''Bracken's World'' is an American

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has b ...

television series that aired on NBC from September 19, 1969, to December 25, 1970. The series was created and produced by Dorothy Kingsley. The Lettermen performed the second-season theme song "Worlds".

Synopsis

The series centers on a powerful head of Century Studios and a group of up-and-coming starlets. During the first season, Eleanor Parker received top billing as Sylvia Caldwell, executive secretary to John Bracken (voice-acted in the first season by Warren Stevens), who was sometimes heard, but never seen. Parker left the series after the first 16 episodes, citing the limited nature of her role. When the second season began, Leslie Nielsen joined the cast to portray Bracken. Other cast members included Elizabeth Allen,

Dennis Cole Dennis Cole (July 19, 1940 – November 15, 2009) was an American actor in film and television. A familiar face on the screen during the 1960s and 1970s, Cole made guest appearances in numerous television series. After the 1991 murder of J ...

, Jeanne Cooper, Peter Haskell,

Linda Harrison Linda Melson Harrison (born July 26, 1945) is an American television and film actress, and director and producer, who is internationally known for her role as Nova in the science fiction film classic ''Planet of the Apes'' (1968) and the first ...

, Karen Jensen, Madlyn Rhue, and Laraine Stephens. Guest stars who appeared in various episodes of ''Bracken's World'' included Jack Albertson, Anne Baxter, Joseph Campanella, Gary Collins,

Shelley Fabares Michele Ann Marie "Shelley" Fabares (; born January 19, 1944) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her television roles as Mary Stone on the sitcom '' The Donna Reed Show'' (1958–1963) and as Christine Armstrong on the sitco ...

, Sally Field,

Lee Grant Lee Grant (born Lyova Haskell Rosenthal; October 31, during the mid-1920s) is an American actress, documentarian, and director. She made her film debut in 1951 as a young shoplifter in William Wyler's '' Detective Story'', co-starring Kirk Doug ...

, Arthur Hill.

Carolyn Jones Carolyn Sue Jones (April 28, 1930 – August 3, 1983) was an American actress of television and film. Jones began her film career in the early 1950s, and by the end of the decade had achieved recognition with a nomination for an Academy ...

, Lee Majors, Monte Markham, Tim Matheson. Darren McGavin, Ricardo Montalban,

Lois Nettleton Lois June Nettleton (August 16, 1927 – January 18, 2008) was an American film, stage, radio, and television actress. She received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations and won two Daytime Emmy Awards. Early life Lois Nettleton was born on Aug ...

Lane Bradbury Janette Lane Bradbury (born June 17, 1938) is an American actress and writer. Biography Lane Bradbury was born in Buckhead, Morgan County, Georgia, near Atlanta. She studied ballet as a young girl. In the 1950s, she moved to New York City, and ...

, Stuart Whitman, Larry Pennell,

Edward G. Robinson Edward G. Robinson (born Emanuel Goldenberg; December 12, 1893January 26, 1973) was a Romanian-American actor of stage and screen, who was popular during the Hollywood's Golden Age. He appeared in 30 Broadway plays and more than 100 films duri ...

, Martin Sheen,

Barry Sullivan Barry Sullivan may refer to: *Barry Sullivan (American actor) (1912–1994), US film and Broadway actor *Barry Sullivan (stage actor) (1821–1891), Irish born stage actor active in Britain and Australia *Barry Sullivan (lawyer) Barry Sullivan is ...

Richard Thomas Richard Thomas or Dick Thomas may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Dick Thomas (singer) (1915–2003), American singing cowboy and actor * Richard Thomas (actor) (born 1951), American actor * Richard Thomas (author) (born 1967), American ...

, Forrest Tucker, and Raquel Welch, who appeared as herself in the pilot episode. ''Bracken's World'' aired on Friday at 10:00 pm (replacing the cancelled ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

''), a day and time known as the "

Friday night death slot The "Friday night death slot" or "Friday evening death slot" is a perceived graveyard slot in American television. It implies a television program in the United States scheduled on Friday evenings (typically, between 8:00 and 11:00 p.m. ET) ...

", and was cancelled 15 episodes into its second season. "Had they done it like a continuing drama and focused on the regular characters", co-star Linda Harrison said in a 2001 interview, "it would have lasted longer. NBC, however, wanted a one-hour contained show, so they would stock each episode with a big guest star. After a while, you run out of story." ''Bracken's Worlds last episode aired Friday, 25 December 1970.

Cast of characters

* Warren Stevens as John Bracken (season one; voice only) * Leslie Nielsen as John Bracken (season two) * Eleanor Parker as Sylvia Caldwell (episodes 1-16) *

Bettye Ackerman Bettye Louise Ackerman (February 28, 1924 – November 1, 2006) was an American actress primarily known for her work on television. Early years Ackerman was born in Cottageville, South Carolina (another source says she was born in Williston, ...

as Anne Frazer (episodes 17-41) * Elizabeth Allen as Laura Deane *

as Davey Evans (season one) * Jeanne Cooper as Grace Douglas *

Gary Dubin Gary may refer to: *Gary (given name), a common masculine given name, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name *Gary, Indiana, the largest city named Gary Places ;Iran * Gary, Iran, Sistan and Baluchestan Province ;Uni ...

as Mark Grant *

as Paulette Douglas * Peter Haskell as Kevin Grant * Karen Jensen as Rachel Holt * Stephen Oliver as Tom Hudson (season one) * Madlyn Rhue as Marjorie Grant (episodes 1-28) * Laraine Stephens as Diane Waring

Tom Selleck Thomas William Selleck (; born January 29, 1945) is an American actor. His breakout role was playing private investigator Thomas Magnum in the television series ''Magnum, P.I.'' (1980–1988), for which he received five Emmy Award nominations ...

was seen in the minor recurring role of Roger Haines in several season-one episodes; he made a guest appearance as a different character in season two.

Episodes

Season 1 (1969–70)

Season 2 (1970)

In popular culture

The show was mentioned in ''Mad Men'': "Time Zones", when Megan Draper's agent told her she had received a call back for the ''Bracken's World'' pilot.

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* *{{epguides, id=BrackensWorld
''Bracken's World''
at CVTA 1969 American television series debuts 1970 American television series endings 1960s American drama television series 1970s American drama television series English-language television shows NBC original programming Television series about show business Television series by 20th Century Fox Television Television shows set in Los Angeles