An Epilogue

Quinn Martin was a highly regarded American television producer with at least one television series running in prime time every year for twenty-one straight years, from 1959 to 1980. As QM Productions, Martin established a distinct format for his series—filmed as mini-movies—that was broken into four sections called “Acts." It was essentially a clever device to resume the story after commercial breaks. Each episode wrapped up the story with a short "Epilogue." They were parodies of this format, none better than the six-episode comedy, Police Squad starring Leslie Nielsen. After selling QM Productions, Martin continued developing motion pictures for Warner Bros. with a new company, QM Communications, until his death. 

My highlights of his most noted television-producing career:

1958: "Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse" anthology TV series for Desilu Productions. 

1959: The landmark series "The Untouchables" (1959-63) for Desilu Productions. Emmy winner. Famous theme by Nelson Riddle.

1960: Established QM Productions. Sold the company in 1978 to become an adjunct professor at the University of California's Earl Warren College, San Diego.

1961: 36 episodes of the ABC police crime drama, "The New Breed," starring Leslie Nielsen and John Beradino. Theme composed by Dominic Frontiere. 1st series under his QM Production company. 

1963: "The Fugitive" drama series. The QM Productions logo became known worldwide. His use of narration was a signature element of the series.

1964: "12 O'Clock High" TV series. Ratings nose-dived after charismatic star, Robert Lansing, was unceremoniously "killed off" at the beginning of 2nd season. Replaced by Paul Burke. Lansing was understandably puzzled by the decision.

1965: "The F.B.I." was his longest-running series based around the James Stewart film, "The F.B.I. Story."

1967: "The Invaders" starring Roy Thinnes as architect, David Vincent, in his 1 year career swap to become an expert on sneaky interplanetary aliens.

 
1970: "Dan August" crime drama series with Burt Reynolds as a police lieutenant. Not unique enough to survive beyond 26 episodes. Innovative theme by Dave Grusin. Reynolds' film stardom made reruns popular.

1971: "Cannon" was a five-year Private Detective series about a rotund investigator who drove a Lincoln Mark IV equipped with a telephone.

1972: "The Streets of San Francisco" ran for five years and made a star of Michael Douglas.

1973-1980: "Barnaby Jones," an unlikely popular detective series about a 65-year-old investigator ran for seven years.

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

 

A former patient returns home after a nervous breakdown to discover her father has remarried. Her stepmother wants to force her back into a sanitarium. Kimble discovers what is going on.

The Homecoming, 1964
Guest stars: Shirley Knight, Richard Carlson, Gloria Grahame

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

Kimble medical training saves the life of a young boy with a serious medical condition unknown to the kidnappers.

Never Stop Running, 1964
Guest stars: Claude Akins, Joanna Moore, Wright King

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

A terminally ill man tries to help Kimble elude Gerard but his wife's suspicions come into play.

Somebody to Remember, 1964

Guest stars: Gilbert Roland, Madlyn Rhue

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

Kimble reunites with the man who saved his life in the Korean War but his heroism left him physically and psychologically scarred.

Taps for A Dead War, 1964
Guest stars: Tim O'Connor, Lee Grant

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

 

Kimble helps a wounded man (a bank robber) who then takes the doctor hostage. The wounded criminal's sister later recognizes Kimble from a wanted poster. The police descend.

Rat In A Corner, 1964
Guest stars: Warren Oates, Malachi Throne

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

 

Kimble is drawn into a domestic storm between father and daughter in Reno. Aside from his wise counsel, the doctor is able to use his medical skills while posing as a lifeguard. 

   
Where The Action Is, 1964
Guest star Telly Savalas

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

 

For the first time since trial, Kimble returns home to a father with a serious health concern and a younger brother believing he is guilty.

Note: This episode is notable for Jacqueline Scott's first appearance as Kimble's sister. Her phone conversation with her brother "out of the blue" is a series highlight. Scott's acting was genuine and quite believable. Robert Keith was in failing health in real life, dying in 1966.

Home Is The Hunted, 1964
Guest stars: Jacqueline Scott, Andrew Prine, Robert Keith

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

 

Kimble is nearly killed by a car driven by a young stewardess. She was otherwise mentally occupied with the devastating realization that her "sweetheart" is a married man with two children. While recuperating in a hospital, Kimble's delirium audibly recalls the night of his wife's murder.

The Girl From Little Egypt, 1963
Guest stars: Pamela Tiffin, Ed Nelson

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

 

Hired by a construction crew boss, Jack Klugman, Janssen recognizes a falsely accused young man needs defending for the assault on Klugman's wife, Elizabeth Allen. 

Terror at Highpoint, 1963
Guest stars: Jack Klugman, Elizabeth Allen, James Best

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

 

Working as a stock clerk, Kimble witnesses his boss's manslaughter of an associate, and the doctor's anonymous phone call is misinterpreted by his wife as blackmail. She contacts the store detective to resolve the issue, who eventually has questions for Kimble.

Glass Tightrope, 1963

Guest stars Leslie Nielson, Edward Binns

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

 

After saving children from a burning school bus, Kimble is nursed back to health by a sheriff and his wife, a nurse. His heroic rescue garners publicity, something always on Lt. Gerard's radar. 

Nightmare at Northoak, 1963
Guest stars: Frank Overton, Nancy Wickwire 

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

Lt. Gerard tops off his gas tank for a cross-state journey after Kimble's fingerprints show up on his office wire. Kimble has been arrested following a minor traffic accident but he and a cellmate, Fatso, break jail before Gerard arrives. The friendly, slightly mentally challenged cellmate may have been falsely accused of a past crime he did not commit. Something that resonates with the pediatrician.

Fatso, 1963

Guest star Jack Weston as Fatso

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

 

This an old fashioned murder mystery episode that has Kimble aboard a freighter, Alaskan Star, a few hours out of Seattle. There are many familiar television faces in this episode and most seem to have their own secrets. Among the eleven intertwining passengers, and a crew of fourteen, is an FBI agent in search of a Korean War criminal and traitor. The viewer logically narrows this down to a male passenger. The agent does not live to pin the crime on the killer, however, and Kimble must use his medical degree to diagnose who committed the murder. 

Ticket to Alaska, 1963
Main guest stars Geraldine Brooks, Tim O'Connor, June Dayton

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

 

While working at a gas station in the southwest, Kimble and a customer are taken hostage. The doctor sucks the two violent thieves in on his own fabricated big robbery. The girl gets help from Kimble but she freaks out after seeing his photo on the newspaper's front page. And the criminals have their own plan for her future.

See Hollywood and Die, 1963
Guest stars Brenda Vaccaro, Lou Antonio, Chris Robinson

A Noted Television Theme

 

Beside the intelligent scripts and David Janssen's iconic portrayal of Dr. Richard Kimball, The Fugitive is memorable for its distinctive theme and music cues written by Pete Rugolo. The fast-paced "running" music of the theme perfectly matched the title character. He wrote cues for Barry Morse's character, a contemplative cue for Kimball, as well as numerous cues ranging from sad to exciting chase moments. Being good friends and a Rugolo fan, it was Janssen's hope to have Rugolo work for his first series, Richard Diamond. The series put him at the forefront of television composers. Combined with Maurice Binder's opening graphic sequence, it set the jazzy tone of the series in the beginning. His theme and music cues for Thriller, hosted by Boris Karloff, was his next milepost. Roy Huggins, creator of The Fugitive concept, would twist the idea around for his next series, Run For Your Life. Having a second title character "running for his life" simultaneously was not as successful, however.

Note: Pietro "Pete" Rugolo (1915-2011) was a Sicilian-born jazz composer who settled in the US in 1921. He wrote music for many series in television's early days which were as diverse as Leave It To Beaver or Felony Squad. Maurice Binder would gain international fame for his creative opening titles for the early James Bond films.

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

 

Working as a migrant farmworker, Kimble gets drawn into helping fight a forest fire. The situation prevents access to a hospital, yet the doctor recognizes a fellow worker's wife must give birth by cesarean. Worksite nurse, guest star Beverly Garland, castigates Kimble's supposed lack of urgency. Only as a last resort, he provides her his medical credentials. Credentials Gerard can spot from miles away in spite of the smoke.

Smoke Screen, 1963

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

 

Kimball is employed as a "cut man" for a boxer, James Edwards, who suffers from memory loss. Suspecting brain damage, he advises Edwards not to box again. Also going for a knock-down is a detective, posing as a reporter, who suspects the boxer has mob ties. Kimble is in his element for this episode until the detective uncovers the identity of Kimble. 

Decision In The Ring, 1963

Ruby Dee, James Dunn guest star

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

Apparently, Kimble cannot fully disguise his medical credentials. He is asked by a married couple to help their "son" get to a doctor. Strangely, they are unaware he is a hemophiliac. This is highly suspicious to Kimball and he soon discovers the truth. The couple plan to get a 200 grand ransom by kidnapping a young boy. The doctor notices bruising from being snatched but cannot convince the kidnappers that the child needs a coagulant to promote blood clotting. Now, they are getting a bit suspicious of Kimble. The doctor comes up with a plan to smuggle the child away from the greedy couple and take him to a nearby hospital.

Never Stop Running, 1964 
Claude Akins and Joanna Moore guest star

Richard Kimble's Brief Encounters

 

Eight months a fugitive, Kimble encounters Sandy Dennis, guest-starring as a young woman who wants a future outside her West Virginia roots. The doctor is fortunate she knows the region well enough to help him escape a sheriff's posse and the single-minded Lt. Gerard through a mine tunnel that exits on the other side of a mountain. But Dennis must remain "trapped" in her depressing world.

The Other Side of The Mountain, 1963
Frank Sutton, R.G. Armstrong, and Bruce Dern also guest star