Theme Music: "Fame," written by Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford; sung by Erica Gimpel

Broadcast History:

January 1982 - August 1983, Thursday 8:00-9:00 on NBC

(In first-run syndication from the fall 1983 to the fall 1987)

Cast

Lydia Grant..... Debbie Allen

Coco Hernandez (1982-1983)..... Erica Gimpel

Danny Armatullo..... Carlo Imperato

Bruno Martelli (1982-1984)..... Lee Curreri

Doris Schwartz (1982-1985)..... Valerie Landsburg

Leroy Johnson..... Gene Anthony Ray

Montgomery MacNeil (1982)..... P.R. Paul

Elizabeth Sherwood (1982-1986)..... Carol Mayo Jenkins

Mr. Benjamin Shorofsky..... Albert Hague

Julie Miller (1982-1983)..... Lori Singer

Mr. Crandall (1982)..... Michael Thoma

Mrs. Charlotte Miller (1982-1983)..... Judy Farrell

Angelo Martelli (1982-1983)..... Carmine Caridi

David Reardon (1982-1983)..... Morgan Stevens

Dwight (1982-1985)..... David Greenlee

Mrs. Gertrude Berg (Alice Bowman)..... Ann Nelson

Holly Laird (1983-1986)..... Cynthia Gibb

Christopher Donlon (1983-1987)..... Billy Hufsey

Quentin Morloch (1983-1985)..... Ken Swofford

Cleo Hewitt (1984-1985)..... Janet Jackson

Jesse Valesquez (1984-1987)..... Jesse Borrego

Nicole Chapman (1984-1987)..... Nia Peeples

Mr. Lou Mackie (1985-1987)..... Dick Miller

Laura Mackie (1986-1987)..... Carolyn J. Silas

Dusty Tyler (1985-1987)..... Loretta Chandler

Mr. Bob Dyrenforth (1985-1987)..... Graham Jarvis

Reggie Higgins (1986-1987)..... Carrie Hamilton

Kate Riley (1986)..... Page Hannah

Ian Ware (1986-1987)..... Michael Cerveris

Jillian Beckett (1986-1987)..... Elisa Heinsohn

Mr. Paul Seeger (1986-1987)..... Eric Pierpoint

Maxie (1986-1987)..... Olivia Barash

Miltie Horowitz (1986-1987)..... Robert Romanus

SYNOPSIS

New York City's renowned High School for the Performing Arts was the setting for this series about the aspirations of a group of students planning to become singers, dancers, actors, musicians, and comedians. Geared specifically to provide a curriculum that would prepare its graduates for careers in show business, the School for the Performing Arts attracted a student body with tremendous talent, energy, and ambition. It was there that they learned to deal with competition and rejection, as well as the problems of growing up.

Among the featured students were Bruno, a talented but somewhat arrogant keyboard artist and composer; Coco, a singer-dancer driven to succeed and in a rush to get into the professional world; Danny, a bright comedian who would break into a monologue at the drop of a hat; Doris, an actress-writer-comedienne whose easygoing manner belied an ego as strong and determined as anyone's; Leroy, a talented dancer from the ghettos of New York, who graduated and became an assistant dance instructor at the school himself; Montgomery, trying to follow in the path of his successful actress mother; and Julie, the outsider from Grand Rapids, Michigan, who was an accomplished cellist adjusting both to the school and the high-energy environment of New York.

If anything, the faculty was even more dedicated than most of the students, with hard-driving, beautiful dancer teacher Lydia Grant the most prominent. Other teachers included Mr. Shorofsky, the bearded music teacher; Mr. Crandall, the drama instructor; and English teacher Elizabeth Sherwood.

Fame was an immediate hit with the critics. They lauded its talented cast of young performers, the well-choreographed production numbers, and its realistic portrayal of the problems of growing up in contemporary society. Unfortunately it attracted a small audience, and after a year and a half on NBC, it was finally canceled in the spring of 1983. Undaunted, the producers continued production of new episodes and sold them on a syndicated basis to local stations, which generally aired them on Saturday or Sunday in the early evening.

There were changes in the cast. David Reardon replaced Mr. Crandall (Michael Thoma had died) as drama teacher (later replaced by Paul Seeger); Mrs. Berg, the scatterbrained school secretary, became a regular; and Quentin Morloch, the officious principal (later replaced by Bob Dyrenforth) who gradually came to understand that this was not an ordinary high school, was added. New students included Dwight, an awkward, fat tuba player; Holly, a vivacious drama major; Jesse, an Hispanic dancer who became Leroy's protégé; Nicole, a beautiful black singer and dancer who was tragically killed in an auto accident; Christopher, a talented but cocky dancer; and Ian, an English guitarist who loved rock music. In later years, Lou's bowling alley/restaurant became a regular hangout for the students.

Fame was based on the movie of the same name, with a number of its cast members - Debbie Allen, Albert Hague, Gene Anthony Ray, and Lee Curreri - reprising their roles in the series.