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The Philanthropist

TV series

The Philanthropist

7.1/ 10· 9200960 min1 season · 8 episodes
Action & AdventureDrama

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.

Created by
Tom Fontana

Seasons and episodes

1 season · 8 episodes

Cancelled
Season 1

Season 1

8 episodesJune 24, 2009
Open season page
  1. 1
    S1 E1

    Nigeria Part I

    Jun 24, 200960 min

    A wealthy philanthropist's life is changed when a hurricane hits the Nigerian town he was visiting. During the storm the billionaire rescues a young boy. These events lead him to pursue his new found passion for helping those in need.

  2. 2
    S1 E2

    Myanmar

    Jul 1, 200960 min

    Teddy visits Myanmar to ask for guidance from a local leader after his company is accused of forced labor.

  3. 3
    S1 E3

    Paris

    Jul 8, 200960 min

    Olivia is reunited with an old friend who is caught in a sex-trafficking ring on a visit to Paris. Teddy does everything in his power to save the helpless young women.

  4. 4
    S1 E4

    Nigeria Part II

    Jul 15, 200960 min

    Teddy heads to Kujama, Nigeria, to help rescue his old friend, Doctor Chima Balo. Balo was kidnapped because the local rebels didn't like Teddy and his oil refinery doing good for their town. Back at home, Philip helps an old acquaintance k

  5. 5
    S1 E5

    Kosovo

    Jul 22, 200960 min

    Teddy meets his ex-wife Julia and tells her about his journey to Kosovo where he tried to get Serbians and Albanians to work together, but learned that the hatred runs deep.

  6. 6
    S1 E6

    San Diego

    Jul 29, 200960 min

    Teddy and Dax travel to San Diego and try to find the thief who stole Teddy's identity. In the meantime, Olivia and Philip find out that Maidstone Rist is in trouble.

Starring

Frequently asked questions

Where can I watch The Philanthropist?
The Philanthropist is not currently listed on a streaming service in the US. Use the country picker on the page to check other markets.
How many seasons of The Philanthropist are there?
The Philanthropist has 1 season and 8 episodes. Status: Cancelled.
Will there be a new season of The Philanthropist?
The Philanthropist has been canceled; no new episodes are scheduled. The final episode aired on August 12, 2009.
Who stars in The Philanthropist?
The Philanthropist stars James Purefoy, Neve Campbell, Michael Kenneth Williams, Lindy Booth, Jesse L. Martin.

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