Harold Robbins' The Survivors

The Survivors is an American primetime soap opera aired by the ABC television network as part of its fall 1969 lineup.[1]

Harold Robbins' The Survivors
Also known asThe Survivors
GenreSoap opera
Created byRichard De Roy
Michael Gleason
Harold Robbins
StarringLana Turner
George Hamilton
Diana Muldaur
Ralph Bellamy
Natalie Schafer
Kevin McCarthy
Jan-Michael Vincent
Clu Gulager
Louis Hayward
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes15
Production
Running time60 minutes
Production companyUniversal Television
Original release
NetworkABC
Release22 September 1969 (1969-09-22) –
17 September 1970 (1970-09-17)

Series overview

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The series was based on the book of the same title written by bestselling author Harold Robbins, who was credited as a cocreator and wrote the script for the series debut.

Hollywood film star Lana Turner made her only television appearance as a regular series character on The Survivors. The show also starred Jan-Michael Vincent, Ralph Bellamy, Diana Muldaur, George Hamilton, Louis Hayward, Kevin McCarthy, Clu Gulager and Natalie Schafer.[2] However, the program was a ratings failure, losing badly to Mayberry R.F.D. and The Doris Day Show on CBS and The NBC Monday Movie on NBC. It was canceled at midseason, although it was rerun the following summer.

Cast and characters

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Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Viewers
(millions)
1"Chapter One"Michael RitchieHarold RobbinsSeptember 29, 1969 (1969-09-29)14.2[3]
Baylor Carlyle demands the resignation of his son-in-law Philip Hastings because of embezzlement. Also stars Celeste Yarnall and Jean-Paul Vignon.
2"Chapter Two"Paul HenreidPreston WoodOctober 6, 1969 (1969-10-06)13.9
Baylor learns that he only has a short time to live and decides to bring Duncan into the bank.
3"Chapter Three"Frank McDonaldArthur WeissOctober 13, 1969 (1969-10-13)12.3
Baylor grants Duncan's request for a bank loan to Miguel Santerra after meeting with the revolutionary. Also stars Larry Hovis and Jean Hale.
4"Chapter Four"Paul WendkosOdie Hawkins & Arthur WeissOctober 20, 1969 (1969-10-20)13.1
Tracy and Antaeus meet again after a twenty-year absence. Also stars Parley Baer.
5"Chapter Five"Ralph LevySteffi BarrettOctober 27, 1969 (1969-10-27)12.7
Jeff leaves home to go live with his friends Tom and Sheila. Also stars Roger Garrett.
6"Chapter Six"H. Bruce HumberstoneSteffi BarrettNovember 10, 1969 (1969-11-10)9.1
Philip offers Tracy a divorce in exchange for her share of the bank when Baylor dies.
7"Chapter Seven"Marc DanielsStory by : Jo Pagano & Arthur Weiss
Teleplay by : Steffi Barrett & Stuart Jerome
November 17, 1969 (1969-11-17)8.7
Philip discovers that the Carlyle Bank has financed Santerra's revolution. Also stars David Cassidy and Zalman King.
8"Chapter Eight"Anton LeaderNorman PaulNovember 24, 1969 (1969-11-24)9.5
Tracy tells Jeff that Philip is not his father.
9"Chapter Nine"Lee PhilipsPreston WoodDecember 1, 1969 (1969-12-01)14.7
Riakos tells Senator Jennings (Clu Gulager) of the Carlyle Bank's involvement in the Santerra revolution. Also stars Burr DeBenning and Schell Rasten.
10"Chapter Ten"Lewis AllenD.C. Fontana & Norman PaulDecember 8, 1969 (1969-12-08)10.2
Baylor is subpoenaed to testify before the Senate about his bank loan to Santerra's revolutionary group. Also stars Max Kleven, Bartlett Robinson and James B. Sikking.
11"Chapter Eleven"Paul HenreidStory by : Walter Doniger
Teleplay by : Norman Katkov
December 15, 1969 (1969-12-15)9.5
Duncan finds Baylor dead. Also stars S. John Launer and George Fenneman.
12"Chapter Twelve"unknownunknownDecember 22, 1969 (1969-12-22)unknown
Duncan tells Tracy he suspects Philip of murder.
13"Chapter Thirteen"Lewis AllenunknownDecember 29, 1969 (1969-12-29)11.6
The reading of Baylor's will is interrupted by the appearance of his widow, Eleanor (Natalie Schafer). Also stars Paul Stewart and Michael Ansara.
14"Chapter Fourteen"unknownunknownJanuary 5, 1970 (1970-01-05)11.8
Philip announces that he and Eleanor will fight Baylor's will.
15"Chapter Fifteen"unknownunknownJanuary 12, 1970 (1970-01-12)11.5
Duncan is injured in an automobile accident, and in the subsequent investigation, police find that it was no accident.

Television film

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A made-for-TV-movie was filmed 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.[4]

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ Schemering, Christopher (1987). The Soap Opera Encyclopedia (2nd ed.). Ballantine Books. pp. 223–225. ISBN 0-345-35344-7.
  2. ^ "The Survivors (1969) Cast". TVGuide.com. TV Guide. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  3. ^ Bruce B. Morris, Prime Time Network Serials: Episode Guides, Casts and Credits for 37 Continuing Television Dramas, 1964-1993, McFarland and Company, 1997.
  4. ^ Hyatt 2003, p. 193.

Sources

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Further reading

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Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle, The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows

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