CHICKEN WHO ATE COLUMBUS, THE {LULU SMITH} (TV)
Summary
This program is the first experiment in "interactive television drama," made possible through the use of QUBE cable. It tells the story of Lulu Smith's growth from infancy to adulthood, paralleled by the story of the producers and writers on the show, who try desperately to piece together a good story. Through their QUBE interactive sets viewers choose the title "The Chicken Who Ate Columbus" and then decide that infant Lulu should have a special talent -- so she begins singing from her crib. Her parents want to exploit Lulu's talent, but the viewers vote that Lulu's character should develop more so suddenly she is transformed into a ten year old. When money gets tight, Lulu's mother gets a job as a car hop and has to dress like a chicken. Later Lulu and her mother go grocery shopping, and Lulu takes the cart on a shopping spree around the store. Two writers decide that Lulu needs to grow up more -- so suddenly she is twenty-nine, living with a wannabe movie star named Sally and working as an assistant butcher. Her only escape from the grind of everyday life is the fantasy world of her romance novels. After Lulu shares a romantic moment with Sally's boyfriend Ed, the three of them go to a movie and Sally announces that she plans to leave on the midnight bus to Los Angeles. Ed rejects her plea for him to join her, and he and Lulu enjoy the prospect of a future together. The show ends abruptly, however, and Lulu finds herself in an empty television studio. She picks a script up off the floor, realizing as she slowly fades away that her life has been nothing more than a television construct.
(For an edited version of this program, see T85:0980.)
Details
- NETWORK: PBS WGBH Boston, MA
- DATE: November 30, 1980
- RUNNING TIME: 0:57:27
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T85:0981
- GENRE: Specials
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Drama; Interactive television
- SERIES RUN: QUBE - TV, 1980
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Fred Barzyk … Executive Producer
- Pat Arthur … Associate Producer
- Olivia Tappan … Associate Producer
- Michael Lorentz … Direction (Misc.), Co-Director, QUBE
- Mike Berry … Direction (Misc.), Co-Director, WOSU-TV
- Dick Bartlett … Writer
- Bob Burns … Writer
- Richard Dresner … Writer
- Julie Eilber … Writer
- Tony Ennamorato … Writer
- Phil Hamilton … Writer
- Phil Hamilton … Writer
- Jim Huffman … Writer
- Andy Helman … Cast, Big Lu
- Alissa Steelman … Cast, Little Lulu
- Karen Vernier … Cast, Baby Lulu
- Deborah Petty … Cast, Sally
- Timothy Landfield … Cast, Ed
- Linda Dorff … Cast, Mom
- Bob Marvin … Cast, Dad
- Irene Martin … Cast, Mrs. Facenda
- Ron Steelman … Cast, Mr. Facenda
- Martin Massen … Cast, Blind Date
- Diane Disque … Cast, Telephone Operator
- John Crawford … Cast, Policeman
- Jan Arthur … Cast, Jan Arthur
- Charles Miller … Cast, Announcer
- Pam Conley … Cast
- Voice of Baby Lulu … Voice