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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Shows by Decade»1970s Television
    1970s Television Drama Shows H 3 Mins Read

    Helter Skelter

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    1 9 7 6 (USA)
    2 x 97 minute episodes

    This two-part made-for-television miniseries – telling the shocking story of the Manson “family”, their ritualistic murders and the aftermath – aired on various CBS affiliates on 1 and 2 April 1976.

    Helter Skelter provided a painstakingly detailed dramatisation of the savage and senseless murders of actress Sharon Tate and seven other innocent victims in Los Angeles in 1969 by a commune of freeloading hippies disturbingly devoted to extreme ex-convict Charles Manson.

    With his gaunt frame, quavering voice, and relentless intensity, Steve Railsback captured the real Manson’s disturbing mixture of messianic charisma and psychopathic menace.

    Even though he was onscreen for only one hour of the three-hour-and-twenty-minute running time, watching Railsback-as-Manson preach about the beauty of an impending race war and the glory of rattling the establishment by committing mass murder felt very much like looking into the eyes of pure madness.

    Helter Skelter gave equal weight to the activities of law-enforcement personnel and to the macabre exploits of the killers and showing the occasional ineptitude of people investigating the murders, and the twisted joy Manson’s people took from following a man they considered to be a reincarnation of Jesus Christ.

    The investigative stuff is compelling because of how many near-misses occurred before the Manson Family was finally incarcerated, and the courtroom stuff – with much of the dialogue used in the courtroom scenes taken directly from court transcripts – is dynamite.

    Vincent Bugliosi, who successfully prosecuted the Manson family and wrote the book upon which the miniseries was based, initially served as a consultant on set. However, he continuously micromanaged George DiCenzo’s portrayal of him and interfered with filming so much that director Tom Gries had Bugliosi removed from the set.

    The Beatles denied permission to use their song recordings for the miniseries. Portions of the songs Helter Skelter, Piggies and Revolution are played at various points but they were performed by a Beatles sound-alike band named Silverspoon.

    Vincent Bugliosi
    George DiCenzo
    Charles Manson
    Steve Railsback
    Susan Atkins
    Nancy Wolfe
    Linda Kasabian
    Marilyn Burns
    Patricia Krenwinkel
    Christina Hart
    Leslie Van Houten
    Cathey Paine
    Aaron Stovitz
    Alan Oppenheimer
    Lt. Brenner
    Vic Werber
    Phil Cohen
    Marc Alaimo
    Tex Watson
    Bill Durkin
    Sgt. Manuel Gris
    Phillip R. Allen
    Harry Jones
    David Clennon
    Mr Quint
    James Brodhead
    J. Miller Leavy
    Linden Chiles
    Sgt. White
    Larry Pennell
    Steve ‘Clem’ Grogan
    Steve Gries
    Mrs Quint
    Anne Newman Bacal
    Everett Scoville
    Howard Caine
    Danny DeCarlo
    Rudy Ramos
    Ronnie Howard
    Sondra Blake
    Paul Watkins
    Jason Ronard
    Rosner
    George Garro
    Judge Older
    Skip Homeier
    William Garretson
    Jon Gries
    Sgt. Hank Kruger
    Edward Michael Bell
    Punchy
    Roy Jenson
    Terrence Milik
    Adam Williams
    Hank Charter
    Jonathan Goldsmith
    Sgt. O’Neal
    Paul Mantee
    Gail Bugliosi
    Joyce Easton
    Mr Spahn
    Ray Middleton
    Leno La Bianca
    Al Checco
    Sgt. Brown
    Raphael Baker
    Judge Keene
    Bert Conway
    Gillespie
    Bill Sorrells
    Judge Dell
    John Furlong
    Drees Darrin
    Robert Ito
    Bart Listen
    Rod Arrants
    Andy Cookley
    Guy Remsen
    Keith
    Cal Haynes
    Susan Struthers
    Louise Caire Clark
    Shorty Shea
    Johnny Fain
    Rosemary La Bianca
    Toni Moss
    Dennis Ranson
    Paul Kent
    Steve Quint
    Will Brodhead
    Sgt. Smith
    Anthony Herrera
    Sgt. Franklin
    Bob Hoy
    Sgt. Ross
    Stanley Ralph Ross
    Sgt. Broom
    Katherine Pass
    Virginia
    Laura Ash
    Big Sal
    Carole White
    Camarinos
    Jim Boles
    Joe Dorgan
    Jack Miller
    Struthers
    Josh Albee
    Sanderson
    John Evans
    Cinquanta
    Ronald Gold
    Sayce
    Blair Aaronson
    Le Page
    Fay Martin
    Family Girls
    Asta Hansen
    Kathleen Devlin
    Deborah Parsons
    Mary Jo Thatcher
    Deanne Gwinn
    Lindsay V. Jones
    Barbara Mallory
    Tracy Tracton
    Melody Hinkle
    Eileen Dietz
    Patricia Post
    Leila Davis
    Sondra Lowell

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