As part of the UK DVD release, this Documentary features clips from the Series and interviews filmed in the Historic Boulder Theatre, Boulder City Nevada in 2012. Kudos to Steve Sidelnyk for his brilliant editing!
I can't believe there's a documentary on Auto Man . Every time I've asked someone if they remember that show they look at me like I have two heads , it was one of my favorite shows as a kid .
@@chj2 plus, it's a Glen Larson show, and whatever he creates is really amazing, Fall Guy to Magnum and Automan to Knight Rider. Also, it's ironic that Disney owns this show and Tron, considering that they took over 20th Century Fox, who distributed Automan and Fall Guy!
There's no words for how much I love this series. Chuck Wagner was the perfect actor for the role. He truly was an 11 out of 10. As much as I would love to see more episodes or a remake, I don't think it's possible to capture the magic of the future that only existed in the past. Thank you Chuck for creating the magic of my childhood.
I'm 47 and I watched this series as a kid in the 80s in Singapore! It blew my mind when I first saw it and I loved the theme song. Like one of the commenters said, it inspired me to go into working with computer graphics later as an adult and eventually working for Industrial Light and Magic Singapore. Great documentary explaining the complexities of making analog visual effects and the costs involved. I always wondered why the series disappeared and was not renewed. Automan needs a modern remake!
Mr. Wagner thank you for playing your role as Automan so well. This series has been part of my childhood and it brings back so many good memories. Even today, the special effects look astounding -- I could never get how the 90º turns turned out so flawless. Amazing. And the acting, also top notch. That scene with Automan playing the "Auto-guitar" in Laura Brannigan's song (21:43) is engraved in my memory and still brings me chills. I remember especially loving whenever they'd let you showcase some of your many talents as a musical-comedy actor. You are the best, Sir. Much respect from a fan in Brazil.
I was obsessed over the series. Heart broken when it was off the air. I drew a pic of Automan and that pic helped me admitted into the High School of Art & Design.
Awesomeness ! God i loved the shows on t,v, when i was a kid. So many of them as well. Just to list a few... Battlestar galactica, Buck Rogers in the 25th century, Logan's Run, Knight Rider, Air wolf, Street hawk, A-team, The six million dollar man. And so many more. Thank you America for the magic you gave me when i was young. The list was long, and the list was good.
In an age where most singers cant sing or actors act Mr. Wagner is almost a throwback to the old school when if an actor/actress wanted a role they better know how to act , dance AND sing . (they were pretty forgiving on the last one I hear) I watched this one as it aired . Seems hollow to just say THANK YOU for your time and efforts on this project but THANK YOU all the same , to all involved .
If automan was your favourite show as a kid you really have sad taste....automan was a total flop which only lasted 13 episodes and was crushed in the ratings by Magnum p.i. As for my favourites they were the incredible hulk, a team and knight rider! now those were classics. Street hawk was quite shit aswell!
they said in the interview that it was another show with Dick Clark and i don't remember Dick Clark being in Magnum P.I. and it was cost that got that got them Canceled next time actually watch the whole thing before you give your Opinion .
I was fortunate enough to purchase a copy of Automan on DVD, day before yesterday. I watched it all, over the space of two days, and relived some great memories of watching the SYFY Channel's syndicated airings with my son. I had never seen this doc before, but I enjoyed it very much, on seeing it in the "extras" portion of the DVD set. Like visiting old friends.
I really loved this show and recently bought the Automan Series on DVD and watched it with my daughter. Watching it after many years, I agree that this show was ahead of it's time, but for me it was just at the right time, it's actually the reason why I studied computer studies and now work in IT. Thank you Chuck and Desi for being such an inspiration, also a kiss for Heather, she was my childhood crush
Chuck, Mr Larson, Dezi, all of you were a inspiration for many of my generation in my country, i am from Colombia, for the kids who enjoy and was inspired to figth against injustice, and today make peace in here as the adults become, all grow with the images and situation for make a better life. thank you. Always in our minds, God Bless you all.
It is a potty that this show never caught on with the general public and ABC never gave it a chance. It was meant to be a Ruby Spears Saturday Morning Cartoon. Just reminiscing, as a 4 year old, I would watch this series religiously and tried to be a regular helping viewer, then it vanished! I recently picked it up on SyFy during the early 2Ks. Loved it again and my life was reinvented spiritually. Thank You, Chuck Wagner for being there for me when I was young and alone, I needed a hero and he appeared for me and everyone else. This should be released on DVD/Bluray.
***** if you read the fine line(date) this comment was made before it was released on DVD!!! It was released in the U.K. first before SHOUT! Factory got the rights.
I was 11 years old when BBC1 in the UK showed "Automan" - as a big fan of "TRON" and the "hi-tech vehicle" US TV shows at the time, it was almost inevitable that I'd become an "Autofan"... and so I did 😄 Really enjoyed hearing the cast and their stories - it is gratifying that the series is remembered so warmly by cast and fans alike.
@@bartoni79 From what I've been able to gather, the BBC showed "Automan" over the summer of 1984. Normally, I would use BBC Genome (their online searchable catalogue of historical programme listings), but this seems to be down at the moment...
I was born in 1980 and when I was 7 years old they started showing Automan in Costa Rica, and to this day there are many of us who remember the program, in fact I recently saw all the episodes and I would have loved to have seen more seasons, but I felt the same excitement and I laughed just as much as I did when I was a kid, Automan will forever be a cult show for fans. Today I saw the documentary and it is incredible to know how they worked so hard to make the show. I know it's been many years but thank you for that effort and for being part of our memories.
I remember as a kid after watching Tron, I could not get enough of that movie. My parents bought me books, and a poster of Tron. Then, thank God, came Automan. Thank you for being a part of my childhood.
So wonderful to see this! I had a huge crush on Otto Mann. I even had “Chuck Wagner” written all over my pencil case at school but none of my classmates watched the show so no one knew who he was. He still looks amazing! I might just get myself another pencil case to write on! 😊
when I was young, in 1983-85 (7 years old) I saw Automan in tv. It was the first time that I saw computer graphics effects and at that moment I knew what I wanted to do when I grow. I have to say thanks to Automan for the inspiration.
I think it arrived here in Italy in 1984 or 1985, I wasn't in my teens yet and it blew me away. It was dubbed (everything was at the time) and I am sure a few things got lost in translation, but it was absolutely awesome. My interest in computers is due in part to the show. I learned two hours ago that this documentary existed! Thanks, Wikipedia, and thank you, Mr. Wagner, for putting it on. Your character was a childhood hero 🙂 I wish you good luck in your journeys.
Never forget going to the Carl Casper auto show(Kentucky) to finally meet you. I was just 11 years old and was probably sending you a letter a week. It was a highlight in a very troubled time when you sent me a photo with "Malena Dream" on a wonderful photo of yourself. Thank you for being the goodly, outstanding, wonderfully talented human being that you are. With much Love, from a mom, now 45 years old... You will always be my hero.
So many childhood memories, i was a little girl when i watched this show with my dad and absolutely fell in love with it 😁❤️. Thank's for giving us Automan Mr. Wagner, Mr. Arnaz, Mr. Larson and crew, best regards and keep doing what you love 🙋🏻♀️❤️.
One of my favorite series of glenn a larson, what the heck happened with the tv to turn into garbage, i want to come back to the past and be a child again to enjoy those incredible times.
It's awesome. This was one of my favorite shows. It's shows like this that helped to raise TV production standards because the effects were like what we were seeing on the big screen.
The whole show had the novel appeal to be the real life existence of Automan and his un believable stuntss looked real. That is beyond incredible! Awesome show. No one has ever created/ neither will produce such an amazing show. Hats off!
wow.....thanx for this, Chuck! I was a kid hen Automan showed up and one of TV stations in Yugoslavia where I was born bought the show and it was aired about the same time as in the US. And about the same time I got my commodore C64. So imagine what was going on in a kids head when these 2 things showed up at the same time. It was a pivotal point in my life and and the main reason I became a software engineer. Thanx to Automan :)
So awesome, thanks Chuck. I never forgot this show, and for decades, no one else I knew remembered it. Cool to hear how it came together & worked behind the scenes.
I'm so glad that they quickly got to the point that it was a rip from Tron. There's nothing worse than watching a documentary on something else, and they talk about themselves like they're astounding visionaries, all the while you're screaming the name of what property they've emulated at the screen.
Just discovered this show here about 2 weeks ago. My absolute favorite series and I wish there were more seasons! Otto Mann, You are an absolute hero! And I'm not talking about the crime fighting 😂 zippers!!!
Total blast-from-the-past...this show was what first got me into programming since I saw it before "Tron". I was young enough to think that if I could build a program that *looked* like Walter's, then I could create a cool car. Thankfully, I figured out reality before "Weird Science" came out.
Dad and I loved this show. It was so much fun😎. Little did I know my whole family would be lucky enough to see you in the national tour of Jekyll And Hyde some years later!
Heather really is STILL gorgeous! I had such a crush on her! Great show, great memories!! Thanks for the brilliant documentary Chuck! I'd love to see Auto back!!!
This was fascinating. Automan was my favorite show growing up. I'm amazed at how much went into it and how much it cost for those special effects!! Really an incredible creation, I'm so glad this was uploaded! :-)
In a world of weird, quirky, and under-appreciated 80's superhero/crime/adventure shows that made my childhood a joy (Manimal, Streethawk, Misfits of Science, Blacke's Magic, The Master, Wizards and Warriors, etc.) Automan stood head-and-shoulders above. Thank you
I used to absolutely love this show, I think it was a bit too ahead of its time really. I think the way technology is so part of our lives now, it would be great to bring it back.
From Colombia (South America): la serie de TV "Automan" fue de alta sintonia y gran recordación en nuestro país. Lamentamos cuando fue cancelada. Sus aventuras fueron de gran influencia para toda una generación.
Wow. This brings back so many memories. I just did a RU-vid search for Automan and found this documentary!! I loved this show as a kid. Thank you Chuck Wagner, Desi Armando Jr. and Heather McNair for a great show!! Wish you all the best!!!
this documentary on Automan brought back my childhood memories !!! I have lost those memories many days ago but now it seems like yesterday !!! Thanks, Mr.Chuck Wagner for bringing back my long-lost memory of Automan !!! I was a die-hard fan of your show !!! Please make a new & updated version of Automan only for those who were the audience of your show !!!
oka rin No solo automan: A team, Webster, Hulk, Highway to heaven, Knight Rider, Small wonder, ALF, Magnum P.I., CHiP's, Fall guy, Stingray, The Cosby Show, Family ties, The wonder years, Remington Steele, Growing pains, Murder she wrote . Mejor dicho lo que habían eran grandes series en los ochentas.
I bet a young person now might look at this as cheesy, but being a kid in the 80's this really caught your eye. I feel like the car transitions kind of still holds up. I am glad they made this doc, really nostalgic and fun. Chuck Wagner was really positive about it all, that's refreshing.
I loved this show so much as a kid, I was very disappointed when it got cut! This is a cult classic! And the effects where just amazing for this time! Great that I got to know a lot more about it, Thank you Chuck Wagner for sharing this!
Desde colombia quiero decirles q extraño las series de los 80's como automan, innovadora divertida. Gracias por este documental y volver a saber de sus protagonistas,por cierto heather esta muy hermosa. 80'S preferidas(v batle final, the A team, cover up, miami vice,stree hawk, profesion peligro )creó q asi se titulaban en ingles perdon si no es asi , chao again gracias
Just watched this video. Thank you so much Chuck. This simply brings back memory when I watched Automan with my Dad. A bit teary recalling the joy and the chat with him, seeing you shouting "Cursor!", .... and everything else in the series. I even had a shirt with Automan picture at that time. Really great show, .... as well great moments with my Dad watching it. Thanks for bringing this video Chuck. Big one.
I loved this show to bits here in England. Even purchased the action figure of automan when I was 7. The body was solid but the head was hollow and soft rubber lol. Wish I still had it. Might have had some value today.
This is such a great documentary and a joy to watch. I watched the pilot episode for the first time since I was a kid last weekend. I can't think of a better pairing for this show than Chuck and Desi, they're perfect in these roles.
@@qdllc hey, 20th Television actually did real amazing when they brought the X Files Back in 2016, this should happen because the tech is now more affordable, and they can better develop the iconic character, hell, have Chuck do a cameo in one of the episodes!
No one ever believes me when I say this show existed. I am glad you uploaded this Chuck. I have made a lot of jokes at it's expense, but seeing this I gained a lot of respect for a show I barely understood then. I will probably still make jokes, but with a lot more respect. Brilliant!!!
Our favorite show as a kids in the mid 1980's - every Friday afternoon my brother and I parked our keister infront of that 'ol black & white tube box and waited for cursor to que on the show... after one season it was finished and we were bummbed about it :( - maybe they'll remake that show again hopefully with Chuck, Desi, and Heather. thanks guys for the fun memories!
Automan was one of my heroes, i dream of doing the same cool stuff and create things with technology. Today i’m an architect working with sofisticated software in 3D creating stuff so in a way my Automan dream came true 😎
