The Americans

1961 was the much-promoted Centennial of the Civil War. There were all sorts of specials, and docu-series, and articles in LIFE magazine, etc. This TV drama was excellent with a brother against brother theme. The fact that it lasted one year says a lot about the audience rather than the show. This was quality TV - and cross-reference "Arrest and Trial" (the precursor of "Law and Order") to see how long some quality shows last. I even remember in grade school trying to get classmates to watch "The Americans" with no luck. Their loss. And in this age of gutter, juvenile, and vicious humor a thoughtful drama like this won't ever be rerun or even on video. Too bad. With the right marketing there are enough Civil War enthusiasts to make video sales feasible. It was a memorable series showing how the war tore America apart.

I really liked this show, The Americans. I can't believe it was only on for a year! Civil War action, what more did a kid want back then? (Except maybe the Alamo.) Thanks to IMDB for having some info about it. And thanks to Candace for steering me here because apparently nobody else has bothered to deal with this excellent show. At least I remember it as excellent. If I saw it today, it might not live up to my rosy memory, but I'd like to give it a try. Some old TV shows weren't preserved, and it would be a shame if this old show became 'history', literally. We can only hope for the best. I'd like to share it with my kids. It beats much of what is on TV today for youngsters. What will our kids be reminiscing about in their later years? Don't get me started. One more thing --- I've enjoyed reading all the comments by everybody and I have to say, I don't recall the 'Daisy May' episode. But I was only about 8 years old at the time and probably considered that one boring. Also, it would be great to find a web site with some photos from the show. Let's keep searching.

I have remembered this TV series for nearly 40 years. It was a heart tugging series, about two brothers fighting the Civil War. One brother was in the Union Army and the other in the Confederate Army.

You just knew one day they would meet face to face on the battlefield, and you just didn't want that to happen. You drew yourself to each of the brothers, in their individual stories of the war.

Good history of times past, warm family feelings torn apart by war.

There is room for a new TV series based upon this story line, today. I hope some producer picks it up and goes with it.

Darryl Hickman has been one of my favorite actors of all time. Both my sister and I memorized the opening credits which are: One hundred years ago, Americans, both North and South, gripped by opposing yet sincere beliefs fought the war between the states. From this struggle emerged a new character, a new America. To the brave and gallant soldiers of the union and confederacy, we dedicate this program. Through the eyes of two young brothers, Ben and Jeff Canfield we will relive once more the tumultuous days of the blue and the gray the story of the Americans.

We loved this show and unfortunately have not been able to see it for over forty years. I was hoping we could get a DVD of it so if anyone knows where, please let us know. His picture with Dick Davalos and Gigi Perreau in their roles on the Americans appeared on the cover of a TV Guide issue in 1961. Darryl Hickman was also on Broadway in How to Succeed in Business around 1964. We loved him as Davey on Dobie Gillis. I have seen the majority of his movies. I would love to be able to write to him and let him know how much he is appreciated or at least to be able to get a picture of him.

I still remember as a kid seeing this shortlived, but highly acclaimed series that didn't find an audience.

The premise was the two Canfield Brothers, living in a border state, having an opposite political view of the issues that were shortly to divide America. When their father, John McIntire, is killed. Darryl Hickman responds to Father Abraham's call for men while Richard Davalos opts for the newly formed Confederacy.

It was like that in a whole lot of families back then. The famous Kentucky statesman John Crittenden saw two of his sons become generals in the opposing armies. Though Ben and Jeff Canfield never got to be higher than corporal in the series short run, the idea is the same. Each week the story alternated with a Union story involving Ben and a Confederate story involving Jeff. Kind of like the Maverick brothers.

This was obviously planned for a long term run, though not as long as MASH which lasted three times as long as the actual Korean War itself. It also treated the issues and incidents of the time with seriousness.

Those thirteen episodes dealt with some of the events and people of 1861. Dick Davalos got himself involved with the notorious Confederate spy, Rose Greenhow in an episode. Darryl Hickman did a stretch in Libby Prison when he was captured.

Besides the pilot the episode I remember best was the last where Ben Canfield testifies at a Congressional hearing. The Radical Republicans had a committee that oversaw Lincoln's conduct of the war and his critics in Congress used it as a vehicle for their own ambitions. It concerned the Battle of Ball's Bluff where a personal friend of Lincoln's, Edward Baker was killed leading his men in a charge. Robert Middleton played Senator Ben Wade of Ohio who has not come down in history with a sterling reputation. In fact Wade almost became president when Andrew Johnson fell one vote shy of impeachment. But that's another story.

Had this gone on for five years, The Americans would have been a remarkable educational tool and been frequently revived. Think of all the Civil War history that could have been made comprehensible and entertaining for the young. We had to wait 30 years for Ken Burns.

As with so many flop series, good and bad, The Americans if the tapes of the shows still exist is gathering dust somewhere. Pity.