Memphis Melody – Episode 96

Memphis Melody was the twenty-first and penultimate episode of Quantum Leap’s fifth season to air, with Sam leaping into Elvis Presley with the young singer on the cusp of fame. In this episode Gerry and Iain discuss double acts.

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Sam leaps into a young Elvis Presley just before the singer is discovered and signed to his first record deal. As a big fan of The King, Sam knows that he can’t be here to get Elvis his deal since that happened fine the first time round, so his focus turns to Sue Anne (Mary Elizabeth McGlynn), a friend with a good voice, but crippling stage fright.

Unfortunately, Sam’s efforts to help Sue Anne, over the objections of her unpleasant fiancé Frank (John Scott Clough), lead to him missing a crucial audition with legendary producer Sam Phillips (Gregory Itzin). When talent spotter Marion Keisker (Lisa Jane Persky) tries to pair Sam and Sue Anne as a single act, it looks like curtains for Elvis’s career.

Memphis Melody was directed by James Whitmore Jr., the fourteenth of his fifteen episodes (which is a bit of a spoiler for who the director is going to be next week!). The writer was Robin Bernheim, the last of her five writing credits for the show.

In this episode Gerry and Iain considered harmonies.

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Memphis Melody was released in 1993. It is 47 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.