RICH MAN, POOR MAN {CHAPTER 1 OF 9} (TV)
Summary
Chapter one of this nine-part mini-series based on Irwin Shaw's best-selling novel that follows the divergent paths of the two Jordache brothers -- Rudy, the educated and ambitious one, who triumphs over his impoverished background, and Tom, the unruly rebel -- from 1945 to the 1960s. The first part begins on VE night, 1945, with scenes that illustrate the differences between the two brothers. Rudy celebrates at school with a bonfire and parade while Tom sneaks into a movie and gets into a fight. Picking up his girlfriend, Julie, at the hospital where she works after school, Rudy debates their future together: she wants them to move to New York while he wants to go to college and make some money first. Rudy is hoping for a scholarship since his brutish, overbearing immigrant father will not spend money on his education. Meanwhile, Julie becomes friendly with Arnold Simms, a black soldier she's been reading to at the hospital; he volunteers to loan her money to move to New York and invites her to visit him at home the following Sunday.
That evening, while attending a dance, Rudy and Julie run into Teddy Boylan, the dissolute, wealthy owner of the local factory. He drives them home and is witness to an argument between them: Julie was hoping that Rudy would spend the night with her while her mother was away, but he declines. Still annoyed with Rudy, Julie decides to visit Arnold, but on the way there comes across Boylan. Afraid of being seen alone with a black man, Julie takes Boylan up on his offer to treat her to some daiquiris. That night Boylan seduces her and they begin a secret affair. Later one night, Tom and his friend Claude learn about Julie and Boylan's liaison. They decide to have some fun and spy on them, but things get out of hand and they wind up setting fire to Boylan's greenhouse -- with some unexpected results. Meanwhile, Rudy learns that he has been denied the college scholarship he was expecting and, unaware of Julie's relationship with Boylan, tells her he loves her and has decided to move to New York with her. Julie, however, refuses his offer, leaving him bewildered. Soon afterwards, Tom's role in the fire at Boylan's is discovered and his father sends him away, to save the family from disgrace. The episode ends with both bad and good news: Rudy learns that his father's bakery is to be torn down and replaced by a supermarket, but his father has consented to give him money to attend college. Commercials deleted. Continues with T:05941.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: February 1, 1976 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:36:28
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:05990
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Literature - Adaptations; Siblings; Families
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1976
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Harve Bennett … Executive Producer
- Jon Epstein … Producer
- David Greene … Director
- Dean Reisner … Writer
- Irwin Shaw … Based on the novel by
- Alex North … Music by
- Peter Strauss … Cast, Rudy Jordache
- Nick Nolte … Cast, Tom Jordache
- Susan Blakely … Cast, Julie Prescott
- Edward Asner … Cast, Axel Jordache
- Dick Butkus … Cast, Al Fanducci
- Dennis Dugan … Cast, Claude Tinker
- Mike Evans … Cast, Arnold Simms
- Gloria Grahame … Cast, Sue Prescott
- Dorothy McGuire … Cast, Mary Jordache
- Robert Reed … Cast, Teddy Boylan
- Josette Banzet … Cast, Miss Lenaut
- Aneta Corsaut … Cast, Miss Erdlatz
- Mike Baird … Cast, Buddy Westerlake
- James Ingersoll … Cast, Talbott Hughes
- Elisabeth Brooks … Cast, May
- Martin Ash … Cast, Martin
- Bernie Kuby … Cast, the Postman
- Frank Aletter … Cast, Mr. Tinker
- Nicholas Hammond … Cast, Walters