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"Pool Hall Blues" Leap Date: September 4, 1954 Episode adopted by: Carol
<aka> C_DEAN n C_AL Synopsis: Sam has leaped into Charlie "Black Magic" Walters, one of the greatest pool players of all time! Magic also happened to be Al's mentor when Al was young and we get to hear a bit more about Al's family history. Sam is there to help Magic's daughter buy back the marker for her club from a loan shark.
Audio from this episode
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Pool Hall Blues Synopsis: This episode
is tied into Al’s past. When Sam leaps, “Black Magic” is about to take a
shot on the pool table. Lester says, “Come on old man, double or nothing.
Whatta say?” and Sam rises up and the leap begins … Sam is there to play one game of
nine-ball to win back the marker that Eddie Davies put up for Violet Walters,
Charlie’s granddaughter. The only thing wrong is Sam couldn’t shoot a game of
pool with a shotgun! But with Al and Ziggy’s help he’ll be shootin’ better
than Minnesota Fats. J Now Al is more excited about this leap
than Sam … because he knew Charlie. He ran away from the orphanage when he was 10 and
spent a couple months touring with Charlie “Black Magic” Walters. Some of the
towns they visited were Chicago, St Louis and the Big Easy, where Magic got busted for
shooting pool in a “whites only” pool hall. Al was then sent back to the
orphanage. L Jimmy “Grady” is Magic’s
best friend and is always looking out for his best interest. Like when his granddaughter
is taking down an old lamp hanging over the famous pool table, or putting
“Alberta” to bed. Alberta is 21 ounces of pure African Ebony inlayed with Mother
of Pearl and is named after his deceased wife. Grady’s pool cue is named
“Bathsheeba”. Eddie Davies is the type of guy that
thinks he’s “God’s Gift to Women”. He has a lot of money invested in
Violet’s blues club and would like “A” return on his investment. Chicago, Illinois, USA Air Date:
March 14, 1990 (9 days after Dean’s 54th b-day) Leap Date: September 4, 1954 - Saturday Leapee: Charlie “Black Magic” Walters “Stormy Weather” Written by:
Harold Arlen / Sung by: Shari Headley Piano and Sax instrumental blues music QL~piano music by: Mike Post Shari Headley singing blues @ piano Scott’s Song Written By: Scott Bakula / Sung by: Scott and Sheri “Baby I Don’t Cry Over You” Sung by: Billie Holiday “Confession Blues”
Al popped in and out 4 times Al smoked 3 cigars Actually Dean does play pool quite
well. Both Dean & Scott have played together. In the bathroom when Al is telling Sam about the particulars of the leap. He says; “Eddie Davis …” and in the credits Eddie's last name is Davies. Now this just might be a typo, but as many times as I’ve seen and/or heard Dean flub his lines. Who really knows … ‘cept GTFW. Some episodes contain a leap date that should have been a weekday, but according to the calendar was Sunday. ~the leap in is on a Saturday and the next morning, Sunday, they go to the bank to talk to the loan officer~ In this episode the mirror images were synced perfectly!
Leap Date: 9/4/54 - Eddie Calls Magic "Minnesota Fats" - Unfortunately, the character of Minnesota Fats was created from the movie "The Hustler" starring Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason. The movie was made in 1961. ::in the bathroom:: Sam says, “Al! Everybody
thinks I’m some kind of a… a pool giant.” Al says, “Well you are.
You’re Charlie Black Magic Walters.” Sam says, “I never heard of
him.” Al says, “Man, when I
walked into that waiting room and saw him sitting there I couldn’t believe it! I
never I’d thought see Magic again. It’s been over forty years since I last saw
him.” Sam says, “You know
him?” Al says, “Know him!
I’ve held Alberta. There’s maybe 5 people in the world that can say that.
I’ve even used her to sink a ball!” Sam says, “Al, I’ve
never seen you so excited about anything. I mean this is just a pool cue. It’s not
like it’s a woman.” Al says, “Ok, when I was
ten years old I ran away from the orphanage. After a couple of days I was cold, I was
scared, I was lonely. I got so desperate I even tried to pick a guys pocket.” Sam says, “Black
Magic’s?” Al says, “Right! Now he
didn’t turn me into the cops. He fed me, he bought me a jacket. He said to me
er… that kids shouldn’t be in orphanages. That a kid should be raised by a
family and I should travel with him until we could find one. Well I did! We drifted around
together… we went to Chi, went to St Loui, went to the Big Easy. Where… he got
busted for shooting pool in a “whites only” pool hall.” Sam says, “And you ended up
back in the orphanage.” Al says, “It wasn’t
his fault.” Sam says, “I wasn’t
implying that it was.” Al says, “I… I’m
sorry Sam it’s just that those few months were real important in my life. He turned
me around, that old guy, showed me that there were people in the world that really care.
And that’s why you gotta help him Sam!” Sam says, “Al! I’m
gonna help him!” Al says, “But the only
problem is… Eddie Davis… a slime ball pool shark that… magic has never
played… because, well he doesn’t shoot pool with trash.” Sam says, “Eddie implied
that I… that Magic has a game with him.” Al says, “Well… Violet
borrowed some money from a loan shark… she was going to change this old pool hall
into a blues club, and Eddie bought her marker and that’s what he’s putting up
to make this match with magic.” Sam says, “That’s an
expensive way to get a pool game.” Al says, “Well it is if you
loose, but Eddie doesn’t figure to loose. See he knows that Magic’s eyesight is
gone. But what he doesn’t know… is your eyesight is twenty-twenty!” Sam says, “Al look, my eyes
may be fine, but I… I couldn’t shoot a game of pool with a shotgun!” Al says, “Well you’re
gonna have to learn! Or else Violets dream is lost and Magic won’t ever forgive
himself for not coming through for his granddaughter, and I’ll never forgive myself
for not coming through for magic!” ::by the pool table:: Grady says, “Magic …
Magic no banks gonna give no ah … no loan to a woman.” Violet says, “Especially a
Negro women.” Sam says, “All I see is a
business person with a going concern who needs a loan.” Violet says, “Business
person! Poppy you been sneaking onions again? You know how they make you crazy!” ::in the bank:: Sam says, “Now that the club is
happening.” Charles Griffin says,
“Happening?” Sam says, “ Working, making
money…” Al is not seen going into or coming out
of the IC in this episode. You hear the door open and close once. The hand link is a thin see through
piece of plastic with silver strips at top and bottom and with red flashing graph like
bars lights near the center. It is contoured to fit Al’s hand. Ziggy is not called a he or she in this
episode. Scott liked the shows he would get to
sing and play an instrument in. This episode he wrote a song, sang it
and played the piano. ::Sam and Violet end their duet at the piano and she goes to bed and Sam walks over to Al:: Violet says, “Poppy if I live to be a hundred you’ll never cease to amaze me.” She gives him a kiss on the cheek. “I love you.” Sam says, “Night, Night.” Al says, “Ah… Gee that was kinda nice, Sam.” Sam says, “Yah, it was. Okay now, what do I have to learn next?” Al says, “Geometry.” Sam says, “Geometry?” Al says, “The geometry of the table. You can’t sink a ball until you’ve worked out the angles, epically on the… the bank shots!” Sam says, “The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection!” Al says, “Somethin’ like that.” Sam says, “YAH!” Al says, “Yah, and once you worked out the angles, then all you have to know where to hit the cue ball and how hard.” Sam says, “It probably takes a long time to learn?” Al says, “Takes years! Wish there was some way… I could draw it out for you …” As Al reaches into his pocket and pulls out the hand link. Pushing a couple buttons, you see a laser beam of light from the cue ball to the object ball to the cushion to the pocket. Al chuckles, “Huh-huh-huh-huh-huh-huh … Now … just hit the dot on the cue ball … nice and smooth … your elbows are hinged … medium strong … go for it … Oh what a pretty sound!” Sam laughs as he pockets the ball, “Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha … Pythagorus! We are going to shoot some pool!” In this episode Al is wearing 2 gold
rings, one on his right hand on the ring finger and the other on his left hand on the
pinkie finger. He also has a watch on his left wrist; it has a gold bezel and a round face
w/a black band. 1) Olive green, rust & black
printed southwestern shirt, Black vest w/sm white dots, Metallic blue thin tie, Navy blue
pants, Bright blue belt w/silver buckle (matches tie).
2) Wedgwood blue & coral print
shirt, Coral scarf type tie, Grey & Wedgwood blue print suspenders, Grey pants. 3) Silver metallic jacket, Satin royal
blue shirt, Silver metallic scarf type tie w/gray diamond design, Lt Olive green &
gray tweed pants w/black belt & silver buckle. 4) White linen suit, Coral colored shirt, Black scarf type tie w/ metallic gold design, brown belt & brown shoes. Sam looks at Al and points. Al looks in that direction and says,
“Oh Sam, not the head again! Every time we leap in we gotta go talk in the men’s
room, it’s disgusting.” Sam says, “Can you think of
a better place to talk?” Al says, “The ladies
room?” Sam gives Al that look. Regular Cast: Scott Bakula as Dr Samuel Beckett Dean Stockwell as Admiral Albert "Al" Calavicci Deborah Pratt as Narrator/Ziggy (voice) Ken Foree as 'The Brush' Robert Gossett as Charles Griffin J.W. Smith as Eddie Davies Annie Waterman as Miss White Teddy Wilson (I) as Jimmy "Grady" Executive Producer: Donald P Bellisario Music By: Mike Post Supervising Producer: Deborah Pratt Co-Producer: Paul Brown, Jeff Gourson & Chris Ruppenthal Produced By: Harker Wade Written By: Randy Holland Directed By: Joe Nopolitano Story Editor: Randy Holland & Tommy Thompson Director of Photography: Michael Watkins Production Design: Cameron Birnie Edited By: Alan Shefland Unit Production Manager: Ronald R Grow 1st Assistant Director: Ryan Gordon 2nd Assistant Director: Rob Mendel Casting By: Kleen Lubin Stanisky Set Decoration: Robert L Zilliox Stunt Coordinator: Diamond Farnsworth Costume Designer: Jean-Pierre Dorleac Costume Supervisor: David Rawley & Donna Roberts-Orme Sound Mixer: Mark Hopkins McNabb Production Management: Ronald R Grow Supervising Sound Editor: Paul Clay Supervising Musical Consultant: Velton Ray Bunch Music Editor: Tom Gleason Panaflex Camera & Lenses By: Panavision BELISARIUS PRODUCTIONS Miscellaneous
Trivia For guest stars: Jimmy “Grady” played by Teddy
Wilson (I): Birth: December 10, 1943 / New York,
New York, USA Death: July 21, 1991 / Los Angeles,
California (aids) Teddy Wilson also co-starred in a second QL episode, playing Ernie
Tyler in “Rebel Without a Clue” (ep 3.9). He played in numerous movies, some of
them were: Bound By Honor (1993 *the last thing he did), Life Stinks (1991), You
Can’t Take It With You (1987), That’s Life (1986), Loose Shoes (1980), Black Eye
(1974) and numerous sitcoms among them: The Redd Foxx Show, as Isaac the bartender in Love
Boat, What’s Happening, Baretta, That’s My Momma, Good Times, The
Jefferson’s, Sanford and Son, All In The Family, M*A*S*H and the Partridge Family.
And many of the TV shows he was in more than one episode. Loan Officer - Charles Griffin played
by Robert Gossett, is the nephew of Louis Gossett, Jr. Violet Walters played by Shari Headley was married to Christopher Martin (Kid N’ Play) 1993-1995 – 1 child. Winner: Emmy for Cinematography: Michael Watkins Nomination: American Society of
Cinematographers Award: Michael Watkins |
