Welcome to Screen Time, my own feature where I ramble about spotlight some iconic and/or favouriteTV series from the '80s, '90s and 2000s!
I'm a child of the '60s *big shock*. This accounts for me fondly remembering some oldies I grew up with, or having some of them in my all-time favourite list. But don't worry, I'm not stuck in the '80s ;). There are plenty of series I've liked and followed in the most recent years...and some current favourites too. So tune in with me, and don't forget your popcorn...
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| Logo property of MGM - no copyright infringement intended |
Genre: Drama, Musical
Genesis: Based on the 1980 MGM movie of the same name
Time span: 1982 to 1987
Seasons: 6 (136 episodes)
Main characters & cast: Lydia Grant (Debbie Allen) - Leroy Johnson (Gene Anthony Ray) - Danny Amatullo (Carlo Imperato) - Benjamin Shorofsky (Albert Hague) - Elizabeth Sherwood (Carol Mayo Jenkins) - Doris Schwartz (Valerie Landsburg) - Bruno Martelli (Lee Curreri) - Coco Hernandez (Erica Gimpel) - Christopher Donlon (Billy Hufsey) - Holly Laird (Cynthia Gibb) - Jesse Velasquez (Jesse Borrego) - Nicole Chapman (Nia Peeples)
Story setting: New York (though the show interiors were shot in Los Angeles...)
Story setting: New York (though the show interiors were shot in Los Angeles...)
Theme song: Fame - same as the 1980 movie, only sung by cast member Erica Gimpel (who played Coco in the series) till S. 4, and by Loretta Chandler (Dusty) in S. 5 and 6. Movie Coco was played by Irene Cara, who sang the original version of the song
Spin-offs and remakes (to date): Fame L.A. (tv series; 1997-98; 1 s., 22 eps); Fame - The Musical (stage musical; 1988-current, in various forms); Fame (movie; 2009; very loose remake of the original movie)
In three words...: Artistic, energetic, heartwarming
Facty facts & captions: Here goes an overview of this series and a few trivia about it...And WARNING! This is going to be a VERY LONG POST. I'm so biased :).
The first season of Fame follows the school career and personal life of seven talented juniors at the New York School of the Arts, at the same time focusing on three of their teachers. Leroy (Gene Anthony Ray) is the stubborn, street-smart dance prodigy; Bruno (Lee Curreri) the shy, dedicated piano player; Doris (Valerie Landsburg) the impulsive, warmhearted actress and singer; Coco (Erica Gimpel) the ambitious, zestful all-rounder; Danny (Carlo Imperato) the outwardly cocky, deep down vulnerable comedian; Julie (Lori Singer) the naive newcomer and cello virtuoso; Montgomery (P.R. Paul) the quiet - but funny on occasion - actor/stage director. Lydia Grant (Debbie Allen), Elizabeth Sherwood (Carol Mayo Jenkins) and Benjamin Shorofsky (Albert Hague) are respectively the dance, English and music teacher. One of the show's trademarks are the musical numbers (usually a couple) featured in every episode, obviously starring the kids (and often their dance teacher), though in the seasons to come there will be more than a few guest stars stepping in (*rolls eyes*).
As the season opens, the kids have (supposedly) all been at school together for a while, and the faculty have (supposedly) known them for a couple of years already. Nevertheless, for plot reasons, a few things happen that would have made more sense if the characters had just met/enrolled. While Coco pesters Bruno about "going places" and perform together in front of an audience (this is taken straight from the movie), referring to the occasions they lost during the previous year, Doris and Danny only become friends in ep. 4, when they find themselves locked in a lift together during a power outage (that never gets old LOL). There are frictions between Bruno and Shorofsky about playing classical music (again, this is a reference to the movie), and both Sherwood and Grant have a hard time trying to instill some discipline in Leroy...and to get him into a pair of dance tights (that he will never agree to wear, trading them for athletic shorts). Not to mention, Leroy can barely read, and - since he's 16 - he's supposed to be in his third year of high school...
Surprisingly enough, we are introduced to the resident drama teacher, Greg Crandall (Michael Thoma), only in ep. 4. Thoma will merely guest-star for the rest of the season, appearing in 7 out of 16 episodes. The season finale, "A Special Place", is a sort of tribute to Thoma, who was struggling with cancer at the time and would die at 55 on September that very year.
Right from the start, Fame deals with human relationships as much as with arts. It probably features one of the very first (and strongest) mixed-race friendships seen on TV, the one between teachers Lydia Grant and Elizabeth Sherwood. They look and sound so at ease with each other - and even when they have the occasional fight, it comes off as so natural - that for years I haven't even given a thought to the race difference. The kids themselves are a (carefully chosen, I guess) mixed bunch: Leroy is Afro-American (from Harlem), Coco is Puertorican, Bruno and Danny are Italian-American, Doris is of Hebrew descent, Montgomery is (allegedly) of Scottish heritage, and Julie comes from Texas, which makes her the only "true" American in the group - though, kind of ironically, she starts off as the newbie and half-outcast. The seven of them will ultimately strike a friendship, though not without different shades...apart from Doris, who is pretty much close to everyone (especially to Bruno and Danny), the strongest bonds are formed by Leroy-Coco (and later, after a rocky start, Leroy-Danny) and Julie-Bruno.
One of the pillars of Fame is the adorably grumpy music teacher Shorofsky. He fled Germany to save his own life during the war and ultimately found a home in the U.S.A. (just like actor Albert Hague). In S. 1 and 2, he can be seen fighting daily with Bruno and trying to squeeze the best out of him.
In ep. 7, one of the most popular side characters of the show is introduced: ditzy - but surprisingly witty sometimes - school secretary Mrs. Berg (Ann Nelson), who will stay until the very last episode, giving us all our weekly fix of fun.
Season 2 sees the departure of Montgomery (never explained), who doesn't get a replacement. As a matter of fact, the authors probably never had a real clue about what to do with his character. Movie Montgomery was gay, something the production apparently thought better left out from the series - a great opportunity missed out, but I guess times weren't ripe enough yet. Anyway, the gay angle wasn't replaced with anything substantial, and Montgomery probably got redundant after a while, since he wasn't neither a singer nor a dancer, and the show already had its resident actor in Danny...
Also, Prof. Crandall is still mentioned now and then in the first episodes of S. 2 (in the sense that he's still alive as a character), but at the same time a new, young (and handsome) drama teacher, David Reardon (Morgan Stevens), is introduced - which is definitely odd, since in the 1st season finale Crandall was about to be fired (and his students reassigned to Sherwood) due to budget issues...now, they want us to believe that the school can pay TWO drama teachers at the same time? Anyway, I must admit, this bugs me now, but it didn't when I was a 17 y.o. fan ;).
Back to Crandall, his death in the Fame universe only happens in ep. 8, leaving Danny - who looked up to him - devastated. But Reardon, despite a rocky start, is - of course! - ultimately able to help him coping.
A new side character is introduced in this season: nerdy sousaphone player/strict hall monitor Dwight (David Greenlee). He will serve as the butt of many of jokes of course, but will also get a few more serious episodes later on.
As Season 3 begins, the show has lost Julie (and her departure not only is explained, but even makes for a major plot point in the 2-part season opener). This is due to Lori Singer accepting the main female role in the movie Footloose (which, unfortunately, won't be enough to catapult her into stardom). At the same time, Bruno's father dies, and he's forced to leave school and take a job as a waiter-with-pianobar-benefits in a coffee house, that soon will become a meeting place for the kids. Also, we are introduced to two newbies: brisk-yet-sophisticated actress/singer Holly (Cynthia Gibb) and self-conceited, but ultimately good-hearted dancer (and occasionally singer) Chris (Billy Hufsey). Both good looking (very much so), they seem destined to become a couple - but again, thankfully, the writers don't take the most obvious road (though the two newcomers do indeed date for a single episode, because playing the couple in a school production goes to their head for a while). At first, it isn't easy for the new kids to adjust (Doris seems to hate Holly's guts, and Leroy sees Chris as competition), but they will ultimately become friends with everyone (friendship was probably the main theme of this show...not success). In fact, Chris will soon become Danny's best buddy.
Typically, the two new kids have classes with those who were already at school before them. I suppose we are to believe that they have the school credits (and, since one has to audition in order to be accepted, the abilities) that are needed to access that particular level of education; on the other hand, though every season seem to represent a different school year, the former kids should have graduated by now, since they were 16 in S. 1...not to mention, each and every new arrival is supposed to be 16 as well. The topic has always been (and will always be) glossed over.
Another new face at school is Quentin Morloch (Ken Swofford), the viceprincipal. The S.O.T.A. has seemingly never had a viceprincipal before (in the sense that we never saw such a figure till Morloch came along) and now it has one, indeed. A strict, abrasive one at that. This will cause all types of funny clashes with students (and faculty) of course. The conflict element the show needed (erm, did it?). Ken Swofford will later play not less than 6 different characters in 11 episodes of Murder, She Wrote.
In ep. 8, Coco leaves the school to pursue her career. A thought blow. I really liked her, despite being my opposite in a bunch of ways (I rather fancied myself as Doris). She and Leroy were the spirit of Fame to me. Anyway, Erica will reprise her role in ep. 19 of Season 4, where Coco - disillusioned with the showbiz - enrolls at school again, only to leave for good after learning a valuable lesson. In such a short span of time, she does take the time to rekindle her old bond with Leroy, who finds himself falling for her...but Coco manages to convince him it's not the case After Fame, Erica Gimpel will play a bunch of recurring characters in many successful TV series, such as Profiler, ER and Veronica Mars - but sadly, she won't get the chance to showcase her dancing and singing abilities on there.
Admittedly, in S. 3 the scripts quality begins to falter now and then. Guest stars overuse, a few weak or weird plots (including a ghost who possesses Doris in "Lisa's Song"...now, abruptly mixing contemporary with supernatural? NO. GOOD. AT. ALL.), issues resolved too easily - the latter being a typical problem of series produced in the '80s. From alcoholism to leukemia to disability, everything is featured and fixed in the 40-something minutes of a single episode. Also, this season "delights" us with a terrible installment ("The Deal") that shortsightedly (and stereotypically) brings back the equation Italy=mafia...again. Let me forget it please...
Ep. 23 "Heritage" marks the very last appearance for Bruno - a character who won't get a proper sendoff despite being one of the show foundations. He just won't be there neither on ep. 24, nor at the beginning of Season 4 (Lee Curreri decided to pursue a career as a musician and composer, but the real reason why he left when he left was economical - he was one of the most expensive stars because of his musical contribute to the show), and we'll never know why...
Season 4, like I said, sees Bruno departure, but also the arrival of not less than three new characters: refined, perfectionist and strong-willed dancer/singer/actress Nicole (Nia Peeples, who after Fame will star on Walker, Texas Ranger and The Young and the Restless) - kind of a new, white and gentler version of Coco; badass-with-a-heart-of-gold dancer, but also singer and actor Jesse (Jesse Borrego, later to be seen in 24 and Dexter) - kind of a new, Latino and more passionate version of Leroy; and sweet, insecure singer/dancer Cleo (played by a 18 y.o., pre-fame Janet Jackson). Personally, I liked Nicole and Jesse a lot better than Holly and Chris - they were less stereotypical both as characters and embodiments of beauty (sorry fans, no offense meant). The two of them will soon begin a (rather tempestuous) relationship, the only long-term one between two Fame characters in six years. As for Cleo, after fruitlessly pining for Leroy and having some adjustment issues, she will move to Hollywood with her family at the end of the season. Janet Jackson - who, apparently, had only joined Fame to oblige her father, and always felt an outcast there - was determined to pursue her music career. Honestly, I can't say she brought a lot to the show. Maybe she was just underused, but still.
Another odd thing happens with Prof. Reardon, who is last seen on the 4th season opener (where Holly, after having known the man for a whole year, suddenly gets a crush on him) and then disappears. The S.O.T.A. won't get a new resident drama teacher till ep. 3 of Season 6, and the role will be very occasionally filled by Prof. Peggy Persky (Randee Heller...in a grand total of three episodes) till then.
Season 5 and 6 both see a lot of people come and go. Doris is the first long-time character to leave - four seasons of playing a ten-year-younger-than-herself girl, plus an alcohol addiction, have finally taken their toll on Valerie. In the first episode of S. 5, it is mentioned that she's playing the forth halberdier or something like that (I've only seen the ep dubbed in Italian) in a theater production. Why would her leave school for such a meager reward, I have no idea (or did she simply graduate? but it is never implied). Maybe the authors wanted to underline that the road to fame is always rocky, but still...From ep. 10 on, Morloch is gone as well, replaced by much less strict, slightly dazed Dyrenforth (Graham Jarvis). In the same installment, Holly leaves to take a role in a soap opera. The new student Dusty (Loretta Chandler) now sings the opening theme song.
This season is absolutely the worst one, with a bunch of movie/book rip-off episodes (among which are The Prisoner of Zenda, Don Quixote, Sherlock Holmes, and even Rashomon) which look ridiculous when placed into the Fame frame (especially the "Zenda" one, His Majesty Donlon, where both Chris and Nicole have perfect lookalikes who are, respectively, Prince of Vatonia and his fiancée - a mere, whimsical excuse to have virtual Nicole and Chris play the lovers...). Also, I have to admit a few of the "remakes" got lost on 20 y.o. me. I used to know a lot of old, non-teen stuff even back then, but Zenda is from the '30s, for goodness sake...and Rashomon is not what I'd call young-audience material...I suppose the authors were feeling the urge to please themselves O_O.
In the meantime, Leroy has graduated (?!) and become Prof. Grant's assistant (Debbie Allen wasn't around as usual at the time, due to other commitments). As S. 6 opens, Chris has graduated too, but he's still in the picture. The most notable (or only notable...) new entries in the last two years of Fame are quirky actress Reggie (Carrie Hamilton - sadly, she will die of brain cancer in 2002) in S. 5, and brash British musician Ian (Michael Cerveris - now mainly active on and off Broadway but also seen in Fringe) in S. 6. He will finally give Shorofsky a purpose again, since the old music teacher had seemingly lost it as a result of Bruno's drop-out three whole years before O_O.
Another new face is - finally! - the drama teacher Paul Seeger (Eric Pierpoint), who will become a series regular. Also, Sherwood doesn't return for Season 6, due to an unexpected editorial success with a hot romance novel (SO out of character), and isn't replaced (?!)...and Nicole dies in ep. 11 of Season 6, victim of a drunk-driving incident (as a passenger). Nia Peeples and the producers had mutually decided to part ways, so they thought that killing a beloved character off would maybe teach some young fans a life lesson.
In the immediate wake of Nicole's death, the show goes downhill again, after apparently getting back on track for the first part of the season. The very last episode, however - whose evocative title is "Baby, Remember My Name" - makes amends for this by featuring most of the long-gone characters, who return to school for Alumni Week and talk to the present kids. So we get to see Bruno, Coco, Doris and even Montgomery again, and learn what the S.O.T.A. meant to them. The grand finale is an energetic, but still moving group rendition - all singing and dancing - of the theme song, with the camera ultimately pulling away.
Did you know...:
...The school's exterior IRL was the Bradbury Building in L.A. (complete with fake subway exit). From S. 4 on, both the street and the entrance were stage props (bearing no resemblance at all with the original ones...). See the pics and read the story here.
...Erica Gimpel was the only Famer to actually attend the N.Y. High School of Performing Arts, on which the fictional school was loosely based. She wasn't around for some episodes because she was sitting her exams at the time.
...Fran Drescher (later to star in The Nanny) appeared in the pilot as Rhonda. Her character was then dropped.
...Gene Anthony Ray passed away in 2003 from a stroke. He was HIV positive and had lived in Italy for a while.
...Prof. Grant, Prof. Shorofsky and Leroy are the only original and steady characters (from the pilot) to appear in the series finale. And with Mrs. Berg and Danny, they are the only holdovers from the first season.
...In 6 years, Danny apparently never graduated LOL. Not to mention, even Leroy (with all his school issues) and Chris (who only enrolled in S. 4) did. Bruno underlines it with a joke in the series finale. I suppose the author were short of ideas for keeping Danny into the story, but out of school...
DVDs:
Only Season 1 and 2 have been released so far - can you believe it?!? - for music copyright reasons (since most of the song the show used were borrowed from various artists, and only a few were originals). For the same motives, ep. 20 of S. 2 (which comprised the highlights of the cast's concerts in the UK) wasn't included in the DVD. And a couple of musical tracks (like the classic "Happy birthday") have been removed or substituted. What a shame.
Vinyls/CDs:
The Kids from Fame (both formats); The Kids from Fame - Again (vinyl only); The Kids from Fame - Live (vinyl only); The Best of Fame (both formats); The Kids from Fame - Songs (vinyl only); Fame - Rock'n Roll World (vinyl only); The Kids from Fame - Sing for You (vinyl only). Covers and tracklists here.
Links:
Fame Forever - the Fame bible, started in 1997 by my friend Pam, though not updated since 2012.
Kids from Fame Media - the fabulous source for all Fame stuff, created by long-time fan Mark.
Credits:
All the pics come from my personal collection, so I don't know who originally owned them anymore. Some of them may come from MGM or the Kids from Fame Media site. Please contact me (via the form on the sidebar) if you want them deleted. No copyright infringement meant.
Season 1
The first season of Fame follows the school career and personal life of seven talented juniors at the New York School of the Arts, at the same time focusing on three of their teachers. Leroy (Gene Anthony Ray) is the stubborn, street-smart dance prodigy; Bruno (Lee Curreri) the shy, dedicated piano player; Doris (Valerie Landsburg) the impulsive, warmhearted actress and singer; Coco (Erica Gimpel) the ambitious, zestful all-rounder; Danny (Carlo Imperato) the outwardly cocky, deep down vulnerable comedian; Julie (Lori Singer) the naive newcomer and cello virtuoso; Montgomery (P.R. Paul) the quiet - but funny on occasion - actor/stage director. Lydia Grant (Debbie Allen), Elizabeth Sherwood (Carol Mayo Jenkins) and Benjamin Shorofsky (Albert Hague) are respectively the dance, English and music teacher. One of the show's trademarks are the musical numbers (usually a couple) featured in every episode, obviously starring the kids (and often their dance teacher), though in the seasons to come there will be more than a few guest stars stepping in (*rolls eyes*).
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| Top to bottom, left to right: Bruno (Lee Curreri), Prof. Sherwood (Carol Mayo Jenkins), Prof. Shorofsky (Albert Hague), Montgomery (P.R. Paul), Doris (Valerie Landsburg), Prof. Grant (Debbie Allen), Julie (Lori Singer), Danny (Carlo Imperato), Coco (Erica Gimpel), Leroy (Gene Anthony Ray) |
As the season opens, the kids have (supposedly) all been at school together for a while, and the faculty have (supposedly) known them for a couple of years already. Nevertheless, for plot reasons, a few things happen that would have made more sense if the characters had just met/enrolled. While Coco pesters Bruno about "going places" and perform together in front of an audience (this is taken straight from the movie), referring to the occasions they lost during the previous year, Doris and Danny only become friends in ep. 4, when they find themselves locked in a lift together during a power outage (that never gets old LOL). There are frictions between Bruno and Shorofsky about playing classical music (again, this is a reference to the movie), and both Sherwood and Grant have a hard time trying to instill some discipline in Leroy...and to get him into a pair of dance tights (that he will never agree to wear, trading them for athletic shorts). Not to mention, Leroy can barely read, and - since he's 16 - he's supposed to be in his third year of high school...
Surprisingly enough, we are introduced to the resident drama teacher, Greg Crandall (Michael Thoma), only in ep. 4. Thoma will merely guest-star for the rest of the season, appearing in 7 out of 16 episodes. The season finale, "A Special Place", is a sort of tribute to Thoma, who was struggling with cancer at the time and would die at 55 on September that very year.
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| Michael Thoma as Crandall |
Right from the start, Fame deals with human relationships as much as with arts. It probably features one of the very first (and strongest) mixed-race friendships seen on TV, the one between teachers Lydia Grant and Elizabeth Sherwood. They look and sound so at ease with each other - and even when they have the occasional fight, it comes off as so natural - that for years I haven't even given a thought to the race difference. The kids themselves are a (carefully chosen, I guess) mixed bunch: Leroy is Afro-American (from Harlem), Coco is Puertorican, Bruno and Danny are Italian-American, Doris is of Hebrew descent, Montgomery is (allegedly) of Scottish heritage, and Julie comes from Texas, which makes her the only "true" American in the group - though, kind of ironically, she starts off as the newbie and half-outcast. The seven of them will ultimately strike a friendship, though not without different shades...apart from Doris, who is pretty much close to everyone (especially to Bruno and Danny), the strongest bonds are formed by Leroy-Coco (and later, after a rocky start, Leroy-Danny) and Julie-Bruno.
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| Montgomery, Bruno, Coco, Leroy |
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| Doris, Danny, Julie |
One of the pillars of Fame is the adorably grumpy music teacher Shorofsky. He fled Germany to save his own life during the war and ultimately found a home in the U.S.A. (just like actor Albert Hague). In S. 1 and 2, he can be seen fighting daily with Bruno and trying to squeeze the best out of him.
In ep. 7, one of the most popular side characters of the show is introduced: ditzy - but surprisingly witty sometimes - school secretary Mrs. Berg (Ann Nelson), who will stay until the very last episode, giving us all our weekly fix of fun.
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| Ann Nelson as Mrs. Berg - proud Famer! |
Season 2
Season 2 sees the departure of Montgomery (never explained), who doesn't get a replacement. As a matter of fact, the authors probably never had a real clue about what to do with his character. Movie Montgomery was gay, something the production apparently thought better left out from the series - a great opportunity missed out, but I guess times weren't ripe enough yet. Anyway, the gay angle wasn't replaced with anything substantial, and Montgomery probably got redundant after a while, since he wasn't neither a singer nor a dancer, and the show already had its resident actor in Danny...
Also, Prof. Crandall is still mentioned now and then in the first episodes of S. 2 (in the sense that he's still alive as a character), but at the same time a new, young (and handsome) drama teacher, David Reardon (Morgan Stevens), is introduced - which is definitely odd, since in the 1st season finale Crandall was about to be fired (and his students reassigned to Sherwood) due to budget issues...now, they want us to believe that the school can pay TWO drama teachers at the same time? Anyway, I must admit, this bugs me now, but it didn't when I was a 17 y.o. fan ;).
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| Morgan Stevens as Reardon |
Back to Crandall, his death in the Fame universe only happens in ep. 8, leaving Danny - who looked up to him - devastated. But Reardon, despite a rocky start, is - of course! - ultimately able to help him coping.
A new side character is introduced in this season: nerdy sousaphone player/strict hall monitor Dwight (David Greenlee). He will serve as the butt of many of jokes of course, but will also get a few more serious episodes later on.
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| David Greenlee as Dwight |
Season 3
As Season 3 begins, the show has lost Julie (and her departure not only is explained, but even makes for a major plot point in the 2-part season opener). This is due to Lori Singer accepting the main female role in the movie Footloose (which, unfortunately, won't be enough to catapult her into stardom). At the same time, Bruno's father dies, and he's forced to leave school and take a job as a waiter-with-pianobar-benefits in a coffee house, that soon will become a meeting place for the kids. Also, we are introduced to two newbies: brisk-yet-sophisticated actress/singer Holly (Cynthia Gibb) and self-conceited, but ultimately good-hearted dancer (and occasionally singer) Chris (Billy Hufsey). Both good looking (very much so), they seem destined to become a couple - but again, thankfully, the writers don't take the most obvious road (though the two newcomers do indeed date for a single episode, because playing the couple in a school production goes to their head for a while). At first, it isn't easy for the new kids to adjust (Doris seems to hate Holly's guts, and Leroy sees Chris as competition), but they will ultimately become friends with everyone (friendship was probably the main theme of this show...not success). In fact, Chris will soon become Danny's best buddy.
Typically, the two new kids have classes with those who were already at school before them. I suppose we are to believe that they have the school credits (and, since one has to audition in order to be accepted, the abilities) that are needed to access that particular level of education; on the other hand, though every season seem to represent a different school year, the former kids should have graduated by now, since they were 16 in S. 1...not to mention, each and every new arrival is supposed to be 16 as well. The topic has always been (and will always be) glossed over.
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| Billy Hufsey as Chris and Cynthia Gibb as Holly |
Another new face at school is Quentin Morloch (Ken Swofford), the viceprincipal. The S.O.T.A. has seemingly never had a viceprincipal before (in the sense that we never saw such a figure till Morloch came along) and now it has one, indeed. A strict, abrasive one at that. This will cause all types of funny clashes with students (and faculty) of course. The conflict element the show needed (erm, did it?). Ken Swofford will later play not less than 6 different characters in 11 episodes of Murder, She Wrote.
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| Ken Swofford as Morloch |
In ep. 8, Coco leaves the school to pursue her career. A thought blow. I really liked her, despite being my opposite in a bunch of ways (I rather fancied myself as Doris). She and Leroy were the spirit of Fame to me. Anyway, Erica will reprise her role in ep. 19 of Season 4, where Coco - disillusioned with the showbiz - enrolls at school again, only to leave for good after learning a valuable lesson. In such a short span of time, she does take the time to rekindle her old bond with Leroy, who finds himself falling for her...but Coco manages to convince him it's not the case After Fame, Erica Gimpel will play a bunch of recurring characters in many successful TV series, such as Profiler, ER and Veronica Mars - but sadly, she won't get the chance to showcase her dancing and singing abilities on there.
Admittedly, in S. 3 the scripts quality begins to falter now and then. Guest stars overuse, a few weak or weird plots (including a ghost who possesses Doris in "Lisa's Song"...now, abruptly mixing contemporary with supernatural? NO. GOOD. AT. ALL.), issues resolved too easily - the latter being a typical problem of series produced in the '80s. From alcoholism to leukemia to disability, everything is featured and fixed in the 40-something minutes of a single episode. Also, this season "delights" us with a terrible installment ("The Deal") that shortsightedly (and stereotypically) brings back the equation Italy=mafia...again. Let me forget it please...
Ep. 23 "Heritage" marks the very last appearance for Bruno - a character who won't get a proper sendoff despite being one of the show foundations. He just won't be there neither on ep. 24, nor at the beginning of Season 4 (Lee Curreri decided to pursue a career as a musician and composer, but the real reason why he left when he left was economical - he was one of the most expensive stars because of his musical contribute to the show), and we'll never know why...
Season 4
Season 4, like I said, sees Bruno departure, but also the arrival of not less than three new characters: refined, perfectionist and strong-willed dancer/singer/actress Nicole (Nia Peeples, who after Fame will star on Walker, Texas Ranger and The Young and the Restless) - kind of a new, white and gentler version of Coco; badass-with-a-heart-of-gold dancer, but also singer and actor Jesse (Jesse Borrego, later to be seen in 24 and Dexter) - kind of a new, Latino and more passionate version of Leroy; and sweet, insecure singer/dancer Cleo (played by a 18 y.o., pre-fame Janet Jackson). Personally, I liked Nicole and Jesse a lot better than Holly and Chris - they were less stereotypical both as characters and embodiments of beauty (sorry fans, no offense meant). The two of them will soon begin a (rather tempestuous) relationship, the only long-term one between two Fame characters in six years. As for Cleo, after fruitlessly pining for Leroy and having some adjustment issues, she will move to Hollywood with her family at the end of the season. Janet Jackson - who, apparently, had only joined Fame to oblige her father, and always felt an outcast there - was determined to pursue her music career. Honestly, I can't say she brought a lot to the show. Maybe she was just underused, but still.
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| Janet Jackson as Cleo, Jesse Borrego as Jesse and Nia Peeples as Nicole |
Another odd thing happens with Prof. Reardon, who is last seen on the 4th season opener (where Holly, after having known the man for a whole year, suddenly gets a crush on him) and then disappears. The S.O.T.A. won't get a new resident drama teacher till ep. 3 of Season 6, and the role will be very occasionally filled by Prof. Peggy Persky (Randee Heller...in a grand total of three episodes) till then.
Seasons 5-6
Season 5 and 6 both see a lot of people come and go. Doris is the first long-time character to leave - four seasons of playing a ten-year-younger-than-herself girl, plus an alcohol addiction, have finally taken their toll on Valerie. In the first episode of S. 5, it is mentioned that she's playing the forth halberdier or something like that (I've only seen the ep dubbed in Italian) in a theater production. Why would her leave school for such a meager reward, I have no idea (or did she simply graduate? but it is never implied). Maybe the authors wanted to underline that the road to fame is always rocky, but still...From ep. 10 on, Morloch is gone as well, replaced by much less strict, slightly dazed Dyrenforth (Graham Jarvis). In the same installment, Holly leaves to take a role in a soap opera. The new student Dusty (Loretta Chandler) now sings the opening theme song.
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| Loretta Chandler as Dusty and Graham Jarvis as Dyrenforth |
This season is absolutely the worst one, with a bunch of movie/book rip-off episodes (among which are The Prisoner of Zenda, Don Quixote, Sherlock Holmes, and even Rashomon) which look ridiculous when placed into the Fame frame (especially the "Zenda" one, His Majesty Donlon, where both Chris and Nicole have perfect lookalikes who are, respectively, Prince of Vatonia and his fiancée - a mere, whimsical excuse to have virtual Nicole and Chris play the lovers...). Also, I have to admit a few of the "remakes" got lost on 20 y.o. me. I used to know a lot of old, non-teen stuff even back then, but Zenda is from the '30s, for goodness sake...and Rashomon is not what I'd call young-audience material...I suppose the authors were feeling the urge to please themselves O_O.
In the meantime, Leroy has graduated (?!) and become Prof. Grant's assistant (Debbie Allen wasn't around as usual at the time, due to other commitments). As S. 6 opens, Chris has graduated too, but he's still in the picture. The most notable (or only notable...) new entries in the last two years of Fame are quirky actress Reggie (Carrie Hamilton - sadly, she will die of brain cancer in 2002) in S. 5, and brash British musician Ian (Michael Cerveris - now mainly active on and off Broadway but also seen in Fringe) in S. 6. He will finally give Shorofsky a purpose again, since the old music teacher had seemingly lost it as a result of Bruno's drop-out three whole years before O_O.
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| Ian (Michael Cerveris) and Reggie (Carrie Hamilton) - both sporting typical second-decade-of-the-'80s hairstyle |
Another new face is - finally! - the drama teacher Paul Seeger (Eric Pierpoint), who will become a series regular. Also, Sherwood doesn't return for Season 6, due to an unexpected editorial success with a hot romance novel (SO out of character), and isn't replaced (?!)...and Nicole dies in ep. 11 of Season 6, victim of a drunk-driving incident (as a passenger). Nia Peeples and the producers had mutually decided to part ways, so they thought that killing a beloved character off would maybe teach some young fans a life lesson.
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| Eris Pierpoint as Seeger |
In the immediate wake of Nicole's death, the show goes downhill again, after apparently getting back on track for the first part of the season. The very last episode, however - whose evocative title is "Baby, Remember My Name" - makes amends for this by featuring most of the long-gone characters, who return to school for Alumni Week and talk to the present kids. So we get to see Bruno, Coco, Doris and even Montgomery again, and learn what the S.O.T.A. meant to them. The grand finale is an energetic, but still moving group rendition - all singing and dancing - of the theme song, with the camera ultimately pulling away.
Did you know...:
...The school's exterior IRL was the Bradbury Building in L.A. (complete with fake subway exit). From S. 4 on, both the street and the entrance were stage props (bearing no resemblance at all with the original ones...). See the pics and read the story here.
...Erica Gimpel was the only Famer to actually attend the N.Y. High School of Performing Arts, on which the fictional school was loosely based. She wasn't around for some episodes because she was sitting her exams at the time.
...Fran Drescher (later to star in The Nanny) appeared in the pilot as Rhonda. Her character was then dropped.
...Gene Anthony Ray passed away in 2003 from a stroke. He was HIV positive and had lived in Italy for a while.
...Prof. Grant, Prof. Shorofsky and Leroy are the only original and steady characters (from the pilot) to appear in the series finale. And with Mrs. Berg and Danny, they are the only holdovers from the first season.
...In 6 years, Danny apparently never graduated LOL. Not to mention, even Leroy (with all his school issues) and Chris (who only enrolled in S. 4) did. Bruno underlines it with a joke in the series finale. I suppose the author were short of ideas for keeping Danny into the story, but out of school...
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| Fran Drescher in the pilot; the fake school entrance: Leroy's audition in the movie (oooh!) |
DVDs:
Only Season 1 and 2 have been released so far - can you believe it?!? - for music copyright reasons (since most of the song the show used were borrowed from various artists, and only a few were originals). For the same motives, ep. 20 of S. 2 (which comprised the highlights of the cast's concerts in the UK) wasn't included in the DVD. And a couple of musical tracks (like the classic "Happy birthday") have been removed or substituted. What a shame.
Vinyls/CDs:
The Kids from Fame (both formats); The Kids from Fame - Again (vinyl only); The Kids from Fame - Live (vinyl only); The Best of Fame (both formats); The Kids from Fame - Songs (vinyl only); Fame - Rock'n Roll World (vinyl only); The Kids from Fame - Sing for You (vinyl only). Covers and tracklists here.
Links:
Fame Forever - the Fame bible, started in 1997 by my friend Pam, though not updated since 2012.
Kids from Fame Media - the fabulous source for all Fame stuff, created by long-time fan Mark.
Credits:
All the pics come from my personal collection, so I don't know who originally owned them anymore. Some of them may come from MGM or the Kids from Fame Media site. Please contact me (via the form on the sidebar) if you want them deleted. No copyright infringement meant.
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| So that's all, you lovely folks! But look for the fan stuff below... |
Fan stuff: I never, ever watch TV shows centered on teenagers - and I never, ever have. I'm not interested in their dates, love triangles, problem parents or high school drama. Because, while YA lit seem to have something in it for everyone, YA TV series tend to follow the above pattern(s). Also, from the occasional glance at some almost-recent popular shows (like Dawson's Creek or Everwood), I got the impression that TV kids act like teens (more or less) and talk like adults (most of the time). I don't know, their language sounds...off. Anyway, this accounts for me not watching teen-centered TV shows. The one and only exception to my rule was the 1982 series Fame. And yeah, I was the same age of those kids back them. This may have had something to do with me choosing to watch the show and enjoying it. But the real truth? It didn't. Not for the most important part.
I'm not saying this because my mom used to watch the show with me. I'm saying this because the real reason behind my staying glued to the screen was so more complex. There was the artistic element, of course. A bunch of talented teens in art school, singing and dancing and acting and trying to learn their craft. (Mind you, this had nothing in common with nowadays talent shows, or TV wannabe-star factories that pretend to shape future performers, or whatever. But the appropriate rant will come up later...). Yes, those kids were a blast. But you know what? In the end, what really fascinated me was that they felt so real. Even those played by actors ten years older than their characters. And in a way, the show wasn't even about arts and talent and making it in the showbiz...it was about growing as a person. It was about learning how to be the better version of yourself you could be, but at the same time, never being ashamed of making mistakes - because hey, we're human, and mistakes are what shape us in the long run anyway. It was about fighting and rowing, but ultimately sticking together and being friends...
...Oh, the friendship. I was such a lonely teen back then. So, not only were the kids from Fame singing and dancing and acting on my behalf (I've never had the presumption to be an artist, but I could live the experience vicariously through them, and I was contented to do so). They also were my virtual friends in a world where I didn't have any. They showed me that at the end of the day, no matter how much people might fight with each other, scream at each other, or simply pretend not to care because it hurt too much, friendship was possible. Luckily, the authors did very little, if anything, in order to pair the kids together. As Season 2 opens, Doris develops a crush on Bruno while helping him out with a school project (and I've always thought it was a very sweet and believable situation), but the thing doesn't go anywhere. When Season 4 starts, Doris and Danny have just been dumped and try to find solace in one another, but they soon realise that, first and foremost, they're friends, and can't make things work otherwise. While I liked both episodes, I was so, so happy with the route the writers took. Those friendships were sacred to me - the more so because they were mixed-sex ones. It really mattered to me that a girl and a boy could honestly be friends, even if in a virtual world. It gave me hope for the real one. There was a relationship in Season 4, though, between Nicole and Jesse. It sat well with me, because they hadn't started out as friends, and again, they felt real. They even broke up before Nicole died, like most high school couples do IRL.
Fame wasn't by any means perfect, and like most series, tended to get less interesting and more forced as seasons went by. Of course, there was still the occasional good or great (string of) episode(s). But what the show never failed to produce were exciting musical numbers, and more often than not, inspiring songs. I really think we can forgive it for not always being on track, after all :). Especially since it provided solace, happiness and inspiration for so many people around the world. And that's why Fame will always live in their hearts.
I'm not saying this because my mom used to watch the show with me. I'm saying this because the real reason behind my staying glued to the screen was so more complex. There was the artistic element, of course. A bunch of talented teens in art school, singing and dancing and acting and trying to learn their craft. (Mind you, this had nothing in common with nowadays talent shows, or TV wannabe-star factories that pretend to shape future performers, or whatever. But the appropriate rant will come up later...). Yes, those kids were a blast. But you know what? In the end, what really fascinated me was that they felt so real. Even those played by actors ten years older than their characters. And in a way, the show wasn't even about arts and talent and making it in the showbiz...it was about growing as a person. It was about learning how to be the better version of yourself you could be, but at the same time, never being ashamed of making mistakes - because hey, we're human, and mistakes are what shape us in the long run anyway. It was about fighting and rowing, but ultimately sticking together and being friends...
...Oh, the friendship. I was such a lonely teen back then. So, not only were the kids from Fame singing and dancing and acting on my behalf (I've never had the presumption to be an artist, but I could live the experience vicariously through them, and I was contented to do so). They also were my virtual friends in a world where I didn't have any. They showed me that at the end of the day, no matter how much people might fight with each other, scream at each other, or simply pretend not to care because it hurt too much, friendship was possible. Luckily, the authors did very little, if anything, in order to pair the kids together. As Season 2 opens, Doris develops a crush on Bruno while helping him out with a school project (and I've always thought it was a very sweet and believable situation), but the thing doesn't go anywhere. When Season 4 starts, Doris and Danny have just been dumped and try to find solace in one another, but they soon realise that, first and foremost, they're friends, and can't make things work otherwise. While I liked both episodes, I was so, so happy with the route the writers took. Those friendships were sacred to me - the more so because they were mixed-sex ones. It really mattered to me that a girl and a boy could honestly be friends, even if in a virtual world. It gave me hope for the real one. There was a relationship in Season 4, though, between Nicole and Jesse. It sat well with me, because they hadn't started out as friends, and again, they felt real. They even broke up before Nicole died, like most high school couples do IRL.
Fame wasn't by any means perfect, and like most series, tended to get less interesting and more forced as seasons went by. Of course, there was still the occasional good or great (string of) episode(s). But what the show never failed to produce were exciting musical numbers, and more often than not, inspiring songs. I really think we can forgive it for not always being on track, after all :). Especially since it provided solace, happiness and inspiration for so many people around the world. And that's why Fame will always live in their hearts.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I loved Fame and always wanted to attend them and dance around the canteen at lunchtime! Or even better out on the street.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't tell how long it has been since I last saw an episode but I could name all central characters without even thinking about it and I suppose that shows what an impression it left on me.
Fame sure left an impression on many of us...it had so many strong features. Glad I was able to make you relive some great moments :). And oh, yes, all that cafeteria/street dancing...not very believable maybe, but it was a joy to watch!
DeleteHi!!! I am back!!! School is taking most of my time. Anyways, I am very excited for your feature. First of all, let me praise you for all the hard work you did. I know it is hard writing all this post. Good job! I haven't watched "Fame", but I will check it out.
ReplyDeleteQuote: "Doris and Danny only become friends in ep. 4, when they find themselves locked in a lift together during a power outage (that never gets old LOL)." Hahaha, that's so true though!
(Re: quote)
Delete:D
Welcome back, you dark but funny lady...I missed you!
I missed you too :)
DeleteAww :D.
DeleteI was pretty young when Fame aired, but I remember watching it, even if I can't remember anything about it (like I totally forgot Lori Singer, who later starred in Footloose, was in this). I really want to track down Fame and watch it now... maybe it's on Netflix. Of course, it'll have to wait until I finish my The Walking Dead watch-athon and make it through all of the Gilmore Girls seasons.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks to you, I'm totally going to have the Fame theme song in my head all day! ;)
Haha. It would come handy for some fitness exercises too, in case you feel like uncramping your muscles!
DeleteHi Roberta,
ReplyDeleteGreat summary of the show.
This came up in a Google search for me and as I was reading I wondered if I knew the person writing it. Now I can see your details are on the side bar but I must have been concentrating on the subject matter too much when I first read because I didn't see you name until I got to the bottom of the screen.
Thanks for the Kids From Fame Media Site mention.
I miss our conversations in the Fame Forum. I don't know what happened to it but haven't been able to get into that forum for years!
Happy New Year,
Mark.
Hi Mark! So good to talk to you again. I actually meant to drop you a line when I posted this article, but never gotten round to it. Shame on me :/.
DeleteAs for the forum...Pam put it in manteinance mode back when the Proboards team introduced a series of massive changes, and it has remained closed ever since. I tried to access it not long ago, since my mod privileges still allow me to do so, and saw that their changes affected not only the skin(s), but even the contents...at least in the General section. All our old discussions that weren't strictly about the show or the movie are gone :(. I haven't talked to Pam in ages, but she's a Goodreads member like me...so I mean to contact her via the website one of these days. I don't think she's going to put the board back in action, but you never known.
It's great that you're still keeping Fame alive. Awesome job on the site :).
Happy 2015 to you!
Hi Roberta,
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me know what happened to the forum. I had no idea that proboards were making any changes to the forum.
It’s a shame that so many posts are lost and even the ones that are still there, that no one can see any more. I know the forum was getting less and less people accessing and posting as more people moved over to Facebook but it’s a shame that so much of that archive has been lost.
When I originally started writing my episode reviews of the first 4 seasons, I only posted them in the forum and didn’t keep a copy myself (that was probably a big mistake!) At that point I had no idea I would start my own site. When I did start the site I would copy my review from the forum each time I covered a new episode. Sadly I hadn’t finished all of the season 3 and 4 episodes when the forum went down so lost those reviews and had to do those again, which was frustrating.
I’ll share your fame post on my blog, tomorrow for others to read.
Take Care.
Thanks! As for the archives, I think most of what has been lost was in the General section, not in the Series one. I can try and dig up some old posts of yours if you want.
DeleteThanks for the offer, but I think I've pretty much done them all again now. So there's no need for you to try and find my post, but thanks anyway.
Delete