The Survivors

This was a glamorous and expensively filmed soap created by Harold Robbins when he was at the height of his success as a best selling author [The Carpetbaggers and The Adventurers]. Due to these books having popular and successful film adaptions, ABC asked him to come up with a rich family saga that was glamorous and international. The result starred Lana Turner and was notable for the debut of Jan Michael Vincent as her son. Filming was begun based on Robbins' treatment/scripts, and then it was scrapped [including extensive location footage shot on the Riviera], and it was rescripted and shot without his involvement.

Also different about this production was the show was 45 minutes long, the first of a pair of 45 minute show, in the hopes that ABC might keep viewers from switching channels when Lana's vehicle ended. The project failed and was cancelled after 12 episodes.