Baa Baa Black Sheep (TV series)

"Black Sheep Squadron" redirects here. For the USMC squadron called the Blacksheep, see VMA-214.

Baa Baa Black Sheep
Logo from the program
Genre	Drama
Created by	Stephen J. Cannell
Directed by	Alex Beaton Robert Conrad Larry Doheny Walter Doniger
Starring	Robert Conrad Simon Oakland Dana Elcar James Whitmore Jr. Dirk Blocker W.K. Stratton Robert Ginty Joey Aresco John Larroquette Jeff MacKay Larry Manetti
Narrated by	Robert Conrad
Theme music composer	Mike Post Pete Carpenter
Country of origin	USA
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	36 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Stephen J. Cannell
Producer(s)	Philip DeGuere
Production location(s)	Channel Islands of California
Editor(s)	Jerry Dronsky Harvey Stambler
Running time	48 min
Production company(s)	Stephen J. Cannell Productions Universal Television
Release
Original network	NBC
Picture format	NTSC
Audio format	Monaural sound
Original release	September 23, 1976 – April 6, 1978

Baa Baa Black Sheep (later syndicated as Black Sheep Squadron) is a period military television series that aired on NBC from 1976 until 1978. Its premise was based on the experiences of United States Marine Corps aviator Greg Boyington and his World War II "Black Sheep Squadron". The series was created and produced by Stephen J. Cannell. The opening credits read: "In World War II, Marine Corps Major Greg 'Pappy' Boyington commanded a squadron of fighter pilots. They were a collection of misfits and screwballs who became the terrors of the South Pacific. They were known as the Black Sheep."

Plot

Greg "Pappy" Boyington is the commanding officer of VMF-214, a group of fighter pilots based in the Solomon Islands during World War II. Pappy often intercedes in altercations at the base, but everyone seems to pull together when they are assigned missions in the air. "Pappy" likes to drink and fight a lot when not flying missions, and owns a Bull Terrier named "Meatball" — which he claims belongs to General Moore in Flying Misfits, but General Moore says "he wouldn't own an ugly mutt like that."

The series premise was very loosely based on a portion of the real-life military career of Gregory Boyington, known as "Pappy" due to his "advanced" age compared to the younger pilots under his command. (He was 30 when he took command of VMF-214.) Boyington, who was a technical adviser for the series, commented that this was "fiction based on reality" and that no regular character in the series except for himself actually existed. In the documentary film Pappy Boyington Field Robert Conrad shares personal insight about Pappy from their time together during the television series.

Popular character John "Hutch" Hutchinson (Joey Aresco) was killed off in the episode Last One for Hutch and replaced as chief mechanic by master sergeant Andy Micklin (Red West), who had joined the squadron a few episodes earlier in Devil in the Slot.

Main characters

• MAJ Gregory/Greg "Pappy" Boyington (Pilot/Commanding Officer VMF-214) (1976–1978). Played by Robert Conrad.

File:Robert Conrad Baa Baa Black Sheep 1976.JPG

Robert Conrad as Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington in 1976

• CAPT James "Jim" Gutterman (Pilot/Executive Officer) (1976–1977). Played by James Whitmore, Jr..
• 1LT/CAPT Lawrence "Larry" Casey (Pilot/Executive Officer) (1976–1978). Played by W.K. Stratton. Casey was promoted to the rank of Marine Captain in the Season 2 episode "The 200 Pound Gorilla."
• 1LT Jerome "Jerry" Bragg (Pilot) (1976–1978). Played by Dirk Blocker.
• 1LT Thomas Joseph "T.J." Wiley (Pilot) (1976–1978). Played by Robert Ginty.
• 2LT Robert "Bob" Anderson (Pilot) (1976–1978). Played by John Larroquette
• 1LT Donald "Don" French (Pilot) (1976–1978). Played by Jeff MacKay.
• 1LT Robert A. "Bob/Bobby" Boyle (Pilot) (1976–1978). Played by Larry Manetti.
• 2LT Jeb Pruitt (Pilot) (1977–1978). Played by Jeb Stuart Adams.
• MGSGT/WO1/CAPT Andrew "Andy" Micklin (Chief Mechanic) (1977–1978). Played by Red West. Micklin was promoted to Warrant Officer at the start of the episode "The 200 Pound Gorilla," and was made a temporary Captain by Boyington while sitting in the brig for punching out a major in a bar fight, resulting in his reduction in grade/rank back to master gunnery sergeant. In the season 2 episode "Fighting Angels," Micklin's background as a mud marine in China was referenced, and he has been described by Boyington as being "part commando, part Indian tracker, and 100 percent mean."
• SGT John David "Hutch" Hutchinson (Chief/Asst. Chief Mechanic) (1976–1977). Played by Joey Aresco. Hutch is killed in Season 1, Episode 21 (Last One for Hutch) by an enemy strafing run during an attack on Vella La Cava.
• COL Thomas A. Lard (Executive Officer, Espritos Marcos) (1976–1978). Played by Dana Elcar. Lard, modeled on one of the real Boyington's actual superiors, USMC LTCOL Joseph Smoak, is a strictly-by-the-book staff officer. A highly competent career Marine who has seen action in China, Lard is offended by Boyington's frequent disregard for regulations and policies, and the two men rarely get along personally. (The real Boyington and Smoak were bitter personal enemies, and Boyington never forgave Smoak or made any kind of peace with him) However, Lard sees a lot of promise in Boyington, though he does not admit it, and he puts aside his opinions to further the mission.
• BGEN/MGEN Thomas Moore (Commanding Officer, Esprito Marcos) (1976–1978). Played by Simon Oakland. Moore is impressed by Boyington's initiative in "stealing" the 214th and then by the results obtained by the Black Sheep, so he keeps Lard in check as much as possible. Moore was promoted from brigadier general to major general in the second season episode "The 200 Pound Gorilla." (The actual general officer who provided the real Boyington with support where needed was named James Moore, and was nicknamed "Nuts." He and the real Boyington had been "drinking buddies.").

Recurring characters

File:Baa Baa Black Sheep cast 1976.jpg

1976 cast photo

• General Claire Lee Chennault (Commander, AVG) (1976). Played by George Gaynes.
• Admiral Chester Nimitz (1976). Played by Byron Morrow.
• Col. Mathis (1976). Played by Peter Donat.
• Lt. Freddy (1976). Played by Anthony Charnota.
• Huckabee (Flying Tigers Pilot) (1976). Played by Lance LeGault.
• Dr. James "Jim" Reese (1976). Played by John Lawlor.
• Lt. Cmdr. Delmonte (Head Nurse) (1976). Played by Janice Carroll.

Note: the above characters only appeared in the premiere episode, Flying Misfits, which is sometimes broken up into a two-episode viewing, or as a single 90-minute movie.

• Imperial Japanese Navy Capt. Tomio Harachi (Pilot) (1976–1978). Played by Byron Chung.
• Lard's Secretary (Pamela) (1976–1977). Played by Jill Jaress.
• First Commando/Capt. Ishima/Japanese Officer (1976–1978). Played by Marcus Mucai.
• Maj. Red Buell (Pilot, Former Commanding Officer, VMF-214) (1976–1977). Played by Charles Napier.
• Third Commando/Ensign Kira (1977). Played by James Saito.
• Lt. Ted Carter (Pilot) (1976–1977). Played by Frederick Herrick.
• Lt. Cmdr. Gladys Hope (Head Nurse) (1977). Played by Anne Francis.
• Richards/Eddie (1977). Played by Johnny Fain.
• Rouva (Coastwatcher)/Looey (1976–1978). Played by Muni Zano.
• Lt. Caroline Holden (Nurse) (1977). Played by Linda Scruggs Bogart.
• Lt. Nancy Gilmore (Nurse) (1977–1978). Played by Nancy Conrad.
• Lt. Cmdr. Dottie Dixon (Head Nurse) (1977–1978). Played by Katherine Cannon. Dixon was killed in action during the season 2 episode Fighting Angels while defending Vella La Cava against an invasion by Japanese forces.
• Lt. Alma Peterson/Pretty Nurse/Lt. Susan Ames (1977–1978). Played by Brianne Leary.
• Ensign Barret (1978). Played by Ron Roy.
• Lt. Ellie Kovaks (Nurse) (1978). Played by Kathy McCullen.
• Doc Roberts/Sgt. Dutch Savage (1976–1978). Played by John Durren.
• Col. Tokura/Lt. Miragochi (1977). Played by Soon-Tek Oh.
• Lt. Samantha Green/Moore (Nurse) (1977–1978). Played by Denise DuBarry. Lt. Green is the daughter of Brig./Maj. General Moore, as established in the season 2 episode Forbidden Fruit.
• Lt. Robert A. Doyle (1976). Played by Jake Mitchell, and later by Larry Manetti.

Episodes

Main article: List of Baa Baa Black Sheep episodes

Season 1 (1976–77)

Episode #	Title	Original Airdate	Director	Guest Stars	Notes
1.00	Flying Misfits	Sept. 21, 1976	Russ Mayberry	Peter Donat Sharon Gless George Gaynes
1.01	Best Three Out of Five	Sept. 23, 1976	Lawrence Doheny	Charles Napier
1.02	Small War	Sept. 28, 1976	Walter Doniger	Rene Auberjonois
1.03	High Jinx	Oct. 5, 1976	John Peyser	Donald Petrie
1.04	Prisoners of War	Oct. 12, 1976	Jackie Cooper	Clyde Kusatsu	An English speaking Japanese pilot is shot down and captured, but then bonds with the men of the squadron.
1.05	Presumed Dead	Oct. 26, 1976	Lawrence Doheny	Kent McCord James Hong Norman Burton	An American pilot believed shot down is found floating on a raft, but exhibits strange behavior. Boyington discovers he's been brainwashed and sent on a secret mission by the Japanese.
1.06	The Meatball Circus	Nov. 9, 1976	John Peyser	Stewart Moss Robert Clarke	Boyington tries to come up with an alternative to a plan for a secret mission that's sure to be suicide.
1.07	Up for Grabs	Nov. 16, 1976	Ivan Dixon	George Takei Yuki Shimoda	A Japanese commando force invades the island where the 214 is stationed in an attempt to capture Gen. Macarthur, who's due to visit.
1.08	Anyone for Suicide?	Nov. 23, 1976	Jackie Cooper	none
1.09	New Georgia on My Mind	Nov. 30, 1976	Jeannot Szwarc	James Luisi
1.10	The Cat's Whiskers	Dec. 7, 1976	Russ Mayberry	Frank Maxwell
1.11	Love and War	Dec. 14, 1976	William Wiard	Leslie Charleson	Two of the squadron pilots fall for the same nurse.
1.12	The War Biz Warrior	Jan. 4, 1977	Lawrence Doheny	James Darren Ford Rainey	A famous actor joins the squadron, but the Black Sheep start to resent the media attention piled on him.
1.13	The Deadliest Enemy of All: Part 1	Jan 11, 1977	Barry Shear	Anne Francis	First episode with Larroquette, Manetti, and MacKay in the opening credits
1.14	The Deadliest Enemy of All: Part 2	Jan 18, 1977	Barry Shear	Anne Francis Greg Boyington	Boyington finds out the nurse he's falling for is already married.
1.15	Devil in the Slot	Jan 25, 1977	Edward Dein	Red West
1.16	Five the Hard Way	Feb. 1, 1977	Jackie Cooper	Kenneth Mars
1.17	The Last Mission Over Sengai	Feb. 8, 1977	Jackie Cooper		A new pilot from a politically powerful family claims he was ordered into a ground attack that accidentally strafed US Marines by Boyington, forcing Pappy to face a court-martial.
1.18	Trouble at Fort Apache	Feb. 15, 1977	Edward Dein	Joel Fabiani James Keach Les Lannom
1.19	Poor Little Lambs	Feb. 22, 1977	Jackie Cooper	Sorrell Booke Lilyan Chauvin Soon-Teck Oh
1.20	W*A*S*P*S	Mar. 1, 1977	Dana Elcar
1.21	Last One for Hutch	Mar. 8, 1977	Lawrence Doheny

Season 2 (1977–78)

Episode #	Title	Original Airdate	Director	Guest Stars	Notes
2.01	Divine Wind	Dec. 14, 1977	Lawrence Doheny		The Black Sheep face the first kamikaze attacks.
2.02	The 200 Pound Gorilla	Dec. 21, 1977	Dana Elcar		Micklin instigates a bar clearing brawl to keep from being promoted to warrant officer.
2.03	The Hawk Flies on Sunday	Dec. 29, 1977	Robert Conrad		The Black Sheep join forces with an Army Air Forces squadron on a top secret mission to shoot down Adm. Yamamoto, head of the Japanese fleet.
2.04	Wolves in the Sheep Pen	Jan 4, 1978	Edward Dein		A navy squadron-and their pet wolf Sheba-temporarily stationed on Vella La Cava causes much tension.
2.05	Operation Stand-Down	Jan. 11, 1978	Philip DeGuere		An officer visits to re-qualify the squadron for combat duty, but his testing standards are far different from the Black Sheeps combat experience.
2.06	Ten'll Get You Five	Jan. 18, 1978	Robert Conrad	Greg Boyington
2.07	Forbidden Fruit	Feb. 22, 1978	Robert Conrad		A new pilot joins the squadron, but they have doubts about him due to his age.
2.08	Fighting Angels	Mar. 1, 1978	Lawrence Doheny
2.09	The Iceman	Mar. 8, 1978	Dana Elcar		Boyington has to fight an attempt to have him transferred from combat duty when word gets out that a top Japanese pilot who hunts enemy aces has targeted him.
2.10	Hotshot	Mar. 15, 1978	Lawrence Doheny		A top scoring Army pilot is temporarily assigned to the squadron and causes friction with his efforts to increase his number of kills.
2.11	The Show Must Go on...Sometimes	Mar. 23, 1978	Dana Elcar		The squadron has to trick a navy Seabee unit into building them a new runway after theirs is damaged in a Japanese bombing run by promising them a USO review.
2.12	Sheep in the Limelight	Mar. 30, 1978	Lawrence Doheny		After the Black Sheep save Eleanor Roosevelts plane from being shot down, the squadron gets much unwanted media attention.
2.13	A Little Bit of England	Apr. 6, 1978	Donald P. Bellisario	Peter Frampton	A pilot gets shot down and comes under the protection of a coast watcher from England. The squadron races against time to rescue him before he's captured by the Japanese.

Critical response

The day of the show's debut, The Washington Post called Baa Baa Black Sheep a "war-is-swell series [aimed] at anyone who remembers World War II as a rousing, blowzy, fraternity turkey-shoot." The series was cancelled after 2 seasons, consisting of 36 episodes.

Production notes

Although the title Baa Baa Black Sheep comes from a nursery rhyme, the song heard at the beginning of the opening credits is actually the chorus to The Whiffenpoof Song, written in 1909 as a homage to Rudyard Kipling's poem Gentlemen-Rankers. One of the squadron's real-life members, Paul "Moon" Mullen, adapted "The Whiffenpoof Song" for the squadron's use.

"We are poor little lambs,

Who have lost our way.

Baa, Baa, Baaaaa."

The name of the island where the real-life Black Sheep were stationed was Vella Lavella in the Solomon Islands of the southern Pacific, known as The Slot; this was changed to Vella la Cava in the series for legal reasons. The same was done for the Rear Area Allied Command island of "Espiritu Santo" (Espritos Marcos). The Channel Islands off the coast of Southern California provided an adequate substitute backdrop for flying scenes. Filming of airfield scenes was primarily done at the now-closed Indian Dunes Airport in Valencia, California.

Some air-battle scenes were actually short clips from the 1969 film Battle of Britain, and German markings on the planes can clearly be seen. Other flying scenes pioneered the technique of mounting cameras on helmets worn by pilots, thus providing a pilot's-eye view never before seen in films featuring single-seat aircraft. Because of reflections from the Plexiglas canopies, many close-ups were shot with the canopies removed.

The Vought F4U and FG-1 Corsair fighter planes (BuNos 17799, 92132, 92433, 92436, 92629, 97359 and 133714) were leased to Universal Studios by private owners. Many scenes showing repairs on the aircraft were filmed during actual preventative maintenance. "Japanese" aircraft used in the series were actually North American T-6 Texan World War 2 trainer planes, which had been modified to resemble Japanese planes for the film Tora! Tora! Tora! and later purchased by collectors. The Grumman J2F Duck float biplane belonged to legendary stunt pilot Frank Tallman and his Tallmanz Aviation museum in Santa Ana, California. Tallman often stated that this was his all-time favorite plane to fly, with the Corsair in a near-tie. Tallman provided or arranged for most of the aircraft used in the series.

At an aviation history symposium in 2002, members of the real VMF-214 were asked about the authenticity of the TV series. Retired Colonel Henry A. McCartney said the list of errors was too long to repeat. Boyington himself referred to the series as "... inaccuracies, hogwash, and Hollywood hokum," although he did serve as technical adviser on the show, and had a cameo appearance. A 2001 History Channel documentary depicted some of these differences in greater detail.

Trivia

This was the first show that TV producer/writer/creator Donald P. Bellisario ever regularly wrote for.

DVD releases

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has released the complete first season on DVD in Region 1 in 2 volume sets. They also released volume 1 on DVD in the UK.

In Germany, ZYX Music GmbH released the entire series on DVD.

On December 7, 2015, it was announced that Shout! Factory has acquired the rights to the series in Region 1 and will release the final season on DVD on May 17, 2016.

Boxset		DVD release date
		Region 1	Region 2
	Baa Baa Black Sheep, Volume 1	May 24, 2005	July 17, 2006
	Baa Baa Black Sheep, Volume 2	July 3, 2007	N/A
	Baa Baa Black Sheep, Season 2	May 17, 2016	N/A

External links

• Baa Baa Black Sheep at IMDb
• Baa Baa Black Sheep at TV.com