Lorne Greene Movies

The first (and only) season of ABC's lavishly mounted sci-fi/fantasy series Battlestar Galactica begins with a spectacular (and spectacularly "hyped") three-hour opener, which in blatant Star Wars fashion rapidly establishes time, place, and characters. The time is the seventh millennium A.D. The place is Galactica, the only battlestar to survive a brutal attack by the evil Cylon androids (originally created as a worker race), which had the overall effect of virtually obliterating humankind and destroying the balance of interplanetary peace. The principal characters on the "good" side are Commander Adama (Lorne Greene), chief officer of the mile-wide Galactica; his only surviving son, Captain Apollo (Richard Hatch), head of Galactica's Viper (fighter) squadron; the resident "Han Solo" type, Apollo's cocksure ace pilot and all-around con artist, Lt. Starbuck (Dirk Benedict); Starbuck's fellow pilots, Boomer (Herbert Jefferson Jr.) and Jolly (Tony Swartz); Athena (Maren Jensen), Adama's daughter and second in command; Cassiopeia (Laurette Spang), Starbuck's erstwhile girlfriend; Colonel Tigh (Terry Carter), Galactica's first officer; Boxey (Noah Hathaway), Apollo's stepson; and, in the R2D2 tradition, a mechanical dog named Muffit. Leading the bad guys is the swarthy Count Baltar (John Colicos) and Baltar's willing if slightly dimwitted cyborg henchman Lucifer (voiced by an unbilled Jonathan Harris). In the course of the season, the crew of the Galactica, as well as those of the 220 minor space vehicles remaining in Galactica's fleet, race desperately toward the last known inhabited planet in space, an obscure little orb called Earth, with the relentless Cylons hot on their heels. Halfway through the season, the two-part episode "The Living Legend" introduces Sheba (Anne Lockhart), daughter of Colonel Cain, legendary skipper of the battlestar Pegasus. Sheba is briefly united with Adama and company when the Galactica and Pegasus join forces to ward off the latest Cylon assault. Beset by various lawsuits instigated by the creators of Star Wars and weighed down by low ratings, Battlestar Galactica comes to a climax after 24 episodes. The property, would, however, be revived in a dramatically altered format (set in the 20th century) as Galactica 1980; and a quarter of a century later, a new Battlestar Galactica (described as a "re-imagining") premiered over the Sci-Fi Channel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the concluding episode of a two-part story, the disease-weakened convoy, led by Galactica's commander Adama (Lorne Greene), have found an ancient planet that may well be the gateway to the long-lost 13th colony of Mankind (once known as planet earth). With Galactica's male personnel afflicted by illness, it is up to the vessel's courageous woman warriors to hold down the fort. Meanwhile, the treacherous Baltar (John Colicos) is hurriedly mounting a Cylon attack against Galactica--an attack that will have particularly tragic consequences for Adama's son Apollo (Richard Hatch). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In Part Three of Battlestar Galactica's pilot episode, the survivors of the war between the Cylons and Mankind have been lured into a trap on the planet Carillon. Thanks to some quick thinking on the part of Galactica's Cmdr. Adama (Lorne Greene), Adama's son Apollo (Richard Hatch), and Apollo's best friend Starbuck (Dirk Benedict), an escape from Carillon is successfully carried out--and in the bargain, Apollo has found happiness with his new bride Serena (Jane Seymour). But the Cylons, headed by traitorous human Baltar (John Colicos), are still determined to prevent Galactica from reaching its destination of the lost 13th colony (known centuries ago as Planet Earth). Originally telecast as a three-hour special, "Saga of a Star World" has since been divided into three separate episodes for syndication, and an edited 125-minute version has been released theatrically as Battlestar Galactica. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In part one of Battlestar Galactica's pilot episode, the 12 colonies of humankind are poised to sign a peace treaty with the Cylons, a race of mechanical men with whom the colonies have waged war for the past millennium. In truth, however, the peace conference is a trap, arranged by traitorous human Baltar (John Colicos) for the purpose of wiping out humankind for good. Of all the colonies' battlestars, only the Galactica, helmed by Commander Adama (Lorne Greene) -- who, wisely, never completely trusted Baltar in the first place -- manages to escape the Cylon fleet. Led by Adama, his Viper-pilot son, Captain Apollo (Dirk Benedict), and Apollo's best friend, Lieutenant Starbuck (Dirk Benedict), the survivors of the Cylon ambush board Galactica and head for the long-lost 13th colony, which once bore the name of Earth. Originally telecast as a three-hour special, "Saga of a Star World" has since been divided into three separate episodes for syndication, and an edited 125-minute version has also been released theatrically. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a two-part story, Adama (Lorne Greene) clashes with Commander Cain (Lloyd Bridges), a legendary--and extremely egocentric--colonial warrior. Cain wants to use the combined forces of his battleship Pegasus and Adama's Galactica for an all-out resistance against a massive Cylon attack, but Adama, worried about the human cost of such an undertaking, is dead set against the plan. Even so, by the time the episode is over, the crews of the Pegasus and the Galactica are battling shoulder-to-shoulder--and it may be a battle to the death. Parts one and two of "The Living Legend" were later combined with excerpts from the Battlestar Galactica episode "Fire in Space" and released theatrically overseas as Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the first episode of a two-part story, a recon mission led by Apollo (Richard Hatch) and Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) confronts a fleet of Vipers from the long-lost Battlestar Pegasus. Ultimately, Cmdr. Adama (Lorne Greene) comes face to face with the Pegasus' skipper, legendary colonial warrior Cain (Lloyd Bridges). Unfortunately, Cain's heroism is dwarfed by his ego and his recklessness--and he is determined to lead his vessel and the Galactica on a suicidal attack against the Cylon forces. Anne Lockhart makes her first series appearance as Cain's daughter, Sheba. Parts one and two of "The Living Legend" were later combined with excerpts from the Battlestar Galactica episode "Fire in Space" and released theatrically overseas as Mission Galactica: The Cylon Attack. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Cylons capture Starbuck after he left the Galactica due to murder accusations. ~ All Movie Guide

Space Prison consists of two tenuously linked 60-minute episodes of the TV series Battlestar Gallactica. Heavily influenced by Star Wars, the futuristic series starred Lorne Greene as Adama, commander of the mile-wide Gallactica battlestar. Adama's younger cohorts (read: the series' Luke Skywalker and Han Solo) were Captain Apollo (Richard Hatch) and Lieutenants Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) and Boomer (Herb Jefferson Jr.); the resident damsel in distress was Athena, played by the luscious Maren Jensen. The villainy was in the hands of the treacherous Count Balter (John Colicos) The two episodes included herein are "The Long Patrol", first telecast October 15, 1978, and "Man With 9 Lives", originally shown January 28, 1979. In the first, Starbuck is taken prisoner in a space penitentiary where all the inmates are descendants of long-forgotten criminals. In the second, Fred Astaire guest-stars as a glib stranger who may well be Starbuck's father. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Produced for the syndicated "Operation Prime Time" series, The Bastard is the first of John Jakes' "Kent Family Chronicles" (followed by The Rebels and The Seekers). Presented in two parts, the story begins in 1771, with 17-year-old French commoner Philippe Charboneau (Andrew Stevens) discovering that he is the illegitimate son of a British Duke. He goes on a long journey, girdling several countries, to claim his birthright, with his mother (Patricia Neal) along for the ride. Settling in America in 1772, our hero--now known as Phillip Kent--becomes involved with the American Revolution. The all-star cast includes Buddy Ebsen, Barry Sullivan, Harry Morgan, Lorne Greene, Donald Pleasence, Tom Bosley (as Ben Franklin), William Shatner (as Paul Revere) and William Daniels (as Samuel Adams). Distributed nationally beginning May 22, 1978, The Bastard was re-titled Kent Family Chronicles in the more conservative TV markets. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When a long-range recon mission in a new, computer-equipped Viper goes awry, Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) is captured and shipped off to a forgotten prison planet. Starbuck's fellow inmates are all descendants of the planet's original criminal population, condemned to a lifetime of blind obedience to unknown superiors, and forced to manufacture ambrosia for a fleet that has long ceased to exist. It is up to Starbuck to convince these hopeless souls to revolt against their centuries-old bondage. "The Long Patrol" was later combined with the Battlestar Galactica episode "Take the Celestra" and reissued as the two-hour "TV movie" Space Casanova. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Crashlanding on the Cylon garrison planet Trillion, Starbuck is "rescued" by a group of children -- the only surviving human inhabitants of the planet. It soon develops that the kids comprise a guerilla organization, led by their father. In order to ransom their dad from his Cylon captors, the youngsters are willing to use Starbuck as a bargaining chip. This episode, originally scheduled to air on November 12, 1978, was later combined with the Battlestar Galactica episode "Murder on the Rising Star" and reissued as the two-hour "TV movie" Murder in Space. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Galactica's landing pods are set ablaze by a Cylon suicide attack. Adama (Lorne Greene) is seriously injured, and Boxey (Noah Hathaway) and Athena (Maren Jensen) are trapped on board the battlestar. Although Apollo (Richard Hatch) and Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) make a daring and treacherous spacewalk to save their comrades, it ultimately falls to Boomer (Herbert Jefferson Jr.) to rescue everyone. "Fire in Space" was later combined with the Battlestar Galactica episode "The Magnificent Warriors" and reissued as the two-hour "TV movie" Curse of the Cylons. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide