A Death in California

A Death in California
Original newspaper advertisement
GenreCrime drama
Teleplay byE. Jack Neuman
Directed byDelbert Mann
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes2
Production
Running time188 minutes[1]
Original release
NetworkABC[2]
ReleaseMay 12 (1985-05-12) –
May 13, 1985 (1985-05-13)[3]

A Death in California is a 1985 American crime drama television miniseries directed by Delbert Mann and starring Cheryl Ladd, Sam Elliott, Alexis Smith, and Fritz Weaver. It follows a Beverly Hills socialite (Ladd) who experiences Stockholm syndrome over a psychotic killer (Elliott) after he murders her fiancé and then rapes and terrorizes her at a ranch in Tulare County, California. It is based on the 1981 book of the same name by Joan Barthel, which chronicled the real-life assault against Los Angeles socialite Hope Masters and the murder of her fiancé, Bill Ashlock, in 1973.[4][5]

The series received some critical acclaim, and was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards.

Cast

Release

A Death in California premiered in two parts, the first airing on ABC on May 12, 1985, followed by the second on May 13, 1985.[3]

Home media

The Warner Archive Collection released A Death in California on made-on-demand DVD on January 10, 2010.[1]

Reception

Sam Elliott, Alexis Smith, and Cheryl Ladd in a publicity still for A Death in California

Critical response

Lawrence Van Gelder of The New York Times praised Ladd and Elliot's lead performances, concluding: "At four hours—A Death in California... is slightly padded. But the story, which gets off to a violent beginning, possesses an eerie fascination throughout and maintains suspense to its chilling finish."[6] Judy Flander of the United Feature Syndicate was also impressed by the lead performances, writing that Ladd "combines fragility with a misguided inner strength for her role. Sam Elliott is surely one of the most mesmerizing screen villains in recent years."[7]

Joe Meyers of the Connecticut Post praised Ladd's performance and described the first part of the miniseries as "harrowing."[8] However, he felt Elliott was miscast in his role, and also criticized the second part of the miniseries, which he felt narratively "falls apart."[8] The Baltimore Sun's Bill Carter gave the film a mixed assessment, writing that Ladd "underplays throughout, almost to the point of bloodlessness. Elliott has it easier because he is mostly required to provide soulful mystery and unrelenting sex appeal. As a production, Death in California is not as taut as it should be, but overall as a psychological suspense story it works."[9]

The Courier Journal's Tom Dorsey wrote that "Ladd finally breaks out of the gilded Charlie's Angels cage with the same kind of acting job that freed Farrah Fawcett from that image in The Burning Bed," but felt that, despite the series' strong performances, it's "a Ripley's-Believe-It-or-Not scenario from the start."[10]

Accolades

Award/association Year Category Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Result Ref.
Primetime Emmy Awards 1985 Outstanding Art Direction For A Limited Series Or A Special
  • Hub Braden
  • Don Remacle
 Nominated [11]
Outstanding Cinematography For A Limited Series Or A Special Joseph Biroc Nominated

References

  1. 1 2 Mavis, Paul (February 4, 2010). "Death in California, A". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on December 23, 2023.
  2. ↑ Simon, Jeff (May 12, 1985). "For all its schedule-dictated padding, "A Death in California" is a real-life horror story that makes your blood run cold". The Buffalo News. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 Flander, Judy (May 13, 1985). "Sweeps Entires: 'Death in California,' 'Peyton Place,' 'Miss USA'". Hartford Courant. p. C4 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "'Death in California': A Gritty Psychological Drama". Chicago Tribune. May 11, 1985. Archived from the original on July 2, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Sam Elliott Was Leery of Violent Miniseries Role". The Orlando Sentinel. May 12, 1985. Archived from the original on August 11, 2026.
  6. ↑ Van Gelder, Lawrence (May 10, 1985). "TV Weekend; 'Death in California,' 2-Part Thriller on ABC". The New York Times. p. C30. Archived from the original on November 21, 2017.
  7. ↑ Flander, Judy (May 13, 1985). "Intriguing acting marks 'A Death in California'". The Columbian. United Feature Syndicate. p. B5 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 Meyers, Joe (May 11, 1985). "'Death in California' falls apart in part 2". Connecticut Post. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Carter, Bill (May 13, 1985). "'Death' has psychosexual aspect". The Daytona Beach News-Journal/The Baltimore Sun. p. 7B – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ Dorsey, Tom (May 9, 1985). "ABC movie tells tale of evil but not very well sometimes". Courier Journal. p. C3 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "A Death in California". Primetime Emmy Awards. Archived from the original on November 12, 2025.
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