Few states have the sort of history Colorado has.
That’s why we here at Colorado’s Own Channel 2 have partnered up with our friends at History Colorado, to share a piece of our state’s past with you each week.
The museum’s executive director, Steve Turner, tells the tale of a famous TV show that’s Unique 2 Colorado!
From music to films and television, our country has always been a leader in popular culture. Many are familiar with the popular television show Dynasty, set in Denver, Colorado.
On January 12, 1981 the TV series Dynasty debuted. Dynasty was a primetime soap opera produced by Aaron Spelling. It showcased a wealthy family known as the Carringtons that resided in Denver. It was inspired by a similar show Dallas, which had left a legacy from their famous season finale leaving audiences wondering who had shot JR.
While Dallas aired on CBS, Dynasty became ABC’s evening drama. Dynasty also had a number of equally famous cliffhangers to guarantee viewers would tune in to their next episode.
Overall, the show lasted eight seasons with 220 episodes and even won a Golden Globe award for Best TV Drama. The television show helped make the 16th Street Mall and the Daniels and Fisher Tower very familiar to a generation of television viewers.
And we have a special tie to the show — our own Mike Landess appeared in several episodes in the 1980s. He played, you guessed it, a news reporter.
Editor’s Note: Our partners at History Colorado contributed to this report. The museum will provide Channel 2 viewers with a new history lesson about Colorado each Monday during our 4pm newscast.
