''The Adams Chronicles'' is a thirteen-episode miniseries by

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

that aired in 1976 to commemorate the

American Bicentennial The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to historical events leading up to the creation of the United States of America as an independent republic. It was a central event ...

Synopsis

The series chronicles the story of the Adams political family over a 150-year span, including

John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Befor ...

(drafter and signer of the Declaration, accomplished diplomat, and the 2nd President of the U.S.), his wife

Abigail Adams Abigail Adams ( ''née'' Smith; November 22, [ O.S. November 11] 1744 – October 28, 1818) was the wife and closest advisor of John Adams, as well as the mother of John Quincy Adams. She was a founder of the United States, an ...

, his son

John Quincy Adams John Quincy Adams (; July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, and diarist who served as the sixth president of the United States, from 1825 to 1829. He previously served as the eighth United States S ...

(acclaimed Secretary of State, the 6th President, and prominent abolitionist Congressman), grandson Charles Francis Adams, Congressman and Ambassador to Great Britain during the Civil War, and much-heralded members of the fourth generation

Henry Brooks Adams Henry Brooks Adams (February 16, 1838 – March 27, 1918) was an American historian and a member of the Adams political family, descended from two U.S. Presidents. As a young Harvard graduate, he served as secretary to his father, Charles Fra ...

, the historian and author of the novel ''

Democracy Democracy (From grc, δημοκρατία, dēmokratía, ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation (" direct democracy"), or to choose gov ...

'', and

Charles Francis Adams II Charles Francis Adams Jr. (May 27, 1835 – March 20, 1915) was an American author, historian, and railroad and park commissioner who served as the president of the Union Pacific Railroad from 1884 to 1890. He served as a colonel in the Union Arm ...

, the industrialist. The most prominent role in the series is John Adams, played by

George Grizzard George Cooper Grizzard Jr. (April 1, 1928 – October 2, 2007) was an American stage, television, and film actor. He was the recipient of a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Tony Award, among other accolades. Life and career Grizzard ...

. His views dominate the series even after his death on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the passage of the

United States Declaration of Independence The United States Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen States of America, is the pronouncement and founding document adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting at Pennsylvania State House ...

. As a result of his achievements during the Revolution and afterwards as vice president and president of the U.S., subsequent Adams generations have a hard time dealing with this legacy of public service and accomplishment and frequently wonder if they are measuring up to their distinguished ancestry. In the end, the members of the fourth generation come to believe that the time during which the Adams family could play a prominent role in the affairs of the nation has passed.

Episode list

Chapter I: John Adams, Lawyer :John Adams, as a young man, makes the decision to become a lawyer, which gets off to a rocky start, and he retreats back to the small town farm left him by his father, contrary to the advice of his cousin

Samuel Adams Samuel Adams ( – October 2, 1803) was an American statesman, political philosopher, and a Founding Father of the United States. He was a politician in colonial Massachusetts, a leader of the movement that became the American Revolution, and ...

. He meets

Abigail Smith Abigail Smith is a professor in marine sciences at Otago University in Dunedin. Smith grew up in Maine and did her undergraduate studies at Colby College and Massachusetts Institute of Technology before emigrating to New Zealand to study for ...

, a parson's daughter, who he courts and marries. Despite the death of one daughter, his family grows and he moves to Boston becoming a respected attorney, while also becoming more involved in politics as British policy becomes increasingly repressive. After the

Boston Massacre The Boston Massacre (known in Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain as the Incident on King Street) was a confrontation in Boston on March 5, 1770, in which a group of nine British soldiers shot five people out of a crowd of three or four hu ...

he is engaged to represent the British soldiers who fired into a protesting mob. Chapter II: John Adams, Revolutionary :Having gotten most of the soldiers acquitted, with only two suffering minor charges for manslaughter, John Adams finds himself the subject of insults by many in Boston, so he moves Abigail and the children back to the farm and commutes for business. He regains his reputation among those advocating against the crown's further actions by a newspaper article asserting the colonists rights. After the

Boston Tea Party The Boston Tea Party was an American political and mercantile protest by the Sons of Liberty in Boston, Massachusetts, on December 16, 1773. The target was the Tea Act of May 10, 1773, which allowed the British East India Company to sell tea ...

, the British blockade the harbor until the destroyed tea is paid for, and the colonies set up the

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...

to provide relief to Boston and negotiate with England. Adams is sent to Philadelphia as one of the representatives of Massachusetts. Meanwhile, Abigail has to confront an outbreak of dystentry that sweeps through their home. When colonial troops fire on the British at the

Battles of Lexington and Concord The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. The battles were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord ...

, heralding the beginning of the American Revolution, Adams wants to join and fight, but is persuaded that he is needed in Congress. He disappoints friend

John Hancock John Hancock ( – October 8, 1793) was an American Founding Father, merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot of the American Revolution. He served as president of the Second Continental Congress and was the first and third Governor of the ...

by passing over him to appoint

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

as commander of the army. One of his letters to Abigail complaining about other congressmen is intercepted by the British and published. Deprivations of imported goods become worse. John Adams asks

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...

to write the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the ...

. Chapter III: John Adams, Diplomat :John Adams and Benjamin Franklin refuse British terms offered by Lord Howe, as the United States want independence and will not return to being colonies in exchange for pardons. After

Silas Deane Silas Deane (September 23, 1789) was an American merchant, politician, and diplomat, and a supporter of American independence. Deane served as a delegate to the Continental Congress, where he signed the Continental Association, and then became the ...

, the American commissioner in Europe, is charged with embezzlement, Adams is asked by Congress to replace him. Initially he refuses, but Abigail persuades him to accept and take their son

with him. Adams finds that his provincial manners, lack of languages, and temperament bring him little diplomatic success in France, where Franklin has become a celebrity. France, despite being America's ally, wants peace negotiations with Britain to conform to France's interests. However, Adams is able to negotiate a large loan in the Netherlands from the Dutch government to the nascent United States. John Quincy Adams is dispatched to Russia as a diplomat's secretary due to his great facility for languages. Adams concludes the

Treaty of Paris Treaty of Paris may refer to one of many treaties signed in Paris, France: Treaties 1200s and 1300s * Treaty of Paris (1229), which ended the Albigensian Crusade * Treaty of Paris (1259), between Henry III of England and Louis IX of France * Trea ...

. Chapter IV: John Adams, Minister to Great Britain Chapter V: John Adams, Vice President :With Gen. Washington as President, Adams becomes Vice-President and head of the Senate. When Jefferson's Republicans and Hamilton's Federalists have strongly conflicting views over the

French Revolutionary war The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...

, Adams finds himself in the middle. Adams is elected second President of the United States. Chapter VI: John Adams, President :Increasingly exasperating relations with France lead to the

XYZ Affair The XYZ Affair was a political and diplomatic episode in 1797 and 1798, early in the presidency of John Adams, involving a confrontation between the United States and Republican France that led to the Quasi-War. The name derives from the subst ...

, then the

Quasi-War The Quasi-War (french: Quasi-guerre) was an undeclared naval war fought from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States. The ability of Congres ...

. Chapter VII: John Quincy Adams, Diplomat :In

Ghent Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded in ...

, Adams and his delegation struggle to negotiate an end to the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

. Chapter VIII: John Quincy Adams, Secretary of State :During the

Seminole War The Seminole Wars (also known as the Florida Wars) were three related military conflicts in Florida between the United States and the Seminole, citizens of a Native American nation which formed in the region during the early 1700s. Hostilities ...

, the executions of Arbuthnot and Ambrister in

Spanish Florida Spanish Florida ( es, La Florida) was the first major European land claim and attempted settlement in North America during the European Age of Discovery. ''La Florida'' formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba, the Viceroyalty of New Spain, ...

create a diplomatic incident. The United States and Britain consider whether to make a joint statement on the wars in South America, but this evolves into the

Monroe Doctrine The Monroe Doctrine was a United States foreign policy position that opposed European colonialism in the Western Hemisphere. It held that any intervention in the political affairs of the Americas by foreign powers was a potentially hostile ac ...

. In the presidential election,

Henry Clay Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state, al ...

is the

kingmaker A kingmaker is a person or group that has great influence on a royal or political succession, without themselves being a viable candidate. Kingmakers may use political, monetary, religious and military means to influence the succession. Origina ...

. Adams becomes sixth President. Chapter IX: John Quincy Adams, President Chapter X: John Quincy Adams, Congressman Chapter XI: Charles Francis Adams, Minister to Great Britain Chapter XII: Henry Adams, Historian Chapter XIII: Charles Francis Adams II, Industrialist

Cast

;Adams family *

(Chapters I–VI, VIII–IX) *

Kathryn Walker Kathryn Walker is an American theater, television and film actress. Biography Walker was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Wells College in Aurora, New York, and was a Fulbright Scholar in music and dra ...

(Chapters I–IV) *

Leora Dana Leora Dana (April 1, 1923 – December 13, 1983) was an American film, stage and television actress. Education Dana was born in New York City and her elder sister was Doris Dana. Dana graduated from Barnard College and the Royal Academy of Dram ...

(ages 44–74) (Chapters V–VI, VIII) *

Addison Powell Addison Powell (February 23, 1921 – November 8, 2010) was an American actor whose numerous television, stage and film credits included ''Dark Shadows'', '' The Thomas Crown Affair'' and ''Three Days of the Condor''. He was best known for playi ...

as Reverend William Smith (father of Abigail Adams) (Chapter I) *

Nancy Marchand Nancy Lou Marchand (June 19, 1928 – June 18, 2000) was an American actress. She began her career in theatre in 1951. She was most famous for her television portrayals of Margaret Pynchon on ''Lou Grant'' and Livia Soprano on ''The Sopranos''. ...

as Elizabeth Smith (mother of Abigail Adams) (Chapters I–II) * J.C. Powell as Charles Adams (boy) (Chapters II–III) *

Philip Anglim Philip Charles Anglim (born February 11, 1952) is an American actor. He is best known for his performance as Joseph Merrick in the stage and television versions of '' The Elephant Man'', a role for which he received a Best Actor nomination in the ...

as Charles Adams (Chapter V) * Tom Tammi as

Thomas Adams Thomas Adams may refer to: Politicians * Thomas Adams (MP), Member of Parliament for Bedford *Sir Thomas Adams, 1st Baronet (1586–1667/68), Lord Mayor of London * Thomas Adams (politician) (1730–1788), Virginia delegate to the Continental Cong ...

(Chapters V–VI) * Marcel Trenchard as

(boy) (Chapter II) * Steve Austin as

(youth) (Chapter II) * Steven Grover as

(youth) (Chapter III) * Mark Winkworth as

(Chapters IV–V) *

David Birney David Edwin Birney (April 23, 1939 – April 27, 2022) was an American actor and director whose career included performances in both contemporary and classical roles in theatre, film, and television. He is noted for having played the title role ...

(Chapter VII only) *

William Daniels William David Daniels (born March 31, 1927) is an American actor, who is best known for his television roles, notably as Mark Craig in the drama series '' St. Elsewhere'', for which he won two Primetime Emmy Awards; the voice of KITT in the tel ...

(Chapters VIII–X) *

Pamela Payton-Wright Pamela Payton-Wright (November 1, 1941 – December 14, 2019) was an American actress. Life and work Payton-Wright was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Eleanor Ruth (née McKinley) and Gordon Edgar Payton-Wright. After graduati ...

as Louisa Catherine Adams (Chapter VII) * Katherine Houghton as Abigail Adams II (Chapters IV, VI) * Richard Cox as Colonel William Stephens Smith (husband of Abigail Adams II) (Chapter IV) *

Maureen Anderman Maureen Anderman (born October 26, 1946) is an American actress best known for her work on the stage. She has appeared in eighteen Broadway shows over the last four decades earning several Drama Desk Award and Tony Award nominations. Career A ...

as Mary Catherine Hellen (wife of John Adams) (Chapters VIII–X) * Steven Krey as Charles Francis Adams (boy) (Chapter VII) * Thomas A. Stewart as Charles Francis Adams (Chapters VIII–X) * John Beal as Charles Francis Adams (Chapters XI–XIII) *

Nancy Coleman Nancy Coleman (December 30, 1912 – January 18, 2000) was an American film, stage, television and radio actress. After working on radio and appearing on the Broadway stage, Nancy Coleman moved to Hollywood to work for Warner Bros. studios. Ea ...

as Abigail Brown Brooks Adams (wife of Charles Francis Adams) (Chapters XI–XIII) * Peter Brandon as

Henry Adams Henry Brooks Adams (February 16, 1838 – March 27, 1918) was an American historian and a member of the Adams political family, descended from two U.S. Presidents. As a young Harvard graduate, he served as secretary to his father, Charles Fr ...

(Chapters XII–XIII) *

Charles Siebert Charles Alan Siebert (March 9, 1938 – May 1, 2022) was an American actor and television director. As an actor, he is probably best known for his role as Dr. Stanley Riverside II on the television series ''Trapper John, M.D.'', a role he portra ...

(Chapters XII–XIII) *

Nicholas Pryor Nicholas Pryor (born Nicholas David Probst; January 28, 1935) is an American actor. He has appeared in various television series, films, and stage productions. Life and career Pryor was born Nicholas David Probst in Baltimore, Maryland, the son ...

John Quincy Adams II John Quincy Adams II (September 22, 1833 – August 14, 1894) was an American politician who represented Quincy in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1866 to 1867, 1868 to 1869, 1871 to 1872, and from 1874 to 1875. Adams served as ...

(Chapters XII–XIII) *

Patricia Elliott Patricia Elliott (July 21, 1938 – December 20, 2015) was an American theatre, film, soap opera, and television actress. Early life Elliott was born July 21, 1938, in Gunnison, Colorado to Clyde and Lavon (née Gibson) Elliott. She claimed dire ...

as Minnie Adams (Chapters XII–XIII) ;U.S. politicians * W. B. Brydon as

(cousin of John Adams) (Chapters I–II) *

Curt Dawson Curt Dawson (December 5, 1939 – January 13, 1985) was an American stage and television actor. Early life Curt Dawson was born December 5, 1939, in Russell, Kansas. He graduated from Emporia State University in 1960, and attended the Royal ...

(Chapters I–II) * William Shust as

Patrick Henry Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736June 6, 1799) was an American attorney, planter, politician and orator known for declaring to the Second Virginia Convention (1775): " Give me liberty, or give me death!" A Founding Father, he served as the first an ...

(Chapter II) * John Wylie as

John Dickinson John Dickinson (November 13 Julian_calendar">/nowiki>Julian_calendar_November_2.html" ;"title="Julian_calendar.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Julian calendar">/nowiki>Julian calendar November 2">Julian_calendar.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Julian calendar" ...

(Chapter II) *

Robert Symonds Robert Symonds (December 1, 1926 – August 23, 2007) was an American actor. He was the associate director of the Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center from 1965 through 1972. Career His stage credits with the Lincoln Center include producti ...

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...

(Chapters II–III) * Albert Stratton as

(Chapters II, IV–VI) * James Congdon as

James Lovell James Arthur Lovell Jr. (; born March 25, 1928) is an American retired astronaut, naval aviator, test pilot and mechanical engineer. In 1968, as command module pilot of Apollo 8, he became, with Frank Borman and William Anders, one of the f ...

(Chapter III) * James Tripp as

Francis Dana Francis Dana (June 13, 1743 – April 25, 1811) was an American Founding Father, lawyer, jurist, and statesman from Massachusetts. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1777–1778 and 1784. A signer of the Articles of Confederat ...

(Chapter III) * David Hooks as

(Chapter V) * Jeremiah Sullivan as

Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first United States secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795. Born out of wedlock in Charlest ...

(Chapters V–VI) * Michael Egan as General Knox (Chapter V) * Karl Light as Senator Izard (Chapter V) *

Ken Kercheval Kenneth Marine Kercheval (July 15, 1935 – April 21, 2019) was an American actor, best known for his role as Cliff Barnes on the television series ''Dallas'' and its 2012 revival. Early life Kercheval was born on July 15, 1935, in Wolcottvill ...

James Madison James Madison Jr. (March 16, 1751June 28, 1836) was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father. He served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for hi ...

(Chapters V, VII) * Henry Butler as

James Monroe James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was ...

(Chapters V, VII–VIII) * Frederic Warringer as Samuel Otis (Chapter V) *

Tom Aldredge Thomas Ernest Aldredge (February 28, 1928 – July 22, 2011) was an American television, film and stage actor. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for playing the role of Shakespeare in ''Henry Winkler Meets William Shakespeare'' (1978). His Broadway ...

as James McHenry (Chapters V–VI) *

Reid Shelton Reid Shelton (October 7, 1924 – June 8, 1997) was an American Broadway and television actor known for appearing in productions of ''My Fair Lady'' and ''Carousel.'' He originated the role of Oliver Warbucks in '' Annie.'' Early life and educat ...

Timothy Pickering Timothy Pickering (July 17, 1745January 29, 1829) was the third United States Secretary of State under Presidents George Washington and John Adams. He also represented Massachusetts in both houses of Congress as a member of the Federalist Party ...

(Chapter VI) * David O'Brien as

Oliver Wolcott Oliver Wolcott Sr. (November 20, 1726 December 1, 1797) was an American Founding Father and politician. He was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation as a representative of Connecticut, and t ...

(Chapter VI) *

Josef Sommer Maximilian Josef Sommer (born June 26, 1934) is a retired German-American stage, television, and film actor. Early life He was born in Greifswald, Germany, and raised in North Carolina, the son of Elisabeth and Clemens Sommer, a professor of Art ...

as Charles Lee (Chapter VI) * John Braden as

John Marshall John Marshall (September 24, 1755July 6, 1835) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the fourth Chief Justice of the United States from 1801 until his death in 1835. He remains the longest-serving chief justice and fourth-longes ...

(Chapter VI) * John McQuade as General Pinckney (Chapter VI) * Tom McDermott as Eldridge Gerry (Chapter VI) *

Robert Prosky Robert Prosky (born Robert Joseph Porzuczek, December 13, 1930 – December 8, 2008) was an American actor. He became a well-known supporting actor in the 1980s with his roles in '' Thief'' (1981), ''Christine'' (1983), ''The Natural'' (1984), an ...

Benjamin Stoddert Benjamin Stoddert (1751 – 18 December 1813) was the first United States Secretary of the Navy from 1 May 1798 to 31 March 1801. Early life and education Stoddert was born in Charles County, Maryland in 1751, the son of Captain Thomas Stoddert. ...

(Chapter VI) * Stephen Strimpell as

Ames Ames may refer to: Places United States * Ames, Arkansas, a place in Arkansas * Ames, Colorado * Ames, Illinois * Ames, Indiana * Ames, Iowa, the most populous city bearing this name * Ames, Kansas * Ames, Nebraska * Ames, New York * Ames, Ok ...

(Chapter VI) *

George Hearn George Hearn (born June 18, 1934) is an American actor and singer, primarily in Broadway theatre, Broadway musical theatre. Early years Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Hearn studied philosophy at Southwestern at Memphis, now Rhodes College before ...

(Chapters VII–X) *

Michael Wager Michael Wager (born Emanuel Weisgal, April 29, 1925December 26, 2011) was an American film and television actor. Wager was born in New York, New York, and nicknamed "Mendy". He was the son of Meyer W. and Shirley (Hirshfeld) Weisgal. He appea ...

Albert Gallatin Abraham Alfonse Albert Gallatin (January 29, 1761 – August 12, 1849) was a Genevan– American politician, diplomat, ethnologist and linguist. Often described as "America's Swiss Founding Father", he was a leading figure in the early years ...

(Chapter VII) * Robert Moberly as Senator Bayard (Chapter VII) *

Wesley Addy Robert Wesley Addy (August 4, 1913 – December 31, 1996)R Wesley Addy in the U.S., Social Security Applications and Claim Index, 1936-2007, retrieved froAncestry.com/ref> was an American actor of stage, television, and film. Early years A ...

as General Andrew Jackson (Chapters VIII–IX) *

Robert Phalen Robert Anthony Phalen (May 10, 1937 – December 6, 1995) was an American actor who starred in films and on television. Life and career He was born on May 10, 1937 in San Francisco, California, where he attended George Washington High School, wa ...

as John C. Calhoun (Chapter VIII–IX) * Roger Alan Brown as Pinckney (Chapter X) * Stephen D. Newman as

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

(Chapter XI) * Alexander Clark as

William Seward William Henry Seward (May 16, 1801 – October 10, 1872) was an American politician who served as United States Secretary of State from 1861 to 1869, and earlier served as governor of New York and as a United States Senator. A determined oppon ...

(Chapter XI) ;British dignitaries, politicians, others *

John Tillinger John Tillinger (born June 28, 1938) is a theatre director and actor. Life and career Joachim F. Tillinger was born in Tabriz, Iran. His father was German Jewish and his mother was Protestant. Tillinger was raised in England, where he was first ...

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...

(Chapters I–IV) * James Noble as

Jonathan Sewall Jonathan Sewall (August 24, 1729 – September 27, 1796) was the last Colonial attorney general of Massachusetts. He was born in Boston on August 24, 1729 to Jonathan Sewall Sr. and Mary (Payne) Sewall. Sewall's father was an unsuccessf ...

(Chapter I) * Patrick Horgan as Lord Howe (Chapter III) * Ed Zang as English Tailor (Chapter IV) * Don McHenry as Sir Clement Cotterell Dormer (Chapter IV) *

Jack Gwillim Jack William Frederick Gwillim (15 December 1909 – 2 July 2001) was an English character actor. Career Born in Canterbury, Kent, England, he joined the Royal Navy at 17 and served for over twenty years, becoming one of the youngest men ever to ...

as Lord Carmarthen (Chapter IV) *

Robert Gerringer Robert Gerringer (born Robert Geiringer; May 12, 1926 – November 8, 1989) was an American character actor perhaps best known as Dr. Dave Woodard on the soap opera ''Dark Shadows'', a role he played during 1967. Gerringer left the show because h ...

as Burrill (Chapter IV) *

Thomas Barbour Thomas Barbour (August 19, 1884 – January 8, 1946) was an American herpetologist. From 1927 until 1946, he was director of the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) founded in 1859 by Louis Agassiz at Harvard University in Cambridge, ...

Bishop of St. Asaph The Bishop of St Asaph heads the Church in Wales diocese of St Asaph. The diocese covers the counties of Conwy and Flintshire, Wrexham county borough, the eastern part of Merioneth in Gwynedd and part of northern Powys. The Episcopal seat is loc ...

(Chapter IV) *

William Roerick William George Roerich (December 17, 1912 – November 30, 1995) was an American actor. He is particularly associated with the stage, but also played in many films and TV productions. He was also a stage manager and writer. His name is sometime ...

Lord Gambier Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy), Admiral of the Fleet James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier, (13 October 1756 – 19 April 1833) was a Royal Navy officer. After seeing action at the capture of Charleston, South Carolina, Charleston during the Ameri ...

(Chapter VII) * George Pentecost as

Henry Goulburn Henry Goulburn PC FRS (19 March 1784 – 12 January 1856) was a British Conservative statesman and a member of the Peelite faction after 1846. Background and education Born in London, Goulburn was the eldest son of a wealthy planter, Munbee ...

(Chapter VII) *

Emery Battis Emery Battis (born May 30, 1915, in Arlington, Massachusetts – September 20, 2011, in Marlborough, Massachusetts) was a stage actor, author, and professor of history with an acting career that spanned almost 80 years (from 1933 – 2006). He ...

Lord John Russell John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, (18 August 1792 – 28 May 1878), known by his courtesy title Lord John Russell before 1861, was a British Whig and Liberal statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1852 and a ...

(Chapter XI) ;Foreign dignitaries, politicians, others *

M'el Dowd Mary Ellen Dowd (February 2, 1933 – September 26, 2012) was an American stage, musical theatre and film actress, and singer, whose career spanned half a century. Beginning in Shakespeare roles and films in the 1950s, Dowd continued to perform on ...

as Madame Brillon (Chapter III) * Guy Sorel as Comte de Vergennes (Chapter III) *

Taina Elg __NOTOC__ Taina may refer to: People Women * Taina Asili (), Puerto Rican musician, filmmaker and activist * Taïna Barioz (born 1988), French alpine skier * Taina Bien-Aimé, Swiss social activist * Taina Bofferding (born 1982), Luxembourgish po ...

as Comtesse de Vergennes (Chapter III) * C. K. Alexander as The Dutch Banker (Chapter III) * Cavada Humphrey as

Princess of Orange Prince of Orange (or Princess of Orange if the holder is female) is a title originally associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France and subsequently held by sovereigns in the Netherlands. The title ...

(Chapter III) * Lance Davis as

Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...

(Chapter III) *

Louis Turenne Louis Turenne (November 26, 1933 – 25 July 2006) was a Canadian actor. From 1977 to 1978, he played the role of Anthony Saxon on ''The Edge of Night''. Turenne was known for his work on the ''Babylon 5'' television series. He played the Minba ...

as M. Hauteval (Chapter VI) *

Christopher Lloyd Christopher Allen Lloyd (born October 22, 1938) is an American actor. He has appeared in many theater productions, films, and on television since the 1960s. He is known for portraying Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown in the ''Back to the Future'' tril ...

as Tsar Alexandre I (Chapter VII) * Paul Sparer as Chancellor Rumyantsev (Chapter VII) * Michael Kane as General Caulaincourt (Chapter VII) * Valerie French as Countess Rostov (Chapter VII) * Osvaldo Riofrancos as Don Luis de Onis (Chapter VIII) * Jean-Pierre Stewart as

Alexis de Tocqueville Alexis Charles Henri Clérel, comte de Tocqueville (; 29 July 180516 April 1859), colloquially known as Tocqueville (), was a French aristocrat, diplomat, political scientist, political philosopher and historian. He is best known for his works ...

(Chapter X) * Norman Bush as Cinque (Chapter X) ;Other Americans * John Houseman as Justice Gridley (Chapter I) * Reno Roop as Josiah Quincy (cousin of John Adams) (Chapter II) * Alfred Hinckley as Captain Hay (Chapter IV) *

Robin Pearson Rose Robin Pearson Rose is an American film and television actress. Filmography Film Television References External links * * Robin Pearson Rose
- Geffen Playhouse American film actresses Year of birth missing (living people) L ...

as Polly Jefferson (Chapter V) * Donald C. Moore as Sparhawk (Chapter IV) * Edwin Owens as Russell Jarvis (Chapter IX) * Jerome Dempsey as

Lewis Tappan Lewis Tappan (May 23, 1788 – June 21, 1873) was a New York abolitionist who worked to achieve freedom for the enslaved Africans aboard the '' Amistad''. Tappan was also among the founders of the American Missionary Association in 1846, which b ...

(Chapter X) *

Tom Hulce Thomas Edward Hulce (; born December 6, 1953) is an American actor and theater producer. He is best known for his portrayal of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the Academy Award-winning film ''Amadeus'' (1984), as well as the roles of Larry "Pinto" Kr ...

as Student (Chapter X) *

Bernie McInerney Bernie McInerney (born December 4, 1936) is an American character actor. Personal life McInerney grew up in Delaware where his father was an auditor with the DuPont Company. McInerney came to acting at a young age, announcing the World Serie ...

Roger Sherman Baldwin Roger Sherman Baldwin (January 4, 1793 – February 19, 1863) was an American politician who served as the 32nd Governor of Connecticut from 1844 to 1846 and a United States senator from 1847 to 1851. As a lawyer, his career was most notable ...

(Chapter X) * Ronald Dawson as Chief Justice Taney (Chapter X) * John Ramsey as

Henry James Henry James ( – ) was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the ...

(Chapter XII) * Paul Hecht as

Jay Gould Jason Gould (; May 27, 1836 – December 2, 1892) was an American railroad magnate and financial speculator who is generally identified as one of the robber barons of the Gilded Age. His sharp and often unscrupulous business practices made hi ...

(Chapter XIII) * James Broderick as W.H. Holcomb (Chapter XIII) * Barton Heyman as Captain Beckford (Chapter VII) * John Horn as Lieutenant Mountgarret (Chapter VII) * Susan Bjurman

Soundtrack

The Liberty Song "The Liberty Song" is a pre-American Revolutionary War song with lyrics by Founding Father John Dickinson (not by Mrs. Mercy Otis Warren of Plymouth, Massachusetts). The song is set to the tunes of "Heart of Oak", the anthem of the Royal Navy of th ...

" (Chapter II) *" Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms" (Chapter VIII)

Awards received

''The Adams Chronicles'' won a number of Emmy Awards for television excellence. These included: Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design for a Drama or Comedy Series – 1977 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS –

Alvin Colt Alvin Colt (July 5, 1916 – May 4, 2008) was an American costume designer. Colt worked on over 50 Broadway shows. His first job was in a theatrical fabric house, he also worked on painting scenery during the summer. '' On the Town'' was the firs ...

, Costume Designer Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction – 1977 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS – William C. Knight, Lighting Director;

George Riesenberger George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Preside ...

, Lighting Director Outstanding Achievement in Tape Sound Mixing – 1977 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS – Emil Neroda, Sound Mixer Outstanding Art Direction or Scenic Design for a Drama Series – 1977 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS – Ed Wittstein, Production Designer Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series – 1977 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS –

Fred Coe Frederick Hayden Hughs Coe (December 23, 1914 – April 29, 1979) was an American television producer and director most famous for '' The Goodyear Television Playhouse''/''The Philco Television Playhouse'' in 1948-1955 and ''Playhouse 90'' from 1 ...

, Director Outstanding Limited Series – 1977 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS –

James Cellan-Jones James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguati ...

, Producer;

Robert Costello Robert Costello (1921-2014) was an American TV and film producer, writer, and director. His productions include ''The Patty Duke Show'' (briefly), ''Dark Shadows'', ''The Adams Chronicles'', '' The Secret Storm'', ''Ryan's Hope'', '' Another Worl ...

, Coordinating Producer; Virginia Kassel, Series Producer; Jac Venza, Executive Producer Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series – 1977 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS –

Tad Mosel Tad Mosel (May 1, 1922 – August 24, 2008) was an American playwright and one of the leading dramatists of hour-long teleplay genre for live television during the 1950s. He received the 1961 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play '' All the Way H ...

, Writer ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS – Roger O. Hirson, Writer Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction or Scenic Design – 1976 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS – Ed Wittstein, Art Director Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design for a Drama Series – 1976 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS –

, Costume Designer Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design and Title – 1976 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS – Girish Bhargava, Graphic Design; Bill Mandel, Graphic Design Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction – 1976 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS –

Billy Knight William R. Knight (born June 9, 1952) is an American former professional basketball player and executive. Playing with the Indiana Pacers in both the American Basketball Association (ABA) and later the National Basketball Association (NBA), he w ...

, Lighting Director; Dick Weiss, Lighting Director Outstanding Achievement in Technical Direction – 1976 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS – Leonard Chumbley, Technical Director; Walter Edel, Cameraman; John Feher, Cameraman; Steve Zink, Cameraman Outstanding Achievement in Video Tape Editing for a Series – 1976 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS – Girish Bhargava, Editor; Manford Schorn, Editor Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series – 1976 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS –

Outstanding Lead Actress for a Single Performance – 1976 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS –

''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS –

Outstanding Limited Series – 1976 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS –

Paul Bogart Paul Bogart (né Bogoff; November 13, 1919 – April 15, 2012) was an American television director and producer. Bogart directed episodes of the television series Way Out'' in 1961, ''Coronet Blue'' in 1967, ''Get Smart'', '' The Dumplings'' ...

, Producer;

James Cellan Jones Alan James Gwynne Cellan Jones (13 July 1931 – 30 August 2019) was a British television and film director. From 1963, he directed over 50 television series and films, specialising in dramas. He was particularly associated with the "Classic Ser ...

, Producer; Virginia Kassel, Series Producer; Jac Venza, Executive Producer Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series – 1976 ''The Adams Chronicles'' – PBS –

Sherman Yellen Sherman Yellen (born February 25, 1932, New York City) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and political commentator. Early life and education Sherman Yellen was born in 1932 to Nathan and Lillian Yellen. He attended the High School of Mus ...

, Writer

Pronunciation note

The series uses the historically correct pronunciation for Quincy, rather than the more common . (See relevant discussion

here Here is an adverb that means "in, on, or at this place". It may also refer to: Software * Here Technologies, a mapping company * Here WeGo (formerly Here Maps), a mobile app and map website by Here Technologies, Here Television * Here TV (form ...

DVD release

''The Adams Chronicles'' series was released on DVD by

Acorn Media RLJE International Ltd, d/b/a Acorn DVD, a British company that publishes and distributes DVDs, as well as selling home-video products and streaming videos with a particular focus on British television. History Launched in 1997, Acorn Media U. ...

on May 13, 2008.

References

External links