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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Shows by Decade»1970s Television
    1970s Television Drama Shows B USA TV 2 Mins Read

    Beacon Hill

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    1 9 7 5 (USA)
    1 x 120 minute episode
    13 x 60 minute episodes

    Blending drama, virtuoso acting, social commentary and soap opera, the British series Upstairs Downstairs drew crowds of viewers to the American PBS channel. This short-lived but lavish period drama series from CBS was ostensibly an adaptation of the superb UK series but placed in an American setting.

    The various storylines revolved around the lives of the wealthy Lassiter family in 1920s Boston and the members of their household staff of Irish immigrants – most prominently Brian Mallory (Paul Rudd), a brash lad who was determined to rise in the world in a hurry – led by head butler Mr Hacker (George Rose).

    beaconhill5

    Ben Lassiter (Stephen Elliott) was a powerful industrialist and political boss who lived with his worry-prone wife, a suicidally depressed son, three daughters of widely differing personalities and various grandchildren.

    The cast was huge (and recruited mostly from the Broadway stage), the sets, costumes and production values were the best, and a special two-hour advanced premiere on 2 August 1975 received top ratings.

    But despite being a show of the highest quality, the audience shrank steadily, and the series (which aired on Tuesdays at 10:00 pm) was largely unsuccessful. CBS cancelled the programme after only 13 episodes.

    Benjamin Lassiter 
    Stephen Elliott
    Mary Lassiter 

    Nancy Marchand
    Mr Hacker 

    George Rose
    Mrs Hacker 

    Beatrice Straight
    Trevor Bullock 

    Roy Cooper
    Robert Lassiter 

    David Dukes
    Richard Palmer 

    Edward Herrman
    Maude Palmer 

    Maeve McGuire
    Emily Bullock 

    Deann Mears
    Giorgio Bellonci 

    Michael Nouri
    Betsy Bullock 

    Linda Purl
    Terence O’Hara 

    David Rounds
    Brian Mallory 

    Paul Rudd
    Harry Emmet 

    Barry Snider
    Eleanor 

    Sydney Swire
    Marilyn Gardiner 

    Holland Taylor
    Fawn Lassiter 

    Kathryn Walker
    William Piper 

    Richard Ward
    Rosamond Lassiter 

    Kitty Winn

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