So weird that this aired after Little House. One of these things isn't like the other...

I would have totally watched them together on that night! Even if the LHOTP was full of Laura and Almanzo mush.

I wonder how FR would have faired if paired up with Little House. LH was without a doubt NBC's biggest hit at the time, even if it was winding down. If they'd moved Flamingo Road to Mondays in January 1982, maybe it could have been granted another season.

Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for a DVD release.

That is too funny. That would have been like The Waltons being on in the time slot immediately before Falcon Crest (but then, both shows were owned by Lorimar and created by Earl Hamner, so maybe it's not that bizarre after all, LOL). Hey, I personally loved the Laura/Manly "mush" and think Dean Butler could have really made a splash had he gone on to a primetime (or even a daytime) soap. (He is still mighty good-looking for a man in his late 50s, by the way!!)

Speaking of LH and FR - true story: I went to the Little House Reunion & Western Film Festival that was held in Tombstone, AZ, in the summer of 2005. Stella Stevens was the first of the actors to be introduced (as they introduced the non-LH actors first) and on her way up to the dais she tripped and nearly fell flat on her face. Thankfully, she was rescued by a few of the fans dressed in cowboy garb who caught her before she could fall. Ms. Stevens had a good sense of humor about it, though. She came across as a very happy, spunky lady.

Moving Flamingo Road to 9.00 Mondays would have put it up against MASH and ABC Movie, both top raters as well as displacing the NBC Monday movie which often scored big numbers.

Flamingo was tried at 9.00 Tues for a few weeks and didn't do well.

Great interview with Christina Raines (Lane) where she tals about her career and memories of FR. She and Morgan did not get along. Christina is now a nurse and looking great!

http://hillplace.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/since-youve-gone-cristina-raines-interview.html

Wow, that is some very good stuff! I don't think I've ever read any first-person accounts of what making the show was like, but it all makes sense to me. Sad that she and Morgan didn't get along, though.

"Could It Be Love" had to have been sung a thousand times on the show.

She sure didn't hold back about Filerman.

Absolutely. In regards to Morgan, it seemed like a true personality clash, whereas Filerman was just awful.

Interesting how the writer characterized the first season as Lane-focused and the second season as Constance-focused. It's been over ten years since I've seen the show, but I honestly don't remember it feeling focused on either woman more than the other. The first season was especially balanced.

The show has been uploaded here: http://www.dailymotion.com/playlists/user/flamingoroadtv/1

Thanks!!! I'm gonna jump right into it as soon as I can. I never did get to see the last three or four episodes.

Just skimming through some of the eps, I'm reminded of how lush and beautiful the music was. IMO, all of the primetime soaps of the time had great, great music, but FR's roots as a 40s movie are definitely reflected in its melodramatic scores.

Edited July 20, 201411 yr by All My Shadows

Thanks for sharing that interview! What a great and detailed piece.

Rita Lakin's Flamingo Road is worth watching. I've only had time for an episode or two a week, but I am truly enjoying the show. Howard Duff, Stella Stevens, Mark Harmon, Morgan Fairchild...what more could a soap fan want?

I'm only up to episode 4[just finished], but I didn't expect it to be this entertaining. There aren't more than 30 or so episodes, and I strongly recommend 80s primetime soap fans to give it a shot.

When I saw this thread bumped up, I got really excited thinking we were finally getting DVDs!

If Rita Lakin's writing on The Doctors is any indication, it's no wonder she did such a good job on FR.