Shark Bytes

anyone know if the show will ever come out on DVD? I had all the epp.
of hotel on tape , but they where ruined when my basemrnt flooded.
Does any one hve them?

I don't think this show ever jumped. I loved Wednesday nights in the 80s and watching the whole Dynasty/Hotel back-to-back dramas. This was a great show.

A lesser-known fact is that after the novel, but before the TV series, there was a feature film (1968?) starring Rod Taylor as Peter McDermott and Melvyn Douglas as the crotchety owner. When they developed the TV show, it practically JTS from the beginning because Connie Selleca was a homeless drifter who just barged in and somehow landed a hotel asst. manager position! Bette Davis did not DIE after the pilot. She suffered a debilitating stroke and lived long enough to see the show on TV without her. She claimed (after seeing things like call girl Morgan Fairchild being raped, etc...) that it should have been called "Brothel"!! The great irony is that when Davis bowed out, who should step up to the plate but Anne Baxter who had played the evil Eve Harrington, circling Margo Channing in "All About Eve" and just waiting for the chance to swoop in and take over!! Once Anne died, the show incorporated a plotline all about the ownership of the St. Gregory and it was less an anthology than a soapy continuing story, complete with James Brolin and Connie Selleca's romance. This was when it truly jumped the shark and never recovered. besides, shows of this ilk ("The Love Boat", "Fantasy Island") were starting to die off. Still, in it's day, it offered a lot of great, glamorous entertainment with old stars and up-and-comers being revealed by the animated elevator in the opening credits.

HOTEL really had nothing to do with the Arthur Haily novel or the film version of said novel, though the series did borrow the name of the leading character, Peter MacDermott. That's where all resemblance ended. HOTEL was basically a dry-docked love boat anchored by James Brolin (who never looked sexier) and Connie Selleca (ditto)catering to guests plated by different guests stars every week. Bette Davis was originally cast as Laura Trent, the owner of the hotel, however, her death forced a recast with Anne Baxter playing her sister. This show had glamour and glitz and was a mindless way to spend an hour of television. Nothing earth-shattering but it kept my attention and, for it was, never jumped the shark.

I must agree with a previous poster who said that Anne Baxter's death was the moment. It just wasn't the same without her Mrs. Cabot character.

This show, which I loved, finally jumped the shark near the end. The beautiful Connie Selleca had a dark, dark secret, that she refused to tell the equally beautiful James Brolin. They carried this "secret" for a few episodes, and I believe the show went off the air before we found out what the secret was... By the end, I couldn't give a hoot WHAT that secret was, I just wanted Connie in some sexy dresses....

Christine becomes general manager only to have Peter, now an owner, constantly breathing down her neck and questioning her judgment. "Two ply toilet tissue, Christine?"

Special guest star Michele Phillips says "I'm a scientist, I work for the Space Program." Do I need to go on?

I'm surprised no one's mentioned the death of Victoria Cabot (played by Anne Baxter, who passed away from a stroke in real life during the series run). After her death, the elegance just seemed to have disappeared, and was just another 80s prime time soap opera. She certainly was a breath of elegance from a bygone era.

When James Brolin's and Connie Seleca's characters gave in to their sexual tensions. Same for Heidi Bohay and that dork bellman (they later got married in real life and did a commercial for a love song compilation CD.)

I remember watching an episode because Amanda Bearse and her future husband on "Married... with Children" made a guest appearance. What was his name...hmmmmmm....oh yeah TED McGINLEY!!! *"Jaws" theme plays in background*