Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On February 10, 1975, the American television drama “Apple’s Way,” set in the fictional town of Appleton, Iowa, premiered on CBS. The show featured the Apple family of Los Angeles returning to their Iowa roots to escape the hectic pace of city life.
A mid-season replacement for “The New Perry Mason,” the show featured the family moving into a working grist mill. The well-meaning family father, George (Ronny Cox), often found himself getting the family into plots, which exacerbated the tensions of moving from urban to rural life. The first season focused heavily on rural-specific plots centered on the show’s basic ‘moving to the country’ premise.
The show also featured performances by Frances Lee McCain (Barbara), Malcolm Atterbury (Grandfather Aldon), Vince Van Patten (Paul), Patti Cohoon (Cathy), Eric Olson (Steven), Frannie Michel (Patricia, 1974), and Kristy McNichol (Patricia, 1974-1975).
The show struggled in a first-season time slot, which placed it in completion with ABS’s “The F.B.I.” and NBC’s “The Wonderful World of Disney.” In a pivot from the original tone of the show, the second season featured a greater emphasis on social issues like freedom of speech. Canceled after the second season, CBS replaced the program with “Cher.” #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
