Teaser:

Leaping into a "lounge lizard" who has gone into hiding from the Mafia, Sam finds himself being tagged by an old girlfriend who has tracked him down to prove to herself that she no longer loves him. But through her klutzy antics on their road trip adventure, Sam must find a way to keep them both alive as an unknown assassin tracks their every move.

Sound file from this episode:
Duet of Somewhere in the Night

Song: Somewhere In the Night
from the Quantum Leap Soundtrack Album

TV Guide Teaser:
Sam leaps into a lounge pianist who finds himself and his former partner on the run from a mob killer who wants the lounge lizard made extinct. Carl: Angelo Tiffe. Frank: John Oldach. Jenelle: Denise Gentile. Sam: Scott Bakula. Hector: Frank Roman.

Place:
Tularosa, New Mexico

Leap Date:
November 10, 1985

Synopsis & Review:

Sam leaps into a man in the middle of a piano gig and is almost immediately accosted by a teary blonde woman that he doesn't know and isn't sure actually knows him. He soon discovers that she tracked him down because they had an act together and had been dating until three years ago when he up and vanishes on her. She's engaged but her concerned fiancé wants to make sure that she has no unresolved feelings for her ex (which she does) so she tracks him down to find some closure.

Ziggy can't find any information on Sam's host Chuck Danner but they get a lucky break when Lorraine (Marietta DePrima) mentions that he changed his name and Sam gets her to reveal what his real name is: Joey DeNardo (leapee played by Sam Clay). He left because he witnessed one of his old friends murder another one of them (both of them having joined the mob) and if he stayed then he'd have been killed. Still trying to find his bearings, Sam absently lets the bartender at the club take his car so he can take a girl home with him but the car blows up once they start the ignition.

Now aware that whoever wants to kill Joey is hot on the trail, Sam and Lorraine flee in her car. Lorraine is revealed to be quite accident-prone and they run out of gas right when the man out to kill them is gaining on them. Fortunately, they are able to hide the car in a ditch in time and the next morning get some gas from some passing cowboys.

They bond a little over the piano and Lorraine lets her fiancé know that she's okay. He wants her to leave when he hears about the danger that she's in but she refuses to go until she knows that Joey is okay and the sheriff gets there. Al shows up just in time to warn Sam that Nicky's people get to the diner before the sheriff does and so Lorraine and Sam leave again.

The car gets a flat tire and the spare is unfortunately flat as well so they take the car somewhere to buy a spare tire. Al convinces Sam that the only chance he has of surviving is to ditch Lorraine since she is causing all of their escape problems and all of her last several boyfriends died under bizarre circumstances. She refuses to leave for her own protection and so Sam has to reluctantly break her heart by telling her he doesn't want her around.

Angrily, Lorraine returns home but Al and Sam's relief is short-lived when they discover that though Joey lives, Lorraine soon dies. Sam steals a car to chase after her but, running out of time, hits a fork in the road. Sam ignores the probabilities to go with his gut and arrives just in time to tell the frightened Lorraine that the reason her suddenly frantic fiancé is now so obsessed with Joey is because he's actually Nicky and has been using her to track Joey down.

Sam gets the upper hand on Nicky but Nicky manages to taunt Lorraine into coming closer and he captures her and threatens to break her neck unless Sam hands over his gun and the gun that he took from Nicky. Left with little choice, Sam does so but then Lorraine tugs on a chain and a heavy piece of machinery comes tumbling down and kills Nicky. This leaves Joey and Lorraine free to move to Hawaii and continue their act up until the present. Source

Personal Review by RoseAnn Erks:

I love this episode. The music in it is great. "Somewhere in the Night" is my favorite (Quantum Leap) song. The episode is packed full of fun and excitement, with some music to help it all along.

Music:
"Somewhere in the Night" performed by Scott Bakula
Lyrics by Scott Bakula & Velton Ray Bunch
Music by Velton Ray Bunch

"Footloose" by Kenny Loggins and performed by Scott Bakula and Marietta DePrima.

Somewhere In The Night Sheet Music

Project Trivia:
Ziggy can’t center on people who are missing a synopsis connection in their brain. It's as if they are dizzy. It's hard to get a lock on them. 

Ziggy is referred to as male in this episode.

Al Trivia:
Al tells Sam that he took a fencing class and that the teacher says that "The best defense was distance."

Al talks to Gooshie.

Al’s Outfits Worn in the Episode:
Al’s first outfit is a whit overcoat, orange shirt, and black tie with orange pants.

The second outfit is shiny bronze jacket with black and silver collar, shoulders, and upper back, a rust color shirt, skinny silver tie, and grey pants. Also featuring a lapel pin in the design of a pocket watch.

Miscellaneous Trivia:
Loraine drives the car through Al; this scene is included in the opening credits.

Davy Jones is the name of the pilot flying the plane, when Loraine calls Carl from Polly’s.

Al appears in the episode 10 times.

The imaging chamber door opens once.

The car chase was footage used from Donald Bellisario's film "Last Rites," which was also about hitmen.

Screenshot from Last Rites

Screenshot from Piano Man

"Piano Man" is the title of a Billy Joel song.

Stock footage used in "Disco Inferno" was used near the beginning to show the bar atmosphere.

At The Leap Back 2009 Quantum Leap Convention, Scott Bakula and Velton Ray Bunch performed "Somewhere In The Night" live for the audience!

The end credits flash over a complete instrumental version of "Somewhere In The Night" performed on piano by Scott Baklua.

After this episode aired, there were several requests to record "Somewhere In The Night" by other recording artists. However, this was never done as the song was to appear on the official Soundtrack Album and Single releases.

Guest Cast Notes:

Marietta DePrima as Lorraine: Marietta DePrima was born on May 3, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress, known for Lady Bird (2017), The Hughleys (1998) and Quantum Leap (1989). She has been married to George Newbern since 1990. They have three children.

Angelo Tiffe as Carl Morgan / Nicky Bellini: Angelo Tiffe is known for NCIS (2003), Days of Our Lives (1965) and Southland (2009).

Jonh Oldach as Frank: John Oldach is known for Road House (1989), Quantum Leap (1989) and The Verne Miller Story (1987).

Denise Gentile as Janette: Denise Gentile is known for Babylon 5 (1993), Quantum Leap (1989) and Suddenly Susan (1996).

Frank Roman as Hector: Born in Brooklyn, New York, Frank Roman, a Nuyorican Sephardic, migrated to Miami, Florida and with theatre, television and film credits to his name, he has become an exciting talent in Hollywood. Frank began his acting career as the lead in six theatrical productions from the East Coast to the West. He has starred in such stage hits as the famous musical "The Fantasticks" and Neil Simon's comedy "California Suite." When Frank made "the move" to Los Angeles, he was quickly discovered by Mel Brooks, who starred him in his comedy Life Stinks (1991). The two funny men worked together again on two more Mel Brooks' comedies. With this solid comic endorsement, Frank made the transition to features. Soon thereafter, he found himself starring opposite other comedy greats such as Ellen DeGeneres in Mr. Wrong (1996), and Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau in The Odd Couple II (1998). His film work has taken him to exotic locations such as Manila, Moscow, and, most recently, Rome, where he wrapped location shooting for the expected summer hit, Envy (2004). However, one of Frank's favorite memories was the strip search in Bucharest, Romania. (Frank considered this one of the perks in his contract.) Having guest-starred in more than 20 network shows, Frank has had the opportunity of working with some of TV's most accomplished actors...from Brian Dennehy in The Fighting Fitzgeralds (2001) to Jenna Elfman in Dharma & Greg (1997). But, Frank isn't limited to comedy, as he has demonstrated with his critically acclaimed dramatic performance in The X-Files (1993) during the show's Final Season "John Doe" episode as the devious Domingo Salmeron and as Cesar Rodriguez in "Noriega: God's Favorite". He has also had the opportunity to appear in other stablemate shows like NYPD Blue (1993), Diagnosis Murder (1993), ER (1994), Becker (1998), and Quantum Leap (1989). In 2003, he worked alongside Ben Stiller and Jack Black in Barry Levinson's new feature comedy Envy (2004). Also, he can be found in the recurring role of Reno on the NBC/Grammet sitcom In-Laws (2002), starring Dennis Farina and Jean Smart.

Cherry Davis as Thelma: Cherry Davis was born in Independence, Missouri, USA. She is known for The Return of the Living Dead (1985), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (1977).

George Marshall Ruge as The Killer: George Marshall Ruge is an American filmmaker, born in San Francisco and known for his work on such film projects as the Pirates of the Caribbean four-film franchise, and The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Ruge was featured in the Daily Variety (2011) annual Below The Line Impact Report: The Top 50 as second unit director, and was the recipient of the American Choreography Award (2004) for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography in Film: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl.

Sam Clay as Joey De Nardo / aka Chuck Danner (Mirror image): Sam Clay is known for Quantum Leap (1989), Future Shock (1994) and Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990).

Say What?
When Al first arrives, the sound effect for relocation is played instead of the Imaging Chamber door.

After the car explodes, Al's large ring has disapeared from his hand, where it was exhibited earlier.

When driving the car, Sam's steering motions do not match well to the movement shown in the background. Even when Sam spins to a stop, the projection continues to run in the background.

It is not likely that Ziggy could have an exact minute projection of Lorraine's death. Generally, times are greatly estimated unless there is a witness present to testify to it.

Quotable Quotes:
"I love you…I think."

"Ah, that was real pretty. But I want to know if you can cut loose."

"And lived happily in debt, ever after."

Play it again, Sam. I always wanted to say that.
-- Al, "Piano Man"

I wouldn't mind having a place I could call home for a while.
-- Sam, "Piano Man"

You changed history and now it's come back to bite you on the butt!
-- Al, "Piano Man"

Script:

Production Credits:

Theme by: Mike Post
Music by: Velton Ray Bunch
Co-Executive Producer: Deborah Pratt
Co-Executive Producer: Michael Zinberg
Supervising Producer: Harker Wade
Co-producers: Paul Brown, Jeff Gourson
Produced by: Chris Ruppenthal
Created by: Donald P. Bellisario
Written by: Ed Scharlach
Directed by: James Whitmore, Jr.

Executive Producer: Donald P. Bellisario
Associate Producer: James S. Giritlian
Executive Story Editor: Tommy Thompson
Director of Photography: Michael Watkins, A.S.C.
Production Designer: Cameron Birnie
Edited by: Jerry Temple
Choreographed by: Debbie Allen
Unit Production Manager: Ron Grow
First Assistant Director: Ryan Gordon
Second Assistant Director: Rob Mendel
Casting by: Ellen Lubin Sanitsky
Set Director: Robert L. Zilliox
Costume Designer: Jean-Pierre Dorleac
Costume Supervisors: David Rawley & Donna Roberts-Orme
Sound Mixer: Mark Hopkins McNabb
Stunt Coordinator: Diamond Farnsworth
Sound Editor: Paul Clay
Music Editor: Donald Woods

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 © 1991 by Universal City Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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, an MCA Company

Podcasts:

Quantum Leap Podcast - Piano Man: Part A

Take off with us somewhere in the night, as we cut loose to Piano Man!

On this episode of The Quantum Leap Podcast, hosts Allison Pregler, Matt Dale and Christopher DeFilippis kick off their Sunday shoes to discuss Sam’s season three Leap as a lounge lizard on the run from the mob.

Listen to The Quantum Leap Podcast on this episode here:

Quantum Leap Podcast - Piano Man: Part B

Much like Wile E Coyote’s attempts to catch the Road Runner, Sam Beckett’s attempts to save the lives of his host and his host’s long time girlfriend continually blow up in his face… Literally… For the most cartoon-like episode of Quantum Leap, in the “Piano Man” bonus show, Hayden, Lesley and Zoe have gathered around the piano to discuss the episode, only to realize that none of them know how to play it. So instead, being Saturday morning, they settle in front of the TV in their PJs with a bowl of cereal for some cartoons.

Listen to The Quantum Leap Podcast on this episode here: