Harold Robbins’ The Survivors

The Survivors is a high-profile prime time soap opera aired by the ABC television network as part of its Fall 1969 lineup.

This program is probably most noted now for having been the only appearance as a regular series character of major Hollywood actress Lana Turner, and also starred other “big names” such as Jan-Michael Vincent, Ralph Bellamy, Diana Muldaur, George Hamilton, Clu Gulager, and Natalie Schafer. Despite their presence, and that above the title of bestselling author Harold Robbins, since the characters were from his novel of the same name, the program was a ratings fiasco, losing badly to Mayberry R.F.D. and The Doris Day Show on CBS and The NBC Monday Movie on NBC. A program as expensive to produce as this one must garner large ratings in order to be successful, so it was cancelled at midseason, although it was rerun the following summer in an attempt to recoup at least some of the investment.