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520 "Memphis Melody" Leap Date: July 3, 1954 Episode
Adopted by: Rindi
Synopsis: Once again as a famous person, Sam leaps into Elvis Presley just two days before he gets discovered. While trying to help a woman persue her singing career, Sam must make sure that he doesn't mess things up for Elvis!
Audio from
this episode
TV Guide Synopsis
Production # : 68123
TV Guide
Synopsis:
Promotional Video:
Place:
Leap Date:
Name
of Person Leaped Into:
Broadcast
Date:
"Will the Circle Be Unbroken" performed by Scott Bakula and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn "My Happiness" is
performed by Scott Bakula "Blue Moon of Kentucky" performed by Scott Bakula "Dixie" performed by Scott Bakula "Amazing Grace" performed by Scott Bakula and Mary Elizabeth McGlynn "Baby, Let’s Play House" performed by Scott Bakula Blue Moon of Kentucky and Baby Let’s Play House both appear as new recordings on the Quantum Leap soundtrack album.
Project
Trivia: Ziggy predicts an alternate future where Heartbreak Hotel (1956) is
Sam Trivia: He programmed all of
Elvis’s hits
into Ziggy’s data bank and would drive Al crazy by singing them for
days. Sam said "Oh boy!" one time this episode.
Al Trivia: Al had a cigar all four times he appeared.
Al’s
Outfits Worn in the Episode: 2nd appearance: Same as 1st appearance. 3rd appearance: Al was wearing a dark purple jacket, with a pale purple button up shirt, with a cowboy like neck tie (a triangle at the neck with two strings hanging), a saxophone broach, black and purple checkered slacks, and black suede shoes. 4th appearance: Al was wearing a black jacket with silver sparkles in a triangular patterns on the breasts and arms and a silver, curly, two pronged, fork shaped metal on the collar, a metallic gold button up shirt with a silver tint and black pin stripes with a thin black tie with a saxophone broach, gray slacks, black shoes, and a black banded and gold faced wrist watch.
Miscellaneous
Trivia: Scott Bakula’s daughter Chelsy played the little girl in Taylor’s diner. When Bakula is singing "Amazing Grace" his little girl looks at him out of the corner of her eye with a smile. Dean
Stockwell broke
a handlink during the filming of this episode. Each broken handlink
costs the production $2,000! He loved doing the Elvis episode.
Bloopers:
Kiss
With History: Elvis cut a record
for his mother's birthday in real life. Regular
Cast:
Guest Stars:
Mary Elizabeth McGlynn as Sue Ann Winters: Like many other Quantum Leap guest stars has appeared on STAR TREK Voyager, episode "Vis A Vis." John Scott Clough as Frank Begley: Appeared on Jag (2001) from the same creator of Quantum Leap, Donald P. Bellisario. Lisa Jane Persky as Marion Keisker: Appeared on When Harry Met Sally (1989) with Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. She has also appeared on Coneheads (1989) with Dan Aykroyd and Great Balls of Fire (1989) with Dennis Quaid. Gregory Itzin as Mr. Phillips: Was on Enterprise (2002) with Scott Bakula, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1998), and Jag (1998 &1997). John Boyd West as Bobby Gene "Red" West: Is the real life son of actor and stuntman
Bobby
Gene "Red" West. He played his own father in this episode! Eric Bruskotter as Beau: Was on Jag (1995), Three For The Road (1987) with Charlie Sheen, Major League II (1994) with Charlie Sheen, Corbin Bernsen, and Tom Berenger, Major League: Back to the Minors (1998) with Corbin Bernsen and Scott Bakula and The Hollywood Sign (2001) with Tom Berenger. Michael St. Gerard as Elvis Presley (Mirror Image): Played Elvis in the TV movie Elvis (1990).
Frazer
Smith as DJ Dewey Phillips:
Frazer Smith was born on January 17, 1955 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He
is an actor and writer, known for Tag: The Assassination Game (1982),
The Fisher King (1991) and Electric Dreams (1984). Elliott J. Brown as Greaser: Elliott J. Brown was born on November 6, 1971 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for The Courier, The Ad Game and The White Storm (2013). He has been married to Alyssa Chiu since November 12, 2005. Mark Thompson as
Guy in Diner:
Mark Thompson was born on December 1, 1955 in Florence, Alabama, USA.
He is an actor and writer, known for Mother Ghost (2002), Jason Goes to
Hell (1993) and 2:13 (2009). He has been married to Lynda Thompson
since August 21, 1982. They have three children. With Brian Phelps, hosted the Los Angeles radio talk show "The Mark & Brian Show". Brian Phelps as
Guy in Diner:
Brian Phelps was born on May 5, 1959 in Cambridge, Illinois, USA. He is
an actor, known for Jason Goes to Hell (1993), Reno 911! (2003) and
Rocky V (1990). With Mark Thompson, hosted the Los Angeles radio talk
show "The Mark & Brian Show". Bob
Harks as Violin Player: Harks
came in at the tail end of the television western era, it was only
natural for him to find work on the unpaved streets of several
television westerns like Bonanza and Gunsmoke. With the downturn of
popularity in westerns, Harks made the transition from a cowboy to a
detective. Over the next 15 years, he would frequently be seen on shows
like Kojak where he'd appear around the squad room and also on shows
like Lou Grant where he'd make crosses. In the early 1970s, Harks
gained work as a utility stand-in on the Bill Bixby show The Magician
and it would be his big break. Both he and fellow Magician stand-in
Edna Ryan would later find themselves working on another show Bixby
starred in called "The Incredible Hulk." Bixby was very fond of Bob and
would frequently have him appear in roles that require Hark to be
upgraded to a pay rate than you usual extra role. Harks would usually
drive the car that would either pick up Bixby at the end of the episode
or he would use his car to pass Bixby's character up as he was
hitchhiking to his next destination. After the closing of The
Incredible Hulk, Harks got regular work as Bixby's stand-in on the
short lived show Goodnight Beantown. As Bixby's career started to wind
down, Harks found work as a stand-in on the show Alien Nation and he
worked on it for the rest of his career not only appearing in the
series but also most of the subsequent television movies. It was during
this time that Harks decided to retire and move Wisconsin to be closer
to his sister Sue and the rest of his family bringing a 30+ year career
to a close.
Guests
who appeared in other Quantum Leap episodes: Elliott J. Brown also played Stuart in "Return of the Evil Leaper." Bob Harks also appeared as Townsman in "The Leap Back" and Club Member in "Liberation."
Say What? The pinball
machine in the diner wasn't created until 1970. The bass player in the diner seems to be readily available to play. Such a large instrument would probably not be brought in to have a meal with.
"You sing like an Angel."--Sam "Well then the good Lord must have been smiling down on me."--Sue Ann "Yeah, well you must have been reaching for the stars cause I don’t think he could see you through the ceiling." --Sam "A white man with a black voice." --Mr. Phillips "1954 was an age of innocence. A time when people still believed in the
American
Best Line:
Best Scene:
As future pop/rock music icon Elvis Presley prepares for his first recording in Memphis for Sun Records (and it's label owner and record producer, Sam Phillips), Sam must help a struggling female musician named Sue Anne Winters make wise decisions concerning her troubled marriage and not give up on her musical career. At the same time, Sam must ensure that he doesn't prevent the soon to be future "king of rock 'n' roll" from being discovered by Phillips, so that music history isn't forever changed. Full synopsis coming soon! Personal Review by Rindi: Personal Review by Matt Dale: At this stage, Bellisario’s rule of not leaping into celebrities or their lives had been well and truly forgotten. Had there been a season six, we can only imagine how many famous people from the second half of the twentieth century would have had their lives plundered for entertainment. Memphis Melody is a little different than the likes of Lee Harvey Oswald and Goodbye Norma Jean, however, in that it only briefly focusses on real life events - the story is really the traditional ‘small’ one Quantum Leap is famous for: In this case, one about a young woman and her dreams. The presence of Elvis is actually there to be an antagonistic element to the plotline, as Sam must try not to change his established history and must tiptoe around events instead This makes this episode an imaginative one with plenty of heart, and of course gives Bakula the chance to show off his singing talents once more. McGlynn is sweet and loveable as Sue Anne, and as an audience we genuinely want her to succeed, but the comedy and music elements of this segment are never too far behind. Source
Production Credits: Theme by: Mike Post Executive Producer: Donald P. Bellisario Panaflex ® Camera and Lenses by: Panavision ® Quantum Leap Podcast: Memphis Melody  Listen to The Quantum Leap Podcast on this episode here: Tap those blue suede shoes, because it’s time for a Memphis Melody! Get all shook up with hosts Allison Pregler, Matt Dale and Christopher DeFilippis as they talk about Sam’s Leap into the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. Quantum Leap pulls out all the stops for its penultimate episode, showcasing Scott’s singing and dancing talents to celebrate this 20th century musical icon. But is the episode any good? Let us know what you think… Leave us a voicemail by calling (707)847-6682. Send in your thoughts, theories and feedback, Send MP3s & Email to quantumleappodcast@gmail.com. Also join us on Facebook.com/QuantumLeapPodcast and Twitter.com/QuantumLeapPod |
