- "Sam, a lot of freaky things have happened out here! There's ships that disappear - planes vanish - even on clear days. Like this one."
- ―Al
| "Ghost Ship" | |
|---|---|
| Series Quantum Leap Season 4, Episode 16 | |
| |
| Air date | March 4th, 1992 |
| Writers | Paris Qualles; Donald P. Bellisario |
| Director | Anita Addison |
| Producers | Deborah Pratt; Michael Zinberg; Harker Wade; Jeff Gourson; Tommy Thompson; Chris Ruppenthal; Paul Brown; Donald P. Bellisario; James S. Giritlian; Julie Bellisario; David Bellisario |
| Starring | Scott Bakula; Dean Stockwell |
| Episode guide | |
| Previous "A Song for the Soul" |
Next "Roberto!" |
"Ghost Ship" is the sixteenth episode of season four of the American science fiction television series Quantum Leap and the 69th episode of the series overall. The episode was directed by Anita W. Addison and written by Paris Qualles and series creator Donald P. Bellisario. It first aired on NBC on March 4th, 1992. In this episode, Sam Beckett leaps into the body of an airplane co-pilot in the year 1956 and has to brave the treacherous Bermuda Triangle in a small, single-engine airplane. To make matters worse, he has to make sure that the plane reaches it's destination before one of his passengers dies from a burst appendix.
Synopsis[]
Leap date: August 13th, 1956
Cast[]
Principal Cast[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Scott Bakula | Sam Beckett |
| Dean Stockwell | Al Calavicci |
Guest Stars[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Scott Hoxby | Captain Cooper |
| Kimberly Foster | Wendy Cooper |
| Kurt Deutsch | Grant Cutter, Jr. |
| Carla Gugino | Michelle Temple Cutter |
Co-Stars[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Mark McPherson | Francis Edward "Eddie" Brackett |
Notes & Trivia[]
- This episode is included on disc four of the Quantum Leap: The Complete Fourth Season DVD collection.
- Production code number: 67307
- Next leap: Sam leaps into the body of a controversial television talk-show host, ala Jerry Springer. None of the characters from this segment are identified or credited.
- The airplane featured in this episode is a Grumman G-21 Goose, an amphibious aircraft designed as an eight-seat "commuter" plane for businessmen. The Goose was Grumman's first monoplane to fly, its first twin-engined aircraft and its first aircraft to enter commercial airline service. During World War II, the Goose became an effective transport for the US military, as well as serving with many other air forces.
- First professional acting work for Kurt Deutsch. This is his only known sci-fi work to date.
- Actors Scott Bakula and Kurt Deutsch were both born in St. Louis, Missouri.
- Al continuously reminds Sam that he should use the phrase "use the head" in place of "going to the John" as a metaphor for going to the bathroom. However, Grant tells Sam that he is "going to the John" earlier in the episode.
What else have they done?[]
- Kimberly Foster: This is Kimberly Foster's second appearance in a science fiction television program. She previously played a character named Tonie Baxter on the "Knight of the Chameleon" episode of the original Knight Rider.
- Carla Gugino: This is Carla Gugino's second appearance in a science fiction television program. She previously played a character named Laura in the "Standing in the Shadows of Love" episode of the comedy series ALF. Following her role in Quantum Leap, she went on to take the lead in the CBS television series Threshold playing Federal analyst Molly Anne Caffrey. She also played a character from an alternate reality named T.K. Law in the 2001 film The One.
- Mark McPherson: This is Mark McPherson's first role in a science fiction venue. He will go on to play a doorman in the "Dreamland" episode of Dark Skies.