Eddie Seidel Jr.

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Eddie Seidel Jr. photo reprinted in The Minnesota Star article entitled "Last Words of a Troubled Boy," printed 29 August 1979.

Eddie Seidel Jr. (September 22, 1963 – August 22, 1979), also known as Edward Robert Seidel, was a 15-year-old Battlestar Galactica fan from Saint Paul, Minnesota whose tragic death became one of the most notable incidents related to the cancellation of the Original Series. Born to Edward L. Seidel and Marilyn E. Clausen, his suicide on August 22, 1979, occurred approximately three weeks after the final rerun of Battlestar Galactica aired on August 5, 1979.

Background

Edward Robert Seidel Jr., known as Eddie, was described by his family as an intellectually gifted but troubled teenager who struggled with boredom and finding meaningful challenges in life. Born in Saint Paul to Edward L. Seidel and Marilyn E. Clausen, Eddie lived with his father and stepmother Dawn Seidel at 314 E. Bernard St., West St. Paul. He had at least one older sister who lived in the family home.

Eddie's parents had divorced in February 1977, and he had initially lived with his mother Marilyn until moving in with his father and stepmother Dawn six months before his death. His stepmother indicated that Eddie earned mostly B and B-plus grades in school with occasional A's, but was generally bored with his classes. Despite scoring in the 90th percentile on IQ tests (very bright but short of genius), Eddie had been held back in fifth grade and his ninth grade marks were only slightly above average, with his highest grades in math and science.

The family lived in Saint Paul, and Eddie worked as a stock boy at a Country Club supermarket to earn spending money. Despite his intelligence, Eddie struggled with finding purpose and direction in his life. His father later reflected that Eddie was "sometimes brilliant" but couldn't find enough in life to keep him interested.

Prior to his death, Eddie had been treated by child psychiatrist Dr. Jack V. Wallinga from December 1975 to April 1976, after his father discovered that Eddie had been experimenting with inhalants with friends. The psychiatrist described Eddie as "a pretty sad-looking little boy" and noted that projective tests revealed "a very empty, sort of depressed guy, especially in the relationship with his father." Dr. Wallinga had urged the parents to spend more time with Eddie and to return for more counseling if matters worsened.

Previous Interventions and Psychological Treatment

In 1975, after Edward Seidel Sr. caught Eddie sniffing gasoline with friends, he arranged for psychological treatment. Eddie was treated by child psychiatrist Dr. Jack V. Wallinga from December 1975 to April 1976.

Dr. Wallinga described Eddie as "a pretty sad-looking little boy who spoke up all right and could smile." In IQ tests, Eddie scored in the 90th percentile, indicating he was very bright but short of genius level. However, projective psychological tests revealed "a very empty, sort of depressed guy, especially in the relationship with his father."

According to Dr. Wallinga's assessment, Eddie was unhappy with the large amount of time his father spent working on the family's new home, noting that "Dad didn't play any sports with Eddie. He was too busy working on the house." At the time of treatment, Eddie's parents were moving toward their February 1977 divorce, and both worked, leaving Eddie feeling neglected. The parents' occasional fighting also distressed the boy, and he had turned to inhalant abuse as an escape mechanism.

Dr. Wallinga also noted that Eddie had been born with a congenital hip problem and had spent a year of his infancy in a body cast, which the psychiatrist believed could have affected his early emotional development: "The cast puts you into a shell. Touching, handling, that can be care that babies need."

During his treatment, Eddie's academic struggles were evident. Despite his high IQ scores, he was held back in fifth grade, and his ninth grade marks were only slightly above average, with his highest grades in math and science. A sketch Eddie drew for Dr. Wallinga showed a school in flames, which the psychiatrist characterized as "a fairly angry drawing." Eddie had hated school but was looking forward to attending senior high because it offered more elective courses.

Before concluding Eddie's treatment, Dr. Wallinga urged the parents to spend more time with their son and instructed them to return for more counseling if matters worsened. When informed of Eddie's death, Dr. Wallinga reflected: "It sounds like (matters) did. I think this was an empty boy in an empty marriage."

Regarding Eddie's television obsession, Dr. Wallinga noted that during his treatment period, Eddie was a Star Trek fan who would throw tantrums if his TV time was cut down, but television "wasn't prominent then. It was what he turned to when he was bored and nothing was going on." The psychiatrist concluded that Eddie "didn't have the resources or support to make it through adolescence, which is a high-risk time for suicide, when you might not see far enough into the future when things might change."

Devotion to Battlestar Galactica

Eddie Seidel Jr. developed an intense obsession with Battlestar Galactica that consumed much of his life. His small bedroom at 314 E. Bernard St. overlooked Lily Lake, a West St. Paul pond, but Eddie spent far more time watching the color television he had purchased with his own earnings than looking out the window.

Eddie had previously been a devoted Star Trek fan, making audio tapes of episodes and creating memo pads with "Captain's Log" letterheads. When Battlestar Galactica premiered in fall 1978, Eddie transferred his devotion to the new series, forsaking Star Trek reruns. He had his bedroom painted dark blue to resemble deep space and filled it with every model and poster related to Battlestar Galactica. His collection included audio recordings of all the episodes, the motion picture soundtrack album, and an extensive array of merchandise.

Eddie's stepmother Dawn recalled his routine: "He'd come out here humming and get himself a glass of milk and fix himself something to eat so he could go back in and get ready to watch his program. He was always in best spirits when it was time for his program to come on the air." When Eddie came home from work, "within not even five minutes we would hear 'Battlestar Galactica' - the music."

His most recent acquisition was a plastic model of the Galactica world's terrain, for which he had thrown a tantrum when a hobby shop took too long with his special order, leading him to scour the Twin Cities to find another store that stocked it. Eddie later requested in his will that this model be placed on his tombstone, though his parents ultimately placed it in his casket instead, doubting the plastic would withstand the weather.

When ABC announced the cancellation of Battlestar Galactica in April 1979, Eddie was devastated. On July 23, 1979, and on other occasions, he called ABC to plead that the series be continued. According to ABC vice president Julie Hoover, the network received many appeals from youths about the Battlestar cancellation, though no caller sounded "desperate" enough to warrant special attention.

Death

On August 22, 1979, Eddie Seidel Jr. returned home from his job as a supermarket stock boy and retreated to his bedroom. After writing what his family described as a last will and testament, he left the house on his moped and drove to the High Bridge in Saint Paul. Around 1:00 AM, Eddie's older sister discovered the note he had left behind.

The note contained Eddie's final thoughts and his expression of despair over the cancellation of Battlestar Galactica. His famous last words, as reported in the media, were: "They canceled my show. ABC canceled my show."

In the pre-dawn hours of August 22, 1979, Terry Brown reported someone on the High Bridge to police. Officers Mark Pearson and Mike Morehead responded to the call and arrived at the scene to find Eddie positioned on the bridge railing.

The two officers engaged in conversation with Eddie, trying to persuade him to come down from the dangerous position. During their attempts to talk him down, Eddie told Officers Pearson and Morehead that he was upset about the cancellation of Battlestar Galactica. Despite their persistent efforts and attempts at negotiation, the officers were unable to dissuade Eddie from his tragic course of action.

After the extended conversation with police, Eddie jumped approximately 200 feet to his death, landing on the ground beside the Mississippi River. His parents, Edward Seidel Sr. and Dawn Seidel, arrived at the scene approximately ten minutes after Eddie had jumped. The family had been alerted after Eddie's sister discovered his note and they realized he was missing.

Eddie Seidel Jr. was buried on Friday, August 24, 1979.

Family Response

Following Eddie's death, his family expressed the profound impact that Battlestar Galactica had on their son's life. Dawn Seidel, his stepmother, stated: "I hope we never ever see it on TV again, because it would just crush us." She noted that Eddie's "whole life was wrapped up in the television space show."

Edward Seidel Sr. reflected on his son's death, saying: "I really should have tried to get him into a gifted children type situation, but it's too late to look back and say I should have." He also expressed his newfound understanding of television's influence, stating: "I was never sure it did influence kids that bad, but now I'm convinced it does."

Media Coverage and Legacy

Eddie Seidel Jr.'s death received widespread national media coverage, with the Associated Press story being published in newspapers across the United States. The story appeared in major publications including The Philadelphia Inquirer, San Francisco Chronicle, The Cincinnati Enquirer, and dozens of other newspapers across the country.

The incident has since become a frequently cited example of the intense fan devotion that Battlestar Galactica inspired and the emotional impact of its cancellation on viewers. The story has been referenced in various Battlestar Galactica fan communities and historical accounts of the series.

Some fans have speculated that the character Colonel Sydell from Galactica 1980 may have been named in tribute to Eddie Seidel, though this connection has not been officially confirmed.

Significance

Eddie Seidel Jr.'s death represents one of the most tragic consequences of Battlestar Galactica's cancellation and serves as a reminder of the profound emotional connection that science fiction television can create with its audience. The incident occurred during a period when Battlestar Galactica fans were actively campaigning for the show's renewal, including organized protests outside ABC studios.

The timing of Eddie's suicide was particularly poignant, as it occurred just weeks before ABC announced Galactica 1980, a continuation of the Battlestar Galactica universe that premiered in January 1980. Additionally, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, another science fiction series that might have appealed to Eddie's interests, premiered on September 20, 1979, less than a month after his death.

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