Il ricco e il povero

The first ever television mini-series was broadcast as 12 x 50 minute episodes in the U.K., either side of 'News At Ten' on three consecutive Wednesday and Friday nights throughout July, in that summer, of 1976. It was ITV's answer to the BBC's coverage of the Olympics at the time-and what an answer!

The story of Rudy & Tom Jordache...two brothers who battled through their conflicting lifestyles in two different ways. Based on the best-selling novel by Irwin Shaw, we are taken on a roller-coaster ride starting in Port Philip, New York in 1945 through to the French Riviera in the mid-60's. A classic tale of Rags to Riches and Happiness to Heartbreak.

Messrs. Strauss and Nolte are awesome as the brothers with the fine support of Susan Blakely as the love interest in the story. All this interjected with a great well known cast, a legend of the TV Screens was born.

The series won countless Emmy nominations and came away with Four in total in the form of Edward Asner, Fionnuala Flanagan, composer Alex North and director, David Greene.

Don't miss this one!

I saw this series on TV in the 1970's and it was excellent. Great acting by Nick Nolte as the wild one and Peter Strauss as the good guy. It mystifies me that this series was never distributed on DVD or even VHS, when other not even a quarter as good series than this one, have come out on DVD or VHS. I'm positive Rich Man, Poor Man, would sell very well. Everybody would buy it.

This excellent mini-series was actually the first mini-series ever aired and is absolutely flawless from start to finish.

Featuring knockout performances from Nick Nolte as Tom Jordache, Peter Strauss as Rudy Jordache and Susan Blakely as Julie Prescott, this series begins on VE night in 1945 and we follow the three leads over the next three turbulent decades. This is the role that made Nolte a star and he turns in a blockbuster performance in this one. If you get the chance, SEE THIS ONE!

Also features a fine supporting cast with Ed Asner in an Emmy Award Winning performance as Axel Jordache and in one of the best villainous roles I have ever seen, William Smith as Falconetti.

Arguably the best mini series ever. I was in high school when ABC was airing RMPM and I definitely didn't miss any of the episodes. I guess most high school kids, well boys anyway, could relate to Tom Jordache. All you want to do is get the heck out of school and move on. As for the series itself the diamonds in the rough were Ed Asner as Axel Jordache and Bill Bixby as Willie Abbott. Asner did a great job getting away from the Lou Grant persona and becoming the brutish Jordache and everybody knew Bill Bixby as the nice guy dad on "The Courtship of Eddie's Father". Bixby did a great job playing the role of the lazy, irresponsible Willie Abbott. For eye candy there was Lynda Day George playing the wife of one of Tommy's boxing rivals. She was really a knockout in that bathing suit. And Susan Blakely wasn't too bad either. Another surprise was William Smith as Falconetti the bad guy. Hey, I was used to seeing him as one of the good guy Texas Rangers on "Laredo" back in the mid 60s. At any rate I wish they'd pull both RMPM parts 1 and 2 out of the archives for another generation.

Finally - the best ever TV mini series is available to buy on DVD as a box set - i could'nt wait to get it . I could'nt understand why it was not available - found it as a box set on Amazon.co.uk (it is on region 2 - so you will need a multi region DVD player if you are outside of region 2 ). A very young Nick Nolte and Peter Stauss - with fantastic performances from both of them , launching their careers . I will be spending a lot of time re-watching the DVD - does'nt seem like 28 years since audiences around the world were captivated by the strong acting and storyline - yet there were only 12 episodes , seemed like so much more.