List of Falcon Crest characters

Angela Channing (née Gioberti), later Erikson, Stavros, Agretti – Jane Wyman (1981–90; 208 episodes)[1]

Angela is the tough, tyrannical matriarch of Falcon Crest and a powerful woman in Tuscany Valley, and is the principal character of the series. She has two daughters, Julia and Emma, from her first marriage to newspaper owner Douglas Channing, and goes on to marry three more times. Determined to preserve and expand Falcon Crest for her heirs, she ruthlessly combats any challengers, with her nephew Chase and Douglas' allegedly illegitimate son Richard proving the most formidable of her opponents. Richard is later revealed to be her long-lost son. During the course of the series, Angela marries her devious lawyer Phillip Erikson, becoming a widow a short time later when he dies in a plane crash. She later marries her old flame, billionaire Peter Stavros, and life-long friend Frank Agretti. Towards the end of the series, Angela is almost killed by Charley St. James, who tries to smother her with a pillow. She is left in a coma for several months before making a full recovery and returning home. Jane Wyman appeared in almost every episode of the series, for eight seasons, plus the first two and last three episodes of the ninth season, for a total of 208 of the 227 episodes of the series, missing 19 episodes (mostly in the final season) due to health problems.

Charles "Chase" Gioberti – Robert Foxworth (1981–1987; 155 episodes)

A former commercial airline pilot and Vietnam veteran, Chase moves back to the Tuscany Valley from New York after the death of his father Jason. Having inherited some land from his father, Chase is determined to make a go of running the winery which in turn brings him into conflict with his aunt Angela. The mysterious nature of his father's death eventually makes him half-owner of Falcon Crest, much to Angela's dismay. Throughout the course of the series, Chase is shot twice, has affairs with Connie Giannini and Gabrielle Short, and is later presumed drowned in the waters of the San Francisco Bay while attempting to rescue Melissa and Dan Fixx. His body is never recovered.

Lancelot "Lance" Cumson – Lorenzo Lamas (1981–90; 227 episodes)

Lance is Julia's son, who Angela grooms as her eventual heir. A handsome ladies' man, he enjoys a playboy lifestyle but is often dragged in Angela's schemes. He is also proficient in martial arts, under the mentorship of Chao-Li. During the series, his grandmother forces him to marry Melissa Agretti so she can acquire the adjoining Agretti lands. After Melissa loses their baby and they divorce, Lance marries Richard's stepdaughter Lorraine, who later dies while pregnant with his child. After liaisons with Terry Hartford, singer Apollonia, Dina Wells and Shannon Taylor, a second marriage with Melissa and the death of his unborn child with Diane "Cookie" Nash, Lance eventually marries Pilar Ortega, the mother of his secret daughter Lisa. Lorenzo Lamas is the only actor to appear in all 227 episodes of the series.

Cole Hartford Gioberti – William R. Moses (1981–1986, 1987; 140 episodes)

Chase and Maggie's son. He supports his father in his new venture running the vineyards, foregoing his dreams of becoming an archaeologist like his grandfather. During the series, he falls in love with Melissa Agretti, and fathers her son Joseph, before marrying Linda Caproni, the baker's daughter. After Linda dies in a plane crash, Cole and Melissa rekindle their relationship and get married. They eventually divorce after Cole fathers a daughter with her cousin, Robin Agretti, who later leaves town with their child, Hope Margaret. In season six, Cole leaves Tuscany Valley to become a partner in a new wine venture in Sydney, Australia, and Joseph is later sent to live with him following Melissa's mental breakdown. They are visited by Melissa and Dan Fixx in season seven, where it is revealed that Cole had married a woman named Kathleen (Deborra-Lee Furness) and was raising Joseph and Kathleen's daughter (from her first marriage) on a sheep farm in the Australian outback.

Victoria "Vickie" Gioberti, later Hogan, Stavros – Jamie Rose (1981–1983; 44 episodes), Dana Sparks (1986–1988; 58 episodes)

Chase and Maggie's daughter. She is an aspiring dancer who struggles with her family's move from New York to Tuscany Valley, and has particular trouble with the men in her life. During the first two seasons, she dates Mario Nuñez, the vineyardist's son, and county supervisor Nick Hogan, who she eventually marries. When Vickie discovers Nick is still involved with his ex-wife and using her for money, she divorces him and moves back to New York. She returns three years later, now played by Dana Sparks, after touring Europe as a ballet dancer, and ending a second marriage to an American soldier stationed in Germany. She dates Dan Fixx, before marrying Angela's stepson Eric Stavros, who is plagued by a gambling addiction and prone to violent outbursts. She leaves the valley for Paris when his father Peter begs her for help after Eric has a nervous breakdown and is institutionalized.

Julia Cumson (née Channing) – Abby Dalton[2] (1981–1986; 98 episodes)

Angela's eldest daughter, and the chief enologist at the winery. She is the mother of Lance, with ex-husband Tony Cumson, and Christopher, her illegitimate son with vintner Dominic Rossini, who she was told was stillborn. She is continually oppressed by her domineering mother, who succeeded in driving her husband away over a decade ago and exacerbated her drinking problem. During the course of the series, she becomes increasingly unstable, and is eventually revealed as the killer of Carlo Agretti, her lover who she murdered to protect Falcon Crest from falling into his hands. When confronted about the murder at a family gathering, she pulls out a gun and shoots Chase, killing his mother Jacqueline Perrault in the ensuing struggle. Initially sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, she is deemed unfit and institutionalised in a psychiatric hospital before escaping and going on the run. She plans on killing her mother at her wedding to Phillip, but can't work up the courage, and is later presumed dead after getting trapped in a cabin fire during a confrontation with the police. She emerges alive a few months later, and is sent to a convent in Oregon. Later she is given a retrial and released, returning briefly to the valley before the earthquake hits, where she is injured and suffers from hysterical blindness. She returns to the convent, never seen at Falcon Crest again, although she is mentioned in passing and a pregnant Emma leaves to visit her in a convent in Italy near the end of the series.

Margaret "Maggie" Gioberti (née Hartford), later Channing – Susan Sullivan (1981–1989; 207 episodes)

Chase's wife and the mother of Cole and Vickie. A freelance writer and journalist from New York, she supports her husband's efforts to build a new life in Tuscany Valley. A warm-hearted but resilient woman, Maggie becomes the sympathetic heroine of the series. During the course of the series, she discovers she is adopted, writes a book based on her life in the valley, and is kidnapped and raped by her press agent Jeff Wainwright. Maggie gives birth to a son, Kevin, initially believing Jeff is the father, however it is eventually revealed to be Chase's. After Chase's death, Maggie falls in love and marries Richard and adopts his son, Michael. However their marriage does not run smoothly, and she develops a drinking problem. After appearing in every episode for eight seasons, the character is killed off in the first two episodes of season nine, with Maggie getting her diamond ring caught in the swimming pool drain and drowning.

Phillip Erikson – Mel Ferrer (1981–1984; 55 episodes)

Angela's unscrupulous lawyer. Phillip made a career out of advancing Angela's reputation and control of the Tuscany Valley, however he wants more. Angela initially rejects his advances, and becomes jealous when he starts dating Amanda Croft (Anne Jeffreys). He eventually becomes Angela's second husband, but dies only a short time later in a plane crash that also kills Dr. Michael Ranson and Linda Gioberti.

Emma Channing, later Cabot, St. James – Margaret Ladd (1981–1989; 193 episodes)

Angela's younger daughter. She and her lover Turner Bates played a central role in her uncle Jason's accidental death and she has been emotionally fragile ever since. Despite this, Emma is good-hearted and kind-natured, though she eventually learns to resist Angela's constant attempts to control her. Much unlucky in love, her relationships with men always end in heartache or tragedy. During the course of the series, Turner dies in a car accident and she loses his baby, she develops an unrequited crush on Dr. Michael Ranson, and is seduced by Gustav Riebmann and Damon Ross in their schemes against her mother. She eventually finds love with trucker Dwayne Cooley before he dies tragically in the earthquake. She then marries Vince Karlotti, who is revealed to be a conman and polygamist, novelist Daniel Cabot, also known by the pseudonym R.D. Young, and Charley St. James. Emma finally leaves the valley after falling pregnant, and later gives birth to a daughter, Angela, named after her mother.

Chao-Li Chi – Chao-Li Chi (1981–90; 213 episodes)

Angela's faithful Chinese majordomo and chauffeur.

Melissa Agretti, later Cumson, Gioberti – Delores Cantu (1982; 1 episode), Ana Alicia (1982–1988; 178 episodes)

A feisty, selfish young heiress who inherits her father's land, the Agretti Vineyards, and agrees to a marriage of convenience with Lance in order to gain control of Falcon Crest. Melissa is the mother of Joseph, following an affair with Cole Gioberti, whom she later marries. Ana Alicia joined the cast later in the first season (replacing Delores Cantu, who played the part for one episode only) and left early in the eighth season when Melissa died in a fire. However, the actress returned for several episodes later in the season to play a Melissa lookalike, Samantha Ross.

Richard Channing – David Selby (1982–1990; 209 episodes)

A ruthless businessman, Richard first appears as the allegedly illegitimate outcast son of Angela's husband Douglas, having inherited half of his father's newspaper, the San Francisco Globe. Richard proves to be a formidable adversary of both Angela and Chase, and later even manages to gain a one-third ownership of Falcon Crest. Bent on revenge for being outcast as a child, it is later discovered that Richard is actually Angela's son who was reported to have died as a newborn infant by doctors. He is also the father of Michael Channing, following his relationship with businesswoman Cassandra Wilder. He is blackmailed into marrying Maggie's sister Terry Hartford, and later marries Maggie herself. Following her death, he marries Maggie's second cousin, Lauren Daniels. After he joined the series in 1982, actor David Selby appeared in all the episodes until the series concluded in 1990.

Pamela Lynch – Sarah Douglas (1983–1985; 51 episodes), Martine Beswick (1985; 1 episode)

Personal assistant and brief love interest to Richard Channing, and a former employee of a deadly mafia-type organization, The Cartel. Capable of being ruthless and scheming, she also has a softer side, and is especially fond of Richard's stepdaughter, Lorraine Prescott. After finding out that Richard had been recording every conversation in his office, including hers, Pamela betrays him by giving Maggie taped evidence that clears Lance of trying to kill Angela. She also gains control of a winery needed by Angela, Richard, and Chase, and earns a $10 million profit by selling it them at a higher price. In revenge, Richard turns Pamela's file over to Interpol; she then tries to kill him by blowing up his house, injuring him and Maggie. In order to evade capture, she has plastic surgery to alter her appearance.

Terry McCarthy (née Hartford), later Ranson, Channing – Laura Johnson (1983–1986; 80 episodes)

Maggie Gioberti's younger sister. Beautiful but devious, she is a former call girl who creates scandal in Tuscany Valley with her attempts to move up the society ladder. After marrying Chase's cousin Michael Ranson, she inherits his wealth following his death in the plane crash at the end of season three, and later blackmails Richard Channing into marrying her. She was killed a short time later in an earthquake that struck the valley.

Gustav Riebmann – Paul Freeman (1984; 19 episodes)

The son of a Nazi war criminal, he becomes the head of the sinister Cartel after assassinating his own father. He moves to Tuscany Valley in an attempt to gain control of Falcon Crest, knowing that there was a priceless art treasure buried under the estate decades earlier. Gustav, along with his assistant Renee, perish during a cave-in while trying to retrieve the artwork.

Greg Reardon – Simon MacCorkindale (1984–1986; 59 episodes)

A sharp British lawyer who works for Angela, though he rarely approves of her methods. He first pursues Melissa Agretti, then later becomes involved with Terry Hartford. After he discovers she was working for Richard Channing, he later becomes involved with fellow lawyer Jordan Roberts, with whom he eventually leaves the Tuscany Valley.

Father Christopher Rossini – Ken Olin (1985–1986; 17 episodes)

Priest and illegitimate son of Julia Cumson and the late Dominic Rossini. Julia became pregnant with Christopher when she was only a teenager, at which point his wife murdered him by arson. . After he was born, Angela told Julia that the baby had died and allowed him to be raised in a Catholic orphanage in Marysville, Connecticut. When Dominic's wife Anna and daughter Cassandra returned to the Tuscany Valley years later to wreak revenge for what Angela did to their family, Angela was forced to tell Christopher he was her grandson.

Peter Stavros – Cesar Romero (1985–1987, 1988; 51 episodes)

Billionaire Greek industrialist and an old flame of Angela's, who helps her win Falcon Crest back from the Rossini family. He eventually becomes Angela's third husband.

Eric Stavros – John Callahan (1986–1988; 66 episodes)

Peter Stavros's playboy son, who first romances Melissa but later marries Vickie Gioberti. He is brainwashed by The Thirteen to kill Richard Channing and is later institutionalized.

Dan Fixx – Brett Cullen (1986–1988; 53 episodes)

Son of Tucker Fixx and his first wife Elizabeth Bradbury, old acquaintances of Angela's, becoming her ward and friend.

Frank Agretti – Rod Taylor (1988–1990; 31 episodes)

Uncle to Melissa, Robin and Chris Agretti and father of Nick. He is a friend of Angela's and becomes her fourth husband out of convenience - to help her leave a psychiatric ward so she can live under his conservatorship.

Pilar Ortega, later Cumson – Kristian Alfonso (1988–1990; 44 episodes)

Former teenage sweetheart of Lance Cumson and eventually his wife. Her father, Cesar, is the Falcon Crest Winery foreman.

Nick Agretti – David Beecroft (1988–1989; 20 episodes)

Frank Agretti's son with his ex-wife Claire and cousin of Melissa, who becomes the executor of her estate after her death, in order to manage it for until her son Joseph's 21st birthday. Nick's teenage son, Ben, is a product of his past relationship with Italian heiress Anna Cellini, though Anna's tyrannical father never approved of Nick and wants to claim Ben as his grandson. Angela uses Ben to blackmail Nick into signing Falcon Crest back over to her.

Michael Sharpe – Gregory Harrison (1989–1990; 22 episodes)

Maggie's second cousin, brother of Lauren, and a ruthless businessman who becomes an opponent of Richard Channing in a battle for control of Falcon Crest.

Lauren Daniels (née Sharpe), later Channing – Wendy Phillips (1989–1990; 20 episodes)

Maggie's second cousin and love interest for her widower, Richard Channing. She later becomes his wife.

Genele Ericson – Andrea Thompson (1989–1990; 19 episodes)

Frank Agretti's murderous sister-in-law.

Italics indicate offscreen character, never seen on show but mentioned.

Family branches

• Falcon Crest at IMDb