TV SERIES · 1964– · USA
Peyton Place
29 archived facts 3 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
29 Interesting Facts About Peyton Place
Interesting Facts (18)
- #001
Gyl Roland was cast to play Selena Cross. In the novel on which the series was based, Selena kills her sexually abusive stepfather. However, during pre-production, ABC executives demanded that the story not be included in the series, and Roland was dropped from the role.
- #002
Throughout the series' five-year run, every episode was original. In a move unusual for prime time, ABC never aired reruns during the summer.
- #003
When Mia Farrow suddenly went on an unannounced vacation in 1965, the writers wrote a coma storyline into the series. They told the press they were initially unsure whether they would bring Farrow's character out of the coma.
- #004
Asked why she took the role, Barbara Rush replied: "I was told I would only work two or three days a week. The studio is only five minutes from my home. I don't have to leave my husband and children for location shooting."
- #005
Ryan O'Neal claimed that some of the babies appearing in the series were given sedatives to keep them from crying during scenes.
- #006
Gena Rowlands ordered a ban on cigar smoking on the set and explained that she turned green whenever she was near someone smoking one.
- #007
The producers originally wanted the character Betty Anderson to die in a car crash in the 11th episode. Because of the growing popularity of Barbara Parkins, who played her, they ultimately decided not to go ahead with it.
- #008
After Mia Farrow left the series, the character Rachel Welles was written in to replace Farrow's character, Allison MacKenzie.
- #009
At the start of the series' second season, the show occupied five soundstages, two large exterior sets and several smaller sets, taking over much of 20th Century Fox; among them was the public square with the bandstand outside the studio commissary, whose exterior also served as Peyton Place's hospital.
- #010
Supporting stars Christopher Connelly and Patricia Morrow dated each other. Connelly later claimed it was a publicity show arranged by the studio.
- #011
In November 1964, ABC demanded that a murder be committed in the series. The producers proposed that the character Elliot Carson die, but Paul Monash vetoed it.
- #012
Around the time Betty and Steven married, there was talk of Henry Beckman returning to the series because Kasey Rogers had told the writers that her character no longer had much to do. According to Rogers, Beckman asked for too much money.
- #013
James Douglas played a lawyer in a TV pilot series titled 'Hawk's Landing.' Although the pilot failed, Paul Monash saw the screening and was so impressed by Douglas's performance that he offered him the role of Steven Cord.
- #014
Two actors from the original 1957 film Peyton Place (1957) worked on the television series. Erin O'Brien-Moore played Mrs. Evelyn Page in the film and Nurse Choate in the series. Lee Philips played Michael Rossi in the film and directed seven episodes of the series' fifth season.
- #015
Paul Monash initially wanted to make the series as a one-hour show, but the running time was later reduced to 30 minutes.
- #016
Leigh Taylor-Young's character was originally going to be named 'Alicia'.
- #017
Although Irna Phillips served as a creative consultant on the TV adaptation, her name never appeared in the series' credits.
- #018
Ryan O'Neal and Christopher Connelly played brothers on this series. Both were to play the same lead character, Moses Pray: O'Neal in Paper Moon (1973) alongside his daughter Tatum O'Neal, and Connelly in Paper Moon (1974) alongside Jodie Foster.
Production Story (4)
- #019
The writers' original plan was for Constance to kill Elliot after a few episodes and then face a dramatic murder trial. However, Elliot proved popular with the public and the plan was dropped.
- #020
Although Warner Anderson stopped appearing on screen as Matthew Swain after the first season, he remained with the series as the narrator at the start of every episode until it was cancelled. Anderson received no on-screen credit for this.
- #021
Rumors that the series had been cancelled emerged in 1968. Fans protested widely, but according to actress Barbara Rush it made no difference because the network did not open the protest mail.
- #022
A one-hour pilot episode was made in 1962. It included the story of the Cross family as told in the novel on which the series was based. Producer Irna Phillips decided to shelve the Cross family.
Characters & Cast (7)
- #023
Dorothy Malone complained that the role of lead actress Mia Farrow was overshadowing her own. She was written out of the series in 1968 and sued 20th Century Fox for breach of contract. The case was settled out of court.
- #024
According to her memoirs, Mia Farrow did not expect the series to succeed, let alone cause a sensation. She tried to get out of her contract immediately after the series went on the air (unsuccessfully). Two years later, her then-husband Frank Sinatra used his considerable influence in the industry to free her from her contract with ABC. Farrow's character, "Allison Mackenzie", was written out by having her flee the town and never be heard from again. In 1968 the series' writers settled scores with Farrow in a sense; they wrote a story about a new girl who arrives in town with a baby she claims was fathered by Allison. This story was launched right after the release of "Rosemary's Baby" (starring Mia Farrow).
- #025
In 1968, African-American characters played by Ruby Dee, Percy Rodrigues and Glynn Turman were added to the cast. African-American writers were hired as well. However, writer Gene Boland complained openly that his ideas were rewritten and that he was fired. Dee's husband, Ossie Davis, was hired as a consultant.
- #026
In a 1969 interview, Ed Nelson admitted that nearly the entire original cast initially thought very little of the series.
- #027
Christopher Connelly did not audition for the role. He got the part when he agreed to help a girl with her screen test for a role in the series. Paul Monash was not impressed by the girl but offered Connelly the role of Norman.
- #028
Although Leigh Taylor-Young worked on the series for only one season, she signed a seven-year contract to take on the role of Rachel Welles.
- #029
When Dorothy Malone left in 1968, it was said that the original Constance from the 1957 film version would join the cast. The role ultimately went to Barbara Rush.
Related pages
- Arthur Kennedy — Peyton Place comes up in the facts on that page
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Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- IMDb
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