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General Information
(revised 11/08/2021)
Nielsen Ratings: number 25 (of 96) on the TV series hit list.
Original plans for the main title:
On 07/15/1985, the producers still had the intention to keep the established main title design from seasons 1 through 4, but to update the segments with new shots. Quite close to the season première, however, GENE KRAFT developed a design update for this season's main title (red and yellow; logo and cast presentation in a frame resembling a wine label). Further information about the show's visual identity is available here.
As the main title opener, producers' original plans called for a shot of the Golden Gate Bridge in the style of seasons 1 through 4 albeit newly filmed with Angela's new 1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II. When GENE KRAFT devised the idea of the wine label design for the main title, this was changed in order to emphasize the wine motif with the close-up shots of the vineyards.
Although the Rolls-Royce driving along the Golden Gate Bridge was never shown on "Falcon Crest", the above screen captures are most likely the unused footage filmed for that purpose. The make and model of the car is identical with Angela's Rolls-Royce as seen on JANE WYMAN's final main title card of this season. This footage ended up being used on "Quantum Leap"; check out our Beyond the Show – Clips section for details.
Before the "wine label presentation" of the cast was created, the producers suggested the following shots between actors' cards:
- Before ROBERT FOXWORTH's picture, they planned a shot over vineyards around sunset time with grapevines visible in profile and ROBERT riding from left to right on horseback through the vineyards while the camera pulls back.
- Before LORENZO LAMAS' card, they planned a shot of a San Francisco cable car going up one of the hills with a very scenic city background.
It remains a mystery if this segment was filmed. A similar shot will be used, however, as the background picture on DANA SPARKS' season 6 main title card albeit from footage already filmed during season 2.
- Before ANA-ALICIA's card, they planned a slow panning shot of barrels inside a cooperage with the lighting creating a beautiful effect.
- Before KEN OLIN's card, they planned to show a close-up of rosé in a bottle with light shining through it with a pull back to reveal wine being bottled on an assembly line.
- Before SUSAN SULLIVAN's card, they planned basically the same shot as eventually used on her card in the final version, but slightly different: outside in the vineyards with strong light on two wine glasses out of focus in the background instead of the iconic stained glass window (a prop).
For full-frame cast pictures in the main title (before the "wine label presentation" was devised), the producers had the following suggestions:
- For JANE WYMAN, the producers envisioned a specifically filmed shot of her getting out of Angela's Rolls-Royce in front of the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion. It was suggested that she be wearing a white sequined dress with fur and that she extend her hand to an invisible chauffeur, preparing to get out of the car, while smiling into the camera.
- For ROBERT FOXWORTH, the producers envisioned a specifically filmed shot of him riding on a horse into the frame, the camera pushing in to him. This shot did not materialize this year, but was done for the season 6 main title with BOB's own horse upon his request.
- For DAVID SELBY, the producers envisioned basically the same shot as eventually filmed, but — rather than at the front entrance — on the terrace of his home with a table set for an elaborate lunch (caviar in a silver container with crushed ice, champagne in a silver cooler, crystal stemware and flowers).
- For ANA-ALICIA, the producers envisioned a specifically filmed shot of her in a semi-formal dress (preferably salmon colored, off the shoulder) walking into her gazebo, which is dressed for an elegant early supper; she was supposed to walk into the entrance and stand there with one hand on one of the side posts, looking into the camera. This shot did not materialize. A different shot with an orchid in her hand and a blue off-shoulder dress was shot for the main title though, but remained unused.
- For MARGARET LADD, the producers envisioned a specifically filmed shot of her coming around the corner of the front veranda of the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion with flowers in her hands. This shot did not materialize this season, but was later filmed for the season 6 main title.
- For LAURA JOHNSON, the producers envisioned a specifically filmed shot of her slowly ascending the stairs out of the swimming pool with the sun glistening in the water behind her as well as on her.
- For KEN OLIN, the producers envisioned a specifically filmed shot of him playing tennis, running up to the net and smiling into the camera.
- For SIMON MacCORKINDALE, the producers envisioned a specifically filmed shot of him standing at a lawyer's table in one of the courtrooms of the historic Tuscany County Courthouse with his back to the judge's bench so the flags of California and the United States as well as the Seal of California can be seen while he opens his briefcase.
It remains a mystery if the aforementioned originally proposed main title shots of JANE WYMAN, LAURA JOHNSON, KEN OLIN and SIMON MacCORKINDALE were ever filmed.
An ink drawing of the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion was included in the show's logo only for the main title of the season première (# 099). From # 100 on, the usual falcon coat of arms will be back in that place again; it will no longer be in red, white and black, however, but only in red and black.
Screen captures of the main title are available here.
Original storyline plans:
Angela was supposed to have a stroke. This idea did not materialize because JANE WYMAN was not fond of it.
In context with this abolished storyline, the "National Enquirer" tabloid rumored that actor TERRY LESTER was discussed to be cast as an evil young man Angie would meet at the hospital and start to fall for.
Special guest stars the producers intended to hire for this season:
SUSAN GEORGE, SIMON MacCORKINDALE's second wife in real life, was considered to play Greg Reardon's secret wife. Producers planned a storyline to discover that the womanizing attorney was secretly married. But these plans did not work out.
BROOKE SHIELDS was considered as Greg Reardon's sister and a love interest for Lance, but the actress was not interested.
Refer to # 100, 118 and 127 for further information on plans for other celeb guests which did not materialize.
Familiar face at LORIMAR:
MORGAN FAIRCHILD appears as a special guest for this season to play Jordan Jennifer Roberts. She is a well-known LORIMAR soap opera star: On "Dallas", she portrayed Jenna Wade before the character was recast with FRANCINE TACKER and PRISCILLA BEAULIEU PRESLEY; on "Flamingo Road", MORGAN portrayed Constance Weldon Carlyle opposite DAVID SELBY. Contrary to popular myth, it was not DAVID's idea to hire MORGAN on "Falcon Crest" although he enjoyed working with her.
LORIMAR offered writing staff positions to BERNARD LECHOWICK and his wife, LYNN MARIE LATHAM, who worked in the previous season for the short-lived LORIMAR soap opera "Berrenger's" (creator: DIANA GOULD; co-executive producer: DAVID JACOBS), which ran from Januar to March 1985 on NBC and revolved around a New York dynasty owning a glamorous department store. 13 episodes were produced of that drama. When NBC canceled the show after 11 episodes, LORIMAR offered LECHOWICK and LATHAM jobs on "Dallas", "Knots Landing" and "Falcon Crest". They chose "Knots Landing" where they began working in its season 7 as writers and were later promoted to producers.
Location filming in the Wine Country was done for # 099 through # 110.
As usual, Spring Mountain Vineyards, Stags' Leap Winery, Shafer Vineyards and Inglenook are the major filming sites.
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