Mr. Merlin
Encyclopedia
Mr. Merlin, a Larry Larry Company Production in association with Columbia Pictures Television
, was a 1981
–82 sitcom starring Barnard Hughes
as Merlin
the wizard, disguised as Max Merlin, a mechanic in modern-day San Francisco.
, to work in his garage, and when Zac pulls a crowbar out of a bucket of cement, the crowbar is revealed to be Arthur's sword Excalibur
and Merlin must reveal himself to Zac and make him an apprentice. Leo Samuels (Jonathan Prince
) is Zac's best friend, who naturally has no idea his best buddy is a "wizard in training". Elaine Joyce
is Alexandra {"Alex"}, Max's equally magical liaison with an unseen "council" (who insisted Merlin take on an apprentice or lose both his powers and immortality).
* Originally presented as an hour-long episode.
Note: a Mr. Merlin strip ran briefly in the British TV Comic
.
Columbia Pictures Television
Columbia Pictures Television was the second name of the Columbia Pictures television division Screen Gems . The studio changed its name on September 4, 1974.-1974-1982:...
, was a 1981
1981 in television
The year 1981 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1981.For the American TV schedule, see: 1981-82 American network television schedule.- Events :...
–82 sitcom starring Barnard Hughes
Barnard Hughes
Bernard Aloysius Kiernan “Barnard” Hughes was an American actor of theater and film. Hughes became famous for a variety of roles; his most notable roles came after middle age, and he was often cast as a dithering authority figure or grandfatherly elder.-Personal life:Hughes was born in Bedford...
as Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
the wizard, disguised as Max Merlin, a mechanic in modern-day San Francisco.
Plot
Merlin hires Zachary Rogers, played by Clark BrandonClark Brandon
Clark Brandon is an American actor. His most notable roles were as Max Merlin's apprentice Zachary Rogers in the CBS series Mr. Merlin and as Sean Fitzpatrick in the CBS series The Fitzpatricks. He also starred with Jim Varney in the 1989 comedy film, Fast Food.- Filmography :Fast Food .......
, to work in his garage, and when Zac pulls a crowbar out of a bucket of cement, the crowbar is revealed to be Arthur's sword Excalibur
Excalibur
Excalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain. Sometimes Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone are said to be the same weapon, but in most versions they are considered separate. The sword was...
and Merlin must reveal himself to Zac and make him an apprentice. Leo Samuels (Jonathan Prince
Jonathan Prince
Jonathan Alexander Prince is an American actor, director, screenwriter and movie producer.-Career:Prince embarked on an acting career following graduation from Harvard University. His most prominent roles include "Leo" in the 1981 CBS series Mr...
) is Zac's best friend, who naturally has no idea his best buddy is a "wizard in training". Elaine Joyce
Elaine Joyce
Elaine Joyce is an American actress.Joyce was born in Kansas City, Missouri. She made her film debut in 1961 as an extra in West Side Story and made uncredited appearances in several musical films, including The Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, and Funny Girl before being cast in Such Good Friends in 1971...
is Alexandra {"Alex"}, Max's equally magical liaison with an unseen "council" (who insisted Merlin take on an apprentice or lose both his powers and immortality).
Cast
- Barnard HughesBarnard HughesBernard Aloysius Kiernan “Barnard” Hughes was an American actor of theater and film. Hughes became famous for a variety of roles; his most notable roles came after middle age, and he was often cast as a dithering authority figure or grandfatherly elder.-Personal life:Hughes was born in Bedford...
as Max Merlin, MerlinMerlinMerlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
the Magician who now works as a mechanic in San Francisco. - Clark BrandonClark BrandonClark Brandon is an American actor. His most notable roles were as Max Merlin's apprentice Zachary Rogers in the CBS series Mr. Merlin and as Sean Fitzpatrick in the CBS series The Fitzpatricks. He also starred with Jim Varney in the 1989 comedy film, Fast Food.- Filmography :Fast Food .......
as Zachary Rogers, Merlin's apprentice. - Jonathan PrinceJonathan PrinceJonathan Alexander Prince is an American actor, director, screenwriter and movie producer.-Career:Prince embarked on an acting career following graduation from Harvard University. His most prominent roles include "Leo" in the 1981 CBS series Mr...
as Leo Samuels, Zac's best friend - Elaine JoyceElaine JoyceElaine Joyce is an American actress.Joyce was born in Kansas City, Missouri. She made her film debut in 1961 as an extra in West Side Story and made uncredited appearances in several musical films, including The Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, and Funny Girl before being cast in Such Good Friends in 1971...
as Alexandra, Merlin's fellow magician - Phil Morris as the Kid.
Guest cast
- Richard BasehartRichard BasehartJohn Richard Basehart was an American actor. He starred in the 1960s television science fiction drama Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, in the role of Admiral Harriman Nelson.-Career:...
in "A Moment in Camelot" (Episode 7) - Stacy Keach, Sr.Stacy Keach, Sr.Stacy Keach, Sr. was the stage name of Walter Stacy Keach , an American actor whose screen career spanned six decades. He and his wife, Mary Cain , were members of the Peninsula Players summer theater program during the 1930s. He may be best known for his role as Carlson in the television show Get...
in "Take My Tonsils... Please!" (Episode 9) - Scott McGinnisScott McGinnisScott McGinnis is an American actor and director. He has starred in both films and television. McGinnis is best known by Star Trek fans as Mr. Adventure in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, where his character worked with Cdr. Uhura in the Spacedock transporter room...
in "Not So Sweet Sixteen" (Episode 11) - Mel StewartMel StewartMilton "Mel" Stewart was an American character actor, television director, and musician who appeared in numerous films and television shows from the 1960s to the 1990s. He is best known for playing Henry Jefferson on the popular television series All in the Family...
in "Alex Goes Popless" (Episode 14) - Catherine Mary StewartCatherine Mary StewartCatherine Mary Stewart is a Canadian actress. Her first notable role was as Kayla Brady on the soap opera Days of our Lives from 1981 to 1983...
and Rita WilsonRita Wilson-Early life:Wilson was born Margarita Ibrahimoff in Los Angeles, California.Her father, a Bulgarian who worked at a racetrack, was born in Greece. Before immigrating to the US, he had lived in Bulgaria and Turkey....
in "Everything's Coming Up Daisies " (Episode 15) - Eugene RocheEugene RocheEugene Harrison Roche was an American actor . He was the original "Ajax Man" in 1970s television commercials.-Personal life:...
in "Change of Venue: Part 1" (Episode 18) - Holly GagnierHolly GagnierHolly Gagnier is an American actress.Gagnier's notable roles include long running stints on daytime's One Life to Live, and Days of our Lives. She has been seen on television shows including Murder, She Wrote and Wings...
in "I Was a Teenage Loser" (Episode 22)
Episodes
| № | Title | Director | Writer | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Pilot" | John Astin John Astin John Allen Astin is an American actor who has appeared in numerous films and television shows, and is best known for the role of Gomez Addams on The Addams Family, and other similarly eccentric comedic characters.-Early years:... |
Larry Tucker, Larry Rosen |
October 7, 1981 |
| 2 | "The Cloning of the Green" | Bill Bixby Bill Bixby Wilfred Bailey Everett “Bill” Bixby III was an American film and television actor, director, and frequent game show panelist.His career spanned over three decades; he appeared on stage, in motion pictures and TV series... |
Larry Tucker, Larry Rosen |
October 14, 1981 |
| 3 | "Starsand" | Herbert Kenwith Herbert Kenwith Herbert Kenwith , , was a television writer, director and producer.... |
Larry Tucker, Larry Rosen |
October 21, 1981 |
| 4 | "The Music's in Me" | Harry Winer Harry Winer Harry Winer is an American television director, television producer, and television writer. He is married to former actress Shelley Hack, with whom he has a daughter.- Select Filmography :* Invasion... |
Tom Chehak | October 28, 1981 |
| 5 | "All About Sheila" | Harry Winer | Larry Tucker, Larry Rosen |
November 4, 1981 |
| 6 | "The Two Faces of Zac" | Bill Bixby | Tim Maschler | November 11, 1981 |
| 7 | "A Moment in Camelot" | Harry Winer | William J. Keenan | November 18, 1981 |
| 8 | "A Message from Wallshime" | Alan Myerson Alan Myerson -Career:Myerson began working in theatre in New York City, then directing The Second City in Chicago. He founded The Committee in San Francisco in 1963... |
Jeffrey Scott | December 2, 1981 |
| 9 | "Take My Tonsils... Please!" | Bill Bixby | Parke Perine | December 9, 1981 |
| 10 | "The Ache" | Larry Elikann | Stephanie Garman, Hollace White |
December 23, 1981 |
| 11 | "Not So Sweet Sixteen" | Alan Myerson | Tom Chehak | December 30, 1981 |
| 12 | "Romeo and Dreidelwood" | James Frawley James Frawley James Frawley is an American director and actor. Frawley was born in Houston, Texas. He has worked on Smallville, Ghost Whisperer, Judging Amy and The Monkees, as well as many other programs... |
Larry Tucker, Larry Rosen |
January 6, 1982 |
| 13 | "Getting to Know You" | Leo Penn Leo Penn Leo Z. Penn was an American actor and director, and father of musician Michael Penn and actors Sean Penn and Chris Penn.-Early life:... |
Ann Woodall, Paula Lintz |
January 18, 1982 |
| 14 | "Alex Goes Popless" | James Frawley | Tom Chehak | January 25, 1982 |
| 15 | "Everything's Coming Up Daisies" | Jeffrey Hayden Jeffrey Hayden Jeffrey Hayden is an American television director and producer. He has been married since 1951 to Oscar-winning actress Eva Marie Saint.-Television career:... |
Don Tait | February 1, 1982 |
| 16 | "The Egg and Us" | Howard Storm | George Geiger | February 8, 1982 |
| 17 | "How to Help a Gymnast in a Foreign Country" | Leo Penn | Martin Donovan | February 15, 1982 |
| 18 | "Change of Venue (Part 1)" | Bill Bixby | Tim Maschler | February 22, 1982 * |
| 19 | "Change of Venue (Part 2)" | Bill Bixby | Tim Maschler | February 22, 1982 * |
| 20 | "An Absence of Amulets" | Harry Winer | Paul Haggis Paul Haggis Paul Edward Haggis is a Canadian screenwriter, producer, and director. He spent his early career producing and directing various American and Canadian television network series.-Early life and education:... , Michael Mauer |
March 1, 1982 |
| 21 | "Arrivederci, Dink" | Alan Myerson | Julie Kirgo, Dinah Kirgo |
March 15, 1982 |
| 22 | "I Was a Teenage Loser" | Bill Bixby | Tom Chehak | March 22, 1982 |
Note: a Mr. Merlin strip ran briefly in the British TV Comic
TV Comic
TV Comic was a British comic book published weekly between November 9, 1951 and June 29, 1984 for 1,697 issues. With its bright, eye-catching covers, it featured stories based on television shows running at the time of publication. The first issue had 8 pages and had Muffin the Mule on the cover....
.