Fifteen (also known as Hillside) is a Canadian-American teen drama that aired on YTV in Canada from 1991 to 1993. Created and produced by John T. Binkley, the series was Nickelodeon's only teenage soap opera.
The series was first conceived as Fifteen in an improvised form for The Disney Channel, where a 13-episode pilot series was produced and tested in the US. After Disney decided not to proceed with the project, Nickelodeon and Canadian partners joined Binkley in producing the series which was known in its first and second seasons as Hillside in Canada, and throughout the 65-episode run as Fifteen in the U.S. The show was subsequently syndicated around the world, with runs in Germany, the Children's Channel in Europe, and Israel, among others.
Overview[]
Fifteen followed the students of fictional Hillside School and dealt with a variety of issues including dating, divorce, alcohol abuse, and friendship. The show played heavily into stereotypes, including two characters named Dylan and Chris, who wore leather jackets to show off their toughness, but which could not completely disguise their inner selves.
The series features a large ensemble cast which underwent several changes over the show's four-season run. Notable cast members include Laura Harris, Enuka Okuma (credited as Vanessa Okuma), Lisa Ortiz, and Ryan Reynolds.
Cast[]
- Chris William Martin – Dylan Blackwell (Entire Run)
- Laura Harris – Ashley Frasier (Entire Run)
- Ryan Reynolds – Billy Simpson (Entire run)
- Todd Talbot – Matt Walker (Entire Run)
- Roxanne Alexander – Roxanne Lee (Seasons 2-4)
- Jason Angel - Jason Locke (Season 4)
- Ken Angel – Jake Deosdade (Season 1 & 3)
- Andrew Baskin – Chris McDonald (Seasons 2-4)
- Pepper Binkley – Pepper O'Brien (Season 4)
- Allie Bloom – Jennifer Locke (Season 4)
- Ahnee Boyce - Cindy (Season 1)
- John Boyd - John DiMarco (Seasons 2 & 3)
- Janine Cox – Theresa Morgan (Season 1)
- Micah Cox – Micah (Season 4)
- Russell Dayvault – Russ Talbot (Season 4)
- Erin Donovan – Brittany Nichols (Season 4)
- Sarah Douglas – Courtney Simpson (Seasons 1-3)
- James Greye – Richard (Season 3)
- Erin Inglis – Erin Walker (Seasons 2-3)
- Minna Koch – Lea (Season 2)
- Claire Langlois – Amanda Morgan (Season 2)
- Aubrey Nealon – Olaf (Season 1)
- Enuka Okuma – Kelly (Season 1)
- Lisa Ortiz – Liz (Season 4)
- Loyal Pyczynski – Loyal (Season 4)
- Robyn Ross – Brooke Morgan (Seasons 1-3)
- Rekha Shah – Janice (Season 2)
- Lisa Warner – Stacy Collins (Seasons 2-4)
- David Wight – David O'Brien (Seasons 2-4)
- Arseman Yohannes – Arseman Harrell (Seasons 2-4)
Episodes[]
| Season | Ep. # | First Airdate | Last Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 13 | February 3, 1991 | April 28, 1991 |
| Season 2 | 13 | August 4, 1991 | October 27, 1991 |
| Season 3 | 13 | February 2, 1992 | April 26, 1992 |
| Season 4 | 26 | November 1, 1992 | April 25, 1993 |
The entire first season is available for download from iTunes.
Production notes[]
The series' head writer for all 65 episodes was Ian Weir, who wrote all but five episodes. Its director was Michael Berry.
The first season of the show was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, the second season was recorded at the studios of CJOH-TV in Ottawa, Ontario, and the third and fourth seasons were videotaped at Nickelodeon Studios at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.
Award nominations[]
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Young Artist Awards | Nominated | Best Young Actor Co-starring in a Cable Series | Ryan Reynolds |
| Best Young Actor Starring in a Cable Series | Chris William Martin | |||
| Best Young Actress Co-starring in a Cable Series | Arseman Yohannes | |||
| Best Young Actress Starring in a Cable Series | Laura Harris | |||
| Best Young Actress Starring in a Cable Series | Robyn Ross |
External links[]
- Fifteen at the Internet Movie Database