Knots Landing

[DRW50]

I think that worked, but not as much by the late '80s, where I think they started getting things wrong with Mack.  I do respect Kevin Dobson, who did well when he was given the material he deserved (like the story with Jason).

[Franko]

How strange. Prime Video/IMDB cut Laura's kitchen scene from their version of "Willing Victims."

[kalbir]

40 years ago this week.

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[soapfan770]

Jill’s evolution (or devolution?) is interesting. I didn’t even realize she made a couple innocuous appearances as early as the latter half of Season 6.

I probably need to do a more thorough rewatch because tangled web Peter weaved sometimes left me so confused and still does…like Gary knowing about Jill being Peter’s sister and all the lies but everyone else acted so oblivious.

Obviously the two things that set Jill off the deep end; First was Abby’s threat “The first Mrs Ewing never goes away” and second was seeing Greg use the urn of Peter’s ashes being uses a set decoration/paper weight which she of course stole.

[kalbir]

Jill's descent into madness is one of the storylines that made Knots Landing go off the rails in the aftermath of Laura departure. The other two were Charles Scott and Johnny Rourke.

[Soaplovers]

I disagree.

I think Jill going off the rails made perfect sense.  It was a multi season process starting in season 8, climaxing at the season 9 cliffhanger, and continuing into season 10.  

It was after Jill's story ended was when Knots Landing really went off the rails because it happened just as Abby was leaving the show.. and the Lathams didn't really have anything interesting to follow both of these events.

[Paul Raven]

North County Times, 25 December 1983 Devane keeps talent and spirits high

By VERNON SCOTT

If a movie or TV series fails, don't blame the actor. Or should you? Either way, Bill Devane's promising career wound up in the outhouse after two consecutive failures- the $35 million movie bomb, "Honkytonk Freeway," and the disastrous 1981 "From Here to Eternity" TV series. Devane, who had been an up-and-coming leading man, became an instant pariah. The strong-jawed, hawk-nosed actor made a powerful impression on Hollywood, and viewers, with his John F. Kennedy performance in TV's "Missiles of October." He was on his way to apparent stardom. After a half-dozen movies and six TV films, Devane was poised for the jackpot. Then he hit the wall. Paul Newman, Warren Beatty and other established stars even a Tom Selleck may survive two or three consecutive disappointments. Their track records and popularity carry them over. But for a newcomer like Devane, one disaster following on the heels of another can spell the end. It very nearly did for Devane. "

'From Here to Eternity' was Fred Silverman's last hurrah at NBC' he said. "It began as a hit six-hour miniseries and was converted into a weekly hour drama. We only did 12 episodes, and the ratings were terrible. "No matter what anyone says, it hurts an actor to be associated with a failed series because the blame is put on the star. "I got a lot of negative publicity and entered a period of pure purgatory. I became an untouchable. The worst part of it was getting down on myself. It's common enough, I guess. You blame yourself for letting people down. "Word gets out, as if you had a rancid smell about you. People actually avoid you. They don't return your calls. Offers quit coming to your agent.

"Matters got worse with 'Honkytonk Freeway.' It was just a picture that didn't work." Neither did Devane, at least not for a full year. As he puts it, "I was not a hot property." Instead of selling real estate or moving to New York to tackle the theater, Devane sat around waiting for the telephone to ring. It didn't. Then, shaking off the lethargy of despair, Devane did the unthinkable lowered his asking price for movies and TV and let it be known he was available for any acting work at all. "As Jason Robards once told me, 'The secret to acting success is to outlive 'em,'" Devane said, grinning. "And George C. Scott's advice was right, too: 'Don't turn down anything. Actors have to act.' "

In the past year Devane worked for next to nothing in the hit movie, "Testament," currently in release, followed by "Hadley's Rebellion," which will be seen next year. He did the documentary, "Wilderness," for literally nothing. Not a cent. Finally, the producers of "Knots Landing" signed him at a bargain price, hoping to add macho machinations to the weekly soap opera with a guy not quite as sinister as "Dallas' " J.R. Ewing, to be sure, but equally ambitious and ruthless. Devane's spirits, as well as his career, have soared in the past few months. "I joined the series because I wanted to work and I wanted to get paid for it," he said without bitterness.

"I hadn't planned on doing another series, but it was good to join an established show with high ratings rather than to sweat out a new series with the responsibility of having to carry the burden of success or failure. "The character I play is a protagonist who keeps things exciting, a duplicitous, power-hungry political candidate. I play a lot of hot love scenes with Donna Mills, which is all to the good. "And I can't believe the recognition factor. Everywhere I go, people know who I am and want to talk about 'Knots Landing.' I've finally managed to pull out of the doldrums. I'm even getting movie offers for the coming hiatus."

On top of that, Devane can be seen regularly on the tube in Chrysler commercials, which pay him a fortune. Devane's career is back on track. His self-esteem has been restored, and he is looking to a sunny future perhaps even a future where he can make two bombs in a row and remain an employable actor.

*I recall reading the Devane negotiated one of the top salaries to that point when he agreed to do From Here to Eternity as a series. Guess they thought he was vital and he used that to get top dollar. When it flopped,I'm sure there was some bitterness about him getting the $$$ for a failed project.

[Franko]

Testament had a unique financial situation. It was originally intended as an American Playhouse production for PBS, then Paramount decided to release it as a film (and then it did eventually air on PBS before the pay channels). The problem was, the cast didn't get any extra money because of this. So, yeah, I can understand why Devane had his mind on his money and his money on his mind.

[Stillwitty]

After his excellent portrayal of JFK - I remember watching it as a kid and being wicked impressed - Devane must have been in demand for big ticket projects. Sadly, he didn't get very good guidance in choosing the right parts, an often overlooked aspect of the entertainment business....to Knot's Landing's benefit, of course...

[DRW50]

Audio of a 1983 interview with Claudia Lonow.

Claudia Lonow Interview by Bob Lardine : Bob Lardine : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Constance McCashin interview from around the 75th episode. 

https://archive.org/details/Constance_McCashin_Interview_by_Bob_Lardine

Edited May 28 by DRW50

[Khan]

It's really shameful how William Devane's career had hit a wall before joining KL, because, IMO, he was almost too good for this show, adding layers to a character that wasn't always written well.

[kalbir]

Greg Sumner intro in season 5 as the new villain was the finishing touch on Knots Landing going full-on 1980s primetime soap. William Devane had a commanding presence from his first episode, but I don't think he took over the show. 

 

[DRW50]

I'm not sure he really got the roles he deserved after Knots either. He was excellent as Greg, and made you care about him even through some very tacky times. I still think back sometimes to his work when Mary Frances died or when Laura died. 

[Liberty City]

Now that I have ad-free Prime Video again, I may start going back into Knots Landing and giving it a third time... got to be a charm, right?

[Soaplovers]

I think playing Greg Sumner gave his career a huge boost, but it also hindered him a bit because he became too known for that role.  Although he and Judith Light had good comic chemistry on Phenom, and he had a short lived cop show in the late 90s that he was decent in as well.

I think the fact he kept working for twenty + years after Knots Landing ended is almost a miracle considering acting work can be hit or miss.