Series Description

Dynasty was a 60 minute drama series on ABC and a prime-time soap. A wealthy family (The Carringtons) living in Denver, Colorado, fight over their fortune earned from an oil company or they fight about just about anything else you can think of for the first season. Then, beginning in the second season, Alexis, the owner of a rival oil company joins the cast and the fighting continues between her and the Carringtons. Of course, there's also a lot of lusty lovin' that goes on!

Dynasty Cast

John Forsythe .... Blake Carrington
Linda Evans .... Krystle Grant Jennings Carrington / Rita Lesley
Joan Collins .... Alexis Morell Carrington Colby Dexter Rowan
John James .... Jeffrey Broderick "Jeff" Colby
Heather Locklear .... Samantha Josephine "Sammy Jo" Dean Reece Carrington Fallmont
Pamela Sue Martin .... Fallon Carrington Colby #1
Emma Samms .... Fallon Carrington Colby #2
Pamela Bellwood .... Claudia Johnson Blaisdel Carrington
Gordon Thomson .... Adam Alexander Carrington
Al Corley .... Steven Daniel Carrington #1
Jack Coleman .... Steven Daniel Carrington #2
Michael Nader .... Farnsworth "Dex" Dexter
Catherine Oxenberg .... Amanda Bedford Carrington #1
Karen Cellini .... Amanda Bedford Carrington #2
Leann Hunley .... Dana Bethany Waring Carrington

Dynasty Trivia:

Angie Dickinson (Police Woman) was originally offered the role of Krystle Carrington.

Al Corley played the openly gay Steven Carrington on Dynasty for the first time on prime-time television. Al quit the show when the network demanded that his character be made "less gay". Al did reprise the role in the 1991 TV reunion specials. He was replaced by Jack Coleman in the role. They explained Steven' new face by saying that he had been in an oil-rig explosion and had multiple plastic surgerys. Jack adamantly declared himself to be straight on numerous occasions and stated that it baffled him why viewers would assume he was gay, simply because he played a gay character on TV.

After the not so successful attempt to introduce an "all-male" gay character, it's ironic that Rock Hudson (McMillan and Wife) would bring so much attention to the subject. Rock appeared in the role of Daniel Reese on Dynasty from December of 1984 to April of 1985. It was Rock's last role before his death from AIDS on October 2, 1985. Rock's "coming-out" was probably the first time that most heterosexuals saw a very likeable man who appeared perfectly normal in every way, who also happened to be gay.

Joan Collins wasn't a "shoe-in" for the role of Alexis, however. She had some pretty tough competition as Raquel Welch, Sophia Loren, and Elizabeth Taylor were also considered for the role!

John Forsythe also had competition for the role of "Blake Carrington" from actor George Peppard. George was offered the role and turned it down.

Even if you never saw Dynasty, you still may be familiar with some of John Forsythe's other series including starring roles on other TV shows including, "Bachelor Father (1957)", "The John Forsythe Show" (1965), "To Rome With Love (1969)" and "Charlie's Angels (1976)" (As the voice of Charlie).

The Alexis character actually appeared in the final episode of the first season even though no actress had been selected for the role at that time! They used a "stand-in" with a huge hat and sunglasses during the brief shot of Alexis. Luckily, Joan Collins was chosen to be the evil Alexis in time for the first episode of the second season!

Alexis was originally conceived as being much less evil and unscrupulous then she ended out becoming. It was Joan Collins herself who suggested that Alexis be made more like J.R. Ewing on the series, "Dallas".

The Dynasty TV show inspired the "spin-off" of the TV series, "The Colbys", yet another show about rich people with demeanted personalities.

TV Specials

Dynasty Reunion - Part 1 (10/20/1991)
Dynasty Reunion - Part 2 (10/22/1991)