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1x08 "Play it Again, Seymour" | |||||||||
          
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| TV
Guide Synopsis Place Leap Date Name of the Person Leaped Into Broadcast Date Synopsis & Review Music Project Trivia Sam Trivia Al Trivia Al's Women Al's Outfits Worn in the Episode Miscellaneous Trivia Kiss with History Guest Stars Guest Cast Notes Guests who appeared in other Quantum Leap episodes Say What? Quotable Quotes Best Scene Production Credits Podcasts Episode Photos |
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| Production # 65009 | ||||||||||
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Sam,
in the body of a Bogie-like shamus, teams up with a "neat kid" to find
the hit man who killed his partner. Seymour: Willie Garson. Allison:
Claudia Christian. Chuck: Steve Nevil. Lionel: Paul Linke. |
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| Place:
New York City, New York |
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| Leap
Date: April 14, 1953 |
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| Name
of the Person Leaped Into: Nick Allen, Private Detective |
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| Broadcast
Date: May 17, 1989 - Wednesday (Season Finale) |
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Sam
leaps into a New York City area private detective with an uncanny
resemblance to the Hollywood screen legend, Humphrey Bogart. He must
not only find the killer of his detective partner, but also avoid
becoming the killer's next victim. As Sam leaps in, he is holding a gun and standing over the body of a dead man with a bullet in his back. The police burst into the room and place Sam under arrest. While he is taken to a prison cell, Sam discovers that he is a private detective named Nick Allen and that the dead man was his partner, Phil Grimsley. Looking in the mirror of his holding cell, Sam is astonished by the striking resemblance his counterpart shares with Humphrey Bogart. Al tells Sam that his mission is to most likely find Phil's murderer, which offers Sam relief as it means he is not the killer. Sam begins experiencing a feeling of déjà vu and predicts that he will be set free as the bullet that killed Phil does not to match his gun. Moments later, his prediction comes true as a detective enters the room to release Sam from prison. Al believes Sam's prognostication was simple coincidence, but Sam doesn't think so. As Sam arrives at Gotham Towers, the apartment building where Nick lives, he continues to experience an inexplicable familiarity with his surroundings. Before meeting them, he is correctly able to identify three men standing around in the lobby: Lionel, the building supervisor, Chuck, the elevator operator, and Seymour, a nerdish boy who works at the newsstand and hero worships Nick. Both Lionel and Chuck offer condolences over Phil's death and ask about Phil's widow, Allison Grimsley, for whom both men hold an attraction. Seymour tells them that he heard a "dropper named Klapper" was responsible for Phil's murder. He is confident that Sam will find the killer. Sam rides the elevator to his office along with Chuck, who asks him if he'll ask Allison on a date for him but, realizing that his request was distasteful, quickly recants. Sam walks away, shaking his head in disgust. Before entering his office, Sam's sense of déjà vu informs him that someone dangerous awaits him. It is Allison, Phil's attractive bombshell of a widow. Allison throws herself into Sam's arms. She says that, upon hearing that he was arrested, she was worried the police might have discovered the two of them were having an affair. Sam asks if she knows anybody named Klapper, and Allison responds that she heard Phil having a nightmare about him once. Though she is saddened by Phil's death, she is pleased that, with his passing, the two of them can finally be together. After Allison leaves, Sam begins searching through the office and finds an autobiographical manuscript Nick had been authoring. Sam now realizes that he has read the published book, thus explaining his déjà vu and how he knows all the people in Nick's life. Sam tells Al that, according to the book, Nick and Allison were deeply in love but too loyal to Phil to act on their feelings. He believes that he must find Phil's killer so the two of them may live happily ever after. Unable to remember how Nick's book ended, he asks Al to locate a copy to help him find the killer. As Sam leaves his office, Seymour tells him a source has revealed that Klapper will be appearing at the Blue Island club that night. Seymour eagerly wishes to join him on the hunt for the killer. As the two prepare to step into the elevator, the lift is absent and all that sits below is a long shaft. Sam clings to the cables and pulls himself away from certain death. He turns to see Seymour slumped unconscious against the wall, having fainted at the sign of danger. Lionel and Chuck investigate the faulty elevator. Chuck says that the safety latch was broken. However, Lionel says Chuck is to blame for not doing his job properly and monitoring the lift. Seymour apologizes for Sam's near-death experience and admits that he has always been a jinx. He was abandoned as a child and raised in an orphanage, where he grew up mostly in a library. Seymour reveals that he wants to be a detective, just like Nick. When they arrive at the bottom of the stairs, Allison is waiting. She tells them they cannot go to the Blue Island, as that is where Phil went the night he was killed. Sam says he has to go in order to find the killer. Allison insists on coming with him. That night, the three of them go to Blue Island. Seymour now says that his source reveals that Klapper may be a woman. As Sam goes to the bar to order drinks, Al produces the book that Sam has read. It is a murder-mystery book that was never completed by Nick, as he was killed before publication. Al tells him that Nick was murdered at LaGuardia Airport that night and that, after his death, Allison and Seymour were never seen again. Sam suggests that the murderer must have killed them and hid the bodies. However, Al believes that Allison killed Nick, fled with Seymour, and then murdered him too. Sam is angry that Al would suggest that Allison is the murderer, while Al accuses Sam of allowing his hormones to guide his thinking. Sam lashes out at Al, saying that he is the one who allows hormones and alcohol to cloud his judgment. Al is offended and uncomfortably leaves Sam behind, warning him to stay away from LaGuarida Airport. Since Klapper has not shown up at the Blue Island, Sam, Allison, and Seymour decide to leave. While Seymour races off to hail down a cab, a gunman emerges from the alleyway and begins firing at Sam. Sam dives for cover and escapes with only a graze to his cheek, while the gunman gives up and flees. When Seymour finally arrives with a cab, Sam blames him for taking so long to arrive. He also accuses Seymour of being a nerd and tells him to stop pestering him. They return to Nick's apartment, where Sam goes off to get his gun, while Seymour flees from the cab, hurt and embarrassed by Sam's comments. When Sam returns to the lobby, he finds Seymour sobbing. Sam apologizes for his comments and claims to have made them to stop Seymour from coming with him to find Klapper. As the two return outside, they find the cab containing Allison is missing. Sam and Seymour catch a cab to LaGurdia Airport. Sam takes the opportunity to apologize to Al for offending him. He also admits that Al may have been right, and that Allison may in fact be the killer. When they arrive at the airport, Sam tells Seymour they should split up. While Sam is mistaken for Humphrey Bogart by a young Woody Allen, Seymour is confronted by Lionel, who pulls a gun on him and forces him into the airport hangar. Lionel has Allison tied up in one of the planes, and soon chokes Seymour to unconsciousness. Al guides Sam to the plane, while Lionel fires random ammunition in his direction. Lionel confesses that he killed Phil so he could be with Allison. When Lionel finally runs out of ammo and has to reload, Sam arrives, sticks a gun in his chest, and arrests him. Lionel is taken away by police, while Sam comforts Allison, who figures they might as well use the tickets Lionel purchased to go away together. Sam tells Allison to board the plane and that he will join her. As she walks off, Seymour approaches him and admits that, after nearly being killed by Lionel, he is no longer interested in becoming a detective. Sam suggests that he become a crime writer instead. Seymour keenly accepts the idea and walks off. Though Sam is eager to join Allison on the plane, Al reveals that Sam's mission was to help launch Seymour as a novelist and that, having done so, it is time to leap... Source |
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| Personal
Review by Allison (YankeeSNL01): This was one of the BEST early efforts, and was a great way to end the first season. The nostalgia factor was really high for this episode, and it reminds me of a story I wrote 3 years ago. Just really fun, and that mirror image really did look like Humphrey Bogart! |
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| Music: "Young at Heart" by Frank Sinatra "You, You, You" by Ames Brothers "Blue Moon" by Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart "As Time Goes By" by Herman Hupfield |
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| Project
Trivia: Al is attempting to locate the book that Sam talked about in the present time. |
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| Sam
Trivia: It's April 14, 1953, just shy of 4 months before Sam's birth. So we now know that Sam can leap into times after his conception, not just his birth. |
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| Al
Trivia: Wants to follow Allison into the powder room. It's not the last time he wants to do so. |
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Tina is again mentioned. A redhead in the billing department is brought up when Al sees Allison. |
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| Al's
Outfits Worn in the Episode: First appearance: Gray suit with black dress shirt, fedora and glasses with a transparent tie. Second appearance: Solid white suit with military style medals attached to the breast of the jacket. |
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The address is 304 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013. Nearly 100 productions have been filmed here including Blade Runner, Lethal Weapon 4, 500 Days of Summer, Bosch, & Pushing Daisies.
"Oh Boy" is not said until midway through the episode when Allison arrives. The phrase "Play it again, Sam" was never said in the movie Casablanca, which this episode imitates. James Cagney also never said "You dirty rat" in the manner that people usually quote. The leap-out of this episode is into "What Price Gloria?". However, the production crew decided to start the second season with "Honeymoon Express" instead, creating an inconsistency. |
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Kiss with History: The final scene with Sam and Al at the airport debating if he would get on the plane is based on the scene from Casablanca. |
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| Regular
Cast: Scott Bakula as Dr. Sam Beckett Dean Stockwell as Al |
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| Guest
Stars: Claudia Christian as Allison Grimsley Willie Garson as Seymour Paul Linke as Lionel Tony Heller as Nick (Mirror image) Steve Nevil as Chuck Don Keith Opper as Crooner Richard Riehle as Lieutenant Lannon Jeanette Miller as Old Lady Don Maxwell as Policeman Kevin Mockrin as Woody Allen Barbara London as Mama Ron Ulstad as Bandleader Hap Lawrence as Bartender Jeff Olson as N.Y. Taxi Driver |
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Claudia
Christian as Allison Grimsley: Claudia
Christian began her career on stage as a child in Connecticut. She
booked her first television job as a teenager in the hugely popular
series "Dallas" and never stopped working. She has been in dozens of
films and hundreds of hours of TV. She became a sci-fi icon with her
portrayal of "Susan Ivanova" in the Hugo and Emmy award winning series,
"Babylon 5". She has worked with legends such as Morgan Freeman,
Michael Keaton, Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, Faye Dunaway, Bob Hope,
Don Ameche, George Clooney, Nicolas Cage, Sharon Stone and more in her
35+ year career. She lends her distinctive voice to dozens of the
world's most popular games and is a published author of non fiction and
fiction. Claudia runs C Three Foundation and is a TEDx speaker. In 2014
she produced the award winning documentary "One Little Pill" and is a
passionate activist. Willie Garson as Seymour: Rarely at a loss for work, Willie Garson appeared in more than 300 episodes of television and more than 70 films. Best known for his long runs on television as Mozzie on White Collar (2009), Stanford Blatch on Sex and the City (1998), and Henry Coffield on NYPD Blue (1993), he also appeared as the grifter with a heart of gold, Gerard Hirsch, on Hawaii Five-0 (2010). Born in New Jersey, he started training at the Actors Institute In New York, before majoring in psychology and theater at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. After graduation, he quickly started landing guest roles on such shows as Cheers (1982), Family Ties (1982), Thirtysomething (1987), L.A. Law (1986), as well as continually recurring in a wide array of shows including The X-Files (1993), Twin Peaks (1990), Two and a Half Men (2003), Stargate SG-1 (1997), Pushing Daisies (2007), The Practice (1997), Ally McBeal (1997), etc., etc., etc. His favorite long-form role on TV was Dr. Kreutz for Steven Spielberg in the acclaimed miniseries Taken (2002). Garson also appeared in many episodes of Boy Meets World (1993) and Girl Meets World (2014). On the big screen, other than reprising his Sex and the City (1998) role for two features (Sex and the City (2008) and Sex and the City 2 (2010)), he collaborated with the Farrelly brothers on three films, There's Something About Mary (1998), Kingpin (1996), and Fever Pitch (2005), as well as appearing in Soapdish (1991), Groundhog Day (1993), Mars Attacks! (1996), The Rock (1996), Being John Malkovich (1999), and many others. He was often used by such varied directors as Spike Jonze, Michael Bay, the late great Mike Nichols, and Ron Shelton. Next up is Feed (2017), touching on a subject Garson was very proud to be a part of. Upcoming films include 7 Days to Vegas (2019), and Magic Camp (2020). As a director, Garson directed episodes of White Collar (2009) and Girl Meets World (2014), and, with Warner Brothers, had TV shows in development as producer/creator. Garson continued to perform with various bicoastal theater companies such as Naked Angles, Manhattan Theater Club, the Roundabout Theater, and the Geffen. He was also very involved with many charities, including AMFAR, Camp Joslin for Diabetes, Doctors Without Borders, Habitat for Humanity, and especially the Alliance for Children's Rights, which facilitates adoptions in LA County. This had a special place in the Garson family, as Willie adopted his son Nathan in Los Angeles in 2010, and twice served as national spokesman for National Adoption Day. He passed away September 21, 2021 in Los Angeles, California
Quantum
Leap
Podcast:
Paul Linke Interview
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Guests who appeared in other Quantum Leap episodes:
Paul Linke, who played Ben Masters in "The Boogiem*n." Richard
Riehle played
Clifford Vargas in "Leaping
in
Without a Net" |
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The Dodgers opening game that the police officer talks about was not played until five months after the setting of this episode. Sam takes a newspaper from Seymour's newspaper stand, but when he gets off the lift, he no longer has it. Even though Al says there is no cure for Gonorrhea yet, a cure had been around for centuries in various forms. Bakula's stunt double's face (Diamond Farnsworth) can be seen clearly when Sam is swinging in the elevator shaft. The actors' hair stay remarkably dry during the storm. The
original broadcast had Sam leaping into "What
Price, Gloria?" but this was later changed to "Honeymoon Express."
Here's the fixed
leap-out: |
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| Quotable
Quotes: I
don't know if I could love a man who killed my husband. |
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| Best
Scene: The beginning, when Sam is holding the gun over the dead body. Couldn't get any scarier than that! |
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Music by: Mike Post Supervising Producer: Scott Shepherd Co-producer: Deborah Pratt Produced by: Harker Wade Created by: Donald P. Bellisario Teleplay by: Scott Shepherd, Donald P. Bellisario AStory by: Tom Blomquist, Scott Shepherd, Donald P. Bellisario Directed by: Aaron Lipstadt Executive Producer: Donald P. Bellisario Associate Producers: David Bellisario, Jeff Gourson Executive Story Editor: Paul Brown Director of Photography: Henry Lebo Art Director: Cameron Birnie Edited by: Alan Shefland Unit Production Manager: Paul Cajero First Assistant Director: Roberto Villar Second Assistant Director: James Dillon Casting by: Ken Carlson 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: Sam Gemette Music Editor: Mark Green 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 © 1989 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 |
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In
the eighth installment of The Quantum Leap Podcast, Albie and Heather
discuss Season one episode nine “Play It Again, Seymour”. There’s first
impressions, an episode recap, thoughts and opinions, a special
interview with Claudia Christian, best known for her many film roles
and as Commander Susan Ivanova on the science fiction television
series Babylon 5. She also played Alison in the Quantum Leap episode
“Play It Again, Seymour”, and we have listener feedback. Pack your roscoe and keep your peepers peeled for a dropper named Clapper because we’re Revisiting Play it Again, Seymour! Join hosts Allison Pregler, Matt Dale, and Christopher DeFilippis as they open up like pencil pushers from Toledo on their third martini about Quantum Leap’s season one finale — which finds Sam as a gumshoe who has to solve the murder of his dead partner. We’re also proud to bring you an encore of our interview with Claudia Christian who plays the smoldering Allison in this episode. Claudia was the first-ever Quantum Leap guest star Albie interviewed for the podcast, so enjoy Leaping back to this bit of QLP history. Tell us what you think! Leave us a voicemail by calling (707) 847-6682. Send feedback and MP3s to quantumleappodcast@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Or drop us a line at Quantum Leap Podcast, P.O. Box 542, Bayport, NY 11705. |
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