"I tried to stay with things until I thought they were on their feet."
November 15, 2014 4:50 PM Subscribe
Prolific television producer Glen A. Larson has died. Mainstream audiences might remember him as the creator of Alias Smith and Jones, his first hit series; and of such shows as Quincy M.E., Magnum, P.I., and The Fall Guy. But to science-fiction fans, he will always be remembered as the man behind TV's first million-dollar-per-episode series, Battlestar Galactica, and as a Consulting Producer on Syfy's highly regarded remake of the series. He also brought us Knight Rider; The Six Million Dollar Man, which may soon be getting a reimagining of its own; and Buck Rogers in the 25ᵗʰ Century, along with a handful of less successful, but still fondly remembered, sci-fi TV adventures.
He was often criticized for the fact that the ideas behind many of his television series seem to have been "borrowed" from hit feature films. He shrugged off such claims, saying "Television networks are a lot like automobile manufacturers, or anyone else who's in commerce. If something out there catches on with the public … call it market research." (Still, it may be worth noting that he was once fined by the Writer's Guild for stealing a number of plots from The Rockford Files.)
In legal struggles with former employer Universal Studios, Larson claimed that the studio had not paid him his share of the profits owed from the shows he produced for them. He also tried to claim ownership rights to Battlestar Galactica. The courts declared that Larson no longer owned the television rights to the property, but retained feature film rights, and he was trying to launch such a film -- originally envisioned as a continuation of the original series, but eventually planned to be another complete reboot.
(Previously.)
He was often criticized for the fact that the ideas behind many of his television series seem to have been "borrowed" from hit feature films. He shrugged off such claims, saying "Television networks are a lot like automobile manufacturers, or anyone else who's in commerce. If something out there catches on with the public … call it market research." (Still, it may be worth noting that he was once fined by the Writer's Guild for stealing a number of plots from The Rockford Files.)
In legal struggles with former employer Universal Studios, Larson claimed that the studio had not paid him his share of the profits owed from the shows he produced for them. He also tried to claim ownership rights to Battlestar Galactica. The courts declared that Larson no longer owned the television rights to the property, but retained feature film rights, and he was trying to launch such a film -- originally envisioned as a continuation of the original series, but eventually planned to be another complete reboot.
(Previously.)
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posted by MCMikeNamara at 4:52 PM on November 15, 2014
posted by MCMikeNamara at 4:52 PM on November 15, 2014
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posted by lalochezia at 5:03 PM on November 15, 2014
posted by lalochezia at 5:03 PM on November 15, 2014
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posted by lordrunningclam at 5:07 PM on November 15, 2014
posted by lordrunningclam at 5:07 PM on November 15, 2014
Man, to my young TV watching mind a Glen Larson production was the definitive sign of quality that required coercing my parents into letting me control the TV for those time slots.
There goes another piece of the past
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posted by jadepearl at 5:23 PM on November 15, 2014 [8 favorites]
There goes another piece of the past
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posted by jadepearl at 5:23 PM on November 15, 2014 [8 favorites]
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Damn. Now *there* was a legend.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 5:23 PM on November 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Damn. Now *there* was a legend.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 5:23 PM on November 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
So much of my childhood is right there.
Sure, in retrospect a lot of it wasn't great, but he put spaceships on television, which is all young me needed.
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posted by Mezentian at 5:39 PM on November 15, 2014 [5 favorites]
Sure, in retrospect a lot of it wasn't great, but he put spaceships on television, which is all young me needed.
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posted by Mezentian at 5:39 PM on November 15, 2014 [5 favorites]
A couple of those early shows, Alias Smith and Jones, and The Six Million Dollar Man were popular at the margin when [gather round kids] cable TV was in the process of being installed across the country and each house had only one TV.
We used to love Alias Smith and Jones and everyone watched The Six Million Dollar Man.
posted by vapidave at 5:53 PM on November 15, 2014
We used to love Alias Smith and Jones and everyone watched The Six Million Dollar Man.
posted by vapidave at 5:53 PM on November 15, 2014
When I was very young, I used to be babysat by my grandfather a lot. We would watch The Six Million Dollar Man, which I loved, because bionic powers. He liked to watch The Rockford Files which due to a lack of bionic powers, I found far less entertaining. In order to placate me, he had me convinced that these were episodes where he was working undercover and had to keep this powers secret.
My grandfather's ruse was dependent upon the fact I have always had a terrible inability to recognize faces.
posted by sourwookie at 5:54 PM on November 15, 2014 [15 favorites]
My grandfather's ruse was dependent upon the fact I have always had a terrible inability to recognize faces.
posted by sourwookie at 5:54 PM on November 15, 2014 [15 favorites]
K.I.T.T. will live forever. Until the episode in season 4 where he's reprogrammed to be evil and uses the word "ain't". But they'll fix him at the end.
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posted by RobotVoodooPower at 5:58 PM on November 15, 2014
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posted by RobotVoodooPower at 5:58 PM on November 15, 2014
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posted by Joey Michaels at 6:34 PM on November 15, 2014
posted by Joey Michaels at 6:34 PM on November 15, 2014
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I'm the unknown stuntman that makes Eastwood look so fine.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 7:08 PM on November 15, 2014
I'm the unknown stuntman that makes Eastwood look so fine.
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 7:08 PM on November 15, 2014
Unfortunately not to be continued next week. I watched a lot of his shows as a kid.
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posted by arcticseal at 7:23 PM on November 15, 2014
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posted by arcticseal at 7:23 PM on November 15, 2014
Larson was credited with co-writing many of his theme songs. In fact, before turning his attention to television he was one of the original members of The Four Preps.
For the sake of being complete, here's his production company vanity logo.
posted by evilcolonel at 7:41 PM on November 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
For the sake of being complete, here's his production company vanity logo.
posted by evilcolonel at 7:41 PM on November 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Ah, Erin Gray. My first TV crush. He also was responsible for "BJ and the Bear", the theme song of which I can inexplicably sing to this day.
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posted by mollweide at 8:09 PM on November 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
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posted by mollweide at 8:09 PM on November 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
Oh, yeah, I loved Buck Rogers as a kid. Except I wanted to be Colonel Wilma Deering. Or maybe even the spoiled Princess, because hey, I was young and we didn't have Disney princesses yet.
Of course, they just ruined the series later with the silly beleepity beleepity boop robot stuff. Not even sexy birdman Hawk could save the day at that point.
posted by misha at 8:17 PM on November 15, 2014
Of course, they just ruined the series later with the silly beleepity beleepity boop robot stuff. Not even sexy birdman Hawk could save the day at that point.
posted by misha at 8:17 PM on November 15, 2014
Here's something fun: the blooper reel for the 1978 Battlestar Galactica wrap party, full on flubbed lines, inside jokes and silliness.
I've always thought that show was really underrated. Sure, it's 1970s cheese, but that original TV movie is surprisingly dark stuff and the Mormon symbolism threaded through the series is really weird and interesting. It's obviously a very, very different show from the reboot, but it's good in its own way.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 8:20 PM on November 15, 2014 [8 favorites]
I've always thought that show was really underrated. Sure, it's 1970s cheese, but that original TV movie is surprisingly dark stuff and the Mormon symbolism threaded through the series is really weird and interesting. It's obviously a very, very different show from the reboot, but it's good in its own way.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 8:20 PM on November 15, 2014 [8 favorites]
All TV was crappy. His was memorable.
posted by mazola at 9:13 PM on November 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by mazola at 9:13 PM on November 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
He also brought us ... Galatica 80, which was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
He was Firefly'd by the network on that one.
posted by Mezentian at 9:48 PM on November 15, 2014
He was Firefly'd by the network on that one.
posted by Mezentian at 9:48 PM on November 15, 2014
Agreed about the original series, Ursula Hitler. The cheese ratio grows fatter toward the end of the season, but a number of the episodes hold up really well as long as you're willing to accept the much more literal and blunt storytelling approach that suited a three-network broadcast industry with its need to reach mass audiences.
posted by dhartung at 10:01 PM on November 15, 2014
posted by dhartung at 10:01 PM on November 15, 2014
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posted by Queen of Robots at 11:28 PM on November 15, 2014
posted by Queen of Robots at 11:28 PM on November 15, 2014
The ability to watch the style of TV shows from the 1970s-1980s era is becoming an acquired skill. You simply can't plop a savvy viewer of the modern day in front of The Six Million Dollar Man or Quincy and expect them to understand why people enjoyed those programs. They were meant to be seen at one-week intervals, as a chance to leisurely hang out with your TV-land friends again -- not binge-watched on Netflix. Eventually television connoisseurs will have to train themselves to appreciate this sort of episodic storytelling, and there will be college courses on Glen A. Larson!
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 2:56 AM on November 16, 2014 [7 favorites]
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 2:56 AM on November 16, 2014 [7 favorites]
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posted by mikelieman at 3:15 AM on November 16, 2014
posted by mikelieman at 3:15 AM on November 16, 2014
Cyborgs, robots, space, all on television for my twelve-year old brain. I like to think that Glen Larson prepared me for William Gibson. The weird thing is that I remember watching Battlestar Galactica in California, but we moved to Utah in 1977 and the series started in 1978.
posted by mecran01 at 3:16 AM on November 16, 2014
posted by mecran01 at 3:16 AM on November 16, 2014
The weird thing is that I remember watching Battlestar Galactica in California, but we moved to Utah in 1977 and the series started in 1978.
Maybe it was the Vasquez Rocks effect?
I certainly feel like I grew up in California, and I've never been near the US.
posted by Mezentian at 4:50 AM on November 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
Maybe it was the Vasquez Rocks effect?
I certainly feel like I grew up in California, and I've never been near the US.
posted by Mezentian at 4:50 AM on November 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
Taps for a man who understood television.
posted by Pudhoho at 5:23 AM on November 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Pudhoho at 5:23 AM on November 16, 2014 [2 favorites]
From a British perspective, Larson's TV presence in the seventies was enormous: between our dour, home-grown soaps and repulsive racist comedies, Larson's fantasies sparkled away and fuelled the imaginations of an entire generation of children like myself. Plus, moments like this seem absolutely totemic: 'It's called getting down... it's a little before your time, if it frightens you.'
posted by specialbrew at 5:51 AM on November 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by specialbrew at 5:51 AM on November 16, 2014 [3 favorites]
I'm curious about his lawsuit vs. Universal. Anyone know how it turned out?
He sure went a long time into his career before making the complaint. I thought he was a savvy guy until I read this. I figured he was Aaron Spelling type rich, but I guess not. I wonder how big his estate is.
posted by surplus at 8:48 AM on November 16, 2014
In July 2011, Larson sued Universal, alleging a decades-long fraud perpetrated by a studio that he said never once sent him profit participation statements despite his shows earning hundreds of millions of dollars.LINK
He sure went a long time into his career before making the complaint. I thought he was a savvy guy until I read this. I figured he was Aaron Spelling type rich, but I guess not. I wonder how big his estate is.
posted by surplus at 8:48 AM on November 16, 2014
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posted by northtwilight at 9:09 AM on November 16, 2014
posted by northtwilight at 9:09 AM on November 16, 2014
Wow. He was responsible for everything I loved on TV as a kid. I recently re-watched the original BSG, and was struck by how much it influenced more recent shows, like Firefly.
posted by MissySedai at 9:59 AM on November 16, 2014
posted by MissySedai at 9:59 AM on November 16, 2014
I remember spotting that he was recycling scripts from one series into another; one episode of Automan was shot-for-shot an episode of The Fall Guy (as improbable as that sounds). But Spelling did that too, reusing Mod Squad scripts for Charlie's Angels, so this is probably just a case of forget it Jake it's 1970s network TV.
posted by George_Spiggott at 10:36 AM on November 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by George_Spiggott at 10:36 AM on November 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
I used to watch so many of these shows...religiously.
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posted by KillaSeal at 10:51 AM on November 16, 2014
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posted by KillaSeal at 10:51 AM on November 16, 2014
Godspeed, Mr. Larson.
My Six Million Dollar Man connection: my mother knew Lee Majors' first wife and in-laws.
posted by magstheaxe at 11:33 AM on November 16, 2014
My Six Million Dollar Man connection: my mother knew Lee Majors' first wife and in-laws.
posted by magstheaxe at 11:33 AM on November 16, 2014
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace.There are those who believe that life here began out there, far across the universe, with tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians, or the Toltecs, or the Mayans. Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to survive, somewhere beyond the heavens.
posted by ob1quixote at 12:50 PM on November 16, 2014 [1 favorite]
There are those who believe that life here began out there...
From the days when genre movies and TV were still wrestling with the influence of 2001. Even Star Trek: The Motion Picture was epic and trippy in ways that simply would not be allowed today. You watch stuff like Land of the Lost and you realize just how much Kubrick freaked out a generation of genre writers. (Remember the one where the world had a literal beating heart, miles across? God damn.)
posted by Ursula Hitler at 3:26 PM on November 16, 2014
From the days when genre movies and TV were still wrestling with the influence of 2001. Even Star Trek: The Motion Picture was epic and trippy in ways that simply would not be allowed today. You watch stuff like Land of the Lost and you realize just how much Kubrick freaked out a generation of genre writers. (Remember the one where the world had a literal beating heart, miles across? God damn.)
posted by Ursula Hitler at 3:26 PM on November 16, 2014
(Remember the one where the world had a literal beating heart, miles across? God damn.)
Damnit! We agreed we were never going to mention Torchwood: Miracle Day again!
I am actually drawing a blank on the reference, sadly. I feel I should know it.
I also always thought the opening narration was more Chariots Of The Gods (via In Search Of...) than anything of Kubricks.
posted by Mezentian at 12:20 AM on November 17, 2014
Damnit! We agreed we were never going to mention Torchwood: Miracle Day again!
I am actually drawing a blank on the reference, sadly. I feel I should know it.
I also always thought the opening narration was more Chariots Of The Gods (via In Search Of...) than anything of Kubricks.
posted by Mezentian at 12:20 AM on November 17, 2014
I am actually drawing a blank on the reference, sadly. I feel I should know it.
You're welcome
posted by The Tensor at 1:06 AM on November 17, 2014
You're welcome
posted by The Tensor at 1:06 AM on November 17, 2014
Oh, god.
That show is not only stranger than I remember, it's also worse.
But as a kid I lapped it up.
posted by Mezentian at 3:06 AM on November 17, 2014
That show is not only stranger than I remember, it's also worse.
But as a kid I lapped it up.
posted by Mezentian at 3:06 AM on November 17, 2014
A bit belated, but that's mainly because I have a very forgiving Editor who lets me write stuff up in detail rather than rush it out - my obituary of him is here.
An absolute behemoth of television. Him, Bellisario and Cannell have pretty much got a lock on the childhood memories of an entire generation or two of Anglo-American children (especially boys).
Couple of things I've not seen mentioned here so far:
- He performed with the Four Preps on Bing Crosby's breakout TV appearance, the Edsel Show. By fluke the first thing CBS ever committed to videotape and on YouTube here.
- James Garner was so pissed off at him for nicking stories from Rockford Files that he actually punched him out when they met.
- He managed to get P.S.I Luv U signed off for series on the quality of the theme music alone (he also loved the fact that the Knight Rider had become something of a Hip Hop staple).
- He's responsible for one of my favourite ever quotes about Knight Rider (and TV in general):
An absolute behemoth of television. Him, Bellisario and Cannell have pretty much got a lock on the childhood memories of an entire generation or two of Anglo-American children (especially boys).
Couple of things I've not seen mentioned here so far:
- He performed with the Four Preps on Bing Crosby's breakout TV appearance, the Edsel Show. By fluke the first thing CBS ever committed to videotape and on YouTube here.
- James Garner was so pissed off at him for nicking stories from Rockford Files that he actually punched him out when they met.
- He managed to get P.S.I Luv U signed off for series on the quality of the theme music alone (he also loved the fact that the Knight Rider had become something of a Hip Hop staple).
- He's responsible for one of my favourite ever quotes about Knight Rider (and TV in general):
"Every time you can take a bullsh*t premise and give it some dimension… you’ve elevated everything to classic proportions. Put Hasslehoff between Bill Daniels and Edward Mulhare and you’ve eliminated 90% of your problems."posted by garius at 8:55 AM on November 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
I also always thought the opening narration was more Chariots Of The Gods (via In Search Of...) than anything of Kubricks.
You'd be absolutely right with this, by the way. He openly admitted to being influenced by von Däniken whilst making Galactica.
posted by garius at 8:57 AM on November 17, 2014
You'd be absolutely right with this, by the way. He openly admitted to being influenced by von Däniken whilst making Galactica.
posted by garius at 8:57 AM on November 17, 2014
I am unashamedly in love with Land of the Lost. (Fuck you, Will Ferrell.)
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 4:04 AM on November 18, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Ik ben afgesneden at 4:04 AM on November 18, 2014 [1 favorite]
Fuck you, Will Ferrell.
So say we all.
posted by Mezentian at 6:42 AM on November 18, 2014 [2 favorites]
So say we all.
posted by Mezentian at 6:42 AM on November 18, 2014 [2 favorites]
I am actually drawing a blank on the reference, sadly. I feel I should know it.
It was from Land of the Lost. The crazy planet they were on had a gigantic freaking beating heart inside it, and it would suck dinosaurs and stuff down through the soil and then absorb them for sustenance. God damn, I loved that show. They had a budget of like $12, and they didn't let it stop them from doing all of this epic, acid trip-y stuff.
In hindsight, that BSG narration wasn't the best example of post-Kubrick 1970s sci-fi trippiness. But the show did have a few humdingers, like the Seraphs and their "ship of lights". A lot of that Ronald D. Moore mystical weirdness was baked into the original series!
posted by Ursula Hitler at 3:04 AM on November 19, 2014
It was from Land of the Lost. The crazy planet they were on had a gigantic freaking beating heart inside it, and it would suck dinosaurs and stuff down through the soil and then absorb them for sustenance. God damn, I loved that show. They had a budget of like $12, and they didn't let it stop them from doing all of this epic, acid trip-y stuff.
In hindsight, that BSG narration wasn't the best example of post-Kubrick 1970s sci-fi trippiness. But the show did have a few humdingers, like the Seraphs and their "ship of lights". A lot of that Ronald D. Moore mystical weirdness was baked into the original series!
posted by Ursula Hitler at 3:04 AM on November 19, 2014
A lot of that Ronald D. Moore mystical weirdness was baked into the original series!
And, in the original: done better.
posted by Mezentian at 4:34 AM on November 20, 2014
And, in the original: done better.
posted by Mezentian at 4:34 AM on November 20, 2014
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