The Family Holvak: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

Tom Holvak, a pastor in Bensfield, Tennessee, struggles to support his congregation and family during the Great Depression. In the challenging days of the 1930s, families in rural areas often relied more on love than money for their survival. One such family, living in the South, is headed by Reverend Thomas Holvak, played by Glenn Ford. Julie Harris portrays his wife, Elizabeth. Their children, son Ramey and daughter Julie Mae, are played by 14-year-old Lance Kerwin and 8-year-old Elizabeth Cheshire in "The Family Holvak." This series is based on the novel "Ramey," written by Jack Farris.

Many of the stories focus on the relationships between father and son, as well as the bonds within the family. They frequently depict the often painful experiences associated with growing up, which resonate with many viewers. Reverend Holvak is an underpaid preacher who must supplement his income by cultivating a small plot of church-owned land. The family shares numerous poignant moments and experiences filled with happiness.

"The Family Holvak" is a Universal Studios production in association with the NBC Television Network. Dean Hargrove and Roland Kibbee are the executive producers, and Richard Collins, previously a producer of "Bonanza," is the producer.

Series details

• Title: The Family Holvak
• Format: Scripted
• Language: English
• Genres: Drama
• Premiere date: 1974-11-04
• Final broadcast date listed: 1975-12-28
• Status in TVmaze: Ended
• Network listed by TVmaze: CBS
• Network country: United States
• Typical episode runtime: 60 minutes
• TVMaze ID: 58749
• IMDb ID: tt72498
• TVDB ID: 78482

Cast and credited roles

• Glenn Ford — Rev. Tom Holvak
• Julie Harris — Elizabeth Holvak
• Lance Kerwin — Ramey Holvak
• Ted Gehring — Chester Purdle
• Cynthia Hayward — Ida
• Elizabeth Cheshire — Julie Mae Holvak
• Bill McKinney — Jim Shanks

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 1974-11-04; final listed air date 1975-12-28; episode order: 10.

Source and licence

Adapted from The Family Holvak on TVmaze. The synopsis is reproduced as plain text; catalogue facts, cast and season records are selected and reformatted. This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, following the TVmaze API licence. Network and web-channel credits identify the service listed in this source; they do not establish current streaming availability.