Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Playlists
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Drama
    Drama TV Shows - 1980s 4 Mins Read

    Falcon Crest

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    1 9 8 1 – 1 9 9 0 (USA)
    220 x 60 minute episodes

    There were enough dead bodies in this tempestuous tale of North Californian vineyards to drive a pathologist to drink.

    Those that didn’t die had numerous narrow escapes as buildings suddenly exploded or caught fire, cars and planes crashed, and wronged parties ran amok with machine guns.

    falcon_737

    Throw in the odd drowning and even the occasional death from natural causes, and you’ve got a fair picture of life in the fictitious Tuscany Valley.

    The most important person in the valley was Angela Channing, around whom most of the action (and a lot of the attempted murders) revolved. Angela looked like an up-market Ma Sugden of Emmerdale Farm – but without the ironing board.

    Angela Channing was played by Jane Wyman, none other than the ex-wife of the then US President, Ronald Reagan. One writer said: “Divorce kept Wyman from being the First Lady of the White House, but she’s certainly First Lady of the old soap bitches”.

    She was the tough, all-conquering boss of Falcon Crest Wines who schemed to swindle her nephew Chase Gioberti (Robert Foxworth) – which sounds like a kids party game – out of his birthright.

    Chase had inherited 50 acres of vineyard from his late father, Jason, but Angela wanted the land and was prepared to go to any lengths to get it.

    falconcrest_3

    Made by Lorimar (the Dallas and Knots Landing producers) and filmed in California’s Napa Valley, Falcon Crest was first shown in America in December 1981. It continually tried to outgun Dallas and Dynasty and after a sticky start did do extremely well.

    America’s TV Guide commented at the time: “A show that teaches us how to pronounce ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ can’t be all bad” . . .

    Other major characters in Falcon Crest were Chase’s writer-wife Maggie Gioberti (Susan Sullivan), ruthless newspaper proprietor Richard Channing (David Selby), Angela’s evil playboy grandson Lance Cumson (Lorenzo Lamas) who was once convicted of trying to murder his dear old granny, and Lance’s ex-wife, the equally shady Melissa (Ana Alicia).

    Angela’s eldest daughter, Julia (Abby Dalton) briefly added blindness to her staggering list of problems: she was a drunk, insane, prone to mass shootings, on the run from a mental institution dressed as a nun and should have died in a cabin fire! Her eye problem was a side-effect suffered as a victim of an earthquake.

    falconcrest7

    The malevolence of the Falcon Crest plots seemed to spread to some of the cast. Reports of open warfare frequently leaked out.

    Robert Foxworth had a chance to direct episodes which led to Jane Wyman asking to direct. Her request wasn’t granted but when he directed she got a directors salary!

    Jane Wyman and Lana Turner’s relationship became so hostile that their scenes together were filmed separately and a split-screen technique was used.

    The series featured a stellar cast, including Morgan Fairchild, Gina Lollobrigida, Rod Taylor, Cesar Romero, Kim Novak and Jane Badler.

    In the final episode, after years of wrangling, attempted murders and the like, the family were reunited and reconciled. Richard (who had turned out to be Angela’s son after all) married newcomer Lauren Daniels (Wendy Phillips) and sold the vineyard back to Angela, whom he recognised at last as its ‘rightful owner’.

    Plans were made for Falcon Crest to be handed down after her death, hopefully without recrimination.

    Angela Channing 
    Jane Wyman
    Chase Gioberti 

    Robert Foxworth
    Maggie Channing/Gioberti 

    Susan Sullivan
    Richard Channing 

    David Selby
    Lance Cumson 

    Lorenzo Lamas
    Julia Cumson (Channing)
    Abby Dalton
    Tony Cumson 

    John Saxon
    Philip Erikson 

    Mel Ferrer
    Jacqueline Perrault 

    Lana Turner
    Nick Hogan 

    Roy Thinnes
    Francesca Gioberti 

    Gina Lollobrigida
    Greg Reardon 

    Simon MacCorkindale
    Jordan Roberts 

    Morgan Fairchild
    Father Christopher 

    Ken Olin
    Peter Stavros 

    Cesar Romero
    Kit Marlowe 

    Kim Novak
    Meredith Braxton 

    Jane Badler
    Melissa Agretti/Samantha Ross
    Ana Alicia
    Lauren Sharpe Daniels
    Wendy Phillips
    Frank Argetti 

    Rod Taylor

    Video

    Related Posts

    • Big Valley, The
      Big Valley, The
      1 9 6 5 - 1 9 6 9 (USA) 112 x 50 minute episodes Rich but hard-headed widow Victoria Barkley…
    • Harper Valley PTA
      Harper Valley PTA
      1 9 8 1 - 1 9 8 2 (USA) 36 x 30 minute episodes Barbara Eden reprised her 1978 feature…
    • How Green Was My Valley
      How Green Was My Valley
      1 9 6 0 (UK) 8 x 30 minute episodes Richard Llewellyn’s famous novel was brought to television as an…
    • Virginian, The/The Men From Shiloh
      Virginian, The/The Men From Shiloh
      1 9 6 2 - 1 9 7 1 (USA) 208 x 90 minute episodes James Drury starred as the strong, silent,…
    • Solo One
      Solo One
      1 9 7 6  (Australia) 13 x 30 minute episodes Another Australian cop show by Crawford Productions. Solo One saw Paul Cronin…
    • Death Valley Days
      Death Valley Days
      1 9 5 2 - 1 9 7 5 (USA) 558 x 30 minute episodes This long-running (23 years) anthology drama…
    • Dirty Sally
      Dirty Sally
      1 9 7 4 (USA) 14 x 30 minute episodes There was an old woman known as Dirty Sally She found…
    • Wizard, The
      Wizard, The
      1 9 8 6 - 1 9 8 7 (USA) 19 x 40 minute episodes Simon McKay (David Rappaport) is the…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleDynasty
    Next Article Flamingo Road

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
    You May Also Like
    • Pere Ubu
      Pere Ubu (the name came from a cruel and crude character in the […]
    • Madchester
      Madchester (so named because it originated in Manchester in the […]
    • Fidel Castro
      Fidel Castro was born in the village of Brian in Cuba on 13 […]
    • Zig and Zag’s Dirty Deeds
      1 9 9 6 (UK) The fuzzy felt puppets – aliens from Planet […]
    • Broken Arrow
      1 9 5 6 – 1 9 5 8 (USA) 1 9 6 0 (USA) Indian agent Tom […]
    • My Blood Runs Cold (1965)
      Wealthy and reckless Californian Julie Merriday (Joey […]
    Twitter Feed
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disco Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2022 Nostalgia Central
    • About
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.