If you have comments or new information, please sent email to rdahomepage@aol.nl

This site is hosted in
the Netherlands



Optimized for 1024x768

LEGEND INFO

Anderson stars as Ernest Pratt, a gambling, womanizing, hard-drinking writer who has created a dashing literary hero, Nicodemus Legend, the main character in a wildly imaginative series of dime novels set in the dangerous, untamed West. Pratt has created Legend in his own image, and all the novels are written in the first person. Because of this, many readers believe that Ernest Pratt is Nicodemus Legend. The irony is that while Pratt himself is something of a lost soul, he has created in Nicodemus Legend a romantic hero who embodies all the optimism and creative spirit of America in the 1870s.

In the premiere episode, Pratt learns that someone has been impersonating his literary creation, Nicodemus Legend. A warrant has been issued in Sheridan, Colorado for Legend's arrest on charges of malicious mischief, theft of water rights, and disturbing livestock. Noting that, "I am not, nor will I ever be, a man who disturbs livestock," Pratt travels to Sheridan to clear the name of his hero. In Sheridan, he meets the eccentric European scientist and inventer, Janos Bartok (portrayed by series co-star John de Lancie). Bartok is a great admirer of Pratt's clever Western tales, and has taken the liberty of "borrowing" the Legend persona in order to help the townspeople of Sheridan.

Pratt is cornered by the awkward situation and by Bartok's persistent efforts to convince him that he must take on Legend's identity. Bartok tells Pratt, "Your celebrity has the power to give our enemies pause. My science can increase that reputation. And together, we will create the real Legend." Pratt reluctantly agrees to assume the persona of his literay creation, Nicodemus Legend, and to live out the image he has created of an adventurous man dedicated to justice and science. John de Lancie (the memorable nemesis "Q" in Star Trek: The Next Generation) co-stars as the Hungarian scientist and creative genius, Janos Bartok. Also co-starring is newcomer Mark Adair Rios as Huitzilopochtli Ramos, Bartok's brilliant yooung associate scientist who is descended from Aztec kings. Bob Balaban (Close Encounters of the Third Kind) portrays Harry Parver, the representative of Pratt's Eastern publishing company. Guest stars in the premiere, Birth of a Legend, include Stephanie Beacham as a ruthless land owner, and Tim Thomerson as a burnedout gunfighter. Future episodes of LEGEND will feature many of the outlandish inventions which Bartok creates in his laboratory. Most of these inventions spring from Bartok's own visionary mind, a few are inspired by Pratt's novels, but they are all fascinating and many are well ahead of their time. LEGEND's audience will be treated to such creations as the first All-Terrain Vehicle, which Bartok has named the "Bartok Steam-Powered Town and Country Quadrovelocipede" (and which Pratt calls simply a "Land Rover"). Electro-fulminators (lightning bolt-transmitters) and a fully functioning pair of wings which enable Legend to reach normally inacessible places are just a few of the wonderful and useful inventions of Bartok.

The executive producers of LEGEND have combined experience in virtually all the television formats: half-hour comedies, one-hour detective stories, science fiction, and dramatic television movies. In addition to his current duties as the creator and executive producer of Star Trek: Voyager, Michael Piller also created and executive produced Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and was executive producer of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Bill Dial's experience as a writer and producer includes Simon and Simon, and both the network and syndicated versions of WKRP in Cincinnati. Along with his six seasons as a producer on the ABC series MacGyver, Michael Greenburg has produced mini-series, television movies and feature films. Greenburg and Anderson formed Gekko Film Corp which has produced two MacGyver television movies. All this producing experience is invaluable on LEGEND, a show which combines action sequences with special effects, stunts, historic characters and setting, and high-tech optical effects, not to mention Richard Dean Anderson's previously untapped comedic talent.


Cast:
Richard Dean Anderson as Ernest Pratt and Nicodemus Legend
John de Lancie as Janos Christoff Bartok
Mark Adair Rios as Huitzilopochtli Ramos
Jarrad Paul as Skeeter


Created by: Michael Piller and Bill Dial
Executive Producers: Bill Dial, Michael Piller Executive Producers: Richard Dean Anderson and Michael Greenburg
Music by: Ken Harrison

LEGEND CHARACTER

  Ernest Pratt

Ernest Pratt is born into a good, conservative Boston family in 1836 and attends Harvard College for a short time, where he falls under the spell of the Romantic poets and Gothic literature. Defying his banker father, Pratt decides to pursue the life of a writer and heads west to San Francisco where he becomes an apprentice reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. A chance meeting with Mark Twain changes Pratt's life, and inspires the young man to set to work on his first successful book, Solitary Knight of the High Plains, which introduces the dashing hero, Nicodemus Legend. Pratt's gimick of writing in the first person gives his readers the impression that Legend's exploits are real. In 1876, when our story opens, pratt is 40 years old.

  Nicodemus Legend

Nicodemus Legend is the fictional hero of fifteen popular novels by Ernest Pratt. Legend is a champion of the underdog, a crusader for justice and truth. His perfect manners, good looks and beautiful hand-beaded buckskin outfits make him a dashing and romantic figure. In reality, Legend is tough and quick-witted, with an impressive knowledge of science. He hates violence, preferring to use brains instead of a gun. Since Pratt's novels are written in the first person from Legend's point of view, many readers fail to realize that Legend is a fictitious character.

  Janos Bartok

Janos Bartok was born in Hungary in 1840. He speaks five languages and is a prodigy in mathematics and electrical engineering. Bartok is fascinated with all aspects of life, from the discovery of new scientific advancements to spiritualism and extra-sensory perception and, especially, with the idea that man will one day fly. After winning a scholarship to the University of Budapest, Bartok comes to New York to work at Western union, where he meets the young Thomas Edison. A bitter competition devolps between these two brilliant scientists. Eventually, Edison seeks to destroy Bartok's reputation by claiming that Bartok has stolen his ideas. Tiring of the scandal and the resulting media attention, Bartok leaves New York, and heads West where he begins experimenting with a "rain machine." His financial backing comes from a wealthy widow in Denver with scientific interests and, perhaps, other interests in Bartok. Jis only leisure time is spent with the humorous novels of Mark Twain and with a series of dime novels which chronicle the adventures of Nicodemus Legend.

Huitzilopochtli Ramos

Huitzilopochtli Ramos, a Mexican, is a descendent of Aztec kings, and has inherited the great Aztec genius for mathematics. His first name - Huitzilopochtli - means "Hummingbird of the South," and was the name of the chief tribal God in the Aztec religion. Ramos' brilliance was recognized early in his life, and he eventually went to work for a Harvard archeologist on a dig in Mexico. The archeologist was so impressed by Ramos' intellect that he helped the young man get a scholarship to Harvard. Ramos is fiercely devoted to Bartok, whom he met when they were both working for Western Union.

Harry Parver

Harry Parver is the representative of Pratt's publisher. He's a Easterner who is fascinated by the West but guite out of place in it. Parver is a businessman surrounded by geniuses, dreamers and lunatics. It's his job to be concerned with deadlines, re-writes and promotional stunts to keep the Legend book at the topn of the best-seller lists.



1. BIRTH OF A LEGEND

It's 1876 and Ernest Pratt, a drunken dime-novel author with writer's block, finds himself thrust into the life of his fictional hero, Nicodemus Legend, when a warrant is issued for his arrest. Pratt is pulled into the plight of immigrant farmers battling a rich landowner. The eccentric Hungarian inventor, Bartok, pushes Pratt into making Legend a reality.

Cast
Ernest Pratt/ Nicodemus Legend - Richard Dean Anderson
Janos Bartok - John de Lancie
Ramos - Mark Adair Rios
Harry Parver - Bob Balaban
Sera Slaughter - Stephanie Beacham
Jesse James - Forrie J. Smith
Frank James - Monty Stuart
Mom - Karen Veau
Antonio - Nicholas Glaesser
Mr. Fat - Jack Ong
Katherine Sullivan - Katherine Moffat
Skeeter - Jarrad Paul
John Wesley Coe - Tim Thomerson
Aidar Brull - Pete Schrum
Mrs. Brull - Betsy Beard
Victoria - Stephanie Copperman
Geezer - Dick Bellerue

Writers: Michael Piller and Bill Dial
Director: Charles Correll


2. MR. PRATT COMES TO SHERIDAN

Ernest Pratt returns to Sheridan with serious resevations about impersonating his fictional creation. Reluctantly he takes up the role again to assist a bank robber who has been falsely accused of murder. In order to accomplish this Legend must rob a bank.

Cast:
Ernest Pratt/ Nicodemus Legend - Richard Dean Anderson
Janos Bartok - John de Lancie
Ramos - Mark Adair Rios
Skeeter - Jarrad Paul
Jim Siringo - Stephen Baldwin
Mayor Chamberlain Brown - Robert Donner
Roscoe Barnes - Michael Moss
G.H. Winslow - Randy Oglesby
Mrs. Yancie - Lily Nielsen
Amos White - Rusty Ferracane
The Marshall - Billy Joe Patton
Shotgun Rider - Bob Lester
Lady #1 - Marian Wald
Lady #2 - Mona Tadych
Dealer - Claude File

Writers: Michael Piller and Bill Dial
Director: William Gereghty


3. LEGEND ON HIS PRESIDENT'S SECRET SERVICE

Pratt is approached by a young southern lady, Abigail, who is convinced that her father intends to assassinate President Grant. He warns the President, who is on a tour of Texas. Pratt is persuaded to offer his services to protect Grant from a plot masterminded by the President's old friend.

Cast
Ernest Pratt/ Nicodemus Legend - Richard Dean Anderson
Janos Bartok - John de Lancie
Ramos - Mark Adair Rios
Skeeter - Jarrad Paul
Ethan Catridge Steele - Ken Jenkins
Julia Grant - Fionnula Flanagan
Abigail Steele - Leah Lail
Potter - Alan Brooks
Ulysses S. Grant - G.W. Bailey
Grady - Robert Shelton
Rubin - Aaron Chadwick
Lynch - Patrick Moord
Henrietta - Ana Auther
Redneck 1 - Maro Miles
Redneck 2 - Stephen Foster

Writer: Bob Wilcox
Director: Michael Vejar


4. CUSTER'S NEXT TO LAST STAND

George Armstrong Custer comes to town. Mrs. Custer an old friend of Pratt's asks him to help Custer prove that the post traders, with the war departments approval, are selling off the fort food supplies and providing inferior weapons. The task is made more difficult when a mysterious man emerges from Pratt's past with a vendetta.

Cast
Ernest Pratt/ Nicodemus Legend - Richard Dean Anderson
Janos Bartok - John de Lancie
Ramos - Mark Adair Rios
Skeeter - Jarrad Paul
George Armstrong Custer - Alex Hyde-White
Mayor Chamberlain Brown - Robert Donner
Flintridge Caine - Richard Cox
Libbie Custer - Ashley Laurence
Standing Beaver - Pato Hoffman
Miles McKinney - Fritz Sperberg
Whipple - Ted Parks

Writer: Bill Dial
Director: William Gereghty


5. THE LIFE, DEATH AND LIFE OF WILD BILL HICKOK

Wild Bill Hickok asks Legend to team up with him to catch a gang of robbers. Though Pratt declines the honor, everyone believes they've joined forces, including Bill's old enemy, Jack McCall. Pratt and Bartok become caught up in Bill's circle of killing and must find a way to finally put an end to it.

Cast
Ernest Pratt/ Nicodemus Legend - Richard Dean Anderson
Janos Bartok - John de Lancie
Ramos - Mark Adair Rios
Skeeter - Jarrad Paul
Wild Bill Hickock - William Russ
Jack McCall - John Pyper-Ferguson
Marjorie - Debbie James
Chamberlain Brown - Robert Donner
Grady - Robert Shelton
Henry - Clark Ray
Henchman - Ed Adams
Tommy Squirrel - Mike Faherty
Boy - Adam Beech

Writer: Peter Allan Fields
Director - Michael Caffey


6. KNEE-HIGH NOON

Pratt and Bartok are trying to catch some cattle rustlers for a local rancher. Matters are complicated by an opportunistic Actress who tries to pass off her young son as "Nicodemus Legend, Jr." When one of the rustlers is captured, his brother kidnaps Legend's "son". Features the "Bartok Trojan Cow", the future of rustler survelliance.

Cast
Ernest Pratt/ Nicodemus Legend - Richard Dean Anderson
Janos Bartok - John de Lancie
Ramos - Mark Adair Rios
Skeeter - Jarrad Paul
Milton J. Faber - Andrew Hill Newman
Laura Davenport - Mary-Margaret Humes
Ben Davenport - Michael Patrick Carter
Lyle - Ray McKinnon
Asa - Courtney Gains
Vine - Don Collier

Teleplay by Steve Stoller & Frederick Rappaport
Story by Steve Stoller
Director: James L. Conway


7. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LEGEND

A preacher comes to town and holds a tent meeting. Things quickly turn ugly when the evangelist speaks out against science in general and Janos Bartok in particular. Pratt knows that the bible-thumper is a swindler and he and Bartok have to figure out what the con is. When they do they must contend with the violent mob that the preacher incites.

Cast
Ernest Pratt/ Nicodemus Legend - Richard Dean Anderson
Janos Bartok - John de Lancie
Ramos - Mark Adair Rios
Skeeter - Jarrad Paul
Mordechai/Willy Miles - Robert Englund
Edgar Taggert - Tim Considine
Brother Jude - Phillip Connery
Driver - Hamilton Mitchell
Heron Twin (1) - Tina Peeler
Heron Twin (2) - Tessa Harper
Operator - Rick Taylor

Writer: John Considine
Director: Michael Vejar


8. BONE OF CONTENTION

A paleontologist is murdered and leaves a vital clue with Professor Bartok; a dinosaur bone. Their initial investigation leads to the bone being stolen and Pratt being knocked unconscious. When he awakes the victim's beautiful sister has come to town and so has an old friend of Bartok's, another paleontologist. The dinosaur bone changes hands a few more times as they try to solve the mystery.

Cast
Ernest Pratt/Nicodemus Legend - Richard Dean Anderson
Janos Bartok - John de Lancie
Ramos - Mark Adair Rios
Skeeter - Jarrad Paul
Beth McMillan - Beth Toussaint
Rudolph Kendall - Bruce Gray
Dave Larson - Patrick Kilpatrick
Sheriff Moats - Douglas Rowe
Henrietta - Anna Auther
Miles McMillan - Robert Toeves

Writer: George Geiger
Director: Charles Correll


9. REVENGE OF THE HERD

Pratt's overseas publisher, an overbearing german, comes to town. He wants Legend to guide him on a Buffalo hunt. Pratt and Bartok guide the German party onto Arapaho lands and must prevent the Indians from killing the germans and the germans from killing the bison. To this end they bring to life the Arapaho legend of Thunderhooves.

Cast
Ernest Pratt/ Nicodemus Legend - Richard Dean Anderson
Janos Bartok - John de Lancie
Ramos - Mark Adair Rios
Skeeter - Jarrad Paul
Harry Parver - Bob Balaban
Ludwig Hauptman - Reiner Schone
Rolf Hauptman - Christian Arin
Towashie - Rodney A. Grant
Chamberlain Brown - Robert Donner
Smoky - Dick Bellerue
Young Arapaho - Deryle Luvan
Lamar - John Chappel
Gizzard-eating Williams - Mike Casper
Helmut - John Dahlstrand
Lone Eagle - George Salazar
Indian - Frank Soto
Little girl - Kaitlin Williams
Mother - Beth Wilkerson

Writer: Tim Burns
Director: Bob Balaban


10. FALL OF A LEGEND

Ernest Pratt is caught in the hayloft with a farmer's daughter. When the farmer is found murdered, Pratt is accused of the crime. He escapes from the town jail after being convicted by a kangaroo court and sets out to find the bald man who can clear him of the murder. He and Bartok pose as Gypsies and then as a priest and a doctor.

Cast
Ernest Pratt/ Nicodemus Legend - Richard Dean Anderson
Janos Bartok - John de Lancie
Ramos - Mark Adair Rios
Skeeter - Jarrad Paul
Chamberlain Brown - Robert Donner
Sheriff Moats - Douglas Rowe
Milton Faber - Andrew Hill Newman
Lisa Akey - Drusilla Dern
Rush - John Dennis Johnston
Smoky - Dick Bellerue
Luis Halewa - Peter Cirino
Henchman - James Reeves
Seth - Gary Kirk
Bonnie Blue - Linda Dearmond
Elijah - Michael Wayne
Harold - Jerome Zelle
Louise - Kim Breckon

Teleplay: Ron Friedman
Story: Bob Shayne
Director: Michael Vejar


11. CLUELESS IN SAN FRANCISCO

A young woman, Patence, comes to Legend for assistance in finding her family. She was separated from them as an infant and raised by Indians. Pratt and Bartok accompany her to San Francisco where she believes her family was going. Pratt takes them to his mother's house, where we learn his maternal parent is as eccentric as he has hinted. Pratt runs into some hostile intimidation tactics as he delves into the young lady's origins.

Cast
Ernest Pratt/ Nicodemus Legend - Richard Dean Anderson
Janos Bartok - John de Lancie
Ramos - Mark Adair Rios
Skeeter - Jarrad Paul
Mother Pratt - Janis Paige
Patence - Molly Hagan
Chi - James Hong
Andre Keller - Dennis Burkley
Zarelda - Patty Maloney
Tatoo Man - Charles Young
Melissa Walsh - Debbie Bartlett
Mrs. O'Hara - Catherine Gilman
Grandmother Walsh - Grace Etchen
Reporter 1 - Gary Clarke
Reporter 2 - Bazzel Baz

Writers: Marianne Clarkson and Carol Caldwell
Director: Charles Correll


12. SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET

Ernst Bartok creates a primitive moving picture machine. While they are trying to photograph a promotional movie for the Legend books they discover a skeleton. The dead man's hand has an Aztec ring on one finger. Feeling a kinship to the deceased, Ramos investigates the murder himself. Pratt and Bartok come to his assistance to prove that a local collector of artifacts murdered the man. Ramos goes undercover as a servant.

Cast
Ernest Pratt/ Nicodemus Legend - Richard Dean Anderson
Janos Bartok - John de Lancie
Ramos - Mark Adair Rios
Skeeter - Jarrad Paul
Seamus Calhoun - John Vernon
Maria - Marisol Padilla Sanchez
Sheriff - Robert Keith
Theresa Dunleavy - Lara Flynn Boyle
Father Jaime - Ramon Chavez
Mrs. Ruiz - Gina Carrzoza
Large Man - Joseph H. Redondo

Writer: David Rich
Director: Steven Shaw



BIOGRAPHY

The Biography from John de Lancie

John de Lancie was raised in Philadelphia. John managed to flunk out of fifth grade. However it was later discovered that he was dyslexic. At 14, John played the part of Henry V in a school play. He was pretty good and his father suggested that John shoul d become an actor. John attended Julliard on a four year scholarship and then joined the American Shakespeare Festival in Stratford. At the summer’s end Universal Studios offered John a contract. John acted for two years as a contract player doing 35 television shows, inclu ding: Black Beauty, Little Women, The Thornbirds and Captain and Kings. In 1980 John created the character, Eugene Bradford on "Day of Our Lives", a long running soap opera. (This was my first remembrance of John. I turned in each day hoping that John would be on. They made him do outrageous things. He was always good for a l augh.) John and his partner in comedy, Arlene Sorkin won two People’s Award for the team. John’s acceptance speech went like this. He thanked the props, cue cards and the lunch truck. John’s next role was as the omnipotent "Q" on Star Trek: The Next Generation! (I was thrilled to see John again on TV.) John also reprised his same role for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager. John has appeared 9 times in 8 years. His chara cter has become so popular that there are toys, china plates and other collectible items made in his likeness. John as "Q" has won the vote for "Best Villain", "Best Recurring" and "Best Loved" character in Star Trek.

John film roles include: "The Hand That Rock The Cradle", "The Fisher King", "Influence", "The Onion Field", "Taking Care of Business", "Arcade", "Deep Red", "Fearless" and "Multiplicity." John has performed at the Mark Taper Forum, The Seattle Repertory Company and the South Coast Repertory. John has also performed as a concert narrator. He performed with Kurt Masur and the New York Philharmonic, Esa-Pekka Solonen and the LA Philharmonic a nd the U.S. Army Band. John also is a regular at the Aspen Music Festival, appearing in Fidelio, A Midsummers Night’s Dream and Les Bourgeois Geltilhomme. John is an associate director of the L.A. Theatre Works and producing arm of KCRW/National Public Radio. At which he direct ed plays as "Fallen Angel", "The Waldorf Conference", "Invasion From Mars", and "When Welles Collide." John has also acted as Cassius in the BBC production of Julius Caesar with Richard Dreyfuss and Stacey Keach. John also co-starred as Jason Bartok in the United Paramount Network series Legend with Richard Dean Anderson. John has also guest starred in Picket Fences, L.A. Law, Murder One, The Gayle O’Grady Project and the voice of Dr. Quest on the Johnny Quest animated series. In 1996 John’s appearance in Star Trek: Voyager opposite his very good friend, Kate Mulgrew garnished the biggest rating in the history of the series.

John current project is Alien Voices. John along with Leonard Nimoy of Star Trek fame have created "Alien Voices." They show case their company as the classics of yesteryear meet the voices and sounds of the next millennium. They will be doing the Sci-fi classics such as The Time Machine by H.G. Wells and Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne and The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Alien Voices series tells timeless tales anew. Check out their newly constructed web site at Alien Voices. John de Lancie and yours truly created the site including a guest book and e-mail. (You couldn't have asked for a nicer man to work with, than John de Lancie!!!) Also check out Simon & Schuster's Alien Voice's website. There will be more to come so pick up a copy at your favorite book store.

Mark Adair Rios - filmography

Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997) .... Engine Room Crew Member #1
Courage Under Fire (1996) .... Bobcat 5
"Legend" (1995) TV Series .... Huitzilopochtli Ramos
Sherlock Holmes Returns (1993) (TV)
Triumph Over Disaster: The Hurricane Andrew Story (1993) (TV) .... Marco Llelli

Jarrad Paul - filmography

Liar Liar (1997) .... Zit Boy
"Legend" (1995) TV Series .... Skeeter
"Home Fires" (1992) TV Series
"Family for Joe, A" (1990) TV Series .... Chris Bankston (pilot only)
Family for Joe, A (1990) (TV) .... Chris
Home Fires (1987) (TV) .... Jesse

Notable TV guest appearances
"Seinfeld" (1990) playing "Darin" in episode: "Voice, The" 10/2/1997
"Men Behaving Badly" (1996) playing "Pipsqueak" in episode: "I am What I Am" 4/2/1997
"Home Improvement" (1991) playing "Jason" in episode: "Workin' Man Blues" (episode # 6.11) 12/10/1996
"Home Improvement" (1991) playing "Jason" in episode: "Burnin' Love" (episode # 6.4) 10/8/1996
"Home Improvement" (1991) playing "Jason" in episode: "Alarmed by Burglars" (episode # 5.25) 5/14/1996
"Home Improvement" (1991) playing "Jason" in episode: "Let Them Eat Cake" (episode # 5.6) 10/31/1995
"Weird Science" (1994)
"Boy Meets World" (1993)
"Step by Step" (1991)
"Family Matters" (1989)