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5x17 "Goodbye Norma Jean"

Leap Date:
April 4, 1960

Teaser:

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.

Audio from this episode:

Al: Double your pleasure, double your fun!

Place:

Hollywood. Marilyn's house - 12305 5th. Helena Drive, Brentwood.

Leap Date:

April 4, 1960

Name of the Person Leaped Into:

Dennis Boardman, chauffeur to Marilyn Monroe.

Broadcast Date:

March 2, 1993 - Tuesday

Synopsis & Review:

Sam leaps in to find himself standing next to a V8 convertible outside a movie studio, being bombarded with questions by an eager fan. "Oh you're so lucky! I'd just kill for your job." Sam wears sunglasses dressed in a black blazer, blue button-up shirt and gray trousers. "You would," he asks. "What's she like? I mean really like... in private." Sam stumbles for the words, "Well she's a little hard to describe." She woman continues, "Spending every day with her... getting to know the real person. The small crows around them begins to shout as a blonde woman exits a building nearby. "Marilyn? Miss Monroe?"

Marilyn Monroe approaches the vehicle wearing sunglasses, a white, furry garment and white dress. Sam removes his glasses in awe. "Marilyn?" A security guard opens the car door and she sits. She smiles at Sam. "Come on, Dennis. Take me away from all this." Sam is amazed, saying, "Oh boy!"

An aerial shot of the Hollywood sign is the backdrop for Sam's monologue, "Some Quantum Leaps are like nightmares. Getting pummeled in a boxing ring, working on a chain gang... so if you told me I'd find myself chauffeuring Marilyn Monroe around Hollywood in a big V8 convertible, I'd say I'd died and gone to Heaven. I was only a kid when Marilyn was at her peak, but in college, I used to love sneaking off to the movies so I could get lost in the magic of those big, luscious blue eyes. Al, on the other hand, had been around for the real thing. Marilyn's sensational marriages and love affairs. Her tours with the troops. Her meteoric rise and her sudden tragic fall." Sam drives her into the driveway of a beautiful Hollywood home. He continues, "Right now everything seemed fine. Marilyn was getting ready to start her next big picture, and she was on top of the world. Something in her eyes... something in her voice told me she was a woman in trouble. And I wondered just how far away we were from the day the world lost one of its' biggest and brightest stars. The day we all lost Marilyn Monroe."

She asks him to grab the mail as Al arrives. "Al! What am I doing here?" He looks over at Marilyn, "Who cares?" I mean, who knows? I mean, we don't know yet." Sam is already frustrated. "Will you please get a handle on your hormones and find out? I'm very nervous here." Al turns to him, "Nervous! You're the luckiest guy on the planet!" Sam ask if they are anywhere near the date of her suicide. Al punches keys on the handlink. "Geez, you're right, we're close to it." Sam pleads with him to go back and give Gooshie a hand. Al opens the Imaging Chamber door, saying, "I'm going to do a lot of observing on the leap."

Sam opens the door to the home and lets Marilyn inside. An attractive brunette woman greets Marilyn. Marilyn is startled, but unafraid. "Who are you? Please, get out of my house." The woman says they have an appointment, for an hour ago. Marilyn looks confused, "We did?" The woman smiles and introduces herself as Barbara Whitmore. "You did tell your agent you needed a secretary, a gopher, an assistant?" Marilyn realizes that George told her she should hire someone to keep her on track and on time. She apologizes for waiting inside, but says the gardener saw her waiting a while and let her in. Barbara says she's very embarrassed. Marilyn shakes her head and says, "I'm sorry honey, but I'm not hiring today."

Sam jumps into the conversation and says, "Sure you are. I mean, you should be. It's amazing to me that somebody as busy and as important as you doesn't have someone looking out her her appointments... it's not good to be alone." Barbara says that Miss Monroe doesn't lack for companionship. Sam says it would give her more time to concentrate on things that make her happy, "The new script, picking that leading man." Barbara says it would be so much more than a job, and she has admired the star for a long time - her art and performances. "Most of my performances aren't worth remembering," Marilyn quips. Barbara protests and says no, she loves them all and even rented one of her old apartments. She says, "At least I can say I met you," and shakes Marilyn's hand. Barbara starts to leave, but Marilyn stops her. "I'll pay you $75 a week, or $50 with room and board if you'll live here. There are more bedrooms than even I can use." Barbara is ecstatic, "Here with you? You won't be sorry, Miss Monroe."

Barbara unpacks some of her things and begins to store clothing in drawers. Sam brings in a couple suitcases and one box. Sam comments that there must be more things, but Barbara says that's all she has, "My whole life is Marilyn." She and Sam speak about their favorite Marilyn movies and Barbara is living her dream. "Marilyn is the only reason I left Tyrone." Sam asks, "Your boyfriend?" Barbara laughs and says no, she is from Tyrone, Ohio." Sam asks her if her family got upset that she moved so far away. Barbara explains that she got married when she was 17 years old. Her husband was sent to Germany in the war and, "one day the telegram came. He was killed in a training exercise." When she got the news she went and saw The Prince and the Showgirl, Marilyn's 1957 comedy/romance film. She sat through four shows of it and it changed her life.

Sam tells her she can't base her whole life from an image on the screen. "Why not?", she asks. "Because it isn't real," Sam answers. "Marilyn is better than real. She's the most amazing woman in the whole world." Sam is worried that Barbara needs more perspective, but Barbara asks if he ever had an idol. Sam answers, "Albert Einstein." She laughs, saying she's a lot closer to her idol than Sam is to his. Al enters through the Imaging Chamber door, as we hear it shut behind him. Al has a very concerned look and says they need to talk.

"What's wrong," asks Beckett. Al reports, "What's wrong is you were right. There's only four days Marilyn's suicide." Sam asks, "And I'm here to stop it?" Al suggests, "Well, there was so much mystery surrounding Marilyn's death that Ziggy's afraid to make a guess. But what else could it be?" Sam stops for a moment. "We're talking about some pretty major history changing here, Al." The observer says, "Hey, we're in the wrong-righting business. Marilyn's death was one of the big-time wrongs in our lifetime, and it was a lot of us that never bought it as a suicide anyway." Sam tells him to get Ziggy to make a prediction. Al keys in the handlink and Ziggy reports 92.4% sure.

Sam wakes the next morning recalling the last few days with Barbara turning out to be a great companion to Marilyn and very complimentary of her. Sam had shadowed her and discovered that Marilyn was a night owl, partying well into the evening. Sam is tired, but doesn't dare leave her alone. Al bursts in, frantic and says he needs to come quick. "It's Marilyn Monroe... at the pool... I hope you're not too late!" Al keys a code into the handlink and vanishes. Sam rushes poolside with Al saying, "Hurry, hurry!" Sam looks into the pool to find Marilyn skinny dipping. Al says, "Look at that!" Sam turns, shamefully, as Marilyn greets him. "Well, good morning! Is something wrong?" Sam whispers, "You brought me out here for this?" Al says, "Are you kidding? It's like looking at Helen of Troy or Botticelli's Venus!" Sam, exacerbated replies, "Naked!" Al says, "Right!" to which Sam replies, "Wrong!"

Marilyn swims over to the side of the pool. "It's okay, you can look now." She smiles up at Sam. "I didn't mean to offend you." Sam says she didn't offend him and makes up the excuse that we was headed to the garage. She laughs and points out that the garage in in another direction. He adds that he was running to get a little exercise. She grins and says, "Well, come on in." Al throws a hand in the air and exclaims, "Yes!" Sam hides his eyes as she backs up in the water. "No. No thank you." She gets the look of disappointment on her face. "I never thought I'd see the day a man turns me down for a skinny dip. I must be losing it." Sam assures her that she is not losing it. In fact, she has lots of it. Al adds, "Lots and lots and lots."

Sam asks how she's feeling today. She swims over to her glass of champagne and says, "Just wonderful. It's a beautiful day, a new house, champagne. Who needs a life?" Sam says she does as Barbara comes out and offers to refill her glass. Al's eyes get very wide as he notices, "Oh, double your pleasure, double your fun. Marilyn jokes, "Our choir boy is too bashful to swim au naturale." Barbara says that's sweet, and Marilyn agrees, but also says it's not much fun. Sam asks her if she thinks she should be drinking champagne before breakfast, to which she replies, "This is breakfast." Barbara helps Marilyn out of the pool with Sam turning around and Al trying to catch a peek as a towel gets wrapped around her. Marilyn calls after Sam, "Oh, Dennis... have the car ready in an hour. I think I'll be in the mood for a ride." She winks and they go inside. Al shakes his head in disgust. "I hate towels."

At Griffith Observatory, Sam accompanies Marilyn as she comments, "I love this place. I must have seen Rebel Without A Cause at least five times." Sam realizes, "That was here! This is it! The Hollywood sign, that was a great movie!" Marilyn, comments, "Poor James Dean. Sometimes I think I'll go like him: young and fast." Sam tells her not to say that. He says he is surprised no one has spotted them in public yet. "Only Marilyn Monroe gets spotted. Today, I'm Norma Jean Baker."

A group of children walk by below as they stand on the deck of the observatory. Marilyn says they look like little angels. Sam tells her he always wanted a family. Marilyn says she didn't. "I bounced around foster homes like a ping pong ball. You think I want to put some poor kid thought that?" Sam says she would be a great mother. She becomes sad and walks on, "Right."

"Marilyn, I know that for every good thing that this life has given you, it's also given you..." She completed his sentence, "A punch in the nose? A thorn for every rose? Those are cliches, Dennis. They don't play." Sam says he's not trying to be a writer. "I'm just trying to tell you that your life can be so wonderful, if you'll let it." She asks what has gotten into him. He tries to convince her that people adore her. "Adore... that's great if you're some kind of a stone statue." He says she's one of the most loved people in the world. "Then why can't I feel it?", she asks. He begs her to never stop trying, but she asks for a few minutes alone.

Marilyn walks over to the other side of the observation deck as Al asks how she's doing. "I don't know if I'm reaching her, Al." The observer reminds Sam that her cause of death was barbiturate overdose, but Sam knows what happens when someone mixes downers and champagne. "Al, would you think I was crazy if I told you that.... never mind." Al knows. "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."

Back at Monroe's home, Barbara stands in front of a full length mirror wearing Marilyn's mink coat. She speaks to herself in the mirror, "I wore this for you, Mr. Senator." She pulls the coat apart at the top a bit. "Look what I didn't wear." Just then, she hears the door open to the house and Marilyn calls to her, "Barbara?" Miss Whitmore hurriedly removes Marilyn's coat to avoid being caught.

Video below from the French version of the episode, "Code Quantum."

Marilyn asks Sam to fix her a drink, to which Sam suggests a sandwich instead. Marilyn becomes annoyed and goes to fix the drink herself. She calls for Barbara again, who has rushed over to her. Marilyn asks her to phone Peter Lawford, but Barbara says he called while they were about about her coming to one of his famous beach parties. Marilyn says she is too tired and is going to cancel her appearance. Barbara says she can't cancel now and looks frantic about it. She then smiles and tells Marilyn, "I mean, he was so counting on you to be there. He hinted that there may be some guests there that you wouldn't want to miss." She goes on to explain that they might be from Washington, D.C. Al wonders if she means who he think she means (John F. Kennedy). Marilyn perks up and asks, "Did he say what time?"

Sam is very concerned as he listens to their conversation. Barbara comments that Peter is kind of a flirt and Marilyn asks why. She responds giddily, "No, he was perfectly polite, just playful. He actually asked if maybe I could go along with with but I told him I couldn't possibly do that." Marilyn asks why not, "Do you have plans?" Barbara perks up again and says she just didn't want to horn in and doesn't have anything to wear. Marilyn leads her off and offers to fit her for one of her outfits.

Sam doesn't like this at all. Al advises, "Sam, this is not good. Lawford's parties were legendary. Sex, booze, drugs... what are you gonna do?" Sam says he doesn't know. "I want you to have Ziggy check on Barbara Whitmore from Tyrone, Ohio, okay? Al begins his research on the handlink.

At Peter Lawson's beach house later that afternoon, he offers Marilyn a part in his latest picture. Sam says she should accept because the public is crying for a new Marilyn Monroe movie. "After my last picture, they're just plain crying," she smirks. Peter and Marilyn go into another room and Sam attempts to follow, but is blocked by a bouncer and says he'll just wait downstairs.

Meanwhile, Barbara is mingling with others in a gold revealing bathing suit. A man comes up to her and asks about her arriving with Marilyn Monroe. "Yes, we're friends. John Huston appears behind them and Barbara notices. She tells the man she'd really like to meet him. He escorts her over and they begin the speak.

Sam wanders over to Al, who is observing the party. Al asks why he is not with Marilyn, to which Sam replies, "I'm just the hired help, remember?" Al asks if he's noticed the other hired help (referring to Barbara) who is acting like the guest of honor. Al informs Sam that there is no Tyrone, Ohio. He also tried Tyrone, Kansas, but no results for a Barbara Whitmore. Sam suggests maybe it's a married name and Al punches handlink keys. Just then, Peter comes into the room and asks if there is a doctor at the party.

Sam runs back upstairs and finds Marilyn unconscious on the bed with no pulse! He attempts mouth to mouth resuscitation. Peter doesn't know what he's doing and attempts to stop Sam, but Beckett pushes him back. "I'm trying to save her life!" He begins chest pumps as Peter comments that his brother-in-law is on the way, who is running for President, and if she dies..." At that time, Marilyn comes to. Sam demands to know what Peter gave her and he says he gave her one pill but she may have gotten more from the medicine cabinet. Barbara enters and shouts that a doctor is on his way. Sam tells her frantically to go start a cold bath, some coffee and to concoct something that will induce vomiting.

The sun comes up as Sam speaks in voice over, "The doctor finally arrived and told us that Marilyn was going to be okay. But he left us with strict orders to make sure she stayed sober and got plenty of rest. I'd saved her life, but I still hadn't leaped. So now I didn't have a clue as to what I was supposed to do."

Marilyn enters the kitchen in a bathrobe as Sam cooks breakfast. Marilyn turns her nose up at his scrambled eggs, but he says it's doctor's orders. She smiles a little. "Doctor Dennis?" Sam grins, "That's me... Dr. Dennis." She takes a bite of the eggs, but it's just not to her taste. She thanks him. "You saved my life. I read somewhere in Africa or Asia, that when someone saves your life, they're responsible for you for as long as you live." Sam laughs, "But this is California." She snaps her fingers and says, "That's where it was!"

She leans over the table and begins to make out with Sam! Sam says they can't do this. "It's not that I don't want to. I mean, every man on the planet wants you." She interjects, "They don't want me. They want Marilyn. But I'm not her. She's someone 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." Sam says he cares about her a great deal and she's the most attractive woman he could imagine, "but I can't let myself get involved with you. It wouldn't be fair to either one of us." She asks why not. He says if he told her, she'd think he was crazy. He says as much as he'd like to, he can't promise he'd always be there for her, because he knows once he leaps out, the real Dennis Boardman might not be as accommodating. She becomes upset and leaves the room, walking past Al, who has been observing their conversation. "You're a stronger man than I am," says Al, shaking his head in sorrow.

Marilyn begins dressing as Barbara enters and offers her orange juice. Marilyn takes a sip and realizes, "This is a mimosa." Barbara says it's very weak and will go make it plain if she likes. Marilyn shakes her head no and continues to sip. Barbara smiles, "You know, I never even tried champagne until I met you." Marilyn remarks, "If you say so." Barbara follows her around the room and thanks her again for all Marilyn has done for her. "You've been my friend. You've introduced me to the most wonderful people. I just want you to feel better so we can take Mr. Lawford up on his invitation." Marilyn asks, "What invitation?" Barbara continues, "Dennis didn't tell you? Peter invited us out to stay at his casino for as long as you'd like." Marilyn is annoyed, "Dennis didn't tell me anything."

Sam enters and tells Barbara to stop it. "What do you think you're doing?" he snaps. Marilyn jumps in, "We're discussing Peter's invitation to me. Do you have a problem with that?" He affirms, "Yes, I don't think that a casino is any place for someone in your condition." She walks past him, "I don't pay you to make those decisions." Sam says that she pays her doctor to, and he agrees with Sam. He also mentions that she is supposed to start rehearsals for the new movie tomorrow. "Nursemaid? Cop? Driver? Is there anything you don't do?" Sam reminds her, "I'm responsible for you, remember? Africa? Asia? California?" She snaps back, "As I recall, that's one job you didn't want."

Barbara tells her not to be too hard on him, "He means well." Sam retorts, "Not everyone." He motions to Barbara. Barbara says she doesn't know what Sam means. "Tell her that your real name is Mary Jo Vermullen. You're not from Tyrone, Ohio. You're from Pasadena, California. And you've been in the actors guild since you were twelve years old." Barbara walks past him and asks why he's saying these things. "Because Marilyn deserves to know the truth. You're lying to her and I want to know why."

Marilyn asks, "Dennis, you're being ridiculous! This girl is no actress!" Sam replies, "No? She conned you into going to Lawford's party." Marilyn disagrees, but Sam affirms, "Sure she did. So that she could go too. So that she could meet John Huston or somebody like him. Ask her about her late husband, the one who doesn't exist." Barbara looks surprised and says, "Dennis, I've never been married." Suddenly Sam knows she is a true con artist and speaks to Marilyn. "She told me this whole story about being married, and being widowed young, and her parents didn't understand. She told you, too, right?" Marilyn shakes her head, "This is the first I've heard of it." Barbara says she's not the only one. Sam becomes angry and says there's no such place as Tyrone, Ohio. "She made the whole thing up!"

Marilyn tells him to get out. Sam is surprised. "You heard me, you're fired!", says Marilyn. "If you don't want me, that's one thing. But you're not going to tell me where to go, or who to see, or what to do. And you are not going to hurt this sweet kid. Now, be out by the morning, or I'm calling the police." Marilyn puts an arm around Barbara. Sam has been defeated.

The next morning, Sam is packing his things when Al shows up via the Imaging Chamber door. He tells Al he got fired. "You got fired? When I left, Marilyn was practically proposing to you. What happened?" Sam briefs Al on what happened. He says he tried to talk to Marilyn all night long, but she locked herself in her room and he knows she was drinking again. "I bet Barbara was doing the pouring," says Al.

Ziggy starts squealing loudly from the handlink, and Al explains that the Hollywood types are too unpredictable to predict. The farthest she will go is to say that it's something to do with Marilyn's new movie." Sam asks if Ziggy can't be more precise than that. Al reports, "In the original history, Marilyn finished the movie. But now there's a 78.3% change that she doesn't." Sam says he's going to go try to get Marilyn moving towards her rehearsal and asks Al to go find Barbara. Al programs the handlink to pop him out.

At the movie set, director John Huston is waiting to begin. According to John Tremaine, Jr., the manager, she is about ten minutes late at this point and she should be there any moment. John says he knows Marilyn well enough to be patient, then points at a man standing close by. "He's a different story." Clark Gable is there, waiting to rehearse with Marilyn.

Barbara enters wearing a long coat and is greeted by Tremaine with, "This is a closed rehearsal." Barbara says she knows, "that's why I'm here." She reintroduces herself to John Huston. Tremaine asks about Marilyn's whereabouts. "She's... indisposed today." Tremaine becomes frustrated. Barbara makes the claim that Marilyn sent her in her place. She claims that they had been rehearsing scenes and that she should stand in for Monroe today."

Al watches and shouts she's a liar. Tremaine tells Huston that they don't need a stand-in, "We need our star." Barbara removes her coat to reveal Marilyn's white, low cut dress. John likes what he sees and says he would life to hear the words aloud. Barbara smiles while John asks, "You got any opinion on this, Clark?" Gable turns to them and replies, "Beats waiting for the princess."

Sam tries to wake Marilyn back at her home. She is turned in the bed under the covers and doesn't want to go to rehearsal. "I fired you yesterday, it's none of your business." Sam says she is his business and pulls back the covers. She is naked. "How come you're not turning your back this time, choir boy?" He looks her in the eyes, "Because we've got work to do." He sits her up and wraps a robe around her, leading her into the shower. "Hey turn that shower off, it's cold!"

Back on the set, Gable reads lines to Barbara. John is happy with her performance so far.

Marilyn complains that the coffee is too hot. Sam is reading lines to Marilyn and she is getting frustrated and does not feel well. Sam tries to shake her a bit and convince her that she needs to practice. She shouts, "The problem is, I'm still stoned, and I'm sick, and I can rehearse tomorrow!"

Al pops in and says that Sam was right, Barbara is at the studio with Huston and Gable, "and she's reading Marilyn's lines!" Sam grabs Marilyn by the arms and tells her that Barbara is on the set right now doing everything she can to convince Huston that Marilyn is an unreliable drunk. "How do you know where she is?" Sam replies, "Trust me, I just do." He explains that everything he told her about Barbara Whitmore is true. "And here's more... I don't know why, but you gotta make this picture." Marilyn shrugs, "There will be other pictures." Al frowns, sadly and nods that there will not be. Sam says, "I don't know about the other pictures, but this one will never come again. And this one needs you. It;'s needs a brash, beautiful, glorious, untameable misfit." Marilyn repeats, "Misfit." Sam reads a line from the script again. This time, Marilyn responds correctly.

Clark Gable and Barbara continue to rehearse, and everyone is taken with her. Al stands there and exclaims, "I don't understand you guys. There's only one Marilyn Monroe, and those are her lines!" Tremaine tells Huston that if Marilyn can't pull herself together, maybe they can get Liz (referring to Elizabeth Taylor). Huston responds, "Call her agent. In the meantime keep your mouth shut. You're liable to get credit for discovering a starlet."

Barbara and Gable continue running their lines from the script until the part comes where Gable asks, "Shall we dance?" The two get up and begin dancing and rehearsal continues. Marilyn enters, and responds to Clark's line about being graceful. "Why didn't you teach your wife to be graceful?" Everyone turns to her, a shocked look on Barbara's face. Marilyn walks over to Clark and Barbara ans asks, "May I cut in?"

Barbara steps back, knowing she is done. Marilyn is wearing a sexy black dress, her hair perfectly styled. Marilyn begins as she dances, "You were saying?" Gable continues, "Well gracefulness isn't something you can teach or learn. You've either got it or not." Marilyn, looks up at him, "How do you know for sure? Your wife died before she ever got to see you dance." Gable dances gracefully with her, saying, "Somehow at this moment, I don't feel like discussing my wife." They continue and she delivers a beautiful performance.

They all clap for the pair, except Barbara, who looks quite embarrassed. Marilyn speaks to her over her shoulder, "Barbara, why don't you get us all some more juice?" Barbara grabs her purse and exits quickly.

Al reports, "That's it, Sam. Marilyn does the film and a lot of people say it's the best work of her career. And get this... they retitle the film at Marilyn's insistence because of something that you said." Sam asks, "What do they name it?" The observer replies, "The Misfits." Sam smiles. "What about Marilyn?" Al sadly tells him, "She dies, August 1962. Barbiturate overdose and alcohol complications." Sam shakes his head, "But that's the same thing that happened..." Al interrupts with, "I know. There's some things you just can't fix."

Sam looks at his friend in sadness. "Are you telling me I saved her life so she could be in one last picture? Al nods. "But what a picture." Marilyn breaks away from Clark and the others and waves Sam over. "Dennis?", she smiles. Sam takes a step forward and replies, "Marilyn...", as the blue and white Quantum energy overtakes him, and transports him to his next assignment.

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.

Music:

"Green Onions" by Booker T & The MG's plays at the party.

Project Trivia:

The handlink gives one of its most violent squealing fits ever (Al gives it the usual slapping treatment in response).

Sam Trivia:

Sam's reference in his voiceover at the beginning to two of his previous leaps, as examples of the unpleasant experiences involved in leaping, was a neat touch: "getting pummeled on the boxing ring" would be "The Right Hand of God" from the first season, and "working on a chain gang" refers of course to the fourth-season episode "Unchained".

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. He has this in common with Dr. Ben Song, who would be the next Leaper in the 2022 revival series!

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's Women:

Al is obviously quite taken with Marilyn. Wasn't everyone?

Al's Outfits:

1. Bright purple jacket and pants, rich purple shirt and silver tie (at the mailbox).

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:

The title of the episode – "Good-Bye Norma Jean": Marilyn Monroe was only a screen name, and the celebrated actress was born (1926) Norma Jeane Mortenson.

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. This is 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:

This entire episode is one big kiss with history revolving around Marilyn Monroe. The episode talks about rumors of her affair with John F. Kennedy and lists home at 1424 N Crescent Heights in West Hollywood.

Regular Cast:

Scott Bakula as Dr. Sam Beckett
Dean Stockwell as Al Calavicci

Guest Stars:

Susan Griffiths as Marilyn Monroe
Liz Vassey as Barbara Whitmore /Mary Jo Vermullen
Joris Stuyck as Peter Lawford
Stephen Root as John Tremaine, Jr.
Tony Young as John Huston
Larry Pennell as Clark Gable
Eric Scott Woods as Rocky
Elizabeth A. Coffee as Jane
Stephen Bowers as Dennis Boardman (Mirror Image)

Guest Cast Notes:

Susan Griffiths as Marilyn Monroe: Susan Griffiths was born on December 31, 1959 in Tustin, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Pulp Fiction (1994), Quantum Leap (1989) and Timecop (1997). A Marilyn Monroe impersonator who has played the starlet in many TV shows and films.

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.

Say What?

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.

Sam and the leapee don't quite match up when they pat their faces with water.

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 8^th, 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!

Quotable Quotes:

Al (eagerly): I'm gonna do a lot of observing on this leap.

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.

Best Scene:

The best scene of the episode is, in my opinion, the scene in Marilyn's kitchen after the day of the party, from which the line above is taken. Sam has to turn down Marilyn's advances and her proposition to him to become "responsible for her" and to enter a romantic relationship with her. Sam cannot let himself commit to her even though he clearly wants to, and tells her so. But he can't tell her the real reason for his refusal: he is naturally afraid that, after he leaps out, the returning real Dennis would not have such feelings of deep affection for Marilyn and, finding himself romantically involved with his employer, might decide to break up the relationship and leave her lonely and despairing – or worse, he might decide to take advantage of his newfound lover's stardom, her riches and her fame, even though he may not love her at all. These outcomes will hurt Marilyn so much more deeply than Sam's immediate refusal to her now, and Sam knows this, having gone through the same story in many of his previous leaps, with lovely and loving women grateful for the changes he has wrought in their lives and wishing to develop their relationship with him, and he always has to draw back and apologize for his reluctance, knowing that his leapee will probably not continue to treat the woman in question with the same decency and honesty that Sam himself has. However, here the scene offers a much more poignant loss than usual in the show, even if Marilyn's reaction to being rebuffed is very restrained and quiet. The tears in her eyes and the expression on her face at that moment are enough to tell how much she needs a loving and caring presence at her side right then, to be "responsible" for her for the rest of her life.

Production Credits:

Theme by: Mike Post
Musical Score By: Velton Ray Bunch
Co-Executive Producer: Deborah Pratt
Co-Executive Producer: Chas. Floyd Johnson
Supervising Producers: Richard C. Okie, Tommy Thompson
Supervising Producer: Harker Wade
Producer: Robin Jill Bernheim
Created by: Donald P. Bellisario
Written by: Richard C. Okie
Directed by: Christopher Hibler

Executive Producer: Donald P. Bellisario
Associate Producers: Scott Ejercito, Julie Bellisario
Coordinating Producer: David Bellisario
Director of Photography: Robert Primes A.S.C.
Production Designer: Cameron Birnie
Edited by: Randy D. Wiles
Unit Production Manager: Ron Grow
First Assistant Director: Ryan Gordon
Second Assistant Director: Brian Faul
Casting by: Ellen Lubin Sanitsky C.S.A.
Set Director: Robert L. Zilliox
Costume Designer: Jacqueline Saint Anne
Costume Supervisors: Glenn Bradley, Alice Daniels
Art Director: Ellen Dambros-Williams
Sound Mixer: Barry D. Thomas
Stunt Coordinator: Diamond Farnsworth
Make-up: Jeremy Swan
Hairstylist: Andrea Mizushima
Sound Editor: Greg Schorer
Music Editor: Bruce Frazier
Special Visual Effects: Roger Dorney, Denny Kelly

Panaflex ® Camera and Lenses by: Panavision ®

This motion picture is protected under laws of the United States and other countries. Unauthorized duplication, distribution or exhibition may result in civil liability and criminal prosecution.

Copyright © 1993 by Universal City Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Some of the characters portrayed in this motion picture are based upon actual persons. Although some of those events have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes, otherwise, the characters and events depicted in this photoplay are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

Bellisarius Productions and Universal Television, an MCA Company

Podcasts:

It’s time to say Goodbye Norma Jean.

Join hosts Allison Pregler, Matt Dale and Christopher DeFilippis for Sam’s encounter with the ultimate sex symbol of the 20th Century, Marilyn Monroe.

Listen to The Quantum Leap Podcast on this episode here:



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