Lucan (American TV series)

Last updated

Lucan
Genre Drama
Created by Michael Zagor
Written byvaried
Directed byvaried
Starring Kevin Brophy
Don Gordon
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes11
Production
Running time60 minutes
Production company MGM Television
Original release
Network ABC
ReleaseSeptember 12, 1977 (1977-09-12) 
December 4, 1978 (1978-12-04)

Lucan is a TV drama starring Kevin Brophy that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1978. The series was based on an earlier May 22, 1977, made-for-TV movie of the same name directed by David Greene starring John Randolph and Kevin Brophy, along with Stockard Channing, Ned Beatty and Lou Frizzell. [1]

Contents

Synopsis

A 20-year-old man (Brophy) who spent the first 10 years of his life running wild in the forests of northern Minnesota, after being raised by wolves, Lucan is taken to a research institute and taught the ways of human society. He is befriended by a kind researcher, Doctor Hoagland (John Randolph), with whom he bonded during his journey to civilization. Lucan's continued freedom at the research center is put in peril once his doctor friend and mentor is hurt.

Unable to ensure Lucan's well-being at the institute, his friend encourages him to strike out on his own in search of his identity and family. The series chronicled the encounters, challenges, and intrigues Lucan faced interacting with people using his new learned social graces and old Wolfen instincts. He is also pursued by a bounty hunter, Prentiss (Don Gordon), who is hired by the university to bring him back. (The last four episodes of the series altered the premise to reveal that Lucan was actually on the run from the police for a crime he didn't commit. Prentiss was made a police lieutenant charged with bringing Lucan in for trial for a murder case.)

As well as being unusually strong and agile, Lucan also possessed special Wolfen skills that appeared in emergency situations. When upset to the point of violence, his eyes glowed amber. He also had heightened senses of smell and hearing. In a few episodes, he was able to call on his old wolf family/pack for help.

Episodes

Season 1 (1977)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
00"Pilot" David Greene Michael Zagor May 22, 1977 (1977-05-22)
11"Listen to the Heart Beat"Peter H. Hunt Camille Marchetta and Rick EdelsteinSeptember 12, 1977 (1977-09-12)
22"The Search"Robert DayTony KaydenDecember 26, 1977 (1977-12-26)
33"The Lost Boy"Sutton Roley David Westheimer January 2, 1978 (1978-01-02)
44"How Do You Run Forever?" Barry Shear Story by: Elliot West
Teleplay by: Elliot West & Robert Specht
January 9, 1978 (1978-01-09)
55"One Punch Wolfson"Sutton RoleyTony KaydenJanuary 16, 1978 (1978-01-16)
66"You Can't Have My Baby" Corey Allen Mann Rubin March 13, 1978 (1978-03-13)
77"The Pariah" Curtis Harrington Steven E. de Souza March 27, 1978 (1978-03-27)

Season 2 (1978)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
81"Nightmare" Georg Stanford Brown Larry Alexander & Sidney EllisNovember 13, 1978 (1978-11-13)
92"Brother Wolf" Joseph Pevney Sidney EllisNovember 20, 1978 (1978-11-20)
103"The Creature Beyond the Door" Vic Morrow Story by: Robert Specht & Larry Alexander
Teleplay by: Robert Specht
November 27, 1978 (1978-11-27)
114"Thunder God Gold" Hollingsworth Morse Casey Wilber & Margaret StewartDecember 4, 1978 (1978-12-04)

Merchandise

A novel based on the pilot TV-movie was released as well as a board game based on the show.

DVD release

On April 3, 2018, Warner Bros. released Lucan- The Complete Series on DVD via their Warner Archive Collection. This is a manufacture-on-demand (MOD) release, available through Warner's online store. [2]

References

  1. Terrace, Vincent (1985). Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials, Volume 2 (1. print. ed.). New York, NY: Zoetrope. pp. 252–253. ISBN   0918432618 . Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  2. Lucan: The Complete Series