503 "Nowhere to Run"


Leap Date:

August 10, 1968


Episode Adopted by: Carol <aka> C_Dean n C_Al
Additional info provided by: Carly Lappini and Brian Greene


Synopsis:

Sam leaps into a soldier who has lost both legs in Vietnam. He is there to keep the soldier's marriage together and to prevent his angry roommate in the hospital from committing suicide.

 

Audio from this episode



TV Guide Synopsis
Place
Leap Date

Name of the Person Leaped Into
Broadcast Date
Music

Project Trivia
Sam Trivia
Al Trivia

Al's Women
Al's Outfits Worn in the Episode

Miscellaneous Trivia
Guest Stars
Guest Cast Notes
Guests who appeared in other Quantum Leap episodes

Say What?
Quotable Quotes
Best Scenes
Synopsis & Review
Production Credits



Production # : 68103



TV Guide Synopsis:
Sam (Scott Bakula) leaps into a paraplegic Vietnam vet who must smooth out a situation involving a suicidal roommate who's paralyzed. Billy: Michael Boatman. Kiki: Jennifer Aniston. Cdr. Hartig: Norman Snow. Holt: Gene Lythgow. Julie: Judith Hoag. Carol: Simone Allen. Al: Dean Stockwell.


 

Place:
San Diego, California – Veterans Hospital



Leap Date:
August 10, 1968



Leapee:
Ronald Miller - 26-year-old U.S. Marine Captain



Broadcast Date:
October 6, 1992 - Tuesday


 

Music:
"Incense and Peppermints" by Strawberry Alarm Clocks

"The Eve of Destruction" by Barry McGuire (Covered by guitarist at the bar.)

‘Blowing In The Wind’ by Bob Dylan (Then this song is covered on the jukebox in the restaurant where Sam and Julie are eating dinner but it’s woman singing it.)

"Time Has Come Today" by The Chambers Brothers (Billy is zooming down the hall in the motorized wheelchair.)



Project Trivia:
Al can see Sam in this episode, fueling the debate over whether Al sees Sam or the Leapee. In "What Price, Gloria?" Al saw Samantha Stormer, and could only see Sam in the mirror. Perhaps the tuning of Sam and Al's mesons and neurons varies from Leap to Leap causing this adjustment? Or maybe the technology waas upgraded over time.

Al is seen coming out of the Imaging Chamber door. He uses his handlink to return to the Imaging Chamber.

The handlink is the ‘Gummy Bear’ type. Multi-colored little squares that flash, beep and squawk.

Ziggy is referred to as male in this episode.



Sam Trivia:
Sam is wearing a watch on his left wrist: Black band and bezel w/ white face and a gold wedding band: on his left ring finger. It’s unusual for hospital patients to be wearing jewelry.

Sam always puts his shirts on by biting the bottom and gathering up the body and putting it first over his head. He did this in "Dreams" and "The Play's The Thing."

He went bare foot through this whole episode as he did in "The Wrong Stuff."

Sam is narrating at the beginning of a scene. He is in the therapy pool and they are lowering Billy, who is protesting: "Destiny’s a funny thing. It seems like the harder you try to stop it the more determined it is to be fulfilled. I suddenly found myself right where I didn’t want to be and from the looks of things I wasn’t alone."


 

Al Trivia:
Al (Dean Stockwell) sounds kind of nasally, as if he was getting a cold or just getting over one.

Al popped in 5 times.

Al smoked 5 cigars.



Al's Women:
Al finds Carol appealing and says, "You don’t think anybody in their right mind would dump a woman like that do you?"



Al’s Outfits:
Grey suit with pinstripes and black shirt, silver squiggly tie and a silver pin on left side of jacket.

At the end of the episode, Al is smoking in front of a no smoking sign!


 

Miscellaneous Trivia:
The episode title is taken from the song "Nowhere to Run" by Martha and the Vandellas, which is surprisingly not used in the episode.

Writer Tommy Thompson wrote the script based on his own experiences. He was on crutches most of his life and witnessed many people in rehab feeling much like Billy does.



 

Regular Cast:
Scott Bakula as Dr Samuel Beckett
Dean Stockwell as Admiral Albert "Al" Calavicci


 

Guest Cast:

Michael Boatman as Sergeant Billy Johnson
Jennifer Aniston as Kiki Wilson
Norman Snow as Commander James Hartig
Gene Lythgow as Holt
Judith Hoag as Julie Miller
Simone Allen as Carol
Jordan Jacobson as Hartig's Aide
Joseph M. Hamilton as Baxter
David Marshall as Hippie
David McSwain as Veteran

Michael Carpenter as Ronald Miller (Mirror Image)
Kendra Booth as Young Nurse
Brian J. Williams as Drowning Veteran




 

Guest Cast Notes:

Michael Boatman as Sergeant Billy Johnson: Michael Patrick Boatman was born on October 25, 1964, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. While growing up in the area of Chicago, Illinois, Boatman developed an interest in acting that led him to enroll in Western Illinois University's theater program. After performing in a variety of plays that included "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Purlie Victorious," and "The Seagull," Boatman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1986. Prior to graduation, Boatman showed great potential when he won the Best Supporting Actor Award for a performance in the Irene Ryan National Competition at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.. He started his professional career by working for a casting agent, which eventually led him to the role of Motown in Hamburger Hill (1987). From there, he moved to New York City to perform in a series of off-Broadway productions. This in turn, led to the role of Pvt. Samuel Beckett in ABC's drama China Beach (1988). Boatman spent the next several years in a variety of film and television projects prior to being cast alongside Michael J. Fox as Carter in ABC's Spin City (1996). For his work on the show, he won a GLAAD award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and was also nominated for two N.A.A.C.P. Image Awards. For his work playing Stanley Babson on the long-running HBO series Arli$$ (1996), he was nominated five times for the Image Award for Best Supporting Actor in a comedy series. Boatman resides in New York with his wife Myrna and their four children.

Jennifer Aniston as Kiki Wilson: Jennifer Aniston was born in Sherman Oaks, California, to actors John Aniston and Nancy Dow. Her father was Greek, and her mother was of English, Irish, Scottish, and Italian descent. Jennifer spent a year of her childhood living in Greece with her family. Her family then relocated to New York City where her parents divorced when she was nine. Jennifer was raised by her mother and her father landed a role, as "Victor Kiriakis", on the daytime soap Days of Our Lives (1965). Jennifer had her first taste of acting at age 11 when she joined the Rudolf Steiner School's drama club. It was also at the Rudolf Steiner School that she developed her passion for art. She began her professional training as a drama student at New York's School of Performing Arts, aka the "Fame" school. It was a division of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and the Arts. In 1987, after graduation, she appeared in such Off-Broadway productions as "For Dear Life" and "Dancing on Checker's Grave". In 1990, she landed her first television role, as a series regular on Molloy (1990). She also appeared in The Edge (1992), Ferris Bueller (1990), and had a recurring part on Herman's Head (1991). By 1993, she was floundering. Then, in 1994, a pilot called "Friends Like These" came along. Originally asked to audition for the role of "Monica", Aniston refused and auditioned for the role of "Rachel Green", the suburban princess turned coffee peddler. With the success of the series Friends (1994), Jennifer has become famous and sought-after as she turned her fame into a movie star.



Judith Hoag as Julie Miller: Judith Woodward Hoag is an American actress from Newburyport, Massachusetts who is known for playing April O'Neil from the 1990 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film and Gwen Piper from Halloweentown. She acted in other films including Michael Bay's 1998 film Armageddon, A Nightmare on Elm Street, a deleted scene of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, I Am Number Four and Hitchcock.

Norman Snow as Commander James Hartig: Norman Snow was born on March 29, 1950 in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. He was an actor, known for The Last Starfighter (1984), Manhunter (1986) and The Europeans (1979). He was married to Mary-Joan Negro. He died on November 28, 2022 in Sherwood Forest, California, USA.

Gene Lythgow as Holt: Gene Lythgow was born in May 1964. He is an actor and producer, known for The Usual Suspects (1995), When a Stranger Calls Back (1993) and ER (1994). Retired from acting in 2010.

Simone Allen as Carol: Simone Allen is known for Quantum Leap (1989) and Final Judgement (1992).

Jordan Jacobson as Hartig's Aide: Jordan Jacobson is known for Quantum Leap (1989), The Legend of Prince Valiant (1991) and North (1994).

Joseph M. Hamilton as Baxter: Joseph M. Hamilton is known for Quantum Leap (1989), China Beach (1988) and The Rockford Files: A Blessing in Disguise (1995). He guest starred in two unrelated television series featuring a regular character named Sam Beckett: China Beach (1988) and Quantum Leap (1989).

David Marshall as Hippie: Born in Illinois, David Anthony Marshall is actor and singer who has worked in many action films and TV series, often playing bad and sinister characters. His most famous role is perhaps that of the prison guard Mastrone in the film Lock Up (1989) with Sylvester Stallone. He worked also in supporting roles in other films, Across the Tracks (1990) with Brad Pitt, Another 48 Hrs. (1990), CrissCross (1992), and Star Trek: Voyager (1995) and also starred in drama film Equinox (2019).

David McSwain as Veteran: David McSwain is known for Courage Under Fire (1996), Quantum Leap (1989) and Pacific Blue (1996).

Kendra Booth as Young Nurse: Kendra Booth is known for Baywatch (1989), Columbo (1971) and Family Matters (1989).

Brian J. Williams as Drowning Veteran: Brian J. Williams is known for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), Minority Report (2002) and Star Trek: First Contact (1996). He was an uncredited stunt double for Michael Kemmerling in "Another Mother", for J.C. Quin in "Unchained", and played Cadet #2 in "Running For Honor."



Guests Who Appeared in Other Episodes of Quantum Leap:

Brian J. Williams
was also an uncredited stunt double for Michael Kemmerling in "Another Mother", uncredited stunt double for J.C. Quin in "Unchained", and played Cadet #2 in "Running For Honor."



Say What?

When Al steps through the Imaging Chamber door the first time, he enters too soon before the door effect is completely open.

When Sam gets up to pop Holt, in the mirror you see that the legs of his pants are rolled up, but when Sam gets up, they are not.

Ziggy predicts Billy’s death within the next two days - why doesn't the hybrid computer know the exact date and roughly the time?



Quotable Quotes:

Kiki: "Be nice Sergeant! I might put your bedpan in the freezer again."

By the way, my wife - Miller's wife - is on her way here.
Julie Miller.
Julie, oh good, I know her first name, she probably knows mine.
I mean, just think of all the things we can talk about now.
Hey, it could be worse.
How?
You could spend your whole life in that thing.
You're right.
-- Sam and Al

Sam, I think it’s time you rise to the occasion. If you get my drift …
Say good night Gracie.
<Punch>
Ahhh, that felt good.
-- Sam and Al, as Sam hits the obnoxious orderly

I saw him do it, he walked!
Do you want to get the net or should I?
-- the obnoxious orderly and Al

Destiny is a funny thing - it seems like the harder you try to stop it, the more determined it is to be fulfilled.
-- Sam

This is incredible, I've never seen a lifeline this long, you've got enough here for two people.
Maybe more.
This isn't an accident that you're here, someone needs you.
-- Kiki and Sam



Best Scenes:

Kiki is pushing Sam in a wheelchair and they’re talking about Ron’s wife coming to visit.
SAM: "I’m not sure … I’m exactly what … she was expecting."
Kiki: "Give me your hand. Come on I won’t hurt you."
SAM: "Wait a second you read palms?"
Kiki: "A hundred year old gypsy king taught me. Well he was closer to eighty, but he was defiantly a king."
SAM: "How could you tell?" [Snickers]
Kiki: "He had a crown."
SAM: " ‘Course he did."
Kiki: "This in incredible!"
SAM: "What?"
Kiki: "Never seen a life line this long! Got enough here for two people!"
SAM: "Maybe more."
Kiki: "This isn’t an accident that you’re here. You’re on a mission. Someone needs you."
SAM: "Who?"
Kiki: "Well I can’t really tell, but they’re close. You’ve seen a lot of pain. But you’re not bitter. You’re a searcher, a seeker of truth."
SAM: "You see all that in my palm?"
Kiki: "Not all of it." [As they look into one another’s eyes]

-----

Al is watching over Billy while Sam is at dinner with Julie. Billy is looking at the pictures of him and his buddies in Vietnam and of Carol and him on the nightstand.

AL: "It’s all right to be angry, you know. Things happen to all of us … over there that … are hard to live with. We didn’t start this filthy war … we just fought it. That’s what’s so disappointing about this fight." [I think that’s what he said] "I betcha think nobody cares, but that’s not true … because I care, Sam cares, whatever it is that’s jumping us around in time cares. They’re gonna build a wall … in Washington … they’re gonna carve all these names in it … of all the victims in this lousy war. Don’t add another one to it, huh? There’s so many … there’s too many. Sigh …"



Synopsis & Review:

Sam leaps and Al pops in … "Sam! Don’t get up! Just don’t get up!" he points to the mirror above the gurney where he is laying in a hallway. "You can’t get up because you don’t have any legs." Sam looks up and sees the reflection of Ronald Miller who is a double amputee and says, "Oh Boy!"

Ziggy says he it there to keep his marriage together with Julie. Because in the Gulf War his son, who follows in his father’s footsteps (Al has to apologize for that pun), saves the lives of his entire tank crew. But when Julie says she wants a divorce, both Sam and Al are lost and can’t figure out what to do next.

Billy, Sam’s roommate, is a quadriplegic and wants to end it all. He is trying his best to make everyone hate him so it’s easier to commit suicide. But Al watches over him and talks to him while Sam is trying to save Ron’s marriage. Billy is wallowing in self-pity because he thinks that no one wants him and he is not able to run track or climb a mountain to a remote cabin any more. But Carol his girlfriend, says that she doesn’t care about how he is, she just wants him. She loves him no matter what!

Kiki is a volunteer at the hospital who helps out the returning Vets. She says that this helps pass the time until her brother returns. Robert Allen Wilson, ‘Bobby’, is in the Special Forces Unit that is attached to the CIA. He had something to do with political assassinations, propaganda and covert operations. He is ‘MIA’. She hasn’t heard from him for 2 years, in December. She’s very clever and witty. When passing out juice she tells Sam she has grape and she has grape. Sam says I’ll have some grape, she says excellent choice. LOL

Julie is Ron’s wife and she is keeping her distance from Sam. Keeping her back to him when she talks to him. She seems upset about something and Sam thinks it’s because of the way he is. But it’s another man. She just didn’t have the guts to write him a ‘Dear John’ letter.

Al pops in to tell Sam at the restaurant that Kiki has just brought Billy a motorized wheelchair … Al says when Kiki rolls in with it – "Oh no … I think I’m going to be sick!"

Holt is an arrogant male nurse that thinks the hospital is his. He pushes the patients around and tells them what and when to do it and come and go when he says. When Sam tells Holt to go check the pool because Billy might be in trouble, Holt refuses. Al says, "Sam, I think it’s time you rise to the occasion. If you get my drift …" Al checks the hallways and Sam stands, which appears to Holt as if he is floating. Al says, "Say good night Gracie." Sam punches him and Holt falls to the ground. "Ahhh, that felt good."

The Episode Climax:

Sam rushes to the pool...

SAM: "Pretty late for a swim? Isn’t it?"

Billy: "Go away Captain this doesn’t involve you."

SAM: "Yah … well … seein’ as … how I’m here … I guess it does."

Billy: "I should’ve died in that stupid jungle."

SAM: "Wars over Sergeant!"

Billy: "Over! Does this look like it’s over to you? I was an all-state half back in high school; I scored 15 touchdowns my senior year. My body was perfect and now I cant even feel it!"

SAM: "We … you still got your mind."

Billy: "Do I?"

AL: "Sam, I think you’re loosing him." [Al walks around and looks at Billy]

SAM: "You know … you’re not the only one hurtin’ around here! My wife just told me that she wants a divorce. She said she met someone else … that things aren’t the same anymore … she’s right … they’re not … we’re not … things will never be the same again. Nobody could go through what we … did and ever be the same. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t count!"

Billy: "You don’t get it, do you! This war don’t mean nothin’ … it never did! They gave us the prettiest guns and the biggest bombs … but they didn’t give us a chance … I lost everything … and in a few years … nobody will even remember Vietnam!"

SAM: "Well we have to remind them … we won’t let them forget … because every time they see us … they’ll have to remember!"

Billy: "At night … I close my eyes … an … and I’m back there … I see it all … it’s … it’s like a song that plays over and over again and you can’t get it out of your head … sometimes … it gets so loud … I think … my brain is going to explode!" [Michael now has tears streaming down his face … talk about emotion! Go Mike!] … "I just want it to be quiet." [He turns around and half looks at Scott] "How can I make it quiet?" [Scott has a peculiar look on his face … part is saying I can’t imagine what he’s gone through and half saying this guy is so full of self-pity it’s not funny]

SAM: "Maybe you’re right … maybe your way is the best way of doin’ things …"

AL: "WHAT?"

SAM: "And I’m gonna help you …"

AL: "Sam … this isn’t funny!"

SAM: "You’ve got nothin’ to live for right? Got rid of Carol … went out of your way to make sure nobody else around here gives a damn about you … what’s one more body bag!"

AL: "Don’t listen to him, kid. SAM! I don’t know what the hell you’re tryin’ to do, but I want you to stop it right now! YOU HEAR ME?"

SAM: "Go ahead … push it!"

AL: "SAM!"

Billy: "Don’t think I won’t?" [Breathing hard … grunting]

SAM: "It’s easy to die but …" [Sam wrinkles his forehead as if to say ‘go ahead and do it are you chicken?]

AL: "NO!!! I can’t believe I’m watching this! Have you completely lost your mind? He’s gonna drown! [duh Al! … LOL]

SAM: "If I had stopped him … would you say he wouldn’t have tried again tomorrow?"

AL: "Tomorrow? If you don’t save him there isn’t going to be any tomorrow for either one of you!"

SAM: "Al, don’t you get it? The only person who can save Billy is Billy!"

AL: "Sam, what the hell are you talkin’ about?" [Dean is waving his arms and contorting his face muscles]

SAM: "I’m talkin’ about death … he’s never going to be able to face life until he faces death."

AL: "Are we close?" [Dean now has an ‘I sure hope you’re right’ look on his face]

SAM: "I hope so." [Scott has a ‘Now I gotta jump in and drag him out’ look and jumps in to get Billy]

Billy: "Help me … help me!" [Sam is holding him]

SAM: "You got a second chance Billy … what’s it gonna be?"

<<Billy is on a stretcher and the nurse and orderly are pushing him out>>

Commander James Hartig: "It’s a good thing you showed up when you did."

Billy: "Thanks, Captain." [As he’s being pushed out and passes by Sam on the stretcher]

Commander James Hartig: "What the hell made you come down here anyway?"

SAM: "Well I don’t know I just … ahhh … well I … I just had a feeling that I should be here."

Commander James Hartig: "I still don’t see how you were able to pull him out with just your arms?"

SAM: "Well … you know … you’d be surprised what a person can do when they have to."

AL: "Well look who’s here … Florence Nightingale … this should be …" [Holt comes stumbling into the pool area with a bloody nose]

Commander James Hartig: "What’s this all about Mister?"

Holt: "HIM!" [Pointing at Sam] "I … I saw him do it!"

Commander James Hartig: "You saw him do what?"

Holt: "He walked!"

Commander James Hartig: "What did you say?"

AL: "Do you want to get the net or should I?"

Holt: "He got up … he … he floated across the room …"

AL: "Sure he did …" [Dean has a smug look on his face … he’s really pleased with himself now]

Commander James Hartig: "I don’t know what your problem is, but I don’t have time to figure it out."

Holt: "I’m not crazy! I saw him do it! He got up and he hit me!"

Commander James Hartig: "Get this garbage outta here!"

Holt: "You gotta believe me! I saw him … he stood up … he was floating in mid air! He was flying’! I swear! You gotta believe me! [He’s screaming as he’s carried away by two guys who each have one arm]

Commander James Hartig: "Some people just cant handle the stress." [Watching as they drag Holt out of the pool area]

Sam and Al talk about the partially failed leap, since his wife still leaves him. Kiki comes to see Sam, and Al realizes that Kiki is really the mother of the leapee's son and that they didn't fail after all. Sam reads a letter to Kiki revealing that her brother is coming home from the war. They embrace, and Sam leaps.


Personal Review by Carol <aka> C_Dean n C_Al:

Sam has it easy in this episode except one blow, and he says ‘that felt good’ … hehehe. Al is sincere and captivating, even with out the smart quips! Which proves what great actors they both are! Scott doesn’t have to be physical and Dean doesn’t have to be a wise cracker! Well, except for the end, it makes you say, ‘oh … okay … there’s the Al that we all know and love!’ :) This episode really made me think about how all the Vietnam Vets were treated when they came home, tho I didn’t know any personally. But as I got older I understood, tho I don’t agree at all … and it’s really a shame! Like the poster said in the ‘60’s: WAR IS NOT HEALTHY FOR CHILDREN AND OTHER LIVING THINGS … this is so true.


There is a song that always makes me think of the Vietnam War too …‘What’s Goin’ On’ by: Marvin Gaye.





Production Credits:

Theme by: Mike Post
Musical Score By: Velton Ray Bunch
Co-Executive Producer: Deborah Pratt
Co-Executive Producer: Chas. Floyd Johnson
Supervising Producers: 
Richard C. Okie, Harker Wade, Tommy Thompson
Produced by: Robin Jill Bernheim
Created by: Donald P. Bellisario
Written by: Tommy Thompson
Directed by: Alan J. Levi

Executive Producer: Donald P. Bellisario
Associate Producers: 
Julie Bellisario, Scott Ejercito
Coordinating Producer: David Bellisario
Director of Photography: Michael Watkins A.S.C.
Production Designer: Cameron Birnie
Edited by: Michael S. Stern
Unit Production Manager: Ron Grow
First Assistant Director: Ryan Gordon
Second Assistant Director: Brian Faul
Casting by: Ellen Lubin Sanitsky, C.S.A.
Set Director: Robert L. Zilliox
Costume Designer: Jean-Pierre Dorleac
Costume Supervisors: David Rawley, Katina Kerr
Art Director: Ellen Dambros-Williams
Sound Mixer: Barry D. Thomas
Stunt Coordinator: Diamond Farnsworth
Make-up: Jeremy Swan
Hairstylist: Andrea Mizushima
Fashion Concepts: Jean-Pierre Dorleac
Sound Editor: Greg Schorer
Music Editor: Bruce Frazier
Special Visual Effects: Roger Dorney, Denny Kelly

Panaflex ®  Camera and Lenses by: Panavision ®

This motion picture is protected under laws of the United States and other countries. Unauthorized duplication, distribution or exhibition may result in civil liability and criminal prosecution.

Copyright © 1992 by Universal City Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Some of the characters portrayed in this motion picture are based upon actual persons. Although some of those events have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes, otherwise the characters and events depicted in this photoplay are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

Bellisarius Productions and Universal Television, an MCA Company





Quantum Leap Podcast: Nowhere To Run



Listen to The Quantum Leap Podcast on this episode here:



It’s time for Nowhere to Run.

Hosts Allison Pregler, Matt Dale and Christopher DeFilippis are thrilled to welcome Quantum Leap writer and producer Tommy Thompson back to the podcast as a guest co-host to discuss Sam’s Leap into a double amputee returning home from Vietnam.

Tommy shares the life experiences that shaped his writing of this episode, and provides some insight into what it was like behind the scenes during season five.

He also gives us a definitive answer on the whole mind/body debate!
 

Let us know what you think… Leave us a voicemail by calling (707)847-6682.

Send in your thoughts, theories and feedback, Send MP3s & Email to quantumleappodcast@gmail.com.

Also join us on Facebook.com/QuantumLeapPodcast and Twitter.com/QuantumLeapPod

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