The Awakening Land
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| The Awakening Land | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Drama |
| Written by | Conrad Richter (Novels) James Lee Barrett Liam O'Brien |
| Directed by | Boris Sagal |
| Starring | Elizabeth Montgomery Hal Holbrook Jane Seymour |
| Theme music composer | Fred Karlin |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 3 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Harry Bernsen Tom Kuhn Harry Bernstein |
| Producers | Robert E. Relyea Robin S. Clark (associate producer) |
| Production locations | Springfield, Illinois New Salem, Illinois |
| Cinematography | Michel Hugo |
| Editor | Bernard J. Small |
| Running time | 420 mins. |
| Production companies | Bensen/Kuhn/Sagal Productions Warner Bros. Television |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | February 19 – February 21, 1978 |
The Awakening Land is a 1978 television miniseries based on Conrad Richter's trilogy of novels: The Trees; The Fields; and The Town, published from 1940 to 1950. The series originally aired on NBC in three installments from February 19 to February 21, 1978; directed by Boris Sagal, it starred Elizabeth Montgomery and Hal Holbrook.
Premise[edit]
The storyline follows the struggle of Sayward Luckett (Montgomery) after she travels to the unsettled Ohio Valley frontier from post-revolutionary Pennsylvania. She and her family carve out a homestead in the forest, and a community with other settlers. The series follows Sayward from a young single woman, left with three sisters to raise after their mother dies and their father abandons the family, to a married woman who has her own family of seven. Her faithful devotion to her family is recounted against the day-to-day struggle for survival.
Main cast[edit]
- Elizabeth Montgomery ... Sayward Luckett Wheeler
- Hal Holbrook ... Portius Wheeler
- Jane Seymour ... Genny Luckett
- Steven Keats ... Jake Tench
- Louise Latham ... Jary Luckett
- William H. Macy ... Will Beagle
- Jeanette Nolan ... Granny McWhirter
- Bert Remsen ... Isaac Barker
- Charles Gowan ... Alan Hamilton
- Sean Frye ... Resolve Wheeler, as youth
- Tracy Kleronomos ... Dezia Wheeler
- Katy Kurtzman ... Rosa Tench
- Byrne Piven ... Dr. Pearsall
- Julie Gibson ... Lady Peddler
Production notes[edit]
Location[edit]
The series was shot in historic New Salem, Illinois. Interiors were filmed in a set constructed in a gymnasium in Springfield, the state capital. The gym was also used to house the prop and wardrobe departments. Filming took 2+1⁄2 months. As an incentive for the production company to choose the area, the Springfield city council agreed to fill a nearby lake to resemble the Ohio River. The city arranged for animals from the Elgin Zoo to be transported to the set.
Coaching of cast[edit]
The production was faithful to Richter's use of language characteristic of the Ohio Valley in those years. Actress/choreographer Marge Champion instructed the actors in both speech and body language of the region to add to the authenticity of the historical drama.[1]
Crew[edit]
- Directed by: Boris Sagal
- "The Trees" and "The Fields" script: James Lee Barrett
- "The Town" script: Liam O'Brien
- Novels written by: Conrad Richter
- Executive Producer: Harry Bernstein
- Associate Producer: Robin S. Clark
- Executive Producer: Tom Kuhn
- Producer: Robert E. Relyea
- Original Music by: Fred Karlin
- Cinematography by: Michel Hugo
- Film Editing by: Bernard J. Small
- Production Design by: Jack DeShields
- Set Decoration by: Fred Price
- Costume Design by: Frank Tauss
- Key Costumer: Bill Blackburn
- Hair Stylist: Sugar Blymyer
- Assistant Director: Alan R. Green
- First Assistant Director: Dennis E. Jones
- Property Master: Matt Springman
- Sound Mixer: Glenn E. Anderson
- ADR Editor: Jerry Jacobson
- Assistant Cameraman: Jim Mazzula
- Choreographer: Marge Champion
- Dialogue Supervisor: Marge Champion
- Extras Brian Halcomb, Allen Tomlin, Dan Yeager
Award nominations[edit]
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Emmy Award | Nominated | Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Series | Jeanette Nolan For part one |
| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series | Elizabeth Montgomery | |||
| Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series | Hal Holbrook | |||
| Outstanding Individual Achievement in Any Area of Creative Technical Crafts | Sugar Blymyer For part three | |||
| Outstanding Cinematography in Entertainment Programming for a Series | Michel Hugo | |||
| Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore) | Fred Karlin |
References[edit]
- ^ Hal Erickson, Overview: The Awakening Land, The New York Times
External links[edit]
- Hal Erickson, The Awakening Land, The New York Times
- The Awakening Land at IMDb
