Introduction

Supercarrier is an American military drama television series that aired on ABC from 06 March until 14 May 1988.

It features US Navy Pilots aboard the fictional aircraft carrier USS Georgetown.

It suffered from low ratings against CBS’s Murder, She Wrote and NBC’s Family Ties, and only lasted eight episodes before being cancelled.

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Outline

The lives and missions of the crew of a large US Navy aircraft carrier.

Cast

• Robert Hooks as Capt. Jim Coleman.
• Ken Olandt as Lt Jack “Sierra” DePalma.
• Paul Gleason (pilot episode).
• Cec Verrell as Lt Ruth “Bee-Bee” Ruthkowski.
• John David Bland as Lt Doyle “ANZAC” Sampson.
• Gerardo Mejía as Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Luis Cruz.
• Michael Sharrett (pilot episode).
• Matthew Walker as Seaman Raymond Lafitte.
• Tasia Valenza (pilot episode).
• Wendie Malick (pilot episode).
• Denise Nicholas (pilot episode).
• Scott Kraft (pilot episode).
• Craig Stevens (pilot episode).
• Thomas Beck (pilot episode).
• Alex Hyde-White as Lt Dave “Hat Trick” Rawley.
• Dale Dye as Capt Henry K. ‘Hank’ Madigan.
• Richard Jaeckel as Master Chief Sam Rivers.
• Dennis R. “Beau” Sumner, Jr.
• Matthew Williams.
• Peter Mark Richman (2nd episode).
• William Smith (3rd episode).
• Ismael ‘East’ Carlo (5th episode).
• Gina Gallego (5th episode).
• Harley Jane Kozak (5th episode).
• Jennifer Darling (6th episode).
• Lyman Ward (7th episode).
• Lawrence Kopp as Deadly Enemies (Pilot).

Background

Loosely based on the account of the late George C. Wilson in his book of the same name and right on the wake of the popularity of the 1986 movie, “Top Gun” this highly anticipated, made-for-TV series attempted to portray the life aboard a modern day US aircraft carrier.

Production

The series was partly filmed on board the USS Vandegrift (FFG-48) which is an Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate rather than an aircraft carrier. Part of the filming was conducted on the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), between September and November 1987, while the ship was undergoing a period of upkeep.

The Department of the Navy pulled its support for the show in March 1988, with a spokesperson citing dissatisfaction with the plots of upcoming episodes in which the carrier “just becomes a backdrop” for stories unrelated to the US Navy. The producer, Charles Fries, said in response that the Navy “wanted a sleepy show about life on a Supercarrier” and that he was “happy to be relieved of the cooperation because naval personnel were stifling our writers relationships and dialogue”.

Supercarrier Series

• Episode 01: Deadly Enemies.
• Episode 02: All in the Game.
• Episode 03: Common Ground.
• Episode 04: Ring of Fire.
• Episode 05: Rest and Revolution.
• Episode 06: Give Me Liberty.
• Episode 07: Exodus.
• Episode 08: Vector.

Production & Filming Details

• Creator(s): Stanford Whitmore and Steven E. deSouza.
• Director(s): William A. Graham, Corey Allen, Jackie Cooper, and Peter Crane.
• Producer(s): Steven E. deSouza and Chuck Bowman.
• Writer(s): Steven E. deSouza, Stanford Whitmore, Joel Wilf, and Michael Part.
• Music: Craig Safan (theme and composer), Mark Mueller (theme), and Jack Eskew (composer, pilot episode).
• Cinematography: Jack Beckett, Robert Steadman, and Frank Raymond.
• Editor(s): Ronald J. Fagan, Gregory F. Plotts, and Noel Rogers.
• Production: Richard Maynard Productions, Real Tinsel Productions, and Fries Entertainment.
• Original Network: ABC.
• Release Date: 06 March 1988 to 14 May 1988.
• Running Time: 60 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

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