The ladies of Knots Landing (L to R) Donna Mills, Michele Lee, and Joan Van Ark at the Hollywood Museum. Photo courtesy Mary Anderson
(L to R) Joan Van Ark, Donelle Dadigan, Michele Lee, and Donna Mills. Photo courtesy B. Harlan Boll Public Relations
HOLLYWOOD — Jan. 18, 2020 — A rollicking crowd joined special guests Michele Lee (“Karen Fairgate”), Joan Van Ark (“Val Ewing”), and Donna Mills (“Abby Cunningham”) in the lobby of the Hollywood Museum for a special evening that not only celebrated the 40th anniversary of the premiere of Knots Landing (CBS, 1979-1993), but unveiled a new exhibit featuring costumes worn by each actress on the long-running CBS series.
Now open to the public, the Knots Landing exhibit is the latest addition to the Museum’s popular ongoing Lobby Series, which pays tribute to legendary individuals in entertainment and iconic TV series. A spin-off of Dallas, Knots Landing not only outlasted its predecessor, (making it one of the longest running prime time dramas on U.S. television), but garnered much critical acclaim for its dramatic storylines that touched on real-life issues while also exploring the lives of four married couples in a fictitious Los Angeles coastal suburb.
Donelle Dadigan, founder and president of The Hollywood Museum, opened the evening by providing the audience with a brief overview of the show’s legacy, including a lively recap of the various plotlines and romantic entanglements involving Karen, Val, and Abby. Dadigan then recalled that she and four friends had a girls group in the 1980s that took turns hosting Knots viewing parties every week: “We’d prepare an elaborate dinner of what Karen and Val and Abby would enjoy. We’d dress up in our fanciest outfits with shoulder pads and point and scream and cry and yell at the TV.”
Lee said that Knots Landing ran for fourteen years because the show “was Americana: It was American pop entertainment that hit a chord in a moment of time of our society that mandated watching it: The Me Generation and Reaganism, mixed up with a little apple pie, and the American Dream.” Describing the appeal of her character, Lee said that Karen was “a real Rock of Gibraltar. She had to be, because [her husband] Sid died in a cliffhanger in the second season—he went over a cliff, in his car!”
Van Ark shared with the audience a photo of her, Lee, and Mills that was taken one Christmas, framed with the caption “forever tied in Knots.” “The one thought I want to share with all of you tonight is that the three of us, rest assured, are ‘KNOT’ done yet,” she added. “This act, this love, and this connection is ‘to be continued.’”
Mills expressed her gratitude that so many people continue to “love the show, remember the show, remember us, and remember our characters. It was a special show, I believe. I always say that it is the This is Us of its era, because it dealt with real people, real problems, and real situations. I am so happy to be here tonight with Michele and Joan, who I loved from the beginning and love still.”
Other guests in attendance for the unveiling included Anson Williams (Happy Days, Alert Drops), George Chakiris (West Side Story), Donna Pescow (Angie, Carol of the Bells), Leeza Gibbons (Entertainment Tonight), Kathy Garver (Family Affair, Aunt Cissy), Lainie Kazan (My Big Fat Great Wedding), Jackie Joseph (Mayberry R.F.D., Josie and the Pussycats), Connor Dean (9-1-1), Carolyn Hennesy (General Hospital, True Blood), Johnny Whitaker (Family Affair), Billy Van Zandt (The Hughleys), Teresa Ganzel (The Toy), Kate Linder (The Young and The Restless), Elaine Ballace (The Rich & the Ruthless), Erin Murphy (Bewitched), Grammy nominee and showbiz raconteur Geoffrey Mark, and authors and film/TV historians Mary Anderson, Michael Stern, and Steve Cox.
TV Confidential will play highlights from the ceremony in February as part of a future edition of the program.
About The Hollywood Museum
The Hollywood Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that houses over 10,000 Authentic Show Business Treasures spotlighting more than 100 years of Hollywood history — from the Silents to Talkies, to Hollywood’s Golden Era, Film Noir, Television and its Pioneer Years, through the rebellious 60s, special effects 70s, evolving 80s, involved 90s, technological 2000s, and beyond to current day heartthrobs! The Hollywood Museum’s exhibits showcase the best in film, network and cable television, and new digital platforms featuring iconic and fan favorites! Located in the heart of Hollywood, at the corner of Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave — The Hollywood Museum in the historic Max Factor Building is the Official Museum of Hollywood and offers visitors the most extensive collection of Hollywood memorabilia in the world featuring the glamour of Hollywood legends and stars – past, present and in the making. The museum offers one-of-a-kind costumes, props, photographs, scripts, stars’ car collections, personal artifacts, posters, and memorabilia from favorite stars, films and TV shows. Just a few steps from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Hollywood Museum has been named the #1 top tourist attraction in Hollywood by LA Weekly, and one of the Top 10 Museums in LA by the LA Tourism and Convention Board and Trip Advisor.
REGULAR HOURS: Wednesday – Sunday: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
TICKETS: $15 Adults: $12 Seniors (62+): $12 for students with ID and $5 Children under 5.
ADDRESS: 1660 N. Highland Ave. (at Hollywood Blvd.), Los Angeles, CA 90028
MUSEUM INFO: www.TheHollywoodMuseum.com or Tel: (323) 464-7776
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