"Centennial" (1978) TV mini-series 1978-1979

Writer:

James Michener (novel)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

1 October 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance | Western

Plot:

The economic and cultural growth of Colorado spanning two centuries from the mid-1700s to the late-1970s.

Plot Keywords:

Colorado | One Word Title | Trapper | Investment | Voice Over Narration

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Raymond Burr	...	Herman Bockweiss (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Barbara Carrera	...	Clay Basket (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Richard Chamberlain	...	Alexander McKeag (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Robert Conrad	...	Pasquinel (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Richard Crenna	...	Colonel Frank Skimmerhorn (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Chad Everett	...	Major Maxwell Mercy (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Alex Karras	...	Hans Brumbaugh (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Brian Keith	...	Sheriff Axel Dumire (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Sally Kellerman	...	Lise Bockweiss (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Donald Pleasence	...	Sam Purchas (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Lynn Redgrave	...	Charlotte Buckland Seccombe (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Dennis Weaver	...	R.J. Poteet (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Stephen McHattie	...	Jacques 'Jake' Pasquinel (11 episodes, 1978-1979)
William Atherton	...	Jim Lloyd (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Timothy Dalton	...	Oliver Seccombe (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Cliff De Young	...	John Skimmerhorn (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Andy Griffith	...	Professor Lewis Vernor (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Gregory Harrison	...	Levi Zendt (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
David Janssen	...	Narrator / ... (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Lois Nettleton	...	Maude Wendell (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Cristina Raines	...	Lucinda McKeag Zendt (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Robert Vaughn	...	Morgan Wendell (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Anthony Zerbe	...	Mervin Wendell (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jesse Vint	...	Amos Calendar (6 episodes, 1978-1979)
Sharon Gless	...	Sidney Endermann (5 episodes, 1979)
Les Lannom	...	Bufe Coker (5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Kario Salem	...	Marcel 'Mike' Pasquinel (5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Michael LeClair	...	Young Jim Lloyd (5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Glynn Turman	...	Nate Person (5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Gloria McMillan	...	Mrs. Brumbaugh (5 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Directed by
Virgil W. Vogel		(5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Paul Krasny		(3 episodes, 1978)
Harry Falk		(3 episodes, 1979)

Series Writing credits
John Wilder		(12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Charles Larson		(5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Jerry Ziegman		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
James Michener		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
George E. Crosby	....	associate producer / producer (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Susan Lichtwardt	....	associate producer (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
John Wilder	....	executive producer (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Malcolm R. Harding	....	producer (8 episodes, 1978-1979)
Richard Caffey	....	supervising producer (4 episodes, 1979)
Alex Beaton	....	supervising producer / producer (3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Howard P. Alston	....	producer (2 episodes, 1978)

Series Original Music by
John Addison		(12 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Cinematography by
Duke Callaghan		(7 episodes, 1978-1979)
Charles W. Short		(3 episodes, 1979)

Series Film Editing by
Robert Watts		(3 episodes, 1978-1979)
Howard Deane		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
John Elias		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Bill Parker		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Ralph Schoenfeld		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Casting by
Mary Petterson		(12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Gino Havens		(2 episodes, 1978)

Series Production Design by
Jack Senter		(11 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Art Direction by
Loyd S. Papez		(5 episodes, 1979)
Mark W. Mansbridge		(4 episodes, 1978)
Sherman Loudermilk		(3 episodes, 1978)
Louis Montejano		(3 episodes, 1978)
John W. Corso		(2 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Set Decoration by
Joseph J. Stone		(11 episodes, 1978-1979)
John M. Dwyer		(10 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Costume Design by
Helen Colvig		(12 episodes, 1978-1979)

Series Production Management
Robert G. Stone	....	unit production manager (6 episodes, 1978-1979)
Burt Bluestein	....	unit production manager (5 episodes, 1978)
Sam Freedle	....	unit production manager (4 episodes, 1979)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Liberti	....	second assistant director / first assistant director (7 episodes, 1978-1979)
Scott Maitland	....	first assistant director (5 episodes, 1978-1979)
Bruce L. Shurley	....	second assistant director (4 episodes, 1978)
Bob Jeffords	....	first assistant director (3 episodes, 1978)
Gary Grillo	....	first assistant director (2 episodes, 1978)

Series Art Department
Craig Binkley	....	property master (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Roy Barnes	....	set designer (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Brian Courcier	....	sound effects editor (10 episodes, 1978-1979)
Charlie King	....	sound (9 episodes, 1978-1979)
Edwin J. Somers Jr.	....	sound (3 episodes, 1978)
Gary Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Frank Noel	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1978-1979)
Tex Hill	....	stunts (unknown episodes, 1978)
William H. Burton	....	stunt coordinator / stunts (unknown episodes)
David S. Cass Sr.	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Tony Epper	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Leslie Hoffman	....	stunt indian (unknown episodes)
Terry Leonard	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Neil Summers	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Orefice	....	best boy (unknown episodes)
Herb Roberts	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Michael Simpson	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Sven Walnum	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Garrison True	....	location casting (5 episodes, 1979)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert Ellsworth	....	costume supervisor (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Haleen K. Holt	....	costume illustrator (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Ron Meredith	....	assistant film editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Dave Kahn	....	music editor (12 episodes, 1978-1979)
Sally Kellerman	....	composer: song "Speak Low" (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Janice Welch	....	assistant to executive producer (1 episode, 1979)
John Grace	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Universal TV

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1978) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Belgische Radio en Televisie (BRT) (1979) (Belgium) (TV)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• NHK (1982) (Japan) (TV)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

1256 min (12 episodes) (excluding commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Alamo Village - Highway 674, Brackettville, Texas, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

The role of Philip Wendell was originally played by Richard Kelton, who died of carbon monoxide poisoning after one day of filming.

Goofs:

Plot holes: During "The Winds of Death" episode - Earl Grebe is in a great amount of debt to Phillip Wendell and tells his family that he will have to sell his horses. Moments later he can be seen driving a brand new tractor in his field. If he were in such a financial hardship, he would not have been able to buy a new tractor.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Walter Matthau (#4.7)" (1978)

Awesome!

I watched WAY TOO MUCH T.V. in the 70's, but for lucky dogs like you that's cool! Centennial was probably my favorite mini of all of them! It covered generations of a few main families through 200yrs in Colorado, and was narrated awesomely by David Janssen, and had a mystery to boot! I don't have enough space to review this whole series, but here are a few notes: Yes, Robert Conrad and the first few episodes were the best in my opinion, and in the opinions of others on this site. His portrayal of Pasquinel was incredible. A French Canadian coming to America to hunt beaver and start a life here is the American dream! Just ask Arnold if you doubt me! Roots, Shogun (Richard C. was in that one too), and Shaka Zulu also were all excellent mini-series in this vein but Centennial hit home here in America. Not many of us can relate to the other three biggies, but Centennial was U.S. all the way. Other big name actors that did a great job in this were Andy Griffith, Alex Karras (Hans Brumbaugh, man he did a great job for a new actor!), Dennis Weaver, Dan Janssen, Crenna, Carrera, Chamberlain, Kellerman, Keith, Dalton, Vaughn, I could go on forever! A POWER cast indeed! What in the heck was the budget on this thing! Some library's have this, rent it now! Hopefully AMC will show this next year uncut for it's 25th Anniv. and hopefully it will also come out on a DVD set! I'll be the first in line!!! FLAMIO