PEYTON PLACE
Premiere Date: September 15, 1964
Finale Date: June 2, 1969
Created By: Paul Monash and Irna Phillips
Overview: Based on Grace Metalious’s 1956 best-seller and the subsequent
1957 film of the same name, PP — the granddaddy of prime-time soaps — explored the lives, loves and secrets of the residents of a small New England town. Due to creative clashes between Monash and Phillips, the series didn’t make it to air for two years after the pilot was shot; it originally aired in black-andwhite, and its first color telecast was September 12, 1966. A hit when it debuted, at its peak, ABC broadcast new episodes three nights a week and attracted an audience of 60 million Americans.
We Knew Them When: Cast members with daytime credits included Ruth Warrick (Hannah; ex-edie, ATWT; ex-janet, GL) and Ruby Dee (Alma; ex-martha, GL).
Night To Day: Future daytimers David Canary (Russ; ex-adam/stuart, AMC), Leigh Taylor-young (Rachel; ex-elaine, SUNSET BEACH et al), Patricia Breslin (Laura; ex-meg, GH) and Kimberly Beck (Kim; ex-julie, CAPITOL et al) all had PP roles.
Just Getting Started: Mia Farrow (Allison), Ryan O’neal (Rodney), Leslie Nielsen (Kenneth/vincent) and twice Oscarnominated Gena Rowlands (Adrienne) went on to film stardom. Oscar-winner Richard Dreyfuss had a brief, uncredited role.
Spin Cycle: In 1972, NBC revived the series as a daytime soap, RETURN TO PEYTON PLACE, which lasted two years. NBC later produced two TV movies, 1977’s MURDER IN PEYTON PLACE, which focused on the mysterious deaths of Rodney and Allison, and 1985’s PEYTON PLACE, THE NEXT GENERATION, reuniting nine original characters and focusing on Allison’s daughter, pot-stirrer Megan.
Trophy Case: Oscar-winner Lee Grant (Stella) won the series’ only Emmy, for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in 1966.
Grand Finale: PP ended with episode No.
514, which saw Dr. Rossi in jail facing murder charges — and fans never got to find out whether pregnant Rita became mom to a daughter or a son, or whether paralyzed Rodney recovered.