TV series
The Philanthropist
2009, English, on NBC. Created by Tom Fontana.
The title character, Teddy Rist (portrayed by James Purefoy), is a billionaire playboy haunted by the death of his only child. His life changes when he rescues a young boy during a hurricane in Nigeria. As a result, Rist begins using his fortune to personally change the lives of others.[4] The Philanthropist is based loosely on the life of Bobby Sager.[5] The Philanthropist is an American action drama series that premiered on NBC on Wednesday, June 24, 2009. The program was a limited summer series, principally filmed in South Africa. It opened to strong ratings, but saw a drop in viewers in subsequent weeks. The Philanthropist is a Carnival Films production in association with The Levinson/Fontana Company and Original Media. Tom Fontana, Barry Levinson, Peter Horton, Charlie Corwin, Gareth Neame, and Teri Weinberg served as executive producers.
- Seasons
- 1
- Episodes
- 8
- Episode length
- 60 min
- Status
- Cancelled in 2009
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Where to watch The Philanthropist
The Philanthropist isn’t listed on any OTT platform in India yet.
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Latest episode
S1 E8: Haiti
Aired 12 August 2009
Seasons 1
Cast & crew
- Tom FontanaCreator
- James PurefoyCast · 8 ep
- Neve CampbellOlivia Maidstone · 8 ep
- Michael Kenneth WilliamsCast · 8 ep
- Lindy BoothA.J. Butterfield · 8 ep
- Jesse L. MartinPhilip Maidstone · 8 ep
- Treva EtienneCast · 2 ep
- Krista AllenCast · 2 ep
- Karel RodenCast · 1 ep
- Marcel IureșCast · 1 ep
- Lucy BrownCast · 1 ep
- Sarita ChoudhuryCast · 1 ep
- Eve GordonBrenda Fitzsimmons · 1 ep
Details
- First aired
- 24 June 2009
- Last aired
- 12 August 2009
- Network
- NBC
- Language
- English
- Country
- United States
- Type
- Scripted
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News & fan talk
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The Philanthropist: quick answers
Is The Philanthropist worth watching?
The Philanthropist doesn’t have enough ratings for a verdict yet.
How many seasons of The Philanthropist are there?
The Philanthropist has 1 season and 8 episodes, about 60 minutes each.
Is The Philanthropist finished?
Yes. The Philanthropist was cancelled in 2009, so you can watch the whole story.
Which OTT platform is The Philanthropist on?
The Philanthropist isn’t listed on any OTT platform in India yet. (Checked 9 November 2026.)
The Philanthropist parents guide: is it suitable for kids?
No age rating is listed for The Philanthropist yet.
What shows are like The Philanthropist?
If you liked The Philanthropist, try Sea Hunt, War of the Worlds, Dempsey and Makepeace.
Who created The Philanthropist?
The Philanthropist was created by Tom Fontana and stars James Purefoy, Neve Campbell, Michael Kenneth Williams.