Anna Sewell's 1906 novel Black Beauty was given its most elaborate and thorough filmization to date in this five-part TV presentation. The scene has been shifted from England to Maryland, but otherwise Sewell's story about 13 years in the life of the beautiful and headstrong colt Black Beauty remains intact. In part one, telecast January 31, 1978, we see how Black Beauty is raised from a foal by the family of farmer Tom Gray (Martin Milner). When Tom suffers a stroke, his wife (Eilleen Brennan) sells both farm and colt. Filmed in Kentucky, Black Beauty was narrated throughout its run by David Wayne. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi