Eight is Enough pilot intro

The opening credits for the pilot episode. Mark Hamill of "Star Wars" fame played eldest son David in this episode. Hamill unsuccessfully tried to get out of his contract in anticipation of a feature film career. Shortly before the second episode was due to begin filming, Hamill was in a serious car accident and had to be replaced, by Grant Goodeve.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Eight
• Enough
• opening
• theme
• intro

[kbirdusa]

I think Mark was quite good as David - he actually had sort of a rebellious attitude, much more so than Goodeve's David.

[X23109]

Had Mark Hamil stayed with the series, he may not have become Luke Skywalker. Would you have preferred Grant Goodeve, Don Adams, or Clint Eastwood been casted for the Star Wars role. I THINK NOT!!!!!!!!!!!

[kbirdusa]

Actually - "Star Wars" began filming in March of 1976, before the "Eight is Enough" pilot was shot. However, if Mark had stayed with the series, they would have had to work around his filming schedule for the sequels.

[Juliaflo]

@Juliaflo My bad--It should have been Never Try Eating Nectarines Since Juice May Dispense--memorizing the Bradford children, youngest to eldest.

Never=Nicholas

Try=Tommy

Eating=Elizabeth

Nectarines=Nancy

Since=Susan

Juice=Joannie

May=Mary

Dispense=David

[Hljakes]

THERE WAS A DIFFRENT NANCY AND TOMMY

[Juliaflo]

The pilot-'Never Eat Nectarines Since Juice May Dispense'--a mnemonic for remembering the names of the Bradford children--the youngest to the oldest.

[Aeolis7]

@SHC87 Actually, on January 11th, 1977 Mark Hamill was in a car accident. This happened one day before he was to shoot his final scenes in Star Wars. A double was used for the necessary Landspeeder pick-up shots. His acceident was between Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back.

[Solaris498]

ma tommy lo faceva Mark Hamill??

Did Mark Hamill play Tommy's role??

Unbelievable!

[jchahine]

i remember the pilot episode was released the same night as two other pilots -- "Three's Company" and "Bosom Buddies".

[Gerkinstock]

Hey, it seems Kimberly Beck-- who played Nancy Bradford in the pilot-- also made a guest appearance on The Brady Bunch. Too bad she's remembered for neither.

[snoops71]

Yes, Diana was wonderful as Joan. Absolutely brilliant :)

[Gerkinstock]

And Chris English played Tommy and Kimberly Beck played Nancy. Four of the actors/actresses from the pilot were gone within a few episodes of the show's premiere.

[jimmyk5769]

@SHC87

You are mistaken. Mark Hamill's accident happened right after he filmed Star Wars. That's why his face looks different in Empire Strikes Back (and also why they had Luke's face get damaged by the snow creature in the opening minutes of Empire). This info is easy to look up now that we have the internet, by the way.