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 Place”. 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.
Thirteen episodes were produced, but only ten 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
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