SEASON 3, EPISODE 18
THE SPIRIT OF TELEVISION


When Micki's favorite rock star is reported dead, she feels compelled to investigate
and uncovers a crucial piece of evidence: both the singer and another recently
deceased actor were clients of Ilsa Van Zandt (Marj Dusay), a renowned psychic,
and both performers died by electrocution. Further digging reveals that Ilsa's late
clients were torn by guilt about the death of someone close to them. While other
participants in Ilsa's seances with the singer and actor saw nothing, the clients saw
a reassuring image of their loved one clearly on an antique television screen. Later,
however, an angry image of the same person appeared on their home television sets,
blaming them for their deaths. Such is the fury of the spirits that they are able to cause
the television sets to explode, electrocuting the hapless victims. Ilsa views each new
death on her antique television set, and anxiously waits for a scene of a graveyard to
appear on screen. She watches in relief, as, after each murder, the date of death on
her tombstone is extended, temporarily prolonging her life that much longer.


CAST & CREW

MICKI FOSTER- LOUISE ROBEY
JACK MARSHAK- CHRIS WIGGINS
JOHNNY VENTURA- STEVEN MONARQUE
ILSA VAN ZANDT- MARJ DUSAY
WILLIAM- PAUL HUMPHREY
JESSICA- BELINDA METZ
ROBERT JANDINI- PAUL BETTIS
GENEVIEVE- NANCY CSER
KATIA- SUSAN COX
VINNIE- HAMISH MCEWAN
BRUCE- ELLIOTT SMITH
ROGER- JED DIXON
NEWSMAN- BRIAN RAINEY
MAMA JANDINI- IDA CARNEVALI
PAPA JANDINI- LESLIE YEO
BARTENDER- BILL VIBERT

Written by- Robert Holbrook
Directed by- Jorge Montesi
Created by- Larry B. Williams, Frank Mancuso Jr.
Supervising Producer- Jon Andersen
Executive Producer- Frank Mancuso Jr.
Line Producer- J. Miles Dale
Executive Story Consultant- Jim Henshaw
Music Composed and Performed by- Fred Mollin
Director of Photography- Rodney Charters
Production Designer- Stephen Roloff
Director of Post-Production- Gary L. Smith
Editor- Dave Goard
First Assistant Director- Myron Hoffert
Second Unit Director- T.J. Scott
Script Consultant- R. Scott Gemmill
Casting by- Walker, Berman & Associates
Los Angeles Casting- Fern Champion, Pamela Basker
Extras Casting- Gabrielle Iviney
1st Assistant Camera- Patrick Stepien
2nd Assistant Camera- Trevor Haws
2nd Unit Director of Photography- Richard Wincenty
Sound Recordist- Bryan Day
Boom Operator- Martin Lacroix
Costume Designer- Marie-Sylvie Deveau
Assistant Designer- Carolyn Bahen
Wardrobe Mistress- Judith England
Wardrobe Assistants- Luis Sequeira, Lisa Prince
Make-Up Artist- Ava Stone
Hair Stylist- Diane Smith
Art Director- Adam Kolodziej
Assistant Art Director- Robert Ballantyne
Set Decorator- Marlene Puritt
Lead Set Dresser- Bruce Mailing
Swing Gang- David Maltese, Rex Field
Art Department Trainee- Joan Parkinson
Assistant Production Manager- Norman Denver
Second Assistant Director- Andrea Raffaghello
Third Assistant Director- Michael Burke
Trainee Assistant Director- Johanne Chene
Second Unit Assistant Director- Fergus Barnes
Stunt Coordinator- J.J. Makaro
Location Manager- Erik T. Snyder
Assistant Location Manager- Dorigen Fode
Production Coordinator- Mary Fraser
Production Secretary- Natalie Capone
Production Accountant- Nathalie Laporte
Script Supervisor- Benu Bhandari
Assistant to the Producer- Susan Perry
Assistant to the Executive Producer- Ginger Reynolds
Studio Manager- Aileen Bell
Script Assistant- Sheri McGrath
Paralegal- Pat Turner
Prosthetics Designer- Francois Dagenais
Special Effects by- Performance Solutions Inc.
Special Effects Coordinator- Jordan Craig
Visual Effects Artist- John Gajdecki
Effects Assistants- John LaForet, Russ Graham
Property Master- Peter Risi
Lead Props- Frauke Illing
Gaffer- Owen Taylor
Best Boy- Kevin Murphy
Electricians- Michael Auger, Nigel Draper
Transportation Coordinator- Chris Radley-Walters
Picture Vehicle Coordinator- Glen Avigdor
Key Grip- Mark Silver
Best Boy Grip- Ron Paulaskas
Grips- Blake Ballantine, Tracy Shaw
Construction Coordinator- Ron Lightfoot
Head Carpenter- Joe Madziak
Scenic Painter- Otto Fondan
Post-Production Supervisor- Philip Stilman
Post-Production Coordinator- Gary Mueller
Assistant Editor- Mary Jane Patterson
Post-Production Assistant- Ruth Pond
Video Post-Production- Dome Productions
Audio Post-Production- Master's Workshop
Re-Recording Mixers- Tim Archer, Rick Ellis
Dialogue Supervisor- Terry Gordica
Dialogue Editors- Jon Archer, Steve Foster
Sound Effects Editor- Steve Gorman
Foley- Orest Sushko, Gary Daprato
Series Music Available On- GNP Crescendo Records
Executive in Charge of Production- Robert Wertheimer
Executive Production Consultant- Rick Schwartz
Copyright 1990 Paramount Pictures Corporation
A Triumph Entertainment Corporation Production
Produced in Association with Hometown Films
All Rights Reserved













SOUNDS

Jack: "Everything written says an apparition appears and speaks to everyone..."
Genevieve: "Martina...I think I have another hit on my hands..."
Ilsa: "What's beyond death is far less important than living..."
Papa Jardini: "You killed us long before we died..."
Ilsa: "Searching for what's beyond death...here it is..."


CORONER'S REPORT

1. Eddie (uncredited)- Electrocuted to death in pool
2. Jessica (Belinda Metz)- Electrocuted, pulled into netherworld through TV
3. Genevieve (Nancy Cser)- Electrocuted to death in bathtub
4. Robert (Paul Bettis)- Falls to death out motel window
5. William (Paul Humphrey)- Electrocuted, pulled into netherworld through TV
6. Ilsa (Marj Dusay)- Electrocuted, pulled into netherworld through TV


TRIVIA

QUESTIONS

1. What was Ilsa Van Zandt's real name?
2. What was Micki's connection to Genevieve?
3. What was Robert Jandini's occupation?
4. Through her research, what was the name of the book found by Micki?
5. What was Ilsa's condition forcing her to use the television?

ANSWERS

1. Ilsa Van Zandt's real name was Ellie Robinson.
2. Genevieve was Micki's favorite rock star.
3. Robert Jandini debunked spiritualists, and previously ran a magic act with Jack.
4. The book, by Ellie Robinson, was 'Walking With The Dead'.
5. Ilsa had a degenerative disease that caused her body to fall to pieces.


AIR DATE

April 30, 1990


EPISODE RATING: 4

Eerie spiritual episode delves into the afterlife like no other...
Aside from obvious rip-off of 'Poltergeist', it wasn't half bad


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