Only the rocks live forever

[Aloha_Shooter]

I don't have a lot of movies or TV shows in my collection related to the Revolutionary War so I decided this morning to go a different route while eating breakfast and drinking my fresh-ground Maui coffee: James Michener's "Centennial".

Some of the youngsters on the board may not even know of this mini-series. I only remember it airing once but was impressed with it. It's standard Michener fare, a multi-generational saga following families in a specific area as the pace of history rolls past them -- in this case, the juncture of the South Platte and Cache la Poudre rivers. Some of it was shot here in Colorado, albeit not in the current town known as Centennial. It's similar in vein to "How the West Was Won" but centered for the most part (some of it takes place in late 18th- and early 19th-century St. Louis) around a single location rather than moving westward.

While it takes place after the Revolution, "Centennial" is as much a story of our country and how it grew and its seemingly eternal (at least, until recently) quest for freedom as any story about Benjamin Franklin or Thomas Jefferson or George Washington. I highly recommend it if you're in the mood for something different this Independence Day as I was.

[sroz]

I think the last segment showed a fly-over of Highlands Ranch before all the building started.

[Aloha_Shooter]

I think the last segment showed a fly-over of Highlands Ranch before all the building started.

Yes, the "modern" segment was filmed in Highlands Ranch. I think they even named a street after the fictional Venneford Mansion.

[Bailey Guns]

Man...I think I saw that when it came out in like 1980. Must've been a year or two before because I remember discussing it in high school history class. If I recall correctly there were some big stars of the day in that mini-series.

[BladesNBarrels]

How about Robert Conrad in the role of Pasquinel?

[BladesNBarrels]

There are a few names in the series:

Its cast included Michael Ansara, Raymond Burr, Richard Chamberlain, Robert Conrad, Barbara Carrera, Richard Crenna, Timothy Dalton, Sharon Gless, Andy Griffith, Mark Harmon, Gregory Harrison, David Janssen, Alex Karras, Brian Keith, Sally Kellerman, Stephen McHattie, Lois Nettleton, Donald Pleasence, Adrienne La Russa, Lynn Redgrave, Clive Revill, Pernell Roberts, Robert Vaughn, Dennis Weaver, Anthony Zerbe and Stephanie Zimbalist.

It aired on NBC from October 1978 to February 1979.

[CS1983]

So, a 1980's tv take on Howard Fast's "The Immigrants" style series and set in Colorado? Interesting. Are you aware if it's available online at all?

[SAnd]

So, a 1980's tv take on Howard Fast's "The Immigrants" style series and set in Colorado? Interesting. Are you aware if it's available online at all?

Its all here I think

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsgpN213Npk

If you do a search for "Centennial miniseries" you will get several returns. There are several different complete series downloaded.

[SAnd]

So, a 1980's tv take on Howard Fast's "The Immigrants" style series and set in Colorado? Interesting. ?

Michener's novel "Centennial" was first published in 1974. "The Immigrants" wasn't published until 1977.

[CS1983]

Michener's novel "Centennial" was first published in 1974. "The Immigrants" wasn't published until 1977.

Ah. But same vein of story type?