The Adams Chronicles
| The Adams Chronicles | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama |
| Written by |
Sam Hall Tad Mosel |
| Directed by |
Paul Bogart James Cellan Jones Bill Glenn Fred Coe |
| Starring |
George Grizzard William Daniels David Birney John Beal |
| Narrated by | Michael Tolan |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English French Dutch |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 50 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | WNET |
| Original release | January 20 – April 13, 1976 |
The Adams Chronicles is a thirteen-episode miniseries by PBS that aired in 1976 to commemorate the American Bicentennial.
The series chronicles the story of the Adams political family over a 150-year span, including John Adams (signer of the Declaration, accomplished diplomat, and the 2nd President), his wife Abigail Adams, his son John Quincy Adams (acclaimed Secretary of State, the 6th President, and prominent abolitionist Congressman), grandson Charles Francis Adams, congressman and ambassador to Great Britain during the Civil War, and much-heralded members of the fourth generation Henry Brooks Adams, the historian and author of the novel Democracy, and Charles Francis Adams II, the industrialist.
The most prominent role in the series is John Adams, played by George Grizzard. His views dominate the series even after his death, on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the passage of the United States Declaration of Independence. As a result of his achievements during the revolution, and afterwards as vice president and president, subsequent Adams generations have a hard time dealing with this legacy of public service and accomplishment and frequently wonder if they are measuring up to their distinguished ancestry. In the end, the members of the fourth generation feel that the time in which the Adams family can play a prominent role in the affairs of the nation has passed.
Chapter I: John Adams, Lawyer
Chapter II: John Adams, Revolutionary
Chapter III: John Adams, Diplomat
Chapter IV: John Adams, Minister to Great Britain
Chapter V: John Adams, Vice President
Chapter VI: John Adams, President
Chapter VII: John Quincy Adams, Diplomat
Chapter VIII: John Quincy Adams, Secretary of State
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Wikipedia