1 9 7 9 (USA)
10 x 60 minute episodes
Debuting on CBS on 25 September 1979, California Fever presented roller skating, disco dancing, surfing, rock music, skateboarding, hot-air ballooning, more disco dancing, more rock music and joy riding along the San Andreas Fault.
In short, it was teenybopper heaven with 17-year-olds Vince Butler (Jimmy McNichol), Ross Whitman (Marc McClure) and Laurie Newman (Michele Tobin) – who attended Westside High School and hung out together at Sunset Beach in California – and Rick (Lorenzo Lamas) who ran the local hangout that served snacks and rented bikes, surfboards and rollerskates.
The kids formed a rock band (called Four on the Floor), bopped around a lot, ran into trouble and ran away from trouble. Vince also ran a three-watt underground radio station – called K-Fever – from the back room of Rick’s. Vince was the “Ghost of the Coast at the top of the dial”.
Any California-set show worth its saltwater back then featured awesome cars. California Fever was no exception, as Vince cruised around in a cool Trans Am – with the license plate IM CRUSIN – and mechanic-supreme Ross puttered around in a mostly inoperable topless green and yellow truck dubbed “The Grossmobile.”
Ross also won $500 by dancing for 11 hours and 13 minutes in a marathon at the Solar System Disco.
13 episodes were produced, but only 10 aired before CBS gave the order to pull the plug in mid-December 1979. Jimmy McNichol sang the theme tune.
Rick
Lorenzo Lamas
Ross Whitman
Marc McClure
Vince Butler
Jimmy McNichol
Laurie Newman
Michele Tobin
Vickie
Ruth Cox
Cathy
Jane Milmore
Bobby
Cosie Costa
Sue
Lisa Coristein
Pattie
Heidi Bohay
Lucille
April Clough
Robbie
Jay Kerry
Mary Butler
Barbara Tarbuck
