The Colbys
The Colbys | |
---|---|
Also known as | Dynasty II: The Colbys |
Genre | Soap opera |
Created by | |
Developed by | |
Starring | |
Theme music composer | Bill Conti |
Country of origin | United States |
No. of seasons | 2 |
No. of episodes | 49 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Running time | 45–48 minutes |
Production company | Aaron Spelling Productions |
Original release | |
Network | ABC |
Release | November 20, 1985 March 26, 1987 | –
Related | |
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The Colbys (originally titled Dynasty II: The Colbys) is an American prime time television soap opera that originally aired on ABC from November 20, 1985, to March 26, 1987. Created by Richard and Esther Shapiro and Eileen and Robert Pollock and produced by Aaron Spelling, it is a spin-off of Dynasty and revolves around the Colbys, another vastly wealthy family who own a large multinational conglomerate and are connected to the Carringtons of Dynasty. Intended to surpass its predecessor in opulence, the series' producers were handed an immensely high budget for the era,[1] and cast a handful of well-known movie stars among its leads.
The Colbys stars
Premise
On Dynasty, presumed-dead heiress
Set in
In addition to Forsythe's Blake, Dynasty characters Adam Carrington (Gordon Thomson), Steven Carrington (Jack Coleman), and Dominique Deveraux (Diahann Carroll) also made guest appearances on the show between 1985 and 1986.[3]
Storylines
The first season's storylines include the construction of an oil pipeline; Zach Powers' vendetta against the Colbys; the romance between Jason and his brother Philip's widow Francesca; the subsequent collapse of Jason's marriage to Sable; and eventually the revelation that Jason, not Philip, is in fact Jeff's father. There were initially a number of crossovers featuring members of the Dynasty cast, most notably Blake Carrington, his sons Adam and Steven, and half-sister Dominique Deveraux. At the end of the season, Fallon learns that Miles could be the father of her unborn child, Monica's plane crashes, and Sable has Jason arrested for assault and battery, claiming that he had inflicted the injuries she actually sustained by falling down a flight of stairs.
In the second season, Jason manages to divorce Sable and plans to marry Francesca, but the presumed-dead Philip reappears alive. Previously romantically linked to both Zach's nephew and former stepson, Bliss falls in love with a Russian dancer watched by the
Aftermath
Following the cancellation of The Colbys, the characters of Jeff and Fallon were immediately reintroduced into Dynasty during that series' eighth-season premiere, "
Episodes
Season | Episodes | Originally aired | Rank | Rating | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | |||||
1 | 24 | November 20, 1985 | May 22, 1986 | 35 | 15.50 | |
2 | 25 | September 24, 1986 | March 26, 1987 | 64 | 11.90 |
Production and broadcast
In early 1985, news outlets began reporting that ABC was developing a spin-off of Dynasty, then the #1 rated show in the US.[4][5] Dynasty actors Rock Hudson, Ali MacGraw, Jack Coleman, Heather Locklear, and John James were mentioned as potential stars of the new series, tentatively titled The Colbys,[4][5] and ABC was purportedly wooing Pamela Sue Martin to reprise her role as Fallon Carrington.[5] It was also reported that Dynasty stars John Forsythe, Linda Evans, Joan Collins, and guest star Elizabeth Taylor would appear in the first two episodes of the spin-off, which would initially air after Dynasty on Wednesdays but would move to a time slot opposite Dallas on Fridays.[5]
In March 1985, ABC announced that its rumored Dynasty spin-off had been greenlighted, to debut the following season.[6] The Colbys would star John James as his Dynasty character Jeff Colby, with General Hospital actress Emma Samms as Fallon Carrington.[6][7][8] The project was originally titled Dynasty II: The Colbys of California, which was shortened to Dynasty II: The Colbys and ultimately simplified to The Colbys.[9][10] In May 1985, ABC unveiled its fall 1985 schedule, which placed The Colbys into the Thursday 9 pm time slot, preceded by The Fall Guy and followed by 20/20.[8]
In June 1985, Dynasty co-creator
Heston's casting was confirmed in July 1985, as producers were negotiating with Angie Dickinson to play his character's wife.[16] Ultimately, Dunaway, Dickinson, Elizabeth Ashley, and Diana Rigg all turned down the role of Jason's wife Sable.[17] In August 1985, producers cast British actress Stephanie Beacham, "a household name" in the UK who had starred in the title role of the ITV drama Connie.[18] Stanwyck and Maxwell Caulfield joined the cast in July 1985 as Jason's sister Constance and son Miles,[19] with Stanwyck having a clause in her contract that she would not be required to do press interviews.[20] That month, Elizabeth Taylor made a statement that she would not be appearing on Dynasty or The Colbys, then or in the future.[21]
In August 1985, it was reported Heston would be paid $85,000 per episode and Stanwyck would be paid $75,000.[22] The same month, Katharine Ross was cast as Francesca.[23] In September 1985, it was reported that Ricardo Montalbán would appear as a "conniving shipping tycoon" described as "ambitious and scheming, but with a kind of charm that can allow him to get away with almost anything."[24] The final cast included Tracy Scoggins and Claire Yarlett as Jason and Sable's daughters, Monica and Bliss Colby.[25]
The 13 bedroom, 15,000 sqft[26]Jay Paley House in Holmby Hills (at the time owned by business magnate Barron Hilton) featured as the family palatial Bel Air mansion, The Belvedere. The 'masterpiece' gallery paintings in the mansion were painted by Lucia Vinograd. The attached stables were filmed at the Will Rogers State Historic Park.[citation needed]
The Colbys premiered at 10 pm on Wednesday, November 20, 1985, after Dynasty's eighth episode of the season, and was initially a ratings success.[27][28] The next episode of The Colbys was scheduled to air the next night, Thursday, November 21, in the show's own new time slot, but was preempted by a televised speech by US President Ronald Reagan.[29] It was later reported that Heston, an old friend of Reagan's, had phoned the President to request the speech be rescheduled, to no avail.[29] Episode two aired on Wednesday, November 27, 1985, before Dynasty, and then The Colbys moved to its new night on Thursday, November 28, 1985.[30]
Ratings for The Colbys dropped considerably in the new time slot,[30] though a March 1986 episode featuring Jeff and Fallon's wedding garnered a high rating at a level not seen since the series' first two episodes.[31] In January 1986, it was reported that Heston had extended his stay on The Colbys from 17 to 24 episodes,[32] and Stanwyck ultimately extended from 13 to 24 episodes.[33] ABC renewed The Colbys for a second season in March 1986, with Stanwyck stating she only wanted to appear in 6 or 7 episodes.[33] The same month, Ron Miller of the Evening Independent suggested that The Colbys "appears to be so prohibitively expensive that future payoff in syndication seems very chancy."[34]
In June 1986, it was reported that Stanwyck would not be returning for season two.[20] She had purportedly complained for some time about her character's development, and in leaving suggested that Constance be killed.[20] In July 1986, Kim Morgan Greene was cast as magazine reporter Channing Carter.[35][36] In December 1986, it was reported that Heston had sent co-star Caulfield a letter admonishing him for unprofessional behavior on set, while calling the rest of The Colbys team "the best I've worked with in 30 years."[37] ABC cancelled The Colbys after its second season.[3]
Ratings and criticism
The
Like Dynasty, the series employed the standard melodrama of soap operas and added well-known performers and elaborate sets and wardrobe.
When Stanwyck opted to end her contract and leave the series after its first season in 1986, she reportedly called the show "a turkey",[49] and told co-creator Esther Shapiro "This is the biggest pile of garbage I ever did" and that "It's one thing to know you're making a lot of money off vulgarity, but when you don't know it's vulgar—it's plain stupid."[50] Conversely, Heston always supported the show and stated its cancellation "was premature" as "we were coming closer to being a creative production team that could make the kind of show we'd planned on from the beginning."[51] Dynasty star Joan Collins categorically refused to make any appearances in The Colbys herself, believing it would have caused "massive confusion between the two shows".[52]
Home media
On May 12, 2015,
On July 20, 2015, The Colbys was released in Germany (Region 2). The DVD is split in two, the first season and the second season. The DVDs have a German cover (Die Colbys - Das Imperium) but are spoken in English and dubbed in German. The series has also been released on DVD in Spain in four volumes (two per season).[citation needed] In the UK, it was released as a single boxset of 12 discs (identical to the US release) by the DVD distributor MediumRare Entertainment in 2018.
The distribution rights to The Colbys, originally owned by
References
- ^ a b Gardella, Kay (November 20, 1985). "John James Hopes Luck Holds". The Ledger. Retrieved August 25, 2010 – via Google.
- The Titans" (November 13, 1985).
- ^ a b c d e f g "The Colbys". Soap Opera Digest. October 19, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019 – via PressReader.com.
- ^ Spokane Chronicle. Retrieved December 10, 2019 – via news.google.com.
- ^ a b c d "Dynasty spinoff to rival Dallas". Evening Independent. February 23, 1985. Retrieved December 10, 2019 – via news.google.com.
- ^ a b Sherwood, Rick (March 20, 1985). "ABC Finally makes Dynasty spin-off official". TimesDaily. Retrieved December 10, 2019 – via news.google.com.
- ^ "Emma Samms: From Daytime Soaps to Dynasty". Orange Coast. January 9, 1986. Retrieved December 10, 2019 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b Rothenberg, Fred (May 9, 1985). "ABC going all out in fall to recoup ratings losses". Lakeland Ledger. Retrieved December 10, 2019 – via news.google.com.
- ^ "NOLAN MILLER THE COLBYS CUSTOM LEATHER BOUND SCRIPT". www.julienslive.com.
- ^ "44 DYNASTY II: The Colbys TV Scripts Original Script 1986 General Hospital LOT | #1892316566". Worthpoint.
- ^ a b Kaplan, Peter W. (September 1, 1985). "Run for the United States Senate? Mr. Heston Would Rather Be Acting". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved December 10, 2019 – via news.google.com.
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- ^ a b c "The Mitchum family makes a movie". The Gainesville Sun. July 3, 1985. Retrieved December 10, 2019 – via news.google.com.
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- ^ Wallace, David (February 3, 1986). "British Beauty Stephanie Beacham Sizzles in Sable as Consort to Charlton Heston on The Colbys". People. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
- ^ "British actress gets key role in Dynasty II". The Pittsburgh Press. August 9, 1985. Retrieved December 10, 2019 – via news.google.com.
- ^ "Stanwyck to star in Dynasty II". Lakeland Ledger. July 17, 1985. Retrieved December 10, 2019 – via news.google.com.
- ^ a b c "Stanwyck not likely to return to Colbys". The Day. June 25, 1986. Retrieved December 12, 2019 – via news.google.com.
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- ^ "1060 Brooklawn Dr". Zillow. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
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- ^ a b "Episode List: The Colbys (1985–1987)". TV Tango. Retrieved December 11, 2019.
- ^ "TV Listings for March 20, 1985". TV Tango. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
- Montreal Gazette. January 2, 1986. Retrieved December 12, 2019 – via news.google.com.
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- ^ "Tipoff". Star-News. July 23, 1986. Retrieved December 12, 2019 – via news.google.com.
- ^ "Broadway Theatre Project Announces Kim Morgan Greene as Resident Artist". BroadwayWorld.com. February 15, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
- ^ "Max suffers public scolding from co-star". The Spokesman-Review. December 29, 1986. Retrieved December 12, 2019 – via news.google.com.
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- ^ "ABC Revises Fall List in Battle for Ratings". The New York Times. May 7, 1985. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
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- ^ "CBS Is In Trouble Despite Numbers". Orlando Sentinel. May 1, 1986. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
- AP News. April 22, 1987. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
- ^ "The prime time show rankings for '86-87" (PDF). Broadcasting: 54. April 27, 1987. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
- AP News. April 22, 1987. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
- Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2003). The Directory To Prime Time TV Shows (8th ed.). Ballantine Books.
- ^ Holsopple, Barbara (November 22, 1985). "Dynasty II: Another Big Soap That Just Doesn't Wash". The Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
- ^ "Saluting Stanwyck: A Life on Film: 'When I'm Doing a Role, a Good Role, I'm Being Someone Other Than Me...'". Los Angeles Times. April 5, 1987. Archived from the original on April 10, 2016.
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- ^ Lawler, Sylvia (September 27, 1987). "Heston Talks of Many Things Including The Colbys". The Morning Call. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
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