Centennial (miniseries)
Encyclopedia
Centennial is a 12-episode American television
miniseries
that aired on NBC
from October 1978 to February 1979. It was based on the novel of the same name
by James A. Michener
. The miniseries was produced by John Wilder.
The miniseries follows the history of the area of the fictional town of Centennial, Colorado from the late 18th century to the 1970s. Its star-studded cast includes Raymond Burr
, Richard Chamberlain, Robert Conrad
, Barbara Carrera
, Richard Crenna
, Timothy Dalton
, Sharon Gless
, Andy Griffith
, Mark Harmon
, Gregory Harrison
, David Janssen
, Alex Karras
, Brian Keith
, Sally Kellerman
, Stephen McHattie
, Lois Nettleton
, Donald Pleasence
, Lynn Redgrave
, Clive Revill
, Robert Vaughn
, Dennis Weaver
, Anthony Zerbe
, Stephanie Zimbalist
, and numerous other well-known actors.
The miniseries was one of the longest (26½ hours including commercials) and most ambitious television projects ever attempted at the time. It had a then huge budget of US$25 million (about $80 million in modern terms), employed four directors and five cinematographers, and featured over 100 speaking parts spanning 26 hours of television viewing time. Centennial was released on DVD
on July 29, 2008.
. A young Arapaho
boy named Lame Beaver (Michael Ansara
) grows up during this period. He becomes a great warrior after a single-handed raid on a rival tribe brings horses to the Arapaho for the first time, enabling them to become part of the great plains horse culture
. By the end of the 18th century, Lame Beaver's band is camped along the South Platte River
, and they begin to encounter white trappers for the first time.
One such trapper is Pasquinel (Robert Conrad
), a French Canadian
fur trader
who has gone out to the Rocky Mountains
to trade for beaver
pelts. Pasquinel and Lame Beaver end up confronting each other in the dead of night, with knives ready. But Pasquinel puts down his blade in an act of trust, and the two become good friends. Lame Beaver comes to see great courage and honor within this white man, and so trades pelts with him for French trinkets. However, the beaver pelts that Pasquinel acquired from the Arapaho
, as well as his remaining trade goods, are stolen. The theft occurs when Pasquinel is attacked and left for dead by members of the Pawnee tribe, even though he had promised their chief a gun if he were allowed to cross their lands safely. He is saved by Cheyenne
warriors, and manages to track down the rogue Pawnee just as they are about to trade his pelts. The traders kill the Pawnee, but reveal themselves as nothing more than river pirates. The river pirates also steal the pelts and further wound Pasquinel.
Pasquinel manages to return to St. Louis, then part of the Spanish Empire
, with an arrowhead in his spine. Without money, he is introduced by a surgeon to Herman Bockweiss (Raymond Burr
), a Bavaria
n immigrant merchant and silversmith, and goes to him for backing. Pasquinel later marries Bockweiss's daughter Lise (Sally Kellerman
), who is attracted to him even though he keeps leaving for long periods in order to trade furs in unknown territory. While Pasquinel does love Lise, his main reason for marrying her is merely to gain the goodwill of her merchant father. His financing now secured, Pasquinel once again heads west and meets up with Alexander McKeag (Richard Chamberlain
), a Scottish-born trapper captured by the Pawnee. He saves the Scot's life by giving the Pawnee chief the gun that Pasquinel had previously promised him. Pasquinel also gives the chief some of Bockweiss' silver, even though some of the chief's braves had previously tried to kill Pasquinel. The Pawnee chief accepts and guarantees Pasquinel and McKeag safe travel through his lands. After McKeag's life is saved, the two become partners and lifelong friends.
On their way back to Lame Beaver's village, Pasquinel spots the same pirates who robbed him a year before. Using McKeag as bait, he lures the pirates in and fires at them with several loaded rifles while he is hidden behind a log. The friendly Pawnee aid him as well, killing the rest of the pirates in retribution for their braves' deaths. McKeag becomes angry with Pasquinel for using him as bait in order to get the 'savages' to murder and scalp the white men. But Pasquinel regards the whole affair as simply a business matter. Later on, a couple of Indians "coup" the white traders. Pasquinel tells McKeag not to attack them, and just fires over the Indians' heads to scare them off. But McKeag tries shooting them anyway, and gets stabbed by a spear. Pasquinel manages to get the wounded McKeag to Lame Beaver's village, where he recovers from his injuries. McKeag falls in love with Lame Beaver's beautiful daughter Clay Basket (Barbara Carrera
), and she returns the Scotsman's love.
Pasquinel and McKeag eventually leave for St. Louis with their furs. Clay Basket wants to marry Alexander McKeag upon his return, but her father Lame Beaver says she should marry Pasquinel. This is because the Arapaho chief knows and fears that once more white men come west, the tribe's Arapaho way of life will be threatened. Therefore, Lame Beaver feels that Clay Basket needs a strong husband who will care for her and keep her safe. Back in St. Louis, Pasquinel and McKeag are confronted by the brother of one of the dead river pirates, who accuses them of killing his kin. Pasquinel feigns no involvement, but ends up getting into a bar brawl with the man. McKeag also brawls with the rest of the man's friends.
Meanwhile, Lame Beaver discovers a strange rock in a creek only he knows about. The rock is actually gold
, but the Arapaho chief knows nothing of its value. He makes it into a bullet for the rifle that was given to him by Pasquinel. Pasquinel and his new bride Lise live happily in St. Louis, but the fur trader feels out of place with the aristocratic society in which she lives. The citizens of St. Louis regard the Native Americans as inferior, and hold that they must be assimilated into the white world. Pasquinel disagrees with this attitude, making him an outsider. He and McKeag eventually pack up and head back westward to Lame Beaver's village. In the meantime, Lame Beaver leads his braves against the Pawnee. He kills their chief using one of the golden bullets, but later dies fighting valiantly against the Pawnee warriors. Clay Basket is devastated when, with her widowed mother forsaken and her own fiance Pasquinel gone, the rest of the tribe ransacks their teepee. She has to live out in the cold because no male family member is around to take her in.
When Pasquinel and McKeag return to the region, they first learn about the Pawnee chief's death. One warrior shows them the bullet that killed Lame Beaver; the two traders immediately recognize the object as solid gold. They realize that the bullet means there is a local vein of gold that only Lame Beaver knew of. The two then arrive in Lame Beaver's camp, only to discover his body ceremoniously buried along the river, as well as the gruesome and frozen corpse of his wife. The two then find Clay Basket, who tells Pasquinel that she is supposed to marry him. McKeag asks if he can marry Clay Basket, since Pasquinel has Lise. Pasquinel objects however, saying that he will follow Lame Beaver's wishes and take her. McKeag knows that Pasquinel does not love Clay Basket. He senses that Pasquinel is using the marriage as an opportunity to both further his trapping career and to get at the gold, since Pasquinel believes Clay Basket knows where it is. Their partnership and friendship begin to splinter.
with Pasquinel, gives birth to two sons, Jacques (Stephen McHattie
) and Marcel (Kario Salem
) Pasquinel. But their father leaves them for long periods of time, because he must live in two worlds. One with his Indian bride, and the other with Lise in St. Louis. McKeag hates the situation, but bears with it and cares for the boys like an uncle. But Jacques grows contemptuous of McKeag's presence, sensing something between McKeag and his mother.
Despite McKeag's disapproval, Pasquinel eventually takes his Indian family to St. Louis. But while at an army fort, a group of drunken soldiers confront Pasquinel. They begin to insult him and his family, calling his sons 'half-breeds' and Pasquinel himself a traitor for living with Native Americans. Pasquinel and McKeag eventually fight back, even disarming one soldier. But during the scuffle Jacques is wounded by one of the soldier's blades. The base doctor takes care of him, but a deep and painful scar is left, fueling the rage Jacques will always feels towards white men and army bases. Afterwards, Pasquinel tells McKeag to return west without him, as he is staying in St. Louis for the time being. He returns to Lise and reveals the fact that he has a second wife who is Native American. Back west in the meantime, Native Americans attack McKeag, Clay Basket, and the boys at their camp. McKeag fends them off, but Jacques is shot in the hand by a stray arrow, further scarring him. Clay Basket fears that young Jacques will be psychologically damaged and left a scarred outcast, since both worlds he comes from reject him.
Pasquinel lives happily once again with Lise; he and Lise now have a radiant young daughter, the pride of her grandfather Herman Bockweiss. Pasquinel feels once again like an outcast, especially when rumors of his Native American wife spread; there are additional rumors of other wives in New Orleans, Montreal
, and Detroit. Meanwhile, McKeag teaches the Pasquinel brothers fur trapping, even though the fur trade has diminished. McKeag moreover takes the risk despite the fact that fur trapping endangers them with various tribes. Jacques begins to threaten McKeag, and rejects the fact that McKeag must be a substitute paternal figure for the Pasquinel family. Pasquinel eventually returns to his Native American family, despite the objections of Lise. One day, he confronts Jacques over a poorly laid trap, which happened because Jacques ignored McKeag's instructions. But Jacques insists he laid the trap correctly. Eventually, the argument between Jacques and McKeag escalates into Jacques pulling a knife on McKeag. Pasquinel tells his son to stop, but Jacques resumes his attack on McKeag when his father's back is turned and stabs McKeag in the gut. McKeag nearly chokes the boy to death in self-defense, but is able to stop himself. The incident is the final straw for McKeag. He can no longer take the stress of tolerating Pasquinel's double life, having to suppress his own love for Clay Basket, and having to deal with Jacques. He leaves and ends his partnership with Pasquinel, while saying that Jacques is just "twisted" and will kill them all.
McKeag begins to live as a mountain man, trapping by himself. Pasquinel continues to search for Lame Beaver's gold, and finds out that Clay Basket is pregnant with a girl. McKeag's loneliness gets the best of him, and he becomes half-mad from the isolation. He eventually becomes trapped when snow buries his rustic lodge, but he manages to dig himself out. The crazed McKeag realizes that he can't survive on his own. Some passing trappers and traders find McKeag, and tell him of a rendezvous of mountain men. There, he finds Native Americans and traders of all races and nationalities having fun and taking part in various events. He is given the "Yellow Apron," part of a dance event where one mountain man wears the apron, performs a dance in front of the gathering, and passes it on. With the help of a fellow Scotsman and a bagpipe, McKeag performs a traditional Scottish dance for the whole cheering crowd at the Rendezvous.
In the middle of the Rendezvous, McKeag reunites with Pasquinel. The two old partners happily dance and resolve their old differences. As their friendship reignites with this wild and joyous Scottish dance, Pasquinel collapses from the stress. He eventually tells McKeag that it is the old arrowhead acting up, so McKeag and other trappers undertake a dangerous operation to remove it. The operation fortunately succeeds, and McKeag gives the ever-vengeful Jacques the arrowhead. But later on, when the healing Pasquinel asks McKeag to rejoin him so that he won't be alone, McKeag refuses and leaves once again.
Some years later McKeag runs into Lise and her daughter, who is now nearly grown. McKeag eventually tells Lise the full truth about Clay Basket. He reveals to Lise that Clay Basket is the same woman McKeag had told Lise he loved, decades earlier at Lise's own wedding to Pasquinel. Lise convinces McKeag to confront Pasquinel about this fact, since it is the reason their friendship-partnership split so long ago. McKeag follows Lise's advice, and goes looking for Pasquinel to tell him of his love for Clay Basket. The brothers Marcel and Jacques have left on their own, while Pasquinel has taken Clay Basket and his newest daughter Lucinda (Cristina Raines
) up into the mountains. In a valley on a small creek, the aged Pasquinel finally finds Lame Beaver's original vein of gold. He joyously plucks gold out of the water, having at last found what he has sought half his life. It is at this moment that McKeag arrives, as do Pawnee braves. The Pawnee shoot Pasquinel with multiple arrows and kill him. The heartbroken Clay Basket and McKeag can only watch, and then hold the dying Pasquinel in their arms.
McKeag vows to care for Clay Basket and Lucinda. Clay Basket then reaffirms her love for McKeag, as he does for her. McKeag adopts Lucinda as his own, and leads his new family out of the mountainous regions. The vein of gold lays lost and forgotten, its location dying with Pasquinel's last breath.
) is the restless youngest brother in a wealthy Mennonite
family from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
. Zendt is kissed by a local girl while delivering food to the local orphanage. When they are discovered the girl tries to save her reputation by claiming that Zendt forced himself on her and Zendt stands accused of sexual assault
. He is shunned
by his family and his fellow Mennonites.
Zendt decides to flee Pennsylvania
for the Oregon country
and purchases a Conestoga wagon
. Before he leaves he goes to the local orphanage
and picks up Elly Zahm (Stephanie Zimbalist
), a teenage orphan who has always been smitten with Zendt. Elly had witnessed the "assault" and is one of the few people in the county who knows that Zendt is innocent. The two marry and head west.
Making their way to St. Louis overland and by steamboat, they join a wagon train
heading over the Oregon trail
for the Pacific guided by the unsavory mountain man Sam Purchas (Donald Pleasence
). In St. Louis they meet English writer Oliver Seccombe (Timothy Dalton
) and Army Captain Maxwell Mercy (Chad Everett
). Seccombe is a romantic looking for adventure and writing a book trying to prove the theory that the Native American tribes descend from Welshmen
. Mercy is an army negotiator sent to forge treaties with the tribes of the west. He is well-meaning but underestimates the demand Americans have for western lands and the animosity the plains tribes have for all whites. Mercy is married to Lisette, Pasquinel's daughter in St. Louis, and unsuccessfully tries to use this relationship to try to gain the Pasquinel brothers' favor.
After stopping at a frontier fort and meeting McKeag the Zendts continue into the Rocky Mountains
. When the guide Sam Purchas tries to rape Elly they decide to turn back. They return to the fort defeated. McKeag offers to partner with the Zendts in a trading post near the South Platte River that had been the primary site of the Arapaho village of Lame Beaver. Elly also realizes that she has become pregnant. They agree to stay and settle but before they can reach the site Elly is bitten by a rattlesnake
and dies.
Devastated by his wife's death, Zendt heads into the mountains and lives alone as a hermit in the cabin once occupied by McKeag.
, now a grown woman, takes pity on Zendt and goes to his cabin to nurse him back to health. The couple begins a romantic relationship and return to McKeag's trading post. Zendt marries Lucinda and takes over the trading post when McKeag dies. Hans Brumbaugh (Alex Karras), a Wolgadeutsche immigrant seeking his fortune, passes through the trading post. While panning in a stream near Zendt's trading post, he rediscovers the gold vein that Pasquinel found before he died. To defend his claim however Brumbaugh kills a fellow prospector. He becomes so distraught about the killing that he leaves the claim without taking any of the gold. Returning to Zendt's trading post, he purchases land from Clay Basket and becomes a farmer. By using irrigation
, he turns marginal land into rich cropland and becomes such a success he is given the nickname
of "Potatoes Brumbaugh." He will later switch to sugar beets and become wealthy.
Maxwell Mercy invites the Plains tribes to a peace conference at Fort Laramie. There he forges a treaty
guaranteeing safe passage to settlers on the Oregon Trail
in exchange for legal recognition of tribal land claims. Wiser heads on both sides however know that the treaty will merely delay the inevitable war between the two sides.
has broken out in the east and the Army sends most of its troops back east to fight in the war. The Indian tribes take advantage of the lack of a strong military presence in the territory to redress past grievances and raid white settlements. The tribes are led by the Pasquinel brothers. A recent Colorado settler named Frank Skimmerhorn (Richard Crenna) forms a volunteer militia
to deal with the tribes. Skimmerhorn, a survivor of tribal wars in Minnesota
, is a charismatic but mentally unbalanced leader who has a pathological hatred of all native Americans. He leads an attack on a band of peaceful unarmed Arapaho ordering the slaughter of everyone in the camp including women and children. Captain John McIntosh (Mark Harmon), a young officer under Skimmerhorn's command, refuses to join in the massacre and is court martialed for insubordination
. At the trial, graphic testimony from a young soldier turns public opinion
against Skimmerhorn. However, by manipulating the facts, Skimmerhorn is able to regain favor with the people, culminating with his capture and summary execution
of Jake Pasquinel. Seeing no hope, Mike Pasquinel is convinced by the Zendts to surrender to the Regular Army
in Denver where, in theory at least, he will receive a fair trial. As they are marching to the Army's command headquarters waving white flags Skimmerhorn (who is giving an interview to a local newspaper editor) shoots Mike in the back killing him in cold blood
. Public opinion is then firmly turned against Skimmerhorn. Maxwell Mercy, outraged at his brothers-in law's murders, challenges Skimmerhorn to a duel
and nearly kills him only to be stopped by Levi Zendt. Disgraced and rejected by his son John, Skimmerhorn leaves Colorado.
Venneford of Wye who want to start a cattle ranch
. By claiming watering holes under the Homestead Act
and utilizing the open range
, they can monopolize thousands of square miles with a very small investment. The ranch would eventually control nearly 6000000 acres (24,281.2 km²), an area nearly the size of Vermont
.
He hires John Skimmerhorn (Cliff De Young), son of the disgraced militia colonel, to acquire longhorn cattle
in Texas and drive them to Colorado. For the cattle drive, the young Skimmerhorn hires several cowboy
s, including the experienced trail boss R.J. Poteet, played by Dennis Weaver
, and young cow hand Jim Lloyd (played by Michael LeClair as a teen during this episode and by William Atherton
as the older Lloyd). At first Skimmerhorn encounters resistance because of his father's actions with the Indians, but he distances himself from his father's shadow and quickly earns the respect of the cowhands. The epic cattle drive across the tractless Llano Estacado
is successful and the new ranch, named Venneford, becomes one of the largest ranches in the west. In 1876, Colorado becomes a state and the small community that has grown up around Zendt's trading post is renamed "Centennial" in honor of the American centennial.
), the daughter of one of Venneford's wealthy British investors, comes to Colorado to find adventure. Clemma leaves town leaving Jim heartbroken. Charlotte falls in love with Seccombe and the two are married.
A range war
develops between the cattle ranchers led by Seccombe, farmers led by Hans Brumbaugh, and sheep herders led by new settler Messmore Garrett (Clint Ritchie
). New town sheriff Axel Dumire (Brian Keith
) tries to settle the conflict peacefully but it soon escalates into violence. Oliver Seccombe, angered by threats to his interests, engages the services of a gang of outlaws to kill Brumbaugh, Garrett and other leaders of the farmers and shepherds. Jim Lloyd and John Skimmerhorn find themselves caught between sides in the war. They are cowboys but are also sympathetic to the plight of the farmers and shepherds and refuse to believe that Seccombe is behind the cold blooded killings. Brumbaugh and Garrett both survive assassination attempts but several farmers and shepherds are killed in the violence. Eventually the outlaws are ambushed by a group of vigilante
s led by Brumbaugh and Jim Lloyd. The sheriff is able to restore order but several gang members escape vowing vengeance.
), a dour Scottish accountant
, to audit
Venneford's books. Seccombe has been secretly selling off ranch cattle to fund his activities. Perkin soon realizes that Seccombe is skimming money after seeing the combination of thousands of missing cattle and Seccombe's palatial new ranch house, evidence of his profligate spending. Seccombe's crimes are covered over however when a terrible blizzard
hits the region, killing many of the ranch's cattle and thereby hiding the losses incurred by Seccombe's embezzlement
. The blizzard saves him from formal legal charges; however he is still compelled to resign in disgrace and turn over ranch operations to John Skimmerhorn. The fraud
accusations and the large loss of cattle combine to take a toll on Seccombe's health and he commits suicide
leaving Charlotte a widow. Levi Zendt dies in an accident leaving Lucinda and their two grown children Clemma and Martin.
), his wife Maude (Lois Nettleton
), and young son Philip (Doug McKeon) come to town. The Wendells are ostensibly itinerate actors but in reality they are charlatan
s and con-artists working their way across the new railroad towns one step ahead of the law. Their favorite con is called the "badger game
". The con works on the local pastor and the Wendells reap large blackmail
proceeds. Their plan turns sour when they try it on a worldwise businessman, Soren Sorenson (Sandy McPeak). He recognizes their trick, too late, and threatens to expose them. Wendell attacks him. They struggle and Sorenson is killed by Maude Wendell. While looking through his belongings, they find a large fortune in cash that Sorenson was going to use to finance a real estate purchase. Philip hides the body in a subterranean cave along the riverbank. They keep the money but realize that they cannot spend it as it will expose their guilt.
, prostitution, fraud, and a lengthy prison term. Clemma gets on the next train to Chicago, and Jim and Charlotte reconcile and wed.
Sheriff Dumire has suspected the Wendells of shady activities since their arrival and questions them about the missing businessman. He hounds the Wendells but they won't crack and without a body
the sheriff can do nothing. The Wendells' young son Philip admires the sheriff and has no respect for his father. He wants to tell him the truth but cannot bring himself to betray his own flesh and blood. The sheriff is killed by remnants of the gang hired to drive the farmers out in the range war, and Philip begins to reveal the secret only as Dumire dies. With the sheriff now out of the picture, Mervin and Maude Wendell are now free from legal suspicion. He charms a railroad land agent and begins planting the seeds of a future real estate empire.
, lending on the land at extortion rates
then foreclosing
and reselling the land at a profit
. Though the secret of his family's success still haunts Philip, he continues the family real estate business often mercilessly foreclosing on unsuccessful farmers. Among those are young Iowa
ns Earl and Alice Grebe. Despite warnings from Hans Brumbaugh and Jim Lloyd, the Grebes settle on the drylands
of the prairie and take out a mortgage with Mervin Wendell. This gamble on marginal land soon turns disastrous as the Dust Bowl
years of the 1920s and 1930s and a freefall in wheat prices after World War I
set in. The Grebes fall behind in their mortgage and Wendell threatens foreclosure. Dust storms kill the Grebe's son causing an emotionally distraught Alice to go insane and stab several of her remaining children to death. Enraged, Earl kills Alice then kills himself
.
The shrinking of the prairie and the closing of the open range leave Venneford Ranch a shadow of its former glory. Still, the ranch is large and successful and Charlotte uses her wealth and clout to defend Hispanic
victims of local bigotry. Beeley Garrett, Messmore’s son, marries Jim and Charlotte Lloyd’s daughter and takes over control of the Venneford when Jim dies.
Professor Lew Vernor (Andy Griffith) and writer Sidney Enderman (Sharon Gless) arrive in town to do research on the history of Centennial. Vernor goes to Paul Garrett to learn the history of the region. Later while exploring the town Vernor discovers a washed-out cave with human remains on the Wendell's property. Morgan, recognizing the scene from his father's tales, orders Vernor out and hides the evidence of the century-old murder that made his family wealthy.
Wendell is a candidate for the new statewide office of Commissioner of Resources, an elected office that will balance economic growth with environmental and historical preservation. Wendell is running on a platform that emphasizes economic growth. Paul Garrett and other civic leaders hope for a more balanced approach that preserves the traditional Colorado way of life. While telling Vernor and Enderman the history of Centennial (Garrett's voice narrates the miniseries), he is persuaded to run against Wendell in the election.
During the election, Wendell runs a dirty campaign and smears Garrett by any means possible. He plays the race card
, pointing out the widower Garrett plans to marry a young Hispanic
woman. In the end, Garrett appears to win the election (though the final outcome is never actually revealed). Professor Vernor and Sidney Enderman write the history of Centennial.
The novel places the town at the junction of the South Platte River
and the Cache la Poudre River
which would place it roughly halfway between the Colorado towns of Greeley
and Kersey
. This is consistent with Michener's description of the town's location; http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20071004/NEWS/110030140 however no real town exists in this area. This location would place the spot of the fictional town in central Weld County
on the High Plains
about 25 miles (40.2 km) east of the base of the Rockies. Author James A. Michener lived in Greeley during the late 1930s and was familiar with the area. Michener used a variety of source material for his fictional town taken from various areas in eastern Colorado and Centennial is not meant to represent a single settlement. There is a city called Centennial, Colorado
, but it did not exist until 2001 and its location and history are not at all similar in any way to the town described in either the book or miniseries.
Principal filming occurred in 1978. There were numerous filming locations in several parts of the United States. Colorado filming locations included Greeley http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20071004/NEWS/110030140, the Pawnee National Grasslandshttp://www.colorado.com/city.php?id=47, Denver, Central City
, Orchard
, Bent's Old Fort National Monument and the Rocky Mountain National Park
. Several of the mountain men era scenes were filmed in Grand Teton National Park
in Wyoming
. The scenes representing St. Louis in the late 18th and early 19th century were filmed in Bracken County, Kentucky
. The White Hall State Historic Site in Richmond, Kentucky
served as the Bockweiss mansion. Scenes representing the Zendt farm and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania were filmed in Ohio.
The ranch house and surrounding buildings used for the Venneford Ranch house was the Highlands Ranch Mansion
(pictured) in Highlands Ranch
, which ironically is located near the real town of Centennial, Colorado. Years later the surrounding property was developed for housing; one of the streets in the development was named Venneford Ranch Road (by The Mission Viejo Company).
who led the infamous Sand Creek massacre
in Colorado in 1864. Captain John McIntosh's role in the incident and subsequent trial appears to be loosely based on Silas Soule
. The range war depicted in series is similar in many respects to the 1892 Johnson County War
in Wyoming
. The scene where Nate Pearson, Bufe Coker, and Fat Laura are murdered by the cattlemen’s hired killers[the Petis brothers] bears similarities to the lynching of Ellen “Cattle Kate” Watson with the Oliver Secombe character taking a role similar to that of Albert John Bothwell. The character of Hans "Potato" Brumbaugh appears to be loosely based on the Colorado historical figure Rufus "Potato" Clark, a failed gold prospector who turned to agriculture and became a pioneer in irrigation
. He grew wealthy by growing potatoes near Littleton
eventually switching to sugar beets and controlling more than 20000 acres (80.9 km²).
There is no election pitting Paul Garrett against Morgan Wendell in the novel. Wendell is elected Commissioner of Resources and Garrett reluctantly accepts his offer to be his principal deputy. The novel also portrays Morgan Wendell as a more reasonable and balanced man than what is depicted in the miniseries. It is he not Paul Garrett who makes the reference to Warren G. Harding
as the anti-standard by which all politicians should be judged.
and James Michener [and eventually their estates], as well as the executive producers), most distribution and underlying rights went outside the parameters of MCA/Universal. Television syndication rights were licensed to Turner Program Services
(now Warner Bros. Television
, the successor-in-interest that continues to syndicate the series today). However, Universal Studios Home Entertainment
did acquire the home video rights and in 2008 released the series on DVD. There are no current plans to release it on Blu-Ray or reissue it to U.S. television.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
that aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
from October 1978 to February 1979. It was based on the novel of the same name
Centennial (novel)
Centennial is a novel by American author James A. Michener, published in 1974.Centennial traces the history of the plains of northeast Colorado from prehistory until the early 1970s. Geographic details about the fictional town of Centennial and its surroundings indicate that the region is in...
by James A. Michener
James A. Michener
James Albert Michener was an American author of more than 40 titles, the majority of which were sweeping sagas, covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and incorporating historical facts into the stories...
. The miniseries was produced by John Wilder.
The miniseries follows the history of the area of the fictional town of Centennial, Colorado from the late 18th century to the 1970s. Its star-studded cast includes Raymond Burr
Raymond Burr
Raymond William Stacey Burr was a Canadian actor, primarily known for his title roles in the television dramas Perry Mason and Ironside. His early acting career included roles on Broadway, radio, television and in film, usually as the villain...
, Richard Chamberlain, Robert Conrad
Robert Conrad
Robert Conrad is an American actor. He is best known for his role in the 1965 CBS television series The Wild Wild West, in which he played the sophisticated Secret Service agent James T. West, and his portrayal of World War II ace Pappy Boyington in the television series Baa Baa Black Sheep...
, Barbara Carrera
Barbara Carrera
Barbara Carrera is a Nicaraguan-born American film and television actress as well as a former model. She is best known for her roles as Bond girl Fatima Blush in Never Say Never Again and as Angelica Nero on the soap opera Dallas.-Early life:Barbara Kingsbury was born in San Carlos, Río San Juan,...
, Richard Crenna
Richard Crenna
Richard Donald Crenna was an American motion picture, television, and radio actor and occasional television director. He starred in such motion pictures as The Sand Pebbles, Wait Until Dark, Body Heat, the first three Rambo movies, Hot Shots! Part Deux, and The Flamingo Kid...
, Timothy Dalton
Timothy Dalton
Timothy Peter Dalton ) is a Welsh actor of film and television. He is known for portraying James Bond in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill , as well as Rhett Butler in the television miniseries Scarlett , an original sequel to Gone with the Wind...
, Sharon Gless
Sharon Gless
Sharon Marguerite Gless is an American character actress of stage, film and television, who is best known for her roles as Maggie Philbin on Switch , as Sgt. Christine Cagney in the police procedural drama series Cagney & Lacey and as Debbie Novotny in the Showtime cable television series Queer...
, Andy Griffith
Andy Griffith
Andy Samuel Griffith is an American actor, director, producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer. He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's epic film A Face in the Crowd before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead...
, Mark Harmon
Mark Harmon
Mark Harmon is an American actor who has been starring in American television programs and films since the mid-1970s, after a career as a collegiate football player with the UCLA Bruins. Since 2003, Harmon has starred as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the CBS series NCIS.-Early life:Harmon was born Thomas...
, Gregory Harrison
Gregory Harrison
Gregory 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 Trapper John MacIntyre's young surgeon, Dr. George Alonzo 'Gonzo' Gates, on the CBS series Trapper John, M.D....
, David Janssen
David Janssen
David Janssen was an American film and television actor who is best known for his starring role as Dr. Richard Kimble in the television series The Fugitive , the starring role in the 1950s hit detective series Richard Diamond, Private Detective , and as Harry Orwell on Harry O.In 1996 TV Guide...
, Alex Karras
Alex Karras
Alexander George "Alex" Karras , nicknamed "The Mad Duck", is a former football player, professional wrestler, and actor, best known for his stint with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League from 1958–1962 and 1964-1970 and for his role as Mongo in the film Blazing Saddles...
, Brian Keith
Brian Keith
Brian Keith was an American film, television, and stage actor who in his four decade-long career gained recognition for his work in movies such as the 1961 Disney family film The Parent Trap, the 1966 comedy The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, and the 1975 adventure saga The Wind and...
, Sally Kellerman
Sally Kellerman
Sally Clare Kellerman is an American actress and singer known for her role as Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in the film MASH , for which she was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.-Early life:...
, Stephen McHattie
Stephen McHattie
Stephen McHattie is a Canadian actor.-Life and career:McHattie was born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia....
, Lois Nettleton
Lois Nettleton
Lois June Nettleton was an American actress of film, stage, and television. She was Miss Chicago of 1948 as well as a semifinalist at that year's Miss America Pageant.-Early years:...
, Donald Pleasence
Donald Pleasence
Sir Donald Henry Pleasence, OBE, was a British actor who gained more than 200 screen credits during a career which spanned over four decades...
, Lynn Redgrave
Lynn Redgrave
Lynn Rachel Redgrave, OBE was an English actress.A member of the well-known British family of actors, Redgrave trained in London before making her theatrical debut in 1962...
, Clive Revill
Clive Revill
Clive Selsby Revill is a New Zealand-born British character actor best known for his performances in musical theatre and on the London stage.-Early life and stage career:...
, Robert Vaughn
Robert Vaughn
Robert Francis Vaughn, , is an American actor noted for stage, film and television work. His best known roles include the suave spy Napoleon Solo in the 1960s television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E., wealthy detective Harry Rule in the 1970s television series The Protectors, Albert Stroller in...
, Dennis Weaver
Dennis Weaver
William Dennis Weaver was an American actor, best known for his work in television, including roles on Gunsmoke, as Marshal Sam McCloud on the NBC police drama McCloud, and the 1971 TV movie Duel....
, Anthony Zerbe
Anthony Zerbe
Anthony Jared Zerbe is an American stage, film and Emmy-winning television actor. Notable film roles include the post-apocalyptic cult leader Matthias in The Omega Man, a 1971 film adaptation of Richard Matheson's 1954 novel, I Am Legend; Milton Krest in the 1989 James Bond film Licence to Kill;...
, Stephanie Zimbalist
Stephanie Zimbalist
Stephanie Zimbalist is an American actress best known for her role as Laura Holt on the NBC detective series Remington Steele.-Background:...
, and numerous other well-known actors.
The miniseries was one of the longest (26½ hours including commercials) and most ambitious television projects ever attempted at the time. It had a then huge budget of US$25 million (about $80 million in modern terms), employed four directors and five cinematographers, and featured over 100 speaking parts spanning 26 hours of television viewing time. Centennial was released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on July 29, 2008.
Episode guide
| Episode | Original US Air Date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 2 October 1978 | "Only the Rocks Live Forever" | 3-hour opener |
| 02 | 8 October 1978 | "The Yellow Apron" | 2-hour episode |
| 03 | 28 October 1978 | "The Wagon and the Elephant" | 2-hour episode |
| 04 | 4 November 1978 | "For as Long as the Waters Flow" | 2-hour episode |
| 05 | 11 November 1978 | "The Massacre" | 2-hour episode |
| 06 | 3 December 1978 | "The Longhorns" | 2-hour episode |
| 07 | 10 December 1978 | "The Shepherds" | 2-hour episode |
| 08 | 14 January 1979 | "The Storm" | 2-hour episode |
| 09 | 21 January 1979 | "The Crime" | 2-hour episode |
| 10 | 28 January 1979 | "The Winds of Fortune" | 2-hour episode |
| 11 | 3 February 1979 | "The Winds of Death" | 2-hour episode |
| 12 | 4 February 1979 | "The Scream of Eagles" | 3-hour finale |
Only the Rocks Live Forever
The story begins in the mid-18th century among the Indian tribes of what is now northern ColoradoColorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. A young Arapaho
Arapaho
The Arapaho are a tribe of Native Americans historically living on the eastern plains of Colorado and Wyoming. They were close allies of the Cheyenne tribe and loosely aligned with the Sioux. Arapaho is an Algonquian language closely related to Gros Ventre, whose people are seen as an early...
boy named Lame Beaver (Michael Ansara
Michael Ansara
Michael Ansara is a Syrian-born American stage, screen, and voice actor best known for his portrayal of Cochise in the American television series Broken Arrow, Kane in the 1979-81 series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and Commander Kang on three different Star Trek TV series.- Early life and...
) grows up during this period. He becomes a great warrior after a single-handed raid on a rival tribe brings horses to the Arapaho for the first time, enabling them to become part of the great plains horse culture
Horse culture
The term "Horse culture" is used to define a tribal group or community whose day to day life revolves around the herding and breeding of horses...
. By the end of the 18th century, Lame Beaver's band is camped along the South Platte River
South Platte River
The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River and itself a major river of the American Midwest and the American Southwest/Mountain West, located in the U.S. states of Colorado and Nebraska...
, and they begin to encounter white trappers for the first time.
One such trapper is Pasquinel (Robert Conrad
Robert Conrad
Robert Conrad is an American actor. He is best known for his role in the 1965 CBS television series The Wild Wild West, in which he played the sophisticated Secret Service agent James T. West, and his portrayal of World War II ace Pappy Boyington in the television series Baa Baa Black Sheep...
), a French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
fur trader
Coureur des bois
A coureur des bois or coureur de bois was an independent entrepreneurial French-Canadian woodsman who traveled in New France and the interior of North America. They travelled in the woods to trade various things for fur....
who has gone out to the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
to trade for beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
pelts. Pasquinel and Lame Beaver end up confronting each other in the dead of night, with knives ready. But Pasquinel puts down his blade in an act of trust, and the two become good friends. Lame Beaver comes to see great courage and honor within this white man, and so trades pelts with him for French trinkets. However, the beaver pelts that Pasquinel acquired from the Arapaho
Arapaho
The Arapaho are a tribe of Native Americans historically living on the eastern plains of Colorado and Wyoming. They were close allies of the Cheyenne tribe and loosely aligned with the Sioux. Arapaho is an Algonquian language closely related to Gros Ventre, whose people are seen as an early...
, as well as his remaining trade goods, are stolen. The theft occurs when Pasquinel is attacked and left for dead by members of the Pawnee tribe, even though he had promised their chief a gun if he were allowed to cross their lands safely. He is saved by Cheyenne
Cheyenne
Cheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, who are of the Algonquian language family. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese .The Cheyenne are thought to have branched off other tribes of Algonquian stock inhabiting lands...
warriors, and manages to track down the rogue Pawnee just as they are about to trade his pelts. The traders kill the Pawnee, but reveal themselves as nothing more than river pirates. The river pirates also steal the pelts and further wound Pasquinel.
Pasquinel manages to return to St. Louis, then part of the Spanish Empire
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
, with an arrowhead in his spine. Without money, he is introduced by a surgeon to Herman Bockweiss (Raymond Burr
Raymond Burr
Raymond William Stacey Burr was a Canadian actor, primarily known for his title roles in the television dramas Perry Mason and Ironside. His early acting career included roles on Broadway, radio, television and in film, usually as the villain...
), a Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n immigrant merchant and silversmith, and goes to him for backing. Pasquinel later marries Bockweiss's daughter Lise (Sally Kellerman
Sally Kellerman
Sally Clare Kellerman is an American actress and singer known for her role as Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in the film MASH , for which she was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.-Early life:...
), who is attracted to him even though he keeps leaving for long periods in order to trade furs in unknown territory. While Pasquinel does love Lise, his main reason for marrying her is merely to gain the goodwill of her merchant father. His financing now secured, Pasquinel once again heads west and meets up with Alexander McKeag (Richard Chamberlain
Richard Chamberlain
George Richard Chamberlain is an American actor of stage and screen who became a teen idol in the title role of the television show Dr. Kildare .-Early life:...
), a Scottish-born trapper captured by the Pawnee. He saves the Scot's life by giving the Pawnee chief the gun that Pasquinel had previously promised him. Pasquinel also gives the chief some of Bockweiss' silver, even though some of the chief's braves had previously tried to kill Pasquinel. The Pawnee chief accepts and guarantees Pasquinel and McKeag safe travel through his lands. After McKeag's life is saved, the two become partners and lifelong friends.
On their way back to Lame Beaver's village, Pasquinel spots the same pirates who robbed him a year before. Using McKeag as bait, he lures the pirates in and fires at them with several loaded rifles while he is hidden behind a log. The friendly Pawnee aid him as well, killing the rest of the pirates in retribution for their braves' deaths. McKeag becomes angry with Pasquinel for using him as bait in order to get the 'savages' to murder and scalp the white men. But Pasquinel regards the whole affair as simply a business matter. Later on, a couple of Indians "coup" the white traders. Pasquinel tells McKeag not to attack them, and just fires over the Indians' heads to scare them off. But McKeag tries shooting them anyway, and gets stabbed by a spear. Pasquinel manages to get the wounded McKeag to Lame Beaver's village, where he recovers from his injuries. McKeag falls in love with Lame Beaver's beautiful daughter Clay Basket (Barbara Carrera
Barbara Carrera
Barbara Carrera is a Nicaraguan-born American film and television actress as well as a former model. She is best known for her roles as Bond girl Fatima Blush in Never Say Never Again and as Angelica Nero on the soap opera Dallas.-Early life:Barbara Kingsbury was born in San Carlos, Río San Juan,...
), and she returns the Scotsman's love.
Pasquinel and McKeag eventually leave for St. Louis with their furs. Clay Basket wants to marry Alexander McKeag upon his return, but her father Lame Beaver says she should marry Pasquinel. This is because the Arapaho chief knows and fears that once more white men come west, the tribe's Arapaho way of life will be threatened. Therefore, Lame Beaver feels that Clay Basket needs a strong husband who will care for her and keep her safe. Back in St. Louis, Pasquinel and McKeag are confronted by the brother of one of the dead river pirates, who accuses them of killing his kin. Pasquinel feigns no involvement, but ends up getting into a bar brawl with the man. McKeag also brawls with the rest of the man's friends.
Meanwhile, Lame Beaver discovers a strange rock in a creek only he knows about. The rock is actually gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, but the Arapaho chief knows nothing of its value. He makes it into a bullet for the rifle that was given to him by Pasquinel. Pasquinel and his new bride Lise live happily in St. Louis, but the fur trader feels out of place with the aristocratic society in which she lives. The citizens of St. Louis regard the Native Americans as inferior, and hold that they must be assimilated into the white world. Pasquinel disagrees with this attitude, making him an outsider. He and McKeag eventually pack up and head back westward to Lame Beaver's village. In the meantime, Lame Beaver leads his braves against the Pawnee. He kills their chief using one of the golden bullets, but later dies fighting valiantly against the Pawnee warriors. Clay Basket is devastated when, with her widowed mother forsaken and her own fiance Pasquinel gone, the rest of the tribe ransacks their teepee. She has to live out in the cold because no male family member is around to take her in.
When Pasquinel and McKeag return to the region, they first learn about the Pawnee chief's death. One warrior shows them the bullet that killed Lame Beaver; the two traders immediately recognize the object as solid gold. They realize that the bullet means there is a local vein of gold that only Lame Beaver knew of. The two then arrive in Lame Beaver's camp, only to discover his body ceremoniously buried along the river, as well as the gruesome and frozen corpse of his wife. The two then find Clay Basket, who tells Pasquinel that she is supposed to marry him. McKeag asks if he can marry Clay Basket, since Pasquinel has Lise. Pasquinel objects however, saying that he will follow Lame Beaver's wishes and take her. McKeag knows that Pasquinel does not love Clay Basket. He senses that Pasquinel is using the marriage as an opportunity to both further his trapping career and to get at the gold, since Pasquinel believes Clay Basket knows where it is. Their partnership and friendship begin to splinter.
The Yellow Apron
Clay Basket, through her marriage of convenienceMarriage of convenience
A marriage of convenience is a marriage contracted for reasons other than the reasons of relationship, family, or love. Instead, such a marriage is orchestrated for personal gain or some other sort of strategic purpose, such as political marriage. The phrase is a calque of - a marriage of...
with Pasquinel, gives birth to two sons, Jacques (Stephen McHattie
Stephen McHattie
Stephen McHattie is a Canadian actor.-Life and career:McHattie was born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia....
) and Marcel (Kario Salem
Kario Salem
Kario Salem is an American television, film, and stage actor and screenwriter.-Career:In 1997, Salem earned an Emmy Award as a writer for the television special Don King: Only in America, which also earned him a PEN nomination. The film also won the Broadcast Film Critics Award and Peabody Award...
) Pasquinel. But their father leaves them for long periods of time, because he must live in two worlds. One with his Indian bride, and the other with Lise in St. Louis. McKeag hates the situation, but bears with it and cares for the boys like an uncle. But Jacques grows contemptuous of McKeag's presence, sensing something between McKeag and his mother.
Despite McKeag's disapproval, Pasquinel eventually takes his Indian family to St. Louis. But while at an army fort, a group of drunken soldiers confront Pasquinel. They begin to insult him and his family, calling his sons 'half-breeds' and Pasquinel himself a traitor for living with Native Americans. Pasquinel and McKeag eventually fight back, even disarming one soldier. But during the scuffle Jacques is wounded by one of the soldier's blades. The base doctor takes care of him, but a deep and painful scar is left, fueling the rage Jacques will always feels towards white men and army bases. Afterwards, Pasquinel tells McKeag to return west without him, as he is staying in St. Louis for the time being. He returns to Lise and reveals the fact that he has a second wife who is Native American. Back west in the meantime, Native Americans attack McKeag, Clay Basket, and the boys at their camp. McKeag fends them off, but Jacques is shot in the hand by a stray arrow, further scarring him. Clay Basket fears that young Jacques will be psychologically damaged and left a scarred outcast, since both worlds he comes from reject him.
Pasquinel lives happily once again with Lise; he and Lise now have a radiant young daughter, the pride of her grandfather Herman Bockweiss. Pasquinel feels once again like an outcast, especially when rumors of his Native American wife spread; there are additional rumors of other wives in New Orleans, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, and Detroit. Meanwhile, McKeag teaches the Pasquinel brothers fur trapping, even though the fur trade has diminished. McKeag moreover takes the risk despite the fact that fur trapping endangers them with various tribes. Jacques begins to threaten McKeag, and rejects the fact that McKeag must be a substitute paternal figure for the Pasquinel family. Pasquinel eventually returns to his Native American family, despite the objections of Lise. One day, he confronts Jacques over a poorly laid trap, which happened because Jacques ignored McKeag's instructions. But Jacques insists he laid the trap correctly. Eventually, the argument between Jacques and McKeag escalates into Jacques pulling a knife on McKeag. Pasquinel tells his son to stop, but Jacques resumes his attack on McKeag when his father's back is turned and stabs McKeag in the gut. McKeag nearly chokes the boy to death in self-defense, but is able to stop himself. The incident is the final straw for McKeag. He can no longer take the stress of tolerating Pasquinel's double life, having to suppress his own love for Clay Basket, and having to deal with Jacques. He leaves and ends his partnership with Pasquinel, while saying that Jacques is just "twisted" and will kill them all.
McKeag begins to live as a mountain man, trapping by himself. Pasquinel continues to search for Lame Beaver's gold, and finds out that Clay Basket is pregnant with a girl. McKeag's loneliness gets the best of him, and he becomes half-mad from the isolation. He eventually becomes trapped when snow buries his rustic lodge, but he manages to dig himself out. The crazed McKeag realizes that he can't survive on his own. Some passing trappers and traders find McKeag, and tell him of a rendezvous of mountain men. There, he finds Native Americans and traders of all races and nationalities having fun and taking part in various events. He is given the "Yellow Apron," part of a dance event where one mountain man wears the apron, performs a dance in front of the gathering, and passes it on. With the help of a fellow Scotsman and a bagpipe, McKeag performs a traditional Scottish dance for the whole cheering crowd at the Rendezvous.
In the middle of the Rendezvous, McKeag reunites with Pasquinel. The two old partners happily dance and resolve their old differences. As their friendship reignites with this wild and joyous Scottish dance, Pasquinel collapses from the stress. He eventually tells McKeag that it is the old arrowhead acting up, so McKeag and other trappers undertake a dangerous operation to remove it. The operation fortunately succeeds, and McKeag gives the ever-vengeful Jacques the arrowhead. But later on, when the healing Pasquinel asks McKeag to rejoin him so that he won't be alone, McKeag refuses and leaves once again.
Some years later McKeag runs into Lise and her daughter, who is now nearly grown. McKeag eventually tells Lise the full truth about Clay Basket. He reveals to Lise that Clay Basket is the same woman McKeag had told Lise he loved, decades earlier at Lise's own wedding to Pasquinel. Lise convinces McKeag to confront Pasquinel about this fact, since it is the reason their friendship-partnership split so long ago. McKeag follows Lise's advice, and goes looking for Pasquinel to tell him of his love for Clay Basket. The brothers Marcel and Jacques have left on their own, while Pasquinel has taken Clay Basket and his newest daughter Lucinda (Cristina Raines
Cristina Raines
Cristina Raines is an American actress. She achieved her big break in the TV movie Sunshine, with Cliff De Young.-Biography:...
) up into the mountains. In a valley on a small creek, the aged Pasquinel finally finds Lame Beaver's original vein of gold. He joyously plucks gold out of the water, having at last found what he has sought half his life. It is at this moment that McKeag arrives, as do Pawnee braves. The Pawnee shoot Pasquinel with multiple arrows and kill him. The heartbroken Clay Basket and McKeag can only watch, and then hold the dying Pasquinel in their arms.
McKeag vows to care for Clay Basket and Lucinda. Clay Basket then reaffirms her love for McKeag, as he does for her. McKeag adopts Lucinda as his own, and leads his new family out of the mountainous regions. The vein of gold lays lost and forgotten, its location dying with Pasquinel's last breath.
The Wagon and the Elephant
In 1845 Levi Zendt (Gregory HarrisonGregory Harrison
Gregory 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 Trapper John MacIntyre's young surgeon, Dr. George Alonzo 'Gonzo' Gates, on the CBS series Trapper John, M.D....
) is the restless youngest brother in a wealthy Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
family from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
. Zendt is kissed by a local girl while delivering food to the local orphanage. When they are discovered the girl tries to save her reputation by claiming that Zendt forced himself on her and Zendt stands accused of sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
. He is shunned
Shunning
Shunning can be the act of social rejection, or mental rejection. Social rejection is when a person or group deliberately avoids association with, and habitually keeps away from an individual or group. This can be a formal decision by a group, or a less formal group action which will spread to all...
by his family and his fellow Mennonites.
Zendt decides to flee Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
for the Oregon country
Oregon Country
The Oregon Country was a predominantly American term referring to a disputed ownership region of the Pacific Northwest of North America. The region was occupied by British and French Canadian fur traders from before 1810, and American settlers from the mid-1830s, with its coastal areas north from...
and purchases a Conestoga wagon
Conestoga wagon
The Conestoga wagon is a heavy, broad-wheeled covered wagon that was used extensively during the late 18th century and the 19th century in the United States and sometimes in Canada as well. It was large enough to transport loads up to 8 tons , and was drawn by horses, mules or oxen...
. Before he leaves he goes to the local orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
and picks up Elly Zahm (Stephanie Zimbalist
Stephanie Zimbalist
Stephanie Zimbalist is an American actress best known for her role as Laura Holt on the NBC detective series Remington Steele.-Background:...
), a teenage orphan who has always been smitten with Zendt. Elly had witnessed the "assault" and is one of the few people in the county who knows that Zendt is innocent. The two marry and head west.
Making their way to St. Louis overland and by steamboat, they join a wagon train
Wagon train
A wagon train is a group of wagons traveling together. In the American West, individuals traveling across the plains in covered wagons banded together for mutual assistance, as is reflected in numerous films and television programs about the region, such as Audie Murphy's Tumbleweed and Ward Bond...
heading over the Oregon trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
for the Pacific guided by the unsavory mountain man Sam Purchas (Donald Pleasence
Donald Pleasence
Sir Donald Henry Pleasence, OBE, was a British actor who gained more than 200 screen credits during a career which spanned over four decades...
). In St. Louis they meet English writer Oliver Seccombe (Timothy Dalton
Timothy Dalton
Timothy Peter Dalton ) is a Welsh actor of film and television. He is known for portraying James Bond in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill , as well as Rhett Butler in the television miniseries Scarlett , an original sequel to Gone with the Wind...
) and Army Captain Maxwell Mercy (Chad Everett
Chad Everett
Chad Everett is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and television series but is probably best known for his role as Dr. Joe Gannon in the 1970s television drama Medical Center.-Early life:...
). Seccombe is a romantic looking for adventure and writing a book trying to prove the theory that the Native American tribes descend from Welshmen
Madoc
Madoc or Madog ab Owain Gwynedd was, according to folklore, a Welsh prince who sailed to America in 1170, over three hundred years before Christopher Columbus's voyage in 1492. According to the story, he was a son of Owain Gwynedd who took to the sea to flee internecine violence at home...
. Mercy is an army negotiator sent to forge treaties with the tribes of the west. He is well-meaning but underestimates the demand Americans have for western lands and the animosity the plains tribes have for all whites. Mercy is married to Lisette, Pasquinel's daughter in St. Louis, and unsuccessfully tries to use this relationship to try to gain the Pasquinel brothers' favor.
After stopping at a frontier fort and meeting McKeag the Zendts continue into the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. When the guide Sam Purchas tries to rape Elly they decide to turn back. They return to the fort defeated. McKeag offers to partner with the Zendts in a trading post near the South Platte River that had been the primary site of the Arapaho village of Lame Beaver. Elly also realizes that she has become pregnant. They agree to stay and settle but before they can reach the site Elly is bitten by a rattlesnake
Rattlesnake
Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus of the subfamily Crotalinae . There are 32 known species of rattlesnake, with between 65-70 subspecies, all native to the Americas, ranging from southern Alberta and southern British Columbia in Canada to Central...
and dies.
Devastated by his wife's death, Zendt heads into the mountains and lives alone as a hermit in the cabin once occupied by McKeag.
For as Long as the Waters Flow
Lucinda McKeag played by Cristina RainesCristina Raines
Cristina Raines is an American actress. She achieved her big break in the TV movie Sunshine, with Cliff De Young.-Biography:...
, now a grown woman, takes pity on Zendt and goes to his cabin to nurse him back to health. The couple begins a romantic relationship and return to McKeag's trading post. Zendt marries Lucinda and takes over the trading post when McKeag dies. Hans Brumbaugh (Alex Karras), a Wolgadeutsche immigrant seeking his fortune, passes through the trading post. While panning in a stream near Zendt's trading post, he rediscovers the gold vein that Pasquinel found before he died. To defend his claim however Brumbaugh kills a fellow prospector. He becomes so distraught about the killing that he leaves the claim without taking any of the gold. Returning to Zendt's trading post, he purchases land from Clay Basket and becomes a farmer. By using irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
, he turns marginal land into rich cropland and becomes such a success he is given the nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
of "Potatoes Brumbaugh." He will later switch to sugar beets and become wealthy.
Maxwell Mercy invites the Plains tribes to a peace conference at Fort Laramie. There he forges a treaty
Treaty of Fort Laramie (1851)
Although many European and European-American migrants to western North America had previously passed through the Great Plains on the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails, the California gold rush greatly increased traffic...
guaranteeing safe passage to settlers on the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
in exchange for legal recognition of tribal land claims. Wiser heads on both sides however know that the treaty will merely delay the inevitable war between the two sides.
The Massacre
By the 1860s, the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
has broken out in the east and the Army sends most of its troops back east to fight in the war. The Indian tribes take advantage of the lack of a strong military presence in the territory to redress past grievances and raid white settlements. The tribes are led by the Pasquinel brothers. A recent Colorado settler named Frank Skimmerhorn (Richard Crenna) forms a volunteer militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
to deal with the tribes. Skimmerhorn, a survivor of tribal wars in Minnesota
Dakota War of 1862
The Dakota War of 1862, also known as the Sioux Uprising, was an armed conflict between the United States and several bands of the eastern Sioux. It began on August 17, 1862, along the Minnesota River in southwest Minnesota...
, is a charismatic but mentally unbalanced leader who has a pathological hatred of all native Americans. He leads an attack on a band of peaceful unarmed Arapaho ordering the slaughter of everyone in the camp including women and children. Captain John McIntosh (Mark Harmon), a young officer under Skimmerhorn's command, refuses to join in the massacre and is court martialed for insubordination
Insubordination
Insubordination is the act of willfully disobeying an authority. Refusing to perform an action that is unethical or illegal is not insubordination; neither is refusing to perform an action that is not within the scope of authority of the person issuing the order.Insubordination is typically a...
. At the trial, graphic testimony from a young soldier turns public opinion
Public opinion
Public opinion is the aggregate of individual attitudes or beliefs held by the adult population. Public opinion can also be defined as the complex collection of opinions of many different people and the sum of all their views....
against Skimmerhorn. However, by manipulating the facts, Skimmerhorn is able to regain favor with the people, culminating with his capture and summary execution
Summary execution
A summary execution is a variety of execution in which a person is killed on the spot without trial or after a show trial. Summary executions have been practiced by the police, military, and paramilitary organizations and are associated with guerrilla warfare, counter-insurgency, terrorism, and...
of Jake Pasquinel. Seeing no hope, Mike Pasquinel is convinced by the Zendts to surrender to the Regular Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in Denver where, in theory at least, he will receive a fair trial. As they are marching to the Army's command headquarters waving white flags Skimmerhorn (who is giving an interview to a local newspaper editor) shoots Mike in the back killing him in cold blood
Cold blood
Cold blood may refer to:* Cold Blood , an American rock/jazz/soul band formed in 1968* "Cold Blood" , an episode of the British TV series Doctor Who* Cold Blood , a UK crime drama series-See also:...
. Public opinion is then firmly turned against Skimmerhorn. Maxwell Mercy, outraged at his brothers-in law's murders, challenges Skimmerhorn to a duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
and nearly kills him only to be stopped by Levi Zendt. Disgraced and rejected by his son John, Skimmerhorn leaves Colorado.
The Longhorns
Oliver Seccombe returns to the area as an agent of several wealthy British investors led by EarlEarl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
Venneford of Wye who want to start a cattle ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
. By claiming watering holes under the Homestead Act
Homestead Act
A homestead act is one of three United States federal laws that gave an applicant freehold title to an area called a "homestead" – typically 160 acres of undeveloped federal land west of the Mississippi River....
and utilizing the open range
Rangeland
Rangelands are vast natural landscapes in the form of grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands, and deserts. Types of rangelands include tallgrass and shortgrass prairies, desert grasslands and shrublands, woodlands, savannas, chaparrals, steppes, and tundras...
, they can monopolize thousands of square miles with a very small investment. The ranch would eventually control nearly 6000000 acres (24,281.2 km²), an area nearly the size of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
.
He hires John Skimmerhorn (Cliff De Young), son of the disgraced militia colonel, to acquire longhorn cattle
Texas longhorn (cattle)
The Texas Longhorn is a breed of cattle known for its characteristic horns, which can extend to tip to tip for steers and exceptional cows, and tip to tip for bulls. Horns can have a slight upward turn at their tips or even triple twist. Texas Longhorns are known for their diverse coloring...
in Texas and drive them to Colorado. For the cattle drive, the young Skimmerhorn hires several cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
s, including the experienced trail boss R.J. Poteet, played by Dennis Weaver
Dennis Weaver
William Dennis Weaver was an American actor, best known for his work in television, including roles on Gunsmoke, as Marshal Sam McCloud on the NBC police drama McCloud, and the 1971 TV movie Duel....
, and young cow hand Jim Lloyd (played by Michael LeClair as a teen during this episode and by William Atherton
William Atherton
William Atherton , born William Atherton Knight II, is an American film, stage and television actor.-Early life:Atherton was born in Orange, Connecticut, the son of Roby and Robert Atherton Knight...
as the older Lloyd). At first Skimmerhorn encounters resistance because of his father's actions with the Indians, but he distances himself from his father's shadow and quickly earns the respect of the cowhands. The epic cattle drive across the tractless Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado
Llano Estacado , commonly known as the Staked Plains, is a region in the Southwestern United States that encompasses parts of eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas, including the South Plains and parts of the Texas Panhandle...
is successful and the new ranch, named Venneford, becomes one of the largest ranches in the west. In 1876, Colorado becomes a state and the small community that has grown up around Zendt's trading post is renamed "Centennial" in honor of the American centennial.
The Shepherds
Seccombe stays on to manage the ranch and with John Skimmerhorn as foreman and Jim Lloyd as a regular ranchhand. Lloyd falls in love with Levi Zendt's beautiful but wild daughter Clemma (Adrienne Larussa). Clemma however merely toys with Jim. Charlotte Buckland (Lynn RedgraveLynn Redgrave
Lynn Rachel Redgrave, OBE was an English actress.A member of the well-known British family of actors, Redgrave trained in London before making her theatrical debut in 1962...
), the daughter of one of Venneford's wealthy British investors, comes to Colorado to find adventure. Clemma leaves town leaving Jim heartbroken. Charlotte falls in love with Seccombe and the two are married.
A range war
Range war
A range war is a type of conflict that occurs in agrarian or stockrearing societies. Typically fought over water rights or grazing rights to unfenced/unowned land, it could pit competing farmers or ranchers against each other...
develops between the cattle ranchers led by Seccombe, farmers led by Hans Brumbaugh, and sheep herders led by new settler Messmore Garrett (Clint Ritchie
Clint Ritchie
Clinton Charles Augustus Ritchie was an American actor.-Early life:Ritchie was born on a farm in Grafton, North Dakota to J. C. and Charlotte Ritchie, and his family moved to Washington state when he was seven...
). New town sheriff Axel Dumire (Brian Keith
Brian Keith
Brian Keith was an American film, television, and stage actor who in his four decade-long career gained recognition for his work in movies such as the 1961 Disney family film The Parent Trap, the 1966 comedy The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, and the 1975 adventure saga The Wind and...
) tries to settle the conflict peacefully but it soon escalates into violence. Oliver Seccombe, angered by threats to his interests, engages the services of a gang of outlaws to kill Brumbaugh, Garrett and other leaders of the farmers and shepherds. Jim Lloyd and John Skimmerhorn find themselves caught between sides in the war. They are cowboys but are also sympathetic to the plight of the farmers and shepherds and refuse to believe that Seccombe is behind the cold blooded killings. Brumbaugh and Garrett both survive assassination attempts but several farmers and shepherds are killed in the violence. Eventually the outlaws are ambushed by a group of vigilante
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
s led by Brumbaugh and Jim Lloyd. The sheriff is able to restore order but several gang members escape vowing vengeance.
The Storm
Seccombe proves to be a poor businessman with questionable morals and the finances of the ranch are eventually called into question by the Venneford's British investors. They dispatch Finlay Perkin (Clive RevillClive Revill
Clive Selsby Revill is a New Zealand-born British character actor best known for his performances in musical theatre and on the London stage.-Early life and stage career:...
), a dour Scottish accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
, to audit
Audit
The general definition of an audit is an evaluation of a person, organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product. The term most commonly refers to audits in accounting, but similar concepts also exist in project management, quality management, and energy conservation.- Accounting...
Venneford's books. Seccombe has been secretly selling off ranch cattle to fund his activities. Perkin soon realizes that Seccombe is skimming money after seeing the combination of thousands of missing cattle and Seccombe's palatial new ranch house, evidence of his profligate spending. Seccombe's crimes are covered over however when a terrible blizzard
Blizzard
A blizzard is a severe snowstorm characterized by strong winds. By definition, the difference between blizzard and a snowstorm is the strength of the wind. To be a blizzard, a snow storm must have winds in excess of with blowing or drifting snow which reduces visibility to 400 meters or ¼ mile or...
hits the region, killing many of the ranch's cattle and thereby hiding the losses incurred by Seccombe's embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
. The blizzard saves him from formal legal charges; however he is still compelled to resign in disgrace and turn over ranch operations to John Skimmerhorn. The fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
accusations and the large loss of cattle combine to take a toll on Seccombe's health and he commits suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
leaving Charlotte a widow. Levi Zendt dies in an accident leaving Lucinda and their two grown children Clemma and Martin.
The Crime
Mervin Wendell (Anthony ZerbeAnthony Zerbe
Anthony Jared Zerbe is an American stage, film and Emmy-winning television actor. Notable film roles include the post-apocalyptic cult leader Matthias in The Omega Man, a 1971 film adaptation of Richard Matheson's 1954 novel, I Am Legend; Milton Krest in the 1989 James Bond film Licence to Kill;...
), his wife Maude (Lois Nettleton
Lois Nettleton
Lois June Nettleton was an American actress of film, stage, and television. She was Miss Chicago of 1948 as well as a semifinalist at that year's Miss America Pageant.-Early years:...
), and young son Philip (Doug McKeon) come to town. The Wendells are ostensibly itinerate actors but in reality they are charlatan
Charlatan
A charlatan is a person practicing quackery or some similar confidence trick in order to obtain money, fame or other advantages via some form of pretense or deception....
s and con-artists working their way across the new railroad towns one step ahead of the law. Their favorite con is called the "badger game
Badger game
The badger game is an extortion scheme, often perpetrated on married men, in which the victim or "mark" is tricked into a compromising position to make him vulnerable to blackmail....
". The con works on the local pastor and the Wendells reap large blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
proceeds. Their plan turns sour when they try it on a worldwise businessman, Soren Sorenson (Sandy McPeak). He recognizes their trick, too late, and threatens to expose them. Wendell attacks him. They struggle and Sorenson is killed by Maude Wendell. While looking through his belongings, they find a large fortune in cash that Sorenson was going to use to finance a real estate purchase. Philip hides the body in a subterranean cave along the riverbank. They keep the money but realize that they cannot spend it as it will expose their guilt.
The Winds of Fortune
The widowed Charlotte Buckland Seccombe travels to England briefly but returns to Venneford after inheriting a majority interest in the ranch. She falls in love with Jim Lloyd, now ranch foreman, but their romance nearly falls apart when Clemma Zendt returns and Jim breaks off his engagement with Charlotte. Charlotte resolves to fight for Jim and goes to Clemma and blackmails her into leaving town—or she will use all her resources to expose Clemma's activities during her time away, which include alcoholismAlcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
, prostitution, fraud, and a lengthy prison term. Clemma gets on the next train to Chicago, and Jim and Charlotte reconcile and wed.
Sheriff Dumire has suspected the Wendells of shady activities since their arrival and questions them about the missing businessman. He hounds the Wendells but they won't crack and without a body
Corpus delicti
Corpus delicti is a term from Western jurisprudence referring to the principle that a crime must have been proven to have occurred before a person can be convicted of committing that crime. For example, a person cannot be tried for larceny unless it can be proven that property has been stolen...
the sheriff can do nothing. The Wendells' young son Philip admires the sheriff and has no respect for his father. He wants to tell him the truth but cannot bring himself to betray his own flesh and blood. The sheriff is killed by remnants of the gang hired to drive the farmers out in the range war, and Philip begins to reveal the secret only as Dumire dies. With the sheriff now out of the picture, Mervin and Maude Wendell are now free from legal suspicion. He charms a railroad land agent and begins planting the seeds of a future real estate empire.
The Winds of Death
By the turn of the 20th century, Mervin Wendell has grown rich selling marginal land to naive immigrants and easterners for dryland farmingDryland farming
Dryland farming is an agricultural technique for non-irrigated cultivation of drylands.-Locations:Dryland farming is used in the Great Plains, the Palouse plateau of Eastern Washington, and other arid regions of North America, the Middle East and in other grain growing regions such as the steppes...
, lending on the land at extortion rates
Predatory lending
Predatory lending describes unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent practices of some lenders during the loan origination process. While there are no legal definitions in the United States for predatory lending, an audit report on predatory lending from the office of inspector general of the FDIC broadly...
then foreclosing
Foreclosure
Foreclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
and reselling the land at a profit
Predatory mortgage servicing
Predatory mortgage servicing is a pejorative term used to describe abusive, unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent mortgage servicing practices of some mortgage servicers during the mortgage servicing process. There is no legal definition in the United States for predatory mortgage servicing...
. Though the secret of his family's success still haunts Philip, he continues the family real estate business often mercilessly foreclosing on unsuccessful farmers. Among those are young Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
ns Earl and Alice Grebe. Despite warnings from Hans Brumbaugh and Jim Lloyd, the Grebes settle on the drylands
Drylands
Drylands is a Miles Franklin Award winning novel by Australian author Thea Astley. This novel shared the award with Benang by Kim Scott.-Awards:...
of the prairie and take out a mortgage with Mervin Wendell. This gamble on marginal land soon turns disastrous as the Dust Bowl
Dust Bowl
The Dust Bowl, or the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and Canadian prairie lands from 1930 to 1936...
years of the 1920s and 1930s and a freefall in wheat prices after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
set in. The Grebes fall behind in their mortgage and Wendell threatens foreclosure. Dust storms kill the Grebe's son causing an emotionally distraught Alice to go insane and stab several of her remaining children to death. Enraged, Earl kills Alice then kills himself
Murder-suicide
A murder–suicide is an act in which an individual kills one or more other persons before or at the same time as killing himself or herself. The combination of murder and suicide can take various forms, including:...
.
The shrinking of the prairie and the closing of the open range leave Venneford Ranch a shadow of its former glory. Still, the ranch is large and successful and Charlotte uses her wealth and clout to defend Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
victims of local bigotry. Beeley Garrett, Messmore’s son, marries Jim and Charlotte Lloyd’s daughter and takes over control of the Venneford when Jim dies.
The Scream of Eagles
By the 1970s, the two leading citizens in town are Paul Garrett (David Janssen), the current owner of Venneford Ranch, and Morgan Wendell (Robert Vaughn). Both men are in their 50s, but any similarity ends there. Garrett is thoughtful, introspective, and interested in preserving the natural beauty of Colorado for future generations. He is Beeley Garrett's son as well as Charlotte and Jim Lloyd's grandson. he is also a descendant of the Garretts, Levi Zendt, Pasquinel, and Lame Beaver. Wendell is Philip's son who has inherited the family real estate empire as well as their propensity for self interest. He is a naked opportunist looking to advance his own personal and financial interests at any cost.Professor Lew Vernor (Andy Griffith) and writer Sidney Enderman (Sharon Gless) arrive in town to do research on the history of Centennial. Vernor goes to Paul Garrett to learn the history of the region. Later while exploring the town Vernor discovers a washed-out cave with human remains on the Wendell's property. Morgan, recognizing the scene from his father's tales, orders Vernor out and hides the evidence of the century-old murder that made his family wealthy.
Wendell is a candidate for the new statewide office of Commissioner of Resources, an elected office that will balance economic growth with environmental and historical preservation. Wendell is running on a platform that emphasizes economic growth. Paul Garrett and other civic leaders hope for a more balanced approach that preserves the traditional Colorado way of life. While telling Vernor and Enderman the history of Centennial (Garrett's voice narrates the miniseries), he is persuaded to run against Wendell in the election.
During the election, Wendell runs a dirty campaign and smears Garrett by any means possible. He plays the race card
Race card
Playing the race card is an idiomatic phrase that refers to exploitation of either racist or anti-racist attitudes to gain a personal advantage, typically by falsely accusing others of racism against oneself.-Usage:...
, pointing out the widower Garrett plans to marry a young Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
woman. In the end, Garrett appears to win the election (though the final outcome is never actually revealed). Professor Vernor and Sidney Enderman write the history of Centennial.
Location and filming
South Platte River
The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River and itself a major river of the American Midwest and the American Southwest/Mountain West, located in the U.S. states of Colorado and Nebraska...
and the Cache la Poudre River
Cache La Poudre River
The Cache la Poudre River is in the state of Colorado in the United States.Its headwaters are in the Front Range in Larimer County, in the northern part of Rocky Mountain National Park. The river descends eastward in the mountains through the Roosevelt National Forest in Poudre Canyon...
which would place it roughly halfway between the Colorado towns of Greeley
Greeley, Colorado
The City of Greeley is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Weld County, Colorado, United States. Greeley is located in the region known as Northern Colorado. Greeley is situated north-northeast of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. According to the...
and Kersey
Kersey, Colorado
Kersey is a statutory town in Weld County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,389 at the 2000 census.-History:Originally called Orr, Kersey was created in 1882 as a place on the Union Pacific Railroad main line between Julesburg and LaSalle. The area was given its current name in 1896 by...
. This is consistent with Michener's description of the town's location; http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20071004/NEWS/110030140 however no real town exists in this area. This location would place the spot of the fictional town in central Weld County
Weld County, Colorado
As of the census of 2000, there were 180,936 people, 63,247 households, and 45,221 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 66,194 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
on the High Plains
High Plains (United States)
The High Plains are a subregion of the Great Plains mostly in the Western United States, but also partly in the Midwest states of Nebraska, Kansas, and South Dakota, generally encompassing the western part of the Great Plains before the region reaches the Rocky Mountains...
about 25 miles (40.2 km) east of the base of the Rockies. Author James A. Michener lived in Greeley during the late 1930s and was familiar with the area. Michener used a variety of source material for his fictional town taken from various areas in eastern Colorado and Centennial is not meant to represent a single settlement. There is a city called Centennial, Colorado
Centennial, Colorado
The city of Centennial is a Home Rule City located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States, and part of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area. The city was to have a total population of 100,377 in 2010 census. Centennial is the tenth-most populous municipality in the state of Colorado and its...
, but it did not exist until 2001 and its location and history are not at all similar in any way to the town described in either the book or miniseries.
Principal filming occurred in 1978. There were numerous filming locations in several parts of the United States. Colorado filming locations included Greeley http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20071004/NEWS/110030140, the Pawnee National Grasslandshttp://www.colorado.com/city.php?id=47, Denver, Central City
Central City, Colorado
Central City is a home rule municipality in Clear Creek and Gilpin counties in the U.S. state of Colorado, and the county seat of Gilpin County. The city population was 515 in the 2000 United States Census...
, Orchard
Orchard, Colorado
Orchard is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office in Morgan County, Colorado, United States. The Orchard Post Office has the ZIP Code 80649.Orchard should not be confused with the Town of Orchard City in Delta County, Colorado.-Geography:...
, Bent's Old Fort National Monument and the Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is a national park located in the north-central region of the U.S. state of Colorado.It features majestic mountain views, a variety of wildlife, varied climates and environments—from wooded forests to mountain tundra—and easy access to back-country trails...
. Several of the mountain men era scenes were filmed in Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park is a United States National Park located in northwestern Wyoming, U.S. The Park consists of approximately and includes the major peaks of the long Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. Only south of Yellowstone...
in Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
. The scenes representing St. Louis in the late 18th and early 19th century were filmed in Bracken County, Kentucky
Bracken County, Kentucky
Bracken County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1797. The population was 8,488 in the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Brooksville, Kentucky.-History:...
. The White Hall State Historic Site in Richmond, Kentucky
Richmond, Kentucky
There were 10,795 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.6% were non-families. Of all households, 34.7% were made up of individuals and 8.8% had...
served as the Bockweiss mansion. Scenes representing the Zendt farm and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania were filmed in Ohio.
The ranch house and surrounding buildings used for the Venneford Ranch house was the Highlands Ranch Mansion
Highlands Ranch Mansion
The Highlands Ranch Mansion is one of the most architecturally unique structures in Colorado. The Mansion offers over and contains 14 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, 5 fireplaces, a great room, a ballroom, a dining room, a library, a billiard room, a butler’s pantry and kitchen, and a private...
(pictured) in Highlands Ranch
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Highlands Ranch is a census-designated place in Douglas County, Colorado, United States. The population was 96,713 at the 2010 census; it is one of the most populous unincorporated communities in the United States...
, which ironically is located near the real town of Centennial, Colorado. Years later the surrounding property was developed for housing; one of the streets in the development was named Venneford Ranch Road (by The Mission Viejo Company).
Critical reception
Nominated for several awards, including a Best Actor Golden Globe for Chamberlain and Best Television Series Golden Globe Drama in 1979.Historical basis
The Pasquinel character bears similarities to Jacques LaRamee a French-Canadian pioneer fur trapper who explored the area of the North Platte River in southern Wyoming in the early 19th century. (Interestingly, in the episode the Yellow Apron, Pasquinel tells his son Jake that he was named after Jacques LaRamee.) The character of Colonel Frank Skimmerhorn appears to be loosely based on John ChivingtonJohn Chivington
John Milton Chivington was a colonel in the United States Army who served in the American Indian Wars during the Colorado War and the New Mexico Campaigns of the American Civil War...
who led the infamous Sand Creek massacre
Sand Creek Massacre
As conflict between Indians and white settlers and soldiers in Colorado continued, many of the Cheyenne and Arapaho, including bands under Cheyenne chiefs Black Kettle and White Antelope, were resigned to negotiate peace. The chiefs had sought to maintain peace in spite of pressures from whites...
in Colorado in 1864. Captain John McIntosh's role in the incident and subsequent trial appears to be loosely based on Silas Soule
Silas Soule
Silas Stillman Soule was a Massachusetts abolitionist, Kansas Territory Jayhawker, and a soldier in the Colorado infantry and cavalry during the American Civil War. Captain Soule, as commander of Company D, 1st Colorado Cavalry, was present at the Sand Creek Massacre on November 29, 1864...
. The range war depicted in series is similar in many respects to the 1892 Johnson County War
Johnson County War
The Johnson County War, also known as the War on Powder River, was a range war which took place in April 1892 in Johnson County, Natrona County and Converse County in the U.S. state of Wyoming...
in Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
. The scene where Nate Pearson, Bufe Coker, and Fat Laura are murdered by the cattlemen’s hired killers[the Petis brothers] bears similarities to the lynching of Ellen “Cattle Kate” Watson with the Oliver Secombe character taking a role similar to that of Albert John Bothwell. The character of Hans "Potato" Brumbaugh appears to be loosely based on the Colorado historical figure Rufus "Potato" Clark, a failed gold prospector who turned to agriculture and became a pioneer in irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
. He grew wealthy by growing potatoes near Littleton
Littleton, Colorado
Littleton is a Home Rule Municipality contained in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Littleton is a suburb of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area. Littleton is the county seat of Arapahoe County and the 20th most populous city in the state of...
eventually switching to sugar beets and controlling more than 20000 acres (80.9 km²).
Differences between the book and miniseries
Although Michener began his novel in prehistory, the series itself begins with elements from Chapter 4 of the book which is entitledThe Many Coups of Lame Beaver. The novel devotes an entire section to Kurt Brumbaugh's development of Central Beet company however the miniseries makes only passing reference to it. The Wendell's use the badger game to blackmail the town pastor out of his house in the miniseries but in the book they get the house from a local businessman. In the miniseries, Morgan Wendell tried to cover-up his family's shady history, but in the book he spoke openly about the murder and his father's admiration of the sheriff. Paul Garrett is in his 50s and is Jim and Charlotte Lloyd's grandson in the miniseries but he in his early 40s in the novel and is Jim and Charlotte's great grandson. The miniseries skips a generation for the sake of simplicity. This skipped generation would have revealed that Paul Garrett is also a descendant of Maxwell & Lisette Mercy, Levi & Lucinda Zendt and John Skimmerhorn.There is no election pitting Paul Garrett against Morgan Wendell in the novel. Wendell is elected Commissioner of Resources and Garrett reluctantly accepts his offer to be his principal deputy. The novel also portrays Morgan Wendell as a more reasonable and balanced man than what is depicted in the miniseries. It is he not Paul Garrett who makes the reference to Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
as the anti-standard by which all politicians should be judged.
Rights issues
The series was originally overseen and distributed by MCA/Universal. However, because of the other corporate production entities involved (particularly with Lynn RedgraveLynn Redgrave
Lynn Rachel Redgrave, OBE was an English actress.A member of the well-known British family of actors, Redgrave trained in London before making her theatrical debut in 1962...
and James Michener [and eventually their estates], as well as the executive producers), most distribution and underlying rights went outside the parameters of MCA/Universal. Television syndication rights were licensed to Turner Program Services
Turner Program Services
Turner Program Services was the former syndication arm of Turner Broadcasting. It served the same purpose as Turner Entertainment's distribution unit, with the exception that TPS was more involved in distributing television series rather than films....
(now Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television is the television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself part of Time Warner. Alongside CBS Television Studios, it serves as a television production arm of The CW Television Network , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...
, the successor-in-interest that continues to syndicate the series today). However, Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Universal Studios Home Entertainment is the home video division of Universal Pictures...
did acquire the home video rights and in 2008 released the series on DVD. There are no current plans to release it on Blu-Ray or reissue it to U.S. television.
Principal cast
Actor/character- Michael AnsaraMichael AnsaraMichael Ansara is a Syrian-born American stage, screen, and voice actor best known for his portrayal of Cochise in the American television series Broken Arrow, Kane in the 1979-81 series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and Commander Kang on three different Star Trek TV series.- Early life and...
- Lame Beaver - William AthertonWilliam AthertonWilliam Atherton , born William Atherton Knight II, is an American film, stage and television actor.-Early life:Atherton was born in Orange, Connecticut, the son of Roby and Robert Atherton Knight...
- Jim Lloyd - Raymond BurrRaymond BurrRaymond William Stacey Burr was a Canadian actor, primarily known for his title roles in the television dramas Perry Mason and Ironside. His early acting career included roles on Broadway, radio, television and in film, usually as the villain...
- Herman Bockweiss - Barbara CarreraBarbara CarreraBarbara Carrera is a Nicaraguan-born American film and television actress as well as a former model. She is best known for her roles as Bond girl Fatima Blush in Never Say Never Again and as Angelica Nero on the soap opera Dallas.-Early life:Barbara Kingsbury was born in San Carlos, Río San Juan,...
- Clay Basket - Richard Chamberlain - Alexander McKeag
- Robert ConradRobert ConradRobert Conrad is an American actor. He is best known for his role in the 1965 CBS television series The Wild Wild West, in which he played the sophisticated Secret Service agent James T. West, and his portrayal of World War II ace Pappy Boyington in the television series Baa Baa Black Sheep...
- Pasquinel - Richard CrennaRichard CrennaRichard Donald Crenna was an American motion picture, television, and radio actor and occasional television director. He starred in such motion pictures as The Sand Pebbles, Wait Until Dark, Body Heat, the first three Rambo movies, Hot Shots! Part Deux, and The Flamingo Kid...
- Col. Frank Skimmerhorn - Timothy DaltonTimothy DaltonTimothy Peter Dalton ) is a Welsh actor of film and television. He is known for portraying James Bond in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill , as well as Rhett Butler in the television miniseries Scarlett , an original sequel to Gone with the Wind...
- Oliver Seccombe - Cliff De Young - John Skimmerhorn
- Chad EverettChad EverettChad Everett is an American actor who has appeared in over 40 films and television series but is probably best known for his role as Dr. Joe Gannon in the 1970s television drama Medical Center.-Early life:...
- Major Maxwell Mercy - Sharon GlessSharon GlessSharon Marguerite Gless is an American character actress of stage, film and television, who is best known for her roles as Maggie Philbin on Switch , as Sgt. Christine Cagney in the police procedural drama series Cagney & Lacey and as Debbie Novotny in the Showtime cable television series Queer...
- Sidney Andermann - Andy GriffithAndy GriffithAndy Samuel Griffith is an American actor, director, producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer. He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's epic film A Face in the Crowd before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead...
- Prof. Lewis Vernor - Merle HaggardMerle HaggardMerle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
- Cisco Calendar - Mark HarmonMark HarmonMark Harmon is an American actor who has been starring in American television programs and films since the mid-1970s, after a career as a collegiate football player with the UCLA Bruins. Since 2003, Harmon has starred as Leroy Jethro Gibbs in the CBS series NCIS.-Early life:Harmon was born Thomas...
- Captain John McIntosh - Gregory HarrisonGregory 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 Trapper John MacIntyre's young surgeon, Dr. George Alonzo 'Gonzo' Gates, on the CBS series Trapper John, M.D....
- Levi Zendt - David JanssenDavid JanssenDavid Janssen was an American film and television actor who is best known for his starring role as Dr. Richard Kimble in the television series The Fugitive , the starring role in the 1950s hit detective series Richard Diamond, Private Detective , and as Harry Orwell on Harry O.In 1996 TV Guide...
- Paul Garrett (Narrator) - Alex KarrasAlex KarrasAlexander George "Alex" Karras , nicknamed "The Mad Duck", is a former football player, professional wrestler, and actor, best known for his stint with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League from 1958–1962 and 1964-1970 and for his role as Mongo in the film Blazing Saddles...
- Hans Brumbaugh - Brian KeithBrian KeithBrian Keith was an American film, television, and stage actor who in his four decade-long career gained recognition for his work in movies such as the 1961 Disney family film The Parent Trap, the 1966 comedy The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, and the 1975 adventure saga The Wind and...
- Sheriff Axel Dumire - Sally KellermanSally KellermanSally Clare Kellerman is an American actress and singer known for her role as Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in the film MASH , for which she was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.-Early life:...
- Lise Bockweiss Pasquinel - A. Martinez - Tranquilino Marquez
- Stephen McHattieStephen McHattieStephen McHattie is a Canadian actor.-Life and career:McHattie was born in Antigonish, Nova Scotia....
- Jacques Pasquinel - Lois NettletonLois NettletonLois June Nettleton was an American actress of film, stage, and television. She was Miss Chicago of 1948 as well as a semifinalist at that year's Miss America Pageant.-Early years:...
- Maude Wendell - Donald PleasenceDonald PleasenceSir Donald Henry Pleasence, OBE, was a British actor who gained more than 200 screen credits during a career which spanned over four decades...
- Sam Purchas - Cristina RainesCristina RainesCristina Raines is an American actress. She achieved her big break in the TV movie Sunshine, with Cliff De Young.-Biography:...
- Lucinda McKeag Zendt - Lynn RedgraveLynn RedgraveLynn Rachel Redgrave, OBE was an English actress.A member of the well-known British family of actors, Redgrave trained in London before making her theatrical debut in 1962...
- Charlotte Buckland Seccombe Lloyd - Clive RevillClive RevillClive Selsby Revill is a New Zealand-born British character actor best known for his performances in musical theatre and on the London stage.-Early life and stage career:...
- Finlay Perkins - Kario SalemKario SalemKario Salem is an American television, film, and stage actor and screenwriter.-Career:In 1997, Salem earned an Emmy Award as a writer for the television special Don King: Only in America, which also earned him a PEN nomination. The film also won the Broadcast Film Critics Award and Peabody Award...
- Marcel Pasquinel - Clint WalkerClint WalkerNorman Eugene Walker, known as Clint Walker , is an American actor best known for his cowboy role as "Cheyenne Bodie" in the TV Western series, Cheyenne.-Life and career:...
- Joe Bean - Dennis WeaverDennis WeaverWilliam Dennis Weaver was an American actor, best known for his work in television, including roles on Gunsmoke, as Marshal Sam McCloud on the NBC police drama McCloud, and the 1971 TV movie Duel....
- R. J. Poteet - Robert VaughnRobert VaughnRobert Francis Vaughn, , is an American actor noted for stage, film and television work. His best known roles include the suave spy Napoleon Solo in the 1960s television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E., wealthy detective Harry Rule in the 1970s television series The Protectors, Albert Stroller in...
- Morgan Wendell - Anthony ZerbeAnthony ZerbeAnthony Jared Zerbe is an American stage, film and Emmy-winning television actor. Notable film roles include the post-apocalyptic cult leader Matthias in The Omega Man, a 1971 film adaptation of Richard Matheson's 1954 novel, I Am Legend; Milton Krest in the 1989 James Bond film Licence to Kill;...
- Mervin Wendell - Stephanie ZimbalistStephanie ZimbalistStephanie Zimbalist is an American actress best known for her role as Laura Holt on the NBC detective series Remington Steele.-Background:...
- Elly Zahm Zendt
Other cast
- Maria Yolanda Aguayo - Blue Leaf (child)
- Steven Andrade - 1st Arapaho
- Phyllis Applegate - Clerk
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- Mr. Holmes - Ed Bakey - Floyd Calendar
- James BestJames BestJames Best is an American actor best known for his role as bumbling Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane in the CBS television series The Dukes of Hazzard. He has also worked as an acting coach, artist, and musician.-Early years:...
- Hank Garvey - William Bogert - William Bellamy
- Lynn Borden - Vesta Volkema
- Marta Brennan - Mary Sibley
- Reb Brown - Jim Bridger
- Bo BrundinBo BrundinBo Brundin is a Swedish actor. He has appeared in 43 films and television shows between 1970 and 2002. He starred in the 1970 film A Baltic Tragedy, which was entered into the 20th Berlin International Film Festival...
- Magnes Volkema - Steve Burns - Pvt. James Clark
- Barry Cahill - Maj. O'Neil
- Alan CaillouAlan CaillouAlan Caillou was the nom de plume of Alan Samuel Lyle-Smythe M.B.E., M.C. , an author, actor, screenwriter, soldier, policeman and professional hunter.-Biography:...
- Booth Cilbborn - Rafael Campos - Nacho Gomez
- Joan Carey - Miss Kruger
- Dave Cass - Frank Pettis
- Karen CarlsonKaren Carlson- Career :Carlson was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. She has appeared in many television series and a few films. Her film credits include Shame, Shame, Everybody Knows Her Name , The Candidate with Robert Redford and The Octagon with Chuck Norris...
- Lisette Mercy - Annette Charles - Senor Alvarez
- Alex Colon - Father Vigil
- Henry DarrowHenry DarrowHenry Darrow is a prolific Puerto Rican-American character actor of stage and film. Darrow is probably best remembered for his role as Big John Cannon's teasing brother-in-law, and Buck Cannon's favorite ranch hand, and best friend, Manolito Montoya, in the 1960s television series The High...
- Alvarez - Ralph Davies Lewis - Tom Ragland
- Bob Davis - Bank Manager
- Joella Deffenbaugh - Fat Laura
- Dennis Dimster - Timmy Grebe
- Robert DoQuiRobert DoQuiRobert DoQui was an American actor who starred in film and on television. He is best known for his role as King George in the 1973 film Coffy, starring Pam Grier, as Sgt. Warren Reed in the 1987 science fiction film RoboCop, the 1990 sequel RoboCop 2, and the 1993 sequel RoboCop 3...
- Nate Person III - Burt Douglas - Capt. William Ketchum
- Damon Douglas - William Savage
- Robert Douglas - Claude Richards
- Robert Easton - Maj. George Sibley
- Dana ElcarDana ElcarDana Elcar was an American television and movie character actor. Although he appeared in about 40 films, his most memorable role was on the 1980s and 1990s television series MacGyver as Peter Thornton, an administrator working for the Phoenix Foundation...
- Judge Hart - René EnríquezRené EnríquezThis article is on the television actor. For the Mexican Mafia dropout, see Rene Enriquez René Enríquez was an American television actor of the 1970s and 1980s. He may be best-remembered for his role as Lt...
- Manolo Marquez - H.P. Evetts - Orvid Pettis
- Darrell Fetty - Burns
- Dennis Fimple - Buck
- Carl FranklinCarl FranklinCarl Franklin is an American actor, screenwriter and film and television director. Franklin is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley and continued his education at the AFI Conservatory, where he graduated with an M.F.A. degree in directing in 1986...
- Jim Beckworth - Lou Frizzell - Mr. Norriss
- Chief Dan George - Old Sioux
- Byron Gilbert - Truinfador Marquez
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- Serafina Marquez - Michael Goodrow - Ethan Grebe
- Lani Grant - Mrs. Takemoto
- Jacques Hampton - Doctor
- James HamptonJames Hampton (actor)James Wade Hampton is an American actor, television director, and screenwriter.-Early life:Though born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Hampton was reared in Dallas, Texas, where his father operated a cleaning business. He majored in theatre arts at the University of North Texas in Denton...
- Defense Atty. Prescott - Alex HenteloffAlex HenteloffAlex Henteloff is an American actor.Born in Los Angeles, California, he portrayed the attorney Arnold Drake Ripner in a recurring on the television series Barney Miller...
- Bradley Finch - Allan Hunt - Stanford
- Gordon Hurst - Clay
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- Laseter - Richard JaeckelRichard JaeckelRichard Hanley Jaeckel was an American actor of film and television.-Life and career:Jaeckel was born in Long Beach, New York. A short, but tough guy, he played a variety of characters during his fifty years in movies & television and became one of Hollywood's best known character actors...
- Sgt. Lykes - Claude Jarman, Jr. - Earl Grebe
- Claude Earl Jones - Matt
- Morris Jones - 1st Reporter
- John Kings - Englishman
- James Kisicki - Rev. Fenstermacher
- Eric Lalich - Jake Calendar
- David and Daniel Lange - Ben Dawson (age 9)
- Les LannomLes LannomLes Lannom is an American actor and musician. Lannom is best known for playing Lester Hodges on the television series Harry O from 1974 to 1976, and his role as Sergeant Casper in Southern Comfort.-Career:...
- Bufe Coker - William Lanteau - Flagg
- Adrienne La RussaAdrienne La RussaAdrienne La Russa is a New York City-born Italian-American actress, most known for her role as Brooke Hamilton on Days of our Lives, which she played from 1975 to 1977....
- Clemma Zendt - Tony LaTorre - Marcel (age 7)
- Michael Le Clair - Jim Lloyd (young)
- Geoffrey Lewis - Sheriff Bogardus
- Duane Loken - 1st Cheyenne
- Christopher Lowell - Keefe
- Jaimie MacDonald - Jacques (ages 6–9)
- Jay W. MacIntosh - Emma Lloyd
- Joaquin Martinez - Col. Salcedo
- Barney McFadden - Abel Tanner
- Doug McKeon - Philip Wendell
- Gloria McMillan - Clara Brumbaugh
- Jim McMullan - Prosecutor
- Sandy McPeak - Soren Sorenson
- Mari Michener - Janice Welch
- Julio Medina - Father Gravez
- Art MetranoArt MetranoArthur "Art" Metrano is an American actor and comedian, born in Brooklyn, New York City. Metrano may be best known for his role as Lt./Capt./Cmdt. Mauser in Police Academy 2 and Police Academy 3....
- Maurice Cartwright - Greg Mullavey - Mule Canby
- Karmin Murcelo - Flor Marquez
- Alan NapierAlan NapierAlan William Napier-Clavering was an English actor, best known for portraying Alfred Pennyworth in the 1960s live-action Batman television series.-Early life and career:...
- Lord Venneford - Ivan Naranjo - Gray Wolf
- Mark Neely - Martin Zendt
- Richard O'Brien - Judge
- Rachel Orr - Victoria Grebe
- Michael K. Osborn - Mr. Kellen
- Gene Otis - Stringer
- Morgan PaullMorgan PaullMorgan Paull is an American actor probably most notable for playing Holden in the Ridley Scott film Blade Runner. He made his acting debut in the 1970 film Patton playing Captain Richard N. Jenson...
- Philip Wendell (adult) - John Bennett Perry - Maylon Zendt
- Robert Phalen - Rev. Holly
- Terry Phillips - Newscaster
- Maria Potts - Blue Leaf
- Monika Ramirez - Blue Leaf (age 14)
- Nick RamusNick 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 TV film Geronimo about the historical Apache warrior with the same name.He...
- Lost Eagle - Steven Rapp - Kurt Brumbaugh
- Debi Richter - Rebecca Stolfitz
- Clint RitchieClint RitchieClinton Charles Augustus Ritchie was an American actor.-Early life:Ritchie was born on a farm in Grafton, North Dakota to J. C. and Charlotte Ritchie, and his family moved to Washington state when he was seven...
- Messmore Garrett - Jorge RiveroJorge RiveroJorge Pous Rosas is a matinee idol, with a career spanning three continents , primarily in Spanish language media...
- Broken Thumb - Pernell RobertsPernell RobertsPernell Elvin Roberts, Jr. was an American stage, movie and television actor, as well as a singer. In addition to guest starring in over 60 television series, he was widely known for his roles as Ben Cartwright's eldest son, Adam Cartwright, on the western series Bonanza, a role he played from...
- Gen. Asher - Vincent Roberts - Jacques Pascinel
- Frank S. Salsedo - Sam Lopez
- Steve Sandor - Charley Kin
- Eric Server - Pierce
- Steve ShawSteve Shaw (actor)Steve Shaw was an American actor best known for playing Eric Fairgate in the television drama Knots Landing. He appeared regularly in the series from 1979 to 1987, and thereafter made occasional return appearances before his death in a road accident on December 5, 1990, in Los Angeles.-External...
- Paul Garrett (as a boy) - Steve Shemayne - Pawnee Chief
- Stuart Silbar - Col. Hanley
- James J. SloyanJames SloyanJames Joseph Sloyan is an American actor. He is married to actress Deirdre Lenihan with whom he has two children, Daniel and Samantha.- Early years :...
- Spade Larkin - Robert Somers - Sergeant
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- Alice Grebe - Gale SondergaardGale SondergaardGale Sondergaard was an American actress.Sondergaard began her acting career in theatre, and progressed to films in 1936. She was the first recipient of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her film debut in Anthony Adverse...
- Aunt Augusta - Gordon Steel - Donald McPherson
- Sterling Swanson - Hunter
- Takashi - Mr. Takemoto
- Irene Tedrow - Mother Zendt
- Robert TessierRobert TessierRobert W. Tessier was an American actor and stuntman who was best known for playing heavy, menacing characters on film and television.-Early life:...
- Rude Water - Marshall Thompson - Dennis
- Tiger Thompson - Young Beeley Garrett
- Bill Thurman - Uncle Dick
- Ray Tracey - Lame Beaver (young)
- Deborah Trissell - Miss Keller
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- Nate Person - Mina Vasquez - Soledad Marquez
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- Beeley Garrett (adult) - Jesse Vint - Amos Calendar
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- Dr. Richard Butler - Robby Weaver - Gompert
- Van Williams - George
- Leslie Winston - Laura Lou Booker
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- Gen. Wade - David Yanez - Lame Beaver (age 9)
- Ken Yellow Moon - 2nd Arapaho
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- an extra in the Indian village scene (his TV debut)
Producers
- Alex BeatonAlex BeatonAlex Beaton is a Scottish, guitar-playing folksinger who makes more than 20 concert appearances annually at various events across the United States . Beaton appears annually at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in North Carolina, and the Stone Mountain Highland Games in Atlanta, Georgia,...
- Producer - George E. Crosby - Producer
- Howard Alston - Producer
- Malcolm R. Harding - Producer
- Richard Caffey - Producer
Other Crew
- Charles Larson - Screenwriter
- Jerry Ziegman - Screenwriter
- John Wilder - Screenwriter & Executive Producer
- John AddisonJohn AddisonJohn Mervyn Addison was a British composer best known for his film scores.Addison was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire and at the age of sixteen entered the Royal College of Music. He studied composition with Gordon Jacob, oboe with Léon Goossens, and clarinet with Frederick Thurston. ...
- Composer (Music Score) - Charles W. Short - Cinematographer
- Duke Callaghan - Cinematographer
- Jacques Marquette - Cinematographer
- Ronald W. Browne - Cinematographer
- John P. Bruce - Art Director
- John W. Corso - Art Director
- Lloyd S. Papez - Art Director
- Louis Montejano - Art Director
- Mark Mansbridge - Art Director
- Seymour Klate - Art Director
- Sherman Loudermilk - Art Director
- James Michener - Author
- Helen Colvig - Costume Designer
- Bill Parker - Editor
- Howard S. Deane - Editor
- John Elias - Editor
- Ralph Schoenfeld - Editor
- Robert F. Shugrue - Editor
- Robert Watts - Editor
- Jack Senter - Production Designer
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Chicago International Film Festival Chicago International Film Festival The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America.... |
Winner | Network Television Production: Television Series | John Wilder |
| 1979 | Emmy Awards | Nominated | Outstanding Film Editing for a Limited Series or a Special | Robert Watts (For chapter one: "Only the Rocks Live Forever") |
| Outstanding Art Direction for a Limited Series or a Special | John W. Corso (art director), John M. Dwyer (set decorator), Robert George Freer (set decorator), Sherman Loudermilk (art director), Jack Senter (production designer), Joseph J. Stone (set decorator) (For chapter seven: "The Shepherds") | |||
| 1979 | Western Heritage Awards | Won | Fictional Television Drama | John Wilder |
| 1979 | Writers Guild of America Award Writers Guild of America Award The Writers Guild of America Award for outstanding achievements in film, television, and radio has been presented annually by the Writers Guild of America, East and Writers Guild of America, West since 1949... |
Won | Multi-Part Long Form Series and/or Any Production of More Than Two Parts | John Wilder (For chapter one: "Only the Rocks Live Forever") |
| 1980 | Golden Globe Award Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign... |
Nominated | Best TV-Series - Drama | |
| Best TV Actor - Drama | Richard Chamberlain |