The Love Boat Forever: An Unauthorized Tour of the Lido Deck

The first-ever retrospective of the hit 1970s and '80s television show, featuring exclusive interviews with its creators, actors, guest stars, producers, writers, and crew members, along with behind-the-scenes, never-before-revealed stories and photos, facts, commentary, and more. Exciting and new, the ABC weekly series The Love Boat launched in September 1977 and quickly became an instant hit. Created by Aaron Spelling and Douglas S. Cramer, it followed the humorous adventures and love interests of the Pacific Princess's crew, headed by Captain Merrill Stubing, and its diverse roster of passengers--played by some of the biggest names in Hollywood: legends like Olivia de Havilland and Ginger Rogers, as well as future stars such as Tom Hanks and Kathy Bates. Inspired by the bestselling memoir The Love Boats written by Jeraldine Saunders, a single mother and the industry's first female cruise director, the show ran for more than nine glamorous seasons and was seen by millions in ninety-three countries. The Love Boat sets sail again in this definitive account, drawn from six years of in-depth research and more than 400 interviews with numerous guest stars and people behind the scenes, including the show's creators, producers, cast, writers, directors, and production crew members. A detailed compendium and homage, The Love Boat Forever is a fascinating, in-depth history of the show and much more. Jim Colucci shares key details from all nine seasons and television films, from storylines and little-known trivia about the ship itself to the sirens, musical acts, ball gowns, and many, many athletes and obscure guests who appeared throughout its run. Packed with more than 250 black-and-white and color photographs and memorabilia, many never seen before, The Love Boat Forever is a keepsake for fans of the show, a rich resource for television, pop culture, and entertainment buffs, and a visual cornucopia for aficionados of the late 1970s and '80s.