American Heiress
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image = American Heiress143.jpg
| starring = Alicia Leigh Willis
| country = United States
| language = English
| network = MyNetworkTV
| company = 20th Century Fox Television
| location = San Diego, California
| first_aired = {{Start date|2007|3|13}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2007|7|18}}
| num_seasons = 1
| num_episodes = 65 (39 unaired)
}}
American Heiress is a telenovela which debuted on March 13, 2007 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on the American television network MyNetworkTV. This romantic melodrama tells the story of a roughneck pilot and a pampered heiress who survive a plane crash. The show was produced by Twentieth Television, based on the 2004 TV Azteca series La Heredera ("The Heiress").
Heiress was the last series produced for MyNetworkTV's original all-telenovela format. When the network dropped the serial after the July 18, 2007 broadcast, most episodes were left unaired. All 65 episodes aired overseas, and as of 2021 are available to stream on Tubi.{{Cite web|url=https://tubitv.com/series/4890/american-heiress?start=true|title = American Heiress}}
Story
{{main|List of American Heiress episodes}}
This limited-run serial follows the title character, Elizabeth Wakefield, played by Alicia Leigh Willis, from steamy rain forests to the high-stakes business world. After a terrifying crash in the family jet, the heiress falls in love with a fellow survivor, a hard-edged former Air Force pilot named JD Bruce (Carter MacIntyre).
The new couple then must struggle to survive in the lost jungles of Guatemala. Once back in civilization, the heiress soon finds herself in another tough situation. Against her family's wishes, she fights to keep the flames of passion burning. Meanwhile, her brother Damian makes deals with an arms dealer; he will do anything to protect his secret.
Production
Head writer Colet Abedi said she added "bitchy dialogue and fight scenes" to the original Mexican story.[http://www.out.com/detail.asp?id=22384 A Summer of Camp], Out.com, April 1, 2007 Late in production, about six episodes’ worth of scenes were never shot due to budget concerns. In addition, about 75 minutes of program were stretched to fill the two-hour weekly timeslot.{{Cite web|url=http://www.southflorida.com/movies/sfl-tvtjmynetmar12,0,469232.column?coll=sfe-tv-headlines|title=South Florida Movie Times & Reviews - South Florida Sun Sentinel - South Florida Sun-Sentinel}} Fox also received promotional consideration for this series from several automakers, including Cadillac, Jaguar and Lexus.
MyNetworkTV prepared to air this serial as 65 one-hour episodes on weekdays with a Saturday night recap. The network, facing low ratings, stopped development on future telenovelas.[http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11637 MyNetwork TV: No More Scripted] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070303074204/http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11637 |date=2007-03-03 }}, TV Week, March 1, 2007 American Heiress had already finished shooting at Stu Segall Productions in San Diego before the decision was announced.
Heiress was originally intended to run in syndication as To Love & Die under the "Secret Obsessions" umbrella title. MyNetworkTV's website listed the show as "part of the Desire series," however, referring to its other telenovela brand.
Two-hour installments aired on Wednesday evenings through April, when the show switched to a one-hour slot. MyNetworkTV announced plans to run this show and Saints & Sinners once per week until October,[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i91266009d4f35a6c1368f78df3983489 No upfront presentation from MyNetworkTV], Hollywood Reporter, April 25, 2007[https://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-06-10-mynetwork_N.htm MyNetwork takes it on the chin, rebounds], USA Today, June 11, 2007 with the remaining episodes appearing online.[https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117963744.html?categoryid=14&cs=1 MyNet nixes glitzy makeover], Variety.com, April 24, 2007 Network president Greg Meidel previously said the network would air the complete runs of both shows.[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i119db77792cbaa01c3aea7c87504cc77, MyNetTV execs, affils: Change is good] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930224347/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i119db77792cbaa01c3aea7c87504cc77, |date=2007-09-30 }}, Hollywood Reporter, March 9, 2007 However, the network unceremoniously yanked both telenovelas after the July 18, 2007 broadcast. Only 26 out of 65 hours aired.
Cast
| class="wikitable"
! Actor !! Role | |
| Alicia Leigh Willis | Elizabeth Wakefield |
| Carter MacIntyre | Captain JD Bruce |
| Theresa Russell | Jordan Wakefield |
| Race Owen | Damian Wakefield |
| AnnaLynne McCord | Loren Wakefield |
| Robert Buckley | Matthew Wakefield |
- Robert Buckley was also in the MyNetworkTV telenovela Fashion House.
- AnnaLynne McCord was also cast in the unproduced telenovela Rules of Deception.
- The Elizabeth Wakefield character in this series is not the same one played by Cynthia Daniel in Sweet Valley High.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|id=0884294|title=American Heiress}}
{{MyNetworkTV telenovelas}}
Category:2007 American television series debuts
Category:2007 American television series endings
Category:American television series based on telenovelas
Category:American primetime television soap operas
Category:MyNetworkTV original programming
Category:Television series by 20th Century Fox Television
Category:American television series based on Mexican television series