American drama (1965-66)
The Long Hot Summer is an American drama series from 20th Century Fox Television that was broadcast on ABC-TV for one season from 1965–1966. It was aired in the UK on ITV.
Series synopsis.
The series is set in the Deep South community of Frenchman's Bend, Mississippi, which is dominated and owned by the town's wealthy, powerful (and deceitful) bank owner "Boss" Will Varner (Edmond O'Brien). A widower with two grown children, the unscrupulous Varner runs the town and its citizens with an iron fist and nobody dares to question him. He and his family live in the largest mansion in Frenchman's Bend. However, problems arise when Ben Quick (Roy Thinnes), a young man whose father Varner destroyed some years prior, returns to town to reclaim his family's farm and challenge Varner's absolute authority over the town and its people.
Supporting characters include Jody Varner, Will's weak-willed but more honest son, and Clara, Will's sensible older daughter and lady of the house (in lieu of her late mother). To her father's dismay, she and Ben fall in love. Other characters include the town's hotel owner, Minnie Littlejohn, who is also Will's mistress, and Eula Johnson, a 17-year-old girl who becomes a central point in Jody's life after he picks her up during a rain storm. In the 1958 film of the same name, Eula and Jody were married, but in the television series they are merely friends. Also seen in recurring roles were Andrew (Charles Lampkin), the Varner family's butler/chauffeur, Sheriff Harve Anders (Paul Bryar), the local sheriff for the county in which Frenchman's Bend is located, and Dr. Aaron Clark (Jason Wingreen), the Varner family's physician.
Production.
Development.
Created by Dean Riesner, "The Long Hot Summer" was based on the novel "The Hamlet" by William Faulkner, the short story "Barn Burning", and the 1958 film of the same name. The show retained the movie's theme song, "The Long, Hot Summer," written by Sammy Cahn and Alex North, and Jimmie
Rodgers sang it for the series just as he did for the film.
Broadcast.
"The Long Hot Summer" was scheduled on Thursdays at 10 p.m. EST opposite CBS' "Thursday Night Movie" and NBC's long-running variety series "The Dean Martin Show". The series was canceled after twenty-six episodes with the last original episode airing on April 13, 1966.
Casting.
In January 1966, series star Edmond O'Brien left the series after a disagreement with the producers (the disagreement was about making Ben Quick the main focus of the show instead of the Varners) and was replaced by Dan O'Herlihy. O'Herlihy played the role of Will Varner for the rest of the series' run.
References.
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