Run for Your Life (TV series)

Run for Your Life is an American television drama television series starring Ben Gazzara as a man with only a short time to live. It ran on NBC from 1965 to 1968. The series was created by Roy Huggins, who had previously explored the "man on the move" concept with The Fugitive.

Run for Your Life
Title screen
GenreDrama
Created byRoy Huggins
Directed byNicholas Colasanto
Ben Gazzara
William Hale
Fernando Lamas
Leslie H. Martinson
Leo Penn
John Rich
Michael Ritchie
Stuart Rosenberg
Alexander Singer
Steve Previn
StarringBen Gazzara
Theme music composerPete Rugolo
ComposerPete Rugolo
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes86 (all in color)
Production
Executive producerRoy Huggins
ProducersRobert Hamner
Gordon Hessler
Jo Swerling, Jr.
Running time4548 min
Production companyRoncom Films
DistributorMCA TV
Release
Original networkNBC
Audio formatMonaural
Original releaseSeptember 13, 1965 (1965-09-13) 
March 27, 1968 (1968-03-27)

Synopsis

Gazzara as Paul Bryan with guest star Joan Collins.

Premise

Ben Gazzara played attorney Paul Bryan. When his doctor tells him he will die in no less than nine months, but in no more than eighteen months,[1] he decides to do all the things for which he had never had the time—to squeeze thirty years of living into one or two years of life. Much like Route 66, each episode features the main character on the move, encountering new people in new situations.

Background

Ben Gazzara originated the character of Paul Bryan on Kraft Suspense Theatre, in the episode "Rapture at Two-Forty," which aired on April 15, 1965 and served as the show's pilot. Well received, the show became a series that September. Near the beginning of that episode, the audience actually sees the conversation between Bryan and his doctor, which is heard only in voice-over in subsequent episodes of Run For Your Life. Although Bryan's doctor gave him no more than eighteen months to live, the series ran for three seasons, with 86 hour-long episodes, all filmed in color.

Episodes

Season 1 (1965–66)

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
11"The Cold, Cold War of Paul Bryan"Robert Butler & Leslie H. MartinsonStory by: Roy Huggins (aka John Thomas James)
Teleplay by: Frank Fenton & Roy Huggins (aka John Thomas James)
September 13, 1965 (1965-09-13)
22"The Girl Next Door is a Spy"Leslie H. MartinsonStory by: Roy Huggins (aka John Thomas James)
Teleplay by: Luther Davis
September 20, 1965 (1965-09-20)
33"Someone Who Makes Me Feel Beautiful"Leslie H. MartinsonStory by: Judith & Robert Guy Barrows
Teleplay by: Robert Guy Barrows
September 27, 1965 (1965-09-27)
44"How to Sell Your Soul for Fun & Profit"Steve PrevinStory by: Roy Huggins (aka John Thomas James)
Teleplay by: Frank Fenton & Roy Huggins (aka John Thomas James)
October 1, 1965 (1965-10-01)
55"Never Pick Up a Stranger"Leslie H. MartinsonStory by: Roy Huggins (aka John Thomas James)
Teleplay by: Howard Browne
October 8, 1965 (1965-10-08)
66"Our Man in Limbo"Leslie H. MartinsonStory by: Roy Huggins (aka John Thomas James)
Teleplay by: Paul Tuckahoe
October 22, 1965 (1965-10-22)
77"Where Mystery Begins"Leslie H. MartinsonRoy HugginsOctober 29, 1965 (1965-10-29)
88"The Savage Season"Richard BenedictStory by: Roy Huggins (aka John Thomas James)
Teleplay by: Frank Fenton
November 8, 1965 (1965-11-08)
99"This Town for Sale"Richard BenedictStory by: Chester Krumholz
Teleplay by: George Kirgo
November 15, 1965 (1965-11-15)
1010"A Girl Named Sorrow"Leslie H. MartinsonJudith & Robert Guy BarrowsNovember 22, 1965 (1965-11-22)
1111"The Voice of Gina Milan"William HaleStory by: Philip Saltzman
Teleplay by: John W. Bloch & Philip Saltzman
November 29, 1965 (1965-11-29)
1212"The Time of the Sharks"Leslie H. MartinsonStory by: Roy Huggins (aka John Thomas James)
Teleplay by: Frank Fenton
December 6, 1965 (1965-12-06)
1313"Make the Angels Weep"Leslie H. MartinsonStory by: Roy Huggins (aka John Thomas James)
Teleplay by: John T. Dugan
December 13, 1965 (1965-12-13)
1414"Journey into Yesterday"Richard BenedictTeleplay by: Lou Shaw
Based on a story by Marc Norman
December 27, 1965 (1965-12-27)
1515"Strangers at the Door"Stuart RosenbergTom AllenJanuary 3, 1966 (1966-01-03)
1616"Carnival Ends at Midnight"Richard BenedictStory by: Roy Huggins (aka John Thomas James)
Teleplay by: Boris Sobelman
January 10, 1966 (1966-01-10)
1717"The Rediscovery of Charlotte Hyde"William HaleStory by: Roy Huggins (aka John Thomas James)
Teleplay by: Harold Gast
January 24, 1966 (1966-01-24)
1818"The Night of the Terror"TBATBAJanuary 31, 1966 (1966-01-31)
1919"Keep My Share of the World"Richard BenedictStory by: Harold Livingston
Teleplay by: John W. Bloch
February 7, 1966 (1966-02-07)
2020"In Search of April"Stuart RosenbergStory by: Roy Huggins (aka John Thomas James)
Teleplay by: Alvin Sargent
February 14, 1966 (1966-02-14)
2121"Hoodlums on Wheels"TBAHalsted WellesFebruary 21, 1966 (1966-02-21)
2222"Who's Watching the Fleshpot?"Leslie H. MartinsonRoy HugginsMarch 7, 1966 (1966-03-07)
2323"Sequestro: Part 1"Richard BenedictA. Martin ZweibackMarch 14, 1966 (1966-03-14)
2424"Sequestro: Part 2"Richard BenedictA. Martin ZweibackMarch 21, 1966 (1966-03-21)
2525"Don't Count on Tomorrow"Stuart RosenbergTBAMarch 28, 1966 (1966-03-28)
2626"The Cruel Fountain"Stuart RosenbergHenry SlesarApril 4, 1966 (1966-04-04)
2727"Night Train from Chicago"Richard BenedictStory by: Roy Huggins
Teleplay by: Robert Bloch
April 11, 1966 (1966-04-11)
2828"The Last Safari"Abner BibermanStory by: John Thomas James
Teleplay by: John W. Bloch & Mel Goldberg
April 25, 1966 (1966-04-25)
2929"The Savage Machines"Richard BenedictStory by: Robert Guy Barrows
Teleplay by: William Wood
May 2, 1966 (1966-05-02)
3030"The Sadness of a Happy Time"TBATeleplay by: John W. Bloch
Based on a story by Patrick Kennedy
May 16, 1966 (1966-05-16)

Season 2 (1966–67)

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
311"The Day Time Stopped"Leo PennHenry SlesarSeptember 12, 1966 (1966-09-12)
322"I Am the Late Diana Hays"Michael RitchieDale & Katherine EunsonSeptember 19, 1966 (1966-09-19)
333"The Borders of Barbarism"Richard BenedictTeleplay by: Roy Huggins
Based on the novel by Eric Williams
September 26, 1966 (1966-09-26)
344"The Committee for the 25th"William GrahamStory by: Tom Allen
Teleplay by: Luther Davis
October 3, 1966 (1966-10-03)
355"The Dark Beyond the Door"Richard L. BareStory by: Roy Huggins
Teleplay by: John W. Bloch
October 10, 1966 (1966-10-10)
366"The Sex Object"Leo PennHenry SlesarOctober 17, 1966 (1966-10-17)
377"The Edge of Volcano"Leo PennEd Waters & Paul David MoessingerOctober 24, 1966 (1966-10-24)
388"Grotenberg Mask"Nicholas ColasantoHenry SlesarOctober 31, 1966 (1966-10-31)
399"The Treasure Seekers"Nicholas ColasantoMax EhrlichNovember 14, 1966 (1966-11-14)
4010"The Man Who Had No Enemies"Michael RitchieStory by: Roy Huggins
Teleplay by: John W. Bloch
November 21, 1966 (1966-11-21)
4111"A Game of Violence"Leo PennLouis GuardinoNovember 28, 1966 (1966-11-28)
4212"Hang Down Your Head and Laugh"Michael RitchieStory by: Jack Curtis
Teleplay by: Adrian Joyce & Jack Curtis
December 5, 1966 (1966-12-05)
4313"Tears from a Glass Eye"Leo PennStory by: Roy Huggins
Teleplay by: Luther Davis
December 12, 1966 (1966-12-12)
4414"Time and a Half on Christmas Eve"Michael RitchieStory by: Dan Aubry
Teleplay by: A. Martin Zweiback
December 19, 1966 (1966-12-19)
4515"The Shock of Recognition"William HaleJohn D.F. BlackDecember 26, 1966 (1966-12-26)
4616"Flight from Tirana"John RichJoel MurcottJanuary 9, 1967 (1967-01-09)
4717"A Rage for Justice"Leo PennStory by: Roy Huggins
Teleplay by: John W. Bloch
January 16, 1967 (1967-01-16)
4818"The List of Alice McKenna"Michael RitchieStory by: Roy Huggins
Teleplay by: Jerry Ludwig & David W. Rintels
January 23, 1967 (1967-01-23)
4919"The Face of the Antagonist"Nicholas ColasantoHoward BrowneJanuary 30, 1967 (1967-01-30)
5020"Baby, the World's on Fire"Leo PennShirl HendryxFebruary 6, 1967 (1967-02-06)
5121"Rendezvous in Tokyo"Richard BenedictHarold LivingstonFebruary 13, 1967 (1967-02-13)
5222"The Calculus of Chaos"William HaleBill S. Ballinger & Lou BreslowFebruary 20, 1967 (1967-02-20)
5323"The Assassin"Nicholas ColasantoHenry SlesarFebruary 27, 1967 (1967-02-27)
5424"The Carpella Collection"Alexander SingerRobert Foster & Philip DeGuereMarch 6, 1967 (1967-03-06)
5525"A Very Small Injustice"TBATBAMarch 13, 1967 (1967-03-13)
5626"East of the Equator"Fernando LamasStory by: Roy Huggins
Teleplay by: Henri Simoun
March 20, 1967 (1967-03-20)
5727"A Choice of Evils"Ben GazzaraStory by: Rita Lakin
Teleplay by: Alvin Sargent & Rita Lakin
April 3, 1967 (1967-04-03)
5828"Tell it to the Dead"Leo PennStory by: Philip DeGuere & Betty Andrews
Teleplay by: Luther Davis
April 10, 1967 (1967-04-10)
5929"Better World Next Time"Michael RitchieJack MillerApril 17, 1967 (1967-04-17)
6030"The Word Would Be Goodbye"Alf KjellinTBAApril 24, 1967 (1967-04-24)

Season 3 (1967–68)

No.
overall
No. in
season
Title Directed by Written by Original air date
611"Who's Che Guevara?"Michael RitchiePhilip DeGuere & Robert FosterSeptember 13, 1967 (1967-09-13)
622"The Inhuman Predicament"Alexander SingerStory by: Roy Huggins
Teleplay by: Barry Pritchard & Robert Hamner
September 20, 1967 (1967-09-20)
633"Three Passengers for the Lusitania"Richard BenedictErich FaustSeptember 27, 1967 (1967-09-27)
644"The Frozen Image"Nicholas ColasantoMel TormeOctober 4, 1967 (1967-10-04)
655"Trip to the Far Side"Fernando LamasStory by: Roy Huggins
Teleplay by: Paul Tuckahoe
October 11, 1967 (1967-10-11)
666"The Company of Scoundrels"Michael RitchieStory by: Roy Huggins
Teleplay by: Howard Browne
October 18, 1967 (1967-10-18)
677"At the End of the Rainbow There's Another Rainbow"Nicholas ColasantoStory by: Roy Huggins
Teleplay by: Henry Slesar & Roy Huggins
October 25, 1967 (1967-10-25)
688"Down with Willy Hatch"Richard BenedictRichard BaerNovember 1, 1967 (1967-11-01)
699"The Naked Half Truth"Michael RitchieStory by: Roger O. Hirson
Teleplay by: Marc Norman & Roger O. Hirson
November 8, 1967 (1967-11-08)
7010"Tell It Like It Is"Ben GazzaraShirl HendrixNovember 15, 1967 (1967-11-15)
7111"Cry Hard, Cry Fast: Part 1"Michael RitchieLuther DavisNovember 22, 1967 (1967-11-22)
7212"Cry Hard, Cry Fast: Part 2"Michael RitchieLuther DavisNovember 29, 1967 (1967-11-29)
7313"The Mustafa Embrace"Murray GoldenStory by: Roy Huggins
Teleplay by: Robert Hamner
December 6, 1967 (1967-12-06)
7414"It Could Only Happen in Rome"Alexander SingerElick MollDecember 13, 1967 (1967-12-13)
7515"Fly by Night"Richard BenedictTBADecember 20, 1967 (1967-12-20)
7616"A Dangerous Proposal"Barry ShearStory by: Tom Blackburn
Teleplay by: Robert Hamner
January 3, 1968 (1968-01-03)
7717"One Bad Turn"Ben GazzaraStory by: Roy Huggins
Teleplay by: Paul Mason
January 10, 1968 (1968-01-10)
7818"The Rape of Lucrece"Larry PeerceStory by: Dale & Katherine Eunson
Teleplay by: Chase Mellon
January 17, 1968 (1968-01-17)
7919"The Killing Scene"Ben GazzaraStory by: Edward DeBlasio
Teleplay by: Philip DeGuere & Robert Foster
February 1, 1968 (1968-02-01)
8020"Sara-Jane, You Never Whispered Again"Alexander SingerStory by: Roy Huggins
Teleplay by: Adrian Joyce
February 8, 1968 (1968-02-08)
8121"Strategy of Terror"TBATBAFebruary 15, 1968 (1968-02-15)
8222"The Dead on Furlough"Alexander SingerStory by: Paul Freeman
Teleplay by: James M. Miller
February 22, 1968 (1968-02-22)
8323"Beware My Love"George McCowanRobert L. ThompsonMarch 2, 1968 (1968-03-02)
8424"Carol"Ben GazzaraStory by: Robert Foster
Teleplay by: Philip DeGuere & Robert Foster
March 9, 1968 (1968-03-09)
8525"Life Among the Meat Eaters"Robert DayStory by: Robert Hamner
Teleplay by: Mann Rubin
March 16, 1968 (1968-03-16)
8626"The Exchange"John MoxeyStory by: Roy Huggins
Teleplay by: Howard Browne
March 27, 1968 (1968-03-27)

Production

Bryan needed to have a disease that he would die from but which would not affect his quality of life otherwise. The disease selected was chronic myelocytic leukemia.[2]

References

  1. Dialogue in opening of episodes of Run For Your Life.
  2. Heldenfels, Rich (2015-09-25). "Mailbag: Why networks drop shows; a TV-series flashback with Ben Gazzara". Akron Beacon-Journal.
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