PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA. THE: FALCON CREST: A LOOK BACK {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented as part of The Paley Center for Media’s Inside Media series. Held at The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles, this evening celebrates the television series “Falcon Crest,” a night-time serial about the members of a California winemaking family, headed by the wealthy and powerful Angela Channing. Craig Hitchcock (executive director, The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles) offers opening remarks before introducing the evenings’ moderator, William Keck (senior editor, “TV Guide” magazine). Keck offers his own comments before introducing the episode “Family Reunion,” screened in its entirety. (For synopsis and credits, see ACCNUM 104651).
Following the screening, Keck introduces the panelists: executive producer and creator Earl Hamner; cast members Jamie Rose (Vickie Gioberti); Ana Alicia (Melissa Agretti); Lorenzo Lamas (Lance Cumson); Margaret Ladd (Emma Channing); David Selby (Richard Channing); Abby Dalton (Julia Cumson); Robert Foxworth (Chase Gioberti); and Susan Sullivan (Maggie Gioberti).
Topics of discussion include: Hamner’s visits to vineyards and how they served as the inspiration for “Falcon Crest”; Hamner on working with cast member Jane Wyman (Angela Channing); Wyman’s apprehension about appearing with guest star Lana Turner (Jacqueline Perrault); Lamas on Wyman’s later years in Palm Springs; Foxworth on turning down the role of J.R. Ewing on the television show “Dallas”; Foxworth and Sullivan on the casting process for the character of Chase Gioberti; Dalton on Wyman’s reluctance to speak publicly about her ex-husband, former United States President Ronald Reagan; Dalton on some of the bizarre changes made to some characters on “Falcon Crest”; Sullivan on the death of her character and the difficulty she had with her death scene; Selby on his character’s complicated parentage; Selby on the nature of sex scenes on “Falcon Crest” and how television standards have changed since the show’s run; Sullivan on Maggie’s remarriage and her input in that creative decision; Selby and Hamner on their friendship; Lamas and Alicia on their characters’ turbulent relationship and their marriage scene at the end of season one; their recollections of their love scenes; the villainous actions undertaken by several characters; Rose on working with Turner and on being cast as Vickie; Rose and Alicia on the show’s often-complex methods of preserving scene-to-scene continuity; Ladd on her character’s psychological problems and her relationship with Wyman; how Ladd used the behavior of mental patients as an inspiration for her character; Lamas on his character’s pet falcon; and Foxworth on his sense of being “cheated” by his character’s death scene.
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics: the inspiration behind the series title; the input of writer Robert L. McCullough; Ladd’s false childhood claim that she was related to actor Alan Ladd; Hamner on his relationship with Sullivan; Sullivan on working with actress Leslie Caron (Nicole Sauguet) on her guest appearance on “Falcon Crest”; Lamas’s memories of recurring guest star Kim Novak (Kit Marlowe); the casts’ recollection of some of the writers and directors on “Falcon Crest”; and the cast’s current activities.
A clip package is also shown, depicting many instances of the word “destroy” used in scenes from the show; some of the slaps and punches seen on the show; and several outtakes.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: October 12, 2010 7:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 2:13:01
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 103979
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Craig Hitchcock … Host
- William Keck … Moderator
- Jamie Rose … Panelist
- Ana Alicia … Panelist
- Lorenzo Lamas … Panelist
- Margaret Ladd … Panelist
- David Selby … Panelist
- Earl Hamner (See also: Earl Hamner Jr.) … Panelist
- Abby Dalton … Panelist
- Robert Foxworth … Panelist
- Susan Sullivan … Panelist
- Leslie Caron
- Alan Ladd
- Robert L. McCullough
- Ronald Reagan
- Lana Turner
- Jane Wyman