The Bad News Bears (TV series)

Last updated
The Bad News Bears
The Bad News Bears TV.jpg
Genre Sitcom
Based onCharacters created by
Bill Lancaster
Developed by
Written by
  • Paul Diamond
  • Stephen Fischer
Directed by
Starring
Theme music composer David Michael Frank
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes26 (3 unaired)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
Running time2224 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network CBS
ReleaseMarch 24, 1979 (1979-03-24) 
July 26, 1980 (1980-07-26)
Related
The Bad News Bears

The Bad News Bears is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from March 24, 1979, until July 26, 1980, consisting of 26 episodes (three unaired by CBS). It was based on the 1976 film of the same name, that was followed by two sequels in 1977 and 1978.

Contents

Synopsis

In the television series, Jack Warden portrayed former minor-leaguer Morris Buttermaker, the coach of the Hoover Junior High Bears, a team of young adolescents with poor skills and little ability to play baseball. Catherine Hicks played the role of Hoover Junior High principal Dr. Emily Rappant, Phillip Richard Allen played Roy Turner, the coach of the rival team the Lions. Corey Feldman, Billy Jayne (then credited as Billy Jacoby) and Meeno Peluce were cast amongst the team's players, and Tricia Cast played Amanda Wurlitzer, the Bears' talented pitcher. Kristoff St. John, Cast's future co-star on The Young and The Restless , played Ahmad.

The series was originally scheduled on Saturday nights at 8:00 p.m. In September 1979, it was moved to 8:30 p.m. Three episodes into the series' second season, CBS canceled The Bad News Bears due to low ratings. When CBS broadcast unaired episodes in June 1980, it was moved back to 8:00 p.m. One month later, the series was again moved to the 8:30 timeslot, but by then, audiences were confused by the frequent time changes and stopped tuning in. [2]

Cast

Episodes

Season 1: 1979

EpTitleDirected by:Written by:Air date
11"Here Comes the Coach" Bruce Bilson Bob Brunner,
Arthur Silver
March 24, 1979 (1979-03-24)
22"Amanda Joins the Bears" William Asher John Boni (s),
Hap Schlein (t),
Betty Steck (t),
Norman Stiles (s)
March 31, 1979 (1979-03-31)
33"Nakedness Is Next to Godliness" Norman Abbott Sam GreenbaumApril 7, 1979 (1979-04-07)
44"The Kelly Story"Norman Abbott Tom Moore,
Jeremy Stevens
April 21, 1979 (1979-04-21)
55"Tanner's Bird"Jeremy StevensTom Moore,
Jeremy Stevens
April 28, 1979 (1979-04-28)
66"Emily Loves Morris"William Asher Jeff Franklin May 5, 1979 (1979-05-05)
77"The Food Caper" Gene Nelson Jim BrecherMay 12, 1979 (1979-05-12)
88"Men Will Be Boys"William AsherRichard RosenstockMay 19, 1979 (1979-05-19)
99"Three's a Crowd" Alan Myerson Richard RosenstockMay 26, 1979 (1979-05-26)
1010"Save the Bears"William AsherJeff Franklin (t),
Elliot Werber (s)
June 2, 1979 (1979-06-02)
1111"Dance Fever" Lowell Ganz Roy TeicherJune 9, 1979 (1979-06-09)
1212"Fielder's Choice"William AsherJeff FranklinJune 23, 1979 (1979-06-23)

Season 2: 1979–80

EpTitleDirected by:Written by:Air date
131"Run Down"Jeffrey GanzJeffrey Ganz,
Brian Levant
September 15, 1979 (1979-09-15)
142"Buttermaker Rides Again"Brian Levant Ron Leavitt September 22, 1979 (1979-09-22)
153"First Base"Ron LeavittRon Leavitt,
Brian Levant
September 29, 1979 (1979-09-29)
164"Wedding Bells: Part 1"William AsherPaul DiamondOctober 6, 1979 (1979-10-06)
175"The Birds, the Bees and the Bears"Jeffrey GanzRichard RosenstockJune 7, 1980 (1980-06-07)
186"Lights Out" Jeffrey Hayden Al Aidekman (t)June 14, 1980 (1980-06-14)
197"Wedding Bells: Part 2"UnknownUnknownJune 21, 1980 (1980-06-21)
208"Matched Set"Jeffrey GanzCindy Begel,
David Lerner
June 28, 1980 (1980-06-28)
219"Old Timers' Day"William AsherAllen Goldstein,
Levi Taylor
July 12, 1980 (1980-07-12)
2210"Scrambled Eggs" John Tracy Richard Gurman,
Lesa Kite
July 19, 1980 (1980-07-19)
2311"Double Play"William AsherFred Fox Jr.July 26, 1980 (1980-07-26)
2412"The Good Life"William AsherJudy OlsteinN/A
2513"The Pride of the Bears"William AsherRichard RosenstockN/A
2614"The Headless Ghost of MacKintosh Manor"William AsherPaul DiamondN/A

Syndication

In the late 1980s, the show was occasionally rerun on Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite. In the early 1990s, it was rerun on Comedy Central.

Home media

Visual Entertainment released the complete series on DVD in Region 1 in October 2018. [3]

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References

  1. "Bob Brunner, 'Happy Days' writer, dies". Variety . 2012-11-08. Retrieved 2012-11-27.
  2. Brant, Marley (2006). Happier Days: Paramount Television's Classic Sitcoms, 1974-1984. Billboard Books. p. 196. ISBN   0-8230-8933-9.
  3. "The Bad News Bears" . Retrieved 2018-10-12.