Highcliffe Manor
Highcliffe Manor is an American sitcom with a gothic horror background focused on the events in a mansion with crazy scientists and strange figures. The series starred Shelley Fabares and aired on NBC from April 12 to May 3, 1979.
| Highcliffe Manor | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Robert Blees |
| Directed by | Nick Havinga |
| Starring | Shelley Fabares Stephen McHattie Eugenie Ross-Leming Gerald Gordon Audrey Landers |
| Narrated by | Peter Lawford |
| Opening theme | "Highcliffe Manor" by Frank De Vol |
| Composer(s) | Bob Alberti |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 (2 unaired) |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Eugenie Ross-Leming Brad Buckner |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Alan Landsburg Productions T.A.T. Communications Company |
| Distributor | [ |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Original release | April 12 – May 3, 1979 |
Summary
The plot concerned the goings on at Highcliffe Manor, a creepy old mansion on a desolate island in New England. Helen Blacke, an attractive but flaky widow, is the owner of the mansion that was home to the Blacke Foundation, a scientific research institute with a houseful of sinister characters which included Frances, a mad scientist; Bram Shelley, a bionic man; Ian Glenville, a womanizing preacher; Cheng, a huge Korean assistant; Wendy Sparkles, a sexy secretary; Rebecca, a creepy housekeeper and evil doctors Lester and Sanchez. Each episode featured voice-over narration by Peter Lawford.
Cast
- Shelley Fabares as Helen Blacke (widow of the foundation's founder)
- Stephen McHattie as Reverend Ian Glenville
- Eugenie Ross-Leming as Dr. Frances Kisgadden
- Gerald Gordon as Dr. Felix Morger (former assistant to the late Berkeley Blacke)
- Audrey Landers as Wendy Sparkles (secretary to the late Mr. Blacke)
- Jenny O'Hara as Rebecca (the housekeeper)
- Christian Marlowe as Bram Shelley (the bionic man)
- David Byrd as Dr. Lester
- Luis Avalos as Dr. Sanchez
- Ernie Hudson as Smythe (valet to the late Mr. Blacke)
- Harold Sakata as Cheng
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original airdate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Blacke Death" | Nick Havinga | Eugenie Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner | April 12, 1979 | |
| Helen is oblivious to her tenants' designs toward her. | |||||
| 2 | "Berkeley Cheats the Grave" | Nick Havinga | Eugenie Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner | April 19, 1979 | |
| Felix persists in his unrequited passion for Helen and the villagers make a ghastly discovery at the crypt. | |||||
| 3 | "The Evil from Within" | Nick Havinga | Earle Doud | April 26, 1979 | |
| A plot by Helen's evil enemies is short-circuited by Rev. Ian Glenville. | |||||
| 4 | "Love Blooms" | Nick Havinga | Rick Orloff | May 3, 1979 | |
| Dr. Kisgadden's abduction jolts her amnesiac bionic man to the realization that he is the presumed-dead. | |||||
| 5 | "Sex & Violence" | Nick Havinga | Eugenie Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner | Unaired | |
| Rebecca and Smythe find each other during a heart-to-heart chat and Helen's mother (Inga Swenson) visits. | |||||
| 6 | "Stark Terror" | Nick Havinga | Carmen Finestra and John Surgal | Unaired | |
| Helen suspects Smythe is more than a valet and sinister vapors from a coffee maker claims two victims. | |||||
References
- Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present. Eight Edition. New York: Ballantine, 2003.
- CTVA - The Classic TV Archive: http://ctva.biz/US/Comedy/HighcliffeManor.htm