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517 "Goodbye Norma Jean" Leap Date: April 4, 1960 Episode
adopted by: Brinsley
Synopsis: In a fourth leap directly involving a celebrity, Sam leaps into Marilyn Monroe's chauffeur. Al says he must prevent her from overdosing on pills and alcohol. He also has to uncover the mystery behind her new assistant's past.
TV Guide Synopsis
Production # : 68115
TV Guide
Synopsis:
Place:
Leap Date:
Name
of the Person Leaped Into:
March 2, 1993 - Tuesday Promo - Behind the Scenes:
Music:
Project
Trivia:
Sam Trivia: Sam
was too young to be a fan of Marilyn when she was at the peak of
success (she originally died when he was 6.5, and later 9, years old).
However, by the time he was in college Sam was already familiar with
her work, and he used to "sneak off" to the movies, to get lost in the
magic of her "big, luscious blue eyes". Sam’s favourite Marilyn
Monroe movie is "Some Like It Hot." Sam’s idol is Albert Einstein. Sam's M.D. training comes in handy again, in saving Marilyn's life at Lawford's party. The CPR resuscitation and the keeping of the person walking around are the same treatment Sam used to save model Edie Landsdale from the effects of her own drug addiction in the third-season episode "One Strobe Over the Line".
Al Trivia:
Al's Women: He is also taken with Barbara
Whitmore. "Double your pleasure, double your fun."
Al's
Outfits: 2. Orange jacket, red shirt with bright orange/gold buttons (at the poolside). 3. Light blue jacket, white shirt and thin red necktie (in the kitchen). 4. Black jacket, yellow shirt and thin red necktie (the next morning).
Miscellaneous
Trivia: Marilyn mentions her favorite strolling park, which she visits with Sam in the episode, as the place where part of the 1955 film Rebel without a Cause (starring James Dean, who is also mentioned by Marilyn as an example of the proper "way to go") was filmed. I believe the place is named Griffith Park and Observatory. When Marilyn expresses her reluctance to go to Lawford's party, Barbara mentions some of the guests supposed to be arriving "from back east… from Washington D.C.". True to his established character as a gossipmonger and firm believer in popular rumors, Al immediately comments "would that be who I think it is?". This would be John F. Kennedy, not yet elected president in April 1960, but nonetheless alive and well, which is a change from the last time Sam has crossed paths with him, at the beginning of the season. JFK was widely rumored to have been having an affair with Marilyn. Liz Vassey and Susan Griffiths played a joke on Scott during the filming of the unconscious scene. When Bakula pulled back the covers, he found them both in bed together! Barbara Whitmore is a fictional character. Whitmore was created as a reference to James Whitmore, Jr. who directed several QL episodes and appeared in three.
Bloopers:
Kiss with History:
Regular
Cast:
Guest Stars:
Susan appeared in a panel at The Leap Back 2009 Quantum Leap Convention: Liz Vassey as Barbara Whitmore /Mary Jo Vermullen: Liz Vassey began acting at the age of nine, performing in over fifty musicals and plays. She moved to New York at the age of sixteen to join the cast of All My Children. For her work on that show, she was nominated for her first Daytime Emmy. Since then, Liz has appeared as a regular or recurring character on twelve television shows including ER, Maximum Bob, Necessary Roughness, Brotherly Love, Push Nevada, Two and a Half Men, FOX's live action version of The Tick, and, most recently, Season Two of The Tick reboot on Amazon. But she is probably best known for her five year run on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as DNA technician "Wendy Simms." Liz has also guest starred on many TV shows, starred in many pilots, and appeared in several films. In addition to acting, Liz is an accomplished writer. She co-wrote an episode of CSI during her last season, and has since sold seven television pilots and a TV movie, developing for such networks and studios as NBC, Freeform, Universal, Netflix, and CW. An avid runner, Liz made her directorial debut with the documentary feature, The Human Race, which focuses on runners over the age of fifty, and was picked by Runner's World as one of "The Best Running Documentaries That Will Inspire You to Move." Revisiting her musical roots, Liz also recently released an album of cover songs called, "Like A Girl" on Amazon, iTunes, and Apple Music. Liz lives in Hollywood with her husband, David Emmerichs, and their combined brood of way too many pets. Joris Stuyck as Peter Lawford: Joris Stuyck was born on April 23, 1952 in Orpington, Kent, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Bull (2016), Madam Secretary (2014) and The Americans (2013). He has been married to Jessica Crandall since June 21, 2015. Stephen Root as John Tremaine, Jr.: Stephen Root, one of today's most prolific character actors, is currently starring in HBO's hit series Barry, for which he received a Best Supporting Actor Emmy Nomination. Barry has been nominated for multiple Emmy's and Golden Globes, and has been renewed through season four. Stephen recently starred in Amazon's drama Uncle Frank (2020) and plays a role in the Michael Morris feature directorial debut To Leslie (2020). Stephen starred opposite of Nicole Kidman in the Roger Ailes, Fox News sexual harassment scandal, Bombshell (2019). Stephen a pivotal role in the AFI Film Festival winner On the Basis Sex (2018), the Ruth Bader Ginsberg biopic and starred opposite Melissa McCarthy in the New Line hit comedy Life of the Party (2018). Stephen was also part of the talented ensemble in Netflix's The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018), reuniting with directors Joel & Ethan Coen. Stephen was part of Jordan Peele's box office hit Get Out (2017). Aside from his feature films, Stephen can be seen in his recurring role on HBO's drama Perry Mason (2020), also renewed for a second season, and Amazon's hit drama series The Man in the High Castle (2015). Root has earned rave reviews for bringing a variety of characters to life in such films as O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), Selma (2014), No Country for Old Men (2007), Leatherheads (2008), J. Edgar (2011), Cedar Rapids (2011), and Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004). He was catapulted into the realm of cult hero when he starred as the put-upon Milton Waddams in Mike Judge's Office Space (1999). His animated features include Rango (2011), Finding Nemo (2003), Finding Dory (2016), Ice Age (2002) & Ice Age: The Melt Down (2006), and The Country Bears (2002). Root starred as the eccentric station owner, Jimmy James, for five seasons on NBC's NewsRadio (1995-99). Stephen has also recurred on FX's Justified (2010), Boardwalk Empire (2010), Turn: Washington's Spies (2014), Idiotsitter (2016), True Blood (2008), 24 (2001), West Wing (1999) and Pushing Daisies (2007). His many memorable guest appearances include Veep (2012), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2017), Big Bang Theory (2018), Angie Tribeca (2016), Fringe (2008), Raising Hope (2010), Children's Hospital (2010), CSI (2000), and Louie (2010). Root was the voice of Bill Dauterieve and Mr. Strickland on FOX's Emmy-winning hit animated series King of the Hill (1997) for an impressive 13 seasons. He has also lent his voice to several animated series including Kevin Smith's revival of Masters of the Universe (2021), Amphibia (2019), BoJack Horseman (2019), Adventure Time (2010), Gravity Falls (2012), American Dad (2005), The Cleveland Show (2009), DreamWorks' Dragons: Riders of Berk (2012), Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (2011), The X's (2005), and SyFy's Tripping the Rift (2004). Born in Sarasota, Root received his initial training in the BFA program at the University of Florida and remains a die-hard Gators fan. After three years of touring the U.S. and Canada with the National Shakespeare Company, Root settled in New York, honing his craft in many regional theaters and starring off-Broadway in Journey's End and The Au Pair Man. His Broadway debut came in So Long on Lonely Street, which was followed by the Tony award-winning production of All My Sons, with Richard Kiley. A starring role as Boolie in the Broadway national touring company of Driving Miss Daisy with Julie Harris, brought Root to Los Angeles where he currently resides. Tony Young as John Huston: As the son of radio, TV and film character actor Carleton G. Young, dark, dexterous and good-looking Tony Young was exposed early on to the machinations of the Hollywood industry. Born in New York in 1937, he was raised in Hollywood after his father's on-camera character work increased. Although Tony was offered some film roles in the early 1950s while still a teen, his father insisted that Tony receive a proper education first before putting together any kind of acting career. Following a hitch with the US Air Force, Tony attended Los Angeles City College. Working initially as an NBC page, his interest in acting had not flagged after all this time and the virile, brawny wannabe began landing TV roles in 1959 with such western shows as Overland Trail (1960), The Deputy (1959), Bronco (1958) and Laramie (1959), not to mention bit parts in the films Walk Like a Dragon (1960) and The Marriage-Go-Round (1961). In 1961 Tony was handed his own weekly series as a cavalry undercover agent in the TV western Gunslinger (1961). While the program was short-lived, it managed to basically pigeonhole him as a western player. Such low-budget films as He Rides Tall (1964) (in which he played a U.S. marshal) and Taggart (1964) (in which he is accused of murder and must clear his name) followed. On the TV front, reliable guestings occurred on such popular shows as Star Trek (1966), The Virginian (1962), Medical Center (1969), Bonanza (1959) and The Streets of San Francisco (1972). From there Tony moved more into to character work supporting Elvis Presley in his non-musical western Charro! (1969) and James Garner in the Italian "spaghetti western" A Man Called Sledge (1970). Roles in action-adventure and blaxploitation flicks also came and went in the early 70s, including Chrome and Hot Leather (1971), Play It As It Lays (1972), Black Gunn (1972), Superchick (1973) and The Outfit (1973). Thrice married and divorced to actresses, he was first briefly married to Playboy playmate Connie Mason, then to Madlyn Rhue who bore him one child and co-starred with him on both film and TV before and after their divorce, and finally to Sondra Currie. Tony's father died of cancer in 1971 at age 64. Tony, who retired from acting in the early 1990s, later succumbed to lung cancer in 2002 at the very same age as his father. He died February 26, 2002 in Hollywood, California. Larry Pennell as Clark Gable: Larry Pennell was born on February 21, 1928 in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for Bubba Ho-Tep (2002), Quantum Leap (1989) and Our Man in Jamaica (1965). He was married to Patricia Throop. He died on August 28, 2013 in the USA. Eric Scott Woods as Rocky: In 1994, Eric Woods began his acting career by landing the coveted role of Evan Frame on Another World. His acting coach at the time, Howard Fine, had a lot to do with it. Upon his return from the NY soap, Eric landed a recurring role on Charmed, playing the show's very first evil Warlock, Jeremy Burns. After appearing in numerous television guest spots, Eric gravitated to the stage playing a mentally challenged father in the original play Minding Goodman, receiving rave reviews from the Hollywood Reporter and Variety. Eric then took to the big screen, appearing in films including Jonah Hex starring Josh Brolin and Immortal Island, in which Eric played Captain Jack, a role that would earn him the best actor award at The Florida Film Festival. Since then, Eric has appeared in dozens of feature films including The Philly Kid with Neal McDonough, Dark Metropolis with Baily Chase, Wong Swipe with Anna Hutchinson, Presumed with April Boulby, Hidden Truth Directed by Steven Monroe, and many more.
Guests Who
Appeared in Other QL Episodes:
Norma Jeane Mortenson is Marilyn's real name, not Norma Jean. Modern cars can be seen in some of the footage. Barbara says she’s seen Marilyn's movie, "Let’s Make Love”. That film wasn't released until later in 1960. The Green Onions song wasn't actually released until two years after the setting of this episode. If Marilyn's 1960
suicide attempt, predicted by Al at the beginning of
the leap and foiled by Sam thanks to his vigil at Lawford's party,
would have succeeded, how could Marilyn have finished making her last
movie, the one originally not titled The Misfits?
Al later mentions that her finishing of the movie happened in the
original history too – that is, supposedly, before
Sam was there to convince her to take Barbara as her assistant.
Moreover, we know that Marilyn's suicide attempt was unrelated to
Barbara's presence and her takeover of Marilyn's career opportunities –
at the mailbox at the beginning, before they enter the house and meet
Barbara, Sam asks Al to check for the proximity of the suicide date,
and Al replies they are "close to it". Sam is upset by the implications
of this proximity and sends Al to find out just when that tragic day is
due. Granted, Al only returns with the definite answer after
Barbara is hired, but it appears clear from his and Sam's words that
the date in question (probably April 8th, 1960,
the day of Lawford's party) was around the time they know it to have
occurred in their original history too, and clearly not two years
later. Later, at the end of the episode, after Sam has exposed Barbara,
the suicide date is established as the one known to us from our own
reality – August of 1962. This means that Marilyn could not have
committed suicide at any other date during 1960-61, after having
finished making the movie. So, did Marilyn commit suicide in the
original history, in 1962, as in our own world? If not, and Sam's
involving of Barbara is the cause for the 1960 attempt, why then don't
Sam and Al comment on the significant change in dates? On the other
hand, if Marilyn really did commit suicide in 1960 even without
Barbara's help, how could she have finished making that last movie, as
Al states she did in the original history too? So to sum up... in the
‘original’ history, Marilyn died of an overdose overdose in 1960. This
only happened because of Barbara, and Barbara was only there because
Sam convinced Marilyn to hire her. So it's really Sam's fault that she
would overdose in 1960 instead of 1962!
Al (eagerly): I'm gonna do a lot of observing on this leap. (Sam has been rushed by a frantic Al to Marilyn's swimming pool, only to find her skinny-dipping. Sam quickly spins around so as not to be caught looking) Sam (irritated, whispering): You brought me out here for *this*? Al: Are you kidding? This is like looking at Helen of Troy, or, or Boticelli's Venus… Sam: Naked!! Al: Right! Sam (furious): Wrong!! (Barbara comes out to the poolside wearing a short bathrobe) Al: Whoa! Double your pleasure, double your fun! (Marilyn has come out of the water, was wrapped in a towel by Barbara and has left with her) Al (disappointed): I hate towels. Sam: What made you decide to study acting? Marilyn: Watching my own movies. Sam: People adore you. Marilyn: Adore… that's great, if you're some kind of stone statue. Sam: No… no, that's not what I meant. People really care about you. You're one of the most loved people in the world… ever. Marilyn: Then why can't I feel it? Sam: Al?... Would you think I was crazy if I told you that… Al: If you told me what? Sam: … Never mind. Al: I'd say, welcome to the human race, Sam. Every man that ever met her fell in love with her. Just… take good care of her and don't let her die. Nobody that beautiful should *ever* die. Peter Lawford: Look, why don't you quit while you're behind? Sam: I'm just saying that I think she should take the movie. The public is crying for a new Marilyn Monroe movie! Marilyn: After my last picture, they're just plain crying. (Sam has drawn back from Marilyn's kiss) Sam: It's not that I don't want to. I mean… every man on the planet wants you. Marilyn: They don't want me. They want Marilyn. But I'm not her! She's somebody that I put on, like a cashmere sweater or a mink coat. Somehow, I think you're the first man I've ever met that really understands that. (Marilyn is annoyed when Sam tells her she shouldn't go to Lawford's casino revelry) Marilyn: Nursemaid, cop, driver. Is there anything you don't do? Al: You got fired?! Sam (mutters in despair): That's right. Al: When I left, Marilyn was practically proposing to you, what ha-- Oh... a woman's scorn? Al (annoyed, slapping the squealing handlink): Come on, Ziggy. Sam: What's wrong with Ziggy? Al: …Typical. She says that the Hollywood types are too unpredictable to predict.
Leaping in to find himself standing next to a V8 convertible outside a movie studio and being bombarded with questions by an eager fan, Sam soon discovers that he has leaped into one Dennis Boardman, chauffeur to legendary actress Marilyn Monroe, in 1960 Hollywood. Initially, all seems to be well, as Sam finds respite in this glamorous leap from the toils and misfortunes of most of his previous leaps, while Al is fascinated with observing the living legend of Marilyn and her lifestyle. However, it soon becomes clear they are very near the date of Marilyn's tragic suicide under mysterious circumstances, a major historical "wrong" that Sam, coming to care deeply for the lonely and despairing star, becomes determined to put right. Striving to help Marilyn fill the void of loneliness in her isolated life at the top, Sam encourages her to take a young country girl, who appears on her doorstep for a job interview, as her personal assistant. The girl initially appears to be honest and hardworking, but Sam's increasing suspicions are confirmed when she begins to gently encourage Marilyn's habits of drinking and taking sleeping pills. Behind an innocent cover story, this country girl is in reality an ambitious young actress who couldn't make it into real show business. This conniving young woman is planning to take advantage of her new position as Marilyn's assistant to rob Marilyn of her career opportunities. Sam must work to convince a disbelieving Marilyn that the girl is not as innocent as she seems, to expose the girl's ambitions and to save not only Marilyn's career, but also her life, that is endangered by her frequent revelries of alcohol and becoming dependent on sleeping pills. Review by Brinsley: "Good-Bye Norma Jean" is in my opinion a unique episode in the history of Quantum Leap, although it does bear some resemblance, in its setting, mood and concept, to the mediocre third-season episode "One Strobe over the Line", in which a young woman has trouble coping with the pressures of another glamorous business world, and succumbs to a drug addiction. However, that woman was a mere fashion model and a fictitious character, while "Good-Bye Norma Jean" deals with a worldwide-famous superstar and a major celebrity taken from the real world, to boot. Marilyn impersonator Susan Griffiths does a great job in conveying the loneliness, purposelessness and anguish of the character through her very composedness and restraint, in knowing that, although the whole world looks up to her, listens to her and is fascinated by her, in reality she has no one in which to confide and to which she could reveal her true feelings, her true self. In the face of this anguish, her wealth, her fame and even the sincere love and adoration bestowed on her around the world are insignificant and cannot help her. Her plight as she states it has become, over the years, somewhat of a cliché voiced or implied by many celebrity actors and actresses, about people always relating to them in light of the characters and personas that they have portrayed on the screen. This is truly the only way these people (and indeed, most people) will ever be able to view their adulated idols: they only know the façade of a fictitious character, which was the object of their initial identification or feeling of affection, rather than the real person behind the acting talent and the words of the script. Quantum Leap has dealt, a few times in the past, with such forms of blind adulation for celebrities and with the consequences of living in the TV and movie culture of the past several decades. This was shown, for example, through the character of another, slightly more disturbed woman, also named Norma Jean (probably an intentional choice by the writers, meant to refer to the Marilyn adulation) in the fourth-season episode "Moments to Live". This is naturally an important issue if we are to come to terms with the unreality of televised or filmed fiction, as that poor woman was eventually forced to do. Furthermore, the tone of the episode is rather unique compared to the rest of the show. As Sam states in his voiceover opening narration, not many leaps allow him the time, place, mood and most importantly, the assumed identity, for a timeout of relaxation from the more nasty situations he tends to leap into. These fond ruminations are narrated by Sam while the vista of Hollywood Hills and its tree-shaded lanes roll by, and the episode's variation of the musical score plays soothingly in the background. Al is also fascinated by this glamorous leap, and sets out to "observe" Marilyn's life. A predictable, but nonetheless cute, joke has Al popping into Sam's room the next morning, fretfully rushing him to Marilyn's private swimming pool in the same way he usually does when a person far from Sam is in serious trouble and needs to have Sam get there fast. However, when a breathless Sam comes running to the poolside to lend aid to a damsel in distress, it turns out Al was excited by something entirely different.
Best Scene:
Theme by: Mike Post Panaflex ® Camera and Lenses by: Panavision ®
Quantum Leap Podcast: QLP 091 Goodbye Norma Jean
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