Miss Parker, Sydney and Broots make up The Centre team charged with recapturing Jarod.
(1996 - 2000) - Michael T. Weiss, Andrea Parker, Patrick Bauchau, Jon Gries
Genre: Drama / Sci-Fi
CAST
Michael T. Weiss ... Jarod
Andrea Parker ... Catherine Elaine Parker
Patrick Bauchau ... Sydney
Jon Gries ... Broots
Ryan Merriman ... Young Jarod
Richard Marcus ... Mr. Raines
Alex Wexo ... Young Sydney
James Denton ... Mr. Lyle
Sam Ayers ... Sam the Sweeper
Harve Presnell ... Mr. Parker
Paul Dillon ... Angelo
Willie Gault ... Willie the Sweeper
Ashley Peldon ... Young Miss Parker
Kim Myers ... Jarod's Mother
Jonathan Osser ... Younger Jarod
Jake Lloyd ... Young Angelo
Kelsey Mulrooney ... Debbie Broots
Lenny von Dohlen ... Mr. Cox
Jack Kehler ... Big Bob
Jeffrey Donovan ... Kyle
Amir Aboulela ... Gar
Zachary Browne ... Young Kyle
George Lazenby ... Major Charles
Dan Cashman ... Jacob
Katie Mitchell ... Dr. Christine Brant
Marisa Petroro ... Emily
Leland Orser ... Argyle
Lindsay Thompson ... Little Girl
Dan Wilson ... Bennie
Darren Kennedy ... Nicholas Stamatis
David Sawyer ... Young Mr. Parker
Leigh Taylor-Young ... Michelle Lucca Stamatis
Lisa Cerasoli ... Zoe
Jon Polito ... Constantin Falzone
Lisa Thompson ... Berger's Assistant
Michael Wyle ... Jarod's YMCA Neighbor
Paul Eiding ... Bernie Baxley
Natalia Nogulich ... Susan Granger
Jose Ramon Rosario ... Doctor #2
Kara Zediker ... Ivy
Carol Locatell ... Jacob's Nurse
Nicki Tyler Flynn ... Cindy Perkins
Dean Norris ... Sheriff Whalen
Jeanette O'Connor ... Heloise
Jeremy Roberts ... Bartlett
William Shockley ... Luther Ecksley
James Sutorius ... Dr. Christopher Fein
Jennifer Tighe ... Rachel Newton
Joseph Fuqua ... Agent Dean Clark
Dawn Hudson ... Anna
Ajgie Kirkland ... Dennis Beers
Linda Carlson ... Harriet Tashman
Nik L. Duphiney ... Young Angelo
Jim Haynie ... Ben Miller
Jody Millard ... Jared's Friend
James Tolkan ... FBI Special Agent Korkos
Lisa Bowman ... Female Reporter
Lenny Citrano ... Nick
Don Harvey ... Joey Melino
Judith Hoag ... Angela Wiley
John Billingsley ... Janitor Kenny
David Cowgill ... Jarod's Father
Jesse Head ... J.R. Miller
Jonathan Hernandez ... Billy Lomax
Connie Ray ... Deputy Marilyn Miller
Allen Scotti ... Mr. Fenigor
Rachel Winfree ... Nurse
John Beasley ... Janitor at NuGenesis
George Coe ... Dr. Nicholas Haring
Robert Curtis Brown ... Mr. Brewster
Nancy Everhard ... Dr. Cynthia deWitt
Haley Joel Osment ... Davey Simpkins
Kim Robillard ... Louis King Rue
Lauren Schaffel ... Ari Thompson
Caryn West ... Mrs. Brewster
Kevin West ... Jeremy
Robert Davi ... Agent Bailey Malone
Kenneth Mars ... Benny
Patti Pelton ... Cop #1
Nick Meaney ... The Cuban
Craig Ng ... The Inuit
Tricia O'Kelley ... Carrie
James Whitmore Jr. ... Captain Osborne
Jay Acovone ... Det. Stan Brookins
Barbara Babcock ... Edna Raines
Tyler Christopher ... Ethan
Barbara Dodd ... Sister Mary Elephante
Phina Oruche ... Doctor
Created by:
Tina Fey
Writing credits:
Steven Long Mitchell
Craig W. Van Sickle
Tommy Thompson
Mark M. Dodson
Harry Dunn
Daniel Truly
Javier Grillo-Marxuach
Andrew Dettmann
Kimberly Costello
Tyler Bensinger
Eric Morris
Chris Ruppenthal
Curt Johnson
Ivan Tell
Ethan Lawrence
Opening theme: "The Pretender Theme"
Written by: Eric Hester
Original music by:
Eric Hester
Charles Sydnor
Cinematography by:
Rodney Charters
Tom Jewett
Language: English
Country: United States
Directed by:
Frederick King Keller
James Whitmore Jr.
Chuck Bowman
Rodney Charters
Michael Lange
Michael Zinberg
Ian Toynton
Vern Gillum
Krishna Rao
Michael Klick
Jon Koslowsky
Produced by:
Marianne Canepa
Steven Long Mitchell
Craig W. Van Sickle
Juan Carlos Coto
Jan DeWitt
Johanna Persons
Tony Blake
Paul Jackson
Frederick King Keller
Harvey Frand
Andrew Dettmann
Daniel Truly
Ian Toynton
Jim Behnke
Dave Alan Johnson
Kimberly Costello
Michael Klick
Herb Adelman
Paul Cajero
Tim Iacofano
Mark M. Dodson
Sascha Schneider
Susan J. Spohr
Number of seasons:
4
Original channel:
NBC
20th Century Fox Television
MTM Entertainment
Mitchell/Van Sickle Productions
NBC Studios
Awards:
1998 Nominated Saturn Award Best Genre TV Actor
2000 Nominated Emmy Outstanding Main Title Theme Music
1999 Nominated Emmy Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series
2001 Won FAITA Award Outstanding Guest Performance by an Actor in a TV Drama Series
2000 Nominated Golden Reel Award Best Sound Editing - Television Episodic - Effects & Foley
1999 Nominated Golden Reel Award Best Sound Editing - Television Episodic - Sound Effects & Foley
1999 Nominated Golden Satellite Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
1998 Nominated Golden Satellite Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama
2000 Nominated Young Artist Award Best Performance in a TV Drama Series - Guest Starring Young Actress
1999 Won Young Artist Award Best Performance in a TV Drama Series - Guest Starring Young Actor
1998 Won Young Artist Award Best Performance in a TV Drama Series - Supporting Young Actor
1997 Nominated Young Artist Award Best Performance in a Drama Series - Young Actor
2000 Nominated YoungStar Award Best Young Actor/Performance in a Drama TV Series
1999 Nominated YoungStar Award Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Drama TV Series
1997 Nominated YoungStar Award Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Drama TV Series
Also Known As:
Pretender
Cameleon, Le
Hamitchaze
Jarod il camaleonte
Kameleon
Kameleonten
Kameleontti
Ladrones de identidad
Trivia
The Pretender was inspired by the life of Ferdinand Demara Jr., a genius with an eidetic memory, who could master any skill just by reading a book about it.
The home base for "The Center" is the same building complex just outside of Toronto (the R. C. Harris Filtration Plant), that is regularly used as Genomex headquarter in "Mutant X" (2001). It is also used in at least two episodes of "PSI Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal" (1996).
Most of the main characters have only a first or last name with the other name either unknown or assumed.
Patrick Bauchau, who plays Sydney, made the medical set used in the show available at no charge to the independent film Twin Falls Idaho (1999) in which Bauchau appears.
Jon Gries guest starred as Broots for over 60 episodes before becoming a regular in season four.
Jarod is a child prodigy who was abducted at a young age and raised in a think tank called The Centre, based in the fictional town of Blue Cove, Delaware. Jarod's mentor and father figure is Sydney, a psychologist working for The Centre who coached him through a number of complex simulations designed to challenge his intellect. When Jarod discovered that the Centre was using data gathered from his response to the simulations for nefarious purposes, he escaped. Since that time, Jarod has been on the run, trying to make amends for those he has unwittingly hurt, and The Centre is never far behind.