I Was the Composer for the CBS Series and the Years on Showtime

Well done! The Paper Chase is a welcome change from the noise placed on so many temporary TV shows and movies by tin-eared writers and producers.

Hermann is a very good actor, but I just can't imagine anyone replacing Houseman. I also really like Jeremy Kemp, but he hasn't acted in a long time.

Thank you for writing, Mr. Seretan. It's rare for an "insider" to offer insight into a show on the IMDB boards. I only saw the CBS show and did not have cable at the time. I am a great fan of the feature film. It has a very different "tone," close to anti-establishment, than the series with John Houseman's brilliance being the unifying force linking the movie and the series. He is a joy to watch even when he was cutting a student into pieces. The series is also a more of an ensemble piece than the film which essentially pitted Hart against Kingsfield. At first, I felt that James Stephens' early performances depicted him as a slow-witted blockhead, especially in the pilot. But he brought more nuance to the character as the series moved on. I think Herrmann would be a good choice and so would Ben Kingsley, who is able to unleash a frightening, controlled anger.

First of all, Stephen, thanks for your contribution to the series. Your classical touch fit--if not partly established--the mood of the show.

Second, I hesitate to share this (would they use a good idea if it can be traced back to a post on imdb?) but here's an idea I've had for a few years. Instead of remaking the show, what I'd like to see is a new show in which James Hart, played by James Stephens, returns to Harvard to take the post previously held by Kingsfield (or, alternatively, accepting a newly-established Charles Kingsfield chair). He's a very successful lawyer (as you'd have to be to be considered for this post), but he has never taught before. Should he be as ruthless as Kingsfield was? Should he shroud a student on the first day? Should he be his own good-natured self, or has that been lost in decades of law practice? How has law changed since he was an L1? Are ethics less important now? Can he change that? How has Harvard changed? How has education and what students expect from it?

If anyone who has the power to produce this reads this post, go ahead and use it; just send me the blu-rays free of charge and don't make it just another soap opera.

Hi Stephen !!
It is a pleasure to hear from somebody connected with this wonderful gem of a series !! Your music really set the tone for the show !!!
On the subject of JOHN HOUSEMAN , I have researched him for sometime, as I find him to be a fascinating individual. And that he was !! I learned that he was involved with the writing of CITIZEN KANE !! That he taught at JULLIARD , and that 2 of his students were named CHRISTOPHER REEVE and ROBIN WILLIAMS !!! Thought not known for his humour , I have seen him in some series being delightfully funny !! . I think he was a fantastic actor, who played KINGSFEILD, so well that I can't imagine anyone else playing him !

I discovered THE PAPER CHASE for the first time on PBS. the episode - ONCE MORE WITH FEELING . by the end of the episide , I was wanting to see every episode I could !!!! The new seasons, I'm sorry to say , DIDNT Live up to that first season.
Gone were Logan ,and Anderson, they turned Ford into a bit of a ladies man ( that have been the anderson character , in season 1)
Simply put - the chemistry wasn't there, as it had been the first year.

For a while, to my delight, BOOK TV was running the entire series !! But it was replaced by another series. I do hope people who have not seen it in a long time, find it again , it's such a ground breaking , well written , acted series!!!

As for who could play KINGSFEILD, if the series was redone ?!? As I've said - only the great John houseman to me . But a decent choice , I believe could be Patrick Stewart . Sadly, I just learned this morning that EDWARD HERMANN passed away at the age of 70.

Something I only learned a few years ago , was that actor Robert Ginty , who played Anderson , and actress Francine Tacker , were married for at one point, and have a son who is now an actor as well ! .

The Paper Chase has always been a top ten all time television show for me. Glad to read comments from others who appreciate this little known classic :)

Though I watched this show as a kid (I was born in '66) I am re-watching it now. I loved the movie and fortunately found a way to rewatch the series. I am a "classical" musician and love listening to your compositions. Its not often that you hear baroque styled compositions in television. Did you oversee the recording as well?