The A-Team: Semi-Friendly Persuasion

Air Date

Tuesday May 8, 1984

Production Code

1211

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• Guest Cast

  • Donald Thompson Unknown
  • Ben Rawnsley Unknown
  • Lindsay V. Jones Unknown
  • Red West Unknown
  • Frank Luz Traynor
  • Robby Kiger Ollie
  • Sam J. Jones Eric
  • Tim O'Connor Kerl
  • Geoffrey Lewis Kale Sykes
  • Galen Everhart Nurse

• Stars

  • Dwight Schultz Captain H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock
  • Dirk Benedict Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck
  • Mr. T Sgt. Bosco "B.A." Baracus
  • George Peppard Col. John "Hannibal" Smith

• Directors

  • Craig R. Baxley Director
Episode Cast and Crew Details »

• Eric: The point is, the Society of Men cannot let itself be run out again.
  
  The fictional "Society of Men" in this episode is based on the real-life "Society of Friends," also known as "Quakers," who are nonviolent pacifists. Indeed, the episode takes its name from The Friendly Persuasion, a 1945 novel about nineteenth-century Quakers. [edit]
• When Eric meets Hannibal (in disguise) in the first part of the episode, the scenes were shot on location at Venice Beach. The majority of the street scenes (including those with B.A., Face, and Murdock) were filmed on Washington Blvd. west of Pacific Avenue. [edit]
• Murdock's Shirt says: "Where's the freedom in your future?" [edit]

• This episode is only 44 minutes long, while all others in this season are at least 46 minutes long. [edit]

• Hannibal: We're going to go back there and teach Kale and his sleaze-balls a little A-Team religion. [edit]
• Sykes: We don't want freaks like these people living here. And if you were smart, you'd clear out, too, all of you. Right now, or else we'll clear you out!
  Hannibal: Well, you start anytime you're ready, and we'll drop you off at the hospital when we're finished if it'll make it any easier for you. [edit]
• Face: Just what exactly do you want from us? You say your society doesn't believe in violence. Well, we're not exactly caterers.
  Eric: We want you to build our meeting house.
  Hannibal: We're not exactly carpenters, either. [edit]

• Face: We love guys like you. Ralph eats 'em for breakfast.
  Sinclair: Ralph?
  Face: Nader. You're his kind of guy. Crooked and proud of it.
  
  Ralph Nader started out as a lawyer and professor, but quickly became known for his pursuit of corruption in business and government. In 1971, he founded "Public Citizen," a non-governmental organization (NGO) whose work has resulted in, among other things, the creation of OSHA, the EPA, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). [edit]
• Face: Hannibal, it looks like we, uh, just stepped into The Grapes of Wrath.
  
  John Steinbeck's 1939 novel The Grapes of Wrath describes the struggles of the Joad family during the Great Depression as they leave Oklahoma for the promise of a better life in California. [edit]
• The title of the episode is an allusion to the 1945 novel The Friendly Persuasion by Jessamyn West; the film version, directed by William Wyler and starring Gary Cooper, was released by Allied Artists Pictures in 1956. A made-for-TV remake appeared on ABC in 1975. [edit]