The first season of ''

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 ...

'', an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...

, premiered 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 ...

on July 8, 1992. The season one finale aired on May 26, 1993, after 32 episodes. Each episode ran approximately 45 minutes in length, with the season premiere and finale being extended to 90 minutes. Production team for the first season of the show includes

Chip Hayes Chip Hayes (born December 15, 1956) is an American soap opera writer, producer, and director. Personal life He is married to actress Deborah Adair, with whom he has two adopted children. He is the son of Nancy Gates and William Hayes. Positions h ...

as producer, Charles Pratt, Jr. as co-producer, Frank South and Frederick Rappaport as supervising producers and

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 ...

E. Duke Vincent E. Duke Vincent (born Edward Ventimiglia on April 30, 1932, in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States) is an American television producer.Marill, Alvin. More theatre: stage to screen to television, 1993–2001. Scarecrow P, 2003. Page 205 He is ...

and

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' ...

as executive producers. The season was released on DVD as an eight-disc box set under the title of ''Melrose Place - The Complete First Season'' on November 7, 2006 by

Paramount Home Video Paramount Home Entertainment (formerly Paramount Home Media Distribution, and originally Paramount Home Video) is the home video distribution arm of Paramount Pictures, a division of Paramount Global. The division oversees PPC's home entertainme ...

Storylines

During its first season, ''Melrose Place'' was an earnest serial drama with low-key storylines focusing on young people who come to Los Angeles to realize their dreams. The series was introduced with a

crossover Crossover may refer to: Entertainment Albums and songs * ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album) * ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987 * ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album) * ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album) * ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...

story from ''

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 which

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 ...

(

Jennie Garth Jennifer Eve Garth (born April 3, 1972) is an American actress. She is known for starring as Kelly Taylor throughout the ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' franchise and Val Tyler on the sitcom '' What I Like About You'' (2002–06). In 2012, she starre ...

) pursues Melrose Place resident 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 laborer and bad-boy

biker Biker or bikie may refer to: * A cyclist, a bicycle rider or participant in cycling sports * A motorcyclist, any motorcycle rider or passenger, or participant in motorcycle sports ** A motorcycle club member, defined more narrowly than all motor ...

. Jake first appeared in the last two episodes of ''Beverly Hills, 90210''s second season, while Kelly continued their storyline with appearances in the first three episodes of ''Melrose Place'', along with

Brian Austin Green Brian Austin Green (born Brian Green; July 15, 1973) is an American actor, rapper, television personality and podcaster, best known for his portrayal of David Silver on the television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (1990–2000). Green was al ...

as David Silver, and

Ian Ziering Ian Andrew Ziering (; born March 30, 1964) is an American actor best known for his role as Steve Sanders on the television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'', which he played from 1990 to 2000. He is also the voice of Vinnie on ''Biker Mice from M ...

as Steve Sanders. Tori Spelling also appears in the first two episodes as her ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' character Donna Martin. Eventually, Jake breaks off the romance because of their age difference and his inability to commit to her. Michael (

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 Jane Mancini (

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 ...

) are the building's stable couple. Michael, the building superintendent, is a physician at Wilshire Memorial Hospital, and Jane is a budding fashion designer. Their neighbors are roommates 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 ...

) and Billy Campbell (

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 ...

). Alison is a receptionist at a local advertising firm, and Billy is a struggling writer who makes ends meet as a dance teacher, a taxi driver, a local newspaper reporter and a furniture salesman before finding a job at ''Escapade'' magazine near the end of the season. Alison and Billy later began an affair. Gay social worker Matt Fielding (

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. ...

) files a sexual-discrimination lawsuit against the

halfway house A halfway house is an institute for people with criminal backgrounds or substance use disorder problems to learn (or relearn) the necessary skills to re-integrate into society and better support and care for themselves. As well as serving as a ...

at which he volunteers. Other original cast members are aerobics instructor Rhonda Blair ( Vanessa A. Williams) and her roommate, actress Sandy Louise 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 ...

), who moonlights as a waitress at Shooters, the group's hangout. Sandy was written out of the series after 13 episodes, after being discovered by a

talent agent A talent agent, or booking agent, is a person who finds jobs for actors, authors, broadcast journalists, film directors, musicians, models, professional athletes, screenwriters, writers, and other professionals in various entertainment or sport ...

for a soap opera, with the producers admitting later that they "never knew what they wanted to do with the character". She was replaced by photographer Jo Reynolds (

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 ...

), who arrives from New York to escape her alcoholic ex-husband. Jo and Jake become friends and enjoy an on-again, off-again romance. Faced with mediocre ratings, its producers attempted to revamp the 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 introduced as Amanda Woodward, the art director at D & D Advertising, and Alison's confidante. Intended as a guest star for a four episode story arc, Locklear remained on the series throughout its run. Amanda became vice-president, having affairs with several Melrose Place residents and vying with Alison for Billy's affections. The series evolved from an episodic format to a soap opera with ongoing, interwoven stories, beginning with Michael Mancini's affair with co-worker Kimberly Shaw (

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 ...

) and Alison's affair with a married man who begins stalking her in the season finale after she ends the relationship. The season ends with Alison and Billy becoming a couple, Michael and Jane splitting up when Jane discovers his affair with Kimberly, and Amanda's miscarriage of Billy's baby and her purchase of the building. At the end of the season, Vanessa Williams was fired, citing the show's changes, "They didn’t invite me back for the second season. It wasn’t anything about my work, but they decided to go a different route". Her character Rhonda left the apartment complex after becoming engaged to wealthy restaurateur Terrence Haggard (

John Marshall Jones John Marshall Jones is an American actor, best known for portraying Floyd Henderson on The WB sitcom ''Smart Guy''. He is currently the spokesperson for Pizza Hut. Career Since 2021, Jones has had a recurring role as U.S. Air Force General Nel ...

Cast

Main cast members

''In alphabetical order'' *

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 ...

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 d ...

as Sandy Harling (episodes 1–13) *

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 ...

as Jake Hanson *

as Billy Campbell *

as Alison Parker *

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 *

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 ...

(episodes 15+)

Recurring guest stars

as Steve Sanders *

as David Silver *

Deborah Adair Deborah Adair (born Deborah Adair Miller) is an American television actress, primarily known for her roles in soap operas. Early life Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Adair attended the University of Washington, where she earned a degree in adve ...

as Lucy Cabot *

Salome Jens Salome Jens (born May 8, 1935) is an American dancer and actress of stage, film and television. She is perhaps best known for portraying the Female Changeling on ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' in the 1990s. Early years Jens was born in Milwau ...

as Joan Campbell *

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 ...

Carmen Argenziano Carmen Antimo Argenziano (October 27, 1943February 10, 2019) was an American actor who appeared in over 73 movies and around 100 television movies or episodes. He was best known for playing Jacob Carter on ''Stargate SG-1''. He had recurring role ...

as Dr. Stanley Levin *

William R. Moses William Remington Moses (born November 17, 1959) is an American actor. Early life Moses was born in Los Angeles, the son of actress Marian McCargo (1932–2004) and advertising executive Richard Cantrell Moses Sr., who married in 1951 and divor ...

as Keith Gray *

Rae Dawn Chong Rae Dawn Chong (born February 28, 1961) is a Canadian-American actress. She made her big screen debut appearing in the 1978 musical drama film ''Stony Island (film), Stony Island'', and in 1981 starred in the fantasy film ''Quest for Fire (film), ...

as Carrie Fellows *

James Handy James Handy is an American film actor. He appeared in numerous films and television shows since 1977. On film, he appeared in as Byers in '' K-9'' and in '' Logan''. His most notable television appearances are as Arthur Devlin in ''Alias'' and ...

as Matt Fielding Sr. *

Claudette Nevins Claudette Nevins (née Weintraub; April 10, 1937 – February 20, 2020) was an American stage, film and television actress. Biography Claudette Nevins was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. She was a daught ...

as Constance Fielding * Sydney Walsh as Kay Beacon *

as Terrence Haggard *

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). ...

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 ...

as Amanda Woodward *

Wayne Tippit Wayne Tippit (December 19, 1932 – August 28, 2009) was an American television and stage character actor. He was best known to television audiences for playing Ted Adamson on the 1970s and 1980s CBS soap opera, ''Search for Tomorrow'', for five ...

as Palmer Woodward *

Meg Wittner Meg Wittner, an American actress, was born near Chicago, Illinois. Growing up with an older brother and sister, the family moved to Scarsdale, New York, when she was two. When she was 17 years old, she moved to New York City was in many commerc ...

as Nancy Donner The role of Billy Campbell was originally played by actor Stephan Fanning, who beat out

Matthew Perry Matthew Langford Perry (born August 19, 1969) is an American-Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom ''Friends'' (1994–2004). As well as starring in the short-lived television series '' St ...

for the role. Days into shooting the pilot, Fanning was fired and replaced by

. His scenes were reshot.

Episodes

References

{{Beverly Hills franchise 1992 American television seasons 1993 American television seasons