"Rich Man, Poor Man" (1976) TV mini-series

User Rating:

8.6/10   

Directors:

Bill Bixby
David Greene
(more)

Writers:

Dean Riesner (writer)
Irwin Shaw (novel)

Release Date:

1 February 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An examination of the trials and tribulations of the Jordache family, from the period following World War II to the late 1960s.

Plot Keywords:

Johny Falconetti | TV Mini-Series | Family Relationships | Based On Novel

Awards:

Won 4 Golden Globes. Another 5 wins & 25 nominations

Cast

Peter Strauss	...	Rudy Jordache
Nick Nolte	...	Tom Jordache
Susan Blakely	...	Julie Prescott
Steve Allen	...	Bayard Nichols
Edward Asner	...	Axel Jordache
Bill Bixby	...	Willie Abbott
Dick Butkus	...	Al Fanducci
Kim Darby	...	Virginia Calderwood
Andrew Duggan	...	Col. Deiner
Mike Evans	...	Arnold Simms
Norman Fell	...	Smitty
Fionnula Flanagan	...	Clothilde
Lynda Day George	...	Linda Quales
Gloria Grahame	...	Sue Prescott
Murray Hamilton	...	Sid Gossett
Herb Jefferson Jr.	...	Roy Dwyer
Van Johnson	...	Marsh Goodwin
Kay Lenz	...	Kate Jordache
George Maharis	...	Joey Quales
Dorothy Malone	...	Irene Goodwin
Dorothy McGuire	...	Mary Jordache
Tim McIntire	...	Brad Knight
Ray Milland	...	Duncan Calderwood
Lawrence Pressman	...	Bill Denton
Robert Reed	...	Teddy Boylan
Dick Sargent	...	Richards
Talia Shire	...	Teresa Santoro
William Smith	...	Falconetti
Craig Stevens	...	Asher Berg
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Aletter	...	Mr. Tinker
Ben Archibek	...	Jay Ledbetter
Martin Ashe	...	Martin
Mike Baird	...	Buddy
Josette Banzet	...	Miss Lenaut
Eddie Barth	...	Papadakis
William Bronder	...	Theater manager
Bo Brundin	...	Harold Jordache
Antony Carbone	...	Lou Martin
John Carlyle	...	Minister
Aneta Corsaut	...	Miss Erdlatz
Helen Craig	...	Martha
Patrick Culliton	...	Ad Executive
Dennis Dugan	...	Claude Tinker
John Furlong	...	Dr. Tinker
Nicholas Hammond	...	Walters
Jo Ann Harris	...	Gloria Bartley
Julius Harris	...	Augie
Harvey Jason	...	Pinky
Roy Jenson	...	Pete Tierney
Leigh McCloskey	...	Billy
Michael Morgan	...	Wesley
Gavan O'Herlihy	...	Phil McGee
Bob Purvey	...	Richard
Rick Sawaya	...	Rick
Steve Stafford	...	Tom Connors
Smith Wordes		(as Smith Evans)
Jeff Chamberlain	...	Corporal (uncredited)
John Tuell	...	Bus Driver (uncredited)

Directed by
Bill Bixby
David Greene		(parts 1, 2, 7, 8)
Boris Sagal		(parts 3-6)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Dean Riesner		writer
Irwin Shaw		novel "Rich Man, Poor Man"

Produced by
Harve Bennett	....	executive producer
Jon Epstein	....	producer
Frank Price	....	producer

Original Music by
Alex North

Cinematography by
Howard Schwartz

Film Editing by
Richard Bracken
Douglas Stewart

Art Direction by
John E. Chilberg II

Set Decoration by
Joseph J. Stone

Sound Department
Gary Thomas	....	boom operator

Stunts
Craig R. Baxley	....	stunt double (1976)
Russ Dodson	....	stunts

Music Department
Tommy Tedesco	....	musician: guitar

Production Companies

• Universal TV

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1976) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Critics' Choice Video (video)
• Studios USA Television
• Universal Pictures (2005) (Germany) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Rich Man, Poor Man - Book I"

Runtime:

720 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

Although he had been a working actor for years prior to this production, Nick Nolte became a star after appearing in this very popular mini-series. In fact, the network wanted his character to appear in the sequel they were planning and Nolte refused to alter the story to make that possible. Peter Strauss also became an in-demand actor after this project.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During one of the last episodes, Tom Jordache is on a ship in the New York Bay, in the background you could plainly see the World Trade Center Twin Towers built in 1973. The story of this movie only goes as far as the mid-'60s.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Pulp Fiction (1994)

Mini series which I consider AMBITIOUS!

This was the first mini series I had seen on Polish TV at the end of the 1980s. I was a kid and did not care much about what's going on on TV but I remember that a lot of people absolutely loved the series, there were discussions about the strange fates of Rudi and Tom at parties. These 45 minutes of one part every Sunday was a time of a breath-stop in most families. A wedding reception of my aunt and uncle had to be paused for this time because all the participants flocked to take a seat in front of TV sets in order to see another part of RICH MAN POOR MAN (in my country the title was translated into "A weather for the rich"). Nowadays, it may seem strange that people were so much influenced by a mini series, especially when there are so many of them. But, the seria that are made recently appear not to be as good. There is something extraordinary about it, something magic. I could feel it two years ago when I had a chance to see the mini series again.

It teaches a lot. There are a lot of moments that show life as it is: strange, unexpected, paradoxical, ambiguous. Rudi, a proper son of the Jordache family, knows what he wants from the beginning. He is ambitious and goes very far. But does he do his best to make use of his riches? Tom, a "bad son" who gets himself and his family only into trouble, treats life as it goes. Irresponsible, light-hearted but in the end, it is him who is with his mother at the moment of her death... Julie Prescott, a beautiful girl who loved Rudi and wanted to be loved by him from the very beginning (living in sin in New York), falls into a wrong marriage, has a son and is not able to be a "good mother" But is it her character or her loneliness that lead her to drinking and depression?

Each character in the movie is a very psychological interpretation of the complicated nature of human being. Even a villain Falconetti is like that due to something that happened to him earlier in his life. The experience while watching this mini series for me was that I could not judge a single character. All of them were good and bad at the same time. All of them were ambiguous. Nobody is, in fact, absolutely good or absolutely evil. That is, I think, the core of human nature, and the series presents it memorably.

The action also kept me to my chair. Although there are boring moments, they do not last for long and very soon comes something that makes the blood run faster.

The cast are GREAT! Peter Strauss and his portrayal of Rudi is unforgettable. When I read the book, I saw his face. REALLY FITS TO THE ROLE! Nick Nolte - PERFECT! I think that most people will agree with me that it's difficult to imagine a better Tom than him. Rebellious, hyperactive, irresponsible, but emotional! Susan Blakely's portrayal of Julie also, without doubt, deserves appreciation. And finally William Smith as Falconetti. I heard that although he has had many roles since then (1976) most people have always associated him with this role. That is what I call the "everlasting impact of portrayals". Despite there will be (or already were) other people who will be cast to this role, a certain portrayal will always be seen as the best.

Not to make my review go forever and bore the readers to death (which is my huge drawback), this mini series is one of the few that I call AMBITIOUS. It is worth watching due to many factors. It is, first of all, about life as it is, not as it should be. It is universal. Therefore, you will find yourself in some of the characters as I did.

AT LAST ON DVD, A MUST HAVE!