"Battlestar Galactica" (1978) TV series 1978-1979

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Creator:

Glen A. Larson
(more)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

17 September 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Action | Adventure

Plot:

The last major Colonial fighter carrier leads a makeshift fleet of human refugees on a desperate search for the legendary planet Earth.

Plot Keywords:

Commander | Space | Fugitive | Refugee | Spaceship Name In Title

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Richard Hatch	...	Capt. Apollo (21 episodes, 1978-1979)
Dirk Benedict	...	Lt. Starbuck (21 episodes, 1978-1979)
Lorne Greene	...	Commander Adama (21 episodes, 1978-1979)
Herb Jefferson Jr.	...	Lt. Boomer (21 episodes, 1978-1979)
Laurette Spang	...	Cassiopeia (21 episodes, 1978-1979)
Terry Carter	...	Col. Tigh (21 episodes, 1978-1979)
John Colicos	...	Baltar (20 episodes, 1978-1979)
Tony Swartz	...	Flight Sgt. Jolly / ... (20 episodes, 1978-1979)
Maren Jensen	...	Athena (19 episodes, 1978-1979)
Noah Hathaway	...	Boxey (19 episodes, 1978-1979)
David Greenan	...	Omega / ... (18 episodes, 1978-1979)
Patrick Macnee	...	Opening Credit Announcer / ... (13 episodes, 1978-1979)
Anne Lockhart	...	Sheba (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Sarah Rush	...	Flight Cpl. Rigel / ... (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Felix Silla	...	Lucifer (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jonathan Harris	...	Lucifer (9 episodes, 1978-1979)

(more)

Series Directed by
Rod Holcomb		(5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Christian I. Nyby II		(5 episodes, 1978)
Daniel Haller		(3 episodes, 1979)
Donald P. Bellisario		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Vince Edwards		(2 episodes, 1978)
Alan J. Levi		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Writing credits
Glen A. Larson		(21 episodes, 1978-1979)
Donald P. Bellisario		(11 episodes, 1978-1979)
Michael Sloan		(4 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jim Carlson		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Terrence McDonnell		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
John Ireland		(2 episodes, 1978)
Ken Pettus		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Produced by
Glen A. Larson	....	executive producer (21 episodes, 1978-1979)
Donald P. Bellisario	....	supervising producer / producer (20 episodes, 1978-1979)
David J. O'Connell	....	producer / co-producer (18 episodes, 1978-1979)
David G. Phinney	....	associate producer (18 episodes, 1978-1979)
Gary B. Winter	....	associate producer (16 episodes, 1978-1979)
John Dykstra	....	producer (3 episodes, 1978)
Michael Sloan	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Stu Phillips		(21 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Cinematography by
Ben Colman		(10 episodes, 1978-1979)
H. John Penner		(7 episodes, 1978)
Enzo A. Martinelli		(2 episodes, 1978)
Frank Thackery		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Film Editing by
Leon Ortiz-Gil		(9 episodes, 1978-1979)
Michael Berman		(7 episodes, 1978-1979)
George Potter		(7 episodes, 1978-1979)
David Howe		(6 episodes, 1978-1979)
John J. Dumas		(2 episodes, 1978)
John F. Schreyer		(2 episodes, 1978)
John Elias		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Patti Hayes		(8 episodes, 1978-1979)
Mark Malis		(6 episodes, 1978)

Series Art Direction by
Paul Peters		(8 episodes, 1979)
Richard D. James		(7 episodes, 1978)
William L. Camden		(6 episodes, 1979)
Mary Dodson		(4 episodes, 1978)
James J. Murakami		(4 episodes, 1979)

Series Set Decoration by
Lowell Chambers		(12 episodes, 1978)
Sam Gross		(9 episodes, 1979)

Series Costume Design by
Jean-Pierre Dorléac		(21 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Makeup Department
Scott H. Eddo	....	key makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Harker Wade	....	unit production manager (17 episodes, 1978-1979)
Rowe Wallerstein	....	unit production manager (2 episodes, 1978)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Watson Sanford	....	second assistant director (14 episodes, 1978-1979)
William Holbrook	....	first assistant director (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Phil Cook	....	first assistant director (8 episodes, 1978-1979)
Katy Emde	....	second assistant director (2 episodes, 1978)
Britt Lomond	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 1978)
Chuck Lowry	....	second assistant director (2 episodes, 1978)
Herb Adelman	....	second assistant director (2 episodes, 1979)

Series Art Department
Yarek Alfer	....	property maker (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Earl Crain Jr.	....	sound (13 episodes, 1978-1979)
Dick Wahrman	....	sound effects editor (13 episodes, 1978-1979)
Peter Berkos	....	sound effects editor (8 episodes, 1978)
James R. Alexander	....	sound (3 episodes, 1978)
Charlie King	....	sound (2 episodes, 1979)

Series Special Effects by
John Dykstra	....	special effects (2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Richard Edlund	....	director of miniature photography (unknown episodes)

Series Visual Effects by
John Dykstra	....	miniature and effects unit supervisor / visual effects supervisor (2 episodes, 1978)
C. Cory M. McCrum-Abdo	....	special visual effects coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunts (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Marneen Fields	....	stunt performer (4 episodes, 1978)
Bob Bralver	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Paula Crist	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Michael M. Vendrell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Mario DiLeo	....	director of photography: second unit (1 episode, 1978)
Don Dow	....	camera operator: second unit (1 episode, 1978)
Robert K. Feldmann	....	electrician (1 episode, 1978)
George Voellmer	....	camera operator: second unit (1 episode, 1978)
Stephen Vaughan	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Patti Hayes	....	casting (7 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mark Peterson	....	costume supervisor (16 episodes, 1978-1979)
Haleen K. Holt	....	costume illustrator (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Virgil E. Hammond III	....	post-production: Universal Studios, Los Angeles (3 episodes, 1978)

Series Music Department
Glen A. Larson	....	composer: theme music (21 episodes, 1978-1979)
Herbert D. Woods	....	music editor (17 episodes, 1978-1979)
Stu Phillips	....	composer: theme / composer: main title (14 episodes, 1978-1979)
James D. Young	....	music editor (5 episodes, 1978)

Series Other crew
David M. Garber	....	production and special effects consultant (17 episodes, 1978-1979)
Wayne Smith	....	production and special effects consultant (17 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jim Carlson	....	story editor (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Terrence McDonnell	....	story editor (10 episodes, 1978-1979)

Production Companies

• Glen A. Larson Productions
• Universal TV

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1978-1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• AXN (2009) (Hungary) (TV) (as AXN Sci-Fi)
• Katholieke Radio Omroep (KRO) (1981-1982) (Netherlands) (TV) (17 episodes)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Studios USA Television
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD) (complete series)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Apogee Productions

Runtime:

60 min (24 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) (VHS/DVD rating) | Canada:PG (TV rating) | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Red Rock Canyon State Park - Highway 14, Cantil, California, USA

Company:

Glen A. Larson Productions

Trivia:

Mark Hamill was offered the role of Cmdr. Adama but turned it down.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In Mission Galactica:The Cylon Attack" (a VHS television movie comprised of parts of the "Living Legend I and II” episodes plus parts of the "Fire in Space" episode), Cain sends the Pegasus through a bright starfield after Baltar's Baseship. According to the dialogue, the Pegasus is traveling alone at this point. However, the exterior shots in this sequence show the Battlestar being followed by at least half a dozen other ships. (These shots are actually of the Galactica leading the fleet through the Nova of Madagon, from "Saga of a Star World"). In the "Living Legend" episodes original form (now available on DVD), the sequence is different and doesn't show this supposed goof.

Quotes:

Narrator: There are those who believe that life here began out there, far across the universe with tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians or the Toltecs or the Mayans. Some believe there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to survive, somewhere beyond the heavens.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Freaks and Geeks: The Garage Door (#1.12)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

It's Love, Love, Love

Space saga with a religious vein which leans toward mormonism

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA was a tv series which at times fell back on the creators religious upbringing as a mormon. In a few epiosdes there was a falling back on Chrisitan/mormon religious concepts for the portrayal of a battle of good and evil. The series was conceptualized in 1968 or 1969 as ADAMS ARK and following the success of STAR WARS was first called STAR WORLDS then GALACTICA. There was a progression in a change from the ARK story to GALACTICA. The series became a quest show as a group fleeing persecution and carnage at the hands of a war like race of lizard cyborgs searches for a lost planet called EARTH. A city in space was changed to a fleet under the protection of a intergalactic aircraft carrier called the GALACTICA. Along the way they discover that space can be a breeding ground for the war between GOD and the devil in later episodes. One of the most costly and ambitious series ever made, the series was cancelled after one year while still a ratings blockbuster. Many of the effects/production teams that worked on STAR WARS worked on this 20 million dollar film and the series.