Man from Atlantis
A forgotten 1970s superhero series about an Atlantean amnesiac.
Man from Atlantis is an American superhero television series that aired on the NBC network from 1977 to 1978. It began as four TV movies in Spring 1977, which achieved high ratings and led to a weekly series, but the series was cancelled after 13 episodes due to declining audience and high production costs. The show is notable for being the first American television series broadcast in the People's Republic of China, airing on March 1, 1980.
- field
- Television series
- genre
- Superhero, science fiction, fantasy
- network
- NBC
- original_run
- 1977–1978
- number_of_episodes
- 13 (series) plus 4 TV movies
- starring
- Patrick Duffy as Mark Harris
- known_for
- First American TV series shown in China
Quick Facts
- Runtime
- 42–44 minutes per episode
- Director
- Lee H. Katzin (pilot)
- Genre
- Superhero
- Creator
- Mayo Simon / Herbert F. Solow
- Executive Producer
- Herbert F. Solow
- Composer
- Fred Karlin
- Writer
- Mayo Simon (pilot)
- Company
- Solow Production Company
- Starring
- Patrick Duffy / Belinda Montgomery / Alan Fudge
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Network
- NBC
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The show was produced by Herbert Franklin Solow's Solow Production Company in association with Warner Bros. Television. The Foundation for Oceanic Research headquarters was represented by the Point Fermin lighthouse in San Pedro, California. The Cetacean submarine's voyages were shown through miniature work by Gene Warren's special effects team. The weekly series introduced a Seabase with a moving cradle and enclosed walkway to avoid diving and surfacing effects.
Reader's Guide
Man from Atlantis is significant primarily for its historical role as the first American television series broadcast in the People's Republic of China on March 1, 1980, at a time when Chinese television was dominated by propaganda. Its impact in China was so high that the start time of a foreign pianist's concert was changed to avoid conflict. Academic Nick Stember noted in 2014 that many Chinese who grew up in the 1980s still remember the series with fondness. In the United Kingdom, the series aired opposite Doctor Who and actually beat it in ratings during its transmission. Critically, the show received mixed reviews: Tom Shales of the Washington Post said it lacked adult appeal, and The New York Times criticized its campy aspects. The series is now largely forgotten in the US, as noted by Stember in 2014. It has been released on DVD and Blu-ray by Warner Archive, and was broadcast in numerous countries including Brazil, Portugal, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Turkey, South Africa, Italy, Norway, and Israel.
Did You Know?
- Man from Atlantis was the first American television series to be shown in the People's Republic of China, airing on March 1, 1980.
- The series' producer, Herbert Solow, was one of the people responsible for bringing Star Trek to television in the 1960s.
- In the UK, Man from Atlantis aired opposite Doctor Who and actually beat it in ratings during its transmission.
- The pilot film was released on VHS (though the exact release date is not widely confirmed) and on Blu-ray on March 12, 2019.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Man from Atlantis?
It's a 1977–1978 NBC superhero series centered on Mark Harris, a man who washes up on shore with total amnesia and eventually learns he is a warrior from the sunken civilization of Atlantis. The project launched as four standalone TV movies in spring 1977 before expanding into a weekly show.
What powers does Man from Atlantis have?
As a warrior from the lost underwater kingdom, Mark Harris possesses superhuman physical strength and the ability to breathe and operate beneath the ocean's surface. His Atlantean heritage grants him capabilities far beyond those of an ordinary human.
How does Man from Atlantis end?
The weekly series was cancelled after just 13 episodes when viewership declined and production costs proved too high for NBC to sustain. The story was never given a definitive on-screen conclusion, leaving the arc unresolved for fans.
Why is Man from Atlantis significant?
The show made history as the first American television series ever broadcast in the People's Republic of China, debuting there on March 1, 1980. It is also fondly remembered by fans as a lost 1970s fantasy-superhero gem that never received the wider recognition it deserved.
Who plays Man from Atlantis?
Patrick Duffy portrays Mark Harris, the amnesiac Atlantean warrior who serves as the show's central hero. The series aired on NBC across the 1977–1978 broadcast season.
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