The Young Rebels
Encyclopedia
The Young Rebels is an American
adventure
series that was broadcast by ABC
as part of its 1970 fall lineup
.
fighting on the Patriot side in the American Revolutionary War
. They were part of the fictional "Yankee Doodle
Society", based in Chester, Pennsylvania
, in 1777. Their goal was to harass the British
forces however they could and serve as spies
for the rebels. The four main characters were Jeremy (Richard Ely), son of the mayor
of Chester, Isak (Louis Gossett, Jr.
), a former slave
, Henry (Alex Henteloff
), a bright young, bespectacled man who looked a lot (by design) like a younger Benjamin Franklin
, whom he greatly admired, and Elizabeth (Hillary Thompson), Jeremy's even-younger girlfriend. Any parallel between this "youth movement" and the one going on in the United States in real life at the same time that this show was aired was completely intentional. Aiding these young American rebels in their cause was a young French
rebel, the Marquis de Lafayette
(Philippe Forquet
), who had come to their aid not just because he believed in their cause but also to learn how to export many of its principles to his native France.
Despite extensive promotion and a large (by television standards of the era) production budget, The Young Rebels failed to garner much of an audience and was canceled at midseason.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
adventure
Adventure (genre)
The adventure genre, in the context of a narrative, is typically applied to works in which the protagonist or other major characters are consistently placed in dangerous situations...
series that was broadcast by ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
as part of its 1970 fall lineup
1970-71 United States network television schedule
This was the television schedule on all three United States commercial television networks for the fall season beginning in September 1970. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with a few exceptions, such as Monday Night Football....
.
Plot
The Young Rebels was the story of a group of youthful guerrillasGuerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
fighting on the Patriot side in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. They were part of the fictional "Yankee Doodle
Yankee Doodle
"Yankee Doodle" is a well-known Anglo-American song, the origin of which dates back to the Seven Years' War. It is often sung patriotically in the United States today and is the state anthem of Connecticut...
Society", based in Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
, in 1777. Their goal was to harass the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
forces however they could and serve as spies
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
for the rebels. The four main characters were Jeremy (Richard Ely), son of the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Chester, Isak (Louis Gossett, Jr.
Louis Gossett, Jr.
Louis Cameron Gossett, Jr. is an American actor best known for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman and Fiddler in the 1970s television miniseries Roots...
), a former slave
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, Henry (Alex Henteloff
Alex Henteloff
Alex Henteloff is an American actor.Born in Los Angeles, California, he portrayed the attorney Arnold Drake Ripner in a recurring on the television series Barney Miller...
), a bright young, bespectacled man who looked a lot (by design) like a younger Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
, whom he greatly admired, and Elizabeth (Hillary Thompson), Jeremy's even-younger girlfriend. Any parallel between this "youth movement" and the one going on in the United States in real life at the same time that this show was aired was completely intentional. Aiding these young American rebels in their cause was a young French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
rebel, the Marquis de Lafayette
Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette
Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette , often known as simply Lafayette, was a French aristocrat and military officer born in Chavaniac, in the province of Auvergne in south central France...
(Philippe Forquet
Philippe Forquet
Philippe Forquet Viscount de Dorne born September 27, 1940 in Paris, France, is an actor and the son of a wealthy aristocrat, Marcius Forquet Viscount de Dorne....
), who had come to their aid not just because he believed in their cause but also to learn how to export many of its principles to his native France.
Despite extensive promotion and a large (by television standards of the era) production budget, The Young Rebels failed to garner much of an audience and was canceled at midseason.
Episodes
| № | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1-01 | "Father & I Went Down To Camp" | 20 September 1970 |
| 1-02 | "The Ring Of Freedom" | 27 September 1970 |
| 1-03 | "The Blood Of An Englishman" | 04 October 1970 |
| 1-04 | "To Hang A Hero" | 11 October 1970 |
| 1-05 | "Fort Hope" | 18 October 1970 |
| 1-06 | "Suicide Squad" | 25 October 1970 |
| 1-07 | "Alias Ben Todd" | 01 November 1970 |
| 1-08 | "The Hostages" | 08 November 1970 |
| 1-09 | "Age Of Independence" | 15 November 1970 |
| 1-10 | "Stalemate" | 22 November 1970 |
| 1-11 | "Valley Of The Guns" | 29 November 1970 |
| 1-12 | "Dangerous Ally" | 06 December 1970 |
| 1-13 | "The Infiltrator" | 20 December 1970 |
| 1-14 | "Unbroken Chains" | 27 December 1970 |
| 1-15 | "To Kill A Traitor" | 03 January 1971 |