Centennial

1978
Centennial

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1

EP1 Only the Rocks Live Forever Oct 01, 1978

A feisty Quebec trapper meets Arapaho Chief Lame Beaver in his travels throughout the American West. Thus beginning a series of relationships that create a timeline of adventures from the late 1700's to the 20th century. On a trip to St. Louis to sell his wares, he encounters the wealthy silversmith Herman Bockweiss (Raymond Burr) and enters a partnership with him to bring guns and silver to the Indians. He agrees to marry Bockweiss' daughter Lise (Sally Kellerman) and leaves shortly thereafter to return to his trapping trade. He encounters and saves the life of his future partner, Alexander McKeag (Richard Chamberlain), a Scotsman attempting to escape his past. They make their way to an Arapaho camp where McKeag, who has been injured, is tended by Chief Lame Beaver's daughter, Clay Basket (Barbara Carrera). They fall in love, but she instead marries Pasquinel at her father's request. Accompanied by Clay Basket, the partners set out in search of Pasquinel's true desire - gold.

EP2 The Yellow Apron Oct 08, 1978

In spite of mounting tensions between the races, Pasquinel, McKeag and the Indians continue a profitable releationship in trading. Clay Basket bears Pasquinel two sons, Jacques and Marcel, while back in St. Louis, Lise gives birth to Pasquinel's daughter, Lisette. Pasquinel continues his obsessive search for Lame Beaver's gold, while McKeag and Clay Basket are secretly in love with each other, but her honor in marriage to Pasquinel won't allow her to reveal it to McKeag.

EP3 The Wagon and the Elephant Oct 28, 1978

1845: In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, young Mennonite Levi Zendt heads out west with his bride-to-be Elly Zamm. On the wagon train and in St. Louis they meet young English writer Oliver Seccombe and Army Captain Maxwell Mercy - who is married to Lisette, Pasquinel's daughter. McKeag weds Clay Basket and adopts her half-breed daughter Lucinda. While on the wagon train, guide Samuel Purchase tries to rape Elly, causing Levi and Elly to leave it, meeting McKeag and later establish the settlement of the town Centennial.

EP4 For as Long as the Water Flows Nov 04, 1978

Driven by the grief over his wife's death, Levi boards himself up in the desolate cabin once used by McKeag and Pasquinel in their early trapping days. Clay Basket and McKeag soon send their daughter Lucinda to bring him to their home. Eventually, Levi and Lucinda fall in love and marry. Meanwhile, Hans Brumbaugh arrives from Germany to seek gold.

EP5 The Massacre Nov 11, 1978

1861: War sweeps the country, the Civil War in the North and South, in the West the Pasquinel brothers, Jacques and Marcel are raiding and murdering soldiers and homesteaders. Colonel Frank Skimmerhorn, an officer in the Wyoming militia arrives in Centennial with intent on killing all Indians.

EP6 The Longhorns Dec 03, 1978

Representing a group of British investors, Oliver Seccombe arrives in Centennial with money to start a cattle ranch. He hires John Skimmerhorn to get some men and launch a large cattle drive to the West's largest cattle ranch, the Venneford. Skimmerhorn hires R.J. Poteet, an experienced trail boss, who picks a handful of seasoned drovers and young trail hands.

EP7 The Shepherds Dec 10, 1978

The late 1800's, Hans Brumbaugh leads the farmers in the war against the wealthy ranchers and cattlemen led by Oliver Seccombe. Messmore Garrett settles in Centennial with thousands of sheep and more competition against the cattlemen. The new sheriff, Dumire can't stop the fight from both sides. Charlotte Buckland, the daughter of one of the Venneford Ranch's British owners, arrives in America and falls in love with Seccombe.

EP8 The Storm Jan 14, 1979

Mervin Wendell, his wife Maude and son Philip, a theatrical / professional con man comes to Centennial. Jim Lloyd is in love with Levi Zendt's beautiful, but wild daughter Clemma and pursues her. Meanwhile, the British investors have sent Scottish accountant Finlay Perkin to the Venneford Ranch to do an audit. Not able to understand Seccombe's accounting or spendage of running a cattle ranch, he accuses him of thief.

EP9 The Crime Jan 21, 1979

The Wendells easily con the people of Centennial, while blackmailing Reverend Holly. The Wendell son, Philip idolizes Sheriff Dumire, who is investegating the disappearance and possible murder of a traveling businessman, carrying a briefcase full of money. Newly widowed Charlotte Seccombe, returns to England briefly, but returns to run the Venneford Ranch. Meanwhile, Hans Brumbaugh, with the help of Japanese laborers has built his farm into a successful potatoe farm.

EP10 The Winds of Fortune Jan 28, 1979

Charlotte Seccombe and Jim Lloyd fall in love, while Zendt's troubled daughter Clemma returns. The notorious Pettis gang arrive for a showdown with Sheriff Dumire. Hans Brumbaugh's Japanese laborers quit him to follow after their own dreams of owning their own farms.

EP11 The Winds of Death Feb 03, 1979

Early 1900's, Mervin Wendell has become a real estate tycoon by selling promises on land that barely produces any growth to young naive families from the East. While Charlotte Lloyd takes up the Mexican residents' cause at defending their rights.

EP12 The Scream of Eagles Feb 04, 1979

1978: Historian Professor Lew Vernor and writer Sidney Enderman arrive to do a article on Centennial. Paul Garrett, the current owner of the Venneford Ranch and a direct descendant of Pasquinel, tells them the history of the town. Morgan Wendell, son of Philip is running for the newly formed office of Commissioner of Resources and Priorities for the State of Colorado. When it is realized that Wendell is running only for the money and power, Garrett is persuaded to run against him.
8.3| 0h30m| TV-PG| en| More Info
Released: 01 October 1978 Ended
Producted By: Universal Television
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

The economic and cultural growth of town of Centennial, Colorado, through the intertwining lives of the brave men and women inhabiting it. Spanning two centuries from the settling of the area in the 1700s, to the late 1970s.

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Reviews

thomasvenneker As an eight year old boy I watched all episodes in a row at my grandma's house while sick, years later I re-watched it and was captivated exactly the same way I was all those years ago. The music fits great, and so do the actors. Now I watch the entire thing almost every year, still on VHS. If it is available on DVD near you, don't hesitate and buy it!
glimmerin-116-650335 What a story! I cannot begin to say how much I enjoyed the scope and messages of this wonderful film series. I have absolutely no idea how I missed it when it came out, and I am at a loss that it has taken so long to see it and that I saw it totally by accident. But OH, am I glad I saw it! Michener has created great characters to love and admire, an so many of them. Several personal favorites are Alexander MacKieg, Jim Lloyd, Ley Zendt...oh and so many others. Everyone has a strong stake in the development of Centennial and all the main players play with passion to achieve their ends. all perspectives are explored. Had I seen this many years ago perhaps I might not have understood how ambitious, pertinent, and ambitious its messages were. In the light of another 30 + years having gone by I can say unequivocally that this film was way ahead of it's time. Every time I got through with one tape I could not wait to get another tape into my player to continue the saga, and thank goodness there were 10 tapes because the story was that rich with content. Centennial could have and should have been a television series so much more could have been said and the characters were that engrossing.I wanted to see more of EVERYTHING and EVERYONE. it is amazing to me that the producers and writers were able to fill in as much as they did in the time that they had to do it. And they way they chose to do it was interesting as well. Even when one of the main characters died, and they did die because you were watching whole lives play out and how even THAT impacted the story, a short while later you found yourself looking at another aspect of their life and see them again, and glad to be able to do so The only time Centennial faltered for me was when it switched from the 1930's to the 1970's, after having taken me from the 1850's and into the 20th century. For me the final characters and play out of the story were not as powerful as the contents of the preceding 9 tapes, and it seemed more forced and awkward. A failing I have noticed in many films when it comes time to end stories. Inspiration is somehow lost in the process for many filmmakers. But by that time I had grown to absolutely love most of the townsfolk of Centennial so I will chalk it up to the fact that I was to see little of them in the final tape and that disappointed me. The story none the less wrapped up with a nice bid for a future of ecological husbandry that to this day has not lost it's meaning or impact. Bottom line...I LOVED this film so much I will go back and watch it over and over again. This one is for me...a keeper.
Poseidon-3 Staggering is a good word to describe this mammoth, epic miniseries which traces the birth of a Colorado town from the first time a white man sets foot on in up to the present day (of the time it was filmed.) The story is multi-generational, beginning with French-Canadian trapper Conrad and continuing on with his descendants and those of people he knew. Conrad and best pal Chamberlain's story eventually gives way to Pennsylvania Dutch pioneer and trader Harrison's, which in turn passes the torch to Dalton and his 6,000,000 acre ranch and then to town sheriff Keith and so on, before landing in 1978 with Janssen's bid at a political career. Along the way, many vignettes depict the vast changes, conflicts and hurdles, which affected the birth and growth of the town and its inhabitants. The cast is nothing short of jaw dropping with a plethora of notable television series stars appearing for either long or short stretches of time. Conrad, Chamberlain, Everett, Harrison, Weaver, Karras and Keith all get strong roles that afford them the chance to shine. There are several women, however, who also get to play terrific parts. Carrera is unforgettably gentle and beautiful as an Indian maiden, Zimbalist is wondrous as Harrison's determined wife and Redgrave has one of the best parts of her career as an English girl who transforms over time to a powerful and important pillar of the community. Naturally, there are a few folks who don't measure up in the acting department as well. Some of the smaller roles are essayed by people with limited thespian ability and McHattie is outrageously bad and over the top as Conrad's rebel Indian son. Also, Carlson, as Conrad's white daughter, and Raines, as his Indian one, have flat, unenthusiastic voices and give bland performances. Mostly, though, the cast is strong, although several actors are forced, due to the longevity of their characters in the storyline, to endure some really obvious, even shoddy, age makeup. Sadly, some folks, such as former screen hunks Walker, Rivero and Williams, get short shrift and barely appear at all. Among the more memorable sequences are Harrison and Zimbalist's trouble-plagued trip west, Weaver's taxing and dangerous cattle drive, the scheming of actors Zerbe, Nettleton and McKeon and the love story between Redgrave and her ranch hand Atherton. In truth, the miniseries could have ended one night early, with the prophetic words of Redgrave to her grandson, but it did not and so a lengthy and somewhat dull finale included Griffith, Janssen and Gless chewing over environmental issues with shady Vaughn. Exciting and dramatic sequences of the earlier hours segue into watching a red Ford truck follow Griffith and Gless around a muddy construction site, as if the driver and his pal could hear anything anyway! This, paired with the needless and protracted flashbacks, leaves a mildly unpalatable taste in the mouth. However, the bulk of the series is terrific, capped off by some great musical scoring by John Addison. Somewhere in the mêlée of period St. Louis (actually a redressed Augusta, KY riverfront) is teenage George Clooney as an extra townsperson! And where else can one find Dr. Kildare, Dr. Joe Gannon, Dr. Gonzo Gates, Dr. Sam Loomis, Dr. Sam Quinn, Dr. Buck James, Dr. Richard Kimble and Dr. Bobby Caldwell all in the same program?!
raykilleen Absolutely the finest thing ever done on TV. Book was great, and mini-series beyond description it was so good. I teach American History and show parts of it from time to time during the year. My students love it! I have former students stop by once in awhile and one of the first things they ask is I still show CENTENNIAL. When I put it on the weekly agenda they get very excited. Great story and much of it is historically accurate (Rendevzous, French fur traders, Skimmerhorn's Raid {Sand Creek Massacre}, Jim Bridger, cattle drives just to name few. Robert Conrad, Richard Chamberlain, Sally Kellerman (gorgeous), etc. do a great job of acting. I am buying the DVD when it comes out as a gift for my grown son. He is 35 yrs old and loves it as much a I do.