Fame

Fame is an American musical drama television series that aired on NBC from January 7, 1982, to May 18, 1983, before continuing in first-run syndication from September 8, 1983, to May 18, 1987. Developed by Christopher Gore, the series grew out of Alan Parker’s 1980 film Fame, written by Gore, but it used a mostly different ensemble and followed students and teachers at New York City’s High School of Performing Arts. Its setting drew on the real school, although production was based largely in Los Angeles, including work at Hollywood High School. The series retained the film’s premise and setting. Its stories center on aspiring dancers, singers, actors, and musicians facing auditions, classes, family pressures, romance, and the uncertain prospect of professional careers. Gene Anthony Ray reprised role of Leroy Johnson, whose conflict with discipline and academic work became a recurring thread. The cast included Erica Gimpel as singer Coco Hernandez, Lori Singer as cellist Julie Miller, Carlo Imperato as Danny Amatullo, Valarie Landsburg as Doris Schwartz, and Billy Hufsey as Christopher Donlon. Nia Peeples joined in the second season as Nicole Chapman. Debbie Allen played dance teacher Lydia Grant, while Lee Curreri returned as music student Bruno Martelli. Among the faculty, Albert Hague portrayed Benjamin Shorofsky, an exacting music teacher; Carol Mayo Jenkins played English teacher Elizabeth Sherwood; and Ken Swofford appeared as vice-principal Quentin Morloch. The series built episodes around performances, dance routines, and songs, with classrooms, corridors, rehearsal rooms, and the stage serving as recurring dramatic spaces. The title song “Fame,” written by Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford for the film, remained inseparable from the franchise, although the program featured music made for its episodes. Its opening included Allen’s declaration, “You want fame? Well, fame costs,” and her reminder that students began paying “in sweat” there. Fame became successful outside America, notably in the United Kingdom, where BBC One broadcast it and cast members undertook concert tours. The program received critical recognition as well: it won Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 1982, 1983, and 1984. Allen won Emmy Awards for outstanding choreography in 1982, 1983, and 1984, and the series also earned multiple Emmy nominations. Fame ended after 136 episodes, but its image of a demanding performing-arts education endured. A 2009 feature film revisited the High School of Performing Arts, though it was not a continuation of the television series.