The Thorn Birds

Synopsis

The story based on a novel by Colleen McCullough focuses on three generations of the Cleary family living on a sheep station in the Australian outback.

First Air Date: 1983-03-27

Last Air Date: 1983-03-30

Number of Seasons: 1

Number of Episodes: 4

Created By: Carmen Culver, Lee Stanley

Networks: ABC

View Technical Specifications on IMDb

Top Cast

Jean Simmons as Fee Cleary
Richard Chamberlain as Ralph de Bricassart
Rachel Ward as Meggie Cleary
Christopher Plummer as Archbishop Vittorio Contini-Verchese
Bryan Brown as Luke O'Neill
Brett Cullen as Bob Cleary
Stephanie Faracy as Judy
Barry Corbin as Pete
John de Lancie as Alastair MacQueen
Barbara Stanwyck as Mary Carson

Seasons

Miniseries (1983)

No overview available for this season.

Episodes:

Ep. 1: Episode 1 (1983-03-27)

When the wealthy but now elderly owner of a large sheep farm in the outback of Australia realizes that her affections towards a banished but ambitious young priest will never be returned, she sets out to manipulate his life and career from the grave once she discovers him giving his attention to her young niece instead.
Ep. 2: Episode 2 (1983-03-28)

Having left Australia with a significant sum of holdings in hand willed to the Catholic Church by the wealthy socialite and sheep farmer Mary Carson, Father Ralph de Bricassart finds himself courted by power brokers within the Vatican. Meanwhile, the Drogheda Ranch suffers a devastating brush fire that spawns more tragedy in the Cleary family, and eventually leads to an uneasy reunion between Meggie and Father de Bricassart. However Meggie soon meets a young suitor who captures her heart.
Ep. 3: Episode 3 (1983-03-29)

Now married, living on a sugar cane plantation, and working as a maid in Queensland, Meggie finds her new husband is more interested in his own work and dalliances than in her. She bears him a child but is still unable to change his ways. Meanwhile, Father de Bricassart has moved up in the Church hierarchy and eventually returns to Australia as a Cardinal. And in yet another uneasy reunion between himself and Meggie, he finally succumbs to temptation by consummating forbidden love and breaking his vow of chastity.
Ep. 4: Episode 4 (1983-03-30)

Meggie has repeated the mistakes of her past by favoring her son over her daughter. She finally admits the truth about Dane's paternity to Ralph and reconciles with both her mother Fee and her daughter Justine.