ADAMS CHRONICLES, THE: CHAPTER IV: JOHN ADAMS: MINISTER TO GREAT BRITAIN (TV)
Summary
Continued from T:18355. Part four of thirteen. One in this thirteen-part series which chronicles the personal triumphs and tragedies of the Adams family. As this episode opens, John Adams rents a house near Paris so that his family can join him after an almost five-year separation caused by his work for the nation. John is overjoyed to be reunited with his wife Abigail, daughter Abby, and son John Quincy, but Abby is despondent over John's reluctance to allow her to marry the wastrel Royall Tyler. Thomas Jefferson reports on the dismal situation back home, with high British customs duties on American exports and confusion and jealousy between the thirteen states represented in Congress. John believes that the only solution is to restore relations with England and sign a treaty of trade and friendship. Meanwhile, he accepts an appointment as America's minister to Great Britain despite his desire to refrain from further diplomatic assignments and return to a simple family life. John's new secretary, Colonel William Stephens Smith, becomes smitten with Abby, and they marry once she breaks with Tyler. John's initial meeting with King George III goes well as the king is eager to establish friendly relations between the two nations once more. John makes little headway with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Lord Camarthen, concerning the unfair customs duties, however. He tries another tactic, taking Smith's suggestion that he give a dinner for influential Englishmen and convince them to take his side. Nevertheless, he makes no progress, and after one more unsuccessful meeting with Lord Camarthen -- who complains of Americans attacking British vessels but does nothing to allay their anger -- Adams plans to return home to Massachusetts. Continues with T:18359.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 1999.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS WNET New York, NY
- DATE: February 10, 1976 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:17
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:18360
- GENRE: Docudrama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Docudrama; U S - History
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1976
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jac Venza … Executive Producer
- Robert Costello … Producer
- George Barimo … Associate Producer
- Virginia Kassel … Series Producer, Created by
- Doug Lutz … Production (Misc.), Production Supervisor
- Bob Spitzer … Production (Misc.), Production Manager
- James Cellan Jones … Director
- Robert Hankal … Direction (Misc.), Associate Director
- Millard Lampell … Writer
- Morris John … Composer, Conductor
- John Adams … Music (Misc. Credits), Music Producer
- Sybil Weinberger … Music (Misc. Credits), Music Supervisor
- George Grizzard … Cast, John Adams
- John Tillinger … Cast, King George III
- Frederick Rolf … Cast, the Maitre d'Hotel
- Kate Zentall … Cast, Pauline
- Albert Stratton … Cast, Thomas Jefferson
- Katherine Houghton … Cast, Abigail Adams II
- Kathryn Walker … Cast, Abigail Adams
- Mark Winkworth … Cast, John Quincy Adams
- Richard Cox … Cast, Colonel William Stephens Smith
- Alfred Hinckley … Cast, Captain Hay
- Ed Zang … Cast, the English Tailor
- Don McHenry … Cast, Sir Clement Cotterell Dormer
- Jack Gwillim … Cast, Lord Carmarthen
- Alek Primrose … Cast, Slate
- Robert Gerringer … Cast, Burrill
- Patricia Wheel … Cast, Mrs. Burrill
- Thomas Barbour … Cast, the Bishop of St. Asaph
- Donald C. Moore … Cast, Sparhawk
- Roberts Blossom … Cast, Carver