Salvage 1

Salvage 1 is an American science fiction series that was broadcast for 16 episodes (of the 20 produced) on ABC during 1979. The series was based on the pilot film, Salvage, broadcast in early 1979.[1]

Salvage 1
GenreScience fiction
Created byMike Lloyd Ross
Starring
Theme music composerWalter Scharf
ComposersJack Hayes
Ken Harrison
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes20 (4 unaired)
Production
Executive producersHarve Bennett
Harris Katleman
ProducersMike Lloyd Ross
Ralph Sariego
Craig Schiller
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time60 minutes
Production companiesBennett/Katleman Productions
Columbia Pictures Television
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseJanuary 20 (1979-01-20) 
December 9, 1979 (1979-12-09)
Related
Salvage

Plot

The plot centers on Harry Broderick (Andy Griffith) who owns the Jettison Scrap and Salvage Co. and is a specialist in reclaiming trash and junk to sell as scrap. His dream is to recover equipment left on the Moon during Apollo Program missions[2] for he believes the salvage value will make it a worthwhile venture.[3] In the show's opening title narration, Harry states:

"I wanna build a spaceship, go to the Moon, salvage all the junk that's up there, bring it back, sell it."[4]

He invites a former astronaut Addison "Skip" Carmichael (Joel Higgins), who'd been fired for being a daredevil, and Melanie "Mel" Slozar (Trish Stewart), a fuel and explosives expert who'd been working as a movie stunt coordinator, to assist him in this effort.[5] Richard Jaeckel has a recurring role as Jack Klinger, a FBI agent.[2]

The Vulture

Harry builds a spaceship dubbed Vulture, made from reclaimed salvage and former NASA parts. A cement mixer, a gasoline tanker trailer, and several surplus rocket engines (bought at auction when the space program was in a slump) became the homemade spaceship.[3]

Episodes

Season 1 (1979)

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1
2
1
2
"Salvage"Lee PhilipsMike Lloyd RossJanuary 20, 1979 (1979-01-20)
Harry, a junk dealer, wants to build a space ship and fly to the moon to salvage junk. He recruits Skip and Melanie, former NASA workers, to help him and they build the Vulture, later renamed Salvage 1, under the watchful eye of FBI agent Jack Klinger.
33"Dark Island"Gene NelsonRuel FischmannJanuary 29, 1979 (1979-01-29)
Harry and his crew, who want to obtain dwarf spider monkeys for the San Diego Zoo, end up stranded on a remote island where they discover a giant ape.
44"Shangri-la Lil"Ron SatlofJudy BurnsFebruary 5, 1979 (1979-02-05)
During a search for a B-25 bomber to salvage Harry finds a Japanese soldier who doesn't know World War II has ended.
55"Shelter Five"UnknownUnknownFebruary 12, 1979 (1979-02-12)
After an earthquake Harry and his crew try to rescue a girl trapped in a bomb shelter that is rapidly filling with water.
66"The Haunting of Manderly Mansion"Ray AustinMike RobeFebruary 26, 1979 (1979-02-26)
A creature from planet Andromeda crashes to earth and assumes Harry's appearance. Salvage 1 is needed for the alien to return to his home.
77"The Bugatti Treasure"Ed AbromsStory by: Mike Lloyd Ross
Teleplay by: Richard Chapman & Ruel Fischmann
March 5, 1979 (1979-03-05)
A 16th century map is found inside of a 1934 Bugatti coupe that Harry bought. Will the map lead to Cortez's treasure?
88"The Golden Orbit: Part 1"UnknownUnknownMarch 12, 1979 (1979-03-12)
Harry wants to salvage a gold-plated satellite, while Skip is onboard a NASA spacecraft with a liquid nitrogen leak.
99"The Golden Orbit: Part 2"Ron SatlofRobert SwansonMarch 19, 1979 (1979-03-19)
Harry needs to rescue Skip and the others on the damaged spacecraft, but Jack Klinger impounds Salvage 1.
1010"Operation Breakout"Gerald FinnermanGerald K. SiegelApril 2, 1979 (1979-04-02)
An African dictator kidnaps Jack Klinger and demands a U.S. Missile, but the U.S. government won't respond to the demand. Harry and his crew work to rescue Klinger.
1111"Mermadon"UnknownUnknownApril 16, 1979 (1979-04-16)
Harry befriends a runaway robot programmed to kill anyone believed to be a threat.
1212"Up, Up and Away"Les GreenRobert SwansonMay 14, 1979 (1979-05-14)
Harry survives a plane crash in a remote area, then faces outlaws determined to steal the counterfeit money in the plane.
1313"Energy Solution"UnknownUnknownMay 21, 1979 (1979-05-21)
Melanie's plan to create crude oil causes an underground fire.
1414"Confederate Gold"UnknownUnknownMay 28, 1979 (1979-05-28)
Harry and his crew searches for Confederate gold, but are captured by local townspeople.

The first season ranked 48th out of 114 shows that season with an average 17.7/26 rating/share.[6]

Season 2 (1979)

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
151"Hard Water: Part 1"Les GreenMike Lloyd RossNovember 4, 1979 (1979-11-04)
A rival salvage team attempts to tow an iceberg to a drought-stricken location.
162"Hard Water: Part 2"Les GreenMike Lloyd RossNovember 11, 1979 (1979-11-11)
Harry and his crew try to move the iceberg out of the shipping lane, but the U.S. Navy plans to destroy it. Melanie wants to adopt a child.
173"Round Up"TBDTBDunaired in 1979 (unaired in 1979)
Harry and his crew try to save wild horses the government plans to slaughter.
184"Harry's Doll"TBDTBDunaired in 1979 (unaired in 1979)
Harry buys a racehorse that shows little promise of winning races.
195"Dry Spell"TBDTBDunaired in 1979 (unaired in 1979)
Harry and his crew attempt to seed clouds to cause rain.
206"Diamond Volcano"Dana ElcarGeoffrey Fischerunaired in 1979 (unaired in 1979)
Harry offers his crew a Hawaiian vacation, but Skip and Melanie discover he wants to mine for diamonds inside an inactive volcano.

ABC filmed six Season 2 episodes before cancelling the series.[7] The last four episodes were shown in the early 1990s on The Nostalgia Channel,[8] and overseas in the UK in some ITV regions in 1981.[9][10]

Production

Science fiction author Isaac Asimov was the show's scientific adviser.[lower-alpha 1]

Merchandise

Estes Rockets made a prototype of a model rocket version of the Vulture. It was never brought to market.[12]

Notes

  1. Appeared only in closing credits of some Salvage 1 episodes after the pilot. Asimov also states in his autobiography, I, Asimov, that he served as an advisor for a few Salvage 1 episodes[11]

References

  1. Maltin, Leonard, Leonard Maltin’s TV movies and Video Guide, 1991 Edition, page 993, Plume, 1990
  2. Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle, The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows 1946 – Present, 7th Edition, Ballantine Books, 1999, page 883.
  3. Casey, Paul I. & Dorsey, Andrea M., APOLLO:A Decade of Achievement, page 6, Js Blume Publishing, 2013}
  4. Andy Griffith in 'Salvage',The Los Angeles Times, January 20, 1979, page 31
  5. Handler, David, 'Salvage 1': Superfluity of Junk, Abilene Reporter-News, March 11, 1979, page 62
  6. "Rounding up the ratings for 'the season'" (PDF). Broadcasting. June 18, 1979. p. 58 via World Radio History: Radio Music Electronics Publications. 48. Salvage t (ABC) 17.7 26
  7. de Vise, Daniel, Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show, page 216, Simon & Schuster, 2016
  8. "Salvage episodes". SnowCrest.net. Archived from the original on July 4, 2007.
  9. 24-Hour TV and Radio Guide, Lincolnshire Echo (Lincolnshire, England), May 20, 1981, page 6
  10. Britain’s best viewing guide - Midlands ITV, Daily Mirror (London, England), May 7, 1981, page 18
  11. Asimov, Isaac (1994). I, Asimov: A Memoir. New York, NY: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group. pp. 367–68. ISBN 978-0385417013.
  12. "Article & photos of Vulture Model Rocket". Yahoo! GeoCities. Archived from the original on September 15, 2004.
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