Fame Connections: V

 

V is an American Sci Fi Series that started as a 2 part miniseries which aired in May 1983.  It was hugely successful and a further 3 part mini series titled V: The Final Battle was broadcast in May 1984. This was followed by a 19 episodes Series that aired between October 1984 and March 1985. The budget was not enough to maintain the quality of the 2 miniseries and the show was cancelled after its first season. 

The series was remade in a 2009 reboot which lasted for 2 seasons before it was cancelled.

There are a number of links to Fame from the 2 original Miniseries.

V was created by Kenneth Johnson, who had created, written and produced big Sci Fi shows like The Bionic Woman & The Incredible Hulk. On V he wrote and directed  the original 2 part miniseries. After disagreements with the Network on the direction of the 2nd miniseries he left the production and in 1984 he created and wrote the TV Series "Hot Pursuit", which starred Fame's Erica Pierpoint and Mike Preston, who would later gest star as Ian Ware's father in the episode "Pros and Cons".  Billy Hufsey would also guest star in the Pilot episode of Hot Pursuit. Fame guest stars Glynn Turman and Greg Longstreet would guest on this show too. In additional Fame's Executive producers Harry and Renee Longstreet would write and direct episodes.

Kenneth directed the 1988 comedy sci fi film "Short Circuit 2" which starred Cynthia Gibb.

Kenneth would also go on to create Alien Nation and Eric Pierpoint would also be a lead on that TV show and Harry & Renee Longstreet would also write and direct episodes.  Fame guest stars Robert Romanus and Will Bledsoe would also guest on Alien Nation.   

  

V was aired on NBC which was the American Network that originally broadcast Fame. One of the leading stars of V was Marc Singer, who played News Reporter and freedom fighter Mike Donovan. Marc is the older brother of Fame's Lori Singer.

     

A number of V cast members would guest star on "Fame". Firstly David Packer who played collaborator Daniel Bernstein on V had a brief guest role on Fame as a waiter in the season 2 episode "Class Act".    

Then there is Dominique Dunne who played runaway Tracy in the season 1 episode "Street Kid". Dominique was cast in the role of Robin Maxwell on V and had already filmed some scenes, when she was tragically murdered by an ex boyfriend. She'd actually been rehearsing with David Packer just before she was killed. The role of Robin was recast with Blair Tefkin taking the part and scenes had to be reshot. However, there is the odd scene where Dominique is still on screen, usually from behind or in long shot so the audience don't notice.  

Fame's Dick Miller played a counterfeiter Dan Pascal in 2 episodes of  The Final Battle and actress Diane Civita (Dian Cary now) who played Harmony Moore in V guest starred in the season 6 episode of Fame "Alice Doesn't Work Here Anymore playing Miss Maguire the biology teacher.  

Behind the Scenes Fame Executives Harry and Renee Longstreet contributed storyline ideas and had a hand in writing V The Final Battle and TV Series and Susan Goldberg who on Fame was the Executive Story Consultant on Season 6, as well as writing 3 episodes  that season was also involved in writing V The Final Battle.      

If anyone knows of any further links between Fame and V then let us know.