"Wheels" (1978) TV mini-series

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Jerry London

Writers:

Arthur Hailey (novel)
Robert Hamilton (writer)

Release Date:

7 May 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

TV Mini-Series | Car | Based On Novel

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Rock Hudson	...	Adam Trenton
Lee Remick	...	Erica Trenton
Blair Brown	...	Barbara Lipton
John Beck	...	Peter Flodenhale
Ralph Bellamy	...	Lowell Baxter
Scott Brady	...	Matt Zaleski
John Durren	...	Merv Rucks
Marj Dusay	...	Caroline Horton
Lisa Eilbacher	...	Jody Horton
Anthony Franciosa	...	Smokey Stevenson
James Carroll Jordan	...	Kirk Trenton
Adele Mara	...	Teresa Chapman
Howard McGillin	...	Greg Trenton
Tim O'Connor	...	Hub Hewitson
Gerald S. O'Loughlin	...	Rusty Horton

Also Known As:

"Arthur Hailey's Wheels"

Runtime:

600 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Company:

Roy Huggins Productions

Trivia:

Arthur Hailey closely based the story on the birth of the GTO, the prototypical muscle car created by 1960s Pontiac Division President John DeLorean, as well as the executive's affair with model and actress Kelly Harmon, who became DeLorean's second wife in 1969. DeLorean would later tell his own version of events in the best-selling book, "On a clear day you can see General Motors." Forced out of GM, DeLorean would go on to greater notoriety as creator of the ill-fated DeLorean sports car.

A unique mini-series

Intriguing mini series set in the 1960s American auto industry capitol of Michigan,covering about every possible "base" that could be....greed,backstabbing,power plays,personal lives,racial tensions,competitive urges,corporate struggles.....its all there.Basically in a nutshell,Hudson is married to the daughter of the President of National Motors (a play on "American Motors??"),and he views the potential youth market as a veritable goldmine to the carmaker.He proposes the "Hawk" (looking something like an AMC Javelin) psudeo-sports car as their entry into this future field.A large competitor is seen working on a similar project,so Hudson pushes hard to get his baby to market.Engineering problems,corporate bean counters,top brass,all conspire against him. A decent program with top name stars of the day.If you are curious of the auto industry's inner workings,this is the mini series for you.If they would only release it on DVD.... (Here's trivia for you....National Motors only product was a family sedan...in the mini series it was simply a 1966/67 Dodge Coronet with a hastily applied generic grille).