The Americans (1961 TV series)

Last updated
The Americans
GenreDrama
Starring
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes17
Production
Executive producerFrank Telford
Camera setup Single-camera
Running time44 mins.
Original release
Network NBC
ReleaseJanuary 23 (1961-01-23) 
May 15, 1961 (1961-05-15)

The Americans is a 17-episode American drama television series that aired on NBC from January to May 1961. Set during the American Civil War, the series focuses on two brothers fighting on opposite sides of the conflict. Guest stars included Lee Marvin, Jack Elam, Brian Keith, Kathleen Crowley and Robert Redford, among many others.

Contents

Background

The series was inspired by James Warner Bellah's 1953 novel The Valiant Virginians which was serialized in the Saturday Evening Post as Tales of the Valorous Virginians from May 9, 1953, through June 10, 1954. [1] The novel is an arc of separate stories on the impact of the war on the young men fighting it. The series characters are Ben Canfield, who fights with the Union Army, and Jeff Canfield who fights with the Confederate Army.

Production

The series was part of the United States' commemoration of the centennial of the beginning of the Civil War. It aired as a mid-season replacement [2] for the canceled western series, Riverboat , starring Darren McGavin and Noah Beery, Jr., broadcast in the 7:30–8:30 p.m. timeslot on Monday evenings.

Ben Canfield was played by Darryl Hickman, older brother of actor Dwayne Hickman; Richard Davalos played Jeff Canfield; Davalos had portrayed James Dean's character's brother in East of Eden . Hickman and Davalos were the only actors who appeared in every episode of the series. Most of the supporting cast appear in only a single episode though several actors played the same role in more than one episode:

Among the more well-known actors to appear in this series were the following:

Lee Marvin, Robert Redford, Jack Elam, Brian Keith, Robert Culp, Jack Lord, Michael Rennie, Nina Foch, Dan O'Herlihy, James Franciscus, Susan Oliver, Ray Walston, Lloyd Bochner, Dick York, Jackie Coogan, L. Q. Jones, and Carroll O'Connor.

Seventeen one-hour episodes were broadcast, although either twenty-one or twenty-six episodes were filmed. [2] Episodes were written by, among others, John Gay (screenwriter for the film Run Silent Run Deep and of many television adaptions of literary classics), William D. Gordon (who also acted in at least one episode), Andy Lewis (writer of the movie Klute ), Carey Wilber (writer of the Star Trek episode "Space Seed"), and Pat Falken Smith (head writer in the 1970s and 1980s for the soap operas Days of Our Lives and General Hospital ). Music for the series was created by composers Bernard Herrmann and Hugo Friedhofer. Henry Steele Commager was the historical consultant.

A tie-in novel called The Americans, written by Donald Honig, was released in paperback by Popular Library publishers in 1961. [3] [4] [5]

Episodes/cast

First-run episodes of the series aired January 23, 1961, through May 15, 1961; repeats aired from May 22 through September 11, 1961.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Battle of Bull Run</span> First major land battle of the American Civil War

The First Battle of Bull Run, called the Battle of First Manassas by Confederate forces, was the first major battle of the American Civil War. The battle was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, just north of the city of Manassas and about thirty miles west-southwest of Washington, D.C. The Union Army was slow in positioning themselves, allowing Confederate reinforcements time to arrive by rail. Each side had about 18,000 poorly trained and poorly led troops. The battle was a Confederate victory and was followed by a disorganized post-battle retreat of the Union forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rose O'Neal Greenhow</span> Confederate spy during the American Civil War

Rose O'Neal Greenhow was a famous Confederate spy during the American Civil War. A socialite in Washington, D.C., during the period before the war, she moved in important political circles and cultivated friendships with presidents, generals, senators, and high-ranking military officers including John C. Calhoun and James Buchanan. She used her connections to pass along key military information to the Confederacy at the start of the war. In early 1861, she was given control of a pro-Southern spy network in Washington, D.C., by her handler, Thomas Jordan, then a captain in the Confederate Army. She was credited by Jefferson Davis, the Confederate president, with ensuring the South's victory at the First Battle of Bull Run in late July 1861.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Battle of Kernstown</span> 1862 battle of the American Civil War

The First Battle of Kernstown was fought on March 23, 1862, in Frederick County and Winchester, Virginia, the opening battle of Confederate Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's campaign through the Shenandoah Valley during the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Cloyd's Mountain</span> Battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Cloyd's Mountain was a Union victory in western Virginia on May 9, 1864, that allowed the Union forces to destroy a large bridge on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. The railroad was used to carry Confederate troops and supplies, and served important lead and salt mines. It also helped connect the Confederate capital of Richmond with Tennessee, and had telegraph wires along its line for communications. The fight had a high percentage of casualties for both sides, and the Confederate commander, Brigadier General Albert G. Jenkins, was mortally wounded.

The Battle of Hartville was fought January 9–11, 1863, in Wright County, Missouri, as part of John S. Marmaduke's first expedition into Missouri, during the American Civil War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Battle of Independence</span> Battle of the American Civil War

The First Battle of Independence was a minor engagement of the American Civil War, occurring on August 11, 1862, in the city of Independence, located in Jackson County, Missouri. Its result was a Confederate victory, continuing the Southern domination of the Jackson County area for a few days while the recruiters completed their work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Davalos</span> American actor

Richard Davalos was an American stage, film, and television actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waul's Legion</span>

Waul's Legion was a combined arms force from Texas that fought for the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. Raised in the spring of 1862 at the Glenblythe Plantation near Gay Hill, Washington County, Texas by Brigadier General Thomas Neville Waul, the legion originally consisted of twelve infantry companies, six cavalry companies, and a six-gun battery of artillery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth Tobey</span> American actor (1917–2002)

Jesse Kenneth Tobey was an American actor who performed in hundreds of productions during a career that spanned more than half a century, including his role as the star of the 1957-1960 Desilu Productions TV series Whirlybirds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Seay</span> American actor (1914–1992)

James Seay was an American character actor who often played minor supporting roles as government officials.

<i>The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again</i> 1979 film by Vincent McEveety

The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again is a 1979 American comedy-Western film directed by Vincent McEveety. Produced by Walt Disney Productions, it is a sequel to The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975), starring the comedy duo of Tim Conway and Don Knotts reprising their respective roles as Amos and Theodore. The film also stars Tim Matheson, Harry Morgan, and Kenneth Mars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">58th Alabama Infantry Regiment</span> Infantry regiment of the Confederate States Army

The 58th Alabama Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that served in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War.

<i>Custer</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

Custer, also known as The Legend of Custer, is a 17-episode military-Western television series which ran on ABC from September 6 to December 27, 1967, with Wayne Maunder in the starring role of then Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer. Criticizing the series as "glamorizing Custer," a concerted protest headed by the Tribal Indians Land Rights Association successfully halted broadcast of the series under the FCC fairness doctrine.

The following units and commanders fought in the Carolinas campaign of the American Civil War. The Union order of battle is listed separately. Order of battle compiled from the army organization during the campaign.

The 154th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry was an infantry regiment from Tennessee that served with the Confederate States Army in the American Civil War. Raised originally in 1842 as the 154th Tennessee Militia it sought to retain its number and was as such also known as 154th (Senior) Tennessee Infantry . Consolidating with the 13th Tennessee Infantry Regiment in March 1863 it was known as 13th-154th Tennessee Infantry Regiment; and had a number of temporary field consolidations until it was finally merged into the 2nd Consolidated Tennessee Infantry on April 9, 1865. The regiment surrendered with the remnants of the Army of Tennessee at Bennett Place on April 26, 1865.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Battle of Pocotaligo</span> Battle of the American Civil War

The Second Battle of Pocotaligo, or Battle of Pocotaligo Bridge, or Battle of Yemassee, often referred to as simply the Battle of Pocotaligo, took place during the American Civil War on October 22, 1862 near Yemassee, South Carolina.

Johnny Shiloh is a 1963 television film that originally aired as two episodes of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color based on the life of John Clem, who was called "Johnny Shiloh". The title song, heard at the beginning of each episode was written by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman.

<i>13 Fighting Men</i> 1960 American film by Harry W. Gerstad

13 Fighting Men is a 1960 American drama film directed by Harry W. Gerstad and written by Robert Hamner and Jack W. Thomas. The film stars Grant Williams, Brad Dexter, Carole Mathews, Robert Dix, Richard Garland and Richard Crane.

<i>Masters of the Air</i> 2024 war drama miniseries

Masters of the Air is a 2024 American war drama television miniseries created by John Shiban and John Orloff for Apple TV+. It is based on the 2007 book of the same name by Donald L. Miller and follows the actions of the 100th Bomb Group, a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber unit in the Eighth Air Force in eastern England during World War II. The series serves as a companion to Band of Brothers (2001) and The Pacific (2010). It is the first series to be produced by Apple Studios in cooperation with Playtone and Amblin Television and stars Austin Butler, Callum Turner and Anthony Boyle as part of an ensemble cast. The series consists of nine episodes.

"The Tunnel" was a pre-recorded American television play first broadcast on December 10, 1959, as part of the CBS television series, Playhouse 90. It was the sixth episode of the fourth season of Playhouse 90 and the 123rd episode overall.

References

  1. York, Neil Longely (2001) "Fiction As Fact: The Horse Soldiers and Popular Memory" Kent State University Press ISBN   0-87338-688-4, page 157 (Footnote 27)
  2. 1 2 The Americans webpage of the Classic Television Archive website
  3. Honig, Donald (1961) "The Americans" Popular Library ASIN B000MH5BVE
  4. The Americans, by Donald Honig webpage in the Amazon book section
  5. Review of The Americans tie-in novel at Television Obscurities