PRODUCTION NOTES STRONG MEDICINE Arthur Hailey's "STRONG MEDICINE," is a production of TELEPICTURES PRODUCTIONS, INC. in association with TVS, Limited. An all-star international cast, including Pamela Sue Martin, Patrick Duffy, Dick Van Dyke, Ben Cross, Douglas Fairbanks, Sam Neill, Annette O'Toole and Gayle Hunnicutt take us through the internal dealings of the pharmaceutical industry centering on one woman's rise up the ranks of a giant international drug company. Hailey's first novel with a female protagonist, "STRONG MEDICINE," spans the period from the late 1950's through the late 1960's when women first started emerging from lives of domesticity to enter the work force. In 1984, after coming out of a five-year retirement (during which he underwent quadruple bypass surgery) Arthur Hailey turned his attention to the pharmaceutical industry--the result was "STRONG MEDICINE," which immediately became a bestseller when published in hardcover in 1984. Over the course of eight bestsellers, Mr. Hailey has not only entertained his readers, but educated them as well. "AIRPORT," "THE MONEYCHANGERS, "WHEELS" and "OVERLOAD" are all examples of Mr. Hailey's ability to combine rich fiction with in-depth research, and "STRONG MEDICINE" is no exception. A respected international scientist who read an early draft of "STRONG MEDICINE" at the author's request advised him, "What you have written about the past is spot on. As to the rest, in some respects your story is ahead of present science -- but not by much, and everything you have portrayed is almost certain to come true." Recreating 1950's America in today's London where the majority of filming took place, posed an interesting challenge to the production. A vacant Kodak building was refurbished as a sound stage for the numerous sets required for the film but the most difficult set to recreate was that of a 1950's Woolworth's department store. Since the style of the store has so drastically changed over the years, another store had to be completely restocked with 50's merchandise, which cleaned out all of the antique stores in the surrounding areas of London. Guy Green directed the teleplay by Rita Lakin. Frank Konigsberg and Larry Sanitsky, executive produced with Dickie Bamber producing. The four-hour miniseries was shot entirely on location in The United Kingdom, Spain and the United States. After the eight week filming schedule was completed, post-production began back in London. The film was shot in 35 mm and transferred to videotape.