|  USA
/ CBS-Lorimar / 344x60 minute episodes + 2 specials / 27 December 1979 – 13 May 1993
Long running US prime time soap that was a spin off from Dallas with a
character from that show Gary Ewing and his wife Valene moving to Knots
Landing, small suburban close in Southern California. Initially
the show was concerned solely with the lives of the residents of the
close who were Sid and Karen Fairgate (Gary worked for Sid in his car
dealership), record exec Kenny Ward and his wife Ginger, lawyer Richard
Avery and his wife Laura. Superbitch Abby Cunningham (Sid's divorced
sister) quickly arrived on the close and was soon stirring up trouble.
Sid Fairgate
died in a car accident and Karen later married attorney Mack Mackenzie.
As time went on the couple all split up or left the close and plots got
wilder, powerful Greg Sumner became a major player, Abby had affairs
with most of the male members of the cast, one character (singer Ciji)
was murdered and a look-alike (played by the same actress) quickly
turned up. Another major character was charismatic young preacher Joshua
Rush who later went mad and killed himself.
Later seasons
were focused more on politics with Gary and Abby both running for
senate. As is the way with soaps there was plenty of sensationalism with
murders, mafia figures, kidnap etc all afflicting the residents of Knots
Landing. By the time the series ended very few original cast members
remained although fittingly several returned for the last episode.
One
interesting fact is that when Bobby died and then 'came back' in Dallas
in Knots Landing he stayed dead. For more detailed info see the episode
guide here.
Cast
TED SHACKELFORD as Gary Ewing / JOAN VAN ARK as Valene Ewing
Gibson Waleska / DON MURRAY as Sid Fairgate (1979-81) / MICHELE LEE as
Karen Fairgate Mackenzie / DONNA MILLS as Abby Cunningham Ewing Sumner /
JOHN PLESHETTE as Richard Avery / CONSTANCE McCASHIN as Laura Avery
Sumner / JAMES HOUGHTON as Kenny Ward / KIM LANKFORD as Ginger Ward /
CLAUDIA LONOW as Diana Fairgate / BOBBY JACOBY as Brian Cunningham
(1980-85) / BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN as Brian Cunningham (1986-89) / TONYA
CROWE as Olivia Cunningham / KEVIN DOBSON as Patrick 'Mack' Mackenzie /
LISA HARTMAN as Ciji Dunne (1982-83) and then as Cathy Geary Rush
(1983-86) / WILLIAM DEVANE as Gregory Sumner / ALEC BALDWIN as Joshua
Rush (1984-85) / HOWARD DUFF as Paul Galveston (1984-85) / AVA GARDNER
as Ruth Galveston (1985) / NICOLLETTE SHERIDAN as Paige Matheson
(1986-93) / KRISTY SWANSON as Jody Campbell (1987-88) / MICHAEL YORK as
Charles Scott (1987-88) / LYNNE MOODY as Patricia Williams (1988-90) /
STACY GALINA as Kate Whittaker (1990-93) / BRUCE GREENWOOD as Pierce
Lawton (1991-92) / HALLE BERRY as Debbie Porter (1991)
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