One of the first American television miniseries, Rich Man, Poor Man aired on ABC from 1 February to 15 March 1976. Adapted from the best-selling 1970 Irwin Shaw novel, Rich Man, Poor Man was a limited twelve-part dramatic series consisting of six two-hour prime-time made for television movies. The televised novel chronicled the lives of the first-generation immigrant Jordache family. The story focused on the tumultuous relationship between brothers, Rudy (Peter Strauss) and Tom Jordache (Nick Nolte), as they suffered through twenty years (1945-65) of conflict, jealousy, and heartbreak.

    The serial was enormously successful, leading the weekly ratings and ending as the second highest rated show for the 1976-77 television season. Along with its enormous audience popularity, it also garnered critical praise, reaping 20 Emmy nominations and winning four--two for acting achievement, one for directing, and one for musical score.

    The success of Rich Man, Poor Man hinged on its employment of several innovative techniques. The narrative struck a unique combination which contained both the lavish film-style production values of prestigious special event programming while relying upon the "habit viewing" characteristic of a weekly series. Also, by utilizing historical backdrops like McCarthyism, the Korean War, campus riots, and the Black Revolution, Rich Man, Poor Man suggested larger circumstances than those usually found in a traditional soap opera. However, the limited series also liberally applied a range of risqué melodramatic topics including adultery, power struggles, and alcoholism. Another inventive concept introduced by Rich Man, Poor Man was the use of multiple, revolving guest stars throughout the series. While the three principal cast members were relatively unknown at the time, shuffling better known actors throughout the six-part series was a way to maintain interest and achieve some form of ratings insurance on the six-million dollar venture.

    By invigorating the concept of adapting novels into television miniseries, Rich Man, Poor Man began a rapid proliferation of similar prime-time programming, including a sequel. The continuation, Rich Man, Poor Man--Book II, was a twenty-one part weekly series that aired in the fall of 1976. Although the sequel was not as successful as its predecessor, the idea of extended televised adaptations of popular novels quickly became a component of network schedules. In the season following the debut of Rich Man, Poor Man, all major networks scheduled at least one miniseries, including an adaptation of Harold Robbins' The Pirates and Alex Haley's historical epic Roots.

    Although eclipsed by the record-breaking 1977 miniseries Roots (aired 1 January through 30 January on ABC), Rich Man, Poor Mann nonetheless has staked a spot in television history. It helped to create a special niche for televised novels as an economically viable miniseries genre that can still be found in such offerings as North & South and Lonesome Dove.

    -Lisa Trevino

    CAST--BOOK I

    Rudy Jordache......................................... Peter Strauss

    Tom Jordache............................................... Nick Nolte

    Julie Prescott Abbott Jordache................ Susan Blakely

    Axel Jordache ..........................................Edward Asner

    Mary Jordache..................................... Dorothy McGuire

    Willie Abbott.................................................. Bill Bixby

    Duncan Calderwood..................................... Ray Milland

    Teddy Boylan .............................................Robert Reed

    Virginia Calderwood....................................... Kim Darby

    Sue Prescott......................................... Gloria Grahame

    Asher Berg.............................................. Craig Stevens

    Joey Quales......................................... George Maharis

    Linda Quales ................................................Lynda Day

    George Nichols............................................ Steve Allen

    Smitty ........................................................Norman Fell

    Teresa Sanjoro............................................. Talia Shire

    Marsh Goodwin......................................... Van Johnson

    Irene Goodwin .......................................Dorothy Malone

    Kate Jordache................................................ Kay Lenz

    Sid Gossett .........................................Murray Hamilton

    Arnold Simms............................................. Mike Evans

    Al Fanducci............................................... Dick Butkus

    Clothilde........................................... Fionnula Flanagan 

    Brad Knight................................................ Tim McIntire

    Bill Denton..................................... Lawrence Pressman

    Claude Tinker ..........................................Dennis Dugan

    Gloria Bartley........................................... Jo Ann Harris

    Pete Tierney............................................... Roy Jenson

    Lou Martin ..........................................Anthony Carbone

    Papadakis...................................................... Ed Barth

    Ray Dwyer ......................................Herbert Jefferson, Jr.

    Arthur Falconetti ......................................William Smith

    Col. Deiner ............................................Andrew Duggan

    Pinky .......................................................Harvey Jason

    Martha ........................................................Helen Craig

    Phil McGee........................................... Gavan O'Herlihy

    Billy................................................... Leigh McCloskey

    Wesley .................................................Michael Morgan

    PRODUCERS

    Harve Bennett, Jon Epstein

    PROGRAMMING HISTORY

    9 Episodes

    ABC

    February 1976-March 1976   Monday 10:00-11:00

    May 1977-June 1977   Tuesday 9:00-11:00

    CAST--BOOK II

    Senator Rudy Jordache............................. Peter Strauss

    Wesley Jordache .......................................Gregg Henry

    Billy Abbott ...................................James Carroll Jordan

    Maggie Porter......................................... Susan Sullivan

    Arthur Falconetti ......................................William Smith

    Marie Falconetti ........................................Dimitra Arliss

    Ramona Scott .........................................Penny Peyser

    Scotty....................................................John Anderson

    Charles Estep ..........................................Peter Haskell

    Phil Greenberg........................................ Sorrell Brooke

    Annie Adams........................................... Cassie Yates

    Diane Porter ...........................................Kimberly Beck

    Arthur Raymond ..........................................Peter Donat

    Claire Estep....................................... Laraine Stephens

    Senator Paxton........................................ Barry Sullivan

    Kate Jordache ................................................Kay Lenz

    John Franklin ............................................Philip Abbott

    Max Vincent.......................................... George Gaynes

    Al Barb.er .................................................Ken Swofford

    Senator Dillon ..........................................G. D. Spradlin

    PRODUCERS

    Michael Gleason, Jon Epstein

    PROGRAMMING HISTORY

    21 Episodes

    ABC

    September 1976-March 1977   Tuesday 9:00-10:00 

    Thumbnail of Edward Asner

    Ed Asner on acting in the miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man

    05:43
    Thumbnail of Harve Bennett

    Harve Bennett on the casting of Rich Man, Poor Man

    08:40
    Thumbnail of Brandon Stoddard

    Brandon Stoddard on developing Rich Man, Poor Man

    06:18
    Thumbnail of Russell Johnson

    Russell Johnson on appearing on Rich Man, Poor Man

    00:45

    Edward Asner

    Ed Asner on acting in the miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man

    05:43

    Harve Bennett

    Harve Bennett on the genesis of Rich Man, Poor Man

    02:11

    Harve Bennett on the casting of Rich Man, Poor Man

    08:40

    Russell Johnson

    Russell Johnson on appearing on Rich Man, Poor Man

    00:45

    Brandon Stoddard

    Brandon Stoddard on developing Rich Man, Poor Man

    06:18

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