Rich Man, Poor Man

1 9 7 6 – 1 9 7 7 (USA)
Book 1: 9 x 60/120 minute episodes
Book 2: 21 x 60 minute episodes

One of the first American television miniseries, Rich Man, Poor Man aired on ABC from 1 February to 15 March 1976.

Adapted from the best-selling 1970 Irwin Shaw novel, Rich Man, Poor Man was a limited twelve-part dramatic series consisting of six two-hour prime-time made for television movies.

The televised novel chronicled the lives of the first-generation immigrant Jordache family.

The story focused on the tumultuous relationship between brothers, Rudy (Peter Strauss) and Tom Jordache (Nick Nolte), as they suffered through 20 years (1945-65) of conflict, jealousy, and heartbreak.

The serial was enormously successful, leading the weekly ratings and ending as the second-highest-rated show for the 1976-77 television season.

Along with its enormous audience popularity, it also garnered critical praise, reaping 20 Emmy nominations and winning four – two for acting achievement, one for directing, and one for the musical score.

The success of Rich Man, Poor Man hinged on its employment of several innovative techniques. The narrative struck a unique combination which contained both the lavish film-style production values of prestigious special event programming while relying upon the “habit viewing” characteristic of a weekly series.

Also, by utilising historical backdrops like McCarthyism, the Korean War, campus riots, and the Black Revolution, Rich Man, Poor Man suggested larger circumstances than those usually found in a traditional soap opera.

However, the limited series also liberally applied a range of risqué melodramatic topics including adultery, power struggles, and alcoholism. Another inventive concept introduced was the use of multiple, revolving guest stars throughout the series.

While the three principal cast members were relatively unknown at the time, shuffling better-known actors throughout the six-part series was a way to maintain interest and achieve some form of ratings insurance on the six-million dollar venture.

By invigorating the concept of adapting novels into television miniseries, Rich Man, Poor Man began a rapid proliferation of similar prime-time programming, including a sequel.

The continuation, Rich Man, Poor Man – Book II, was a twenty-one part weekly series that aired in the fall of 1976 and followed brother Rudy’s further career as a US Senator. In the last original episode, Rudy and Falconetti (William Smith) faced each other with guns in hand and shot it out, apparently leaving the two of them lying bleeding to death on a sidewalk.

A further sequel, Beggar Man, Thief (1978) introduced the Jordache’s previously unmentioned sister, Gretchen.

Although the sequels were not as successful as their predecessor, the idea of extended televised adaptations of popular novels quickly became a component of network schedules.

In the season following the debut of Rich Man, Poor Man, all major networks scheduled at least one miniseries, including an adaptation of Harold Robbins’ The Pirates and Alex Haley’s historical epic Roots.

Rudy Jordache 
Peter Strauss
Tom Jordache 
Nick Nolte
Julie Prescott Abbott Jordache
Susan Blakely
Axel Jordache 
Edward Asner
Mary Jordache 
Dorothy McGuire
Willie Abbott 
Bill Bixby
Duncan Calderwood 
Ray Milland
Teddy Boylan 
Robert Reed
Virginia Calderwood 
Kim Darby
Sue Prescott 
Gloria Grahame
Asher Berg 
Craig Stevens
Joey Quales 
George Maharis
Linda Quales 
Lynda Day
George Nichols 
Steve Allen
Smitty 
Norman Fell
Teresa Sanjoro 
Talia Shire
Marsh Goodwin 
Van Johnson
Irene Goodwin 
Dorothy Malone
Kate Jordache 
Kay Lenz
Sid Gossett 
Murray Hamilton
Arnold Simms 
Mike Evans
Al Fanducci 
Dick Butkus
Clothilde 
Fionnula Flanagan
Brad Knight 
Tim McIntire
Bill Denton 
Lawrence Pressman
Claude Tinker 
Dennis Dugan
Gloria Bartley 
Jo Ann Harris
Pete Tierney 
Roy Jenson
Lou Martin 
Anthony Carbone
Papadakis 
Ed Barth
Ray Dwyer 
Herbert Jefferson Jr
Arthur Falconetti 
William Smith
Col. Deiner 
Andrew Duggan
Pinky 
Harvey Jason
Martha 
Helen Craig
Phil McGee 
Gavan O’Herlihy
Billy 
Leigh McCloskey
Wesley Jordache 
Gregg Henry
Billy Abbott 
James Carroll Jordan
Maggie Porter 
Susan Sullivan
Arthur Falconetti 
William Smith
Marie Falconetti 
Dimitra Arliss
Ramona Scott 
Penny Peyser
Scotty 
John Anderson
Charles Estep 
Peter Haskell
Phil Greenberg 
Sorrell Brooke
Annie Adams 
Cassie Yates
Diane Porter 
Kimberly Beck
Arthur Raymond 
Peter Donat
Claire Estep 
Laraine Stephens
Senator Paxton 
Barry Sullivan
Kate Jordache 
Kay Lenz
John Franklin 
Philip Abbott
Max Vincent 
George Gaynes
Al Barber 
Ken Swofford
Senator Dillon 
G. D. Spradlin