Harold Robbins' The Survivors
The Survivors is a high-profile prime time soap opera aired by the ABC television network as part of its Fall 1969 lineup.[1]
| Harold Robbins' The Survivors | |
|---|---|
 Rossano Brazzi and Lana Turner in a scene from The Survivors | |
| Also known as | The Survivors |
| Genre | Soap opera |
| Created by | Richard De Roy Michael Gleason Harold Robbins |
| Starring | Lana Turner George Hamilton Diana Muldaur Ralph Bellamy Natalie Schafer Kevin McCarthy Jan-Michael Vincent Clu Gulager Louis Hayward |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 15 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production company(s) | The Harold Robbins Company Universal Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Original release | 22 September 1969 – 17 September 1970 |
History
This program is probably most noted now for having been the only appearance as a regular series character of major Hollywood actress Lana Turner, and also starred other "big names" such as Jan-Michael Vincent, Ralph Bellamy, Diana Muldaur, George Hamilton, Louis Hayward, Kevin McCarthy, Clu Gulager, and Natalie Schafer.[2] Despite their presence, and that above the title of bestselling author Harold Robbins, since the characters were from his novel of the same name, the program was a ratings fiasco, losing badly to Mayberry R.F.D. and The Doris Day Show on CBS and The NBC Monday Movie on NBC. It was cancelled at midseason, although it was rerun the following summer.
Episodes
| Episode # | Episode title | Original airdate | Plot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | "Chapter One" | September 29, 1969 | Baylor Carlyle (Ralph Bellamy) demands the resignation of his son-in-law Philip Hastings (Kevin McCarthy) because of embezzlement. |
| 1-2 | "Chapter Two" | October 6, 1969 | Baylor learns that he only has a short time to live and decides to bring Duncan (George Hamilton) into the bank. |
| 1-3 | "Chapter Three" | October 13, 1969 | Baylor grants Duncan's request for a bank loan to Miguel Santerra after meeting with the revolutionary. |
| 1-4 | "Chapter Four" | October 20, 1969 | Tracy (Lana Turner) and Antaeus Riakos meet again after a twenty-year absence. |
| 1-5 | "Chapter Five" | October 27, 1969 | Jeff (Jan-Michael Vincent) leaves home to go live with his friends Tom and Sheila. |
| 1-6 | "Chapter Six" | November 10, 1969 | Philip offers Tracy a divorce in exchange for her share of the bank when Baylor dies. |
| 1-7 | "Chapter Seven" | November 17, 1969 | Philip discovers that the Carlyle Bank has financed Santerra's revolution. |
| 1-8 | "Chapter Eight" | November 24, 1969 | Tracy tells Jeff that Philip is not his father. |
| 1-9 | "Chapter Nine" | December 1, 1969 | Riakos tells Senator Jennings (Clu Gulager) of the Carlyle Bank's involvement in the Santerra revolution. |
| 1-10 | "Chapter Ten" | December 8, 1969 | Baylor is subpoenaed to testify before the Senate about his bank loan to Santerra's revolutionary group. |
| 1-11 | "Chapter Eleven" | December 15, 1969 | Duncan finds Baylor dead. |
| 1-12 | "Chapter Twelve" | December 22, 1969 | Duncan tells Tracy he suspects Philip of murder. |
| 1-13 | "Chapter Thirteen" | December 29, 1969 | The reading of Baylor's will is interrupted by the appearance of his widow, Eleanor (Natalie Schafer). |
| 1-14 | "Chapter Fourteen" | January 5, 1970 | Philip announces that he and Eleanor will fight Baylor's will. |
| 1-15 | "Chapter Fifteen" | January 12, 1970 | Duncan is injured in an automobile accident, and in the subsequent investigation, police find that it was no accident. |
Television film
A made-for-TV-movie was made in 1971 based on the series titled The Last of the Powerseekers. Universal Television decided to re-edit two of The Survivors episodes into the TV movie.[3]
References
Citations
- Schemering, Christopher (1987). The Soap Opera Encyclopedia (2nd ed.). Ballantine Books. pp. 223–225. ISBN 0-345-35344-7.
- "The Survivors (1969) Cast". TVGuide.com. TV Guide. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- Hyatt 2003, p. 193.
Sources
- Hyatt, Wesley (2003). Short-Lived Television Series, 1948-1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops (1st ed.). New York City: McFarland and Company. p. 193. ISBN 978-0786414208.
Further reading
Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle, The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows
External links
- Time Magazine, "Rescuing the Survivors"; Aug. 01, 1969
- The Survivors on IMDb