Peyton Place

[Chris B]

I'm currently watching the final season and it's actually very good. I had fast forwarded and watched a couple episodes and didn't like it. The glamour is gone, Martin Peyton is gone and lots of new characters. I will say the people they introduced are very interesting and they're pushing the limits even more. I *love* the black family played by Percy Rodriguez, Ruby Dee and Glynn Thurman--all brilliant. It amazes me that they're well integrated into the cast and are actually given storylines. I know Judy Pace is arriving soon as a more devious version of early Betty Anderson. I know how hard it was to get them on screen in 1968/69 so I'm impressed with the amount they're given to do. I wasn't expecting much.

Michael Rossi's the most interesting he's been since his romance with Connie. I always thought he was dull just as a very supporting character with nothing going on himself. By giving him a love interest and making him the series lead post-Elliot/Connie he's stepped up to the plate. The Tom and Susan Winter was fabulous should've been there sooner. Diana Hyland is a brilliant actress and it's a shame she died so young. She's one of the very best on Peyton Place.

The Rodney/Betty/Steven story is the least successful, but interesting. I loved all the focus on Norman and Rita for a couple seasons. I guess I was spoiled with the Harrington family due to Hannah Cord and Martin Peyton. Without them those characters suffer. I need that type of spice in my life. It's shocking they wrote Martin out considering the actor was alive in well long after the series went off the air. He didn't even get a proper exit (on screen at least). I guess he was another victim of budget cuts.

[Sylph]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/20/arts/television/20self.html?_r=1&ref=television

[DRW50]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHCbdWa9trk&feature=related

[Paul Raven]

Some PP photo memories

Edited July 26, 2011 by Paul Raven

[dominicmars]

Just gotta ask, do you guys know anything about backstage or on-set drama on the show? I just got into it and I LOVE it!

[DRW50]

A lot of the old magazines from back then talk about the show but it all blends together. They often report that Mia Farrow hated the show, was trying to get off of it as quickly as she could, played games with the press, etc. They also liked to report on the personal problems of Dorothy Malone and painted her as a lovelorn mess.

[ZoeTate]

Dayplayer Mia Farrow cutting her hair was scandalous at the time. I was just a kid and I was devastated(!) lol. It made the evening news!!! There were rumours she was getting back at Sinatra for not inviting her to a 50th birthday party for him that aired on CBS, that she wanted to emulate a nun(!) and that she was irritated by Barbara Parkins for constantly playing with her hair, so that's why she cut it(that's in Tatum O'Neal's book). I think Mia may have thought the show would have fired her then, to free her up to be with Sinatra. They wanted her to wear a wig and she refused so finally they wrote the 'cut' in the story as part of Allison's mental breakdown. David Canary was playing her physio Russ Gehring and she argues with him, then the next scene she shows up in Dr. Rossi's office with the cut.

Barbara Parkins dated Ryan O'Neal, Adam West, David Hedison, Eddie Fisher and it was in all the fan mags. She was described as being unluckyk in love.

Chris Connelly and Pat Morrow dated. Both Catholics, it was hinted that Pat wouldn't put out for Chris and that broke them up!

There was a real division in the last season when the Russells, the Miles (the black family) were introduced. Some of the older cast members refused to be in storylines with the newbies which gave the show a real disjointed feel at the end.

[DRW50]

There was once a hilarious article asking if Barbara Parkins was trying to be "the new Mia Farrow", because she no longer was as friendly to the gossip magazines, was now dating Hollywood types, and had moved out of her mother's home.

[EricMontreal22]

I need to start back on the show--took a long break over summer, but did sneak a look at the Peyton Place the Next Generation pilot movie. This opening doesn't really show it, but it's actually quite strong, more than some other primetime soaps of the era--I sorta wonder why it wasn't given a shot. (Besides Ruth Warrick, AMC fans can see the original fake Silver Kane, in the cast)

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#! Edited September 24, 2011 by EricMontreal22

[Paul Raven]

The ratings for that TV movie were poor,so NBC wouldn't have been encouraged to proceed.

[EricMontreal22]

It probably was a bit too late to reunite fans of the show (plus the previous movie, Murder in Peyton Place is ABYSMAL--and was forgotten for this one).

[DRW50]

I still haven't ever gotten to see the original show. Netflix is good for zip.

[EricMontreal22]

Wha?? If you ever have 35 bucks to spare I'd just buy the complete set plus movies from ioffer like I did. I hate to support that but they look really good, and Shout Factory has announced that Fox refuses to license any more volumes, but were so disappointed with sales they won't release any soon by themselves (grr frustrating).

[ZoeTate]

PP The Next Generation was a DISASTER.

No Matthew Carson; he had a sex change and now he's Kelly Carson!

Steven Cord is now Martin Peyton's son, completely obliterating the Steven is Catherine Peyton's illegitimate son angle. Makes no sense.

Rita is back in the picture, ignoring the more plausible Murder in PP.

Allison is found AGAIN and a third version of her whereabouts is presented. Then she's killed off, lol.

Sorry if anyone considers these spoilers. The whole stupid movie was a spoiled.

On Barbara Parkins' facebook page there was an attempt by her agent to call for an all new PP, which unfortunately those people wanted to use the basis of PP: TNG as a template. The only faithful to the original was Return To Peyton Place, which of course no one can see.

[dc11786]

I recently bid on, but lost, a story projection for 'Peyton Place 1982.' I'm curious if this was related to the the television movie which happened a few years later or a completely different attempt to revive PP.