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.
Nigeria Part I
Myanmar
Paris
Nigeria Part II
Kosovo
San Diego
Kashmir
Haiti
Shark
The Colbys
Highway to Heaven
Touched by an Angel
Dalton's Code of Vengeance
Rags to Riches
Wonderfalls
Journeyman
Our Love
Eli Stone
Joan of Arcadia
J.J. Starbuck
Then Came Bronson
A Gifted Man
Run for Your Life
Promised Land
Goodbye, My CEO
Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Kevin (Probably) Saves the World
Born Rich