Room 222

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (December 2007)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Room 222
Format	Drama
Starring	Lloyd Haynes Denise Nicholas Michael Constantine Karen Valentine
Country of origin	Image:Flag of the United States.svg United States
No. of episodes	112
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	ABC
Original run	September 11, 1969 – January 11, 1974
External links
IMDb profile

Room 222 was a 20th Century Fox Television-produced television drama. It aired on ABC from September 17, 1969 to January 11, 1974 for 112 episodes. It was centered around an American History class at Walt Whitman High School in Los Angeles, though it also covered other events at the school. The class, Room 222, was taught by Pete Dixon (Lloyd Haynes), an African-American teacher. Other characters featured in the show were guidance counselor Liz McIntyre (Denise Nicholas) as Pete's girlfriend; the principal, Seymour Kaufman (Michael Constantine) and fidgety, somewhat "wacky" Alice Johnson (Karen Valentine) as a student teacher. In addition, many recurring students were featured from episode to episode.

Pete Dixon was portrayed as an idealist and delivered gentle lessons to his students in tolerance and understanding. Students admired his wisdom, insight and easygoing manner. The themes of the episodes were sometimes topical, reflecting the current political climate (the late 1960s and early and mid-1970s such as the Vietnam War, women's rights, race relations and Watergate). However, most plots were timeless and featured themes common to teenagers of any era. For example the episode titled "What Is A Man?" (1971) deals with a student who is the victim of anti-gay harassment.

The show is notable for featuring many actors who went on to become major stars, such as Bruno Kirby, Cindy Williams, Teri Garr, Jamie Farr, Rob Reiner, Anthony Geary, Richard Dreyfuss, Chuck Norris, Kurt Russell and Mark Hamill.

Room 222's initial episodes garnered weak ratings and ABC was poised to cancel the program after one season. But the show earned several nominations at the 1970 Emmy Awards and ABC relented. After the series ended, the program entered syndication and was rerun on several television stations throughout the United States.

The theme song was composed by film composer Jerry Goldsmith, and is notable for being written in a 7/4 time signature.