Father Murphy
| Father Murphy | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Western |
| Created by | Michael Landon |
| Directed by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 34 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Michael Landon |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production company | NBC Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | November 3, 1981 (1981年11月03日) – September 18, 1983 (1983年09月18日) |
Father Murphy is an American Western drama television series that aired on the NBC network from November 3, 1981 to September 18, 1983. Michael Landon created the series, was the executive producer, and directed the show in partnership with William F. Claxton, Maury Dexter, Victor French, and Leo Penn.
Synopsis
[edit ]The series stars former NFL Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle football player and Little House on the Prairie actor Merlin Olsen as an 1870s frontiersman named John Michael Murphy who teams up with prospector Moses Gage (Moses Gunn) to shelter a group of orphans who are being threatened with internment in a workhouse. Murphy disguises himself as a priest and befriends a schoolmarm to help the children find a home.
At the end of the first season, John's true identity is revealed to the head of the workhouse, and the orphans seem destined for a life of labor. Instead, Murphy marries the schoolmarm and they get custody of the children.
Production
[edit ]Many of the episodes were filmed at the Old Tucson Studios and theme park just outside Tucson, Arizona. The main village featured in the show was located at Big Sky Movie Ranch in Simi Valley, California; this was also the filming location for the television series Little House on the Prairie. The village was located approximately 200 yards (180 m) uphill from the Ingalls' farm set.
Father Murphy is an NBC production and is syndicated outside of the U.S. by MGM Worldwide Television, but MGM does not own the video rights.
Cast
[edit ]- Merlin Olsen as John Michael Murphy[1]
- Moses Gunn as Moses Gage
- Katherine Cannon as Mae Woodward/Murphy[2]
- Timothy Gibbs as Will Adams[3]
- Scott Mellini as Ephram Winkler
- Lisa Trusel as Lizette Winkler[4]
- Kirk Brennan as David Sims
- Byron Thames as Matt Sims[5]
- Chez Lister as Eli Matthews
- Richard Bergman as Father Joe Parker
- Charles Tyner as Howard Rodman
- Ivy Bethune as Evelyn Tuttle
- Burr DeBenning as Paul/Richard Garrett
- Ted Markland as Frank
- Charles Cooper as Sheriff Caleb
- Warren Munson as Dr R.G. Thompson
Notable guest appearances on the series include: Shannen Doherty, Mykelti Williamson, Kellie Martin, John M. Pickard, Eddie Quillan, Christina Applegate, Amanda Peterson, Donna Wilkes, Tina Yothers, Mary Beth Evans, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Jerry Hardin, James Cromwell, and Christopher Stone.
Episodes
[edit ]Series overview
[edit ]| Season | Episodes | Originally released | Nielsen Rank | Nielsen Rating | Average viewership (in millions) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | ||||||
| 1 | 21 | November 3, 1981 (1981年11月03日) | April 11, 1982 (1982年04月11日) | 52[6] | TBA | TBA | |
| 2 | 13 | September 28, 1982 (1982年09月28日) | September 18, 1983 (1983年09月18日) | 66[7] | TBA | TBA | |
Season 1 (1981–82)
[edit ]| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | Prod. code | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Pilot" | Michael Landon | Michael Landon | November 3, 1981 (1981年11月03日) | 101-102 | |||||
| 2 | 2 | ||||||||||
|
Two-hour (with commercials) movie. | |||||||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Eggs, Milk and a Dry Bed" | Michael Landon | Michael Landon | November 10, 1981 (1981年11月10日) | 103 | |||||
| 4 | 4 | "Establish Thou the Works of Our Hands" | Leo Penn | Paul W. Cooper | November 17, 1981 (1981年11月17日) | 104 | |||||
| 5 | 5 | "A Horse from Heaven" | William F. Claxton | Frank K. Telford | November 24, 1981 (1981年11月24日) | 105 | |||||
| 6 | 6 | "By the Bear That Bit Me: Part 1" | William F. Claxton | Ron Bishop & Steve Hayes & Michael Landon | December 1, 1981 (1981年12月01日) | 106 | |||||
| 7 | 7 | "By the Bear That Bit Me: Part 2" | William F. Claxton | Ron Bishop & Steve Hayes & Michael Landon | December 8, 1981 (1981年12月08日) | 107 | |||||
| 8 | 8 | "False Blessings" | Leo Penn | Vince R. Gutierrez | December 15, 1981 (1981年12月15日) | 108 | |||||
| 9 | 9 | "The Ghost of Gold Hill" | William F. Claxton | John T. Dugan | December 22, 1981 (1981年12月22日) | 109 | |||||
| 10 | 10 | "Graduation" | William F. Claxton | Peter Dixon | January 5, 1982 (1982年01月05日) | 110 | |||||
| 11 | 11 | "Will's Surprise" | William F. Claxton | Chris Abbott | January 12, 1982 (1982年01月12日) | 111 | |||||
| 12 | 12 | "Eighty-Eight Keys to Happiness" | Victor French | George Atkins | January 19, 1982 (1982年01月19日) | TBA | |||||
| 13 | 13 | "Knights of the White Camelia" | William F. Claxton | Don Balluck | February 2, 1982 (1982年02月02日) | TBA | |||||
| 14 | 14 | "The Parable of Amanda" | William F. Claxton | Paul W. Cooper | February 9, 1982 (1982年02月09日) | TBA | |||||
| 15 | 15 | "The Spy" | William F. Claxton | Michael Landon | February 16, 1982 (1982年02月16日) | TBA | |||||
| 16 | 16 | "The Heir Apparent" | William F. Claxton | Michael Landon | February 23, 1982 (1982年02月23日) | TBA | |||||
| 17 | 17 | "In God's Arms" | William F. Claxton | Paul W. Cooper | March 2, 1982 (1982年03月02日) | TBA | |||||
| 18 | 18 | "The Dream Day" | Maury Dexter | Michael Landon | March 14, 1982 (1982年03月14日) | TBA | |||||
| 19 | 19 | "Laddie" | William F. Claxton | Larry Bischof | March 21, 1982 (1982年03月21日) | TBA | |||||
| 20 | 20 | "Matthew and Elizabeth" | William F. Claxton | Chris Abbott | March 28, 1982 (1982年03月28日) | TBA | |||||
| 21 | 21 | "The First Miracle: Part 1" | William F. Claxton | Chris Abbott | April 4, 1982 (1982年04月04日) | TBA | |||||
| 22 | 22 | "The First Miracle: Part 2" | William F. Claxton | Chris Abbott | April 11, 1982 (1982年04月11日) | TBA | |||||
Season 2 (1982–83)
[edit ]| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 1 | "Happiness Is..." | William F. Claxton | Renee and Harry Longstreet | September 28, 1982 (1982年09月28日) |
| 24 | 2 | "The Father Figure" | Joseph Pevney | Michael McGreevey | October 5, 1982 (1982年10月05日) |
| 25 | 3 | "Stopover in a One-Horse Town" | William F. Claxton | Lee Sheldon | October 26, 1982 (1982年10月26日) |
| 26 | 4 | "Outrageous Fortune" | Joseph Pevney | Lee Sheldon | November 9, 1982 (1982年11月09日) |
| 27 | 5 | "The Reluctant Runaway: Part 1" | William F. Claxton | Chris Abbott | November 16, 1982 (1982年11月16日) |
| 28 | 6 | "The Reluctant Runaway: Part 2" | William F. Claxton | Chris Abbott | November 23, 1982 (1982年11月23日) |
| 29 | 7 | "Buttons and Beaux" | William F. Claxton | Gerry Day | November 30, 1982 (1982年11月30日) |
| 30 | 8 | "John Michael Murphy, R.I.P." | Joseph Pevney | Michael Landon | December 7, 1982 (1982年12月07日) |
| 31 | 9 | "The Witness" | Maury Dexter | Paul W. Cooper | December 14, 1982 (1982年12月14日) |
| 32 | 10 | "Blood Right" | William F. Claxton | Don Buday | December 21, 1982 (1982年12月21日) |
| 33 | 11 | "Sweet Sixteen" | William F. Claxton | Chris Abbott | December 28, 1982 (1982年12月28日) |
| 34 | 12 | "The Rockets' Red Glare" | Joseph Pevney | Paul W. Cooper | June 1, 1983 (1983年06月01日) |
| 35 | 13 | "The Matchmakers" | Joseph Pevney | Vince R. Gutierrez | September 18, 1983 (1983年09月18日) |
Home media
[edit ]Image Entertainment (under license from NBC Studios) released both seasons of Father Murphy on DVD in Region 1 in 2004/2005.
| DVD Name | Ep # | Release Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 22 | October 26, 2004 | |
| Season 2 | 13 | January 25, 2005 | |
References
[edit ]- ^ "Merlin Olsen". IMDb.com.
- ^ "Katherine Cannon". IMDb.com.
- ^ "Timothy Gibbs". IMDb.
- ^ "Lisa Trusel". IMDb.
- ^ "Byron Thames". IMDb.
- ^ Lina. "The TV Ratings Guide: 1981-82 Ratings History -- Primetime is Awash in a Bubble Bath as Nighttime Soaps Become the Rage" . Retrieved 1 April 2018.
- ^ Lina. "The TV Ratings Guide: 1982-83 Ratings History -- Soap Bubbles Rise, Several Veterans Part and NBC Renews Poorly Rated Masterpieces" . Retrieved 1 April 2018.
External links
[edit ]- 1981 American television series debuts
- 1983 American television series endings
- 1980s American drama television series
- 1980s Western (genre) television series
- Period family drama television series
- Television series by Universal Television
- American English-language television shows
- Catholic drama television series
- Television shows set in Kansas
- Television series set in the 1870s
- NBC television dramas