Centennial (miniseries)

''Centennial'' is a 12-episode American television miniseries that aired on NBC from October 1978 to February 1979, and again from September 1980 to October 1980. The miniseries follows the fictional history of Centennial, Colorado, from 1795 to the 1970s. It was based on the 1974 novel of the same name by James A. Michener and was produced by John Wilder.

With a runtime of 26 hours and a $25 million budget, it was one of the longest miniseries ever and the most expensive television show in history. It employed four directors and five cinematographers, and featured over 100 speaking parts. ''Centennial'' was released on DVD on July 29, 2008.

Synopsis

This epic television series chronicles the settlement and development of an area of Colorado that would eventually become the fictional town of Centennial. It begins with the arrival of the first white men, French trapper Pasquinel and Scottish trader Alexander McKeag. Other settlers who care for the land and attempt to co-exist with the original Pawnee and Cheyenne people are Mennonite Levi Zandt, who founds the town, German immigrant Hans Brumbaugh, who is the first to raise crops, and Englishman Oliver Seccombe, who sees the opportunity to graze large herds of cattle.

As the town grows and evolves, the land loses its unspoiled beauty. Later arrivals include the Wendell family who seeks to gain power and wealth, and Colonel Frank Skimmerhorn who believes only the white man belongs and that the Indians must either be killed or driven off. In the modern area, rancher Paul Garrett, who can trace his family line back to Pasquinel, fights to prevent exploitation of the land by Morgan Wendell, a wealthy businessman.

Cast

Principal cast

* Michael Ansara – Lame Beaver
* William Atherton – Jim Lloyd
* Raymond Burr – Herman Bockweiss
* Barbara Carrera – Clay Basket
* Richard Chamberlain – Alexander McKeag
* Robert Conrad – Pasquinel
* Richard Crenna – Col. Frank Skimmerhorn
* Timothy Dalton – Oliver Seccombe
* Cliff DeYoung – John Skimmerhorn
* Chad Everett – Major Maxwell Mercy
* Sharon Gless – Sidney Endermann
* Andy Griffith – Prof. Lewis Vernor
* Merle Haggard – Cisco Calendar
* Mark Harmon – Captain John McIntosh
* Gregory Harrison – Levi Zendt
* David Janssen – Paul Garrett (Narrator)
* Alex Karras – Hans Brumbaugh
* Brian Keith – Sheriff Axel Dumire
* Sally Kellerman – Lise Bockweiss Pasquinel
* A Martinez – Tranquilino Marquez
* Stephen McHattie – Jacques Pasquinel (adult)
* Lois Nettleton – Maude Wendell
* Donald Pleasence – Sam Purchas
* Cristina Raines – Lucinda McKeag Zendt
* Lynn Redgrave – Charlotte Buckland Seccombe Lloyd
* Clive Revill – Finlay Perkin
* Kario Salem – Marcel Pasquinel (adult)
* Clint Walker – Joe Bean
* Dennis Weaver – R. J. Poteet
* Robert Vaughn – Morgan Wendell
* Anthony Zerbe – Mervin Wendell
* Stephanie Zimbalist – Elly Zahm Zendt

Other cast

* Maria Yolanda Aguayo – Blue Leaf (child)
* Stephan Andrade – 1st Arapaho
* Phyllis Applegate – Clerk
* Royce D. Applegate – Mr. Holmes
* Ed Bakey – Floyd Calendar
* James Best – Hank Garvey
* Scott Birney – Zendt Farm Child
* William Bogert – William Bellamy
* Lynn Borden – Vesta Volkema
* Siegfried H. Brauer III – Extra
* Marta Brennan – Mary Sibley
* Reb Brown – Jim Bridger
* Bo Brundin – Magnes Volkema
* Steve Burns – Pvt. James Clark
* Barry Cahill – Maj. O'Neil
* Alan Caillou – Booth-Clibborn
* Rafael Campos – Nacho Gomez
* Joan Carey – Miss Kruger
* Dave Cass – Frank Pettis
* Karen Carlson – Lisette Mercy
* Annette Charles – Senora Alvarez
* Alex Colon – Father Vigil
* Henry Darrow – Alvarez
* Ralph Davies Lewis – Tom Ragland
* Bob Davis – Bank Manager
* Joella Deffenbaugh – Fat Laura
* Dennis Dimster – Timmy Grebe
* Robert DoQui – Nate Person III
* Burt Douglas – Capt. William Ketchum
* Damon Douglas – William Savage
* Robert Douglas – Claude Richards
* Robert Easton – Maj. George Sibley
* Dana Elcar – Judge Hart
* René Enríquez – Manolo Marquez
* H.P. Evetts – Orvid Pettis
* Darrell Fetty – Burns
* Dennis Fimple – Buck
* Carl Franklin – Jim Beckworth
* Lou Frizzell – Mr. Norriss
* Chief Dan George – Old Sioux
* Byron Gilbert – Truinfador Marquez
* Silvana Gallardo – Serafina Marquez
* Michael Goodrow – Ethan Grebe
* Lani Grant – Mrs. Takemoto
* Jacques Hampton – Doctor
* James Hampton – Defense Atty. Prescott
* Alex Henteloff – Bradley Finch
* Allan Hunt – Stanford
* Gordon Hurst – Clay
* Scott Hylands – Laseter
* Richard Jaeckel – Sgt. Lykes
* Claude Jarman, Jr. – Earl Grebe
* Claude Earl Jones – Matt
* Morris Jones – 1st Reporter
* John Kings – Englishman
* James Kisicki – Rev. Fenstermacher
* Eric Lalich – Jake Calendar
* David and Daniel Lange – Ben Dawson (age 9)
* Les Lannom – Buford Coker
* William Lanteau – Flagg
* Adrienne La Russa – Clemma Zendt
* Tony LaTorre – Marcel (age 7)
* Michael Le Clair – Jim Lloyd (young)
* Geoffrey Lewis – Sheriff Bogardus
* Duane Loken – 1st Cheyenne
* Christopher Lowell – Keefe
* Jaimie MacDonald – Jacques (ages 6–9)
* Jay W. MacIntosh – Emma Lloyd
* Joaquín Martínez – Col. Salcedo
* Barney McFadden – Abel Tanner
* Doug McKeon – Philip Wendell (as a boy)
* Gloria McMillan – Clara Brumbaugh
* Jim McMullan – Prosecutor
* Sandy McPeak – Soren Sorenson
* Mari Michener – Janice Welch
* Julio Medina – Father Gravez
* Art Metrano – Maurice Cartwright
* Greg Mullavey – Mule Canby
* Karmin Murcelo – Flor Marquez
* Alan Napier – Lord Venneford
* Ivan Naranjo – Gray Wolf
* Mark Neely – Martin Zendt
* Richard O'Brien – Judge
* Rachel Orr – Victoria Grebe
* Michael K. Osborn – Mr. Kellen
* Gene Otis – Stringer
* Morgan Paull – Philip Wendell (adult)
* John Bennett Perry – Mahlon Zendt
* Robert Phalen – Rev. Holly
* Terry Phillips – Newscaster
* Maria Potts – Blue Leaf
* Monika Ramirez – Blue Leaf (age 14)
* Nick Ramus – Lost Eagle
* Steven Rapp – Kurt Brumbaugh
* Debi Richter – Rebecca Stoltzfus
* Clint Ritchie – Messmore Garrett
* Jorge Rivero – Broken Thumb
* Pernell Roberts – Gen. Asher
* Vincent Roberts – Jacques Pasquinel (teenager)
* Frank S. Salsedo – Sam Lopez
* Steve Sandor – Charley Kin
* Eric Server – Pierce
* Steve Shaw – Paul Garrett (as a boy)
* Steve Shemayne – Pawnee Chief
* Stuart Silbar – Col. Hanley
* James J. Sloyan – Spade Larkin
* Robert Somers – Sergeant
* Julie Sommars – Alice Grebe
* Gale Sondergaard – Aunt Augusta
* Gordon Steel – Donald McPherson
* Sterling Swanson – Hunter
* Takashi – Mr. Takemoto
* Irene Tedrow – Mother Zendt
* Robert Tessier – Rude Water
* Marshall Thompson – Dennis
* Tiger Thompson – Young Beeley Garrett
* Bill Thurman – Uncle Dick
* Ray Tracey – Lame Beaver (young)
* Deborah Trissell – Miss Keller (credited in Episode No. 9, in which she can't be seen)
* Glynn Turman – Nate Person
* Mina Vasquez – Soledad Marquez
* Alan Vint – Beeley Garrett (adult)
* Jesse Vint – Amos Calendar
* Robert Walden – Dr. Richard Butler
* Robby Weaver – Gompert
* Van Williams – George
* Leslie Winston – Laura Lou Booker
* Morgan Woodward – Gen. Wade
* David Yanez – Lame Beaver (age 9)
* Ken Yellow Moon – 2nd Arapaho

Episodes

Production

Principal filming occurred in 1978. There were numerous filming locations in several parts of the United States. Colorado filming locations included Greeley, the Pawnee National Grasslands, Denver, Central City, Orchard, Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site and the Rocky Mountain National Park. Several of the mountain men era scenes were filmed in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. The scenes representing St. Louis in the late 18th and early 19th century were filmed in Augusta, Kentucky. The White Hall State Historic Site in Richmond, Kentucky served as the Bockweiss mansion. Scenes representing the Zendt farm and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, were filmed in and around Coshocton, Ohio.

The ranch house and surrounding buildings used for the Venneford Ranch house was the Highlands Ranch Mansion in Highlands Ranch, which is located near the real town of Centennial, Colorado. Years later the surrounding property was developed for housing by the Mission Viejo Company. One of the streets in the development was named Venneford Ranch Road.

The Great Western Railway engine No. 75 was back-dated for scenes in the 1880s and then modernized for scenes in the 1910s.

On November 27, 1978, actor Richard Kelton died on location south of Denver after one day of shooting his scenes. Cast as the adult character of Philip Wendell, Kelton's death was the result of accidental carbon monoxide asphyxiation due to improper ventilation in his dressing room trailer. Universal Studios, which produced the mini-series, was fined $720 for the failure to provide a proper ventilation system for the trailer where Kelton was rehearsing his lines. His wife received a $50,000 settlement per a statute in California Workers Compensation Law.

Differences between the book and miniseries

Although Michener began his novel in prehistory, the series itself begins with elements from Chapter 4 of his book, "The Many Coups of Lame Beaver". The Wendells use the badger game to blackmail the town pastor out of his house in the miniseries, but in the book they get the house from a local businessman. The novel devotes an entire section to Kurt Brumbaugh's development of Central Beet company; the miniseries, however, makes only passing reference to it.

In the miniseries, Morgan Wendell tries to cover up his family's shady history, but in the book he speaks openly about the murder and his father's admiration of the sheriff to the author–who in turn agrees to publish the facts of the killing ''after'' the election. Paul Garrett is in his 50s and is Lloyd's grandson in the miniseries, but he is in his early 40s in the novel and is their great-grandson. The miniseries skips a generation for the sake of simplicity. This skipped generation would have revealed that Garrett is also a descendant of Maxwell and Lisette Mercy, Levi and Lucinda Zendt, and John Skimmerhorn.

There is no election pitting Garrett against Wendell in the novel. Wendell is elected Commissioner of Resources, and Garrett reluctantly accepts his offer to be his principal deputy. The novel also portrays Wendell as a more reasonable and balanced man than what is depicted in the miniseries. It is he, not Garrett, who makes the reference to Warren G. Harding as the anti-standard by which all politicians should be judged.

Historical basis

The Pasquinel character bears similarities to Jacques La Ramee, a French-Canadian, coureur de bois, fur trapper who explored the region, of the North Platte River, in southern Wyoming, in the early 19th century. The "Pasquinel brothers", the sons of Pasquinel and Clay Basket, are loosely-based on the four half-breed sons of trader William Bent, of Old Bent's Fort, near present-day La Junta, Colorado. During "The Yellow Apron", Pasquinel tells his son Jake that he was named after his good friend and early trapping partner, "Jacques La Ramee".

The character of Indian hater and religious fanatic Colonel Frank Skimmerhorn appears to be loosely based on John Chivington, a disgraced ex-Methodist minister who led the infamous Sand Creek massacre in Kiowa County, Colorado in 1864. The miniseries however seems to imply that the Skimmerhorn character is a Mormon since he refers to the Arapaho as "Lamanites", a term found in Mormon theology to refer to Indians, but not in Protestant or Roman Catholic doctrine. Captain John McIntosh's (Major Mercy in the novel) role in the incident and subsequent trial appears to be loosely based on Silas Soule.

The range war depicted in the series is similar in many respects to the 1892 Johnson County War in Wyoming. The scene where Nate Person, Bufe Coker, and Fat Laura are murdered by hired killers, the Pettis brothers, bears similarity to the lynching of Ellen "Cattle Kate" Watson with the Oliver Seccombe character taking a role similar to that of Albert John Bothwell. The character of Hans "Potato" Brumbaugh appears to be loosely based on the Colorado historical figure Rufus "Potato" Clark, a failed gold prospector who turned to agriculture and became a pioneer in irrigation. Like the character in Centennial, Clark grew wealthy by growing potatoes near Littleton, eventually switching to sugar beets and controlling more than .

Despite the name and location, the city of Centennial, Colorado was founded in 2001 and is ''not'' based on the novel, but rather was independently inspired by Colorado's 1876 statehood.

Broadcast

''Centennial'' originally aired during the 1978–1979 television season. It re-aired in the fall of the 1980–1981 season during the 1980 actors' strike which delayed the availability of new programs.

Awards and nominations

Footnotes

References

# Clive James'', March 1, 1981

External links

*

{{James A. Michener

1970s American television miniseries
Television shows based on American novels
NBC television dramas
1978 American television series debuts
1979 American television series endings
Television series by Universal Television
1970s Western (genre) television series
Television series about the history of the United States
Television shows set in Colorado
Adaptations of works by James A. Michener
Cheyenne in popular culture
Pawnee in popular culture