The Kent Chronicles

[Squad 51]

I think it's a mini series with 3 parts (over 3 hours long), based on books by John Jakes.

Part 1 The Bastard (1978)

Cast:
Andrew Stevens - Philip Kent (born Phillipe Charboneau)
Tom Bosley - Benjamin Franklin
Kim Cattrall - Anne Ware
Lorne Greene - Bishop Francis
Harry Morgan - Capt. Caleb
Patricia Neal - Marie Charboneau
William Shatner - Paul Revere
John Colicos - Lord Noth
Herbert Jefferson Jr. - Lucas
John de Lancie - Lt. Stark

and many many more

Summary:
Phillipe Charboneau is the illegitimate son of an English duke. When he travels from France to England to claim his inheritance, he incurs the wrath of his father's family, and is forced to flee to America, where he becomes involved in the events leading to the American Revolution. — Eric Sorensen (on IMDB)

Thoughts:
We start in France where an illigitimate son of an English duke lives with his mother and stepfather. He doesn't know about his heritage yet but his mother keeps saying it time and time again. After an encounter with some neighbors, he meets a Marquis de LaFayette who gives him traing with swords and more. Soon enough, the Duke falls ill and demands all his children in London. Phillipe then there meets his stepbrother and well, they fight over a woman while Philippe hurts his stepbrother who swears revenge. In London, Philippe meets Benjamin Franklin and gets him into the printing business which would be useful in the 13 colonies across the ocean. So, he goes with his mother to Bristol and onto a ship to America. His mother dies on the ship and Phillipe Charboneau changes his name to Philip Kent. Coming to Boston, he soon enters a secret society named the "Sons of Liberty" who wanna free America from German George. With time Philip becomes a member there and falls in love with Anne, yet his past comes also back to haunt him and he has to make a decision. He chooses Anne and America, fighting for their independence.

Will be continued in Part 2

Some pics:


The pics are a bit out of order and I only concentrated on the known names for me!

I've never seen this trilogy before. Therefore, completely unprejudiced.

See you tomorrow!

[Tim]

Never heard of this show, but I know most of these actors.

Tom Bosley - Howard Cunningham on Happy Days.
Kim Cattrall - Samantha on Sex And The City
Lorne Greene - Commander Adama on the original Battlestar Galactica (and he was from Ottawa, my home town).
Harry Morgan - Col. Sherman Potter on M*A*S*H*.
Patricia Neal - Helen Benson in the 1951 Sci-Fi classic, The Day The Earth Stood Still
William Shatner - Captain James T. Kirk on Classic Trek.
John Colicos - Kor, the first Klingon to appear on Classic Trek (a role returned to on three episodes of DS9, thirty years later), and Count Baltar on the original Battlestar Galactica.
Herbert Jefferson Jr. - Boomer on the original Battlestar Galactica
John de Lancie - Q on TNG/DS9/VOY/Picard

[Melinda Halliwell]

I also recognize Olivia Hussey as well who played Juliet in Frank Zeffirelli's 1968 film.

She was also in Ivanhoe too.

[Tim]

May 6, 2023 2:40:24 GMT -5 Melinda Halliwell said:

I also recognize Olivia Hussey as well who played Juliet in Frank Zeffirelli's 1968 film.

She was also in Ivanhoe too.

Thought she looked familiar. 

[Squad 51]

That's why I picked those names. And now the list grows on, I think.

Part 2 The Rebels (1979)

Cast:
Andrew Stevens - Phillip Kent
Don Johnson - Judson Fletcher
Doug McClure - Eph Taite
Tom Bosley - Benjamin Franklin
Kim Cattrall - Anne Kent
Anne Francis - Mrs. Harris
Peter Graves - George Washington
William Smith - John Waverly
Kevin Tighe - Thomas Jefferson
Bobby Troup - Sam Gill
Robert Vaughn - Seth McLean

and William Daniels - Samuel/John Adams

and many many more

Summary:
Philip Kent takes part in the American Revolution and the newly formed Congress. (on IMDB)

Thoughts:
Phillip continues fighting for the American Revolution and gets to know new friends like Judson Fletcher and Eph Taite, yet he loses his wife over the birth of his son. During the war, Fletcher becomes a congress man and Taite remains at Phillip's side all the time. He sees familiar faces like Benjamin Franklin and John Adams and new ones like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. And his old friend from France, the Marquis de LaFayette becomes a part of the American Army. Through the years, the trio stays together - until Fletcher and Taite get killed on the same day by a man who had sworn revenge on Fletcher. Yet Fletcher makes Kent promise to find his woman and their child. And so Phillip and Peggy, that's her name, marry after some time and their children grow up together.

Which will be told in Part 3

Some pics:


The movies were produced by Bob Cinader, responsible for Emergency!. Just to let you know.

See you tomorrow!

[Tim]

Gonna dive in again.

Don Johnson - Sonny Crockett on Miami Vice.
Doug McClure - Bowen Tyler in The Land That Time Forgot.
Anne Francis - Altaira in Forbidden Planet.
Peter Graves - Jim Phelps on Mission Impossible (both 60's and 80's runs).
Robert Vaughn - Napoleon Solo in Man From UNCLE and countless other roles I've seen him in.

and William Daniels - Voice of KITT on Knight Rider and Dr. Mark Craig in St. Elsewhere.

[Squad 51]

You might do that again. So last part now.

Part 3 The Seekers 1979

Cast:
Randolph Mantooth - Abraham Kent
Delta Burke - Elizabeth Fletcher Kent
George DelHoyo - Gilbert Kent
George Hamilton - Lt. Hamilton Stovall
Harriet Karr - Harriet Kent
Brian Keith - Elijah Weatherby
Don Mantooth - Plenty Coup
Martin Milner - Phillip Kent
Barbara Rush - Peggy Kent
Ed Harris - Lt. Wm Clark
Timothy Patrick Murphy - Jarrod Kent
Sarah Rush - Amanda Kent
Stuart Whitman - Rev. Blackthorn
Ross Martin - Supply Pleasant

as well as Robert Reed and Julie Gregg as the Clappers

and many many more

Summary:
"The Seekers" is the third and last mini-series based on John Jakes best-selling Bicentennial books about the fictitious Kent family. Here the focus shifts from Philip Kent, played in the 1st two by Andrew Stevens, but here by Martin Milner to show how much time has passed, to his son Abraham and his stepdaughter Elizabeth. Abraham, played well by Randolph Mantooth of "Emergency" fame, briefly fights the Indians under Gen. "Mad Anthony" Wayne, abetted by William Clark and Meriweather Lewis, but finds the military no life for him. Returning he is conflicted over his feelings for Elizabeth, played by a very young, very slim Delta Burke, and his Father's desire for him to go into the printing business. Eventually with Elizabeth's encouragement, he decides adventure out west is the way to make his own life, much to his Father's consternation.

Abraham and Elizabeth make a noble effort at farming and despite rogues like Pell, who only desires whiskey and Abraham's new wife Elizabeth, they do get help from the Clappers, erstwhile swedes who carry them till their corn crop comes in. Robert Reed, Mr. Brady, is good as Mr. Clapper. With their young son Jarrod, it seems the Kents have a shot a a good life. Alas, not so, farming is hard and unforgiving and when tragedy besets them, Abraham returns to Boston with his young son. There is a scene that will rip your heart out here, but I won't spoil it, watch and try not to cry! The fact that many young people went through this in real life makes it all the more poignant.

Abraham can't get a grip and loses custody of Jarod to his good-hearted, but frail brother Gilbert and his somewhat shrewish wife Harriet. Perfectly played by the aptly named Harriet Karr. So the torch is passed to a new generation; Jarrod and his young cousin Amanda. Timothy Murphy and Sarah Rush play the parts and both are good, despite that they never became "name" actors. Rush is particularly persuasive and appealing.

Jarrod fights nobly in the war of 1812, but makes a bad enemy of the debauched Hamilton Stovall (George Hamilton, proving he's more than just a tan). Uncle Gilbert dies and even the outstandingly decent Mr. Pleasant, played by Ross Martin of "Wild Wild West" fame, can't save Kent and Son's from bad sorts. The worst of these is Mr. Piggott, a smarmy Hugh O'Brian, who deceives Harriet into marriage while eying poor Amamda. Just when you think it couldn't be worse, Stovall returns and Jarrod runs, literally, west with Amanda in tow.

The West is still hard. Nearly killed by evil Captain Drew, played by Neville Brand of "Laredo" fame, they are shown gratitude by Rosey Grier and sent on their way, though neither knows where they're going. Amanda and Jarrod, close as can be, run afoul of the devious Rev. Blackthorne, played well by Stuart Whitman, he, along with every other red-blooded man, has noticed Amamda's striking looks. The dialog here is something to hear! Nice writing John! Jarrod is left on his own, guess what happens? and hooks up with fur-trader Elijah Weatherby, an excellent Brian Keith, to seek that which is lost.

The mood, historical fun, music and sheer heartbreak just suck you in. They improve considerably over the book and Jakes himself has a cameo. Beware Stovall! I don't want to give away the ending, except to say your heart will break along with Jarrod's, but it's a terrific ending. The books view of native Americans is changed here and it's for the better too, making all the tragedies a little more palatable.

It thought this the best of the Kent mini-series and enjoy watching it over and over. The relationship between Jarrod and Amanda is particularly moving and if you enjoy this, read the books! Amanda's story is cont well in the 4th novel, "The Furies" All in all this is as good as historical fiction gets, right up there with North and South and the Blue and the Gray. - by windypoplar on IMDB

Thoughts:
Oh my, where to start. Abraham and Elizabeth, as step siblings, fall in love with each other and Abraham, though having fought in the Army, decides to take on his own life, no matter what his father says. It takes some time to step up and both go to the West where they meet the Clappers who help them. Abraham and Elizabeth have a young son, Jarod, together but after a tragedy, Abraham returns to Boston and is met with his younger brother Gilbert and his wife Harriet with their young daughter Amanda. Gilbert, having promised their father to look after Abraham, is confronted with a torn loyalty. Over a fight, the brothers separate and both Jarod and Amanda grow up together, like a mirror of Abraham and Elizabeth. Some years pass, and Jarod decides to go to the Navy where he meets the bad polished Lt. Stovall who torments young recruits. After one year, he returns and goes through the harbor where he meets a whore and an older man who recognizes his knife, given by his uncle and worn originally by his father. Jarod gets in danger and the older man saves him, and Jarod never knows that this was his father!! (Man, this scene was hard!) Soon after, tragedy strikes again and so Jarod and Amanda flee as well to the West where they get separated by an evil Reverend. Jarod remains with a trapper and Amanda lands by the Indians where she marries one and gets a child. The cousins promise to see each other year by year.

Some pics:


Again produced by Bob Cinader. lol

Tomorrow then back to Emergency!

[Tim]

I see Randolph Mantooth here.

Taking a break from the station.

[Squad 51]

Lol All three parts are avaiable on Youtube if interested. My source for downloading them.

---

EDIT: That was after the series!

[Tim]

Thanks, but I'm not interested in this kind of show.