Any resemblance between NBC’s W.E.B. and the movie Network(1976) was purely intentional. NBC took the basic theme of the movie – the inner workings of a television network – and turned it into a melodrama with soap opera overtones.
The principal star of the series was Pamela Bellwood, playing Ellen Cunningham, the head of special events programming for the Trans-Atlantic Broadcasting (TAB) network out of New York.
Supporting Bellwood were Richard Baseheart as alcoholic newsman Gus Dunlap; Alex Cord as Jack Kiley, the depraved head of primetime programming; Andrew Prine as spineless commercial sales chief Dan Costello; Howard Witt as the able head of network operations, Walter Matthews; and Lee Wilkof as Harvey Pearlstein – a numbers-happy ratings analyst.
W.E.B attempted to let the viewer in on the behind-the-scenes of how and what is put on television, taking the viewer inside the executive suites, meeting rooms, private dining rooms, screening rooms, barrooms and bedrooms where network affairs (and other kinds) were conducted.
Unfortunately, the show never found an audience and was cancelled quickly.
Ellen Cunningham
Pamela Bellwood Gus Dunlap
Richard Basehart Jack Kiley
Alex Cord Dan Costello
Andrew Prine Walter Matthews
Howard Witt Harvey Pearlstein
Lee Wilkof Christine Nichols
Tisch Raye Kevin
Peter Coffield
The principal star of the series was Pamela Bellwood, playing Ellen Cunningham, the head of special events programming for the Trans-Atlantic Broadcasting (TAB) network out of New York.
