Highcliffe Manor

Highcliffe Manor
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Robert Blees
Directed by	Nick Havinga
Starring	Shelley Fabares Stephen McHattie Eugenie Ross-Leming Gerald Gordon Audrey Landers
Narrated by	Peter Lawford
Opening theme	"Highcliffe Manor" by Frank De Vol
Composer	Bob Alberti
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	6 (2 unaired)
Production
Producers	Eugenie Ross-Leming Brad Buckner
Running time	30 minutes
Production companies	Alan Landsburg Productions T.A.T. Communications Company
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	April 12 (1979-04-12) – May 3, 1979 (1979-05-03)

Highcliffe Manor is an American sitcom with a gothic horror background focused on the events in a mansion with crazy scientists and strange figures. The series starred Shelley Fabares and aired on NBC from April 12 to May 3, 1979.

Summary

The plot concerned the goings on at Highcliffe Manor, a creepy old mansion on a desolate island in New England. Helen Blacke, an attractive but flaky widow, is the owner of the mansion that was home to the Blacke Foundation, a scientific research institute with a houseful of sinister characters which included Frances, a mad scientist; Bram Shelley, a bionic man; Ian Glenville, a womanizing preacher; Cheng, a huge Korean assistant; Wendy Sparkles, a sexy secretary; Rebecca, a creepy housekeeper and evil doctors Lester and Sanchez. Each episode featured voice-over narration by Peter Lawford.

Cast

• Shelley Fabares as Helen Blacke (widow of the foundation's founder)
• Stephen McHattie as Reverend Ian Glenville
• Eugenie Ross-Leming as Dr. Frances Kisgadden
• Gerald Gordon as Dr. Felix Morger (former assistant to the late Berkeley Blacke)
• Audrey Landers as Wendy Sparkles (secretary to the late Mr. Blacke)
• Jenny O'Hara as Rebecca (the housekeeper)
• Christian Marlowe as Bram Shelley (the bionic man)
• David Byrd as Dr. Lester
• Luis Avalos as Dr. Sanchez
• Ernie Hudson as Smythe (valet to the late Mr. Blacke)
• Harold Sakata as Cheng

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original airdate
1	"The Blacke Death"	Nick Havinga	Eugenie Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner	April 12, 1979 (1979-04-12)
Helen is oblivious to her tenants' designs toward her.
2	"Berkeley Cheats the Grave"	Nick Havinga	Eugenie Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner	April 19, 1979 (1979-04-19)
Felix persists in his unrequited passion for Helen and the villagers make a ghastly discovery at the crypt.
3	"The Evil from Within"	Nick Havinga	Earle Doud	April 26, 1979 (1979-04-26)
A plot by Helen's evil enemies is short-circuited by Rev. Ian Glenville.
4	"Love Blooms"	Nick Havinga	Rick Orloff	May 3, 1979 (1979-05-03)
Dr. Kisgadden's abduction jolts her amnesiac bionic man to the realization that he is the presumed-dead.
5	"Sex & Violence"	Nick Havinga	Eugenie Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner	Unaired
Rebecca and Smythe find each other during a heart-to-heart chat and Helen's mother (Inga Swenson) visits.
6	"Stark Terror"	Nick Havinga	Carmen Finestra and John Surgal	Unaired
Helen suspects Smythe is more than a valet and sinister vapors from a coffee maker claims two victims.

References

• Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present . Eight Edition. New York: Ballantine, 2003.

External links

• Highcliffe Manor at IMDb