The Series of the 1942 film. Its run of five episodes aired on NBC from April to September 1983. It starred David Soul as Rick Blaine, Scatman Crothers as Sam, and Héctor Elizondo as Captain Renault. It was the second of two attempts at a prequel series,note taking place about a year before the events of the film.
This series contains examples of:
- Adaptation Dye-Job: In the film, Rick's eyes are brown. In this series, they're blue.
- Adaptation Personality Change: Sacha, originally a talkative Plucky Comic Relief character, is much more reserved.
- Adaptational Backstory Change: One episode implies Sacha is from New York (and his accent supports this). In the original, he was Russian.
- Adaptational Comic Relief: Inverted. Sacha isn't a comic relief character here, but in the original film he was.
- Alternate Continuity: There is one localized but important divergence from film continuity: Strasser and Heinz, who came to Casablanca and were introduced to Rick during the main timeline of the film, are presented as already resident in the city.
- Ascended Extra: In the film, Strasser's aide Heinz was a very minor, uncredited role. In the series, Heinz is a Regular Character, billed sixth in the opening credits.
- Beard of Evil: Ferrari sports a goatee in this continuity.
- Girl of the Week: Not quite the serial-romance version, but every episode is structured around a different woman who interacts significantly with Rick.
- Hollywood Costuming: Many of the female characters have '80s Hair and anachronistic makeup.
- Hotter and Sexier: At least compared to The Hays Code-era original — there are bedroom scenes, frank references to prostitution, and the occasional scantily-clad belly dancer at the Blue Parrot.
- Iconic Outfit:
- Rick's unvented white dinner jacket appears in every episode.
- When he wants to be inconspicuous, Rick dresses like Indiana Jones.
- Stock Footage: Noticeably old footage is used to depict a plane crash and a naval explosion.
- You Remind Me of X: In the episode "Jenny," Rick develops feelings for a woman because she reminds him of Ilsa.
