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Condominium (miniseries)

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Condominium
Based onCondominium (novel) by John D. MacDonald
Written bySteve Hayes
Directed bySidney Hayers
StarringBarbara Eden
Dan Haggerty
Steve Forrest
Theme music composerGerald Fried
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerRobert A. Cinader
ProducersGian R. Grimaldi
Hannah L. Shearer
CinematographyFrank Thackery
EditorJohn Kaufman, Jr.
Running time195 minutes
Production companiesMCA TV/Universal
Operation Prime Time
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseApril 6 –
7, 1980

Condominium is a 1980 two-part, three-hour American television miniseries based on the novel of the same name by John D. MacDonald starring Barbara Eden, Dan Haggerty and Steve Forrest and featuring an all-star cast: Ana Alicia, Richard Anderson, Ralph Bellamy, Larry Bishop, MacDonald Carey, Dane Clark, Linda Cristal, Elinor Donahue, Don Galloway, Pamela Hensley, Arte Johnson, Jack Jones, Dorothy Malone, Mimi Maynard, Lee Paul, Nehemiah Persoff, Nedra Volz, Carlene Watkins and Stuart Whitman.[1]

Although originally produced for syndication by Operation Prime Time, a syndicated programming block for independent television stations nationwide, Condominium world premiered on Home Box Office (HBO) on April 6 and 7, 1980 and then broadcast commercially seven months later under the Operation Prime Time banner on November 20 and 21, 1980.[2][3]

The miniseries' promotional tagline is: A playground for the rich, poised on the brink of destruction!

Synopsis

The miniseries is divided into two parts: the first part depicts events in the lives of the residents at Silver Sands Condominium in the fictional city of Fiddler Key, Florida – a complex built by a greedy and irresponsible corporation – and the problems that occur when an impending hurricane threatens to destroy Silver Sands. The second part begins with the hurricane approaching Fiddler Key while residents struggle to reach the mainland for safety, followed by a powerful tidal wave which eventually destroys Silver Sands Condominium and the aftermath of the storm.[4]

Part 1

The residents of Silver Sands Condominium in Fiddler Key, Florida are dealing with rising condo association fees, as well as interpersonal relationships and conflicts taking place within their building. Barbara Messenger (Barbara Eden) is the younger wife of wealthy retired industrialist Lee Messenger (Ralph Bellamy) who is dying of cancer. She develops an attraction to hydraulics engineer Sam Harrison (Dan Haggerty), who is visiting his friend Gus Garver (Steve Forrest), a retired engineer acting as Chairman of the condominium homeowners association and whose wife is recovering from a stroke in the hospital. Sam is the one who first discovers the cracks in the building's foundation and notices the poor materials and workmanship characterizing the construction of the building. Sam begins working closely with Gus, the Messengers and retired government intelligence officer Henry Churchbridge (Richard Anderson) and his wealthy aristocratic Italian wife Carlotta (Linda Cristal) to try and make unscrupulous construction magnate Marty Liss (Stuart Whitman) pay for a seawall and other repairs that might help provide reinforcement for the building. The residents of Silver Sands do not realize that Liss and his construction operation are a front to launder syndicate money and that construction of the condominium was the result of these endeavors. Liss cut corners on the building's construction in order to pocket some of the budget for the construction costs for himself.

Part 2

As Sam and Gus try to raise the consciousness of the other Silver Sands residents regarding the potential safety issues concerning the building, they must eventually deal with the impending arrival of the deadly Hurricane Ella. Conlaw (Nehemiah Persoff), a ruthless Miami mobster that Marty Liss works for who financed the construction of Silver Sands, is outraged when he learns Liss embezzled money from the construction budget for his own personal gain, especially since his elderly mother (Nedra Volz) is living in the building. Meanwhile, as the storm approaches with winds of 130 miles an hour, most of the residents vacate to the mainland for safety, while other residents who refuse to vacate decide to stay behind and throw a "Hurricane Party". Hurricane Ella powerfully generates a tidal wave that strikes Fiddler Key and crashes into the condominium, causing the building to crumble into the ocean. A guilt-stricken Marty Liss commits suicide as he overhears the horrible events of the storm being reported on the radio. One month later, Gus's wife is still recovering at the hospital; Henry and Carlotta Churchbridge have relocated to Switzerland to begin a new life; Barbara and Sam are reunited in Fiddler Key and, still shocked by the destruction of Silver Sands Condominium, they realize they must continue to live their lives with the after-effects of Hurricane Ella.

Cast

Production notes

Condominium was filmed from August to November 1979 on location at Pinnacle Port Condominiums in Panama City, Florida and Playa del Rey in Los Angeles, California; interior scenes were shot at Universal Studios in Universal City, California.[5]

According to production notes, in the scene where Barbara Eden, Dan Haggerty and Ralph Bellamy are struggling to reach the mainland during the hurricane which was filmed at Falls Lake on the backlot of Universal Studios, executive producer Robert A. Cinader had a real challenge to create hurricane-like forces on a beautiful sunny California day. Combining the forces of the Los Angeles County Fire Department in the use of three fire engines, a deluge truck, a portable deluge gun and eight firemen, Cinader was able to pump 9,500 gallons of water per minute into the lake toward the boat housing the cast; with the aid of special effects coordinator Dave Lopez and his crew, water cannons, large wind machines, wave and rain-making machines were all put into action. Although the skies were blue and cloudless, and the sunshine was enough to burn the skin, the result was a stormy, dark effect with crashing, water-swollen waves which ultimately capsized the boat. Much of this equipment was driven to the Florida location also to be used in creating dramatic hurricane scenes at the actual condominium site.[6]

The interiors and the exterior of the condominium were duplicated in miniature size for the hurricane scenes. To get the realistic effect of a hurricane tidal wave crashing into the condominium, a sixty-man crew at Universal Studios' Stage 27 created an 8-foot high replica of the actual Florida condominium, complete with swimming pool. The tidal wave effect called for 10 wind machines, six wave-makers and four dump tanks that unleashed 80 tons of water down three chutes.[7]

References

  1. ^ New York Times: Condominium - TV miniseries, retrieved February 1, 2015
  2. ^ Sarasota Journal, retrieved January 20, 2015
  3. ^ The Evening News, retrieved January 28, 2015
  4. ^ Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials, Volume 2, retrieved January 20, 2015
  5. ^ Sarasota Herald Tribune, retrieved January 30, 2015
  6. ^ Sarasota Herald Tribune, retrieved January 28, 2015
  7. ^ Chaos and Catastrophe in the Movies, retrieved February 1, 2015
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