Goodbye Norma Jean – Episode 93

Goodbye Norma Jean was the eighteenth episode of Quantum Leap’s fifth season to air, with Sam leaping into Marilyn Monroe’s driver and trying his best to keep the starlet alive. In this episode Gerry and Iain discuss showbiz parties.



Sam leaps into Dennis Boardman, the personal chauffeur to Marilyn Monroe (Susan Griffiths) shortly before her anticipated death. When Monroe hires Barbara Whitmore (Liz Vassey) as her personal assistant, Sam’s initial pleasure soon turns to suspicion and eventually anger as the young wannabe moves to supplant her employer on her new movie.


After saving Marilyn’s life at a party hosted by Peter Lawford (Joris Stuyck), Sam rejects her thankful advances, leading to a cooling in their relationship. When Barbara approaches director John Huston (Tony Young) and his colleague John Tremaine Jr. (Stephen Root) to take Monroe’s place opposite Clark Gable (Larry Pennell) in rehearsals, Sam must get the star back on track, fast.


Goodbye Norma Jean was directed by Christopher Hibler, the last of his four episodes of the show. The writer was Richard C. Okie, the fifth of his six writing credits.


In this episode Gerry and Iain considered the value of one good movie.


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You can listen to the show here on the website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Pocket Casts, TuneIn, Stitcher, Google or wherever you find your podcasts.


Goodbye Norma Jean was released in 1993. It is 46 minutes long and originally aired on the NBC network. It can be viewed on NBC’s Peacock streaming service in the UK and in the United States. The show is available on DVD and Blu Ray in other countries.