Rich Man, Poor Man (TV miniseries)

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Rich Man, Poor Man was a 1976 American television miniseries that aired on ABC in one-hour episodes at 10:00pm ET/PT on Monday night for twelve weeks, beginning February 1. It was produced by Universal Television and was the first time programming of this nature had been attempted. It proved to be a critical and ratings success and was the forerunner for similar projects based on literary works, such as Roots and Brideshead Revisited.

Based on the best-selling 1970 novel by Irwin Shaw, it spanned the period from 1945 through the late 1960s and followed the divergent career courses of the impoverished immigrant Jordache brothers. Rudy was the rich man of the title, a well-educated and very ambitious entrepreneur who triumphed over his background and constructed a corporate and political empire. Poor man Tom was a rebel who eventually turned to boxing to support himself. Axel and Mary were their parents, and Julie Prescott was Rudy's lifelong sweetheart who eventually married him.

Dean Riesner wrote all twelve episodes, and direction was shared by Bill Bixby, David Greene, and Boris Sagal. The musical score was composed by Alex North, who was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special.

It spawned the sequel Rich Man, Poor Man Book II, which aired from September 1976 through March 1977. The network repeated the original series Tuesday night at 9:00pm in May and June of 1977. It has been released on videotape and DVD, but the latter only in Region 2 (UK).

Contents

[edit] Primary cast

[edit] Awards and nominations

Emmy Award wins

  • Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Series (Alex North)
  • Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series (David Greene)
  • Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series (Edward Asner)
  • Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Comedy or Drama Series (Fionnula Flanagan)

Emmy Award nominations

  • Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction or Scenic Design - Single Episode of a Comedy, Drama or Limited Series
  • Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for Entertainment Programming for a Series
  • Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design for a Drama or Comedy Series
  • Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing for Entertainment Programming for a Series (February 2 episode)
  • Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing for Entertainment Programming for a Series (March 5 episode)
  • Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Ray Milland)
  • Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Robert Reed)
  • Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Dorothy McGuire)
  • Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series (Boris Sagal)
  • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series (Nick Nolte)
  • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series (Peter Strauss)
  • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series (Susan Blakely)
  • Outstanding Limited Series
  • Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Comedy or Drama Series (Bill Bixby)
  • Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Comedy or Drama Series (Norman Fell)
  • Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Comedy or Drama Series (Van Johnson)
  • Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Comedy or Drama Series (Kim Darby)
  • Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Comedy or Drama Series (Kay Lenz)
  • Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series (Dean Riesner)

Golden Globe wins

  • Best TV Series (Drama)
  • Best TV Actress, Drama (Susan Blakely)
  • Best Supporting Actor, Television (Edward Asner)
  • Best Supporting Actress, Television (Josette Banzet)

Gloden Globe nominations

  • Best TV Actor, Drama (Nick Nolte)
  • Best TV Actor, Drama (Peter Strauss)

[edit] Cultural references

In the 1996 film Beautiful Girls, Tommy opts out of attending a party with his roommate Paul, explaining that "Channel 38 is showing all of 'Rich Man, Poor Man,' all 12 parts back to back." When Paul asks if he can tape it, Tommy says, "You can't tape it, you have to watch it on TV with all the commercials and everything." Paul concedes this is true, lamenting that "364 days a year I don't do anything," and the miniseries happens to air on the one night he decides to do something else.

In "The Keg", an episode of That 70's Show, Kitty and Midge watch "Rich Man, Poor Man."

[edit] References

The Complete Directory to Primetime Network TV Shows by Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, published by Ballantine Books, New York, 1988, pages 661-62 ISBN 0-345-34510-1

[edit] External links

Rich Man, Poor Man (TV miniseries) at the Internet Movie Database