Captains and the Kings

Based upon Taylor Caldwell’s 1972 bestseller, Captains and the Kings was one of the premiere TV miniseries of the ’70s. Clocking in at 8½ hours, the miniseries concerns the life of penniless Irish immigrant Joseph Armagh (Richard Jordan), who comes to America in the late 1800s and uses his intelligence, determination and ruthlessness to become one of the most powerful men in the country—and possibly the father of a future president. (Did anyone say Kennedy clan?) Filled with a number of veteran performers (Henry Fonda, Robert Vaughn, Neville Brand, John Houseman, Ann Sothern, Vic Morrow, Peter Donat), the era’s newest stars (Jordan, Blair Brown, Perry King, Jane Seymour, Beverly D’Angelo) and impressive production credits (a grand score by the great Elmer Bernstein, lush cinematography by Ric Waite), this miniseries is a fine and sumptuously mounted piece of American TV.

Shelf Talk: A critical and commercial success when it was originally broadcast three decades ago, Captains and the Kings should satisfy miniseries junkies who’ve already jumped on Shogun and The Winds of War and are still hoping that Rich Man, Poor Man will be released some day.