Evidence of More Unproduced Episodes Found

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Joe Huth
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Evidence of More Unproduced Episodes Found

Post by Joe Huth » Sat Dec 07, 2002 5:11 pm

While I know that shows have many scripts written that don't make it into production, it's still nice to find new ones, especially with Knight Rider. A brief search of the Library of Congress' web site turned up the following:

1. Registration Number: PAu-678-526
Title: Dancing diamonds : television script / scriptwriter, Deborah Henderson.
Description: 48 p.
Series: Knight rider
Claimant: Deborah R. Henderson
Created: 1984

Registered: 24Dec84

Special Codes: 3/D
------------------------------------------
1. Registration Number: PAu-678-592
Title: A Knight to remember : first draft / written by Robert Rastelli.
Description: 56 p.
Series: Knight rider
Note: Screenplay.
Claimant: Robert Rastelli
Created: 1984

Registered: 24Dec84

Title on © Application: A Friend to remember.
Special Codes: 3/D
---------------------------------------------
1. Registration Number: PAu-686-473
Title: Midknight date with the Devil / written by Deborah R. Henderson.
Description: 59 p.
Series: Knight rider
Note: Television script.
Claimant: Deborah Henderson
Created: 1985

Registered: 16Jan85

Author on © Application: Deborah Ruth Henderson.
Special Codes: 3/D
------------------------------------------------
1. Registration Number: PAu-764-849
Title: Betrayal / written by Robin Damereau.
Description: 51 p.
Series: Knight rider
Note: Television script.
Claimant: Robin Damereau
Created: 1985

Registered: 27Sep85

Author on © Application: Robin Damereau
Special Codes: 3/D
Cross Reference: acRobin Damereau , 1962-.
------------------------------------------------
1. Registration Number: PAu-903-497
Title: Crystal Miles / Rosamond J. Kiefer.
Description: 25 p.
Series: Knight rider
Note: Screenplay.
Claimant: Rosamond J. Kiefer
Created: 1985

Registered: 20Jun86

Miscellaneous: C.O. corres.
Special Codes: 3/D
--------------------------------------------------

Wouldn't it be great to get our hands on these?

Joe

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Post by K.I.T.T » Sat Dec 07, 2002 5:15 pm

WOW....thats a really neat find!!! ACE

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Post by Michael Pajaro » Sat Dec 07, 2002 5:36 pm

Ever the pessimist here...

The not-far-from-the-truth joke in Hollywood is that everyone has a script they're trying to sell. I personally know 3 aspiring screen-writers. One thing that writers can do to protect themselves is register an unsolicited script with the Library of Congress before they send it to a studio. This way, if the studio tries to steal their ideas the author has proof that they wrote it first.

I admit I don't know a thing about these specific scripts or authors. But my assumption is that if they were endorsed by Universal, then Universal would be named as the claimant. It could very well be that Universal never even knew these scripts existed.

Some more research might show a connection between these authors and Universal. But I get nervous when we use the word "proof" about things.

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Post by knightimmortal » Sat Dec 07, 2002 8:54 pm

Ok, Mike, cool down, man.

Joe never used the word 'proof', he said 'evidence' of such, which is exactly what those are. It doesn't need the Universal seal of approval, there was nothing said about them being official. It's sort of interesting to know that others went out there and put their efforts to at least secure the rights, which means they had a pretty good intention of trying to sell them. Take it for what it is: a neat little find. Nothing official. Just a note of interest.

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Post by Michael Pajaro » Sat Dec 07, 2002 9:03 pm

I definitely think they're a neat little find. Very cool. I'm just saying that I think it's a little premature to call them "evidence of unproduced episodes." Those words are a little strong. That's why I hinted that someone might want to dig around deeper and see if there was an official connection.

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Post by knightimmortal » Sat Dec 07, 2002 9:07 pm

Why? That's what they are. They are episodes that were unproduced. Of course, it probably would be better to consider them what they are called in Star Trek: Unproduced Storylines. Or Conceptual Storylines. But basically, they were never produced. They were most likely intended to be episodes, so they are what they are: unproduced episodes. Just like the other scripts that were unproduced, they are unproduced episodes.

And a partridge in a pear tree...... :P

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Post by KITTfan » Sun Dec 08, 2002 8:16 am

Very interesting find, they seem to be dated in KR:s 3rd and 4th season, maybe they would've been produced if the show wouldn't been cancelled so suddenly.
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Re: Evidence of More Unproduced Episodes Found

Post by SadArticle » Sun Dec 08, 2002 8:32 am

Joe Huth wrote: Title: Dancing diamonds : television script / scriptwriter, Deborah Henderson.

Registered: 24Dec84

------------------------------------------

Title: A Knight to remember : first draft / written by Robert Rastelli.

Registered: 24Dec84

Title on © Application: A Friend to remember.

---------------------------------------------

Title: Midknight date with the Devil / written by Deborah R. Henderson.

Claimant: Deborah Henderson

Created: 1985

Registered: 16Jan85

------------------------------------------------

Title: Betrayal / written by Robin Damereau.

Claimant: Robin Damereau

Created: 1985

Registered: 27Sep85

------------------------------------------------

Title: Crystal Miles / Rosamond J. Kiefer.

Claimant: Rosamond J. Kiefer

Created: 1985

Registered: 20Jun86

--------------------------------------------------

Joe
You know what I wondered, mainly because of the 'dancing diamonds' title? Could these be alternative scripts/storylines suggested for episodes that actually went ahead? An unproduced script, 'Girl's Knight Out', or something similar, was more or less 'recycled' as 'Knight Behind Bars', so it's possible.

'Dancing Diamonds' could be 'Diamonds Aren't A Girl's Best Friend'.

'A Knight/Friend to Remember' could be 'Lost Knight' or even 'Junkyard Dog'.

'Midnight Date With The Devil' - 'Knight of a Thousand Devils'?

'Betrayal' - 'Killer KITT'?

OK, so my theory tires towards the end, but it's a possibility. There were never that many opportunities for fresh storylines out there.
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Post by Centaurus17 » Sun Dec 08, 2002 11:01 am

Wow, thats a great point SadArticle. Now that i think about it, its very much possible. Im really curious now to find out what the deal is with these episodes.

Some of those titles are quite similar so maybe...hmmmm. :? Heh, i'm gonna kill of some brain cells thinking about this one.

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Post by knightshade » Sun Dec 08, 2002 1:48 pm

I was thinking the same thing, Sad Article. I was thinking that Betrayal could maybe have been Knight in Disgrace. But the Diamonds one caught my attention with the similarity to existing episodes -- it could have been Ice Bandits also.


I'd say that if Universal had no knowledge of them, didn't commission the scripts, or read them and chose not to buy them, then they'd be about on the same level as fanfic in script form. It would be interesting to know if the writers actually worked on other KR episodes or successfully sold scripts to other shows. If so, it might carry more weight as a true 'unproduced script.' I mean, I think that someone (Phil maybe) wrote a fanfic in script form recently and if he chose to register it, that would be very cool, but it wouldn't have the same weight as something that Universal was considering or an established KR writer wrote.

But however you slice it, it would be great to get our hands on those scripts. :D

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Post by knightimmortal » Mon Dec 09, 2002 12:36 am

There are only a few things that take out of the theory that they were alternative titles:

1) The dates.

2) Every story in Knight Rider that became an episode that took an idea from another story, has two listings for the credits: Story by: and Teleplay by: (The Teleplay credit are the writers who took it from an original storyline and made an episode about it.)

So, they can't be alternatives, the authors don't show up in the listings of the actual episodes.

Good thought, though!

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Post by SadArticle » Mon Dec 09, 2002 9:07 am

knightimmortal wrote:There are only a few things that take out of the theory that they were alternative titles:

1) The dates.

2) Every story in Knight Rider that became an episode that took an idea from another story, has two listings for the credits: Story by: and Teleplay by: (The Teleplay credit are the writers who took it from an original storyline and made an episode about it.)

So, they can't be alternatives, the authors don't show up in the listings of the actual episodes.

Good thought, though!

knightimmortal
I tried to keep the dates fairly close, by using the correct series for each title (1984-85, 1985-86 for a 1985-dated title, say). And what if the stories (Library of Congress and filmed version) were along a similar vein, but not exactly the same thing?

I was thinking about how the story for the film 'Singin' In The Rain' came about, I suppose - the song came first, and the writers had to concoct a story, any story, as long as it involved said song.

Or, translated, a theme/basic idea was givento /taken up by a couple of writers, and the best story (or the easiest one to film) was then chosen for the episode.

Look at the pretty straws I'm clutching! :wink:

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Post by Smoothy » Thu Dec 12, 2002 8:45 am

I think Michael Pajaro was right in being cautious. It's possible that they have nothing to do with Universal at all and so aren't "unproduced episodes". There doesn't seem to be any evidence in the first post that they were indeed connected with anyone at Universal or the production staff at all.

Still, it's a very interesting find and would love to see if anyone has delved further to find any more info such as if they were indeed considered as a script for an episode of Knight Rider, rejected or just scripts that were copywrited for future use by a scriptwriter.

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Post by JL » Thu Dec 12, 2002 12:04 pm

Nice find, Joe.

Does anybody happen to know if I'd be able to read these if I went down to the Library of Congress? Are they part of the general collection, or some sort of special collection that's restricted in some way?

(I know better than to ask if they could ever be borrowed via inter-library loan, as past experience has taught me that the LOC is very anal about loaning nothing.)

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Post by knightimmortal » Thu Dec 12, 2002 12:44 pm

Smoothy wrote:I think Michael Pajaro was right in being cautious. It's possible that they have nothing to do with Universal at all and so aren't "unproduced episodes". There doesn't seem to be any evidence in the first post that they were indeed connected with anyone at Universal or the production staff at all.

Still, it's a very interesting find and would love to see if anyone has delved further to find any more info such as if they were indeed considered as a script for an episode of Knight Rider, rejected or just scripts that were copywrited for future use by a scriptwriter.
Except, what paranoia are we trying to bring about that involves being cautious? Nobody said anything about them being associated with Universal until Mike brought them up. That is the point. Who cares? If they didn't become episodes, no matter where or what they are, they are still as Knight Rider related as our fan fic is. THAT IS MY POINT.

My point truly is, why can't we accept it as a good find, and that is it, rather than try to bring up some extra paranoia for entertainment's sake.

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Post by Michael Pajaro » Thu Dec 12, 2002 4:00 pm

We all agree it's a great find. Nobody is being paranoid. We're just trying to understand what it is exactly that Joe found.

Although it may be grammatically correct, I think it is misleading to call a piece of fan fiction an "unproduced episode", even if it is in script form. I don't know if these scripts fall under the banner of fan-fic or not, I'm just asking the question.

This isn't a big "us vs. them" issue. I'm simply suggesting that people get more information before implying that there is an official connection between these scripts and the show. Calling them "unproduced episodes" DOES imply a connection or endorsement.

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Post by Smoothy » Sat Dec 14, 2002 7:08 pm

True, Mike, but it's a very good find nonetheless. I'd be very interested to learn what connection, if any, these scripts have with Knight Rider, whether they were just written by an enthusiastic fan or actually got read and considered by the Knight Rider team before being dumped (and why, if they did get dumped).

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