Saga of a Star World

Original Air Date: 9/17/78
Starring: Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, Lorne Greene
Also Starring: Herbert Jefferson, Jr., Maren Jensen, Tony Swartz, Noah Hathaway, and Terry Carter
Guest Stars: Lew Ayres, Wilfrid Hyde-White, John Colicos, Laurette Spang, John Fink, and Jane Seymour
Co-Starring: Ed Begley, Jr., Rick Springfield, and Randi Oakes
Special Guest Star: Ray Milland
Director: Richard A. Colla
Rick's Character name: Zac

Synopsis: 

From scifi2k.com: During a peace conference at an agreed meeting place the Cylons, with the help of a human named Baltar, attack the twelve colonies in an attempt to wipe the human race from the face of the galaxy. Those who survived fled out into space in whatever space vessels they could find. One battlestar did survive, the Battlestar Galactica. It leads a rag tag fugitive fleet on a lonely quest that seeks the galaxy on a lost world. The quest for the 13th colony. A planet known as... Earth.

From amazon.com: Star Wars meets Wagon Train as a futuristic flotilla of ragtag explorers search for a mysterious savior planet known only as "Earth," while being pursued by the dreaded Cylons (cybernetic tin-can baddies with vocal patterns that closely resemble a Speak & Spell game). This theatrical feature culled from the first and fourth episodes of the fondly remembered TV show is hilariously dated (the preponderance of polyester outfits and astrology motifs have the unfortunate effect of making the future look like an giant interstellar singles bar), but that only adds to the retro charm. An irresistibly cheesy blast from the past for Gen-X nostalgia-hounds, with impressive visuals by effects legend John Dykstra and a special appearance by teenybopper guru Rick Springfield. --Andrew Wright 

It was hard to decide whether to classify this as a tv series or a tv movie.  The premiere was a rare 148 minute, no commercial pilot movie for the tv series.  It was the most expensive tv series as of that time. A two hour film version was cut down to 125 minutes and released theatrically.  It is that version that can be found on DVD.

Boo!!