The short-lived series "The Young Rebels" was ABC's answer for its replacement to the Irwin Allen fantasy/action-adventure series "The Land Of The Giants",which ended its two year-run in the spring of 1970. For the network's fall schedule of new shows for the 1970-1971 season,this series was supposed to allow the youthful social rebels of the late 1960's and early 1970's to relate to the times of the American Revolution. In other words,"The Young Rebels",was basically the Mod Squad set in the 1700's at the time of the Revolutionary War. This was part history lesson and part adventure as well with a hint of Fess Parker's frontier adventure show "Daniel Boone" added in as a measure at the time this show premiered was off the air after an astounding six year run. In other words,"The Young Rebels" was part "Daniel Boone" meets "The Mod Squad" with a bit of "Mission:Impossible".
"The Young Rebels",consisted of four young leads who were members of the fictional Yankee Doodle Society,based in Chester,Pennsylvania,in the year 1777. Their goal was to harass the British behind their lines and to serve as spies for the American forces. Everyone was under 30,and British rule was the "system" they sought to overturn. In perspective,you had kids ratting on other kids or adults who were against society....just like "The Mod Squad". As for the kids themselves you had Jeremy(Rick Ely),the son of the town's mayor and was the leader of the group;Elizabeth(Hilary Thompson)his teenage girlfriend and helper;Isak(Louis Gossett,Jr.)an ex-slave,and Henry(Alex Henteloff)the brains of the outfit. General Lafayette(Philippe Forquet)was a French nobleman who had come to aid the rebels in various missions. The characters were just like the kids on "The Mod Squad",with Jeremy(as Pete),Elizabeth(as Julie),Isak(as Linc),and General Lafayette(as Lt. Tige). Henry was the kid with the brains and the specials expert(on the same ground as Barney Collier on Mission:Impossible).
The show had a lot of action,high-adventure and consisted of various guest stars that became youthful patriots(one of them consisted of Brandon De Wilde as Nathan Hale). The show produced 27 episodes for ABC-TV and it ran for one season from September 20,1970-January 3,1971. The show was on Sunday nights at the 7:00 hour,and it when up against "The Wonderful World of Disney",and "Lassie" in the ratings,which clobbered it. It was preceded by the network's most successful show,"The FBI". The executive producer of this series was none other than Aaron Spelling (who was also behind ABC's most successful show,"The Mod Squad",which was a huge hit was young audiences). When the show went off the air in the winter of 1971,the show that replaced it became one of the shortest variety shows ever to grace the early part of the 1970's.... "Howard Cosell Presents"-aka "The Howard Cosell Show".
"The Young Rebels",consisted of four young leads who were members of the fictional Yankee Doodle Society,based in Chester,Pennsylvania,in the year 1777. Their goal was to harass the British behind their lines and to serve as spies for the American forces. Everyone was under 30,and British rule was the "system" they sought to overturn. In perspective,you had kids ratting on other kids or adults who were against society....just like "The Mod Squad". As for the kids themselves you had Jeremy(Rick Ely),the son of the town's mayor and was the leader of the group;Elizabeth(Hilary Thompson)his teenage girlfriend and helper;Isak(Louis Gossett,Jr.)an ex-slave,and Henry(Alex Henteloff)the brains of the outfit. General Lafayette(Philippe Forquet)was a French nobleman who had come to aid the rebels in various missions. The characters were just like the kids on "The Mod Squad",with Jeremy(as Pete),Elizabeth(as Julie),Isak(as Linc),and General Lafayette(as Lt. Tige). Henry was the kid with the brains and the specials expert(on the same ground as Barney Collier on Mission:Impossible).
The show had a lot of action,high-adventure and consisted of various guest stars that became youthful patriots(one of them consisted of Brandon De Wilde as Nathan Hale). The show produced 27 episodes for ABC-TV and it ran for one season from September 20,1970-January 3,1971. The show was on Sunday nights at the 7:00 hour,and it when up against "The Wonderful World of Disney",and "Lassie" in the ratings,which clobbered it. It was preceded by the network's most successful show,"The FBI". The executive producer of this series was none other than Aaron Spelling (who was also behind ABC's most successful show,"The Mod Squad",which was a huge hit was young audiences). When the show went off the air in the winter of 1971,the show that replaced it became one of the shortest variety shows ever to grace the early part of the 1970's.... "Howard Cosell Presents"-aka "The Howard Cosell Show".