Secrets of Midland Heights

Secrets of Midland Heights is an American nighttime soap opera which ran on CBS from December 6, 1980 to January 24, 1981 for eight episodes. Produced after the success of Dallas, Lorimar Productions, likewise, produced the new serial for CBS.

Secrets of Midland Heights
StarringLinda Hamilton
Lorenzo Lamas
Doran Clark
Linda Hamilton
Jim Youngs
Bibi Besch
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8 (2 unaired)
Production
Running time60 minutes
Production companyLorimar Productions
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseDecember 6, 1980 (1980-12-06) 
January 24, 1981 (1981-01-24)
Main cast, (foreground):Martha Scott, Jordan Christopher; (Second row): Lorenzo Lamas, Linda Hamilton, Jim Youngs, Doran Clark, Daniel Zippi

Secrets of Midland Heights was aimed at the teen audience, and featured romantic triangles and secrets among the teens and their parents who populated a fictional midwestern college town called Midland Heights. Aired on Saturday night at 10 PM EST/9 PM Central, the series never found an audience and was canceled after eight episodes.

The show resembled a dark, 1980s-style Peyton Place, both dealing with hidden secrets and scandalous affairs in a small town. Lisa Rogers (Linda Hamilton) carried on with college jock Burt Carroll (Lorenzo Lamas) while also seeing fraternity jerk Mark (Bill Thornbury); good girl heiress Ann Dulles (Doran Clark) secretly dated high school dropout John (Jim Youngs);[1] Holly Wheeler (played first by Linda Grovernor and then by Marilyn Jones) wanted to lose her virginity to her boyfriend Teddy Welsh (Daniel Zippi), but the teens were shocked to discover her mother Dorothy (Bibi Besch) was having an affair with Teddy's father Nathan (Robert Hogan).[2]

There were also power struggles between the wealthy Millington family, consisting of leading citizen Margaret and her son Guy, and the equally wealthy and powerful Wheelers. The Millington family had been one of the founding families of Midland Heights.

The show was produced by David Jacobs, Lee Rich and Michael Filerman, all of whom were connected in production to other serial dramas like Flamingo Road and Knots Landing.

When Secrets of Midland Heights was pulled from the schedule, the producers stated that the show would be retooled and make a return in some form. Many of the same performers and production staff returned to ABC the following season in the different serial King's Crossing, which similarly did not remain on-air very long.[3]

After the demise of the series, actor Lorenzo Lamas (Burt Carroll) would join the cast of the soap, Falcon Crest playing Lance Cumson, the grandson of the series main schemer, Angela Channing (Jane Wyman).

Cast

Episodes

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1"Founder's Day"Robert LewisDavid JacobsDecember 6, 1980 (1980-12-06)
2"Decisions"Gabrielle BeaumontStory by: Caroline Elias
Teleplay by: Caroline Elias & Frederic Hunter
December 13, 1980 (1980-12-13)
3"The Searchers"Fernando LamasDavid JacobsDecember 20, 1980 (1980-12-20)
4"Hooverville"Alexander SingerElizabeth QuicksilverDecember 27, 1980 (1980-12-27)
5"Letting Go"Rick RosenthalMargaret SchibiJanuary 3, 1981 (1981-01-03)
6"The Race"Fernando LamasStory by: Will Manus
Teleplay by: Will Manus & Linda Elstad
January 10, 1981 (1981-01-10)
7"The Birthday Party"Jeff BlecknerElizabeth ClarkJanuary 17, 1981 (1981-01-17)
8"Facing Facts"Nicholas SgarroJack TurleyJanuary 24, 1981 (1981-01-24)
9"Reunion of Strangers"TBAStory by: Naomi Foner
Teleplay by: Naomi Foner & Nancy Ann Miller
UNAIRED
10"Heritage of Sorrows"TBAMitzi MarvinUNAIRED

References

  1. TV Guide (September 13–19, 1980). TV Guide Fall Preview Special Issue. ASIN B008J1IQ0S.
  2. Copeland, Mary Ann (1991). Soap Opera History. Publications International. p. 217. ISBN 0-88176-933-9.
  3. Mary Ann Copeland (1991). Soap Opera History. Mallard Press. ISBN 0792454510.
  4. Boyer, Peter J. (September 6, 1998). "New Soap Dreadful, But Could Become Hit". Pennsylvania, Indiana. The Indiana Gazette. p. 24. Retrieved March 25, 2016 via Newspapers.com.

Bruce B. Morris, Prime Time Network Serials: Episode Guides, Casts and Credits for 37 Continuing Television Dramas, 1964-1993, McFarland and Company, 1997.

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