The Adams Chronicles

I am old enough to have seen this when it was originally presented on PBS. I also grew up in the shadows of Boston where most the mini series takes place.

I am currently listening to the audio CDs of JOHN ADAMS by David McCullough read by Edward Hermann which got me to thinking about how wonderful THE ADAMS CHRONICLES was. I came on IMDb looking for the series on DVD or VHS or in some form that would allow me to revisit it. Disappointedly it would seem not to be available in any of those forms.

If anyone KNOWS of or about a version or if this series may be run again on PBS would you please let me know.

I bought my copy back in 2009 or 2010 I would say; 4 DVD's, from amazon; recently made it to Quincy, the first 3 disks are very interesting and were obviously a back-bone and were reviewed for the HBO Adam's mini-series; many things are factually different when we first watched, the Adam's Chronicles is more accurate depiction of John and JQA. the later un-explored years of the Adam's family is unique, to my knowledge no other documentary exists beyond the lives of the original John and John Quincy Adams. One must also note and mention HENRY ADAMS who came to the shores of America within 50 years of Columbus landing here with 8 SONS, yes 8 sons, from Great Britain and founded co-founded or founded Quincy. I visited his grave site in Hancock Cemetery in the Center of Quincy. Amazing. What disappointed me is that the houses are surrounded by suburbs, I thought there would be vast farmlands, nope, it's all city. Very nice city. The town is pleasant and I encourage people that visit to stay close. May as well. We went to Boston for as much to visit Quincy, the old houses, Braintree, the presidential tombs, Abigal's birthplace and house, Hancock Cemetery and each great Italian. There is a GREAT Italian restaurant right down the street from the old houses. If's Magnificent! You must visit Alfredo's only a block up the street! You can buy tour tickets for the house downtown, and take their trolly's to do the escorted tours of the house, then go back and do pictures and have great Italian. It's worthwhile. First ever trip to Boston and we spent at least 50% of the time in Quincy.

The Boston Musiunm of Fine Arts has an excellent collection of George Washington and Adam's family portraits. Tickets are expensive BUT good for return visit. I think we could have gone back several times. The museum is superior to any other I've seen in the states and rivals anything I've seen in 3 European Country.

After so many years since the release of the ADAMS CHRONICLES I would like to thank PBS and WNET for this production. Grab your copy of this DVD collection on amazon if you can!!!!!!!!

It's been a long time (30 years) since one of the best mini-series on American History has been seen, not to mention a bit difficult to remember the details.

The Chronicles, produced for WNET/PBS New York for the 200 year Centennial Celebration is sitting in the station's vault. It has not been made available for re-airing or DVD, so it's difficult to express some of the most memorable moments. Therefore, whatever is said here, won't matter much as concerns your being able to see the program (at least as of this writing). I'd like to give a tiny bit of how it is now perceived via memory.

The program was perhaps most instrumental in inspiring awe for the greatness of our founders. The costumes were meticulous, the acting superb. It made one very proud to be a part of this great American experiment of freedom.

Seeing the portrayal of the life of four generations of this great family, it was John Adams the patriarch, played by George Grizzard that was the best part of the series (perhaps a part of the first six programs?). Please pardon my memory. When this program gets aired again, I hope to be back with an updated and complete review.

You can help bring it back to life by contacting WNET /13 in New York and PBS. Please do so.

I've also seen "The Adams Chronicles" in the mid-1970s when I was a College Student. I've skimmed through the published Adams Papers, witch lots of letters between Abigail and John Adams, and the series has captured the flavor of the Adams, with their love and intellectual exchanges with each other.

John Adams may have a lot to learn about good PR, but Abigail must have been one of the smartest and well-informed first ladies the US has ever had.

I wish I could buy the video series, but there appears to be none available. The film apparently is available in far-off university libraries throughout the country.

This Mini is by far one of the best to be produced by PBS. Its success was helped largely in part by the fact that it came out during the bicentennial year, but even had that not been the case it still would have done well. I certainly made me interested in American History, and I am sure that it probably inspired others as well.

The cast is populated by several well known Broadway and television actors (including William Daniels who does a turn this time as John Quincy rather than the role he created in "1776"), and the majority of the performances are outstanding, particularly George Grizzard, Kathryn Walker, and Pamela Payton-Wright. If you every get a chance to see this mini...DO!