The Colbys (originally titled
Dynasty II: The Colbys) is an American
prime time television
soap opera which originally aired on
ABC from November 20, 1985 to March 26, 1987. Produced by
Aaron Spelling, it was a spin-off of
Dynasty, which had been the highest rated series for the 1984–1985 U.S. television season.
The Colbys revolves around another wealthy, upper-class family, who are relatives by marriage of the Carringtons of
Dynasty and who own a large multi-national corporation. Intended to surpass its predecessor in opulence, the series' producers were handed an immensely high budget for the era and cast a handful of well-known movie stars among its leads, including
Charlton Heston,
Barbara Stanwyck,
Katharine Ross and
Ricardo Montalban. However,
The Colbys was ultimately a ratings disappointment, and was canceled after two seasons.