Starring the legendary Jane Wyman as Angela Channing, Falcon Crest is set right in the heart of San Francisco’s Napa Valley wine region, in Tuscany Valley in fact, where Angela is the JR-esque matriarch of the Falcon Crest Winery. Initially Angela found herself in conflict with her nephew Chase who had inherited 50 prime acres of vineyard from Anegla’s brother (Chase’s father), in fact so upset was she that she was determined to ruin him – the big finale of the 82-83 season was Chase and his mother Jacqueline being shot (Jacqueline died) by Anegla’s somewhat mentally disturbed daughter Julia.
Other key characters included Lance Cumson, Angela’s grandson and pretty bad egg and the evil Richard Channing who co-owned newspaper The Globe with Angela but wanted complete control. Storylines always tended towards the sensational and violent with murders, bombings and organised crime all regular visitors to Tuscany Valley. In 1988 – horror of horrors – Angela lost control of Falcon Crest. Angela spent most of the final season in a coma but recovered and finally regained her beloved home and the series actually had proper closure.
production details
USA | CBS – Lorimar | 228×50 minutes | Broadcast 1981-1990
Creator: Earl Hamner Jr
Theme Music: Bill Conti
cast
JANE WYMAN as Angela Channing
ROBERT FOXWORTH as Chase Gioberti (1981-1987)
SUSAN SULLIVAN as Maggie Gioberti Channing (1981-1989)
LORENZO LAMAS as Lance Cumson
JOHN SAXON as Tony Cumson (1981-1982, 1986-1988)
WILLIAM R. MOSES as Cole Gioberti Hogan (1981-1986)
JAMIE ROSE as Victoria Gioberti Hogan (1981-1983)
DANA SPARKS as Victoria Gioberti Hogan Stavros (1986-1988)
ABBY DALTON as Julia Cumson (1981-1986)
NICK RAMUS as Gus Nanouz (1981-1982)
MEL FERRER as Philip Erikson (1981-1984)
MARGARET LADD as Emma Channing (1981-1989)
STEPHEN ELLIOTT as Douglas Channing (1981-1982)
ROBERT SAMPSON as Sheriff Turk Tobias (1981-1982)
MARIO MARCELINO as Mario (1981-1982)
CHAU-LI CHI as Chau-Li
ANA ALICIA as Melissa Agretti Cumson Gioberti (1982-1988)
DAVID SELBY as Richard Channing (1982-1990)
CHARLOS ROMERO as Carlo Agretti (1982)
SHANNON TWEED as Diana Hunter (1982-1983)
ROGER PERRY as John Costello (1982-1985)
ROY THINNES as Nick Hogan (1982-1983)
LANA TURNER as Jacqueline Perrault (1982-1983)
BRADFORD DILLMAN as Darryl Clayton (1982-1983)
MAGGIE COOPER as Lori Stevens (1982-1983)
RICHARD EASTHAM as Dr. Howell (1982-1983)
JOE LAMBIE as Sheriff Robbins (1982-1983)
MARY KATE MCGEEHAN as Linda Caproni (1982-1984)
HARRY BASCH as Vince Caproni (1982-1984)
CLIFF ROBERTSON as Dr. Michael Ranson (1983-1984)
RAYMOND ST. JACQUES as Dr. Hooks (1983-1984)
RON RIFKIN as Dr. Lantry (1983-1984)
SARAH DOUGLAS as Pamela Lynch (1983-1985)
LAURA JOHNSON as Terry Hartford Ranson (1983-1986)
VICTORIA RACIMO as Corene Powers (1983-1984)
THOMAS GALLAWAY as Dr. Foster (1983-1984)
TINA ANDREWS as Valerie (1983-1984)
JASON GOLDBERG as Joseph Gioberti (1983-1987)
JORDAN CARNEY as Norton Crane (1983-1984)
KEN LETNER as Spheeris (1983-1985)
DON MATHESON as Padgett (1984)
GINA LOLLOBRIGIDA as Francesca Gioberti (1984)
KATE VERNON as Lorraine Prescott (1984-1985)
SIMON MACCORKNDALE as Greg Reardon (1984-1986)
PARKER STEVENSON as Joel McCarthy (1984-1985)
J. PAUL FREEMAN as Gustav Riebmann (1984-1985)
GEORGE MCDANIEL as Alan Caldwell (1984)
JOHN CARTER as Max Hartmann (1984-1985)
BOB CURTIS as Father Bob (1985-1990)
CARLA BORELLI as Connie Giannini (1985)
ANNE ARCHER as Cassandra Wilder (1985)
BARBARA HOWARD as Robin Agretti (1985-1986)
MORGAN FAIRCHILD as Jordan Roberts (1985-1986)
KEN OLIN as Father Christopher (1985-1986)
PATRICIA ‘APOLLONIA’ KOTERO as Apollonia (1985-1986)
CESAR ROMERO as Peter Stavros (1985-187)
CELESTE HOLM as Anna Rossini (1985)
JOHN BENNETT PERRY as Sheriff Gilmore (1985-1986)
MIKE GENOVESE as Al Hurley (1985)
HENRY JONES as B. Riley Wicker (1985-1986)
DANIEL GREENE as Dwayne Cooley (1985-1986)
JOHN MCMARTIN as Julian J. Roberts (1985-1986)
JULIE CARMEN s Sofia Stavros (1986)
JOHN CALLAHAN as Eric Stavros (1986-1988)
JILL JACOBSON as Erin Jones (1986)
EDWARD ALBERT as Jeff Wainwright (1986)
KIM NOVAK as Kit Marlowe (1986-1987)
BRETT CULLEN as Dan Fixx (1986-1988)
JANE BADLER as Meredith Braxton (1986-1987)
MARJOE GORTNER as Vince Karlotti (1986-1987)
JEFF KOBER as Guy Stafford (1986-1987)
ROBIN GREER as Diana Wells (1986-1987)
LAUREL SCHAEFER as Mrs. Whitaker (1986-1987)
JOHN APREA as Sheriff Jack North (1987)
CARL HEID as Garth (1987-1989)? JOHN DAVID CARSON as Jay Spence (1987-1988)
CINDY MORGAN as Gabrielle Short (1987-1988)
JONATHAN BANKS as Kolinski (1987)
ROBERT STACK as Roland Saunders (1987)
DICK O’NEILL as Fred Wilkinson (1987)
MAGGIE COOPER as Allison (1987- 1988)
MARISKA HARGITAY as Carly Fixx (1988)
ROSCOE LEE BROWNE as Rosemont (1988)
ROD TAYLOR as Frank Aretti (1988-1990)
CHARLES FRANK as Senator Ryder (1988)
KRISTIAN ALFONSO as Pilar Ortega Cumson (1988-1990)
CASTULO GUERRA as Cesar Ortega (1988-1990)
DAN FERRO as Tommy Ortega (1988-1990)
DANNY NUCCI as Gabriel Ortega (1988-1990)
ROBERT GORMAN as Michael Channing (1988-1990)
BRENDON KASPER as Kevin Channing (1988-1989)
JESSE STOCK as Kevin Channing (1989-1990)
DAVID BEECROFT as Nick Agretti (1988-1989)
BRANDON DOUGLAS as Ben Agretti (1988-1989)
ALLAN ROYAL as R.D. Young (1988-1989)
JAY VERELA as Miguel Aviles (1988-1989)
ANGELA PATON as Harriet Anderson (1988-1989)
RICK NAJERA as Paco (1988-1989)
MICHAEL FOX as Amos Fedders (1988-1989)
ISRAEL JUARBE as Raoul (1988-1989)
RONALD G. JOSEPH as Sheriff Sanchez (1988-1989)
AMY MICHELSON as Kelly (1988-1989)
JANET JULIAN as Cookie Nash (1989)
LEE BERGERE as Justin Nash (1989)
ASSUMPTA SERNA as Anna Cellini (1989)
ALAN FEINSTEIN as Malcolm Sinclair (1989)
ANA ALICIA as Samantha Ross (1989)
GREGORY HARRISON as Michael Sharpe (1989-1990)
NORMAN PARKER as Julius Karnow (1989-1990)
PHILIP BAKER HALL as Ed Meyers (1989-1990)
THOM ADCOX as Brian (1989-1990)
MARK LINDSAY CHAPMAN as Charley St. John (1989)
WENDY PHILLIPS as Lauren Daniels (1989-1990)
ROBERT GINTY as Walker Daniels (1989-1990)
STUART PANKIN as Jace Sampson (1989-1990)
ADREA THOMPSON as Genele Ericson (1989-1990)
CARLA GUGINO as Sydney St. James (1989-1990)
DAVID SHIENKOPF as Danny Sharpe (1990)
DIANE BEHRENS as Connie Johnson (1990)
SHAHRAD VOSSOUGHI as Nick Massoud (1990)
JAMES DISTEFANO as Johnny Sacco (1990)