MovieChat Forums > High School U.S.A. (1983) Discussion > There Was A Pilot For A Series

There Was A Pilot For A Series

posted 15 years ago by richard.fuller1
8 replies | jump to latest

It starred Ben Marley, Barbara Billingsley and Dick Sargent. All I can remember.

I'm wondering if Kari Michaelson, the eldest daughter from Gimme A Break, took over the Nancy McKeon role, but it was Ben Marley in Michael J. Fox's role.

Billingsley and Sargent were the principal and his wife, respectively.

Whoever the antagonist was here, he learned that hookers or women dressed as hookers were going to be on the school float, so he tells Sargent.

Other events took place and Marley had Billingsley in place on the float. Don't recall why whoever it was they were going to have on there couldn't do it.

So Sargent is braced to see what jezebel is on the school float and it comes around the corner with his wife sitting on it. Actually very funny.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] richard.fuller1 13 years ago

It was Anne Marie Johnson, not Kari Michaelson, who took over the role from Nancy McKeon, apparently, okay, don't remember that.

And surprise, surprise, it was Dick York, not Dick Sargent who played the superintendent and not surprisingly, it was Julie Newmar who was the stripper.

According to IMDB, it was released May of 1984. As to if it ever saw the so-called light of day, I don't know, maybe somebody saw it.

Oh, wait a minute, I DID!

[–] WarpedRecord 13 years ago

I saw this on television also, but not when it aired -- probably in reruns in '85 or '86, when Michael J. Fox and much of the rest of this cast were already well-established with other projects.

This very much feels like a pilot, and I think had this become a weekly series, it would have been much better. As a movie, it seems they tried to pack in too many subplots and characters. It's still decent entertainment, though, and what a cast! 7/10 stars.

[–] BigRich 11 years ago

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1709212/?ref_=rvi_tt

_
Every person that served can be called a veteran, but not every veteran can be called a Marine.

[–] richard.fuller1 11 years ago

BigRich: "http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1709212/?ref_=rvi_tt
---------------------------------------------------

Well, very good.

Unless I have watched it since then, which I don't believe I have, I can only speculate how I figured out it was York and not Sargent and Ann-Marie Johnson was on board as well. Clearly I had looked something up.

?????

[–] BigRich 11 years ago

I never heard of this tv show. I seen the Michael J. Fox version only once during it's original air date, but I stumbled across this "pilot" version when looking at another actor's IMDB page.

Funny... I just Googled High School USA and apparently a cartoon series just came out: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3012976/
_
Every person that served can be called a veteran, but not every veteran can be called a Marine.

[–] BigRich 11 years ago

I never heard of this tv show. I seen the Michael J. Fox version only once during it's original air date, but I stumbled across this "pilot" version when looking at another actor's IMDB page.

Funny... I just Googled High School USA and apparently a cartoon series just came out: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3012976/ (no connection, just in name only, and without the periods in USA probably for copy write reasons)
_
Every person that served can be called a veteran, but not every veteran can be called a Marine.

[–] MichaelMovieLoft 9 years ago

I found it. Here it is: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xst70y_high-school-usa-1984-unsold-pilot_shortfilms

A few of the actors from the movie re[rise their roles. Crispin Glover, Michael Zorek, Jon Gries, and Crystal Bernard are back as Archie, Chuckie, Dirty Curt and Anne Marie, respectively. Ken Osmond, who was also in the film, is listed but I don't remember seeing him in the pilot. Either that or I wasn't paying attention. Anne Marie Johnson and JoAnn Willette play reporters for the school newspaper trying to get "dirt" on anyone.

Like the film, it has a lot of stars from 50s and 60s TV. The kids, however, are mostly played by unknowns, but continue to be working actors.

The plot is also reworked. Mr. Kinney (played by Tony Dow in the film, and Ricky Nelson in the pilot) is a guidance counselor rather than the principal (who is played by Henry Gibson in the pilot). Both he and Jay Jay Manners, are in love with the new substitute teacher, Cindy Franklin. Beau Middleton is more of an idiot than a cocky jerk who is sure of himself.

It tries but it really doesn't work like the film does. I could see why it didn't make it past pilot phase. Even if it got picked up, it probably would last 6-13 episodes before being canceled.

MM