HOTEL (TV SERIES)

'''Hotel''' was based on the book of the same name by Arthur Hailey, which was also adapted into a 1967 movie, aired as a weekly prime-time soap opera on ABC from September 21st, 1983 to May 5th, 1988, in a timeslot that was aired immediately following, the immensely-popular soap opera, ''Dynasty''. The series was set in the elegant and fictictious St. Gregory's Hotel in San Francisco and episodes were partly self-contained, contained some humor, often dealing with the dramas of the guests, and partly concerned with ongoing storylines amongst the hotel staff.
The series was created by Emmy Award-winning producer Aaron Spelling, whose megahit programs contained the following, ''Charlie's Angels'', ''The Love Boat'', ''Family'', ''TJ Hooker'', ''Dynasty'', ''The Mod Squad'', ''The Rookies'', ''Starsky & Hutch'', among many others. In 1983, Spelling produced the pilot and later sold it to ABC.
Compared to series like: ''Dallas'', ''Dynasty'', and ''Knots Landing'', this serial also creates the perfect blend of both corporate intrigue and glamour, among other 1980s soap operas.

Contents

Background

Special Guest Stars

Trivia

External links

Background

In San Francisco's St. Gregory Hotel, the show centered around Peter McDermott (James Brolin), a handsome General Manager who replaced rich aristocrat, Victoria Cabot (Anne Baxter) after her death and had inherited half of her interest to her loyal assistant. In turn, she previously watched herself during the operation on behalf of her sister-in-law, Laura Trent (Bette Davis). Among many of McDermott's staff, he is assisted by an attractive promotions manager, Christine Francis (Connie Sellecca), who not only fell in love with him instantly, but was also appointed as General Manager of ''Hotel''. Other characters include a charismatic and a popular PR director, Mark Danning (Shea Farrell), a black ex-con man, Billy Griffin (Nathan Cook), who became McDermott's straightman before promoting as a security director, the lovely Julie Gillette (Shari Belafonte) was the receptionist at the information center and encouraging newlyweds, Dave & Megan Kendall (Michael Spound & Heidi Bohay) had opposite jobs as a bellhop and a desk clerk. They both left after a long battle and graduated from law school.

Special Guest Stars

During its five-year-run on ''Hotel'', many familiar and/or unfamiliar actors went on and/or have achieved greater fame: Alan Oppenheimer, Ted Shackelford, Morgan Fairchild, Shirley Jones, Dick Van Patten, Nanette Fabray, Peggy Cass, Michelle Phillips, Leigh Taylor-Young, Donna Pescow, Lynn Redgrave, Peter Marshall, Tracy Nelson, Cathy Lee Crosby, Heather Locklear, Lorenzo Lamas, Dee Wallace Stone, Estelle Getty, Stella Stevens, among many others. Former ''Happy Days'' stars, Scott Baio and Erin Moran also guest starred, Brolin's future wife and actress Jan Smithers guest-starred in which she played her boyfriend and legendary actress Elizabeth Taylor made a cameo appearance, as well.
Bette Davis appeared in the pilot episode as Laura Trent, and publicity for the series indicated that Davis was to be a regular on the program, however the onset of ill health forced her to withdraw from the series (although she continued to act in movies before her death several years later).

Trivia

★ James Brolin, Connie Sellecca, Shari Belafonte-Harper and Nathan Cook are the only actors to appear in every episode of the series.

External links

★ Hotel at the Internet Movie Database.