Hotel (American TV series)

Hotel is an American primetime soap opera series which aired on ABC from September 21, 1983, to May 5, 1988, in the timeslot following Dynasty.

Based on Arthur Hailey's 1965 novel of the same name (which had also inspired a 1967 feature film), the series was produced by Aaron Spelling and set in the elegant and fictitious St. Gregory Hotel in San Francisco (changed from the New Orleans setting of the novel and film). Establishing shots of the hotel were filmed in front of the Fairmont San Francisco atop the Nob Hill neighborhood. Episodes followed the activities of passing guests, as well as the personal and professional lives of the hotel staff.

The distribution rights to the series were originally owned by Warner Bros. Television Distribution, until 2006 when CBS Paramount Network Television bought the television libraries and properties of Spelling Entertainment Inc. from Paramount Pictures Domestic Distribution and Viacom Enterprises.

Premise
Rich aristocrat Victoria Cabot (Anne Baxter) runs the St. Gregory Hotel, assisted by general manager Peter McDermott (James Brolin) and his staff. McDermott and assistant general manager Christine Francis (Connie Sellecca) became romantically involved. Halfway through the series Cabot died, leaving McDermott her share of the St. Gregory Hotel. When McDermott inherited half of the St. Gregory, he ran the hotel and promoted Francis to general manager.

Other staff members included: the guest relations director Mark Danning (Shea Farrell); ex-conman now head of hotel security, Billy Griffin (Nathan Cook); reception manager Julie Gillette (Shari Belafonte); young couple Dave and Megan Kendall (real life spouses Michael Spound and Heidi Bohay), a bellhop and a desk clerk, respectively; and Harry the bartender (Harry George Phillips). Characters Eric Lloyd (Ty Miller); Cheryl Dolan (Valerie Landsburg) and Ryan Thomas (Susan Walters) were added to the cast during its final season.

Cast members Brolin, Sellecca, Belafonte and Cook appeared in every episode of the series. In later years, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., made numerous guest appearances as an opponent of Victoria Cabot and Peter McDermott who plants his daughter, played by Michelle Phillips, in the hotel staff as the concierge.

Bette Davis appeared in the pilot episode as hotel owner Laura Trent, and publicity for the series indicated that Davis was to be a regular on the program. However, the onset of ill health forced Davis to withdraw from the series and Anne Baxter, who had played her nemesis in the 1950 film All About Eve, was brought in as Victoria Cabot, Mrs. Trent's sister-in-law. When Davis' health improved it was intended to bring her back; however, with Baxter on board fulfilling the series matriarchal role it was decided to make Davis' character an offscreen character, who though mentioned, was never seen. Coincidentally, Davis would outlive Baxter by four years and the series itself by over a year.

Similar to Spelling's other ABC show, The Love Boat, episodes of Hotel relied heavily on the appearance of recognizable guest stars. However, unlike The Love Boat's comedic story lines, Hotel generally broached more serious and controversial subject matter, such as abortion, infidelity, rape, suicide, AIDS, homophobia, spousal abuse and child molestation.

Guest stars

 * Ian Abercrombie
 * David Ackroyd 5/13
 * Deborah Adair 2/3, 3/6, 4/1, 5/4
 * Maud Adams 3/13
 * Neile Adams
 * Claude Akins 2/11, 3/6
 * Eddie Albert 3/4
 * Frank Aletter
 * Denise Alexander 1/23
 * Ana Alicia
 * Chad Allen
 * Steve Allen
 * Bridgette Andersen
 * Carl Anderson 3/20
 * Melissa Sue Anderson 1/23, 3/3
 * Melody Anderson 3/19
 * Susan Anton
 * Army Archerd
 * Mackenzie Astin 2/12, 3/9
 * Christopher Atkins 3/7
 * Brian Avery
 * Leah Ayres
 * Lew Ayres  1/22
 * Barbara Babcock 2/10
 * Jane Badler 3/8
 * Vincent Baggetta 2/12
 * Scott Baio   1/9
 * Rebecca Balding
 * Alec Baldwin
 * Martin Balsam 4/18
 * Adrienne Barbeau 1/15, 4/10
 * Priscilla Barnes 2/8, 5/2
 * Douglas Barr 3/5
 * Gene Barry 5/3
 * Ivor Barry
 * Bonnie Bartlett
 * Jaime Lyn Bauer
 * Barbara Baxley 2/6
 * Amanda Bearse
 * Jenny Beck
 * John Beck 4/10
 * Ralph Bellamy 3/8, 4/1, 4/2
 * Dirk Benedict 5/10
 * Polly Bergen
 * Shelley Berman
 * Jason Bernard
 * Theodore Bikel 2/12
 * Tony Bill 2/1
 * Susan Blakely 3/16, 4/19
 * Ronee Blakley 5/12
 * Lloyd Bochner 1/1, 3/2, 5/13
 * Earl Boen
 * Heidi Bohay 5/11
 * Tom Bosley 3/14, 4/16
 * Barbara Bosson 5/15
 * Pamela Bowman
 * William Boyett
 * Danielle Brisebois 1/14
 * Morgan Brittany 1/21, 4/2
 * Ellen Bry 3/23
 * Lee Bryant
 * Delta Burke 4/9
 * Paul Burke 1/6, 4/2
 * Timothy Busfield 3/3
 * Dean Butler 4/22
 * Jean Byron
 * Jeffrey Byron
 * Brandon Call
 * John Callahan
 * Joseph Campanella
 * Billy Campbell
 * Katherine Cannon 1/19
 * Diana Canova 1/7
 * Paul Carafotes
 * Karen Carlson 5/5
 * Peggy Cass 1/4
 * Maxwell Caulfield 4/11
 * Dick Cavett 2/5
 * Paul Cavonis
 * Lonny Chapman 1/22
 * Doran Clark 3/14
 * George Clooney 3/13
 * Philip Coccioletti 1/15
 * Scott Coffey 3/17
 * Gary Collins 1/13
 * Anjanette Comer 5/2
 * Jeff Conaway 4/17
 * Didi Conn
 * William Conrad 3/10, 3/11
 * Michael Constantine  1/9
 * Frank Converse 3/21
 * Bert Convy 2/3, 4/3
 * Alex Cord 2/2
 * Lydia Cornell 1/23, 3/15
 * Aneta Corsaut
 * Cathy Lee Crosby 1/7, 4/15, 4/16
 * Mary Crosby 1/18, 3/6
 * Scatman Crothers 1/8
 * Patricia Crowley
 * Melinda Culea  2/5
 * Robert Culp 3/14, 4/19
 * Jon Cypher 3/19
 * Abby Dalton 1/8, 5/9
 * Stuart Damon 3/7
 * Cesare Danova
 * Kim Darby 2/7
 * John Davidson 1/10, 2/6
 * Phyllis Davis 1/17
 * Bruce Davison 2/11
 * Laraine Day 3/5
 * Rosemary DeCamp
 * Kim Delaney 4/7
 * Johnny Depp 4/15
 * Robert Desiderio
 * Bradford Dillman 1/21
 * Elinor Donahue 1/10
 * Juliana Donald 5/13
 * James Doohan 2/4
 * Sarah Douglas 3/21
 * Peter Duchin
 * Howard Duff 1/23
 * Julia Duffy
 * Patrick Duffy 3/1
 * Patty Duke 2/12
 * Nancy Dussault 5/5
 * Herb Edelman
 * Samantha Eggar 3/9
 * Nicole Eggert
 * Stephen Elliott 3/10, 3/11, 5/7
 * Ron Ely 1/4
 * Chad Everett 5/2
 * Greg Evigan 4/5
 * Joel Fabiani
 * Nanette Fabray 1/1, 3/18
 * Morgan Fairchild 1/1
 * Lola Falana 3/22
 * Stephanie Faracy 4/17
 * Alan Feinstein 3/20
 * José Ferrer 1/16
 * Mel Ferrer 3/8
 * Miguel Ferrer
 * Gail Fisher
 * Fern Fitzgerald
 * Joan Fontaine 3/18
 * Bette Ford 3/7
 * Steve Forrest 1/18
 * Robert Forster 4/15
 * Kimberly Foster
 * Bernard Fox
 * Jonathan Frakes
 * Anthony Franciosa 4/8
 * Genie Francis 2/5, 4/18
 * Melissa Francis
 * Charles Frank 2/5, 3/23
 * Gary Frank 1/22
 * Steve Franken
 * Mary Frann 2/2, 3/1
 * Eva Gabor 1/21
 * Boyd Gaines 1/18, 4/6
 * Don Galloway 1/21
 * Teresa Ganzel 2/4
 * Beverly Garland 2/12
 * George Gaynes 3/12
 * Anthony Geary 3/5
 * Judy Geeson
 * Susan George 3/21
 * Estelle Getty 2/1
 * Jack Gilford 1/1
 * Richard Gilliland
 * Hermione Gingold 1/4
 * Justin Gocke
 * Grant Goodeve 4/3
 * Marjoe Gortner
 * Walter Gotell 2/1
 * Stewart Granger 1/2, 4/19
 * Karen Grassle 1/12
 * Erin Gray  3/15
 * Andy Griffith
 * Scott Grimes
 * David Groh
 * Harry Guardino 4/3
 * Robert Guillaume 4/10
 * Moses Gunn 3/24
 * Molly Hagan 4/22
 * Albert Hague 1/11, 5/10
 * Deidre Hall 2/4
 * Dorian Harewood
 * Pat Harrington Jr. 3/17
 * Jenilee Harrison 4/17
 * Marilyn Hassett 1/20
 * Richard Hatch 1/2, 3/9, 4/19
 * Lloyd Haynes
 * David Hedison 4/11
 * Tippi Hedren 5/12
 * Alex Henteloff
 * Lynn Herring
 * Jon-Erik Hexum 1/15
 * Martin Hewitt 1/12
 * Alice Hirson
 * Earl Holliman 3/24
 * Robert Hooks 1/3, 5/17
 * Bo Hopkins 1/20
 * James Houghton 1/10, 2/6
 * Ken Howard 1/16, 3/1
 * Gary Hudson
 * Barnard Hughes  1/16
 * Engelbert Humperdinck 1/20
 * Leann Hunley  4/1
 * Barry Ingham
 * Vincent Irizarry 5/6
 * Bianca Jagger 3/24
 * Art James
 * Dawn Jeffory 1/8
 * Anne Jeffreys 1/15
 * Barry Jenner
 * Arte Johnson 1/11
 * Laura Johnson
 * Michelle Johnson 2/2
 * Renée Jones
 * Shirley Jones 1/1, 4/12
 * Louis Jourdan 1/21
 * Elaine Joyce 1/9
 * Steve Kanaly 1/17, 2/11
 * Dianne Kay 1/11
 * Caren Kaye 5/13
 * Lainie Kazan 1/1, 5/6
 * Stacey Keach 1/16
 * Charles Keating
 * Steven Keats 1/20
 * Virginia Keehne 3/16
 * Sally Kellerman 1/23
 * Ken Kercheval 1/7, 3/12
 * Lance Kerwin 1/17
 * Wendy Kilbourne 3/22
 * Richard Kiley  2/10
 * Dana Kimmell
 * Richard Kline 2/22
 * Patricia Klous 1/10
 * Pete Kowanko 2/7
 * Terence Knox 2/22
 * Jack Kruschen 3/23
 * Mimi Kuzyk 3/7
 * Matthew Laborteaux 5/12
 * Carlos Lacámara
 * Margaret Ladd 4/15
 * Lorenzo Lamas 1/11
 * Martin Landau 1/8
 * Audrey Landers 3/10
 * Hope Lange 1/6, 4/7
 * Heather Langenkamp 5/7
 * Robert Lansing 3/13
 * Louise Latham 4/4
 * Piper Laurie
 * Carol Lawrence 2/9
 * George Lazenby 1/15
 * Robin Leach 4/19
 * Sabrina LeBeauf 4/10
 * Christian LeBlanc
 * Ruta Lee 2/7
 * Frederic Leehne 5/16
 * Kay Lenz 1/14, 5/4
 * Terry Lester 3/7
 * Liberace 1/11
 * Gordon Lightfoot 5/12
 * Viveca Lindfors  3/1
 * June Lockhart 3/16
 * Heather Locklear 1/3
 * Gary Lockwood 5/2
 * Claudia Lonow 4/13
 * Gloria Loring
 * Laurence Luckinbill 4/20
 * Carol Lynley 1/9
 * Gavin MacLeod 2/9
 * Stephen Macht 4/4
 * Patrick Macnee
 * Bill Macy 1/1
 * Robert Mandan 4/21
 * Larry Manetti 2/2
 * Monte Markham 1/13, 4/19
 * Peter Marshall 1/13
 * Barney Martin
 * Jared Martin 2/9, 4/7
 * John H. Martin
 * Gregg Marx
 * Tom Mason 5/4
 * Deborah May
 * Rod McCary 1/19, 3/23
 * Kevin McCarthy 3/5
 * Constance McCashin 1/13
 * Leigh McCloskey 1/5, 3/12
 * John McCook 1/14
 * Patty McCormack 1/18
 * Roddy McDowall 2/1
 * Mary Kate McGeehan 4/4
 * Ted McGinley 3/19, 5/7
 * Dorothy McGuire
 * John McIntire 1/7
 * Philip McKeon
 * Audrey Meadows 3/4
 * Jayne Meadows
 * Lee Meriwether 3/9
 * Dina Merrill 1/18, 4/1, 4/2
 * Art Metrano 2/4
 * Vera Miles 1/18, 2/12, 3/3, 4/22
 * Nolan Miller
 * John Mills 3/22
 * Juliet Mills 2/9, 4/11
 * Brian Stokes Mitchell
 * Mary Ann Mobley 2/7
 * Melba Moore
 * Erin Moran 1/1
 * Michael Moriarty  3/17
 * Phil Morris
 * William R. Moses 4/13
 * Kate Mulgrew 5/3
 * Edward Mulhare 4/22
 * Ben Murphy 2/3
 * Timothy Patrick Murphy 1/15, 2/8
 * Don Murray 4/14
 * Ed Nelson 5/5
 * Tracy Nelson 1/2
 * Lois Nettleton
 * Haing S. Ngor 3/17
 * Denise Nicholas
 * Leslie Nielsen
 * Jeanette Nolan 1/7
 * Maidie Norman 1/8
 * Christopher Norris 1/4, 4/17, 5/15
 * Wayne Northrop 3/8, 5/8
 * Danny Nucci
 * Margaret O'Brien 1/11
 * Donald O'Connor 1/11
 * Ken Olandt 4/16
 * Ken Olin 4/17
 * Patrick O'Neal
 * Dick O'Neill 2/22, 5/15
 * David Opatoshu
 * Alan Oppenheimer
 * Eleanor Parker 1/11
 * Sarah Jessica Parker 3/21
 * Barbara Parkins 1/9
 * Julie Parrish  3/14
 * Lorna Patterson 5/7
 * Neva Patterson 4/5
 * Lisa Pelikan 4/3
 * Thaao Penghlis 2/10
 * John Bennett Perry 3/18
 * Nehemiah Persoff
 * Donna Pescow 1/6, 5/10
 * Roberta Peters 4/9
 * Joanna Pettet 1/14
 * Michelle Phillips 1/5, 3/20, 4/2, 4/3, 4/4, 4/5, 4/6
 * River Phoenix 2/4
 * Robert Pine 1/12
 * Don Porter 1/9
 * Markie Post 1/21
 * Tom Poston  3/4
 * Cliff Potts 2/6, 4/22, 5/9
 * Lawrence Pressman 3/15
 * Lindsay Price
 * Marc Price 4/16
 * Barry Primus
 * Jonathan Prince 3/17
 * Cristina Raines 1/13, 4/20
 * Dack Rambo 1/5, 5/1
 * Lynn Redgrave  1/6, 4/9
 * Robert Reed 1/5, 2/4, 4/9
 * Shanna Reed
 * Duncan Regehr 3/10, 3/11
 * Dee Dee Rescher
 * Alejandro Rey 1/1
 * Debbie Reynolds 3/23
 * Peter Mark Richman 5/12
 * Debi Richter 3/1
 * DeAnne Robbins 1/9
 * Pernell Roberts  1/1
 * Tony Roberts
 * Charlie Robinson 3/20
 * Chris Robinson 4/8
 * Alex Rocco 5/6
 * Eugene Roche 4/4, 5/10
 * Ginger Rogers 5/1
 * Tristan Rogers 4/1
 * Jamie Rose 5/14
 * Margot Rose
 * Arthur Rosenberg 3/16
 * Marion Ross 3/2
 * John Rubinstein 5/17
 * Barbara Rush  3/12
 * Mitchell Ryan 1/23
 * Michael Sabatino 3/2
 * Emma Samms 1/15
 * Casey Sander
 * Debra Sandlund
 * Doug Savant
 * John Saxon 5/9
 * William Schallert 3/25
 * Emily Schulman
 * Tracy Scoggins 5/3
 * Peter Scolari 3/10
 * Geoffrey Scott 2/6
 * Martha Scott  5/7
 * Melody Thomas Scott
 * Ted Shackelford 1/23, 5/1
 * Madeleine Sherwood 4/7
 * Dinah Shore 4/21
 * Charles Siebert 3/15, 5/5
 * Cynthia Sikes 3/3
 * Jean Simmons 1/10
 * Marc Singer 4/21
 * James Sloyan
 * Martha Smith 4/4
 * Shelley Smith 2/6
 * Jan Smithers 1/20, 3/19
 * Tom Smothers 1/17
 * Michael Spound 5/11
 * Tori Spelling 1/12, 3/9, 4/18
 * Robert Stack 1/18, 2/12
 * James Stacy 3/6
 * John Standing 4/13
 * Mary Stavin
 * Helen Stenborg 1/16
 * James Stephens 5/14
 * Robert Sterling 1/15
 * Andrew Stevens 4/18
 * Connie Stevens  1/3
 * Craig Stevens 1/11, 3/4
 * Morgan Stevens 2/8, 4/14
 * Naomi Stevens
 * Stella Stevens 2/2
 * McLean Stevenson 1/14
 * Parker Stevenson 1/8
 * Catherine Mary Stewart 2/10
 * Dee Wallace Stone 3/15
 * Edson Stroll
 * Brenda Strong
 * Don Stroud 3/10, 3/11
 * Barbara Stuart
 * Lynn Swann 2/22
 * Inga Swenson 5/13
 * Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
 * Vic Tayback  1/6
 * Elizabeth Taylor  2/1
 * Josh Taylor 5/8
 * Leigh Taylor-Young 1/5, 4/8
 * Lauren Tewes 2/2, 4/9
 * Roy Thinnes 1/19
 * Charlene Tilton 1/6
 * Berlinda Tolbert
 * Mel Torme  1/1
 * Leslie Uggams 4/12
 * Kim Johnston Ulrich
 * Karen Valentine 4/20
 * Granville Van Dusen 2/4, 5/14
 * Merete Van Kamp 5/16, 5/17
 * Dick Van Patten 1/4, 3/1
 * Deborah Van Valkenburgh
 * Robert Vaughn 1/4
 * Gwen Verdon 4/20
 * Kate Vernon 4/5, 3/5
 * Jan-Michael Vincent 4/6
 * Kristina Wagner
 * Garry Walberg
 * Robert Walden 5/17
 * Susan Walden
 * Dee Wallace 2/1, 5/6
 * Jessica Walter 3/14
 * Sela Ward 4/5
 * Jennifer Warren 4/14
 * Carl Weintraub  5/15
 * Carry Wells 1/5
 * Betty White 2/5
 * Stuart Whitman 4/21
 * Larry Wilcox 1/19, 2/7
 * Lisa Wilcox
 * Paul Winfield 2/8
 * Edward Winter
 * Shelley Winters 1/22
 * Iggie Wolfington 1/12
 * Karen Woncemore 1/14
 * Jane Wyatt 1/12, 6/7
 * Sharon Wyatt 2/9
 * Jeff Yagher 4/7
 * Claire Yarlett 5/5
 * Cassie Yates 1/19, 5/9
 * Efrem Zimbalist Jr. 2/2, 4/1-4/7, 5/14
 * Adrian Zmed 3/10, 5/8

Soundtrack
The theme music used for the opening titles was composed by Henry Mancini, who composed famous songs such as "Moon River", "Charade" and "Days of Wine and Roses".

Home media
On July 21, 2009, Paramount Home Entertainment and CBS DVD released Season 1 of Arthur Hailey's Hotel on DVD in Region 1. The episodes are uncut, with most of them clocking in at over 48 minutes, and some coming in at just a shade under that.

On October 20, 2015, Visual Entertainment released Hotel – The Complete Collection on DVD in Region 1 for the first time in a 29-disc box set.

On December 6, 2016, VEI re-released the complete series in a condensed, 20-disc edition. The discs were all compiled in a single, jumbo DVD case (the original complete series edition was released with each individual season contained in five individual DVD cases). The box claims the discs to be Region 1 protected but Seasons 1, 2 and 3 are actually region-free.

Remake
In 2003, Aaron Spelling tried to remake the show, twenty years after the original's premiere. The pilot, which starred Michael Jai White and Christina Vidal, was shot for UPN, which passed on the show.