Tina



"The Pilot Episode"

Also titled "Genesis"   Parts I and II


Leap Dates:

September 13, 1956
Summer, 1968


Episode Adopted By: R. Joy Helvie
Additional info provided by: Deborah Hendryx & Brian Greene

Synopsis:

Dr. Sam Beckett, being pressured by the threat of loss of funding for his time-travel project code named "Quantum Leap", decides to hop in the nuclear accelerator prematurely...and vanishes into the past.

He awakes to discover that he is an Air Force test pilot named Tom Stratton. But that's about all he knows. He has amnesia and can only remember portions of his life. He can't even remember his last name. And to make things worse, he doesn't even have his own reflection in the mirror. Everyone sees the physical aura of Tom around Sam's body.

Enter Al, a friend from his own time that appears in the form of a hologram that only Sam can see and hear. Al informs Sam that the project has gone "a little ca-ca." Best he can tell, God or fate or time has grabbed Sam and now he must put right a wrong in the life of Tom Stratton in order to leap back home. He has to break mach 3 in the experimental X-2 jet and live, since in the original history, Tom died in the test.

Later in the episode, Sam leaps again, this time into the life of a ballplayer named Fox. Here Al tells Sam his last name, and he is able to contact his father who is still alive at the time.

 

Audio from this episode
Opening Credits Score
Ending Credits Score
Video: The String Theory
   Watch on YouTube

 


The Pilot Episode: Part I

The Pilot Episode: Part II

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The Pilot Episode" Part I

TV Guide Synopsis
Place
Leap Date

Name of the Person Leaped Into
Music

Project Trivia
Sam Trivia
Al Trivia

Al's Women
Miscellaneous Trivia

Kiss with History
Al's Outfits Worn in the Episode
Writers
Director
Producers

Crew
Broadcast Date
Guest Stars
Guests who appeared in other Quantum Leap episodes
Quotable Quotes


 

Production # 86289



TV Guide Synopsis:
Debut: Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) learns the hard way that you can’t go home again when a botched time-travel experiment has him pin-balling through the past 30 years, assuming the identities of people he never knew and getting no help from the Observer (Dean Stockwell) his holographic partner in the experiment. In the Opener, Sam turns up in 1956 as a test pilot with a pregnant wife.

In Part 1 of the series opener, a botched time-travel experiment bounces Sam Beckett (Scott Bakula) back to 1956 and into the body of a test pilot with a pregnant wife (Jennifer Runyon). Al: Dean Stockwell. Capt. Birdell: John Allen Nelson. Dr. Burger: W.K. Stratton. Weird Ernie: Bruce McGill.









Commercials:









Place:
Edwards Air Force Base; Blockfield, California


Leap Date:
September 13, 1956


Leapee:
Captain Tom Stratton


Broadcast Date:
March 26, 1989 - Sunday


Promo:




Music:
"Moonglow" theme from the movie "Picnic"
"Que Sera, Sera" by Doris Day
"The Howdy Doody Show" theme song
""Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley
"Friendly Persuasion" by Pat Boone
An original song from Velton Bunch and the Dovetones plays on the car radio
Burmashave jingle
"Ooby-Dooby" by Roy Orbison


 

Kiss With History:
Sam started the idea for Trivial Pursuit
, suggests the idea of white lines striping on a road, mentions electric razors and the word "nerd" before they were invented or popular.



Project Trivia:
Handlink: 1/4 inch thick/flat, transparent black plastic, black data screens, few buttons. This is the only time we see this version of the handlink.

Imaging Chamber Door: invisible, manually opened/closed

Project phone #: 555-2231

Any interference in the Leaping process could kill the Leaper

Al and crew cannot give Sam any information about their present that Sam does not remember

Gooshie is Ziggy’s programmer/he’s a little guy with bad breath

Ziggy is a hybrid computer

The sound of Al's Ferrari Testarossa engine and accelerator are the same ones used for K.I.T.T. in Knight Rider!

Project Quantum Leap is located in a cavern in New Mexico.

 

Sam Trivia:
Grew up on a dairy farm in Indiana

Has a sister named Katie

Katie married Lieutenant Jim Bonnick

Katie, Jim, and Sam’s mother have lived in Hawaii since Sam’s father died in 1974

Does not know how to fly

 

Al Trivia
"Be-bop-a-lu-lu" got him through some long, cold nights at MIT

Smokes cigars

Appears to Sam in the form of a neurological hologram

 

Al's Outfits
1) Black tux
, white coat, white scarf, silver shoes Project Star Bright pin

2) Red pajamas, white robe with black & white polka dots and stripes

3) Pink shirt and gray jacket

 

Tina (picked up on the road. This is not Dr. Tina Martinez-O’Farrell).

Danessa (Lithuanian, worked in chem. lab at M.I.T.)

Martha, who Al met after the Laker game.

Brenda, a cute girl who works in coding at Project Quantum Leap.



Miscellaneous Trivia:
Deborah Pratt's voice is looped over the women who plays Tina!

The band heard on the radio when Sam is driving with Peg is by “Velton Bunch and the Dovetones”, named for Velton Ray Bunch,who composed score music for the entire series.

The Burma Shave signs on the highway were fashioned after a real campaign by the shaving cream brand.

The name Jim Bonnick, is also a character name in Bellisario's television series, "Magnum, P.I."

 

Guest Cast:
Peggy Stratton: Jennifer Runyon
Capt. "Bird Dog" Birdell: John Allen Nelson
Dr. Berger: W.K. Stratton
Capt. Tony LaMott: Larry Poindexter
Weird Ernie: Bruce McGill
Tina: Barbra Horan
Capt. Doug Walker: David Trent
Dr. Blaustein: James F. Dean
Lucy: Lela Ivey
Gooshie: Dennis Wolfberg
Sally: Lydia Cornell
Jeanie: Christine Poor
Mikey Stratton: Christian Van Dorn
Tom Stratton (Mirror image): Layne Beamer
Voice of Tina: Deborah Pratt


 

Guests Who Appeared in Other Quantum Leap Episodes:
W.K. Stratton also appeared in the episodes "Good Night, Dear Heart," and the trilogy episodes "One Little Heart," "For Your Love," and "The Last Door." He was also the radio dispatcher voice in "Hurricane" and "Black On White On Fire."

Lela Ivey appeared in "Permanent Wave" as Chloe.



Quotable Quotes:
But you hate dancing.
Maybe I never had the right incentive.
-- Peg and Sam, "Genesis"

I'm in a real identity crisis here, Al!
-- Sam, "Genesis"

It's bad enough that I have to give Dick & Jane explanations to the President- now I have to give them to you, too.
-- Al to the very swiss-cheesed Sam, "Genesis"

Ain't that a kick in the butt!
-- Al, "Genesis"

Okay, it's not a dream. It's a nightmare. And if it's a nightmare, sooner or later, there's going to be a b**gieman.
-- Sam, "Genesis"

I'm stuck in '56 with a brain like swiss-cheese and YOU'RE having technical difficulties'!
-- Sam, "Genesis"

You're part of a time travel experiment that went a little ca-ca.
-- Al, "Genesis"

Please God, I'd like to wake up now.
-- Sam, “Genesis”

When it comes to quantum physics, you're still a mental slug.
-- Al, "Genesis"

You're best bet is stop moving until all electrical activity in the brain ceases.
That's called "death."
--Al and Sam, "Genesis"

~Sam: You know my name!
Al: I'm not that wasted. "Genesis"



Crew:

Executive Producer:
Donald P. Bellisario

Written by:
Donald P. Bellisario

Directed by:
David Hemmings

Music by:
Mike Post

Edited by:
George R. Rohrs
Mario DiGregorio

Art Director:
Cameron Birnie

Director of Photography:
Roy H. Wagner a.s.c.

Supervising Producer:
John Hill

Co-producer:
Deborah Pratt

Produced by:
Harker Wade

Associate Producer:
David Bellisario

Unit Production Manager:
Will Beaudine, Jr.

1st Assistant Director:
Tom Connors

2nd Assistant Director:
Jim Turley
Bob Webb

Casting:
Maryann Kohler

Set Director:
Robert L. Zilliox

Costumes:
Jean-Pierre Dorleac

Costume Supervisors:
David Rawley
Donna Roberts-Orme

Make-up:
Steve Gautier

Hairstylist:
Virginia Kearns

Sound Mixer:
Ron L. Collins

2nd Unit Director:
David Jones

Sound Editor:
Vic Lackey

Music Editor:
Susan Mick

Panaflex camera and lenses by PANAVISION

Air Force Technical Advisor:
Chuck Davis

"Howdy Doody" courtesy of National Broadcasting Co.

Titles & optical effects:
Howard Anderson Company

Grateful appreciation to:
Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base


 


 

 

 

"The Pilot Episode" Part II

TV Guide Synopsis
Place
Leap Date

Name of the Person Leaped Into
Music

Project Trivia
Sam Trivia
Al Trivia

Al's Women
Kiss with History
Al's Outfits Worn in the Episode
Writers
Director
Producers

Crew
Broadcast Date
Guest Stars
Guest Who Appeared in Other Quantum Leap Episodes
Quotable Quotes


 

TV Guide Synopsis:
Conclusion. The shock of Sam's flight sends Peg into early labor. Later, Sam confronts his past after leaping into a baseball player. Peg: Jennifer Runyon. Dr. Burger: W.K. Stratton. Al: Dean Stockwell.

In Season Two, a repeat of "Genesis" brought this TV Guide ad:



Broadcast Date:
March 26, 1989 - Sunday




Music:
"The Yellow Rose of Texas" sung by John Allen Nelson in the epsisode

 

Kiss With History:
Sam teaches Peggy a modern way of breathing during labor called Lamaze.

Al says "You know who that kid kind of looks like out there? According to the script, it's supposed to be Tom Seaver, although at this point in time, Seaver is playing for the New York Mets.

 

Project Trivia:
Handlink: 1/4 inch thick/flat, transparent black plastic, black data screens, few buttons

Dogs can see Sam and Al

When Sam leaps from one place to another, it’s simultaneous. But for the Project, the time between varies (this time was six days)

Ziggy is referred to as a "he"; he can be depressed; he has a big ego

 

Sam Trivia:
Is a medical doctor; went to pre-med

Created Ziggy; Quantum Leap is his project

Holds 6 doctorates; quantum physics is his specialty

TIME Magazine called him the next Einstein

Full name is Sam Beckett

His grandmother (or mother; John called her "Mom") won a blue ribbon 10 years in a row at the Elk Ridge County Fair for her pumpkin pie

His great uncle’s name is John; he moved to Australia when Sam’s father was just a boy

 

Al Trivia:
Is an ex-astronaut

Has an ex-wife.

 

Al's Outfits, Part II
1) Silver bomber jacket, black bolo tie, purple dress shirt, black slacks, silver shoes

 

Al's Women:
Martha (met at a party; took to Lakers playoff)
Brenda (took her into the fileroom)


 

Guest Cast:
John Beckett: Newell Alexander
Coach: Lee DeBroux
Sportscaster: Doug Cox
Umpire: Hank Robinson
Old Man: Patrick Cranshaw
Batboy: Brent Chalem
Young Sam: Adam Affonso
Matt: Mike Greenwood
Clyde: Dave Duensing
Barnes: David Dawson
Pepper: Kevin Johnson
Tim Fox (Mirror image): Ken Martin




Guests Who Appeared in Other Quantum Leap Episodes:
Hank Robinson plays an umpire again in "Play Ball." 

Adam Affonso played Young Sam again (this time as Sam's mirror image) in "The Leap Home."



Quotable Quotes - Part  II:
I knew how it was going to end when I took Brenda into the file room . . . but I still took her.
-- Al, "Genesis"

You know, maybe this quantum leaping isn't such a bad deal after all.  Getting a chance to put things right, to make the world a better place - who knows what I can accomplish before I'm done.
-- Sam Beckett, "Genesis"

No wonder they're in the basement, they have all the enthusiasm of a $10 hooker.
-- Al, "Genesis"



Executive Producer:
Donald P. Bellisario

Written by:
Donald P. Bellisario

Directed by:
David Hemmings

Music by:
Mike Post

Edited by:
George R. Rohrs
Mario DiGregorio

Art Director:
Cameron Birnie

Director of Photography:
Roy H. Wagner a.s.c.

Supervising Producer:
John Hill

Co-producer:
Deborah Pratt

Produced by:
Harker Wade

Associate Producer:
David Bellisario

Unit Production Manager:
Will Beaudine, Jr.

1st Assistant Director:
Tom Connors

2nd Assistant Director:
Jim Turley
Bob Webb

Casting:
Maryann Kohler

Set Director:
Robert L. Zilliox

Costumes:
Jean-Pierre Dorleac

Costume Supervisors:
David Rawley
Donna Roberts-Orme

Make-up:
Steve Gautier

Hairstylist:
Virginia Kearns

Sound Mixer:
Ron L. Collins

2nd Unit Director:
David Jones

Sound Editor:
Vic Lackey

Music Editor:
Susan Mick

Panaflex camera and lenses by PANAVISION

Air Force Technical Advisor:
Chuck Davis

"Howdy Doody" courtesy of National Broadcasting Co.

Titles & optical effects:
Howard Anderson Company

Grateful appreciation to:
Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base


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