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I love Chuck Connors, but I thought Jeb was too old to be the main nemesis of the Champions, especially since all of the surviving Champions were younger and portrayed as mostly honest people. If Wade were still alive, then those two old boys fighting it out could have been fun. They had the perfect solution to this with Rose. I haven't done any BTS research on the show yet, so I don't know how committed Jane Russell was to the series, but having Rose make peace with Chance and then become a matriarch figure at the ranch, putting her in the position to lead all battles against Jeb - that would have been amazing. I can't believe they didn't do more with Rose or with the deliciously devious Caryn Cabrera.

Yes, the cast was fantastic. David Soul is the stand-out for me, and honestly, I think Roy was the most complex character. He's the reluctant patriarch to a family, kinda in love with his dead father's widow, angry that this long-lost half-brother has shown up and is taking all the glory (and the love interest), wanting to hate him, but it's not who he is to hate a man who isn't doing him any harm, also trying to raise his son as a single father while the ex-wife is low-key fighting against him, etc. He was great.

 


It really did start well. They kinda did these multi-episode stories that had a beginning, middle, and end over two or three episodes, and the very first one with drug smuggling that led to the murder of Colleen Champion's boyfriend and later a respect ranch hand from the Rose wasn't that great, but then they did the cattle drive, which actually made for some good soapy moments mixed with the adventure theme. Then we had a slow and completely pointless multi-ep arc with Buddy Ebsen as an escaped prisoner trying to reunite with his family.

 

The self-contained episodes weren't all bad either, but the bad ones were terrible. I'm not sure which was worse - Edward Albert's Quisto (who really does nothing much the entire series except as a devil's advocate yelling out legal points and speaking in Spanish with a creepy grin on his face) sneaking into a slave labor camp that targets illegal immigrants or the same character trying to expose an abusive foster parent.

 

The introduced one of the other Champion siblings, Greg Evigan as a gambling-addicted rodeo star, in one ep, and it was good, and obviously he should have stayed and had conflict with the family, but he was a one-and-done. There was mention of another sister when the family was voting on whether to start drilling for oil or not, but she never showed up.

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The successor to the time slot for "The Yellow Rose" was "Hunter". And even though that was a "Dirty Harry" Lite show to start with, I think it was around that era that even "regular" dramas like this one began using soap elements.

 

In the case of "Hunter", a running arc in S1 about his being the black sheep of being related to the mob, Dee Dee's rape in S2. Soap story telling were not just for the "soaps" themselves by the 1980s, and that formula holds today. Maybe it's why fewer need to watch daytime soaps. Prime time uses the elements and people still get their fill.

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Miami Vice too. 

 

I think Hill Street Blues opened the door for this type of storytelling, but the other difference is that even though Hunter was a tough guy show (my grandfather LOVED Hunter), it was also a show that wanted you to care about the characters, which was a departure from a lot of past Jack Webb type cops that mostly used the cops as symbols. 

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Yes! She gave Jeb Hollister the opportunity to be more than just the big bad villain while further connecting the two families, but the whole Hollister angle just seemed to be dropped until they brought Rose back to tie up a season’s worth of story in one episode.

 

Another character who was there and just vanished was Marlene, Roy’s pregnant ex-wife and estranged mother of his son. Another character who could have generated lots of story with the family and on her own but just dropped. It’s like someone was hell-bent on making Cybill Shepherd the only adult woman in the cast.

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2000 Malibu Road was WILD, and I'm so sad it just ended like that. Does anyone know anything about the Lisa Hartman Black narration to wrap up the series? I'd love to know how they tried to tie it all up.

 

Idc idc, Tuesday Knight stole the entire show from start to finish. Hunnybunny never stopped hustling, and the comedic chemistry with Scott Bryce was so strong.

Brian Bloom - as gorgeous as EVER, but Drew Barrymore's character was a total bore!

Jennifer Beals was depressing, but it was so easy to root for the character and want her to end up all right.

Lisa Hartman's story was honestly the dullest, maybe because there were so many things we just didn't know and never would find out. Loved Constance Towers, though.

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I can't remember the whole thing but I know that Jade and the cop ended up together, I think with the suggestion they had a baby. Perry wound up in a mental institution and Jade "visits her often". I remember thinking that was such a dark and almost comically flippant way to wrap up her cliffhanger.

 

I also remember Joy survived the lightning strike (I can remember Lisa Hartman's voiceover saying these things) but drawing a blank on Lindsey...

 

It was such a great romp of a mini-series. I'm not sure it would have lasted a 22+ episode season but it was an entertaining ride.

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BERRENGER'S

JANUARY 5, 1985-MARCH 16, 1985     NBC

NEW YORK CITY

HEADQUARTERS OF BERRENGER'S DEPARTMENT STORES

 

 

 

Jack Adams      Liam Sullivan

Mr. Allen          Michael David Lally

Ms. Anderson   Nancy Burnett

Mrs. Bennett    Eve Roberts

Babs Berrenger     Anita Morris

Billy Berrenger      Robin Strand   

David Berrenger    Justin Dana

Gloria ____ Berrenger    Andrea Marcovicci

Paul Berrenger    Ben Murphy  

Sarah ___ Berrenger   Never Seen

Simon Berrenger   Sam Wanamaker

Shane Bradley    Yvette Mimieux

Frank Chapman    Richard Sanders

Mr. Daly           Herb Mitchell

Mr. Dempsey     Dave Blackwood

Mr. Giorda       Bob Tzudiker

 Allison Harris     Donna Dixon

Kyle Harris    Harvey J. Goldenberg

Laurel Hayes       Laura Ashton

John Higgins       Jeff Conaway

Melody Berrenger Hughes   Claudia Christian   

Todd Hughes      Art Hindle

Max Kaufman    Alan Feinstein

Danny Krucek       Jack Scalia

Jacob Ludwig     Jack Hogan

Rue McDaniels     Joan Benedict

Jane Mills    Arlene Martel

Mr.  Montgomery    Joseph Hacker

Ana Morales    Jeanne Linero

Connie Morales   Connie Rivera

Julio Morales     Eddie Velez    

Mami ____ Morales   Alma Beltran

Nick Morrison     Steve Kahan

Frank Murphy    Michael Hennessy

Mr. Oller   George Wyner

Mr. Peters     Ben Hartigan

Enzo Rinaldi     Cesar Romero

Stacey Russell     Jonelle Allen       

Detective Schmidt     Stack Pierce

Zach Shepherd   Ray Parker, Jr.

Cammie Springer    Leslie Hope

 

 

 

 

Adolpho               Alex Rebar

Andy                     Michael Genovese

Bernice                Veronica Redd

Bernie                  Robert Pastorelli

Betty                    Spice Williams Crosby

Bob                      Christian Jacobs

Caroline               Tannis Benedict

Charlene               Pamela Harlow

Debbie                  Barbara Stock

Drew                     Richard Brander 

Ellen                      Kim Miyori

George                  Michael Cutt

Helen                     Francine York

Helen the saleslady    Jill Andre

Ilene                       Neva Patterson

Jackie                    Myrna White

Jenny                     Patricia Conwell

Lucky                     Joseph Della Sorte

Lynn                       Bernice Massi

Marta                     Irma Garcia

Mona                     Cynthia V. Morris

Monica                  Tina Blum

Raoul                      Daniel Eden

Rich                        Curry Walls

Rose                       Rana Ford   

Sylvia                      Noma Milty

Titan                       Thomas Rosales, Jr.

Tom                        Steve Itkin

Wayne                    David Blackwood

 

 

 

Buyers                    Grace Simmons

                                Marion Yue

Customers            Carla Cavadini

                                Meredith Duncan 

                                Steve Itkin

                                Denise Latelle

                                Andrea Ucci

Executive               Bennett Guillory

Guard                     Don Diamond

Janitor                    Nick LaTour

Maitre'd                  Dante D'Andre

Minister                  Edmund Penney

Newscaster           Michael Laurence

Saleswoman         Heather Cunningham

Tailor                       Wally Campo

Television Reporter  Lori Michaels

Tenant                      Allen Williams

Waiter                       Pierre Manasse

Window Washer     Charles Bouvier

Wine Steward          Gene Knight

 

 

 

???????? roles unknown

Colleen Casey

Nick Corello

Margie Impert

Leah Kates

Kenneth Kimmins

James McKrell

Robert Miranda

Milton Seltzer   

Jeff Silverman

Alan Toy

 

 

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THE YELLOW ROSE

OCTOBER 2, 1983-MAY 12, Q984
THE YELLOW ROSE RANCH
 
 
Barbara Anderson     Robin Wright
Tess __ Anderson   Elizabeth Rogers
Caryn Cabrera    Kerrie Keane
Colleen ___ Champion    Cybill Shepherd
L.C.  "Love Child" Champion   Michelle Bennett
Quisto Champion   Edward Albert
Roy Champion    David Soul
Trey Champion    Greg Evigan 
Whit Champion     Tom Schanely
Judge Sam Claymore   Dick Sargeant
Matt Colby     Jesse Vint
Hoyt Coryell    Ken Curtis
Julia Dalton    Hanna Landy
Lila Devereaux   Barbara Stock
Juanita Diaz   Isela Vega
Luther Dillard   Noah Beery
Cal Everett    Ed Lauter
Jed Fargo    William Smith
Lieutenant Ralph Foster    James "J.A. Preston 
Jack Frye    Jeff Morris
Warden Carl Garrett    Hugh Gillin
Ben Gilmore   Christopher Allport
Duncan Gilmore   Scott Hylands 
Toat Gilmore   Buddy Ebsen
Johnny Hogan    Howard Morris
Jeb Hollister     Chuck Connors
Juliet Hollister   Deborah Shelton
Lenny Hollister     Steve Sandor
Rose Hollister     Jane Russell
Del Horton    Lonny Chapman
Rudy Lansing    Barney McFadden
Chance MacKenzie   Sam Elliott
Grace __ MacKenzie    Susan Anspach
Bryce Macklin   Woodrow Parfrey
Mayor Virgil Mapes    William Windom
Yolanda Munoz    Ruth Britt
Major General Nathan    Donegan Smith
Aurelia ___ Padilla    Maria Melendez
Raoul Padilla      A Martinez
Nick Pappas     John Colicos
Barton Pearce      Jim Antonio
Alton Prine     Sencer Milligan
Charlie Reno    Clu Gulager
Lane Roberts    Joanna Pettet
_____Sanchez    Mike Gomez
Chief John Strongheart  Will Sampson
____ Stryker    Paul Mantee
Billy Taggert     Dennis Burkley
Johnny Tupelo    Ron Masak
Sheriff Lew Wallace   L.Q. Jones
Sarah ___ Webber    Nancy Parsons
Earl Yates     Les Lannom
Floyd  Yates   David Graf
Jesse Yates    Pat Hingle
 
 
Buck                 Bill McKinney
Charlie               Ed Crick
Charlie              George Fisher
Clem              Bert Remsen
Deke             Billy Green Bush
Louis      Geoffrey Lewis
Marlene          Karen Carlson
Mavis            Vonetta McKee
Purvis         Herbert Jefferson, Jr.
Ricki             Corinne Bohrer
Sal               Steven Keats
Taza               Rion Hunter
 
 
 
 
Catcher    Kario Salem
Construction Workers:    Nick Dimitri
                                        Bill Hart
Foreman         William Jordan
Gas Station Attendants    Ritchie Montgomery
                                         Dennis Fimple
HorseShoe Player          Michael Brockman
Hotel Manager            Ted Gehring
Men                              David Cadiente
                                       John McIntyre
Old Man                 Hank Worden
Sergeant                   Ken Grant
Woman         Melonie Vincz
Young Woman    Irma Garcia
 
 
????   Roles Unknown
                     Billy Burton
                     Kenny Call
                      David S. Cass, Sr.
                     Damon   Douglas
                       Judyann Elder
                      Kimberly Foster
                     Hugh Gorrian
                      Herman Poppe
                      Thomas Rosales, Jr.
                        Elizabeth Savage
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Who's to blame for `Beacon Hill'?

Bob Wood doesn't know what went wrong with the season's most ballyhooed new show; the creator blames the producer and vice -versa Robert D. Wood, the president of CBS - TV, is the man who had to make the decision to cancel Beacon Hill, and "I'm sick about it," he says. "With the departure of Beacon Hill, a little bit of me went with it." "I couldn't fault the intention of the series or the production, which was superbly mounted," Mr. Wood goes on. "There was some nit- picking about the writing on the part of some critics, but as far as I'm concerned it was the Tiffany of TV series. And in all my years in the business, I don't remember a series getting as much promotion or as much advance notice in the consumer press.

 

"But the public simply rejected it. Watching the audience decline each week was like watching the rungs of a stepladder going down" Mr. Wood says he doesn't want to play Monday- morning quarterback on the reasons why Beacon Hill didn't attract a mass audience. "Maybe we were too ambitious," he says. But the creator of Beacon Hill, Sidney Carroll, says it could have survived if the producers had only followed his original plan. As Mr. Carroll explains it, he scripted the two -hour pilot and then wrote out plot outlines for the first 13 episodes of Beacon Hill. He got involved in the production of the pilot and says he was quite satisfied with how it turned out. He cites the episode's 23.1 rating and 42 share (on Monday, Aug. 25, 9 -11 p.m., NYT) as one of the indicators that "the general public liked the people in the pilot."

 

But between the completion of the pilot and the start of production on the first episode, according to Mr. Carroll, the producer, Jacqueline Babbin, changed the plot outlines he had written. "When I saw how the first two finished scripts differed from the way I outlined them," he says, "I walked off the series." In Mr. Carroll's eyes, the likeable characters he had created in the pilot were turned into "a lot of stinkers. They became nasty and sad and stupid." Ms. Babbin sees things a little differently. "Sidney's plots were charming little stories that could've filled 20 minutes out of each hour," she says. "But CBS wanted stronger material, stories with more bite, more guts to them." Both Ms. Babbin and Alan Wagner, the CBS vice president closest to the series, disagree with Mr. Carroll about the quality of the two -hour pilot. "With 19 characters to be introduced, it was like a French -farce situation," she says. "The characters ended up being unsympathetic because the viewer wasn't given enough time to understand any of them. And CBS over - promoted and ballyhooed the pilot to the point of stupidity." "It was really an error on our part to open up with an episode populated with with so many characters," adds Mr. Wagner. "Everything became complicated, the public got confused and you couldn't follow the characters without a scorecard" Mr. Wagner points to a second "major error."

 

"The series didn't find its direction early enough," he says. "The first batch of episodes were placed in too small a frame and were on too small a scale to interest an audience in 1975." Ms. Babbin adds that the public didn't know what to make of Beacon Hill's characters because "they were too real - they weren't like the cardboard cut -outs you usually see in TV series, who seem to spend all their time in fast cars."

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The writing for Beacon Hill, by the dreaded Anne Howard Bailey, was heinously awful. The first several episodes were atrocious. After Bailey got canned, the writing took a surprising upswing in quality, but I think by that time the audience was just not willing to give the show another try.

 

The same thing happened on the daytime soap How to Survive a Marriage. Bailey was the original writer and her material was just awful. She was fairly quickly replaced by the wonderful Rick Edelstein, who wrote beautifully for the series, but after being burned by AHB's garbage, viewers never seemed to sample HTSAM again.

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The amount of money spent on Beacon Hill is why the network didn't give it time. 

 

Also, it appears that there were internal disagreements over the tone and focus of the show.  Was it supposed to be a primetime soap, or more a drama with self-contained stories (ala like the Waltons).

 

Lastly, no matter how much it may have improved...it would always be compared to Upstairs Downstairs.

 

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