"The Paper Chase" (1978)TV series 1978-1986

Directors:

Georg Stanford Brown
Mark Cullingham

Writers:

Albert Aley (writer)
Jack Bender (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | unknown

Release Date:

9 September 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A TV Series about a bunch of Law students, their everyday lives and their effort to make it through Law School...

Plot Keywords:

College | Boston Massachusetts | Harvard | Law School | Law Student

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

John Houseman	...	Professor Charles W. Kingsfield, Jr. (21 episodes, 1979-1986)
James Stephens	...	James T. Hart (20 episodes, 1978-1986)
Tom Fitzsimmons	...	Franklin Ford III (19 episodes, 1979-1986)
James Keane	...	Willis Bell (13 episodes, 1979-1986)
Clare Kirkconnell	...	Rita Harriman (1984-1986) / ... (13 episodes, 1984-1986)
Michael Tucci	...	Gerald Golden (1983-1986) / ... (12 episodes, 1979-1986)
Wortham Krimmer	...	Martin Zeiss (1983-1986) / ... (12 episodes, 1983-1986)
Steve Levitt	...	William Stotz / ... (11 episodes, 1984-1986)
Andra Millian	...	Laura (1984-1986) / ... (11 episodes, 1984-1986)
Betty Harford	...	Mrs. Nottingham (10 episodes, 1984-1986)
Lainie Kazan	...	Rose Samuels (1985-1986) (9 episodes, 1985-1986)
Peter Nelson	...	Tom Ford (1985-1986) (9 episodes, 1985-1986)

Also Known As:

The Paper Chase: The Fourth Year (USA) (new title)
The Paper Chase: The Graduation Year (USA) (new title)
The Paper Chase: The Second Year (USA) (new title)
The Paper Chase: The Third Year (USA) (new title)

Runtime:

60 min (57 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

The show lasted only one season on CBS, from 1978 to 1979, and was cancelled because of low ratings. The cable channel Showtime revived the series in 1983, where it ran for three years without commercials and was a great success. John Houseman passed away a year after the series went off the air. However, it was never issued on VHS and, as of 2006, has yet to appear on DVD.

Quotes:

Professor Charles W. Kingsfield, Jr.: [stops on staircase] Oh, and Golden...
Gerald Golden: Yes, Professor?
Professor Charles W. Kingsfield, Jr.: Your left front tyre needs air.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Warrior of the Lost World (#6.1)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

First Years

the best show on television

Recipe for success. Put a bunch of graduate students from all levels of experience and schooling together in one place under one tough teacher, mix well, and cook thoroughly for 4 years. This concept worked better as a TV series than it did as a movie. Though the movie focused more on Hart and Susan, Kingsfields daughter, I found myself wondering more about the other students. Thanks to this well written and acted program, I found out more about o'Connor, and Ford, Bell, and the rest.

This television show first aired opposite the "Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley" hour, a death knell for any television show of that era. It moved to Friday nights in the grave yard and there it sat until Showtime picked it up and ran with it. Easily my favorite television show of all time. The writing was consistently excellent as was the ensemble acting. My only complaint was that in some ways it was predictable. We all knew that Hart was going to be at the top of his class. The guest players (Connie Lehman, among others) moved in and out with credibility. The message to this show is that no one makes it through school alone. I am in Seminary now and have made use of the "study group" as used in this show.

The comic relief (from Stots, and Zeiss, and Willis Bell) offset the drama quite nicely. This show just goes to show what a bunch of relative unknowns can do with quality material. (remember cheers, and taxi?.and particularly M*A*S*H?..yes those are comedies, but the rule holds.... ). I hope this show comes out on DVD sometime soon. I recorded most of the first season and some of the outstanding subsequent episodes on Showtime.