Delta House (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Delta House is an American sitcom that was adapted from the 1978
film National Lampoon's Animal House
. The series aired from January to April 1979 on ABC
(Dean Wormer), Stephen Furst
(Flounder), Bruce McGill
(D-Day), and James Widdoes
(Hoover).
Josh Mostel
was cast as Jim "Blotto" Blutarsky, brother of Bluto, the character played in the film by John Belushi
. Despite Bluto's absence, the scriptwriters made running references to his character. In one episode, Blotto announced that he'd received a letter from his brother Bluto, prompting a Delta brother to respond "I didn't know Bluto could write!" and another Delta brother to riposte "I didn't know Blotto could read!" Delta House also served as an early vehicle for future star Michelle Pfeiffer
, who played 'The Bombshell'.
In addition, the other two broadcast networks rushed onto the airwaves their own sitcoms that were "inspired" by Animal House: NBC
's Brothers and Sisters
and CBS
' Co-Ed Fever.
Delta House initially did well in the ratings. However, executive producers Matty Simmons
and Ivan Reitman
's constant fights with ABC over content, led the network to cancel the show after 13 episodes.
to lyrics written by Lampoon editors Tony Hendra and Sean Kelly. Steinman later reworked the melody into the song "Dead Ringer for Love
", made famous by Meat Loaf
and Cher
from the album Dead Ringer
, and a portion of the lyrics into the song "Tonight Is What It Means to Be Young
" from the movie Streets of Fire
(incidentally, Meat Loaf had been an alternate choice for the role of Bluto in Animal House had John Belushi dropped out).
In the episode "Lady in Weighting", the song "Pizza Man
" was performed during a beauty pageant talent showcase. It was taken from National Lampoon
's Off-Broadway
sketch revue Lemmings, a send-up of the Woodstock Festival
where it was originally sung by actress Alice Playten
.
1978 in film
The year 1978 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 1 - Bob Dylan's film Renaldo and Clara, a documentary of the "Rolling Thunder Revue" tour premieres in Los Angeles, California....
film National Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis. The film was a direct spin-off of National Lampoon magazine...
. The series aired from January to April 1979 on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
Casting
Cast members reprising their roles from Animal House included John VernonJohn Vernon
John Keith Vernon was a Canadian actor. He made a career in Hollywood after achieving initial television stardom in Canada.-Early life:...
(Dean Wormer), Stephen Furst
Stephen Furst
Stephen Furst is an American actor and film and television director. He was a regular in the science fiction series Babylon 5 playing Centauri diplomatic attaché Vir Cotto and as Dr. Elliot Axelrod on St...
(Flounder), Bruce McGill
Bruce McGill
Bruce Travis McGill is an American actor who has an extensive list of credits in film and television. He is perhaps best known for his role as Jack Dalton on the television series MacGyver and as Daniel Simpson "D-Day" Day in National Lampoon's Animal House.-Early life:McGill was born in San...
(D-Day), and James Widdoes
James Widdoes
James "Jamie" Widdoes is an American actor and film and television director, sometimes credited as Jamie Widdoes.-Career:...
(Hoover).
Josh Mostel
Josh Mostel
Joshua "Josh" Mostel is an American actor who is best known for his roles in Jesus Christ Superstar and two Adam Sandler films .-Life and career:...
was cast as Jim "Blotto" Blutarsky, brother of Bluto, the character played in the film by John Belushi
John Belushi
John Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul...
. Despite Bluto's absence, the scriptwriters made running references to his character. In one episode, Blotto announced that he'd received a letter from his brother Bluto, prompting a Delta brother to respond "I didn't know Bluto could write!" and another Delta brother to riposte "I didn't know Blotto could read!" Delta House also served as an early vehicle for future star Michelle Pfeiffer
Michelle Pfeiffer
Michelle Marie Pfeiffer is an American actress. She made her film debut in 1980 in The Hollywood Knights, but first garnered mainstream attention with her performance in Brian De Palma's Scarface . Pfeiffer has won numerous awards for her work...
, who played 'The Bombshell'.
Production and scheduling problems
Because of television Standards and Practices, the raunchy humor, drug references, and foul language featured in Animal House didn't survive the transition to TV. As a result, Delta House suffered in comparison. That it aired during the so-called "family hour" (8:00 PM on Saturday nights) led to even more watering down.In addition, the other two broadcast networks rushed onto the airwaves their own sitcoms that were "inspired" by Animal House: NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Brothers and Sisters
Brothers and Sisters (1979 TV series)
Brothers and Sisters is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from January to April 1979. The series attempted to capitalize on the success of the 1978 motion picture National Lampoon's Animal House...
and CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
' Co-Ed Fever.
Delta House initially did well in the ratings. However, executive producers Matty Simmons
Matty Simmons
Matty Simmons is a former newspaper reporter for the New York World-Telegram and Sun, and Executive Vice President of Diner's Club, the first credit card company...
and Ivan Reitman
Ivan Reitman
Ivan Reitman, OC is a Canadian film producer and director. He is known for the comedies he has directed and produced, especially in the 1980s and 1990s.He is the owner of The Montecito Picture Company, founded in 2000.-Early life:...
's constant fights with ABC over content, led the network to cancel the show after 13 episodes.
Theme song
The theme song was written by Jim SteinmanJim Steinman
James Richard "Jim" Steinman is an American composer, lyricist, and Grammy Award-winning record producer responsible for several hit songs. He has also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer...
to lyrics written by Lampoon editors Tony Hendra and Sean Kelly. Steinman later reworked the melody into the song "Dead Ringer for Love
Dead Ringer for Love
"Dead Ringer for Love" is a rock song performed by American rock singer Meat Loaf and American singer-actress Cher from Meat Loaf's third studio album, Dead Ringer...
", made famous by Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
and Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
from the album Dead Ringer
Dead Ringer (album)
Dead Ringer is a 1981 album by Meat Loaf and is the second of three Meat Loaf albums written entirely by Jim Steinman. The album cover features an illustration by comic book artist and horror illustrator Bernie Wrightson....
, and a portion of the lyrics into the song "Tonight Is What It Means to Be Young
Tonight Is What It Means to Be Young
"Tonight Is What It Means to Be Young" was first performed by Fire Inc. in 1984 for the rock film Streets of Fire. Cover versions of this song have also been recorded by Japanese singer Megumi Shiina, and for the musical Tanz der Vampire/Dance of the Vampires. The song was written by Jim Steinman....
" from the movie Streets of Fire
Streets of Fire
Streets of Fire is a 1984 film directed by Walter Hill and co-written by Hill and Larry Gross. It was described in previews, trailers, and posters as "A Rock & Roll Fable." It is an unusual mix of musical, action, drama, and comedy with elements both of retro-1950s and 1980s...
(incidentally, Meat Loaf had been an alternate choice for the role of Bluto in Animal House had John Belushi dropped out).
In the episode "Lady in Weighting", the song "Pizza Man
Pizza Man
Pizza Man is a 1991 comedy film starring Bill Maher and Annabelle Gurwitch; written and directed by J.F. Lawton. The film received a PG-13 rating by the MPAA.-Credited cast:*Bill Maher as Elmo Bunn*Annabelle Gurwitch as The Dame...
" was performed during a beauty pageant talent showcase. It was taken from National Lampoon
National Lampoon Inc
National Lampoon, Incorporated is a company formed in 2002 in order to use the brand name "National Lampoon" in comedy and entertainment. In the words of its prospectus, the role of the company is to "develop, produce, provide creative services and distribute National Lampoon branded comedic...
's Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
sketch revue Lemmings, a send-up of the Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Festival
Woodstock Music & Art Fair was a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music". It was held at Max Yasgur's 600-acre dairy farm in the Catskills near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969...
where it was originally sung by actress Alice Playten
Alice Playten
Alice Playten was an American actress and singer.-Life and career:Born Alice Plotkin in New York City, Playten began her career in the Broadway musical Gypsy...
.
Cast
- John VernonJohn VernonJohn Keith Vernon was a Canadian actor. He made a career in Hollywood after achieving initial television stardom in Canada.-Early life:...
- Dean Wormer - Stephen FurstStephen FurstStephen Furst is an American actor and film and television director. He was a regular in the science fiction series Babylon 5 playing Centauri diplomatic attaché Vir Cotto and as Dr. Elliot Axelrod on St...
- Flounder - Bruce McGillBruce McGillBruce Travis McGill is an American actor who has an extensive list of credits in film and television. He is perhaps best known for his role as Jack Dalton on the television series MacGyver and as Daniel Simpson "D-Day" Day in National Lampoon's Animal House.-Early life:McGill was born in San...
- D-Day - James WiddoesJames WiddoesJames "Jamie" Widdoes is an American actor and film and television director, sometimes credited as Jamie Widdoes.-Career:...
- Hoover - Josh MostelJosh MostelJoshua "Josh" Mostel is an American actor who is best known for his roles in Jesus Christ Superstar and two Adam Sandler films .-Life and career:...
- Blotto - Richard Seer - Pinto
- Peter Fox - Otter
- Gary Cookson - Doug Neidermeyer
- Susanna DaltonSusanna DaltonSusanna Dalton is an American actress, who made her TV debut in 1979 in the Show Delta House as Mandy Pepperidge. She also played C.C. Brandt in Stunts Unlimited , Gloria in Paternity and Nancy Barwood in A Little Sex . She now teaches at the Westchester Conservatory of Music and resides in New...
- Mandy Pepperidge - Wendy Goldman - Muffy
- Brian Patrick ClarkeBrian Patrick ClarkeBrian Patrick Clarke is an American actor.Clarke was born in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and graduated from Yale University in 1974...
- Greg Marmalard - Lee WilkofLee WilkofLee Wilkof is an American actor and veteran of the Broadway stage. He originated the roles of Sam Byck in Assassins and Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors, later earning a Tony Award nomination for the 2000 revival of Kiss Me, Kate...
- Einswine - Peter KastnerPeter KastnerPeter Kastner was a Canadian-born actor who achieved prominence as a disaffected youth in movies of the 1960s....
Prof. Jennings - Michelle PfeifferMichelle PfeifferMichelle Marie Pfeiffer is an American actress. She made her film debut in 1980 in The Hollywood Knights, but first garnered mainstream attention with her performance in Brian De Palma's Scarface . Pfeiffer has won numerous awards for her work...
- The Bombshell