Lucas Tanner is an American drama series aired on NBC during the 1974–75 season. The title character, played by David Hartman, is a former baseball player and sportswriter who becomes an English teacher at the fictional Harry S Truman Memorial High School in Webster Groves, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. He changed professions following the death of his wife and child.[1] Episodes often deal with the resistance of traditional teachers to Tanner's unorthodox teaching style.

Lucas Tanner
David Hartman as Lucas Tanner with a gifted student, Scott Glaser (Alfred Lutter III), in the episode "Thirteen Going on Twenty."
GenreSchool drama
Created byJerry McNeely
Starring
ComposerDavid Shire
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes22 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerDavid Victor
Producers
  • Jay Benson
  • Jerry McNeely
CinematographyHarry L. Wolf
Editors
  • Tony Martinelli
  • Robert Watts
  • John J. Dumas
  • Edward Haire
  • Richard Bracken
Running time60 min
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 11, 1974 (1974-09-11) –
April 9, 1975 (1975-04-09)

Regular co-stars included Rosemary Murphy, Kimberly Beck, John Randolph, and ten-year-old Robbie Rist. Unusually, the show was actually filmed in Webster Groves, rather than on a Hollywood backlot. That gave it a somewhat unusual "look" for a prime-time TV series.

A 90-minute pilot film of the series aired on NBC the week of May 4, 1974; the pilot also starred Kathleen Quinlan and Joe Garagiola.[2]

This series was Hartman's last work as an actor. In November 1975, he began as co-host of ABC's Good Morning America. To date, he has not returned to acting.

Episodes

edit
Title Directed by Written by Air date
0"Lucas Tanner"Richard DonnerJerry McNeelyMay 8, 1974 (1974-05-08)
90-minute pilot.
1"A Matter of Love"Gordon HesslerJohn McGreeveySeptember 11, 1974 (1974-09-11)
2"Instant Replay"Gordon HesslerRobert Van ScoykSeptember 18, 1974 (1974-09-18)
3"Thirteen Going on Twenty"Walter DonigerJerry McNeelyOctober 2, 1974 (1974-10-02)
4"Winners and Losers"Leo PennEugene PriceOctober 9, 1974 (1974-10-09)
5"A Question of Privacy"Jerry McNeelyJerry McNeelyOctober 16, 1974 (1974-10-16)
6"Three Letter Word"Walter DonigerLeonard & Arlene StaddOctober 23, 1974 (1974-10-23)
7"By the Numbers"William AsherSue MilburnNovember 6, 1974 (1974-11-06)
8"Echoes"Walter DonigerArthur HeinemannNovember 13, 1974 (1974-11-13)
9"Look the Other Way"Jerry LondonStory by : Arthur Heinemann & Gene Thompson
Teleplay by : Arthur Heinemann
November 20, 1974 (1974-11-20)
10"Cheers"Paul KranskyWilliam FrougDecember 4, 1974 (1974-12-04)
11"Merry Gentlemen"Walter DonigerRobert Van ScoykDecember 25, 1974 (1974-12-25)
12"Bonus Baby"Randal KleiserBruce Shelly & David KetchumJanuary 8, 1975 (1975-01-08)
13"Pay the Two Dollars"Allen BaronRobert Van ScoykJanuary 15, 1975 (1975-01-15)
14"Those Who Cannot, Teach"Robert ScheererStory by : Lila Garrett
Teleplay by : Judy Burns & Robert Van Scoyk
January 22, 1975 (1975-01-22)
15"What's Wrong with Bobbie?"Walter DonigerBooker T. Bradshaw & David P. LewisJanuary 29, 1975 (1975-01-29)
16"Collision"Alexander SingerStory by : Max Hodge
Teleplay by : Robert Van Scoyk & Max Hodge
February 5, 1975 (1975-02-05)
17"Why Not a Happy Ending?"Charles S. DubinStory by : Claire Whitaker
Teleplay by : Claire Whitaker & Judy Burns
February 12, 1975 (1975-02-12)
18"Shattered"Richard BennettStory by : Ann Beckett
Teleplay by : Ann Beckett & Robert Van Scoyk
February 19, 1975 (1975-02-19)
19"The Noise of a Quiet Weekend"Leo PennStory by : Joel Clark
Teleplay by : Robert Van Scoyk
February 26, 1975 (1975-02-26)
20"Requiem for a Son"Robert ScheererDavid P. Lewis & Booker T. BradshawMarch 12, 1975 (1975-03-12)
21"A Touch of Bribery"Paul KranskyEugene PriceApril 2, 1975 (1975-04-02)
22"One to One"Charles S. DubinStory by : Norman Hudis
Teleplay by : Norman Hudis & Robert Van Scoyk
April 9, 1975 (1975-04-09)

References

edit
edit