Summary[]
October 16, 1961: For the first time, Sam gets to use his own name. There's just one tiny catch: this time, he's a woman instead of a man. He has leaped into a gorgeous blonde named Samantha Stormer(Samantha the leapee is played by LaReine Chabut). Sam has to avoid the lecherous come-ons of his boss while saving Samantha's best friend, Gloria Collins (played by Jean Sagal), from committing suicide over a man who's done her wrong. And Al is no help, because he's so attracted to Sam in Samantha's body!
Plot[]
Sam leaps in, enjoying a bubble bath. A woman named Gloria Collins, his host's flatmate and best friend, calls out "Sam" which pleases him, as he finally gets to be called by his own name. Gloria bursts into the bathroom and tells him to hurry up and get ready for his first day of work as "Miss youngest executive secretary at the company". Sam is suddenly confused to be referred to as "Miss" and looks in the mirror, finding a young, beautiful blonde woman staring back at him. He is Samantha Stormer, a young single woman who has recently been hired to work as an executive secretary at the National Motor Company in Detroit, Michigan. Al arrives and is immediately infatuated with Sam. Sam now realizes that Al, like everybody else, sees him for the person he has leaped into, rather than himself. Al tells Sam he must act like a woman until they can figure out his mission.
Gloria and Sam walk to the bus station, with Sam dressed uncomfortably in women's clothing and high heels. The two catch the bus to work where Gloria is engaged to Sam's boss, Buddy Wright (played by John Calvin), but is upset that he didn't tell her about his promotion to Vice President of the company. Sam, meanwhile, gets to work as Buddy's secretary. Buddy invites him into his office where he removes his jacket and proceeds to make sexual advances. Sam rejects Buddy's advances and accuses him of sexual harassment. Unsure of the term "sexual harassment", Buddy remains undeterred, assuming that Sam is simply playing hard-to-get with him, and sends him back to work, telling him, condescendingly, to put on some make up.
While Sam is applying lipstick in the bathroom, Al arrives. Al is frustrated and ashamed of his strong attraction to Sam and admits that it is adversely affecting his relationship with his girlfriend, Tina, and has forced him to seek help from the Project psychiatrist, Doctor Beeks. Gloria bursts into the room and excitedly proclaims that Buddy was keeping his promotion a secret to surprise her and that he is leaving his wife after the holidays to marry her. Al tells Sam that Buddy never leaves his wife and that, as a result, Gloria commits suicide.
Sam tries to convince Gloria that Buddy is the wrong man for her, but Gloria contests that Buddy is the only man who has ever made her feel special. Sam says she shouldn't need a man to make her feel special. Gloria tells him that Buddy is coming to the apartment to discuss their future. Sam tries to make her realize that Buddy has no long-term interest in Gloria but is just using her for sex. However, Gloria refuses to listen. When Buddy arrives at the apartment, he asks Sam to take his dog for a walk. Sam reluctantly does so and is joined by Al, who remains testy because of his infatuation for Sam. Sam is frustrated that he must wear uncomfortable women's clothing, put up with unwelcome advances from men, deal with his best friend's crush on him along with the fact that Gloria will not listen to his advice.
The next morning, Gloria is feeling happy after spending the night with Buddy. Sam tells her that Buddy will never leave his wife, no matter what he says. Gloria becomes angry and accuses Sam of being jealous because Samantha has never found a man who loved her for anything other than her body. Sam tries to explain to Gloria that he doesn't want to see her get hurt. Gloria asks Sam to try and accept her relationship with Buddy. Sam gives tacit approval, but only because he needs Gloria to accompany him on a prearranged double date the two have organized.
Gloria and Sam have their double date at a downtown restaurant. Gloria's date, Parker (played by Gregg Berger), is a straight laced, recently divorced man who says meeting Gloria has made him happy again, while Sam's date, Dick (played by Matt Landers), is a sleazy, lecherous-type who makes repeated unwanted advances on Sam, including grabbing his knee. Sam uses his umbrella to slug the man in the face and knock him to the ground. Sam leaves the table to talk to Al, who tells him that Gloria will commit suicide tonight.
Gloria notices Buddy and his wife Gail (played by Laurel Schaefer) enter the restaurant and be seated. While Buddy is away, Gloria approaches Mrs. Wright and offers sympathy for the divorce she is undergoing with her husband. Mrs Wright coldly informs Gloria that she and Buddy have an arranged marriage, and that Buddy will never leave her because of the social status he has acquired from marrying her. After receiving the news, and being dressed down by Mrs. Wright's cutting remarks, Gloria leaves the table in tears.
Parker approaches Sam, telling him that he witnessed Gloria become upset and leave the restaurant. Realizing that Gloria had interacted with Buddy's wife, Sam rushes off to find Gloria. Gloria is standing on the ledge of their apartment, about to jump to her death. Sam convinces Gloria that, by committing suicide, she will make Buddy think she is killing herself over him. Unwilling to give him such satisfaction, Gloria comes to her senses and decides against suicide. She makes her way back to the apartment window, but part of the ledge begins to crumble and she finds herself trapped. Sam climbs out the window and, clinging to a drain pipe, helps Gloria to safety.
Later, as Gloria is recuperating, Sam makes her some warm milk. Gloria says despondently that, at 27, she's afraid she's left it too late to get married. Sam tells her to stop worrying about finding a husband and worry about making herself feel good. He persuades her to pursue her interests and enter the design program of the company. Gloria seems heartened by Sam's advice and seemingly emancipated.
Sam goes to meet Al in the kitchen. Al has resolved his issues with being attracted to Sam, and accepted that love is simply part of their friendship. He also tells Sam that Gloria ends up getting married to Parker, the guy she went on a date with earlier, and the two have several kids together. However, it is Samantha who enters the design program and becomes head of the division, though she never marries. Sam asks why, if his mission has been accomplished, has he not leaped. Al tells him that he must first enact revenge on Buddy.
Sam arrives at the office the next day, and begins flirting with Buddy. Buddy, thinking he has finally succeeded at seducing Samantha, proceeds to reciprocate. However, Sam quickly informs him that he is a man. Horrified by the revelation, Buddy begins to back away and, taking advantage of his confusion, Sam throws a punch and knocks Buddy in the jaw, sending him to the ground. Satisfied with his vengeance, Sam is then able to leap.
"What Price Gloria?" Full Cast & Crew[]
- Directed by:
- Written by:
Cast (in credits order)[]
- Scott Bakula as Dr. Samuel Beckett
- Dean Stockwell as Admiral Albert "Al" Calavicci
- Jean Sagal as Gloria Collins
- John Calvin as Buddy Wright
- Gregg Berger as Parker
- Matt Landers as Richard
- LaReine Chabut as Samantha Stormer (leapee)
- Jack Armstrong as Johnny
- Laurel Schaefer as Gail Wright
- Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
- Ryan MacDonald as Ted Hartman (uncredited)
- Deborah Pratt as Narrator (uncredited)
- Liz Sagal as Mirror Image of Gloria Collins (uncredited)
Production Team[]
- David Bellisario - Associate Producer
- Donald P. Bellisario - Executive Producer / Series Creator
- Jeff Gourson - Associate Producer
- Deborah Pratt - Co-Producer
- Scott Shepherd ... supervising producer
- Harker Wade - Producer
Music by[]
Cinematography by[]
- Henry M. Lebo - Director of Photography (as Henry Lebo)
Film Editing by[]
- Mario Di Gregorio (as N. Mario di Gregorio)
Casting by[]
- Ken Carlson
Art Direction by[]
- Cameron Birnie & Peg McClellan
Set Decoration by[]
- Robert L. Zilliox
Costume Design by[]
- Jean-Pierre Dorléac (as Jean-Pierre Dorleac)
Production Management[]
- Paul Cajero - Unit Production Manager
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director[]
- Tom Connors - First Assistant Director
- James Dillon - Second Assistant Director
Art Department[]
- Eric A. Hulett - Set Dresser
Sound Department[]
- Paul B. Clay - Supervising Sound Editor (as Paul Clay)
- Mark Hopkins McNabb - Sound Mixer
Stunts[]
- Diamond Farnsworth - Stunt Coordinator
Camera and Electrical Department[]
- Mark Abbott - Gaffer
- Peter Gulla - Assistant Camera
- Ed Nielsen - Camera Operator
Costume and Wardrobe Department[]
- David Rawley - Costume Cupervisor
- Donna Roberts - Costume Supervisor (as Donna Roberts-Orme)
Music Department[]
- Tom Boyd - Oboe Soloist
- Tom Gleason - Music Editor
Transportation Department[]
- Dennis Junt - Transportation Co-Captain
Other crew members[]
- Paul Brown - Executive Story Editor
- Winnie Rich- Script Supervisor
The Science of Leaping[]
- In this episode, we learn that Al sees Sam as whoever he's leaped into, hence the reason for his out-of-control desire for Sam/Samantha. In later episodes, however, Al would see Sam as he appears to the viewers.
Continuity[]
Samantha Stormer would show up as one of Sam's split personalities in the episode "Shock Theater."
Music[]
- Venus (performed by Frankie Avalon)
Podcast[]
http://quantumleappodcast.com/episodes/season-two/012-what-price-gloria/
Quantum Leap Revisited - What Price Gloria?
Websites[]
What Price Gloria? on The Companion
Fate's Wide Wheel - A Quantum Leap Podcast with Sam and Dennis - What Price, Gloria?