Stacy Keach, who worked in everything from Shakespeare to Cheech and Chong, has passed away. Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog know the procedure. While everyone else salutes his more popular projects, I’ll look at a few of his more obscure items.
DYNASTY (1976)
This Made for Television production was based on a story outline by James A. Michener. He doesn’t seem to have had much else to do with it, however. The Blackwood Family are trying to make a life for themselves on the Ohio Frontier of the very early 1800s.
Circumstances push the family ever further westward as they try to build an empire. Brothers Matt Blackwood – played by Stacy Keach – and John Blackwood – played by Harris Yulin – fight over Jennifer (Sarah Miles).
Despite this, the family stands united against slave-hunters when they come looking for fugitive slave Sam (Charles Weldon). They come to Sam’s aid and he stays with the Blackwoods from then on.
Despite being married to one of the brothers, Jennifer runs off with the other. Long years later, she returns to her husband with her son Mark, played by Harrison Ford. But which Blackwood Brother is his real father? Also starring Amy Irving.
PARTICULAR MEN (1972)
Decades before the film Oppenheimer came this adaptation of Loring Mandel’s play about the development of the atomic bomb and the aftermath.
The characters and some events are fictional but the lead character, conscience-stricken Dr. William Benjamin (Stacy Keach), is based on J. Robert Oppenheimer. The narrative jumps back and forth during “Dr. Benjamin’s” career and professional relationships.
This telefilm also stars Joel Fabiani, Lois Smith, Verna Bloom, Alice Drummond, Stefan Geirasch and Liam Sullivan.
ORVILLE AND WILBUR (1972)
I saved the best for last. Stacy starred as Wilbur Wright, with his brother James Keach as Orville.
Years before The Long Riders, James and Stacy were featured in this 90-minute depiction of aviation pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright.
Replicas of the Wright Brothers’ experimental aircraft leading up to the December 17th, 1903 flight at Kitty Hawk were featured in this drama. Despite countless obstacles, including from the pigheaded scholars at the Smithsonian Institute, the brothers become pioneers in aviation. Edward Andrews and Kathy Frye appear.
So long, Stacy Keach. We will miss you.
