Automan

Infobox Television
show_name = Automan


caption = Walter Nebicher (Desi Arnaz, Jr.)
and Automan (Chuck Wagner).
format = Science Fiction, Superhero
creator = Glen A. Larson
writer = Sam Egan (4 eps)
Douglas Heyes, Jr. (3 eps)
Larry Brody (2 eps)
director = Kim Manners (4 eps)
Winrich Kolbe (3 eps)
Lee H. Katzin (1 ep)
starring = Desi Arnaz, Jr.
Chuck Wagner
Heather McNair
Robert Lansing
Gerald S. O'Loughlin
composer = Stu Phillips
country = USA
language = English
num_episodes = 13
executive_producer = Glen A. Larson
Larry Brody
producer = Donald Kushner
Peter Locke
runtime = 50 minutes
network = ABC
first_aired = December 15, 1983
last_aired = April 2, 1984
list_episodes =
imdb_id = 0084978
tv_com_id = 1921

"Automan" is an American, science fiction, superhero, television series produced by Glen A. Larson. It aired for only 12 episodes (although 13 were made) on ABC between 1983 and 1984.

ynopsis

"Automan" (the "Automatic Man") followed the adventures of a police officer and computer programmer named Walter Nebicher (Desi Arnaz, Jr.), who had created an artificially intelligent crime fighting program that generated a hologram (Chuck Wagner) able to leave the computer world and enter reality to help fight crime.

While in the real world, Automan posed as a government agent who helped Walter by the name of "Otto J. Mann". This was a secret to all the regular characters, except Walter's close associate, Roxanne Caldwell (Heather McNair).

Nebicher could merge with Automan to become one being, sharing both consciousness and skills, while retaining Automan's invulnerability to such things as gunshots and explosions. During the "merges" only Automan's form, a human head atop a glowing body made of circuit patterns and flickering light, could be seen.

Automan had a sidekick named "Cursor", a free-floating, glowing, shifting polyhedron-shaped, mote of energy which could three-dimensionally "draw" and generate physical objects as they are needed, generally becoming the object in the process. Cursor could not become another object until dissolving the current object (usually a reversal of the "drawing" effect) and reassuming "his" normal form. Exceptions to this included the fabrication of more conventional outer clothing to hide Automan's unusual body appearance, and a variable dark colored vehicle lined in glowing blue piping. Jokingly referred to as the "Auto Mobile" in one of its earliest appearances, the most common forms taken were a car, a plane, and a helicopter, all of which could defy the laws of physics (such as making a 90-degree-angle turn).

Cursor could make the vehicle appear or, by making contact with it, cause it to change from one form into another, such as shifting from a car into a helicopter, and could then detach in order to perform other tasks. Cursor could create vehicles with a more conventional appearance but could not then separate from them as he did the unusual-looking forms without the object dissolving. It is also notable that Cursor was always the first to appear from a computer, after which he immediately "created" Automan's physical body. Automan and Cursor were generally only able to become corporeal at night, since they needed a large amount of power to run.

"Automan" was the only TV program to feature the use of a Lamborghini Countach as transport; the Auto Mobile's most common form was such a car. When driving, Automan turned his car at 90 degree angles (a result of Nebicher's programming). Automan was unaffected, but his passengers were generally knocked from one side of the car to the other.

The show also starred Robert Lansing and Gerald S. O'Loughlin, Walter's superiors who believed that Automan was a friend of Walter's from the FBI.

Influences

"Automan" was inspired by the film "Tron", which had come out a year earlier. Although similar in appearance, the special effects used to create the Automan look were completely different from the hand-painted effects used by "Tron". Automan cinematographer Charles "Chuck" Barbee [http://www.barbeefilm.com/automn01.htm reports] that what they actually did was use reflective material and portable projectors, though the end result looks simply like some kind of blue/green screen chromakey overlay.

Cast

* Desi Arnaz, Jr. - Walter Nebicher
* Chuck Wagner - Automan / Otto J. Mann
* Robert Lansing - Lieutenant Jack Curtis
* Gerald S. O'Loughlin - Police Captain E. G. Boyd
* Heather McNair - Roxanne Caldwell

Episodes

* "Club Ten" has aired on The Sci-Fi Channel, and on BBC1 and Bravo in the UK.

External links

*imdb title|0084978|Automan
* [http://www.tv.com/automan/show/1921/summary.html "Automan" at TV.com]
* [http://www.chuckwagner.com/automan.html Chuck Wagner / "Automan" Page]
* [http://www.80sKid.com/Automan.htm "Automan" collectibles and memorabilia exhibit ]
* [http://www.barbeefilm.com/automn01.htm Cinematographer Chuck Barbee] page on how the "Automan" effects were done.