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1x02 "Star-Crossed"
















































































































































































































































































































When the episode re-aired after "Maybe Baby", the updated leap effect was added to the leap-in sequence!



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Leap Date:
June 15, 1972


Episode adopted by: R. Joy Helvie
Additional info provided by: Brian Greene


Teaser:

Sam leaps into Dr. Gerald Bryant, an english teacher who is having a fling with a student named Jamie.

Sam meets the woman who stood him up at the altar in his own life - Donna Elesee - but this younger version has not yet met him in the future. Al tells Sam he is there to keep Dr. Bryant and Jamie Lee apart, but Sam thinks he is there to get another chance with Donna. He believes that if he can get Donna back together with her father, that she may marry Sam after all. But Al warns that she might marry the first guy she was engaged to instead, if he pulls it off.

While conflicting with Oscar, the wrestler who is in love with Jamie Lee...Sam, Donna, Oscar, and Jamie Lee all head to Washington to reunite Donna and her father.



Audio from this episode:

Sam: Maybe she'll marry me...



Episode Menu

TV Guide Synopsis
Place
Leap Date

Name of the Person Leaped Into
Broadcast Date
Synopsis & Review
Music
Project Trivia
Sam Trivia
Al's Women
Al's Outfits Worn in the Episode
Kiss with History
Miscellaneous Trivia

Guest Stars
Guest Cast Notes
Say What?
Quotable Quotes
Production Credits

Podcasts


Production # 65003

TV Guide Brief Summary:
As a professor in 1972, Sam (Scott Bakula) meets a young woman who will break his heart in the future, unless he can alter it. Donna: Teri Hatcher. Jamie Lee: Leslie Sachs. Col. Wojohowitz: Michael Gregory. Oscar: Michael McGrady. Harry: Ken Gibbel.


Commercial:


Place:

Lawrence College in Marion, Ohio

Leap Date:

June 15, 1972

Leapee:

Dr. Gerald Bryant


Broadcast Date:

March 31, 1989 - Friday

Synopsis & Review:

Sam leaps into a college professor, Dr. Gerald Bryant, while standing before an English literature class and having his all-girl audience staring at him admiringly. Sam struggles through the material before being saved by the bell, which ends the class. Outside the building, one of his students, a passionate and poetic red-head named Jamie Lee, flirts with him. Sam attempts to rebuff her advances until he is suddenly distracted by another girl, Donna Eleese, the woman Sam will love in the 1980s. Jamie Lee yanks him away and accompanies him back to his residence. Sam continues to try to steer Jamie Lee away, eventually telling her to delay their romantic affair for another day.



Al arrives to tell him that his mission is to prevent Bryant and Jamie Lee from marrying (shotgun wedding) and ruining their lives. Sam disputes this, stating that he has seen Donna Eleese and believes his true mission is to get them a second chance in the future. Sam only vaguely remembers the details of the relationship. He knows that they met in the early 1980s and were engaged to be married, but that the wedding never took place. Al fills in the gaps by explaining that Donna didn't show up at the altar. Sam believes she was afraid to commit because of something that happened with her father. He asks Al to help, but Al is defiant. He tells Sam that affecting one's personal future is a violation of the project's rules and that if Sam attempts to do so, the committee controlling the project will cut off funding.

Sam goes to the diner where Donna works. He orders lunch and tries to convince her that he is not the man he appears to be. Donna becomes startled and asks him not to speak with her again. Moments later, Sam is confronted by a big, hulking wrestler named Oscar, who warns Sam to stay away from his girlfriend, Jamie Lee. Sam contests that Jamie Lee is simply trying to make him jealous and recommends that Oscar appeal to her poetic instincts by writing her poetry. Oscar accepts the advice, though promises he will return to "break his face" if it doesn't work.

Back at his residence, Jamie Lee shows up once again to resume their love affair. Sam tells her they are not right for each other and she should give Oscar another chance. Disappointed, Jamie Lee leaves, but is unconvinced that she will stop loving him.

Sam tells Al he knows how to fix his own circumstances with Donna. Ever since her father left her as a child, Donna has been unable to commit to a man. Sam theorizes that if he can reunite the two, Donna may abandon her commitment problems and marry Sam in the future. Sam asks Al to locate her father. Al refuses, reiterating that the committee is already accusing Al of violating project rules by giving Sam personal information and will remove him from the project if he does so again.

Sam goes to the science building, where he finds Donna trying to solve a complex mathematical equation. Sam solves it for her and begins to share his views on science and time travel. The two begin to bond and Donna discloses that, if she could travel in time, she would go back to her childhood when she was happiest. Sam asks if this was before her father left, and Donna becomes rattled, disturbed that he knew such personal information. Sam tells her he guessed the information because Donna didn't list a father on her school records. Donna accepts Sam's explanation and the two continue to bond while Sam explains his time travel theories.

Back at the diner where Donna works, Sam waits while she finishes her shift. Al appears, flanked by two committee members, who remain invisible to Sam. They are monitoring Al's conversation, to ensure that he does not give Sam personal information. Al, however, attempts to circumvent them by communicating with Sam covertly through an Egyptian sash he is wearing. Sam, fluent in ancient Egyptian language, is able to read the inscriptions, which spell out symbols meaning "capital" and "army." Sam deduces that Donna's father must be in Washington and working at the Pentagon. Sam, however, needs his name to find him. Al is accused of communicating with Sam through coded language. The invisible members proceed to drag Al away. Al yells out the name "Wojohowitz," Donna's father's surname, before disappearing.

Donna returns to the room after Al leaves, and Sam asks her to take a trip with him to Washington. Donna is reluctant, so he promises to bring a chaperon. Back at home, Sam organizes the meeting by calling Donna's father, who is an Army Colonel. Sam tells Wojohowitz that his departure has affected Donna emotionally and she needs to see him again. The Colonel says he is shipping out to Vietnam the next day and does not want to reopen old emotional wounds before leaving. He then hangs up the phone.

A knock sounds at Sam's door. It is Oscar, who angrily punches Sam in the face. Sam retaliates with his own punch before the two settle down. Sam asks Oscar what went wrong. Oscar describes the poem he wrote, which was filled with perverse and unromantic dialogue. Sam asks Oscar if he and Jamie Lee will accompany him and Donna on a trip to Washington. Oscar agrees, and the four of them set off that night.

While pulling over at a gas station along the way, Al reappears. Sam is overjoyed, having worried he might never see him again. Al explains that he set up his girlfriend, Tina, with Whitesman, one of the committee members, and threatened to blackmail him to his wife unless Whitesman allowed Al to return to the project. Al is now able to access information about Donna. However, he tells Sam that, prior to meeting him, Donna was engaged to another man. If Sam is able to reunite Donna with her father and re-establish her ability to commit, he may end up ensuring that she marries the other guy instead.

While they resume their trip, Donna asks Sam why he is taking them to Washington. Sam explains that he is taking her to see her father. He says that he once had a fiancé, who was afraid to commit, and left him at the altar. He hopes Donna will not do the same when her chance for happiness comes.

They arrive at Wojohowitz's hotel late in the night. Sam and Donna are told at the reception that Wojohowitz does not want visitors, and since Donna cannot prove that she is his daughter, the two are refused entry. Sam decides not to give up, and takes Donna to a back entrance, which is unlocked.

The two security guards at the reception are suspicious of Sam. One of them goes out into the parking lot and finds his car, which has Ohio license plates. Jamie Lee and Oscar hide away, and Oscar's ability to offer her protection rekindles her romantic interest in him. The guard, meanwhile, investigates the perimeter and finds that the back entrance to the hotel has had its lock mechanism taped over, allowing anyone to enter. He alerts the other guard at reception, who phones the police and informs them of a break-in.

Sam and Donna arrive at Colonel Wojohowitz's door, and Donna has a tearful reunion with her father. Her father says he regrets waiting so long to see her. Sam begins to leave the room, when Donna goes after him, saying that if she were a little older, they might be able to have a relationship. Sam nods and tells her she will be older one day.

Sam merrily exits the hotel, while Al informs him that he is in the Watergate hotel at the time of the famous break-in that led to Nixon's resignation. Sam doesn't remember the event, but is convinced that he has cured Donna's commitment issues so that she will no longer jilt him at the altar in the future. Al reminds him about the man who came before him. Sam is unworried. He is convinced that fate will allow them to be together. Meanwhile, Jamie Lee and Oscar finally rekindle a romance and kiss - prompting Sam to leap... Source



Music:


"In-da-Godda-da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly
"American Pie" by Don McClean
"Betcha By Golly Wow" by The Stylistics
"We Live on Borrowed Time" by Barry Manilow


Project Trivia:


Handlink: 1/4 inch thick/flat, transparent black plastic, black data screens, few buttons

Imaging Chamber Door: invisible, manually opened/closed

#1 Rule: "The Time Traveler shall not take advantage of his position to improve or alter his life."

Weitzman--senator heading PQL funding committee; tall, skinny, has Lincoln fixation; wants Sam declared non compos mentis

Black lights cause Al’s holographic image to glow transparent blue


Sam Trivia:


Donna turned 30 in 1984 when leaving Star-Bright; this is when Sam met her.

Wedding held on June 5 at Old Mission Chapel--it was hot. Donna left Sam at the altar.

Donna’s father left when she was 8 years old.

Donna was engaged once before Sam.

Sam’s doctorates: Ancient Languages, Medicine, Quantum Physics, but not in psychiatry.


Al's Women:


Al checks out Jamie Lee.

Al comments that Bartlett's wife is a woman over which to get fired.

Al sets up Tina with Weitzman in order to blackmail him into letting him back into the Project.


Al's Outfits:


1) Black shirt
, gray slacks, black shoes w/silver tips, Project Star-Bright button/pin which lights up.

2) Turquoise metallic shirt, gray slacks, silver tie, white robe/tunic, large white sash with hieroglyphics.


Kiss With History:


Sam enters the Watergate Hotel through a door found unlocked with tape on the latch just before the Nixon scandal.

The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal in the United States involving the administration of U.S. President Richard Nixon from 1972 to 1974 that led to Nixon's resignation. The scandal stemmed from the Nixon administration's continual attempts to cover up its involvement in the June 17, 1972 break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Washington, D.C., Watergate Office Building. After the five perpetrators were arrested, the press and the U.S. Justice Department connected the cash found on them at the time to the Committee for the Re-Election of the President. Further investigations, along with revelations during subsequent trials of the burglars, led the U.S. House of Representatives to grant the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary additional investigative authority -to probe into "certain matters within its jurisdiction" and led the U.S. Senate to create the U.S. Senate Watergate Committee. The resulting Senate Watergate hearings were broadcast "gavel-to-gavel" nationwide by PBS, and they aroused public interest.[5] Witnesses testified that Nixon had approved plans to cover up his administration’s involvement in the break-in, and that there was a voice-activated taping system in the Oval Office. Throughout the investigation, Nixon’s administration resisted its probes, and this led to a constitutional crisis.


Miscellaneous Trivia:


Deborah Pratt's sister is named Donna.

The very first sage-sell was introduced here featuring a voice-over by Scott Bakula explaining a bit about the premise of the show with background music used in "Genesis."

Aside from the two times in "Genesis", the tense sound effect just before the leap effect is used one final time here as Sam leaps out.

Press reviews for the episode were not great despite this later becoming a fan classic.

After the show wrapped, the cast and crew went bowling and had a Christmas Party.


Guest Cast:


Teri Hatcher as Donna Elesee
Leslie Sachs as Jamie Lee
Michael Gregory as Colonel Wojiehowitz
Michael McGrady as Oscar
Charles Walker as Frank Willis
Ken Gibbel as Harry
Stacey Adams as
Space Cadet Student
Tonya D. Pullum as Afro Student
Mary Boessow as Pragmatic Student
Lisa Meddin as Headband Student
Anne Leyden as Waitress
John Tayloe as
Dr. Gerald Bryant (Mirror image)
Kort Falkenburg as Gas Station Attendant


Guest Cast Notes:

Teri Hatcher as Donna Elesee: Teri Lynn Hatcher (born December 8, 1964) is an American actress best known for her portrayals of Lois Lane on the television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993–1997); Paris Carver in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997); and Susan Mayer on the television series Desperate Housewives (2004–2012), for which she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy and three Screen Actors Guild Awards (one as lead female actor, two as part of Best Ensemble), and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.


Leslie Sachs as Jamie Lee: Leslie S. Sachs is known for Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995), Role of a Lifetime (2002) and Quantum Leap (1989).

Michael Gregory as Colonel Wojiehowitz: Michael Gregory has appeared in over 400 films, TV shows and video games. Best remembered as the first Dr. Rick Webber from daytime's General Hospital, he has also appeared in such iconic TV shows as The Fall Guy, Dynasty, The A Team, Quantum Leap, MacGyver, The Ghost Whisperer. On the big screen, Michael has bounced from one side of the badge to the other playing "heavies" or law enforcement personnel in such films as Nightbreaker, Black Angels, Stealth Fighter, Total Recall, Eraser and the cult classic, Robocop as Lt. Hedgecock. Most recently he appeared in All About the Money. Michael's video game roster includes playing Viktor Vektor in Cyberpunk 2077, major characters in Star Wars: The Old Republic, Everquest II: Kingdom of Sky, Dragon Age: Origins, Dota 2, Ninja Gaiden 3, Madden NFL 18, Mafia III and Call of Duty: Black Ops II. Many Anime fans will know Michael from projects like Cowboy Be-Bop, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Sol Bianca: The Legacy, Gundam, and Kikaider among many others.

Michael McGrady as Oscar: Michael was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. He studied Business Administration at The University of Washington with plans to attend Law school. However, after having overcome a bout with malignant melanoma at the age of 19 - the same cancer that took his father's life one year earlier, and 4 years at University, and with an uncertain future health-wise, he decided to take a break from school and move to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. Michael quickly rose through the ranks of working actors to become a prominent mainstay in Hollywood. His foray into television began with guest star appearances in hundreds of prime time television shows. Michael has also been a series regular and a recurring character on a number of critically acclaimed television series' as well. Additionally, he has secured supporting and lead roles in dozens of notable films. Michael is also a co founder and CEO of the Tynan McGrady Foundation, a non profit scholarship and funding entity to fund STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programs. Michael's son Tynan passed away in a solo auto accident on May 1, 2021. He was 23 and two weeks shy of walking with his graduation class at San Francisco State University. Tynan earned his BS in Computer Engineering.

Charles Walker as Frank: Charles Walker was born on January 21, 1945 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Almost Famous (2000), Splash (1983) and Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000). Portrayed a high school principal at a graduation ceremony in two different films: "Say Anything (1989)" and "Almost Famous (2000)."

Ken Gibbel as Harry: Ken Gibbel is known for Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Beaches (1988) and Dark Seduction (2015).

Stacey Adams as Space Cadet Student: Daughter of Get Smart (1965) star Don Adams and dancer Dorothy Bracken, Stacey Adams began her career as an actress. She worked briefly as a casting director in partnership with her half-sister, Cecily Adams, then branched out into production work. She worked as an executive assistant to actor/director/producer Ken Olin, then as a vice president of development at Paramount Television and theCBS network. She appeared with her father in Get Smart, Again! (1989).

Mary Boessow as Pragmatic Student: Mary Boessow is known for Pumpkinhead (1988), Quantum Leap (1989) and Time Trackers (1989).

Lisa Meddin as Headband Student: Lisa Meddin is known for Quantum Leap (1989), West Is West (1989) and A Haunting (2005).

Anne Leyden as Waitress: Anne Leyden is known for Quantum Leap (1989), Grey's Anatomy (2005) and Gabriel's Fire (1990).

John Tayloe as Dr. Gerald Bryant (Mirror image): John Tayloe is known for Quantum Leap (1989), Mankillers (1987) and The Edge (1989).

Kort Falkenburg as Gas Station Attendant: Kort Falkenberg was born on October 8, 1917 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Police Academy 6: City Under Siege (1989), Combat! (1962) and Quantum Leap (1989). He was married to Gerry lock. He died on March 13, 2006 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.


Say What?

Sam and Dr. Bryant in the mirror have slightly different shirts. Also, Bryant moves the wallet down as he looks up at himself, and Sam doesn't.

The Deep Purple poster on the wall at the Rathskeller is from the band's 1984 tour.

How does Al see the "kinky stuff" in the dark when he goes into the armoire?

Why didn't Sam and the group leave earlier instead of what presumably is the middle of the night?


Quotable Quotes:


Break-in?  Nixon?  Impeachment?  I don't remember.
Oh boy, the Republicans would love you.
-- Al and Sam, "Star-Crossed"

No offense Al, but this time I'm going to make Ziggy my best man.
-- Sam, "Star-Crossed"

You would shoot that magnificent creature?
It was a buck!
BAMBI was a buck!
-- Jamie Lee and Oscar, "Star-Crossed"

Wanna bet?
Yeah, I've got connections.
-- Al and Sam, "Star-Crossed"

She knew how I liked my burger.  Shove that up your gauge circuits, Ziggy.
-- Sam, "Star-Crossed"

If you look into my eyes, you'll see another soul.
-- Sam to Donna, "Star-Crossed"


Production Credits:

Music by: Mike Post
Edited by: N. Mario DiGregorio
Art Director: Cameron Birnie
Director of Photography: Roy H. Wagner a.s.c.
Supervising Producer: John Hill
Co-producer: Deborah Pratt
Produced by: Harker Wade
Created by: Donald P. Bellisario
Written by:
Deborah Pratt
Directed by: Mark Sobel

Executive Producer: Donald P. Bellisario
Associate Producer: David Bellisario
Unit Production Manager:
Paul Cajero
First Assistant Director: Tom Connors
Second Assistant Director: Roberto Villar
Casting: Melissa Skoff, c.s.a.
Set Director: Robert L. Zilliox
Executive Story Consultant: Deborah Arakelian
Costume Designer: Jean-Pierre Dorleac

Costume Supervisors: David Rawley & Donna Roberts-Orme

Sound Mixer: Ron L. Collins

Casting Associate: Debi Manwiller
Sound Editor: Vic Lackey
Music Editor: Susan Mick

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


Podcasts:




In the second installment of The Quantum Leap Podcast, Albie and Heather discuss the Season One episode three "Star-Crossed". There's first impressions, an episode recap, thoughts and opinions, listener feedback, an essay and much more.


Join hosts Allison Pregler, Matt Dale and Christopher DeFilippis as they dive deep into Quantum Leap’s first official episode, in which Sam Leaps into a sleazy college professor — and reconnects with the love of his life, Donna Eleese.


It’s a timeless tale of romance, fate and magic cheeseburgers.

Then stay tuned for an interview with Quantum Leap Editor Michael Stern. Michael worked on Quantum Leap from seasons 3-5, and he recounts the production and editing process — giving us a glimpse of how episodes were built from the ground up.