Debuting on June 9, 1979 the TV Pilot for the series entitled “Starstruck” aired only once on CBS. A Sci-Fi comedy focusing on the McCallister family and the Hotel/Restaurant they run in space. The humor coming from the robotic staff as well as the clientele that the family come in contact with. The shows creators seem to have been inspired by the cantina scene from the original Star Wars.
This was considered to be a lost pilot but thankfully Chuck Cirino who happened to be an effects technician on the show saved his copy on a VHS tape and has uploaded it on his YouTube channel.
“Starstruck (Pilot; Comedy; CBS; June 9, 1979). Ben McCallister, a widower, and his children, Kate, Masrk and Rupert operate McCallisters Midway Inn, a hotel-restaurant-saloon on an orbiting space station ‘somewhere between Earth and Pluto.’ It is the 22nd century and the proposal was to relate the problems encountered by the family. Ezra and Abigail are Ben’s parents; Amber is the lounge singer; Delight is the waitress.”
Fun little fact about this lost pilot episode is that "B Flick" sci-fi and horror great Forrest A. Ackerman has a uncredited role as an Alien Astronaut in it.
For all it's campyness, (yes I used that word) It is worth a watch for a look into the vision of some of the ideas that came out of the time when Star Wars was just becoming a big thing and starting to inspire new movies and television shows.
Watch the full episode here.
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