Falcon Crest is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
primetime television
soap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on television or radio. The name "soap opera" stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble,...
which aired on the
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is an American television network, one of television's original "big three", which also include NBC and ABC. Like NBC, CBS started out as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System...
network for nine seasons, from December 4, 1981 to May 17, 1990. A total of 227 episodes were produced.
The series centers around the feuding factions of the wealthy Gioberti/Channing family in the
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
n wine industry starring
Jane WymanJane Wyman was an American character actress of stage, film and television. She began her film career in the 1930s, and was a prolific performer for two decades...
as Angela Channing, the malevolent owner of the Falcon Crest Winery, and
Robert FoxworthRobert Heath Foxworth is an American film, stage and television actor.-Early life:Foxworth was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Erna Beth , a writer, and John Howard Foxworth, a roofing contractor...
as Chase Gioberti, Angela's nephew who inherits a half share of Falcon Crest following the death of his father. The series was set in the fictitious Tuscany Valley (modeled after the Napa Valley) just north of San Francisco.
Production
The show was created by Earl Hamner, noted for his work on
The WaltonsThe Waltons is an American television series created by Earl Hamner, Jr., based on his book Spencer's Mountain, and a 1963 film of the same name, starring Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara. The show centered on the titular family growing up in a rural Virginia community during the Great Depression and...
which had just finished its last season in 1980–1981. Hamner wanted to create a family drama involving the
wineWine is an alcoholic beverage typically made of fermented grape juice. The natural chemical balance of grapes is such that they can ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes or other nutrients. Wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast consumes...
industry, but CBS requested he make the show more sensational, along the lines of
DallasDallas is an American prime-time television soap opera that originally ran from 1978 to 1991. It revolved around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries...
. They then scheduled
Falcon Crest at 10PM, right after the top-rated
Dallas. The
Dallas-
Falcon Crest one-two punch proved lucrative for CBS and
Falcon Crest was a Top 20 show in the Nielsens for several years. Both shows (like
The Waltons) were produced for CBS by the same company,
LorimarLorimar Productions, later known as Lorimar Television, was an American television production company that was later a subsidiary of Warner Bros., active from 1968-1993...
.
The show revolved around Angela Channing (
Jane WymanJane Wyman was an American character actress of stage, film and television. She began her film career in the 1930s, and was a prolific performer for two decades...
), a corrupt, despotic matriarch who ruled with an iron fist over the Falcon Crest
vineyardA vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture....
s. Angela's honorable nephew Chase Gioberti (
Robert FoxworthRobert Heath Foxworth is an American film, stage and television actor.-Early life:Foxworth was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Erna Beth , a writer, and John Howard Foxworth, a roofing contractor...
) was new to the area and had just inherited a portion of the Falcon Crest vineyards and winery from his father, Angela's brother Jason Gioberti (who died after a fall in the winery during the premiere episode). The rivalry between the established professional and the newcomer, who were tied together as blood relatives, set the tone for much of the series.
Angela's heir was her lazy playboy grandson, Lance Cumson (
Lorenzo LamasLorenzo Lamas is an American actor and reality television participant. Lamas is known for playing Lance Cumson on the popular 1980s soap opera Falcon Crest, Reno Raines on the 1990s crime drama Renegade, and Hector Ramirez on the daytime soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful...
), who loved money and yearned for power but lacked Angela's discipline and determination, which was proven after she persuaded him to work in the vineyards. Her ever-tightening grip on him, eventually sent him to work for his grandfather's newspaper, The San Francisco Globe. Eventually realizing that she would not gain control over Chase's land any time soon, Angela hoped to enlarge her empire by forcing Lance into an arranged marriage with winery heiress Melissa Agretti (
Ana AliciaAna Alicia is a Mexican-born American actress known for her role as scheming heiress Melissa Agretti on the long-running primetime soap opera Falcon Crest.-Early life:...
), who was herself a selfish schemer and would cause trouble for many residents of Tuscany Valley. Other major characters introduced in the first season were Angela's daughters, Julia (
Abby DaltonAbby Dalton is an American actress. Born as Marlene Wasden in Las Vegas, Nevada, she has made numerous appearances on television, including the recurring role of "Julia Cumson" on Falcon Crest....
), who was chief winemaker and Lance's mother, and the emotionally troubled Emma (
Margaret LaddMargaret Ladd is an American actress, best known for playing Emma Channing in the 1980s soap opera Falcon Crest throughout its nine-year run. She was also one of the many actresses who played Jane Skerba on the cancelled 1960's soap opera A Flame in the Wind which later became A Time for Us. She...
), who became friends with both Maggie and Victoria, and her crooked lawyer Phillip Erickson (
Mel FerrerMel Ferrer was an American actor, film director and film producer.-Early life:Melchor Gaston Ferrer was born in Elberon, New Jersey, of Catalan and Irish descent. His father, Dr. José María Ferrer , was born in Cuba and was an authority on pneumonia and served as chief of staff of St. Vincent's...
). Chase's family included Chase's sympathetic wife Maggie (
Susan SullivanSusan Michaela Sullivan is an American character actress, primarily known for her roles on sitcoms, soap operas and television...
), who would eventually work as a freelance writer, with the encouragement of her aunt-in-law. Chase and Maggie's grown-up son Cole (
William R. MosesWilliam Remington Moses is an American actor.-Early life:He is the son of the late actress Marian McCargo and advertising executive Richard Cantrell Moses, Sr. who divorced in 1963. Marian remarried in 1970 to the late former Republican Congressman Alphonzo Bell, Jr....
) fell in love with Melissa, who later rejected him due to Lance's determination to have her for himself, and daughter Vickie (
Jamie RoseJamie Rose is an American actress possibly best known for playing Vickie Gioberti in the prime time 1980s soap opera Falcon Crest. Rose played the role from 1981 to 1983, leaving at the beginning at the show's third season...
, later replaced by
Dana SparksDana Sparks is an American television actress, who is most well-known for her work as JAG lawyer Lt Commander Carolyn Imes|Characters in JAG in JAG. She is also noted for her roles as Vicki Giobertti in Falcon Crest and as Grace Bennett/Faith Standish in Passions. Sparks reprised the role of Grace...
) was an open-minded college girl. But none could truly rival Angela until the conniving Richard Channing (
David SelbyDavid Lynn Selby is an American character and stage actor. He has worked in movies, soap operas and television. The naturally black-headed Selby is best known for playing the roles of Quentin Collins on the ABC-TV cult serial, Dark Shadows , as Jane Wyman's evil and compassionate TV son, Richard...
) arrived in the show's second season. Originally a powerful newspaper editor, Richard later got into the wine business and made several attempts to wrest control of Falcon Crest from both Angela and Chase. Richard was originally thought to be the love child of Angela's late husband, Douglas, after his affair with Chase's mother, Jacqueline, and Angela therefore despised him, unaware that he is actually her long lost son.
First seasons
Despite its reputation as merely being "
Dallas with grapes”,
Falcon Crest soon found its own niche amongst the prime-time dramas of the 1980s, occupying the middle ground between the two extremes of the genre — being more glamorous than
DallasDallas is an American prime-time television soap opera that originally ran from 1978 to 1991. It revolved around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries...
yet not quite as outrageous as
DynastyDynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard and Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
. The distinctive location filming in the Napa Valley and the dry, wryly humorous tone of the scripts gave the series a personality of its own.
The rivalry among Angela, Chase and Richard stayed at the core of the show for years, as more romantic entanglements spun around them. Lance and Cole found themselves not only caught up in their family battles, but also competing for Melissa's affections.
Like
Dallas and
Dynasty,
Falcon Crest employed the use of memorable end of season cliffhangers to boost ratings. The 1982–1983 season climaxed with the culmination of a murder mystery whodunit plot (surrounding the death of Melissa's father, Carlo Agretti) that had spanned most of the season. The killer — Angela's daughter Julia Cumson — was confronted in front of the entire cast, only to produce a handgun. Shots were fired (and heard from outside as the camera panned away from the mansion), and that faded into the final scene of a coffin being lowered into the ground, leaving the audience to wonder the entire summer, who had been killed off? Other cliffhangers included a plane crash carrying most of the major characters which ended the third season, (and killed three main characters Phillip Erikson,Linda Caproni Gioberti and Michael Ranson); a bomb explosion which ended the fourth season leaving Richard and Maggie in peril, and an earthquake that ripped through the valley that ended the fifth season. The earthquake killed two major cast members Terry Hartford Channing and Dwayne Cooley. The cliffhanger of the sixth season put Melissa, Richard, Chase, Dan Fixx and Maggie's baby, Kevin, in danger. At the beginning of the seventh year it was revealed that Chase had presumably drowned in the San Francisco Bay after rescuing Maggie and Chase's baby, Kevin, though the body was never found. At the end of the seventh season, Richard had joined and ultimately turned against The Thirteen, a murderous group of wealthy businessmen who planned to ruin the United States economy. Eric Stavros was brainwashed and sent to murder Richard. Melissa was finally able to succeed in winning her battle against Angela with serious repercussions for both characters at the end of season seven and the start of season eight. In the last few moments of the season finale, Angela was seen lighting candles in a church. Then as the back of a man's head comes into view, she asks, "When are you going to tell Maggie you're alive?" It was revealed in the opening episode of Season eight the head belonged to Richard Channing. By the beginning of the ninth (and final) season, Lance, Angela and Emma were the only three members of the original season one cast, an attempt on Angela's life left her in a coma for most of the year, and the season revolved around a battle between Richard and Maggie's 2nd cousin newcomer Michael Sharpe for control of Falcon Crest. Angela returned towards the end of the season and the last scene of the series shows her toasting the land, "A toast to you Falcon Crest, and long may you live."
The series also frequently cast former Hollywood royalty in guest roles;
Lana TurnerLana Turner was an American actress.Discovered and signed to a film contract by MGM at the age of sixteen, Turner first attracted attention in They Won't Forget . She played featured roles, often as the ingenue, in such films as Love Finds Andy Hardy...
,
Gina LollobrigidaGina Lollobrigida , is an Italian actress and photojournalist. She was one of Italy's most prominent actresses of the 1950s and early 1960s.-Youth:...
,
Cesar RomeroCesar Julio Romero, Jr. was a Cuban American film and television actor, best known for his portrayal of The Joker in the 1960s television series Batman...
,
Robert StackRobert Langford Modini Stack was an American actor. He was perhaps best known for his film acting as well as his role in the television series The Untouchables and as host of Unsolved Mysteries. He starred in more than 40 films.-Early life:Stack was born in Los Angeles, California but spent his...
,
Cliff RobertsonClifford Parker "Cliff" Robertson III is an American actor with a film and television career that spans half of a century. Robertson won the 1968 Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the movie Charly...
and
Celeste HolmCeleste Holm is an American stage, film, and television actress, known for her Academy Award-winning performance in Gentleman's Agreement , as well as for her Oscar-nominated performance in All About Eve ....
all appeared in
Falcon Crest.
Kim NovakKim Novak is a two-time Golden Globe Award-winning American actress. She is best known for her performance in the classic 1958 film Vertigo...
joined the cast in 1986 and enjoyed a season-spanning story arc that was similar to her role in the classic film
VertigoVertigo is a American psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart, Kim Novak and Barbara Bel Geddes. The film was written by Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor and based on a novel by Boileau-Narcejac...
. This aspect to the series seemed to be consciously embraced by the producers, who at one stage instituted a rotating guest star policy, in which her character would be revealed to be running from a murderous mob boss played by
Robert StackRobert Langford Modini Stack was an American actor. He was perhaps best known for his film acting as well as his role in the television series The Untouchables and as host of Unsolved Mysteries. He starred in more than 40 films.-Early life:Stack was born in Los Angeles, California but spent his...
, who was responsible for killing Peter Stavros'
realReality, in everyday usage, means "the state of things as they actually exist." Literally, the term denotes what is real; in its widest sense, this includes everything that is, whether or not it is observable or comprehensible. Reality in this sense includes being and sometimes is considered to...
stepdaughter;
Leslie CaronLeslie Claire Margaret Caron is a French film actress and dancer, who appeared in 45 films between 1951 and 2003. She was one of the most famous Hollywood musical stars in the 1950s...
,
Lauren HuttonLauren Hutton is an American former model and occasional actress. She is best known for her starring roles in the movies American Gigolo and Lassiter, and also for her fashion modeling career....
,
Eddie AlbertEdward Albert Heimberger , better known as Eddie Albert, was an American actor, gardener, humanitarian, activist and World War II veteran...
,
Eve ArdenEve Arden was an American actress. Her almost 60-year career crossed most media frontiers with supporting and leading roles, but she is perhaps best remembered for playing the sardonic but engaging high school teacher in the classic Our Miss Brooks , and as the Rydell High School principal in the...
,
Roscoe Lee BrowneRoscoe Lee Browne was an American actor and director, known for his rich voice and dignified bearing.-Biography:Browne was the son of Baptist minister Sylvanus Browne and his wife Lovie...
and
Ursula AndressUrsula Andress is a Swiss actress and a major sex symbol of the 1960s. She is best known for her roles as Bond girl Honey Rider in Dr...
all made appearances during the 1987–1988 season.
Later seasons
Some intriguing plot developments occurred later in the series, such as the long love affair between Richard and Maggie, and the shock revelation that Angela and Richard, bitter enemies for many years, were in fact mother and son. However, with the departures of many of the core cast, coupled with the shifting tastes of the public in the mid 1980s, ratings began to drop (as had ratings for all of the primetime soaps of that era). When
Soap Opera DigestSoap Opera Digest is a weekly magazine covering American daytime soap operas. It features onscreen and offscreen news about the series, interviews with and articles about performers, storyline summaries and analysis, and related promotional information...
named Falcon Crest's season 8 "Most Ruined Show", it was clear that the series had lost its former sparkle.
The last straw for many viewers came when Angela, who had been the pivotal character since day one, lay unconscious in a coma for most of the 1989–1990 season. This was not due to any contract negotiations as is widely believed, but due to actress Jane Wyman's ongoing health problems with diabetes. The series attempted to revitalise itself, much in the way that rival soap
Knots LandingKnots Landing is an American primetime television soap opera that was screened from December 27 1979 to May 13 1993 on CBS. Set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles in California, the show centered on the lives of four married couples living in a cul-de-sac, Seaview Circle...
had successfully done, as the season followed the powerplays resulting from Angela’s absence. A number of new characters were introduced, but failed to strike a chord with the audience. And everyone at one point or another in the ninth year took control of Falcon Crest—eventually, even a spoiled teenager Danny , the supposed son of Michael Sharpe who ended up turning out to be Richards long lost son before the series ended. CBS executives made the decision to end
Falcon Crest at the climax of the ninth season, and Jane Wyman defied doctors’ orders to return to the show for the last three episodes.
After many traumatic events over the course of nine seasons of the wine country soap (plane crashes, explosions, murders, drownings),
Falcon Crest ended happily with a wedding taking place on the grounds of the mansion. Taking a walk outside, Angela delivered a speech — written by Jane Wyman herself — that brought the series to a conclusion, mentioning past characters and events but looking forward to the future. Raising a glass of champagne, Angela ended the series with "a toast to you, Falcon Crest, and long may you live."
Main
Angela Gioberti Channing Erickson Stavros Agretti -
Jane WymanJane Wyman was an American character actress of stage, film and television. She began her film career in the 1930s, and was a prolific performer for two decades...
- Angela is the tough, tyrannical self-styled queen of the Tuscany Valley and head of Falcon Crest Wines. Angela ruthlessly combats her enemies, determined to preserve what she sees as her birthright. Four times married, she is the mother of Julia and Emma Channing. It is eventually revealed that her nemesis Richard Channing is also her son, thought stillborn. Jane Wyman
Jane Wyman was an American character actress of stage, film and television. She began her film career in the 1930s, and was a prolific performer for two decades...
appeared in 208 of the 227 episodes of the series, missing most of the final season due to health problems.
Chase Gioberti -
Robert FoxworthRobert Heath Foxworth is an American film, stage and television actor.-Early life:Foxworth was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Erna Beth , a writer, and John Howard Foxworth, a roofing contractor...
- Former airline pilot and Vietnam veteran, Chase moves back to Tuscany Valley from New York, having inherited half of Falcon Crest from his father Jason after his death. Chase is determined to make a go of running the winery, which brings him into conflict with his aunt Angela.He is later presumed dead after rescuing his and Maggie's baby son Kevin from the San Francisco Bay. (Seasons 1-6)
Maggie Gioberti Channing -
Susan SullivanSusan Michaela Sullivan is an American character actress, primarily known for her roles on sitcoms, soap operas and television...
- Chase's wife (and later Richard's), and the niece-in-law (later daughter-in-law of Angela's), Maggie is a freelance writer who agrees with her husband's wish to build a new life for their family in the Tuscany Valley. A warm-hearted but resilient woman, Maggie becomes the sympathetic heroine of the series. Maggie died tragically, after drowing in her swimming pool after getting the ring Richard gave her from prison, stuck in the grating of the drain on the floor of the pool. (Seasons 1-8)
Richard Channing -
David SelbyDavid Lynn Selby is an American character and stage actor. He has worked in movies, soap operas and television. The naturally black-headed Selby is best known for playing the roles of Quentin Collins on the ABC-TV cult serial, Dark Shadows , as Jane Wyman's evil and compassionate TV son, Richard...
- Shady businessman thought to be the illegitimate son of Angela's ex-husband Douglas, Richard arrives in Tuscany Valley having inherited his father's shares in the newspaper, the San Francisco Globe and proves to be a formidable adversary of both Angela and Chase. Later, Richard is revealed to be Angela's son (thought dead at birth), and marries a widowed Maggie Gioberti. (Seasons 2-9)
Lance Cumson -
Lorenzo LamasLorenzo Lamas is an American actor and reality television participant. Lamas is known for playing Lance Cumson on the popular 1980s soap opera Falcon Crest, Reno Raines on the 1990s crime drama Renegade, and Hector Ramirez on the daytime soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful...
- Angela's playboy grandson by Julia, whom she often uses as a henchman in her schemes. A fervent ladies' man, Lance is as amoral as he is handsome. Angela persuades him to marry Melissa Agretti so that she can merge the Agretti lands with her own, which Lance would eventually inherit. After divorcing Melissa, Lance then marries Richard's stepdaughter Lorraine, who later dies. After relationships with singer Apollonia and a second relationship with Melissa, Lance eventually marries Pilar Ortega, the vineyard foreman's daughter. Lorenzo Lamas
Lorenzo Lamas is an American actor and reality television participant. Lamas is known for playing Lance Cumson on the popular 1980s soap opera Falcon Crest, Reno Raines on the 1990s crime drama Renegade, and Hector Ramirez on the daytime soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful...
is the only actor to appear in all 227 episodes of the series.
Melissa Agretti/Samantha Ross -
Ana AliciaAna Alicia is a Mexican-born American actress known for her role as scheming heiress Melissa Agretti on the long-running primetime soap opera Falcon Crest.-Early life:...
- Feisty young heiress of her father's vineyard, Angela plots to have Melissa marry Lance as a scheme to bring the Agretti vineyards under her control, only to find that Melissa herself is as unscrupulous and scheming as she is. Melissa is the mother of Joseph Gioberti, following an affair with Cole Gioberti whom she later marries. After winning wresting control of FALCON CREST from Angela at the end of the seventh season (thanks to the 3rd codicil in Chase's will) and begins to "see" Angela everywhere she goes, and has a second newvous breakdown. This one culminates in her death by suicide after setting fire to Angela's beloved victorian manor house and suffer severe smoke inhalation. At the end of season eight in a desperate attempt to revitalise the ratings, producers, realizing their mistake in firing her, asked Ana-Alicia to return as a dead-ringer lookalike for Melissa. She agreed and she became a tool for Richard to gain control of a stock company Angela sat on the board of directors for, and had her kidnapped to drive her crazy. (Seasons 1-8)
Cole Gioberti -
William R. MosesWilliam Remington Moses is an American actor.-Early life:He is the son of the late actress Marian McCargo and advertising executive Richard Cantrell Moses, Sr. who divorced in 1963. Marian remarried in 1970 to the late former Republican Congressman Alphonzo Bell, Jr....
- Chase and Maggie's son, who supports his father in his new venture running the vineyards. He falls in love with Melissa Agretti, and is the father of her child, Joseph. Cole and Melissa later marry after Melissa's divorce from Lance, though their marriage is equally as brief. (Seasons 1-6)
Emma Channing -
Margaret LaddMargaret Ladd is an American actress, best known for playing Emma Channing in the 1980s soap opera Falcon Crest throughout its nine-year run. She was also one of the many actresses who played Jane Skerba on the cancelled 1960's soap opera A Flame in the Wind which later became A Time for Us. She...
- Angela's emotionally fragile younger daughter, who eventually learns to resist Angela's constant attempts to control her. Much unlucky in love, her relationships with men always end in heartache or tragedy. (Seasons 1-9)
Chao-Li -
Chao-Li ChiChao-Li Chi is a Shanxi-born actor, who has worked extensively in American television.Film credits include Big Trouble in Little China, The Joy Luck Club, The Nutty Professor, Wedding Crashers and "The Prestige"...
- Angela's faithful Chinese major domo and chauffeur.
Vickie Gioberti -
Jamie RoseJamie Rose is an American actress possibly best known for playing Vickie Gioberti in the prime time 1980s soap opera Falcon Crest. Rose played the role from 1981 to 1983, leaving at the beginning at the show's third season...
(Seasons 1-3),
Dana SparksDana Sparks is an American television actress, who is most well-known for her work as JAG lawyer Lt Commander Carolyn Imes|Characters in JAG in JAG. She is also noted for her roles as Vicki Giobertti in Falcon Crest and as Grace Bennett/Faith Standish in Passions. Sparks reprised the role of Grace...
(Seasons 6-8)
- Chase and Maggie's daughter.
Julia Cumson -
Abby DaltonAbby Dalton is an American actress. Born as Marlene Wasden in Las Vegas, Nevada, she has made numerous appearances on television, including the recurring role of "Julia Cumson" on Falcon Crest....
- Angela's eldest daughter and the mother of Lance, Julia initially works as a wine-maker at Falcon Crest, later spending time both in prison and in a nunnery! (Seasons 1-4; Recurring afterwards)
Philip Erickson -
Mel FerrerMel Ferrer was an American actor, film director and film producer.-Early life:Melchor Gaston Ferrer was born in Elberon, New Jersey, of Catalan and Irish descent. His father, Dr. José María Ferrer , was born in Cuba and was an authority on pneumonia and served as chief of staff of St. Vincent's...
- Angela's crooked lawyer, and eventually second husband. (Seasons 1-3)
Terry Hartford McCarthy Ranson Channing -
Laura JohnsonLaura Johnson is an American actress who played Terry Hartford in the soap opera Falcon Crest from 1983 to 1986.Johnson was married to actor Harry Hamlin from 1985 to 1989....
- Maggie Gioberti's younger sister. Beautiful but devious, she is a former call girl who creates scandal in Tuscany Valley with her attempts to move up the society ladder. After inheriting her husband Michael's wealth following his death in a plane crash, she blackmail's Richard Channing into marrying her.She was killed in the Tuscany Valley earthquake (Seasons 3-5)
Pamela Lynch -
Sarah DouglasSarah Douglas is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for playing the Kryptonian supervillain Ursa in the first two Superman movies , and for her role as Pamela Lynch on the hit 1980s primetime drama series Falcon Crest .-Early life:Douglas was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire,...
(Seasons 3-4),
Martine BeswickMartine Beswick is a British actress and model, best known for her roles in two James Bond movies.-Biography:...
(Season 5)
- Personal assistant to Richard Channing
Greg Reardon -
Simon MacCorkindaleSimon Charles Pendered MacCorkindale is a well-known British actor, director, and producer who trained at Theatre of Arts in London.-Early life:...
- Smooth British lawyer who works for Angela. (Seasons 4-5)
Gustav Riebmann -
Paul FreemanPaul Freeman is a British film and television actor.Freeman was born in Hertfordshire, England. He began his career in advertising and teaching, and like many British actors he landed small roles in the theatre, appearing in productions of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hamlet...
- Head of a sinister neo-Nazi cartel who raises hell in Tuscany Valley (Season 4)
Father Christopher Rossini -
Ken OlinKenneth Edward "Ken" Olin is an American actor, director and producer. He first became well known for his starring role on the television series Thirtysomething, and is currently a television producer and director.-Career:...
- Priest and illegitimate son of Julia Cumson (Season 5)
Peter Stavros -
Cesar RomeroCesar Julio Romero, Jr. was a Cuban American film and television actor, best known for his portrayal of The Joker in the 1960s television series Batman...
- Billionaire Greek industrialist who eventually becomes Angela's third husband (Seasons 5-8)
Eric Stavros - John Callahan
- Peter Stavros' son, who marries Vickie Gioberti (Seasons 5-7)
Dan Fixx -
Brett CullenPeter Brett Cullen is an American actor who has appeared in numerous motion pictures and television programs. Early in 2007, he was cast as the role of an estranged father to one of the American football players, Tim Riggins , in the NBC drama series Friday Night Lights.Cullen was born in Houston,...
- The Late Elizabeth Bradbury's and Tucker Fixx's son.The ward of Angela Channings (Seasons 6-7)
Frank Agretti -
Rod TaylorRodney Sturt "Rod" Taylor is an Australian-born actor.-Life and career:Born in Lidcombe, a suburb of Sydney, Australia, Taylor was the only child of William Sturt Taylor, a steel construction contractor and commercial artist, and the former Mona Thompson, a writer of plays and children's books...
- Melissa's uncle, and love interest for Angela who becomes her fourth husband (Seasons 7-9)
Nick Agretti -
David BeecroftDavid Beecroft is an American actor noted for his television appearances, having played both regular and recurring roles in shows such as Falcon Crest , Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and Melrose Place...
- Melissa's cousin and Frank's son (Season 8)
Pilar Ortega -
Kristian AlfonsoKristian-Joy Alfonso is a Daytime Emmy-nominated American soap opera actress, and former figure skater and model. She is best known for her portrayal of Hope Williams Brady in Days of our Lives.-Early career:...
- Former teenage sweetheart of Lance Cumson and eventually his wife. Her father is the Falcon CRest Winery foreman (Seasons 8-9)
Lauren Sharpe Daniels -
Wendy PhillipsWendy Phillips is an American actress, noted for playing David Selby's last wife, Lauren Daniels, during the final season of Falcon Crest and for playing Gerald McRaney's wife, Claire Greene, on both Touched By An Angel and Promised Land...
- Maggie's second cousin and love interest for Richard Channing, who later becomes his wife (Season 9)
Michael Sharpe -
Gregory HarrisonGregory Neale Harrison is an American actor. He is probably best known for his role as Chandler in the 1987 cult favorite North Shore and as Pernell Roberts's young surgeon, Dr. George Alonzo 'Gonzo' Gates, on the CBS series Trapper John, M.D....
- Maggie's second cousin, brother of Lauren, and a ruthless businessman who becomes an opponent of Richard Channing (Season 9)
Genele Ericson -
Andrea ThompsonRebecca Andrea Thompson is an American actress, best known for her roles on the television series Falcon Crest, Babylon 5, JAG, 24 and NYPD Blue.-Early life:...
- Frank Agretti's murderous sister-in-law (Season 9)
Special guest stars
Jacqueline Perrault -
Lana TurnerLana Turner was an American actress.Discovered and signed to a film contract by MGM at the age of sixteen, Turner first attracted attention in They Won't Forget . She played featured roles, often as the ingenue, in such films as Love Finds Andy Hardy...
- Chase's flamboyant mother and an enemy of Angela (Seasons 1-2)
Dr. Michael Ranson -
Cliff RobertsonClifford Parker "Cliff" Robertson III is an American actor with a film and television career that spans half of a century. Robertson won the 1968 Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the movie Charly...
- Chase's cousin who works as a surgeon at the region's hospital. He later marries Terry Hartford (Season 3)
Francesca Gioberti -
Gina LollobrigidaGina Lollobrigida , is an Italian actress and photojournalist. She was one of Italy's most prominent actresses of the 1950s and early 1960s.-Youth:...
- Angela's Italian half-sister who visits Tuscany Valley with a claim to a share of Falcon Crest (Season 4)
Cassandra Wilder -
Anne ArcherAnne Archer is an American actress. Archer is noted for her role as the betrayed housewife in the 1987 film Fatal Attraction for which she received an Academy Award nomination. As a member of the ensemble cast in the film Short Cuts, Archer was awarded a special Golden Globe...
- Cool businesswoman who makes her presence felt at Falcon Crest. Daughter of Anna Rossini, and mother of Michael Channing (Seasons 4-5)
Anna Rossini -
Celeste HolmCeleste Holm is an American stage, film, and television actress, known for her Academy Award-winning performance in Gentleman's Agreement , as well as for her Oscar-nominated performance in All About Eve ....
- A widow with a score to settle with Angela (Seasons 4-5)
Jordan Roberts -
Morgan FairchildMorgan Fairchild is an American actress. She achieved prominence during the late 1970s and early 1980s with continuing roles in several television series, in which she usually conveyed a glamorous image. Fairchild has also performed in live theater and played guest roles in television comedies...
- A glamorous attorney who works for Richard Channing (Season 5)
Kit Marlowe -
Kim NovakKim Novak is a two-time Golden Globe Award-winning American actress. She is best known for her performance in the classic 1958 film Vertigo...
- A woman with a shady past who causes mayhem when she arrives in Tuscany Valley, posing as Peter Stavros' stepdaughter, Skylar Kimball. (Season 6)
Roland Saunders -
Robert StackRobert Langford Modini Stack was an American actor. He was perhaps best known for his film acting as well as his role in the television series The Untouchables and as host of Unsolved Mysteries. He starred in more than 40 films.-Early life:Stack was born in Los Angeles, California but spent his...
- Mafioso-type criminal who briefly romances Angela and is out to kill Kit Marlowe (Season 6)
Vince Karlotti -
Marjoe GortnerHugh Marjoe Ross Gortner, generally known as Marjoe Gortner , is a former revivalist who first gained a certain fame in the late 1940s and early to mid 1950s when he became the youngest ordained preacher at the age of four, and then outright notoriety in the 1970s when he starred in an...
- Psychic medium who has Emma Channing under his spell (Season 6)
Nicole Sauget -
Leslie CaronLeslie Claire Margaret Caron is a French film actress and dancer, who appeared in 45 films between 1951 and 2003. She was one of the most famous Hollywood musical stars in the 1950s...
- Wealthy woman and old friend of Chase's (Season 7)
Jay Spence -
John David CarsonJohn David Carson is an American actor. He was born in North Hollywood, California, the son of Western actor Aldrich "Kit" Carson and Rosamonde "Boots" James Carson, a fashion model. Carson began his career at a young age, acting in television advertisements, and later doing cartoon voice-acting...
- Mysterious con artist and former horse trainer (Season 7)
Liz McDowell -
Lauren HuttonLauren Hutton is an American former model and occasional actress. She is best known for her starring roles in the movies American Gigolo and Lassiter, and also for her fashion modeling career....
- Businesswoman who has dealings with Richard Channing (Season 7)
Carlton Travis -
Eddie AlbertEdward Albert Heimberger , better known as Eddie Albert, was an American actor, gardener, humanitarian, activist and World War II veteran...
- Villain whose business with Richard Channing turns deadly (Season 7)
Lillian North Darlington -
Eve ArdenEve Arden was an American actress. Her almost 60-year career crossed most media frontiers with supporting and leading roles, but she is perhaps best remembered for playing the sardonic but engaging high school teacher in the classic Our Miss Brooks , and as the Rydell High School principal in the...
- Killer of Adam, Carlon Travis' brother (Season 7)
Madame Malec -
Ursula AndressUrsula Andress is a Swiss actress and a major sex symbol of the 1960s. She is best known for her roles as Bond girl Honey Rider in Dr...
- Exotic woman whom Richard Channing deals with in his efforts to rescue Vickie Gioberti Stavros from a white slave ring (Season 7)
Samantha Ross -
Ana AliciaAna Alicia is a Mexican-born American actress known for her role as scheming heiress Melissa Agretti on the long-running primetime soap opera Falcon Crest.-Early life:...
- Doppelganger
A doppelgänger is the ghostly double of a living person, a sinister form of bilocation.In the vernacular, the word "doppelgänger" has come to refer to any double or look-alike of a person. The word is also used to describe the sensation of having glimpsed oneself in peripheral vision, in a...
for Melissa Agretti who becomes involved in the schemes of both Angela and Richard (Season 8)
Anne Bowen -
Susan BlakelySusan Blakely is an American movie actress who has mainly played supporting roles.-Early life:Blakely was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1948. She graduated from Carlisle High School, Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1966. She is the daughter of Weezie, a former art teacher, and Colonel Lawrence Blakely,...
- Danny Sharpe's mother, and an old flame of both Richard Channing and Michael Sharpe (Season 9)
Other recurring cast
Dr. Howell -
Richard EasthamRichard Eastham, born Dickinson Swift Eastham , was an American actor of stage, film, and television and a concert singer known for his deep baritone voice.-Tombstone Territory:...
(Season 1, six episodes)
Gus Nunouz -
Nick RamusNickolas G. Ramus was a Native American actor, best known for his appearances on television. He was a Blackfoot.He appeared as Chief Lost Eagle of the Arapaho in the miniseries "Centennial" He also appeared in the 1993 TNT telefilm Geronimo about the historical Apache warrior with the same...
- Foreman at vineyard and a friend to Chase (Season 1)
Douglas Channing -
Stephen ElliottStephen Elliott was an American actor.- Theatre :Elliott's first acting engagement was at the New York Neighborhood Playhouse in 1946. After serving in World War II, Elliott started a successful career on Broadway with his debut in Shakespeare's The Tempest...
- Angela's ex-husband and father of Richard, Julia and Emma (Season 1)
Tony Cumson - John Saxon-Early life:Saxon, an Italian American, was born Carmine Orrico in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Anna and Antonio Orrico, a dock worker. He attended New Utrecht High School and studied acting with famous acting coach Stella Adler and broke into films in the mid-1950s, playing teenage roles...
(Seasons 1, 6-7)
, Robert LoggiaRobert Loggia is an American film and television actor and director, who specializes in character parts.-Early life:Loggia, an Italian American, was born on Staten Island, the son of Elena , a homemaker, and Benjamin Loggia, a shoemaker,both of whom were born in Sicily, Italy.After studying at...
(Season 2)
- Julia's ex-husband and Lance's father
Father Bob -
Bob CurtisBob Curtis is an American actor and priest noted for his recurring role as Father Bob in the soap opera Falcon Crest. He appeared in the series from 1982 to 1990....
- Catholic priest and Angela's friend, involved with several major characters throughout the series
Carlo Agretti - Carlos Romero
- Melissa's wealthy father, and owner of the Agretti vineyards (Seasons 1-2)
Mario Nunouz -
Mario MarcelinoMario Marcelino is an American actor, possibly best known for his role as Mario Nunouz in the television soap opera Falcon Crest.He has also appeared in Knight Rider, Airwolf and the film Star Trek III: The Search for Spock....
- Gus Nunouz's son, romantically involved with Vickie Gioberti (Seasons 1-2)
Alicia Nunouz -
Silvana GallardoSilvana Gallardo is an American actress.She has been mostly active in television. Her credits include: Starsky and Hutch, Kojak, Lou Grant, Quincy, Hill Street Blues, Cagney and Lacey, Falcon Crest, Trapper John M.D., The Golden Girls, Knots Landing, MacGyver, LA Law, Babylon 5, ER and NYPD Blue...
- Wife of Gus Nunouz, and mother of Mario (Seasons 1-2)
Nick Hogan -
Roy ThinnesRoy Thinnes is an American television actor.-Biography:Born in Chicago, Illinois, educated at Los Angeles City College, Thinnes is best known for his portrayal of lonely hero David Vincent in the ABC 1967-68 television series The Invaders. He also played Alfred Wentworth, in the pilot episode of...
- Vickie Gioberti's first husband. (Season 2-3)
Diana Hunter -
Shannon TweedShannon Lee Tweed is a Canadian actress and model. One of the most successful actresses of mainstream erotica, she is identified with the genre of the erotic thriller.-Early life:...
- Personal assistant to Richard Channing who is secretly involved in the mysterious Cartel organisation (Season 2)
Darryl Clayton -
Bradford DillmanBradford Dillman is an American retired film and television actor and author.-Early life:Bradford Dillman was born on April 14, 1930 in San Francisco, California, the son of Josephine and Dean Dillman, a stockbroker. He studied at Town School for Boys and St. Ignatius High School, and at...
- Film producer who works with Maggie Gioberti on a script as part of a plot by Angela (Season 2)
Katherine Demery -
Joanna CassidyJoanna Cassidy is an American actress, known for her various roles in film and television.-Life and career:Cassidy was born Joanna Virginia Caskey in Haddonfield, New Jersey, the daughter of Virginia and Joe Caskey....
- Woman who becomes romantically involved with Cole Gioberti (Season 2)
Sheila Hogan -
Katherine JusticeKatherine Justice is an American actress with several television credits to her name.-Selected credits:*Columbo*The Big Valley*The Virginian*The Invaders*Gunsmoke*Marcus Welby, M.D.*Hawaii Five-O...
- Ex-wife of Nick Hogan (Seasons 2-3)
Linda Caproni -
Mary Kate McGeehanMary Kate McGeehon is an American actress.She is best known to television viewers for her role as Linda Gioberti in the 1980s prime-time drama series Falcon Crest...
- Cole Gioberti's first wife (Seasons 2-4)
Vince Caproni -
Harry BaschHarry Basch is an American actor and author. He is possibly best known for his role as Vince Caproni in the 1980s television series Falcon Crest. He appeared in the series from 1982 to 1984. In addition to acting, Basch has written several articles for the Los Angeles Times about traveling...
- Linda's father (Seasons 2-4)
Joel McCarthy -
Parker StevensonParker Stevenson is an American television actor. He attended Rye Country Day School in Rye, NY. His first notable screen appearance was a starring role in the 1972 movie A Separate Peace...
- Terry Hartford's unsavoury ex-husband (Season 4)
Lorraine Prescott -
Kate VernonKate Vernon is a Canadian-born film and television actress. She is best known for her role as Lorraine Prescott on the CBS soap opera Falcon Crest from , and for her role as the stuck-up and popular Benny Hanson in the comedy film Pretty in Pink .Vernon was briefly a regular on Who's the Boss? in...
- Stepdaughter of Richard Channing and love interest for Lance (Season 4)
Charlotte Pershing -
Jane GreerJane Greer was a film and television actress who was perhaps best known for her role as femme fatale Kathie Moffat in the 1947 film noir Out of the Past.-Career:...
- Maggie's biological mother who gave her up for adoption at birth (Season 4)
Connie Giannini -
Carla BorelliCarla Borelli is an actress.From 1979 to 1982, Borelli played the part of Reena Bellman Cook Dekker on the daytime soaps Another World and Texas. She is possibly best known for her role as Connie Giannini in the 1980s television series Falcon Crest.-External links:*...
- Woman with whom Chase Gioberti has a brief affair (Seasons 4-5)
Damon Ross -
Jonathan FrakesJonathan Scott Frakes is an American actor, author and director, best known for his portrayal of Commander William T. Riker in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and as David Xanatos in the animated television series, Gargoyles.Moving on to directing in recent years, Frakes...
- Brother of Cassandra Wilder, and son of Anna Rossini (Season 4)
Robin Agretti -
Barbara HowardBarbara Howard is an American actress, who remains best known for her roles in the film Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and in the television series Falcon Crest as Melissa Agretti's cousin Robin Agretti. She is currently working as a psychotherapist....
- Melissa's cousin,the daughter of Phillip and Teresa Agretti and Chris Agretti's sister who becomes pregnant with Cole's child Hope Margaret as part of a surrogate pregnancy arrangement (Seasons 4-5)
Apollonia -
Apollonia KoteroPatricia Kotero , known by her stage name Apollonia, is an actress, singer, former model and talent manager. Kotero was born in Santa Monica, California. She is of Mexican descent. Apollonia was married to writer Kevin Bernhardt...
- Budding pop star and love interest for Lance (Season 5)
Dwayne Cooley -
Daniel GreeneDaniel Greene is an American actor, best known for his role as Dwayne Cooley in the television series Falcon Crest.Other TV credits include: Alice, Dynasty, Three's Company, Matt Houston, Emerald Point N.A.S., The A-Team, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Night Court, Remington Steele, L.A...
- Dashing truck driver who falls for Emma Channing before being killed in the Tuscany Valley earthquake. (Season 5)
Jeff Wainwright -
Edward AlbertEdward Albert was an American film and television actor. He was also known as Edward Laurence Albert and occasionally Eddie Albert Jr.-Early life:...
.
- Press agent for a book written by Maggie Gioberti, whose interest in Maggie takes on a disturbing edge (Seasons 5-6)
Li-Ying Chi -
Rosalind ChaoRosalind Chao is an American actress; she is married to voice actor Simon Templeman.-Early life:Born in Anaheim, California as a first-generation Californian of Chinese descent, Chao's parents ran a successful Chinese American pancake restaurant, Chao's, across the street from Disneyland, and...
- Chao-Li's daughter (Season 5)
Erin Jones -
Jill JacobsonJill Jacobson is an American actress, best known for her performances on television.Her credits include: Crazy Like a Fox, Falcon Crest, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Quantum Leap, Who's The Boss?, Murphy Brown and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine....
- Mysterious woman who works for Richard Channing (Seasons 5-6)
Meredith Braxton -
Jane BadlerJane Badler is an American actress. She is perhaps best known known for her role as Diana, the chief antagonist in the 1980s sci-fi saga V.- Biography :...
- Erin Jones' sister, and later assistant to Richard Channing (Season 6)
Guy Stafford -
Jeff KoberJeff Kober is an American actor, known for his performances on television and film.-Television:*V*The Twilight Zone*Highway to Heaven*Falcon Crest*MacGyver*China Beach*The X Files*The Pretender...
- Hired killer involved with Kit Marlowe (Season 6)
Francine Hope -
Melba MooreMelba Moore is an American R&B singer and actress. She is the daughter of saxophonist Teddy Hill and R&B singer Bonnie Davis.-Early life:...
- Woman who tries to help Maggie Gioberti trace her baby (Season 6)
Gabrielle Short -
Cindy MorganCindy Morgan was born in Chicago, Illinois, as Cynthia Ann Cichorski, on September 29, 1954, to Polish/German parents. The actress is best known for her appearances as, "Lora"/"Yori," in Tron, and, "Lacey Underall," in Caddyshack....
- Love interest for Chase (Seasons 6-7)
Dina Wells -
Robin GreerRobin Greer is an American actress, noted for her roles in television soap operas.She played Sydney Price in the daytime series Ryan's Hope before switching to prime-time to play Dina Wells in Falcon Crest....
- Love interest for Lance (Seasons 6-7)
Garth -
Carl HeldCarl Held is an actor who has worked extensively in both American and British television....
- Personal assistant to Richard (Seasons 6-8)
John Remick -
Ed MarinaroEd Marinaro is an American actor and former football player.-Football career:Marinaro played high school football in New Milford, New Jersey for the New Milford High School Knights....
- Vietnam veteran and an old friend of Chase's (Season 7)
Carly Fixx -
Mariska HargitayMariska Magdolina Hargitay is an American actress, best known for her role as Detective Olivia Benson on the television program Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Hargitay is a winner of a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award....
- Dan Fixx's Step-sister (Seasons 7-8)
Ben Agretti -
Brandon DouglasBrandon Douglas is an American actor. He first came to prominence in the television series Falcon Crest, in which he played Ben Agretti during the 1988-1989 season. He is well known for playing Dr. Andrew Cook in the popular CBS series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman...
- Son of Nick Agretti and Anna Cellini (Season 8)
Cesar Ortega -
Castulo GuerraCástulo Guerra is an Argentine actor who found success appearing in American films and television. Film roles include: Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Usual Suspects, Meet Me in Miami and The Celestine Prophecy. His TV credits include: Riptide, The Fall Guy, Falcon Crest, The A-Team, Remington...
- Pilar Ortega's father who works on the vineyards (Season 8)
Tommy Ortega -
Dan FerroDan Ferro is an American actor, best known for his role as Tommy Ortega in the 1980s television series Falcon Crest. He played an inept narcissistic soldier in 1996's Sgt. Bilko.He later appeared in the 2001 film Blow....
- Pilar Ortega's brother (Season 8)
Gabriel Ortega -
Danny Nucci-Personal Life:Nucci was born in Klagenfurt, Austria, to a French Moroccan mother and an Italian father, and was raised in Italy until the age of seven, when his family relocated to the United States. He has two sisters, Natalie and Elle. After temporarily living in Queens, New York, the family...
- Pilar Ortega's younger brother (Season 8)
Anna Cellini -
Assumpta SernaAssumpta Serna is a Spanish actress. She is known for her roles in I, The Worst of All portraying famous Mexican religious scholar Sor Juana, Nostradamus, The Craft, and Wild Orchid, although she may be most remembered for her role as Napoleonic-era Spanish guerrilla commander Teresa Moreno in the...
- Love interest of Nick Agretti (Season 8)
Charley St. James -
Mark Lindsay ChapmanMark Lindsay Chapman is an English film and television actor.His credits include: Max Headroom, Dallas ,Falcon Crest , Baywatch,...
- Sleazy villain who manipulates his way into Emma's affections and tries to kill Angela to gain control of Falcon Crest (Season 9)
Ian St. James -
David HuntDavid Hunt is a British actor who has worked in both the United Kingdom and the United States.Hunt's best known U.S. television role was Ian St. James in the final season of Falcon Crest . His best known U.S. film role is Harlan Rook, the murderer in the 1988 action film The Dead Pool, the fifth...
- Charley St. James' equally villainous brother who was behind the deaths of both Emma's husband R.D Young and Chris Agretti (Season 9)
Sydney St. James -
Carla GuginoCarla N. Gugino is an American actress known for her roles of Sally Jupiter in Watchmen, Vincent Chase's agent, Amanda, in season 3 of Entourage, Ingrid Cortez in the Spy Kids film trilogy, and as the lead characters of the television series Karen Sisco and Threshold.-Early life:Gugino was born in...
- Young wife of Ian St. James who has an affair with Robin's younger brother Chris Agretti(Season 9)
Danny Sharpe -
David SheinkopfDavid Sheinkopf is an American actor, best known for playing Danny Sharpe during the final season of the television drama Falcon Crest....
- Headstrong young man who believes that Michael Sharpe is his father only to find out later Richard Channing was (Season 9)
Mercedes Vargas -
Martha VelezMartha Carmen Josephine Hernandéz Rosario de Veléz is an American singer and actress of Puerto Rican descent. Veléz is the former wife of famous trumpet player Keith Johnson. Her son is performance artist,writer/poet, singer, Taj Johnson. Taj appeared as series regular for two years on Parker...
- Aunt to Pilar Ortega/Cumson who is secretly raising Pilar's daughter (Season 8)
Walker Daniels -
Robert GintyRobert Ginty was an American movie actor, producer, scenarist, and director of movies and TV series episodes.-Early life:...
- Lauren Daniels' husband (Season 9)
Behind the scenes
An unaired pilot for the series was filmed entitled
The Vintage Years, which featured number of significant differences from the series that would eventually air. The character of Richard Channing was present in the original pilot, played by
Michael SwanMichael Swan is an American film and TV actor.Swan was born in San Jose, California, the son of actress Alys Lucille and Donald Arthur Swan. He was raised in the wine business in Northern California, working for his Uncle Joseph Swan and Louis Martini and still keeps close ties with the industry...
; this alternate Richard was Angela's biological son fighting for his domineering mother's favor. Abby Dalton's character, Julia, was called Dorcas, Jane Wyman wore a grey wig as Angela, and Chase and Maggie were played in the pilot by
Clu GulagerClu Gulager is an American television and film actor. He is particularly noted for appearing in the 1985 horror movie as the protagonist Burt in The Return of the Living Dead, The Hidden, and The Offspring .-Early life:Gulager was born William Martin Gulager in Holdenville, Oklahoma, the son of...
and
Samantha EggarVictoria Louise Samantha Marie Elizabeth Therese Eggar is an English actress.-Early life:She was born to an English father and a mother of Dutch and Portuguese descent and was educated at a convent.-Career:She began her acting career in several Shakespearean companies, and debuted on film in 1962...
respectively. Emma was not a character, but there was a subplot concerning a mysterious woman crying for her mother while locked away in one of the upstairs rooms.
Lorimar producers searching for a location to use as the principal backdrop for the show decided upon a Napa Valley winery located in Saint Helena, California known as
Spring Mountain VineyardsSpring Mountain Vineyard is a vineyard consisting of 135 different vineyard blocks scattered over the estate in California's Napa Valley.The original winery was established in 1884 by Tuburcio Parrott. The current vineyards are on the eastern slope of Spring Mountain at elevations varying from to...
. Located there was the building cast as Angela's home, in reality the 1884 Victorian mansion "Villa Miravalle", as well as the winery building which, by contrast, had just been constructed in the mid-1970's.
Barbara StanwyckBarbara Stanwyck was an American actress, a star of film and television, known during her 60-year career as a consummate and versatile professional with a strong screen presence, and a favorite of directors such as Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang and Frank Capra...
had been considered for the role of Angela Channing, but turned it down.
Dorothy McGuire-Career:Born in Omaha, Nebraska, she began her acting career on the stage at the Omaha Community Playhouse. Eventually, she succeeded on Broadway, first appearing as an understudy to Martha Scott in Our Town, and subsequently starring in the domestic comedy, Claudia.Brought to Hollywood by producer...
was another casting suggestion for the part.
According to rumor, Jane Wyman had a running feud with Robert Foxworth, to the point where they measured each other's dressing room trailers just to make sure they were equal in size. When Foxworth became a director for the show, Wyman demanded CBS add a clause to her contract also allowing her to be a director. Although she ultimately never directed any episodes, Wyman was pleased that she had the same designation as Foxworth.
Wyman had had a long-running feud with fellow movie star legend
Lana TurnerLana Turner was an American actress.Discovered and signed to a film contract by MGM at the age of sixteen, Turner first attracted attention in They Won't Forget . She played featured roles, often as the ingenue, in such films as Love Finds Andy Hardy...
which dated back to their Hollywood years. The two legendary actresses quickly refused to speak to each other and the producers had to film their confrontational scenes separately and then splice them together; Turner was written out of the show soon after. A few years after she appeared on the program, Turner noted that she believed Wyman was negative in demeanor due to the fact that her ex-husband,
Ronald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States and the 33rd Governor of California .Born in Tampico, Illinois, Reagan moved to Los Angeles, California in the 1930s...
, was elected
PresidentThe President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition...
during the 1980s, something that Turner believed Wyman could not reconcile within herself.
Celeste Holm also stated that Wyman drove her off the show and Mel Ferrer and Simon MacCorkindale claimed in the press that the actress didn't give any support to them when they were written off the show.
Richard BurtonRichard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award and was at one time the highest-paid actor in Hollywood...
was offered $ 2.5 million for a five-minute cameo as Jean-Pierre Charbone (Jacqueline's husband or lover) but it did not work out.
Producers were interested of having another special guest star in season 3, after
Lana TurnerLana Turner was an American actress.Discovered and signed to a film contract by MGM at the age of sixteen, Turner first attracted attention in They Won't Forget . She played featured roles, often as the ingenue, in such films as Love Finds Andy Hardy...
's departure and asked
Lauren BacallLauren Bacall is an American film and stage actress and model, known for her husky voice and sultry looks....
and
Mia FarrowMia Farrow is an American actress, singer, and former fashion model. Farrow has appeared in more than forty films and won numerous awards, including a Golden Globe award , three BAFTA Film Award nominations, and a win for best actress at the San Sebastian International Film Festival...
to join the show. They both declined the offer and the roles were terminated of the script.
Sophia LorenSophia Loren is an Italian film actress and an international sex symbol. In 1961, she won an Academy Award for Best Actress for Two Women, becoming the first actor to win an Academy Award for a non-English-speaking performance....
was set to star in the role of Francesca Gioberti, Angela's secret half-sister who comes to the valley to threaten Angela's control of Falcon Crest. Loren was to play thirteen episodes, and producers promised a fabulous wardrobe and a dynamic character that would rival Dynastys
AlexisAlexis Colby is a fictional character on the American TV series Dynasty....
At the last minute, negotiations with Loren went sour and the deal fell through. Gina Lollobrigida was recast in the role, but only signed on for four episodes. Interestingly, Loren was also
Aaron SpellingAaron Spelling was an American film and television producer. As of 2009, Spelling's company holds the record as the most prolific television writer, with 218 producer and executive producer credits.-Early life:...
's first choice for the role of "Alexis Carrington" in Dynasty, but was passed over as she was requesting too much money, thus allowing the role to go to
Joan CollinsJoan Henrietta Collins OBE is an English actress, author, and columnist.-Early life:Collins was born in Paddington, London, the daughter of Elsa , a dance teacher and nightclub hostess, and Joseph William Collins, an agent whose clients would later include Shirley Bassey, The Beatles and Tom Jones...
.
Brooke ShieldsBrooke Christa Camille Shields is an American actress, author and model. Some of her better-known movies include Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon as well as TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, That 70's Show, and Lipstick Jungle.-Early life:Shields was born in New York City into a well-known American...
was asked to join the show as Greg Reardon's sister and a love interest for Lance, but the actress was not interested by TV at the time.
At the end of season 5, Peter Savros receives an unpleasant phone call. The producers intended to reveal the following season that the person who called was Peter's brother and planed to lure
Anthony QuinnAnthony Quinn was a Mexican-American actor, as well as a painter and writer. He starred in numerous critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, including Zorba the Greek, Lawrence of Arabia, and Federico Fellini's La strada...
to play the role. But the actor turned down the role and the phone scene turned out to be meaningless.
Angie DickinsonAngie Dickinson is a Golden Globe-winning American actress who has appeared in more than 50 films and starred on television as Sergeant Leann "Pepper" Anderson in the successful 1970s crime series Police Woman.-Early life:...
was considered to play Angela's first child, before the final decision was made that this plotline would work much better with Richard.
Although
Raquel Welch-Early life:Welch was born Jo Raquel Tejada in Chicago, Illinois, the oldest of three children and the daughter of Josephine Sarah and Armando Carlos Tejada Urquizo...
was not interested to join the cast, she arranged for her daughter
Tahnee WelchTahnee Welch is an American model and actress.She was born in San Diego, California, the daughter of actress Raquel Welch and her first husband, James Welch. Her film career began in Italy starring opposite Virna Lisi. Returning to the U.S...
to have a role in season 7.
The Gustav Riebmann/Nazi treasure storyline was not very popular with the audience. CBS received letters from viewers who were turned off by a Nazi character being a part of the main cast. CBS forced the producers to wrap up this story at very short notice, and the full season story arc was rewritten to accommodate the new direction.
The character of Meredith Braxton was supposed to be a lesbian whose female lover was her cohort in a scheme to extract a fortune from Richard Channing. It had been rumored that if Meredith and her lover Erin Jones were rewritten to be sisters instead it's because Jane Wyman, a staunch Catholic, objected to the storyline. That was confirmed by
Jill JacobsonJill Jacobson is an American actress, best known for her performances on television.Her credits include: Crazy Like a Fox, Falcon Crest, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Quantum Leap, Who's The Boss?, Murphy Brown and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine....
in 2009.
Jane Wyman, Chao-Li Chi, and Lorenzo Lamas were the only cast members to stay throughout the show's entire run;
David SelbyDavid Lynn Selby is an American character and stage actor. He has worked in movies, soap operas and television. The naturally black-headed Selby is best known for playing the roles of Quentin Collins on the ABC-TV cult serial, Dark Shadows , as Jane Wyman's evil and compassionate TV son, Richard...
appeared in eight of the nine seasons, without missing an episode. Lorenzo Lamas was the only actor to appear in all 227 episodes of the series. Jane Wyman appeared in the third highest amount of episodes, a total of 208 of the 227 episodes (missing 19 episodes before and during in the ninth and final season due to health problems).
Long before Lorenzo Lamas auditioned for and won the role of Lance Cumson, Jane Wyman first met his father
Fernando LamasFernando Álvaro Lamas was an Argentina-born American actor and director, and the father of actor Lorenzo Lamas. His full birth name was Fernando Álvaro Lamas y de Santos-Early years and career:Lamas was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. By 1942, he was an established movie star in Argentina...
on an episode of her own
anthologyAn anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
show in the 1950s.
According to Dallas
creator David JacobsDavid Jacobs is a writer for television, most memorable for being the creator of the two dramas Dallas and Knots Landing.-Positions held:*Knots Landing Reunion: Together Again *Four Corners...
, before auditioning for Falcon Crest
, Robert FoxworthRobert Heath Foxworth is an American film, stage and television actor.-Early life:Foxworth was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Erna Beth , a writer, and John Howard Foxworth, a roofing contractor...
turned down the role of J.R. EwingJohn Ross Ewing, Jr., more commonly known as J.R. Ewing, played by Larry Hagman, was a nefarious figure on the hit CBS television series Dallas . The series was a cross between Romeo and Juliet and the western Bonanza...
on Dallas because he did not want to play such an unsympathetic character. The role ultimately went to
Larry HagmanLarry Martin Hagman is an American film and television actor, producer and director best known for playing J. R. Ewing in the 1980s primetime television soap opera Dallas and Major Anthony Nelson in the 1960s sitcom, I Dream of Jeannie.-Early life:Hagman was born in Fort Worth, Texas...
.
In 1988,
Ana AliciaAna Alicia is a Mexican-born American actress known for her role as scheming heiress Melissa Agretti on the long-running primetime soap opera Falcon Crest.-Early life:...
had an argument with Executive Producer Michael Filerman. Filerman did not think the part of Melissa was worth it to continue. She had to leave. But this turned out to be unpopular with the viewers and she was asked to return to the show. Since Ana Alicia was still under contract, she was receiving two separate paychecks: one for the role of Melissa and a second one for the role of Melissa's look-a-like 'Samantha Ross'.
Susan Sullivan appeared in all the episodes for eight of nine seasons. She left the show at the beginning of the last season, because she realized that her character was "repeating herself".
US ratings
Falcon Crest
was a top-30 hit during six seasons.
- Season 1 (1981-1982): #13
- Season 2 (1982-1983): #8
- Season 3 (1983-1984): #7
- Season 4 (1984-1985): #10
- Season 5 (1985-1986): #25
- Season 6 (1986-1987): #23
Music
Falcon Crests heraldic theme was composed by
Bill ContiBill Conti is an Italian American film music composer who is frequently the conductor at the Academy Awards ceremony.-Early life and career:Bill Conti is a graduate of Louisiana State University....
, who also composed the themes to
DynastyDynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard and Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
,
The ColbysThe Colbys is an American prime time soap opera which aired on ABC from November 20, 1985 to March 26, 1987. The Aaron Spelling-produced series was a spin-off from the more successful Dynasty, which had been ranked #1 for the 1984-1985 U.S. television season...
and
Cagney & LaceyCagney & Lacey is an American television series that first aired on the CBS television network for seven seasons from March 25, 1982 to May 16, 1988. It is considered to be American television's first serious drama series with two female leads...
. He also composed the music of the very first episode. In season 9, the theme music was totally reimagined by composer
Patrick O'HearnPatrick O'Hearn is a multi-instrumentalist musician, composer and recording artist.-Formative Years:Born in Los Angeles and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Patrick O'Hearn began his professional music career at age 15 when he joined the Musicians Union and began playing night clubs in Portland,...
.
From season 1 to 5, the music was performed by an orchestra. In seasons 6 and 7, the background music was performed by only one single artist or an artist duo per episode, using synclavier, one of the early high-tech synthesizers.
Mark SnowMark Snow is a prolific composer for film and television.Born in New York City, he grew up in Brooklyn, graduating from the High School of Music and Art and, afterwards, the Juilliard School of Music...
, who later composed the theme of
X-Files was the main composer and performing musician for both seasons. During season 8, the music was more classic again before the composers returned to synthesizers in the ultimate season.
Opening credits
Like
Knots LandingKnots Landing is an American primetime television soap opera that was screened from December 27 1979 to May 13 1993 on CBS. Set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles in California, the show centered on the lives of four married couples living in a cul-de-sac, Seaview Circle...
,
Falcon Crest ran different styles of opening credits. In season 1 and in the first half of season 2, each actor's title card was followed by a multi-picture combo. In the second half of season 2 and in seasons 3 and 4, the multi-picture combos were replaced by location footage transitions.
In season 5, the title cards appeared directly on the location footages, exactly like it did in the opening credits of
DynastyDynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981 to May 11, 1989. It was created by Richard and Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, and revolved around the Carringtons, a wealthy oil family living in Denver, Colorado...
. The previous logo for the first four seasons with the initial red-white coat of arms and the yellow "Letraset Romic" italics was updated with the addition of a frame around the logo and a new elegant typeface, "Benguiat Book", replaced the former font.
In seasons 6 and 7, an independent design consultant was hired, Billy Pittard, which was something completely new at the time for a nationally broadcast television show. He added transitions between the title cards which would be smoothly dissolved in the form of an ellipsis similar to the ellipse created by swirling wine in a wine goblet. The logo was also redesigned in a most elegant gold and blue color variation; the "Benguiat Book" typeface, now also appearing gold, was set in small caps. In season 7, that logo was even animated - it took six weeks to be produced since it was an early stage of computer generated animation.
In season 8, the main title was quite the same than in two previous seasons (changes were minor) while in the last season it was completely transformed. Each actor's title card was immediately followed by an image featuring sex or violence instead of footage locations in order to introduce a crime drama's atmosphere. The traditional falcon coat of arms was absent of the season's premiere and due to several thousands of fan complaints in the one week between the second episode, the classic crest logo was reintroduced in the second episode and remained until the final episode aired on May 17, 1990 on CBS.
DVD releases
The rights to the series are held by
Warner Bros.Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. (also known as Warner Bros. Pictures, or simply Warner Bros.—the shortened form of the former official, sometimes still used, formal corporate name: Warner Brothers
(successor-in-interest to the original production company Lorimar). The first season was released on DVD in various European countries in April and May 2009 and the second season is scheduled for October 20 in Spain and in 2010 in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
On October 14, 2009, it was announced that Warner Home VideoWarner Home Video is the home video unit of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., itself part of Time Warner. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Video . It was re-named Warner Home Video in 1980...
plans on releasing Falcon Crest on DVD in Region 1 in 2010. http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Falcon-Crest-DVDs/12818