Thunder in Paradise
Encyclopedia
Thunder in Paradise was a one-hour action
-adventure
TV series from the creators of Baywatch
, which starred Hulk Hogan
, Chris Lemmon
, and Carol Alt
. This first-run syndicated
TV series originally premiered as a straight-to-video feature film in September 1993, then ran for one season in 1994
, before being cancelled. The series was later rebroadcast on the TNT
cable network.
, Randolph J. "Hurricane" Spencer and Martin "Bru" Brubaker, who work as mercenaries out of their tropical resort headquarters along Florida
's Gulf Coast. Using their futuristic, high-tech boat, nicknamed "Thunder", they travel around the world fighting various and sundry criminals and villains. However, they are forced to balance their dangerous undercover work with their responsibilities of raising widower Spencer's young daughter Jessica, who lives with them.
Former model Kelly LaRue, who owns and manages the "Scuttlebutt Bar N' Grill" on the beach in front of the resort, looks after Jessica whenever Spence and Bru go on their missions. Kelly also serves as a romantic foil for Bru, who consistently fails miserably in his pursuit of her. Edward Whitaker, Jessica's uncle, owns the beach resort and makes semi-regular appearances in the series, primarily for comic relief.
Hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida
during April 1993. When the series was picked up for a full season, the production company then moved to Disney-MGM Studios
near Orlando
, where the primary filming location became the Grand Floridian Resort at the Walt Disney World Resort
. Other filming locations at Walt Disney World included Disney's Old Key West Resort
, Fort Wilderness Campground, and EPCOT
, used heavily due to the wide variety of futuristic and architectural styles available at that theme park. The destruction of the school featured in the two-part episode "Deadly Lessons" was an actual controlled demolition of a school building in Central Florida
that the production company agreed to perform in exchange for filming rights. Stetson University in Deland, Florida was utilized for an episode.
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
-adventure
Adventure film
Adventure films are a genre of film.Unlike pure, low-budget action films they often use their action scenes preferably to display and explore exotic locations in an energetic way....
TV series from the creators of Baywatch
Baywatch
Baywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production...
, which starred Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
, Chris Lemmon
Chris Lemmon
-History:Lemmon was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of actress Cynthia Stone and actor Jack Lemmon. With a natural talent for music, he was encouraged by his father to study piano. Lemmon considered playing piano professionally after having graduated from the California Institute of the...
, and Carol Alt
Carol Alt
Carol Ann Alt is an American model and actress.- Early life:Alt was born in Flushing, Queens, New York, the daughter of Muriel, an airline employee and model, and Anthony Alt, a fire chief. She was noticed waiting tables in her hometown of East Williston, New York. When she was 18, she decided to...
. This first-run syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
TV series originally premiered as a straight-to-video feature film in September 1993, then ran for one season in 1994
1994 in television
The year 1994 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1994.For the American TV schedule, see: 1994-95 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:...
, before being cancelled. The series was later rebroadcast on the TNT
Turner Network Television
Turner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
cable network.
Series concept
Thunder in Paradise follows the adventures of two ex-Navy SEALSUnited States Navy SEALs
The United States Navy's Sea, Air and Land Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's principal special operations force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command as well as the maritime component of the United States Special Operations Command.The acronym is derived from their...
, Randolph J. "Hurricane" Spencer and Martin "Bru" Brubaker, who work as mercenaries out of their tropical resort headquarters along Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
's Gulf Coast. Using their futuristic, high-tech boat, nicknamed "Thunder", they travel around the world fighting various and sundry criminals and villains. However, they are forced to balance their dangerous undercover work with their responsibilities of raising widower Spencer's young daughter Jessica, who lives with them.
Former model Kelly LaRue, who owns and manages the "Scuttlebutt Bar N' Grill" on the beach in front of the resort, looks after Jessica whenever Spence and Bru go on their missions. Kelly also serves as a romantic foil for Bru, who consistently fails miserably in his pursuit of her. Edward Whitaker, Jessica's uncle, owns the beach resort and makes semi-regular appearances in the series, primarily for comic relief.
Main cast
- Terry "Hulk Hogan" BolleaHulk HoganTerrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
as Randolph J. "Hurricane" Spencer - Chris LemmonChris Lemmon-History:Lemmon was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of actress Cynthia Stone and actor Jack Lemmon. With a natural talent for music, he was encouraged by his father to study piano. Lemmon considered playing piano professionally after having graduated from the California Institute of the...
as Martin "Bru" Brubaker - Carol AltCarol AltCarol Ann Alt is an American model and actress.- Early life:Alt was born in Flushing, Queens, New York, the daughter of Muriel, an airline employee and model, and Anthony Alt, a fire chief. She was noticed waiting tables in her hometown of East Williston, New York. When she was 18, she decided to...
as Kelly LaRue - Ashley Gorrell as Jessica Whitaker Spencer (Episodes 4-22)
- Patrick MacneePatrick MacneePatrick Macnee is an English actor, best known for his role as the secret agent John Steed in the series The Avengers.-Early life:...
as Edward Whitaker - Felicity WatermanFelicity WatermanFelicity Waterman is an English actress best known for her role as Vanessa Hunt during the final two seasons of the television drama series Knots Landing and as a regular cast member of the series Pensacola: Wings of Gold 1999-2000 in the role of Lt...
as Megan Whitaker Spencer (Episodes 1-3) - Robin WeismanRobin WeismanRobin Weisman is a former American child actress. She has not acted since 1994.Weisman is well known as the 'little lady' Mary Bennington in the film 3 Men and a Little Lady in 1990 with Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg and Ted Danson...
as Jessica Whitaker Spencer (Episodes 1-3) - Russ Wheeler as the voice of "Thunder"
Recurring cast
- Kiki ShepardKiki ShepardChiquita Renee "Kiki" Shepard is an American television host, best known as the longtime co-host of It's Showtime at the Apollo. Ms. Shepard religiously guards the date of her birth, but she is a native of Tyler, Texas...
as Trelawny aka D. J. Moran - Heidi MarkHeidi MarkHeidi Mark is an American model and actress. Heidi is of Finnish origin. Her father was born in Helsinki, Finland. She worked at her father's law office and Hooters. She was chosen as Playboy's Playmate of the Month in July 1995. Prior to being a Playmate, she appeared on the cover of April...
as Alison Wilson - Jimmy HartJimmy HartJames "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
- The Nighthawk MercenaryMercenaryA mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
/PilotAviatorAn aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne... - Nathan McCallah MercenaryMercenaryA mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
/PilotAviatorAn aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne... - C.T. Night "The Boss" MercenaryMercenaryA mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
/PilotAviatorAn aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
Episodes
- "Thunder in Paradise", Part One - March 25, 1994
- "Thunder in Paradise", Part Two - March 25, 1994
- "Tug of War" - April 1, 1994
- "Sea Quentin" - April 8, 1994
- "Strange Bru" - April 15, 1994
- "Sealed with a Kismet", Part One - April 22, 1994
- "Sealed with a Kismet", Part Two - April 29, 1994
- "Changing of the Guard" - May 6, 1994
- "Gettysburg Change of Address" - May 13, 1994
- "Distant Sound of Thunder" - May 20, 1994
- "Nature of the Beast" - May 27, 1994
- "Identity Crisis" - July 8, 1994
- "Queen of Hearts" - July 15, 1994
- "Plunder in Paradise" - July 22, 1994
- "Eye for an Eye" - August 26, 1994
- "Endangered Species" - September 9, 1994
- "Deadly Lessons", Part One - September 16, 1994
- "Deadly Lessons", Part Two - September 23, 1994
- "Blast Off" - November 6, 1994
- "Dead Reckoning" - November 13, 1994
- "The M.A.J.O.R. and the Minor", Part One - November 20, 1994
- "The M.A.J.O.R. and the Minor", Part Two - November 27, 1994
- The pilot movie was originally released on home video the week of September 27, 1993. It was not broadcast on television until the beginning of Season 1, after which it was split into two episodes for reruns and later syndication.
- The two-part episode "Sealed with a Kismet" was combined and released to home video as the feature Thunder in Paradise II.
- The two-part episode "Deadly Lessons" was combined and released to home video as the feature Thunder in Paradise 3.
- The two-part episode "The M.A.J.O.R. and the Minor" was used as the basis for the Thunder in Paradise CD-iThunder in Paradise (video game)Thunder in Paradise is an interactive movie starring Terry "Hulk" Hogan, and Chris Lemmon, released on the Philips CD-i. Being based on the TV series with the same title, the game itself is a playable version of the series episode titled "The M.A.J.O.R...
interactive game. In addition to the episode itself, additional footage was filmed for use at different stages in the game. Although video game tie-ins have been created for numerous TV series such as Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
and CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
, this is the only time in TV history that an actual aired episode was written and structured to serve as the basis for a video game.
DVD release
On September 26, 2006, Lions Gate released a 3-disc Thunder in Paradise Collection that contained Thunder in Paradise ("Thunder In Paradise" Parts 1 & 2), Thunder in Paradise II ("Sealed with a Kismet" Parts 1 & 2), and Thunder in Paradise 3 ("Deadly Lessons" Part 1 & 2).Filming locations
The Thunder in Paradise pilot movie was filmed in and around the historic Don CeSarDon Cesar
Loews Don CeSar Hotel is a Loews hotel located in St. Pete Beach, Florida, in the United States. Developed by Thomas Rowe and opened in 1928, it gained renown as the Gulf playground for America's pampered rich at the height of the Jazz Age and it still serves as a popular retreat for the rich and...
Hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
during April 1993. When the series was picked up for a full season, the production company then moved to Disney-MGM Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. Spanning 135 acres in size, its theme is show business, drawing inspiration from the heyday of Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s...
near Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, where the primary filming location became the Grand Floridian Resort at the Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
. Other filming locations at Walt Disney World included Disney's Old Key West Resort
Disney's Old Key West Resort
Disney's Old Key West Resort is a Disney Vacation Club resort at the Walt Disney World Resort. It opened on December 20, 1991 and was formerly known as Disney's Vacation Club Resort up until January 1996 when it was renamed. It was the first Disney Vacation Club Timeshare Resort, and has the...
, Fort Wilderness Campground, and EPCOT
Epcot
Epcot is a theme park in the Walt Disney World Resort, located near Orlando, Florida. The park is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, namely international culture and technological innovation. The second park built at the resort, it opened on October 1, 1982 and was initially named...
, used heavily due to the wide variety of futuristic and architectural styles available at that theme park. The destruction of the school featured in the two-part episode "Deadly Lessons" was an actual controlled demolition of a school building in Central Florida
Central Florida
Central Florida is a regional designation for the area surrounding Orlando in east central Florida, United States. The area represents the third largest population concentration in Florida, after the South Florida and Tampa Bay regions, respectively....
that the production company agreed to perform in exchange for filming rights. Stetson University in Deland, Florida was utilized for an episode.