Shōgun (1980 miniseries)
| Shōgun | |
|---|---|
Title card | |
| Genre | Historical drama |
| Based on | Shōgun by James Clavell |
| Written by | Eric Bercovici |
| Directed by | Jerry London |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Maurice Jarre |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original languages |
|
| No. of episodes | 5 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | James Clavell |
| Producer | Eric Bercovici |
| Cinematography | Andrew Laszlo |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time |
|
| Production company | Paramount Television |
| Budget | $22 million ($69 million in 2020) |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | September 15 – September 19, 1980 |
Shōgun is a 1980 American historical drama miniseries based on James Clavell's 1975 novel of the same name. The series was produced by Paramount Television and first broadcast in the United States on NBC over five nights between September 15 and 19, 1980. It was written by Eric Bercovici and directed by Jerry London, and stars Richard Chamberlain, Toshiro Mifune, and Yoko Shimada, with a large supporting cast. Clavell served as executive producer.
The miniseries is loosely based on the adventures of English navigator William Adams, who journeyed to Japan in 1600 and rose to high rank in the service of the shōgun. It follows fictional John Blackthorne's (Chamberlain) experiences and political intrigues in feudal Japan in the early 17th century.
Shōgun received generally positive reviews from critics and won several accolades, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Series, the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama, and a 1981 Peabody Award.
A new adaptation of Clavell's novel was produced by FX and released on FX on Hulu in 2024.