Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12, 1981, to May 11, 1989. The series, created by Richard and Esther Shapiro and produced by Aaron Spelling, revolves around the Carringtons, a wealthy family residing in Denver, Colorado. Dynasty stars John Forsythe as oil magnate Blake Carrington, Linda Evans as his new wife Krystle, and later Joan Collins as his former wife Alexis. A two-part miniseries, Dynasty: The Reunion, aired in October 1991.
Overview Main cast (opening credits in every episode) Semi-regular cast (opening credits in select episodes) Recurring guest star Guest star
Character Actor Seasons123456789Reunion Blake Carrington John Forsythe colspan="10" Krystle Carrington Linda Evans colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan="1" Fallon Carrington Pamela Sue Martin colspan="4" colspan="6" Emma Samms colspan="4" colspan="3" colspan="3" Claudia Blaisdel Carrington Pamela Bellwood colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="4" Steven Carrington Al Corley colspan="2" colspan="7" colspan="1" Jack Coleman colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="5" colspan="2" Jeff Colby John James colspan="5" colspan="2" colspan="3" Michael Culhane Wayne Northrop colspan="1" colspan="5" colspan="1" colspan="3" Lindsay Blaisdel Katy Kurtzman colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="8" Walter Lankershim Dale Robertson colspan="1" colspan="9" Matthew Blaisdel Bo Hopkins colspan="1" colspan="5" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="2" Joseph Anders Lee Bergere colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="6" Cecil Colby Lloyd Bochner colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="7" Alexis Colby Joan Collins colspan="1" colspan="9" Dr. Nick Toscanni James Farentino colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="8" Sammy Jo Carrington Heather Locklear colspan="1" colspan="5" colspan="4" Adam Carrington Gordon Thomson colspan="2" colspan="7" colspan="1" Robin Sachs colspan="9" colspan="1" Mark Jennings Geoffrey Scott colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="6" Kirby Anders Kathleen Beller colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="5" colspan="1" Tracy Kendall Deborah Adair colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="6" Peter De Vilbis Helmut Berger colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="6" Dex Dexter Michael Nader colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="5" colspan="1" Dominique Deveraux Diahann Carroll colspan="3" colspan="4" colspan="3" Brady Lloyd Billy Dee Williams colspan="4" colspan="1" colspan="6" Amanda Carrington Catherine Oxenberg colspan="4" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="4" Karen Cellini colspan="6" colspan="1" colspan="3" Daniel Reece Rock Hudson colspan="4" colspan="1" colspan="5" Ashley Mitchell Ali MacGraw colspan="4" colspan="1" colspan="5" Prince Michael of Moldavia Michael Praed colspan="4" colspan="2" colspan="4" Miles Colby Maxwell Caulfield colspan="5" colspan="1" colspan="3" colspan="1" Joel Abrigore George Hamilton colspan="5" colspan="1" colspan="4" Jason Colby Charlton Heston colspan="5" colspan="1" colspan="4" Constance Colby Barbara Stanwyck colspan="5" colspan="1" colspan="4" Sable Colby Stephanie Beacham colspan="5" colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="1" Monica Colby Tracy Scoggins colspan="5" colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="1" Bliss Colby Claire Yarlett colspan="5" colspan="1" colspan="5" Garrett Boydston Ken Howard colspan="5" colspan="1" colspan="4" Caress Morell Kate O'Mara colspan="5" colspan="2" colspan="3" Zachary Powers Ricardo Montalbán colspan="5" colspan="2" colspan="3" Ben Carrington Christopher Cazenove colspan="5" colspan="2" colspan="3" Clay Fallmont Ted McGinley colspan="5" colspan="2" colspan="3" Dana Waring Carrington Leann Hunley colspan="6" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" Leslie Carrington Terri Garber colspan="6" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="2" Sarah Curtis Cassie Yates colspan="6" colspan="1" colspan="3" Sean Rowan James Healey colspan="7" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" Arlen Marshall Michael Brandon colspan="9" colspan="1" Jeremy Van Dorn Jeroen Krabbé colspan="9" colspan="1"
Cast notes
Main
Blake Carrington (John Forsythe (original cast), 1981–1989; 1991) The self-made CEO of Denver-Carrington and the principal character of the series. Married to his former secretary Krystle Jennings, he has four grown children with his scheming ex-wife Alexis, and later a daughter with Krystle. Initially a ruthless man in both business and family matters, Blake softens into a more benevolent patriarchal figure early on in the series.
Krystle Grant Jennings Carrington (Linda Evans (original cast), 1981–1989; 1991) Blake's younger wife, former wife of tennis pro Mark Jennings and the one-time lover of married geologist Matthew Blaisdel. Krystle is the mother, with Blake, of Krystina, and the aunt of Sammy Jo Dean, the only child of her late sister Iris and Daniel Reece.
Fallon Carrington Colby (Pamela Sue Martin (original cast), 1981–1984; Emma Samms, 1985–1989, 1991) The second born and elder daughter of Blake and Alexis, the wife of Jeff Colby and the mother, with Jeff, of "Little Blake" and Lauren Colby. As a young woman, she has affairs with chauffeur Michael Culhane, playboy Peter De Vilbis, tennis pro Mark Jennings, doctor Nick Toscanni, and Colby heir, Miles Colby, whom she marries briefly. Fallon and Jeff leave Denver as the primary focus of the spin-off series The Colbys, and then return to Dynasty in 1987.
Claudia Blaisdel Carrington (Pamela Bellwood (original cast), 1981–1986) The emotionally fragile wife of Matthew Blaisdel, mother of Lindsay, and at one time a close friend of Krystle. When introduced, Claudia had recently been released from a psychiatric hospital. She befriends Steven and they soon have an affair. She is forced to confess on the stand at Blake's murder trial, and Matthew leaves her and takes Lindsay. When she finds out that Lindsay has died, she becomes unhinged and is sent off to a hospital again. She returns and resumes her relationship with Steven, and they marry. Eventually the marriage ends over Steven's sexual confusion, and Claudia marries Adam. Claudia begins to lose her sanity again and dies in a fire she starts accidentally at La Mirage.
Steven Carrington (Al Corley (original cast), 1981–1982; 1991; Jack Coleman, 1983–1988) The sexually confused, third born and younger son of Blake and Alexis who, despite his conviction that he is homosexual, marries Sammy Jo Dean and Claudia Blaisdel. With Sammy Jo, he fathers Danny Carrington. At different times, the lover of Ted Dinard, Luke Fuller and Bart Fallmont. Steven eventually ends up with Bart in the reunion movie.
Jeff Colby (John James (original cast), 1981–1989; 1991) The nephew and protege of Cecil Colby who raised him at Nine Oaks, the Colby estate in Denver which neighbors the Carrington estate. Married to Fallon and briefly to Kirby Anders, he is the father of L.B. and Lauren with Fallon. Fallon and Jeff leave Denver as the primary focus of the spin-off series The Colbys, and then return to Dynasty in 1987. At different times, Jeff is involved with Nicole Simpson, Lady Ashley Mitchell, and Leslie Carrington.
Michael Culhane (Wayne Northrop (original cast), 1981; 1986–1987) The Carrington chauffeur, who is involved in a sexual relationship with heiress Fallon. Michael proves useful to Blake in his shady business dealings, but Blake has him beaten up when he learns of his relationship with Fallon. Michael leaves town in the first season finale episode, "The Testimony". He returns in the seventh season premiere "The Victory", in time to save Fallon's sister Amanda Carrington from a fire at La Mirage. The two become romantically involved as Blake gives Michael his job as Blake's driver back, but Blake fires him when he sees the couple kissing. An angry Michael, not really as poor as he has let on, secretly orchestrates a deal that would give him a piece of Blake's latest venture, but Amanda's mother Alexis reveals his schemes, and he leaves Denver again in "The Sublet".
(Katy Kurtzman (original cast), 1981) Sensitive teenage daughter of Matthew and Claudia. With fragile Claudia newly released from a sanitarium after a breakdown, mother and daughter are trying to reconnect. Hurt and traumatized by the ordeal, Lindsay is further swept up in her parents' domestic troubles. Matthew leaves the country with Lindsay after discovering Claudia's affair with Steven in "The Testimony". Claudia subsequently does everything within her power—including things she finds despicable—to find Lindsay. Matthew and Lindsay are later presumed dead in a car crash in the Peruvian jungle. Matthew mentions to Krystle during his 1987 return that though he survived, Lindsay died from the injuries she sustained in the crash.
(Dale Robertson (original cast), 1981) Oil wildcatter, and Matthew's longtime friend. Walter does not take kindly the shady tactics of his business rival Blake, and goes into business with Matthew. Walter last appears in "The Beating". His death is noted in the season six episode "The Proposal" (1985), in which he leaves Claudia his and Matthew's first oil well, Lankershim-Blaisdel 1. The reveal that the well is dry and worthless precipitates Claudia's final mental breakdown.
(Bo Hopkins (original cast), 1981; 1987) Denver–Carrington geologist and Krystle's former lover. Matthew returns to Denver from the Middle East on the eve of Krystle's marriage to Blake. He struggles with his feelings for Krystle as he tries to rebuild his marriage with fragile Claudia, newly released from an institution after a breakdown. Matthew leaves Blake's employ to run his own rig, and soon their rivalry over Krystle transforms into a fierce rivalry over oil. Meanwhile, Claudia's friendship with Blake's son Steven turns into an affair; when the secret comes out, Matthew takes his and Claudia's daughter Lindsay and leaves town. They are later presumed dead in a car crash in the jungles of Peru. Matthew returns in 1987; he and Lindsay had been rescued from the crash by a jungle tribe who saved his life, though Lindsay later died from her injuries. Aided by his Peruvian minions, Matthew storms the Carrington mansion. He wants Krystle to run off with him, and holds the family hostage when she resists. Matthew takes them to the site of his original oil rig, and is eventually killed by his old friend Steven in "The Siege".
Joseph Anders (Lee Bergere (original cast), 1981–1983) The Carringtons' longtime majordomo, who is staunchly loyal to Blake and takes an immediate dislike to his new bride Krystle. Krystle rises to the challenge and they eventually share a mutual respect. Joseph later shows a deeper loathing for Blake's first wife Alexis, which is further exacerbated by Alexis' ill treatment of Joseph's daughter, Kirby. At the end of season three, Alexis and Krystle are trapped in a cabin that is then set on fire. They survive, and it is eventually revealed that Joseph had set the fire to kill Alexis after she had threatened to disclose a secret related to Kirby's parentage. After learning this, Blake drives to Joseph's home, but is too late as the guilty Joseph has killed himself by way of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in "The Bungalow".
(Lloyd Bochner (original cast), 1981–1982)