Peyton Place is an iconic television series that aired during the 1960s. The show was a hit and everyone wanted to know what was happening behind the scenes of this drama-filled program. The real story behind Peyton Place is one that has remained a mystery for years, but we're here to shed some light on it.
Peyton Who?
Before we delve deep into the juicy details of Peyton Place's story, let us first ask ourselves, "What is Peyton Place?" For those who are not familiar with this classic TV series - you poor souls - it revolves around five families living in small town America. These families experience all sorts of conflicts such as infidelity, crime and deceit amongst many other things.
It may seem like just another soap opera from today’s standpoint but back then when it first started airing in 1964; there were no shows that showed so much rawness similarily as what you would see on Game of Thrones or Narcos today. Now isn’t that something? The more we grow apart from time gone by, the less sensitive our tongues become.
A Town Called Foxboro
To really appreciate where everything began with ‘Peyton’, one must take a look at Grace Metalious – yes for once think deeper than your usual 'Toy Story' kid stuff! She lived in Gilmanton Iron Works (what a name right?) which inspired her to write about life in New Hampshire – albeit loosely based fictionally set up small town called Foxboro instead.
Interesting Fact #1: While writing her book, Grace would often type while drinking straight Jim Beam bourbon and smokers several packets per day. So if you ever have dreams of being highly creative like Ms.Metalious always remember- drink bourbon extensively!
So Close Yet So Far From Reality
As viewers watched their favourite characters go through major turmoil, it was tough for some to accept that this wasn't real; and the viewers during that time were much different than ours today. The television landscape back then, didn’t really have any channels besides CBS, NBC and ABC which meant everyone basically watched everything. So watching Peyton Place had a certain amount of weight attached to it.
Interesting Fact #2: Even though Foxboro was based on Grace's hometown Gilmanton Iron Works, her own family members believed mistakenly for years they were watching their own private secrets revealed in such an uncanny light!
Sex Sells
One can never deny the fact shows (including TV-series & movies) with salacious content or hot topics immensely sell – some of us have same guilty pleasure as Jerry Maguire’s lonely colleague who deletes Dorothy Boyd’s memo.
Peyton Place became a pop culture phenomenon due to many such elements but mostly sex scandals lined up one after another like dominos waiting to fall over - both onscreen and beyond. One may ask if there is anyone whose life we don't know about? Answer- No one yet!
Interesting Fact #3: Constance Mackenzie played by award-winning actress Dorothy Malone found herself under fire when she decided not to wear supporting garments underneath her gown whatsoever on live broadcasted Golden Globes awards in front of a shocked crowd.
Behind the Scenes Becomes Front Page News
It wasn’t long before trouble began brewing behind the scenes as well; because apparently showing all that heated messiness on screen just wouldn’t cut out - They WANTED more messy backstage fights too!. It has always been known ‘the show must go’on' but sometimes people forget behind-the-scenes drama is equally important entertainment value-wise, especially then during Press turmoil.
The feud between actors Mia Farrow –who later left series after becoming baby mama-to-be of music star Frank Sinatra no less-- and her mother, Maureen O’Sullivan mesmerised fans almost more than onscreen drama did.
Interesting Fact #4: Michael Landon, played the role of a rebelious young man in Peyton’s Place but despite all his sneers and acts of troublemaking he was actually engaged to one of America’s sweethearts during that period –and later an infamous HIV/AIDS victim–; Bonnie Franklin.
Leave It To The Decider?
Peyton Place aired for five seasons before being cancelled. Was it cancelled because ratings blew? Or due to declining plot development standards? Not entirely clear but what is certain- studio execs called curtains down when their own core principles were challenged!
Some believed that Foxboro lost its steam not only because the plot lines had been exhausted creatively speaking or perhaps because some pieces just fell apart due to unforeseen circumstances - both in front and behind camera. Yet another theory out there claimed very naughty off-screen “hook ups” between Mia Farrow & Ryan O'Neal leading towards negative media spotlight!
Interesting Fact #5: From visionary directors like Stanley Kubrick (2001 Space Odyssey) , Spielberg(E.T.), George Lucas(Star Wars), Oliver Stone(Pulp Fiction), David Lynch(Twin Peaks) etc., none could compete with Roland Joffe(Academy Award-winning director for ‘The Mission’); who directed some final episodes himself so effectively --it created truly ground-breaking no-holds-barred TV!
Overall if we were to ask whether "Peyton Place" held up excellently over time even though today's viewers may find cheesy yet nostalgic moments throughout...we’d respond defiantly yes as those characters felt actually flesh-and-blood real unlike many current globally streamed series done totally by robo-bots from usual mish-mash rehashed formulaic set-ups .