BBC Christmas 1980 ident and California Fever

[NYCBlonde]

I. Effing. LOVED. This show. Thanks so much for posting this! How awesome are these late '70s graphics? What a hedonistic sensibility! LOVED this show--and the juxtaposition of the BBC station ID is especially delicious.

[hotrodmitch]

Sad that I still remember the words, I only remember one episode, the main character lost his car (the firebird in the title sequence) in a drag race and the rest of the episode was them trying to get it back.

[cro44magnum]

Gosh darn it! I miss the gang from California Fever. Lorenzo Llamas and Kristy McNichol's brother showed me all the moves that turn the ladies to jelly. That butterfly collecting pyromaniac taught me everything there is to know about roller disco.

[1thinkingbridge]

I vaguely remember this TV show but I definately remember the theme tune!

[1thinkingbridge]

@1thinkingbridge

I think one of the episodes was about the skateboarders & roller skaters clashing on who had the right to use the walkways by the beach.  I can't remember how it ended though.

[TitusvilleSunshine]

I loved this show too! I was so disappointed when I couldn't find it anymore! I do remember Four on the Floor! I thought it was the coolest name for a band. Lorenzo Lamas........what a hunk!

[maxwedge66]

The Firebird used on this show appeared on the cover of Car Craft magazine in about '79 or '80. This show aired in New Zealand in 1980. Would like to see the episode again where a bunch of them lost their cars drag racing for pinks against some chick in a beat up old mustang with an under bonnet supercharger. They put a NOS kit on the firebird to try and win their friend's cars back. Ha.

[pattyaaron]

I think I remember one of the guys having a yellow lowrider with crazy graphics?? Anyone remember??

[lob287]

Damn I loved this show.I rememeber one episode in which they did a thing called the rope trick Two people stand on opposite sides of the street and when a car was coming they would act as if they were stretching a rope across the street just by holding their hands out and of course the car would stop.Does anyone remember this? I remember doing this after I saw it and it worked.People driving the car actually thought there was rope

[lob287]

Also the name of the band on the show was called Four on the floor I think

[fromthesidelines]

"CALIFORNIA FEVER" aired on CBS (in the U.S.) from September through December 1979- opposite ABC's "HAPPY DAYS" and 'LAVERNE & SHIRLEY", which is why it lasted only 10 episodes. Alan O'Day, whose biggest hit was "Undercover Angel" in 1977, wrote and performed the theme.

[joboots007]

@fromthesidelines I recall those 2 were starting to go in decline ratings-wise and also this would be Ron

Howard's last year as Richie,BTW!!!!

[synnerman]

Thank you for this! I couldn't remember the name of the show, but I could remember the theme song and that Camaro. Thanks again!

[smellyfishyvag]

I L-O-V-E-D this show as a 12 yeard old (in 1980). All of those cute looking guys - I wanted one!!

[ironmancwb]

gayest show e ver made , have fun homos lol

[SKOTP69]

I LOOOOOVED this show! Great show, that only lasted such a short time, and is tragically mostly forgotten. I LOVE this theme song, on of the greatest ever, that has just gone through my head in wistful moments over the years!

[999manman]

sigh...30 years ago....back when people could afford things....

[MrPaulztube]

Same here... I loved the theme song and the beach looked so good as a kid growing up in the UK as the rain came down outside our window.

[bryanferryfan]

I miss living in California. I lived there when I was a kid back in the late 70's and early 80's and it was a magical time for me. I loved it!

[bryanferryfan]

I loved this show when I was a kid. Especially the theme song. Lorenzo Lamas's character either owned or worked in a record shop if I remember correctly.

[doubledeckers]

@bryanferryfan I think he ran the coffee shop they all went to?

[crystalbeth1391]

@doubledeckers Lorenzo Lamas` character ran the surf shop everyone gathered at.

[crystalbeth1391]

@crystalbeth1391 I think the shop was called Rick`s surf shop.

[MyKnf]

@crystalbeth1391 It was called "Ricks Place" it's on his T shirt in the titles.. I thought it was a coffee shop too not a surf shop

[crystalbeth1391]

I remember taping (on Cassette) this theme on the pilot episode. I lost the tape years ago, but never forgot the theme. I`ve looked for this for years!!! Thanks for posting.

[suzcube66]

@crystalbeth1391

me to!!!!

[lisab436]

I have had this theme tune in my head for 30 years! I loved this show but thought it was called california dreaming! What memories. Fantastic. So glad to have found it after so long.

[IITuttyII]

Finally found it. I watched this show, I'm British and it was definitely over here back then. I could also swear blind Leif Garret was in this but on research it appears he wasn't. Anyone know if he was in a show like this? I just remember him and this theme tune. Weird how memory works (or doesn't in my case lol)

[deborahmae08]

Leif was in a show called Family with Kristy McNichol, Jimmy's sister

[avidpulp]

i used to stay up to watch this when i was a kid, oh boy how gullable we were.....

[jimmcnichol]

@avidpulp gullable perhaps ....but HAPPY.

[sarahwallow]

WONDERFUL, I ADORED THIS AND LOVED vince. bring it back.

[mrfrumpydotcom]

Man I cant believe this was on here. I was so into this show, I was just a kid, I knew the theme lyrics all these years. The last episode I can recall was when Marc McClures character who drove around in some jeep like vehical set up a pirate radio station, and they were driving around broadcasting so they wouldnt get caught. Would love to see a whole episode of this... to see how lame it was...lol

[davideternity99]

i recall a man singing the theme song..?? nevertheless it was a cool theme song and a short lived series on ABC, I watched every single episode (5 i beleive)

[crystalbeth1391]

@davideternity99 Ibelieve the title song was sung by Jimmy McNichol

[999manman]

@crystalbeth1391 Jimmy McNichol was a talentless hack...

[maxwedge66]

Yeah would love to see some shots of that candy striped firebird if anyone has any.

[TheKevin63]

Man ,I remember the show at time it was awesome,loved the car 1972Firdbird think loike a 454 in it.does anyone have any seeds for the show!

[KENKENNIFF]

I remember this really vaguely, I think one storyline was they found some jewelery and Marc Maclure, he was the joker I think, thought it was junk when the dealer said it was "invaluable"

[seanygb]

Remembered all the words to that theme tune...must have been coz I was an 11 year living in rainy England at the time and it all seemed so glamorous....

[Dave019]

43 here and loved the show always remembered the theme song for years!!! Need copies of the show either DVD OR VHS

[johnson9dantheman]

Even though I wasn't born yet, I imagine Christmas 1980 to be quite sad in one way.... :(

[GEORGIANGUSTIL]

this should be constanta fever :)

[GEORGIANGUSTIL]

fuckin classic!!! :)

[RodneyRude7]

Loved this show too. 30 years ago wow!!

[willisrael29]

When I would search for this show online I would google "grossburger" because I thought that was the name of the vehical they drove. I figured if I typed the lyrics I would find someting. Well Here I am, unbelievable. I'm 37 and yes I remember California Fever as a 10 yr old. I thought I was the only one.

[2010AGAIN]

junkmetalle had it right, the old truck on the show was "The Grossmobile". lol

[zzyzzx8]

what a great show that was - sad i 've never seen it anywhere on vhs or dvd. featured great songs and great characters. I wish it would come back

[ste1bro]

I used to love this show as a ten year-old and never forgot that song! I just had a rush of memories watching this clip, thank you!

[GUSTILBITCH]

classic!! i love retro tv!!!

[RDAUGIRD]

They must have run that ad a million times because I still remember it too. I barely r the weird truck thing they had on there. Someone from the U.K. post the episodes please.

[gazza935k]

So I'm not the only one to remember this show or to love it......and I have several episodes on VHS that I taped around 79/80 and always kept.

[redspecialguy]

i remember it all so. i dont think id own up to still owning the videos to the show tho lol

[r1pp4]

None of my friends remember this show but my sister and I do. No VHS episodes but I vaguely remember a van and people hanging around a car wash. Laid back in Cali :)

[junkmetalle]

I remember this show from when I was a kid and for over quarter of a decade I thought it was called 'The Grossmobile'. Don't ask me why.

[brittpennella]

This is amazing! Ive been looking for anything to do with this show for years!!!!!!

[MALPWOP]

hi everyone.i am from england.i was young when this show was on.we loved it.when we saw this me and my brother wanted to be american.we used to go bed and pray that we could be in california when we woke up lol.oh yeh when we saw lorenzo lamas's car we nearly pissed and shat on ourselves because it was so cool.bye all

[EDCA55]

I miss that show. It was my favorite. It was better than any of the other shows with young casts these days. I hope one day they'll put it on DVD. Man I still can hum the opening theme after all these years.

[retrowoman1968]

I have the Rex Smith episode, it is a hoot to watch from time to time, oh how they have changed, Love you Jimmy, what are you up to these days!

[BLOWNLILREDEXPRESS]

finally!.....I have been waiting to hear this one for a long time.....Bravo!

[BLOWNLILREDEXPRESS]

finally! I have been looking to hear this one again....Bravo!

[EuroAlien]

Good God, I remember this now!!

At the exact time this was being broadcast, which I wager was 26 December 1980, I was working out how to play my new Star Wars board game which I had got for Xmas, with this playing in the background on the TV....

[kataboy]

Great, Iv had this tune in my head since I first saw it in 1980?? now I just heard it again. It would be good to see the show once more.

[doubledeckers]

I'll post the other title sequence in a couple of months. Can't do before then as won't have access to the tape.

[retrowoman1968]

I also was a big fan of the show are you able to post the other title sequence of them on the beach.I hope they bring it out on dvd one day here's hoping!

[Ivan1967]

Loved this show as a kid; it died too soon. Tx for sharing.

[doubledeckers]

All I have are two titles sequences. The other one has them playing football on the beach. It was so costly to tape things in 1980 that not many full programmes got saved.

[ctidcarl]

Wow!! I've searched the internet for ages regarding this show - didn't help that I couldn't remember the full title until today!! I've emailed some guy on IMDB who says he has 6 episodes of this on DVD. Do you have any more info Doubledeckers?? I too remember it as a BBC dinner time "filler"

[nowdid]

This was a really obscure US tv show that was only on the air for a couple of months and it wound up on the most prestigious network in the world the BBC.I guess you Brits ran out of Benny Hill episodes.

[doubledeckers]

Not really, it was shown as a cheap filler in the mornings for kids who were on holiday from school.

[gog79]

I remember this show. At the time it was up against Happy Days and I watched it instead because of the Trans Am. I still got my old T/A but it never looked as good as that one!

[doubledeckers]

Nothing noted and the recording ends before the episode title. But I managed to get the date from the Ceefax data: Fri 26 Dec.

[RobinCarmody]

Any idea which episode this is? It could be "Star of Tomorrow" (tx Christmas Eve 1980) or "Portrait of Laurie" (tx Boxing Day 1980). Whichever date it is, the announcer is definitely Peter Brook.

[DRUMTOY2002]

Comment about episode inquiry "Star Of Tomorrow": Is that the one where they had a little group and the sang that song "Hey...Now...Now"?