"The White Shadow" (1978) TV series 1978-1981

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Creator:

Bruce Paltrow

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | unknown

Release Date:

27 November 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Plot:

A white former NBA professional retires from the pro game and gets a job as a basketball coach in a predominantly black inner-city high school.

Plot Keywords:

School | Basketball | Coach | High School | Baseball

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 7 nominations

Cast

Ken Howard	...	Ken Reeves / ... (54 episodes, 1978-1981)
Kevin Hooks	...	Morris Thorpe / ... (32 episodes, 1978-1981)
Timothy Van Patten	...	Mario 'Salami' Pettrino / ... (32 episodes, 1978-1981)
Byron Stewart	...	Warren Coolidge (32 episodes, 1978-1981)
Joan Pringle	...	Sybil Buchanan (27 episodes, 1978-1981)
Ken Michelman	...	Abner Goldstein (27 episodes, 1978-1981)
Ira Angustain	...	Ricky Gomez / ... (27 episodes, 1978-1981)
Thomas Carter	...	James Hayward (27 episodes, 1978-1981)
Nathan Cook	...	Milton Reese (26 episodes, 1978-1981)
Erik Kilpatrick	...	Curtis Jackson (23 episodes, 1978-1980)
John Mengatti	...	Nick Vitaglia (23 episodes, 1979-1981)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Company Four

Trivia:

The character of Jackson never graduated from Carver because he was shot and killed by armed robbers holding up a liquor store. According to writer Marc Rubin, executive producer Bruce Paltrow originally wanted Jackson to be killed while committing the robbery.

Goofs:

Factual errors: At the end of the following episodes, "Wanna Bet?" and "That Old Gang of Mine". The roman numeral of the year 1979 at the end of the credits, was MCMLXXVIX. There was confusion of that because, the "V" should've been removed. The remaining first season episodes were finalized as MCMLXXIX, which was 1979 when the "V" was deleted.

Quotes:

Jim Willis: You had it easy sonny boy. You'll never know what it's like have to sit in the back of the bus and then give up your seat to a white man or pee in your pants because you can't find a bathroom that'll take you... Now I know a racist when I see one. And I'm looking at one right now.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in American Pie Presents The Naked Mile (2006) (V)

One hell of a good show, indeed.

"The White Shadow" was my favourite TV-series when I was a ten-year old. As a member of a soccer-crazy nation, it had hit me and a generation of Turks like no other show had. That, I may easily claim, has been the TV show that turned basketball in Turkey from a fringe sport no-one cared about to a sport everyone wanted to participate in. Many who didn't know there was such a sport had become addicts to basketball league games, and the relationship between the team-members at Carver High has become an inspiration to high-school pupils. Now, since the recent Euro'Basket 2001, the TRT TV has began to run the series again. I am very glad to see my wee nephews watch it with the same enthusiasm as I did when I was their age. That's due to the fact that the characters were well-written, the subjects very-well chosen, and the acting was pure brilliant. I don't know if any other high-school drama can match it years later in terms of its density, strength, and meaningfulness. I'm glad it was on years ago, I'm glad they show it again in 2001. Pity Ken Howard and the rest of the cast couldn't make it as big as they deserved later on. One thing is for sure, though, they'll always be remembered as Coach Reeves, Coolidge, Salami, Thorpe and so...