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Heston's TV Flop: The Colbys' Ratings Disaster
1 Oct
Summary
- The Colbys, a Dynasty spin-off, premiered in 1985.
- Charlton Heston starred as patriarch Jason Colby.
- The show had a high production budget for its sets.
In 1985, ABC launched "The Colbys," a spin-off of the highly successful series "Dynasty." The new primetime soap opera featured legendary actor Charlton Heston as Jason Colby, the patriarch of the wealthy titular family who resided in Southern California. Despite Heston's star power and a reported $2.5 million budget for sets alone, the series failed to capture audiences.
"The Colbys" garnered poor ratings and negative reviews, leading to its eventual cancellation. The show aimed to replicate the opulent lifestyle depicted in "Dynasty" but ultimately could not sustain viewer interest. High production costs, including substantial per-episode salaries for stars like Heston and Barbara Stanwyck, underscored the ambitious but unsuccessful nature of the venture.
