Dean Stockwell (Al) was the first to 'Leap' through time on an episode of the "Twilight Zone: A Quality Of Mercy" (29 Dec 1961) playing a war hungry US Lt. in August, 1945.
Quantum Leap has several references to producer Donald Bellisaro's previous series, "Tales of the Gold Monkey" (1982), including a character named "Gushie". The QL episode "Ghost Ship" featured Captain Cutter, who was the main character in Tales of the Gold Monkey.
Albert "Al" Calavicci is a Rear Admiral in the US Navy.
There have been many guest stars including Teri Hatcher, Brooke Shields, Jennifer Aniston, Bob Saget, Jason Priestley, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Patricia Richardson, Julie Brown, Chubby Checker, Roddy McDowall, Debbie Allen, Jerry Hardin, Terry Farrell and Robert McNeil.
'Bruce Mcgill' actually appeared twice the in the series playing two different characters on the show. He was actually in the first episode playing Weird Ernie and in the very last episode playing Al, the Bartender. Although many people from the previous episodes in the last episode as "leapers" themselves. His seemed to be the only one that was a completely different from the character he portrayed in the first episode. Though looks can be deceiving.
Sam Beckett is revealed to have attended MIT, and Al (Calavicci) is mentioned to have also spent some time there.
Al Calavicci drives two different Ferarris in the series: in the pilot episode, he is in a red Testarossa (which is shown from very low angles so as to keep the identity of the car hidden), and in the episode "Killing Time" he is driving a Mondial Cabriolet.
The pilot episode features Sam as a test pilot and had the appropriate title, "The Pilot".
Season One's cliffhanger into Season Two was the teaser for the episode "What Price Gloria?". The next season, three other episodes premiered before "What Price Gloria?" aired.
In the episode 2.11 "A Portrait for Troian", the image that Sam sees in a mirror of himself is of producer Donald Bellisaro.
In the episode 2.13 "Another Mother - September 30, 1981", the part of Teresa is played by Troian Avery Bellisario, daughter of Quantum Leap executive producer Donald P. Bellisario and co-executive producer Deborah Pratt. Also, their daughter's name is used in the episode, "A Portrait for Troian - February 7, 1971," with Deborah Pratt playing the title role.
In the episode 2.13 "Another Mother", the opening aerial shots of the suburban neighborhood are the same shots that were used in the opening of Poltergeist (1982).
In the episode 2.14 "All Americans", which originally aired on January 17, 1990, Al states he was watching SuperBowl XXX, and the Pittsburgh Steelers were playing. The actual game wouldn't air for another 6 years, however, the Steelers did play. The team hadn't been to the SuperBowl in the ten years prior.
Star Scott Bakula wrote and performed all the original songs in the episode 3.15 "Piano Man".
In the episode 5.1 "Lee Harvey Oswald," a lieutenant with the name tag "D. Bellisaro" is seen. This is a reference to producer Donald Bellisaro who served with Lee Harvey Oswald in the military.
The episodes 5.16 "Return of the Evil Leaper" and 5.17 "Revenge of the Evil Leaper" were originally aired as a two-hour "movie," but the titles of each hour were shorter. They were simply "Return" and "Revenge" respectively.
In the episode 5.21 "Memphis Melody", Sam leaps in as a young Elvis Presley. At one point in the episode, Elvis sings at a talent show. When Elvis is offstage, we hear a saxophone solo in the background. Then we hear the announcer say "That was young Billy C., from Hope, Arkansas!" A young boy then walks by, carrying a saxophone. The boy is the future President of the United States - Bill Clinton (who really does play the sax).
Scott Bakula's daughter Chelsy appeared in the episode 5.21 "Memphis Melody".
The bar in the final episode is modeled after the bar that series creator Donald Bellisario's father had owned.
There were several ideas for episodes which ultimately were never used. One had Sam leaping in as Robert F. Kennedy; another idea would involve an animated episode; the producers even toyed with the idea of leaping Sam in as a baby. Also, Don Bellisario wanted to do an episode where Sam leaps in as Thomas Magnum (from "Magnum, P.I."); it is unclear why that episode never materialized, although in an earlier episode a character is seen watching "Magnum, P.I." thus establishing that show as fiction within the QL "universe".
Ranked #15 in TV Guide's list of the "25 Top Cult Shows Ever!" (30 May 2004 issue).
The character 'Sam Beckett' was ranked #12 in TV Guide's list of the "25 Greatest Sci-Fi Legends" (1 August 2004 issue).
Scott Bakula (Sam) later went on to star in "Star Trek: Enterprise".
Scott Bakula (Sam) recently appeared in the Oscar-winning film "American Beauty", as well as "Lord of Illusions" and "Necessary Roughness".
Dean Stockwell (Al) has over 100 credits including "The Rainmaker", "Married to the Mob", "Beverly Hills Cop II" and "Blue Velvet".
Scott Bakula (Sam) and Dean Stockwell (Al) later worked together on an episode of "Star Trek: Enterprise".
