Peyton Place

Ryan and Mia


Ryan and Leigh

I think people should be aware of history much more, even pop culture history. It's hard for people to imagine in these celebrity-drenched times that silent movie stars were massive stars simply because there was no television and absolutley zillions of people went to the movies, sometimes every single day. They were stars of such magnitude that they made today's stars level of fame seem almost quaint by comparison.

Since their private lives were somewhat more respected and the public was a bit more innocent, they also achieved God-like status and adoration. Plus, there was the sheer volume of product: these days we probably have about 250 film releases a year, but in the 20s there were well over a thousand released a year, all to fill the voracious appetite of the movie-going public.

Television stars and shows had a similar impact and in many ways their reach was even greater: more homes had sets and having a show in your home automatically made it more intimate and emotional. That did not erode until the 80s and the advent of cable and video.

One show that is all but forgotten today is Peyton Place. Peyton Place, is, of course, a roman a clef by Grace Metalious about her New England hometown. It was adapted into a successful film and sequel and then someone had the bright idea to transform it in a primetime soap opera. I believe it was the first of that genre.

It premiered in September of 1964 and was a sensation. It lasted for 5 seasons and at one point was so popular that there were 3 first run episodes on per week! Can you imagine?

One of the reasons it succeeded was because it was salacious and risque and another was that it had a then hip young cast of people such as Mia Farrow, Ryan O'Neal and Barbara Parkins.

There was a time when it was on cable on the Soap Channel and it is absolutley addictive. I remember listening to my mother and sister reminiscing about it and I can see why. The themes were so basic and timeless: rich and poor, unrequited love, love triangles, good girls and bad girls, etc. It is catnip.

There’s a fan site, but sadly it does not appear to be updated very often. If anyone ever catches it listed on TV, please let me know.