''Melrose Place'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on
Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
from July 8, 1992, to May 24, 1999, for seven seasons. The show follows the lives of a group of young adults living in an apartment complex on Melrose Place, in
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 35,757. It is considered one of the most ...
. The show was created by
Darren Star
Darren Star (born July 25, 1961) is an American writer, director and producer of film and television. He is best known for creating the television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (1990–2000), ''Melrose Place'' (1992–1999), ''Sex and the City' ...
for
Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
and executive produced by
Aaron Spelling
Aaron Spelling (April 22, 1923 June 23, 2006) was an American film and television producer and occasional actor. His productions included the TV series ''Family'' (1976–1980), '' Charlie's Angels'' (1976–1981), ''The Love Boat'' (1977–1986 ...
for his company,
Spelling Television
Spelling Television Inc. was an American television production company that went through several name changes. It was originally called Aaron Spelling Productions, then Spelling Entertainment Inc. and eventually part of Spelling Entertainment Gro ...
. It was the second series in the
''Beverly Hills, 90210'' franchise. Season one and season two were broadcast on Wednesday at 9 pm, after ''
Beverly Hills, 90210
''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (often referred to by its short title, ''90210'') is an American teen drama television series created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling under his production company Spelling Television. The series ran fo ...
''. In 1994, for its third-season and for the rest of its run, the show moved to Monday at 8 p.m.
The show had many cast changes during the run.
Thomas Calabro
Thomas F. Calabro (born February 3, 1959) is an American actor and director.
Biography
Calabro graduated from Fordham University in New York City.
Calabro began his acting career in theatre with various roles in New York. His first role was a ...
and
Heather Locklear
Heather Deen Locklear (born September 25, 1961) is an American actress famous for her role as Amanda Woodward on ''Melrose Place'' (1993–1999), for which she received four consecutive Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress – Television ...
were the only cast members to remain on the series throughout its entire run.
The show earned several
Golden Globe
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
nominations and placed No. 51 on ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' "New TV Classics" list.
Premise
The show is set in a small fictional apartment courtyard complex located at 4616 Melrose Place in
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 35,757. It is considered one of the most ...
.
Cast and characters
''Melrose Place'' premiere season featured eight main characters: Dr.
Michael Mancini
Michael Mancini, M.D., portrayed by Thomas Calabro, is a fictional character from the 1990s prime time drama ''Melrose Place'' and the 2009 series revival of the same name.
Presented originally as an honest and devoted husband with a career dri ...
(
Thomas Calabro
Thomas F. Calabro (born February 3, 1959) is an American actor and director.
Biography
Calabro graduated from Fordham University in New York City.
Calabro began his acting career in theatre with various roles in New York. His first role was a ...
), a physician who works at Wilshire Memorial Hospital and changes from a kind, devoted husband in season 1 to a mean, adulterous villain from season 2 on;
Jane Mancini
Jane may refer to:
* Jane (given name), a feminine given name
* Jane (surname), related to the given name
Film and television
* ''Jane'' (1915 film), a silent comedy film directed by Frank Lloyd
* ''Jane'' (2016 film), a South Korean drama fi ...
(
Josie Bissett
Jolyn Christine Heutmaker (born October 5, 1970), known professionally as Josie Bissett, is an American actress. She is known for her role as Jane Mancini on the television series '' Melrose Place'' (1992–1999), and for her television film app ...
), his budding fashion designer wife;
Billy Campbell
William Oliver Campbell (born July 7, 1959) is an American film and television actor. He first gained recognition for his recurring role as Luke Fuller in the TV series ''Dynasty''. Then he became known for playing Rick Sammler on '' Once and A ...
(
Andrew Shue
Andrew Eppley Shue (born February 20, 1967) is an American actor, known for his role as Billy Campbell on the television series ''Melrose Place'' (1992–1999). Shue played soccer professionally for several years. He co-founded and served on the ...
), a struggling writer adapting to life out of his parents' control;
Alison Parker (
Courtney Thorne-Smith
Courtney Thorne-Smith (born November 8, 1967) is an American actress. She is known for her starring roles as Alison Parker on ''Melrose Place'', Georgia Thomas on '' Ally McBeal'', Cheryl Mabel in ''According to Jim'' and her recurring role on ...
), a receptionist at D&D Advertising;
Jake Hanson (
Grant Show
Grant Alan Show (born February 27, 1962) is an American actor best known for his role on ''Melrose Place'' as Jake Hanson, which he played from 1992 to 1997. Since 2017, Show has portrayed tycoon Blake Carrington in the soap opera reboot ''Dyna ...
), a struggling manual laborer and motorcycle enthusiast;
Matt Fielding
Matthew Fielding, Jr. is a fictional character in the American television series '' Melrose Place'', portrayed by Doug Savant. Matt was an openly gay man working as a social worker in Los Angeles. Initially Matt was not the focus of ongoing storyl ...
(
Doug Savant
Douglas Peter Savant (born June 21, 1964) is an American actor, known for his roles as Matt Fielding in the Fox prime time soap opera '' Melrose Place'' (1992–97), Tom Scavo in ABC comedy-drama '' Desperate Housewives'' (2004–12), and as Sgt. ...
), a gay social worker; Rhonda Blair (
Vanessa A. Williams), an aerobics instructor; and Sandy Harling (
Amy Locane
Amy Rose Locane (born December 19, 1971) is an American television and film actress known for her role in John Waters' 1990 musical comedy '' Cry-Baby''. In 1992, Locane portrayed Sandy Harling in the first season of the prime time soap opera ''M ...
), a Southern belle and struggling actress who moonlights as a waitress at a local bar called Shooters, the group's main hangout. Locane was written off after 13 episodes and replaced by
Daphne Zuniga
Daphne Eurydice Zuniga (; born October 28, 1962) is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1982 slasher film '' The Dorm That Dripped Blood'' (1982) at the age of 19, followed by a lead role in another slasher film '' The Initiation ...
as
Jo Reynolds
Jobeth Beth Reynolds (née Foster) is a fictional character in the American television series ''Melrose Place'', the second series in the ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' franchise. Portrayed by Daphne Zuniga, Jo Reynolds appeared in the first four seas ...
, a photographer running away from her abusive husband. Williams was not brought back for the second season, her character having become engaged to a wealthy restaurant entrepreneur.
Actress
Heather Locklear
Heather Deen Locklear (born September 25, 1961) is an American actress famous for her role as Amanda Woodward on ''Melrose Place'' (1993–1999), for which she received four consecutive Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress – Television ...
, who in season one had guest starred as Alison's ambitious and merciless boss
Amanda Woodward, was promoted to series regular status in the second season after her character bought and moved into the ''Melrose Place'' apartment building. Although she was always billed as a "special guest star", Locklear remained with the show for the rest of its run. Guest
Laura Leighton
Laura Diane Leighton is an American actress. She played Sydney Andrews on the television series '' Melrose Place'' (1993–1997) and its continuation (2009–2010), and Ashley Marin on Freeform's series ''Pretty Little Liars'' (2010–2017).
...
, recurring as Jane's trouble-making younger sister
Sydney Andrews
Sydney Andrews is a fictional character in the American soap opera, '' Melrose Place'', and its 2009 continuation. She is portrayed by Laura Leighton.
Initially presented as an easy-going young woman with questionable priorities, Sydney would gr ...
in the first two seasons, was upgraded to series regular for season three.
Marcia Cross
Marcia Anne Cross (born March 25, 1962) is an American actress. She acted in daytime soap operas such as ''The Edge of Night'', '' Another World'', and ''One Life to Live'' before moving to primetime television with a recurring role on ''Knots ...
, recurring as Dr.
Kimberly Shaw
The following is a list of cast and characters from the original and updated versions of the '' Melrose Place'' television series.
Cast timeline
;Cast notes
Main cast members Jane Mancini
Jane is portrayed by Josie Bissett. See main articl ...
in season 1, became a series regular by the end of the second season (though she was not credited in the opening until the start of season four).
Janet Carroll
Janet Carroll (December 24, 1940 – May 22, 2012) was an American film, stage and television character actress.
Carroll's career spanned more than four decades and included major and supporting roles in Broadway musicals, television and Holly ...
appeared in several episodes as Marion Shaw, Kimberly's domineering mother.
Beata Pozniak
Beata or Beate is a female given name that occurs in several cultures and languages, including Italian, German, Polish, and Swedish, and which is derived from the Latin ''beatus'', meaning "blessed".''Behind the Name''"Given Name Beate" Retrie ...
was featured in the second season in 7 episodes as Dr. Katya Petrova Fielding, a doctor with a daughter from a previous marriage who befriends and ultimately marries Matt (for a green card), who becomes an endearing father figure for her child.
Season four saw two new regular characters: Peter Burns (
Jack Wagner), the ruthless hospital Chief of Staff introduced in season three; and Brooke Armstrong (
Kristin Davis
Kristin Landen Davis (also listed as Kristin Lee Davis; born February 23, 1965) is an American actress and producer. She is known for playing Charlotte York Goldenblatt in the HBO romantic comedy series ''Sex and the City'' (1998–2004). She ...
), a young, conniving intern at D&D Advertising also recurring the previous season. Davis's character was subsequently killed off in the middle of the fourth season, while Zuniga left the series at the end of the season.
Patrick Muldoon
Patrick Muldoon (born September 27, 1968) is an American actor, film producer, and musician.
Early life and education
Muldoon was born in San Pedro, California, the son of Deanna, a homemaker, and William Patrick Muldoon II, a personal injury ...
also arrived in the third season as the villainous Richard Hart. Although Muldoon was not billed with the main cast (though he appeared in numerous promotional photos with them), he appeared in most of the fourth season's episodes and is also ''Melrose Place''s longest recurring character (i.e. not in the opening credits) in terms of number of episodes.
The fifth season saw the addition of
Rob Estes
Robert Estes (born July 22, 1963) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Harry Wilson on the teen drama series '' 90210'', as Sgt. Chris Lorenzo on the crime drama series '' Silk Stalkings'', and as Kyle McBride on the primetime soap ...
as restaurateur Kyle McBride,
Lisa Rinna
Lisa D. Rinna (born Elizabeth Deann Rinna; July 11, 1963) is an American actress and television personality. As an actress, she is best known for her roles as Billie Reed on the NBC daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' and Taylor McBride o ...
as his opportunistic wife Taylor, and
Brooke Langton
Brooke Langton (born November 27, 1970) is an American actress. She had significant guest roles on the NBC series '' Friday Night Lights'' and on ''Life'', in which Langton played a district attorney. She found early success on '' The Net'' (19 ...
as Samantha Reilly, an artist and a new tenant in the apartment complex. Bissett and Cross left the series towards the end of the fifth season;
Kelly Rutherford
Kelly Rutherford (born November 6, 1968) is an American actress. She is known for her television roles as Stephanie "Sam" Whitmore on the NBC daytime soap opera ''Generations'' (1989–1991), as Megan Lewis on the Fox primetime soap opera ''Mel ...
was brought in as Megan Lewis, a prostitute hired by Kimberly Shaw to have an affair with Michael Mancini, and
David Charvet
David Franck Charvet (; born 15 May 1972) is a French singer, actor, model, and television personality.
Early life
Charvet was born and raised in Lyon, France, the son of Christiane Charvet Haddad and businessman Paul Guez, founder of the Sasson ...
played Craig Field, Amanda's new co-worker and later Sydney's boyfriend. The season finale featured the exits of series regulars Thorne-Smith, Show, and Leighton.
The season premiere of season six featured the departure of original cast member Doug Savant while
Alyssa Milano
Alyssa Jayne Milano (born December 19, 1972) is an American actress. She has played Samantha Micelli in '' Who's the Boss?'', Jennifer Mancini in ''Melrose Place'', Phoebe Halliwell in ''Charmed'', Billie Cunningham in ''My Name Is Earl'', Savan ...
(recurring as Michael's sister Jennifer Mancini since season five) was bumped to series regular, with
Linden Ashby
Clarence Linden Garnett Ashby III (born May 23, 1960) is an American actor and director. On television, he portrayed Brett Cooper on the final two seasons of the Fox soap opera ''Melrose Place'' (1997–1999) and Sheriff Noah Stilinski on all ...
joining the cast as Dr. Brett Cooper and
Jamie Luner
Jamie Michelle Luner (born May 12, 1971) is an American actress who first came to prominence as Cindy Lubbock on the ABC sitcom ''Just the Ten of Us'', but is perhaps better known as Peyton Richards on ''Savannah'', Lexi Sterling on ''Melrose Pla ...
as his seductive and rich ex-wife, Lexi Sterling.
Charvet was written out in the middle of season 6, and the beginning of season seven saw the departure of Shue, Langton, Rinna, Milano, and Ashby. The show's seventh season introduced
John Haymes Newton
John Haymes Newton (born December 29, 1965) is a former American actor. He is known for his regular roles on the television programs ''Superboy'' as Clark Kent in the show's first season and as Ryan McBride on the soap opera ''Melrose Place''. ...
as Ryan McBride, Kyle's younger brother, and
Rena Sofer Renas may refer to:
Places
*Rena, Badajoz, a municipality in Extremadura, Spain
*Rena, Norway, a village in Innlandet county, Norway
*Rena, Washington, a community in Clallam County, Washington, United States
People
*Rena (given name), list of pe ...
as Eve Cleary, a woman from Amanda's past who marries Peter. Sofer was not billed with the main cast. Bissett reprised her role as Jane for the seventh season.
Cast
Cast timeline
;Cast notes
Main cast members
*
Josie Bissett
Jolyn Christine Heutmaker (born October 5, 1970), known professionally as Josie Bissett, is an American actress. She is known for her role as Jane Mancini on the television series '' Melrose Place'' (1992–1999), and for her television film app ...
as
Jane Andrews Mancini (seasons 1–5, 7), fashion designer, originally from Chicago, married to Michael Mancini, later involved with Sam Towler, Robert Wilson, Chris Marchette, Richard Hart, Jake Hanson and Kyle McBride
*
Thomas Calabro
Thomas F. Calabro (born February 3, 1959) is an American actor and director.
Biography
Calabro graduated from Fordham University in New York City.
Calabro began his acting career in theatre with various roles in New York. His first role was a ...
as
Dr. Michael Mancini, cardiology surgeon at Wilshire Memorial Hospital, originally from
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, married to Jane, and later marries Sydney Andrews, Kimberly Shaw and Megan Lewis, also involved with Amanda Woodward, Brandi Carson, Taylor McBride and Lexi Sterling
*
Amy Locane
Amy Rose Locane (born December 19, 1971) is an American television and film actress known for her role in John Waters' 1990 musical comedy '' Cry-Baby''. In 1992, Locane portrayed Sandy Harling in the first season of the prime time soap opera ''M ...
as
Sandy Harling (season 1), aspiring actress and waitress at the bar Shooters, originally from
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
, involved with Jake
*
Doug Savant
Douglas Peter Savant (born June 21, 1964) is an American actor, known for his roles as Matt Fielding in the Fox prime time soap opera '' Melrose Place'' (1992–97), Tom Scavo in ABC comedy-drama '' Desperate Housewives'' (2004–12), and as Sgt. ...
as
Matt Fielding
Matthew Fielding, Jr. is a fictional character in the American television series '' Melrose Place'', portrayed by Doug Savant. Matt was an openly gay man working as a social worker in Los Angeles. Initially Matt was not the focus of ongoing storyl ...
(seasons 1–6), openly gay social worker and physician at Wilshire Memorial,
marries Katya Petrova, involved with Jeffrey Lindley, Dr. Paul Graham, Alan Ross and Dan Hathaway
*
Grant Show
Grant Alan Show (born February 27, 1962) is an American actor best known for his role on ''Melrose Place'' as Jake Hanson, which he played from 1992 to 1997. Since 2017, Show has portrayed tycoon Blake Carrington in the soap opera reboot ''Dyna ...
as
Jake Hanson (seasons 1–5), mechanic and carpenter, owner of Jake's Bikes and Shooters, involved with Colleen Patterson, Perry Morgan,
Kelly Taylor
Kelly Marlene Taylor, portrayed by Jennie Garth, is the lead female character of ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' for the majority of the show's duration. Initially presented as a "spoiled teen vixen", the role was gradually expanded by producers. Subse ...
, Sandy Harling, Jo Reynolds, Amanda, Sydney, Shelley Hanson and Jane, later marries Alison Parker
*
Andrew Shue
Andrew Eppley Shue (born February 20, 1967) is an American actor, known for his role as Billy Campbell on the television series ''Melrose Place'' (1992–1999). Shue played soccer professionally for several years. He co-founded and served on the ...
as
Billy Campbell
William Oliver Campbell (born July 7, 1959) is an American film and television actor. He first gained recognition for his recurring role as Luke Fuller in the TV series ''Dynasty''. Then he became known for playing Rick Sammler on '' Once and A ...
(seasons 1–7), taxi driver, later copywriter for D&D Advertising, engaged to Alison Parker and later marries Brooke Armstrong and Samantha Reilly, also involved with Amanda, Susan Madsen and Jennifer Mancini
*
Courtney Thorne-Smith
Courtney Thorne-Smith (born November 8, 1967) is an American actress. She is known for her starring roles as Alison Parker on ''Melrose Place'', Georgia Thomas on '' Ally McBeal'', Cheryl Mabel in ''According to Jim'' and her recurring role on ...
as
Alison Parker Armstrong Hanson (seasons 1–5), advertising executive at D&D Advertising and later waitress at Shooters, originally from
Wisconsin
Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
, involved with Keith Gray, Steve McMillan, Zack Phillips and Terry Parsons, engaged to Billy and later marries Hayley Armstrong and Jake Hanson
*
Vanessa Williams
Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American singer, actress, and fashion designer. She gained recognition as the first African-American woman to receive the Miss America title when she was crowned Miss America 1984. She resigne ...
as
Rhonda Blair (season 1), aerobics instructor, engaged to Terrence Haggard
*
Daphne Zuniga
Daphne Eurydice Zuniga (; born October 28, 1962) is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1982 slasher film '' The Dorm That Dripped Blood'' (1982) at the age of 19, followed by a lead role in another slasher film '' The Initiation ...
as
Jo Reynolds
Jobeth Beth Reynolds (née Foster) is a fictional character in the American television series ''Melrose Place'', the second series in the ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' franchise. Portrayed by Daphne Zuniga, Jo Reynolds appeared in the first four seas ...
(seasons 1–4), photographer, originally from New York City, previously married to Charles Reynolds, involved with Jake Hanson, Steve McMillan, Reed Carter, Jess Hansen, Richard Hart and Dr. Dominick O'Malley
*
Heather Locklear
Heather Deen Locklear (born September 25, 1961) is an American actress famous for her role as Amanda Woodward on ''Melrose Place'' (1993–1999), for which she received four consecutive Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress – Television ...
as
Amanda Woodward Parezi Burns McBride Blake (seasons 2–7, recurring season 1), vice-president then president at D&D Advertising and Amanda Woodward Advertising, owner of the Melrose Place complex, previously married to Jack Parezi and later marries Dr. Peter Burns, Kyle McBride and Rory Blake, also involved with Billy, Jake, Michael, Bobby Parezi and Craig Field
*
Laura Leighton
Laura Diane Leighton is an American actress. She played Sydney Andrews on the television series '' Melrose Place'' (1993–1997) and its continuation (2009–2010), and Ashley Marin on Freeform's series ''Pretty Little Liars'' (2010–2017).
...
as
Sydney Andrews Mancini Field (seasons 3–5, recurring season 1–2), Jane's younger sister, waitress at Shooters, then prostitute, stripper and receptionist at Burns & Mancini, marries Michael and Craig, also involved with Jake, Chris Marchette, Bobby Parezi, Kyle McBride and Carter Gallavan
*
Marcia Cross
Marcia Anne Cross (born March 25, 1962) is an American actress. She acted in daytime soap operas such as ''The Edge of Night'', '' Another World'', and ''One Life to Live'' before moving to primetime television with a recurring role on ''Knots ...
as
Dr. Kimberly Shaw Mancini (seasons 4–5, recurring season 1–3), resident doctor at Wilshire Memorial, originally from
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, marries Michael, also involved with Peter and Dr. Brett Cooper
*
Kristin Davis
Kristin Landen Davis (also listed as Kristin Lee Davis; born February 23, 1965) is an American actress and producer. She is known for playing Charlotte York Goldenblatt in the HBO romantic comedy series ''Sex and the City'' (1998–2004). She ...
as
Brooke Armstrong Campbell (season 4, recurring season 3), employee at D&D Advertising, marries Billy
*
Jack Wagner as
Dr. Peter Howell Burns (seasons 4–7, recurring season 3), chief of staff at Wilshire Memorial, originally from
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, previously married to Beth Davis and later Amanda and Eve Cleary, also involved with Caitlin Mills, Alycia Barnett, Kimberly, Taylor and Lexi
*
Rob Estes
Robert Estes (born July 22, 1963) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Harry Wilson on the teen drama series '' 90210'', as Sgt. Chris Lorenzo on the crime drama series '' Silk Stalkings'', and as Kyle McBride on the primetime soap ...
as
Kyle McBride (seasons 5–7), chef and restaurant owner, former marine, originally from
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, married to Taylor and later Amanda, also involved with Christine Denton, Jennifer, Sydney and Jane
*
Brooke Langton
Brooke Langton (born November 27, 1970) is an American actress. She had significant guest roles on the NBC series '' Friday Night Lights'' and on ''Life'', in which Langton played a district attorney. She found early success on '' The Net'' (19 ...
as
Samantha Reilly Campbell (seasons 5–7, recurring season 4), artist and salesperson at Jane's (later Sydney's), originally from
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, marries Billy, also involved with Craig and Jeff Baylor
*
Lisa Rinna
Lisa D. Rinna (born Elizabeth Deann Rinna; July 11, 1963) is an American actress and television personality. As an actress, she is best known for her roles as Billie Reed on the NBC daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' and Taylor McBride o ...
as
Victoria Taylor Davis McBride (seasons 5–7), restaurant co-owner, originally from
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, married to Kyle, also involved with Peter, Michael and Nick Reardon
*
Kelly Rutherford
Kelly Rutherford (born November 6, 1968) is an American actress. She is known for her television roles as Stephanie "Sam" Whitmore on the NBC daytime soap opera ''Generations'' (1989–1991), as Megan Lewis on the Fox primetime soap opera ''Mel ...
as
Megan Lewis Mancini McBride (seasons 5–7), prostitute, later receptionist at Burns, Mancini & Cooper and Amanda Woodward Advertising, marries Michael and Ryan McBride, also involved with Coop
*
David Charvet
David Franck Charvet (; born 15 May 1972) is a French singer, actor, model, and television personality.
Early life
Charvet was born and raised in Lyon, France, the son of Christiane Charvet Haddad and businessman Paul Guez, founder of the Sasson ...
as
Craig Field
Craig Field (born 12 December 1972) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. Field played for South Sydney Rabbitohs, South Sydney, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Balmain Tigers and Wests Tigers. His primary position was at . ...
(seasons 5–6), son of the chairman of D&D Advertising, marries Sydney, also involved with Amanda and Jennifer
*
Linden Ashby
Clarence Linden Garnett Ashby III (born May 23, 1960) is an American actor and director. On television, he portrayed Brett Cooper on the final two seasons of the Fox soap opera ''Melrose Place'' (1997–1999) and Sheriff Noah Stilinski on all ...
as
Dr. Brett "Coop" Cooper (seasons 6–7), surgeon and partner at Burns, Mancini & Cooper, originally from
Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
, married to Lexi, also involved with Kimberly and Megan
*
Alyssa Milano
Alyssa Jayne Milano (born December 19, 1972) is an American actress. She has played Samantha Micelli in '' Who's the Boss?'', Jennifer Mancini in ''Melrose Place'', Phoebe Halliwell in ''Charmed'', Billie Cunningham in ''My Name Is Earl'', Savan ...
as
Jennifer Mancini (seasons 6–7, recurring season 5), Michael's younger sister, originally from
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, bartender at Upstairs, involved with Kyle, Craig and Billy
*
Jamie Luner
Jamie Michelle Luner (born May 12, 1971) is an American actress who first came to prominence as Cindy Lubbock on the ABC sitcom ''Just the Ten of Us'', but is perhaps better known as Peyton Richards on ''Savannah'', Lexi Sterling on ''Melrose Pla ...
as
Lexi Sterling Cooper (seasons 6–7), interior designer, later owner of Sterling Conway Enterprises, married to Coop, also involved with Peter, Ryan and Michael
*
John Haymes Newton
John Haymes Newton (born December 29, 1965) is a former American actor. He is known for his regular roles on the television programs ''Superboy'' as Clark Kent in the show's first season and as Ryan McBride on the soap opera ''Melrose Place''. ...
as
Ryan McBride (season 7), Kyle's younger brother, executive at Amanda Woodward Advertising, married to Callie McBride and later Megan, also involved with Lexi
Seasons and episodes
Filming/Production
Filming for the series took place at a studio in
Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita (; Spanish for "Little St. Clare") is a city in northwestern Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California. With a 2020 census population of 228,673, it is the third-largest city by population in Los Angeles County, the 17th ...
. Stages were located 30 miles outside of Los Angeles.
The scenes filmed outside reveal the original facade of the building at 4616 Greenwood Place in Los Angeles serving as the main backdrop for Melrose Place. The D&D Advertising building is the same complex where the offices of Spelling Entertainment are located on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles.
The production filmed episodes back-to-back, according to Rolling Stone in 1994. A dozen directors were employed during each season to direct the thirty episodes. Charles Correll is by far the main director of the series with 47 episodes to his credit over the entire production period, far ahead of the 27 episodes directed by Chip Chalmers.
In 1997, the filming of the sixth season was brought forward by two weeks because of Heather Locklear's pregnancy, which was not included in the story. A body liner was used for around ten shots. The actress also doubled her filming time and her screen time was reduced to finish filming in mid-September 1997.
Lisa Rinna (Taylor) was also pregnant during filming at the end of the sixth season. However, her pregnancy was integrated into the plot. This was also the case for the pregnancy of Josie Bissett (Jane) during the seventh season. Estes and Bissett welcomed their first child, son Mason True, on July 21, 1999.
Set
Deborah Siegel was the main decorator for the series between 1992 and 1998. Previously, she worked on the series ''
The Colbys
''The Colbys'' (originally titled ''Dynasty II: The Colbys'') is an American prime time television soap opera that originally aired on ABC from November 20, 1985, to March 26, 1987. Created by Richard and Esther Shapiro and Eileen and Robert ...
''. In ''Melrose Place'', "each character has their own business and style," she told ''Soap Opera Weekly'' magazine in 1995. She also explains that the residence actually only had two apartments that were continually reorganized for filming.
Nielsen ratings
''Melrose Place'' debuted on July 8, 1992, at No. 19 on the
Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
with a 10.3/19 share and 16 million viewers. In December 1993, Meredith Berkman of ''Entertainment Weekly'' called the show "arguably the hottest one-hour drama on television."
Though ratings dropped slightly over the
first season, the addition of Heather Locklear as Amanda is credited for improving ratings and bringing the show from No. 94 to No. 50 in the
second season.
The
series finale
A series finale is the final installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. It may also refer to a final theatrical sequel, the last part of a television miniseries, the last installment of a literary series, or ...
was watched by 10.38 million viewers.
Reception
Critical reception
''Melrose Place'' received mixed reviews from critics. As of September 2014, season 1 has a critics' rating of 4.7/10 at
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
.
One of the critics, ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
''
Richard Zoglin
Richard Zoglin (born August 8, 1948) is an American journalist and author.
Zoglin wrote about entertainment for ''Time'' for over 20 years. He is the author of ''Hope: Entertainer of the Century'', a 2014 biography of comedian Bob Hope.
In 20 ...
, who gave the season a 2.0/10 score, wrote that the soap is "tapping into nothing more than worn plot lines from ''
The Young and the Restless
''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City, Wi ...
''".
Conversely,
Ken Tucker
Kenneth Tucker is an American arts, music and television critic, magazine editor, and non-fiction book writer.
Early life and education
Tucker was born in Manhattan, New York City, New York, and raised in Stamford, Connecticut. He earned a ...
of ''Entertainment Weekly'', gave the first season a B− rating, writing: "Hey, I make fun of Melrose Place — but I'm hypnotized by it. As warm-weather escapism, it takes all the issues facing this country, from unemployment to
sexual harassment
Sexual harassment is a type of harassment involving the use of explicit or implicit sexual overtones, including the unwelcome and inappropriate promises of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. Sexual harassment includes a range of actions fro ...
, and turns them into crises that can be solved in an hour."
During the second season, David Wild of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' wrote: "After debuting in 1992 with a troubled first season that at times rivaled that of the 1962 New York Mets, ''Melrose Place'' made a few key trades. The show acquired a journeywoman heavy hitter in the lovely form of Locklear and wisely swapped bothersome Issues and Morals for infinitely more palatable Sex and Villains, emerging as a big winner, particularly with that attractive twentysomething demographic." The third season received positive reviews from critics: "After a couple lukewarm yet entertaining seasons, ''Melrose Place'' exploded in season three with the over-the-top, addictive storylines. Remember the crazy Kimberly-Michael-Sydney drama? And then Kimberly tried to keep Jo's baby! Really, this is daytime-soap-drama, heated up for primetime." In 1997,
Mark Harris, who gave the soap's sixth season a D rating, stated: "Although the ever-game, deserves-better Heather Locklear still spits out even the worst lines with snappish authority, and the diabolical-doctor duo of Jack Wagner and Thomas Calabro at least try to look interested, they can't sustain a show that has lost its best asset — a twisted joy in its own trashiness."
Accolades
The series won the
People's Choice Award
The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls until ...
in 1993 for 'Favorite New TV Dramatic Series'.
Heather Locklear
Heather Deen Locklear (born September 25, 1961) is an American actress famous for her role as Amanda Woodward on ''Melrose Place'' (1993–1999), for which she received four consecutive Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress – Television ...
was nominated for four
Golden Globe Awards
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
for
Best Actress in a Television Series – Drama for her role as Amanda Woodward on Melrose Place, in 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996.
Laura Leighton
Laura Diane Leighton is an American actress. She played Sydney Andrews on the television series '' Melrose Place'' (1993–1997) and its continuation (2009–2010), and Ashley Marin on Freeform's series ''Pretty Little Liars'' (2010–2017).
...
was nominated in 1995 for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series for her role as Sydney Andrews.
In May 1994, at the height of the show's popularity, the female stars,
Heather Locklear
Heather Deen Locklear (born September 25, 1961) is an American actress famous for her role as Amanda Woodward on ''Melrose Place'' (1993–1999), for which she received four consecutive Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress – Television ...
,
Laura Leighton
Laura Diane Leighton is an American actress. She played Sydney Andrews on the television series '' Melrose Place'' (1993–1997) and its continuation (2009–2010), and Ashley Marin on Freeform's series ''Pretty Little Liars'' (2010–2017).
...
,
Courtney Thorne-Smith
Courtney Thorne-Smith (born November 8, 1967) is an American actress. She is known for her starring roles as Alison Parker on ''Melrose Place'', Georgia Thomas on '' Ally McBeal'', Cheryl Mabel in ''According to Jim'' and her recurring role on ...
,
Daphne Zuniga
Daphne Eurydice Zuniga (; born October 28, 1962) is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1982 slasher film '' The Dorm That Dripped Blood'' (1982) at the age of 19, followed by a lead role in another slasher film '' The Initiation ...
and
Josie Bissett
Jolyn Christine Heutmaker (born October 5, 1970), known professionally as Josie Bissett, is an American actress. She is known for her role as Jane Mancini on the television series '' Melrose Place'' (1992–1999), and for her television film app ...
, were featured on the cover of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
''.
TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
ranked Amanda Woodward at No. 2 in the short list of "The Biggest TV Bitches", only behind
Joan Collins
Dame Joan Henrietta Collins (born 23 May 1933) is an English actress, author and columnist. Collins is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primetime ...
' iconic
Alexis Carrington Colby
Alexis Carrington Colby (; formerly Dexter and Rowan) is a fictional character on the American TV series ''Dynasty''. She is the ex-wife of Blake Carrington ( John Forsythe) whose schemes cause one problem after another for him and their children ...
, with whom Locklear co-starred on ''
Dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A ...
''. In ''Entertainment Weekly'', Heather Locklear said about playing her: "Not trying to be a bitch. Just trying to be strong and do what you are supposed to do".
In 2012, ''Entertainment Weekly'' reunited ''Melrose'' favorites Heather Locklear, Marcia Cross, Laura Leighton, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Josie Bissett, Daphne Zuniga, Andrew Shue, Grant Show and Doug Savant, and they appeared on the cover.
Spin-offs
The original series produced a spin-off series, ''
Models Inc.
''Models Inc.'' is an American prime time soap opera that aired on Fox during the 1994–95 television season. A spin-off of ''Melrose Place'', it is the third series in the ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' franchise.
''Models Inc.'' revolves around ...
'', which ran for one season in 1994–95. That series focused on a Los Angeles modeling agency run by Hillary Michaels (played by
Linda Gray
Linda Ann Gray (born September 12, 1940) is an American film, stage and television actress, director, producer and former model, best known for her role as Sue Ellen Ewing, the long-suffering wife of Larry Hagman's character J.R. Ewing on the C ...
), the mother of ''Melrose''s
Amanda Woodward; the show was cancelled after a single season due to low ratings.
A continuation of the series, also called ''
Melrose Place
''Melrose Place'' is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on Fox from July 8, 1992, to May 24, 1999, for seven seasons. The show follows the lives of a group of young adults living in an apartment complex on Melrose Place, in ...
'', premiered on September 8, 2009, on
The CW Television Network
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
. The new series featured primarily a new cast, although five actors from the original series made appearances: Thomas Calabro, Laura Leighton, Josie Bissett, Daphne Zuniga and Heather Locklear. The revival series suffered from low ratings and negative reviews, and was cancelled in 2010 after one season.
Lawsuit
In 1996, actress
Hunter Tylo
Hunter Tylo (born Deborah Jo Hunter; July 3, 1962) is an American actress, author and former model. She is best known for her role as Taylor Hayes (The Bold and the Beautiful), Taylor Hayes (1990–2002, 2004–14, 2018–19) on ''The Bold and t ...
was cast in ''Melrose Place'' and opted to leave daytime soap opera ''
The Bold and the Beautiful
''The Bold and the Beautiful'' (often referred to as ''B&B'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. It premiered on March 23, 1987, as a sister show to the Bells' other soap opera ''The Yo ...
'' to take the role. However, she was fired by ''Melrose Place'' producer
Aaron Spelling
Aaron Spelling (April 22, 1923 June 23, 2006) was an American film and television producer and occasional actor. His productions included the TV series ''Family'' (1976–1980), '' Charlie's Angels'' (1976–1981), ''The Love Boat'' (1977–1986 ...
prior to filming any episodes for the series, when she announced she was pregnant. The character she was to play, Taylor McBride, was recast,
Lisa Rinna
Lisa D. Rinna (born Elizabeth Deann Rinna; July 11, 1963) is an American actress and television personality. As an actress, she is best known for her roles as Billie Reed on the NBC daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' and Taylor McBride o ...
taking the role. Tylo quickly returned to ''The Bold and the Beautiful''. Tylo sued Spelling on grounds of discrimination for being pregnant and won $4.8 million from a Los Angeles jury. Spelling argued that Tylo's pregnancy rendered her unable to play the character, who was supposed to be a sexy seductress. During the trial, Tylo published pictures of herself while pregnant which showed that she retained a slim figure. Prior to trial, during the discovery phase of the litigation, Tylo's lawyers won a partial victory in an interlocutory appeal challenging a lower court's order compelling her to answer a broad range of personal questions. The Court of Appeal established Tylo's right to refuse to answer questions in her deposition about marital problems and psychological treatment, although the Court sustained the portion of the order which compelled her to answer questions about her efforts to become pregnant, her husband's ability or inability to impregnate her, and communications with her agent with respect to her efforts and ability to become pregnant. The case is widely recognized as an important one in establishing the right of privacy in deposition and the right of female actors to continue to work while pregnant.
Unauthorized story
On October 10, 2015, a television movie called ''
The Unauthorized Melrose Place Story
''The Unauthorized Melrose Place Story'' is a 2015 television drama film directed by Mark Griffiths and written by Dana Schmalenberg. The film stars Ciara Hanna, Frank Rose Bailey IV, Ryan Bruce, Chloe McClay, Chelsea Hobbs, Joseph John Coleman a ...
'' was released. It tells the behind-the-scenes making-of story of the show, finishing with the filming of the season three finale.
Home media
CBS Home Entertainment
CBS Home Entertainment (formerly CBS Video Enterprises, Inc., MGM/CBS Home Video, CBS/Fox Video and CBS Video, currently branded as CBS DVD for DVD releases and CBS Blu-ray for Blu-ray releases) is a home entertainment company owned by Paramoun ...
(distributed by
Paramount
Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to:
Entertainment and music companies
* Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...
) have released all seasons of ''Melrose Place'' on DVD in Region 1.
The series has also been released on DVD in Region 2 and 4 by Paramount Home Entertainment.
Due to music licensing issues, most of the original music has been replaced on these DVD releases, and some episodes are edited from their original broadcast versions.
The series is rated in Australia and in New Zealand for its sex scenes and offensive language.
GALA Committee
A group of artists and ''Melrose Place'' producers formed the GALA Committee, headed by artist
Mel Chin
Mel Chin (born 1951 in Houston, Texas, USA) is a conceptual art, conceptual visual artist. Motivated largely by political, cultural, and social circumstances, Chin works in a variety of art media to calculate meaning in modern life. Chin places art ...
, to bring artworks out of galleries and into primetime television. GALA artists designed artworks that were used as props by ''Melrose Place'' characters in the fourth and fifth seasons, often with hidden political messages:
*When Alison is pregnant, her quilt is decorated with the molecular structure of
RU-486
Mifepristone, also known as RU-486, is a medication typically used in combination with misoprostol to bring about a medical abortion during pregnancy and manage early miscarriage. This combination is 97% effective during the first 63 days of p ...
.
*A bag of Chinese take-out food is emblazoned with two opposing ideograms translated from Chinese as "Human Rights" and "Turmoil"; both terms were used by the Chinese government to justify a restriction on student protesters of June 4, 1989.
*Bottles behind the counter at Shooters bar are decorated with ads and documents chronicling the history of alcohol.
*As Alison quits D&D Advertising, a framed ad in the background features a bombed-out building. The damage to the structure is in the shape of a liquor bottle, and the words "Total Proof" appear on the poster.
Chin compared the works to viruses,
symbiotic
Symbiosis (from Greek , , "living together", from , , "together", and , bíōsis, "living") is any type of a close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms, be it mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasit ...
and invisible. The project was called ''In the Name of the Place'', as part of the "Uncommon Sense" art show at the
Geffen Contemporary
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) is a contemporary art museum with two locations in greater Los Angeles, California. The main branch is located on Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, near the Walt Disney Concert Hall. MOCA's o ...
at MOCA, Los Angeles, California in 1997. A portion of the fifth season was filmed at the
Geffen Contemporary
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) is a contemporary art museum with two locations in greater Los Angeles, California. The main branch is located on Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, near the Walt Disney Concert Hall. MOCA's o ...
where the project was displayed. The artwork was also shown at the 1997
Kwangju Biennale
The Gwangju Biennale is a contemporary art biennale founded in September 1995 in Gwangju, South Jeolla province, South Korea. The Gwangju Biennale is hosted by the Gwangju Biennale Foundation and the city of Gwangju. The Gwangju Biennale Founda ...
in
Kwangju
Gwangju () is South Korea's sixth-largest metropolis. It is a designated metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government's Home Minister. The city was also the capital of South Jeolla Province until the provincial office ...
, Korea and at Grand Arts in Kansas City, Missouri in 1998. Sotheby's Auction house auctioned almost fifty of these artworks for charity.
Related series
Notes
References
External links
*
*
*
{{Authority control
1992 American television series debuts
1999 American television series endings
1990s American drama television series
1990s American LGBT-related drama television series
1990s television soap operas
American television soap operas
American primetime television soap operas
American television spin-offs
Beverly Hills, 90210 (franchise)
English-language television shows
Fox Broadcasting Company original programming
Serial drama television series
Television series by CBS Studios
Television series by Spelling Television
American television series revived after cancellation
Television shows set in Los Angeles
Television shows filmed in Santa Clarita, California
Television series created by Darren Star