The Forsyte Saga

The Forsyte Saga is a 1967 BBC television adaptation of John Galsworthy's series of The Forsyte Saga novels, and its sequel trilogy A Modern Comedy. The series follows the fortunes of the upper middle class Forsyte family, and stars Eric Porter as Soames, Kenneth More as Young Jolyon and Nyree Dawn Porter as Irene.

It was adapted for television and produced by Donald Wilson and was originally shown in twenty-six episodes on Saturday evenings between 7 January and 1 July 1967 on BBC2, at a time when only a small proportion of the population had television sets able to receive this channel. It was therefore the repeat on Sunday evenings on BBC1 starting on 8 September 1968 that secured the programme's success with 18 million tuning in for the final episode in 1969.

It was shown in the United States on public television and broadcast all over the world, and became the first BBC television series to be sold to the Soviet Union.

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Created By

Status

Ended

Original Name

The Forsyte Saga

First Air Date

January 7, 1967

Last Air Date

July 1, 1967

Seasons

1

Episodes

26

Language

English

Production Companies

BBC Television Centre

Networks

BBC Two

S01E26

Swan Song

The final episode of the series begins with an adulterous consummation, and ends in death. Jon succumbs to Fleur's seduction and immediately regrets his infidelity to his wife, Ann. It's apparent that Fleur will never give up, so Irene intercepts her at June's studio. Giving her a look at what the future will hold, she then drops a bombshell: Ann is pregnant with Jon's child. Soames advises a distraught Michael to stay the course, while Fleur must face the loss of Jon forever. A fire in Soames's picture gallery causes him a fatal injury, and as Fleur and Michael gingerly reconcile, Soames takes his final breath.

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