Trivia / MacGyver (1985)

• Actor-Inspired Element: Richard Dean Anderson really is from Minnesota, loves hockey and hates guns, and has long been active in environmentalist circles.
• Alan Smithee:
  • The pilot was directed by Alan Smithee (alias Jerrold Freedman in this case).
  • As was the episode "The Heist".
• Cast the Expert: Most of MacGyver's random skills and hobbies are taken from Richard Dean Anderson's own talents, including hockey and being an outdoorsman. He had extensive training as a circus performer as well.
• Completely Different Title:
  • Brazil: Profession: Danger.
• Creator Backlash: Richard Dean Anderson has spoken out about how exhausting the workload was, especially as he was essentially the only cast member (even with Pete around) and needed to be in nearly every scene. As he was shooting a network TV series that featured extensive location shooting and elaborate stunt work, he was completely drained after completing 139 episodes across seven seasons (plus two TV movies). Because of this, he insisted on being part of a proper ensemble cast when presented with the opportunity to star in Stargate SG-1. Despite the exhaustion, he is very proud of the actual show and has fond memories of playing the character.
• Defictionalization: In "Friends," a woman Mac used to know introduces him to her husband, who plays football for The Titans. There was no such team in 1987, but there is now. (Somewhat more problematically, Mac congratulates the guy on "having a great season" in the present tense in an episode that takes place in March...perhaps they were a USFL team?)
• Directed by Cast Member: Dana Elcar directed "The Challenge" and "The Invisible Killer."
• The Other Darrin: In "Jack Of Lies," MacGyver's friend Michelle "Mike" Forrester is played by Patricia McPherson (alias Bonnie from Knight Rider); for her second appearance at the beginning of "The Widowmaker" she's played by Lisa Bayliss. Unfortunately it's also her last appearance.
• Real-Life Relative: Not quite: MacGyver's grandfather Harry Jackson was played by John Anderson. It's often assumed he was Richard Dean Anderson's real grandfather, due to their resemblance and same last name — but the two weren't actually related.
• Underage Casting: Henry Gibson, who played an aged veteran of silent movies in "Deadly Silents", set in present-day 1991, was born in 1935. His character was shown to be in his 20s during that time.
• Written by Cast Member: Michael Des Barres, Murdoc's actor, also wrote the lyrics for the song "Cleo Rocks" in the episode of the same name.
• Written-In Infirmity:
  • Dana Elcar developed glaucoma which led to blindness; Pete Thornton accordingly developed the same condition.
  • "Every Time She Smiles" had MacGyver's arm in a cast from the start, supposedly due to a skiing accident in Switzerland, rather than have him injured somewhere in the middle of the episode. This was because Richard Dean Anderson had injured that arm and needed to have the cast written in. The same injury re-appeared in the next episode, "To Be a Man", with a different backstory.
• You Look Familiar: Dana Elcar played a one-off character in the pilot before being cast as Pete Thornton in the ongoing series. Numerous other actors appeared in multiple rôles over the course of 7 years.
  • Tia Carrere was Lisa Chan in "The Wish Child" and the assassin Tiu in "Murderers' Sky."
  • Don Davis, who would, years later, co-star with Richard Dean Anderson on Stargate SG-1, appears as a bulldozer driver with a single line in the very first episode of MacGyver. He appeared twice more as regular actor, once playing the main villain; however, he can be spotted numerous other times working as Dana Elcar's stunt double.
  • James Hong was Lee Wenying in "The Wish Child," Chu in the "Lost Love" two-parter and Kuang in "The Coltons."
  • Clyde Kusatsu was Anek in "The Golden Triangle" and Sam in "The Wish Child."
  • Nana Visitor was Laura Farren in "Hellfire" and Carol Varnay in "D. O. A.: MacGyver."

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