99 Lives Of Black Jack Savage
- 99 Lives Of Black Jack Savage Hunter
- 99 Lives Of Black Jack Savage Album
- 99 Lives Of Black Jack Savage Radio Show
The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage is a television series broadcast in the United States by NBC and produced by Stephen J. Cannell Productions in association with Walt Disney Television. This show originated as a TV-movie. The program originally aired in 1991, but lasted less than one season. NBC TV spot for that night's premiere of Disney Presents: The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage. The premise behind this one had a little bit of everything: gho. This action adventure series was a joint effort from Disney and Steven J. Cannell productions. AKA: Disney Presents The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage Summary 1: The story goes that Black. The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage 1990-1991 NBC Daniel Hugh Kelly, Steven Williams, Roma Downey. Long ago, evil pirate Black Jack Savage (Steven Williams) ruled the seas, but was finally captured and was hanged for his crimes in the courtyard of his own castle. Directed by Kim Manners. With Daniel Hugh Kelly, Tobin Bell, Omar Caraballo, Sami Chester. TV pilot for the Disney series The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage (1991) about a notoriously narcissistic and corrupt yuppie hiding from the FBI in a castle on a tropical island run by a dictator. The ghost of a legendary pirate haunting the castle seeks his help.
The late author-producer Stephen J. Cannell got his start at Universal, helping develop The Rockford Files and Black Sheep Squadron (aka Baa Baa Black Sheep), among others, before launching his own studio in the 80's.So what brought Cannell together with Disney? Your guess is as good as mine, but then-Disney honcho Michael Eisner thought he could work outside the box and team with Cannell to create a supernatural-driven action adventure series that had the usual Cannell hallmarks, including explosions and high tech gadgetry. Unfortunately, despite the good intentions, the two studios' lone venture, The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage, was a bomb, lasting just 2 months in the spring of 1991 for NBC.
The concept? A con man (Daniel Hugh-Kelly, ex-Hardcastle & McCormick) flees to the Caribbean to escape justice. There, he encounters the ghost of the pirate, Black Jack Savage (Stoney Jackson, 'Streets of Fire'). The two join forces to take down a corrupt governor (Bert Rosario), and it goes from there. Disney tried to recapture the magic of the adventure shows they had back in the 50's & 60's (i.e. Zorro), with help from Cannell, but it didn't work. Keep an eye open for Roma Downey, a few years before Touched by an Angel made her a star, in the pilot.
Just one week later, there was a cast change. Jackson was gone, replaced by Steven Williams (
99 Lives Of Black Jack Savage Hunter
21 Jump Street) with no explanation. Methinks that subtle, cosmetic change might have made all the difference in the world.No rating.
The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage | |
---|---|
Genre | Comedy-drama Fantasy |
Created by | James Wong Glen Morgan Stephen J. Cannell |
Developed by | The Walt Disney Company |
Written by | James Wong Glen Morgan Stephen J. Cannell Jack Bernstein Gary Rosen |
Directed by | Kim Manners Tucker Gates Bruce Kessler Jorge Montesi David Nutter James Whitmore Jr. |
Starring | Daniel Hugh Kelly Steven Williams Roma Downey Bert Rosario Steve Hytner |
Theme music composer | Mike Post |
Composer | Mike Post |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 7 |
Production | |
Executive producer | Stephen J. Cannell |
Producer | John Peter Kousakis |
Cinematography | Frank Johnson, A.S.C. |
Running time | 42 minutes |
Production companies | Stephen J. Cannell Productions Walt Disney Television |
Distributor | Buena Vista Television |
Release | |
Original network | NBC |
First shown in | March 31, 1991 |
Original release | March 31 – May 26, 1991 |
Disney Presents The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage is an American fantasycomedy-dramatelevision series broadcast in the United States by NBC and produced by Stephen J. Cannell Productions in association with Walt Disney Television.[1] The show originated as a television movie.[2] The program originally aired from March 31 to May 26, 1991, and lasted less than one season.[3]
Plot[edit]
The series followed the story of Black Jack Savage (Steven Williams),[a] the ghost of a legendary 17th-century Caribbeanpirate who teams up with Barry Tarberry (Daniel Hugh Kelly), a crooked Wall Street con artist who has escaped trial by coming to the Caribbean. Facing eternal damnation, both of them discover that they need to save 100 lives to compensate for the damage done by their sinful lives, and thus save their own souls.
Any time Black Jack tries to leave the safety of his castle haunt on San Pietro Island, he is fair game for the 'snarks'. They are entities that can transport Jack to Hell through an entrance at the base of the tree where he was originally hanged. Tarberry has his own difficulties dodging the government agents sent to extradite him back to the United States to stand trial for his crimes. Other characters on San Pietro include the corrupt governor-general, Abel Vasquez (Bert Rosario), with whom Tarberry is able to make another deal, and island activist Danielle (Roma Downey), who is constantly trying to help protect the locals from the effects of Vasquez's corruption and is not above enlisting Tarberry's help in doing so.[4]
The show follows the misadventures of both Black Jack and his human counterpart as they team up to dodge the law, both supernatural and secular, to make their 100 soul quota and thus win their way to salvation. Each episode ended with a graphic telling the viewers '??? Lives To Go...'
Blackbird powerboat[edit]
A regular part of every episode was an appearance of the high tech powerboat. Built by scientist/inventor Logan 'FX' Murphy (played by Steve Hytner), the Blackbird was a black trimaran speedboat that resembled a SR-71 reconnaissance plane.[5] It was originally commissioned by the previous owner of Blackbird Castle, a drug runner. After his arrest, Tarberry took possession of the Blackbird from Murphy. When not in use, the Blackbird was moored at a secret dock at Blackbird Castle on San Pietro Island.
Cast[edit]
- Stoney Jackson as Black Jack Savage (pilot episode)
- Steven Williams as Black Jack Savage (series)
- Roma Downey as Danielle
- Daniel Hugh Kelly as Barry Tarberry
- Bert Rosario as Abel Vasquez
- Steve Hytner as Logan 'FX' Murphy
Episodes[edit]
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 'Pilot' | Kim Manners | Stephen J. Cannell | March 31, 1991 |
2 | 'A Pirate Story' | Kim Manners | Stephen J. Cannell | April 5, 1991 |
3 | 'A Day in the Life of Logan Murphy' | Tucker Gates | Glen Morgan & James Wong | April 12, 1991 |
4 | 'Deals Are Made to Be Broken' | David Nutter | Glen Morgan & James Wong | April 19, 1991 |
5 | 'Look for the Union Label' | James Whitmore Jr. | Jack Bernstein | May 12, 1991 |
6 | 'The Not-So-Great Dictator' | Jorge Montesi | Gary Rosen | May 19, 1991 |
7 | 'For Whom the Wedding Bell Tolls' | Bruce Kessler | Gary Rosen | May 26, 1991 |
Notes[edit]
- ^Black Jack Savage was played by Stoney Jackson in the pilot
References[edit]
- ^'Disney Presents The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage'. EW.com.
- ^'The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage (1991)'. BFI.
- ^Cotter, Bill (1997). The Wonderful World of Disney Television. Hyperion Books. pp. 394–397. ISBN0-7868-6359-5.
- ^Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (June 24, 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 364. ISBN0307483207.
- ^Skorupa, Joe (January 1994). 'Dream Boats'. Popular Mechanics.
- Cotter, Bill (1997). The Wonderful World of Disney Television: A Complete History. Disney Editions. pp. 37, 395. ISBN0786863595.
99 Lives Of Black Jack Savage Album
99 Lives Of Black Jack Savage Radio Show
External links[edit]
- The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage on IMDb (Pilot film)
- The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage on IMDb (Series)