Harold Robbins' The Survivors (1969)

Overview

Harold Robbins' The Survivors debuted as a lavish prime-time soap on ABC in the fall of 1969, featuring Hollywood legend Lana Turner in her only regular television role. The cast boasted other notable stars like Jan-Michael Vincent, Ralph Bellamy, and George Hamilton. Despite the star power and Robbins' bestselling novel as its foundation, the show struggled immensely in ratings, losing out to competitors like Mayberry R.F.D. and The Doris Day Show. Its costly production led to a midseason cancellation, although reruns aired the following summer in hopes of recovering some investment.