
cover as an actor, and discovers his
true vocation as Holywood's hottest
sex symbol!

Lt Jack Curtis......ROBERT LANSING
Roxanne Caldwell....HEATHER MCNAIR
Capt E. G. Boyd
              GERALD S. O'LOUGHLIN
Veronica Everly..MICHELLE PHILLIPS
Sheila Dunham......HILARY THOMPSON
Kitty Hopkins.......WINNIE GARDNER
Oscar Selby.........TIM ROSSOVITCH
Frank Loren.........BART BRAVERMAN
Seymour Grodkin.......FLOYD LEVINE
Roland Green..........MARK WHEELER
Philip Eames.........GREG MULLAVEY
Ray Gillette........PETER MARSHALL
Michael Hagedorn.........ED LAUTER

Written by SAM EGAN
Directed by KIM MANNERS

*Subtitles on Ceefax page 170

On the same page, there is a photograph of Chuck Wagner, with the caption;
"Automan has to be razor sharp to nick Gillette's murderer: 5.10"

[Epi-log: Contra-credit - Tim Rossivich as Oscar Selby.
Title given as - "Murder Take One"
U.S. airdate: 19th March 1984]
----------

Saturday 18th August 1984

5.10[- 5.55] Automan

starring
Chuck Wagner as Automan
and
Desi Arnaz Jr as Walter Nebicher

Death by Design

Automan assumes the identity of a
revenge seeking vigilante cop called
Mad Dog to trap the ruthless syn-
dicate hit-man responsible for killing
one of Jack's best friends, and to
stop the mob penetrating the fashion
business.

Lt Jack Curtis......ROBERT LANSING
Roxanne Caldwell....HEATHER MCNAIR
Capt E. G. Boyd
              GERALD S. O'LOUGHLIN
Eric LeBlanc............LUKE ASKEW
Nate Hester.........EDWARD MALLORY
Noah Jeffries...........J. D. HALL
Tracy Morgan.........ANNE LOCKHART
Model................K. C. WINKLER
Gill...................ERIC SERVER
Simon Rafferty......LANCE LE GAULT
Woodrow `Woody' Oster
                      JOHN ERICSON
Joseph Sylvana........JOHNNY CREAR

Written by SAM EGAN
Directed by GIL BETTERMAN

*Subtitles on Ceefax page 170

Photograph;
"Desi Arnaz Jr stops the sundicate weaving into the rag trade: 5.10"

[Epi-log: David Spielberg as Tom Sholes, John Erikson (in addition to John
Ericson as Woodrow "Woody" Oster), Michael V. Gozzo.  John Crear credited as
Joseph Sylvana.
U.S. airdate: 2nd April 1984]
----------

Saturday 25th August 1984

5.10[- 5.55] Automan

Chuck Wagner as Automan
Desi Arnaz Jr as Walter Nebicher

Club Ten

The exclusive Club Ten resort is
a centre for diamond smuggling.
When Laura Ferguson stumbles on
this secret she manages to put out an
SOS call to her old friend Roxanne
before being taken prisoner.  Roxanne,
Walter and Automan are soon on the
trail of the missing Laura, unaware
they themselves are being trailed...

Lt Jack Curtis......ROBERT LANSING
Roxanne Caldwell....HEATHER MCNAIR
Capt E. G. Boyd
              GERALD S. O'LOUGHLIN
Geri..................BARBRA HORAN
Felipe................BRETT HALSEY
Randy..................BRUCE BAUER
Ted................MARSHALL TEAGUE
Laura Ferguson......ROBIN EISENMAN
Waiter...............EDWARD CROTTY

Written by
MICHAEL S. BASER and KIM WEISKOPF
Directed by KIM MANNERS

*Subtitles on Ceefax page 170

[Epi-log: Brett Halsey as Felipe Valdez.  Contra-credit - Barbara Horan as Geri.
U.S. airdate: unaired {Or more probably `unknown' since I assume it must have
been shown by now}]
----------

Tuesday 28th August 1984

7.0 - 7.45

Automan

The last in the series
starring
Chuck Wagner as Automan
and
Desi Arnaz Jr
as Walter Nebicher

Zippers

A small-time house burglary ring
operating out of an exotic male
dancers' nightclub leads Walter and
Automan to a bigger caper involving
the theft of secret government infor-
mation.  Strictly in the line of duty
Automan has to strut his stuff as
`Auto the Hot Electrician', but with a
very attractive female audience it's a
task he doesn't find too arduous.

Lt Jack Curtis......ROBERT LANSING
Roxanne Caldwell....HEATHER MCNAIR
Capt E. G. Boyd
              GERALD S. O'LOUGHLIN
Gary Barley.........JAMES MORRISON
Victor..................ERIK STERN
Buck.............BILLY RAY SHARKEY
Dennis Stanton......JAMES CALLAHAN
Stanley................TOM EVERETT
Carlos.................JOHN VERNON
Mrs Stanton.............JILL ANDRE
First girl..............CIS RUNDLE
Second girl............MAE LABLANC
Rummy................JOHN ALDERSON

Written by DAVID GARBER and BRUCE E. KALISH
Produced by GLEN A. LARSON
Directed by ALAN CROSLAND

*Subtitles on Ceefax page 170

[Epi-log: John Vernon as Carlos Rayner, Jo Anne Astrow, Barbara Horan, Marshall
Teague.  Contra-credit - Mae LeBlanc as the second girl.  Lists James
Morrison's character as Gary Baxley.
U.S. airdate: 26th March 1984]

Epi-log review credited to William E. Anchors, Jr.
.
