Dynasty Reunion: Catfights & Caviar reunited original series stars Joan Collins, Linda Evans and John Forsythe celebrated anniversary of "Dynasty," one of the most popular series in television history.
Dynasty aired on ABC while Dynasty Reunion: Catfights & Caviar, produced by Michael Levitt and Henry Winkler Productions, was shown on the CBS Television Network May 2, 2006. The legendary cast gathered at the Filoli Mansion in Northern California , which was the home of the show's billionaire hero, Blake Carrington, and his infamous family. Carrington's children, Pamela Sue Martin, Catherine Oxenberg, Al Corley and Gordon Thomson also returned.
Premiering 25 years ago in 1981, Dynasty, which ran through 1989, exposed the saga of a wealthy oil business family and the conflicts that constantly arose between two huge corporations: Denver Carrington, owned by patriarch Blake Carrington, and the Colby Company, owned by his ex-wife, Alexis. John Forsythe played Blake Carrington and Linda Evans played his former secretary and current wife, Krystle. Joan Collins played Alexis Morrell Carrington Colby Dexter, Blake's volatile ex-wife and business rival. Al Corley was seen as Steven Carrington, Blake's openly gay son, while Gordon Thomson played Adam Carrington, his son who was kidnapped in childhood. Pamela Sue Martin played Fallon, Blake's pampered and spoiled daughter, and his fourth child, Amanda, who was hidden from Blake by Alexis, was played by Catherine Oxenberg.
Each cast member reminisced about the time spent making the series and the scenes that they most treasure and enjoyed as did the show creators Esther & Richard Shapiro, as well as famed fashion designer, Nolan Miller, with special guest stars Pamela Bellwood, Emma Samms and Jack Coleman.
The highlight of the special was John Forsythe's entrance. Emotional Linda fought back tears as she revealed how her longtime Dynasty co-star changed her life. "Well, he gave me my first speaking part ever when I was 15," Linda explained. "'Bachelor Father.' And I had a crush on him! I (played) his niece's friend, and he wrote on the script, 'You are going to be somebody someday.' And I brought that on the set of 'Dynasty,' about the third year I found it, and I said, 'John, look what you wrote.'" The cast spent time with the ultra-private 88-year-old actor behind closed doors -- no press allowed. "It was great," Joan commented. "He was wonderful. He looked terrific." "That was very moving for me," Pamela Sue Martin said. "It was emotional. It was unexpected. John came and left very quickly and when he left, it brought me to tears because I was very moved to see him and such a deep person, such a wonderful man."
In the Dynasty Reunion: Catfights & Caviar, unfortunately, there did not appear some significant actors, Heather Locklear, John James, Diahann Carroll and Michael Nader. Still, the curiosity of this special is, certainly, the complete gathering of the great triangle of the main actors Forsythe, Evans and Collins, as well as gathering of those original actors who played Blake's children, some of whom never appeared together in the same frame. A particular value to the special was added by the authentic shooting at the Filoli estate and by getting back to memory the most exciting scenes from the series and the bloopers during the filming.
The Dynasty Reunion was a particular nostalgic reminiscence of the glamorous 80's when we all enjoyed staying in company with the Carringtons and the Colbys. It was a new encounter of the viewers with the favorite actors after 25 years from the Dynasty's beginning that coaxed smiles and tears, simultaneously, out of many people. The Dynasty has not been forgotten!
Release Date: 2 May 2006
Cast:
John Forsythe
Linda Evans
Joan Collins
Pamela Sue Martin
Al Corley
Catherine Oxenberg
Gordon Thomson
Pamela Bellwood
Jack Coleman
Emma Samms
Esther Shapiro
Nolan Miller
Director: Michael Dempsey
Writers: Xaque Gruber, Gary Tellalian
Produced by:
Michael Levitt .... executive producer
Jennifer Peterson .... field producer
Gregory Sills .... supervising producer
Gary Tellalian .... producer
Henry Winkler .... executive producer