"Beauty and the Beast" (1987)TV series 1987-1990

Creator:

Ron Koslow
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

5 September 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Fantasy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Once upon a time is now...

Plot:

The adventures and romance of a sensitive and cultured lion-man and a crusading District Attorney assistant.

Plot Keywords:

Culture Clash | Secret Society | Underworld

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 8 wins & 30 nominations

Cast

Roy Dotrice	...	Father - Jacob Wells / ... (56 episodes, 1987-1990)
Ron Perlman	...	Vincent (56 episodes, 1987-1990)
Richard Partlow	...	Underground Man (54 episodes, 1987-1990)
Linda Hamilton	...	Asst. Dist. Atty. Catherine Chandler (45 episodes, 1987-1989)

(more)

Series Directed by
Richard Franklin		(3 episodes, 1987)
Thomas J. Wright		(2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Daniel Attias		(unknown episodes)
Frank Beascoechea		(unknown episodes)
Gabrielle Beaumont		(unknown episodes)
Alan Cooke		(unknown episodes)
Beth Hillshafer		(unknown episodes)
Kenneth R. Koch		(unknown episodes)
Christopher Leitch		(unknown episodes)
Paul Lynch		(unknown episodes)
Bruce Malmuth		(unknown episodes)
Peter Medak		(unknown episodes)
Michael Switzer		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Howard Gordon		(9 episodes, 1987-1990)
George R.R. Martin		(4 episodes, 1987-1990)
Virginia Aldridge		(unknown episodes)
Don Balluck		(unknown episodes)
B.F. Barnett		(unknown episodes)
Cynthia Benjamin		(unknown episodes)
Michael Berlin		(unknown episodes)
Robin Bernheim		(unknown episodes)
Linda Campanelli		(unknown episodes)
David Carren		(unknown episodes)
J. Larry Carroll		(unknown episodes)
Mark Cassatt		(unknown episodes)
Michael Cassutt		(unknown episodes)
Durrell Royce Crays		(unknown episodes)
James Crocker		(unknown episodes)
Roy Dotrice		(unknown episodes)
Alex Gansa		(unknown episodes)
Robert John Guttke		(unknown episodes)
Ron Koslow		(unknown episodes)
Andrew Laskos		(unknown episodes)
M.M. Shelly Moore		(unknown episodes)
Richard Setlowe		(unknown episodes)
P.K. Simonds		(unknown episodes)
Marie Therese Squerciatti		(unknown episodes)
Marc Scott Zicree		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Christopher Toyne	....	associate producer (22 episodes, 1987-1988)
Howard Gordon	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Lynn Guthrie	....	co-producer (unknown episodes)
Paul Junger Witt	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Kenneth R. Koch	....	line producer (unknown episodes)
Ron Koslow	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Stephen Kurzfeld	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
David F. Schwartz	....	coordinating producer (unknown episodes)
Tony Thomas	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Don Davis		(49 episodes, 1987-1990)
Lee Holdridge		(7 episodes, 1987-1989)
William Ross		(2 episodes, 1989)

Series Cinematography by
Roy H. Wagner		(4 episodes, 1987)
Frank Beascoechea		(unknown episodes)
Stevan Larner		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Drake Silliman		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Vicki Rosenberg		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
John B. Mansbridge		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Bruce A. Gibeson		(12 episodes, 1989-1990)
Peg Cummings		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Vincent Prentice	....	special makeup effects artist: Charles makeup (1 episode, 1989)
Norman Cabrera	....	beast crew: Rick Baker (unknown episodes)
Tony Gardner	....	beast crew: Rick Baker (unknown episodes)
Jim Leonard	....	beast crew: Rick Baker (unknown episodes)
Margaret Prentice	....	special makeup effects artist (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jodi Ehrlich	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Allan Gordon	....	property master (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Jim Fitzpatrick	....	sound re-recording mixer (12 episodes, 1989-1990)
Gary Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (11 episodes, 1989-1990)
John S. Coffey	....	sound mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Larry Holt	....	stunts (1 episode, 1987)
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Charlie Brewer	....	stunt double (unknown episodes)
Justin De Rosa	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Thomas Dewier	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Nick Dimitri	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Stephanie Epper	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Tony Epper	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Debbie Evans	....	stunt double: Linda Hamilton (unknown episodes)
Marguerite Happy	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Jeff Imada	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Matt Johnston	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Hannah Kozak	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Fred Lerner	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Scott Leva	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
John Moio	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Tom Morga	....	stunt double (unknown episodes)
Janet Lee Orcutt	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Chad Randall	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Branscombe Richmond	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Thomas Rosales Jr.	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Michael M. Vendrell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Danny Weselis	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Calvin Maehl	....	gaffer (33 episodes, 1988-1990)
Vincent Contarino	....	lighting technician (22 episodes, 1987-1988)
John Burnett	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera, second unit, additional photography (unknown episodes, 1987-1988)
Richard Benda	....	first assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Don E. FauntLeRoy	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Owen Marsh	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Scott C. Williman	....	electrician (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Dorian Dunas	....	casting associate (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Warren Bowman	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Lee Holdridge	....	composer: theme music (56 episodes, 1987-1990)
Don Nemitz	....	orchestrator (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Jeff Verdick	....	driver (1 episode, 1987)
D. Scott Guthrie	....	transportation (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Billy Raum	....	production assistant (1 episode, 1990)
Jennifer Irvine	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes, 1989-1990)
Rick Baker	....	creature designer: "Beast" (unknown episodes)
Sean Michael Fish	....	stand-in (unknown episodes)
Paul Hargrave	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
George R.R. Martin	....	script editor (unknown episodes)
Larry Pearson	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Patience Thoreson	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Harry Waterson	....	production executive (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Republic Pictures (II)

Distributors

• CBS Television (1987-1990) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Columbia House (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD) (seasons 1 and 2)

Runtime:

60 min (56 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated (DVD version) | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Golden Oak Ranch - 19802 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall, California, USA

Company:

Republic Pictures (II)

Trivia:

Ranked #14 in TV Guide's list of the "25 Top Cult Shows Ever!" (30 May 2004 issue).

Goofs:

Continuity: In "Seige", Catherine visits Vincent in the tunnels and he is heartbroken that she is falling in love with good looking businessman Elliot Burch. Vincent turns to go back into the tunnel and Catherine sadly watches him go. As he turns back to look at her, the hood on his cloak is down. The camera turns to Catherine, then back to Vincent who's hood is now on, then back to Catherine and once again, back to Vincent who's hood is once again off, as he turns to go inside.

Quotes:

Father: [referring to Vincent's relationship with Catherine] I sometimes feel that I'm standing on the bank of a raging river watching you try to swim across. How can I not worry? I'd be a fool. And yet, Vincent, sometimes I have to marvel at your courage.
Vincent: Catherine swims across that river as well. She faces the same dangers, shows the same courage. And in many ways the toll on her is even greater.
Father: You really think that's so?
Vincent: On the other side of the river there is no one standing on the bank watching. On her side of the river there is no one praying for a safe passage. On her side of the river, Father, there is no one but Catherine.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "I Love the '80s Strikes Back" (2003)

Perhaps the Best Television Show ever

I found this show by accident one Friday night and became hooked immediately. Here was an intelligent, well-acted program for adults. It was not sexually explicit, nor gratuitously violent. It had something most TV shows do not have: Romance.

Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman were absolutely perfect together as the beautiful lawyer who lives above and Ron Perlman as the "hideous" beast whose curse is that he is ugly on the outside and who never gets a chance to reveal his inner beauty until he saves Catherine. Knowing how tormented he was because of his deformities was heart-breaking and yet he blossomed as he and Catherine found real love.

Normally, I would be pleased when an actress leaves a show to spend time with her son, as Miss Hamilton did. I'm all for women staying home to be with their children over spending time at a carer; at risk of being hopelessly old-fashioned, I believe women with children should stay home to care for them. However, in this case, it was one of her worst decisions because her marriage to the father of this child fizzled. She later had a child and then married James Cameron of "Titanic" fame, only to lose him to a star of that overblown ocean-going vehicle. She did have success with the Terminator movies but those were nothing but Schwarzenegger fests. Meanwhile B&B also suffered because they just couldn't find a woman to replace Catherine. Diana just didn't have it.

The fact that the show lasted 3 seasons (2 with Miss Hamilton) is a testament to its quality. Of course, we can't have quality on TV - there's not enough T&A, violence, or out and out stupidity (think Jessica Simpson here). But for the 3 years this show was on, it was a real Friday night Feast. And I do thank Mr. Perlman and Miss Hamilton for the years they gave us and I thank Mr. Perlman for the CD of music and poetry from the show. It's still heart-wrenchingly beautiful to listen to Vincent as he narrates works by Matthew Arnold, e.e. cummings and, of course, the King of all poetry, plays and prose, Mr. William Shakespeare.

It would be a miracle if CBS were to air a "reunion" movie but I think there will be a tropical heat wave in the South Pole before that happens. Too bad - it sure beats the stupidity of such shows as The Newlyweds, starring the aforementioned Jessica Simpson, or Reality TV, American Idol and the other slime that passes for decent television. Meanwhile, I'll be content with VHS copies of B&B or I'll wait patiently until the DVDs come out.