Run For Your Life? (1 Viewer)

[sjbradford]

I remember seeing it on WOR’s EMI services years ago. And the premise just didn’t do it for me. If this guy is going to die in a year or two, was he really going to have the strength to run all over the place? I didn’t find Ben Gazzara to be a particularly charismatic lead either.

It was Fugitive-Lite, but without the compelling premise or lead.

 

[jperez]

The doctor explained, as seen at the start of every episode, that he would feel in perfect health until the last weeks. As for the time factor, that's irrelevant in a TV series. How do you measure time? A week for each episode? World War II in Europe lasted less than one year, and yet Combat went on for five seasons. Lastly, I realize its a question of taste, but Gazzara was recognized as a great actor, being nominated twice for best deama lead for Run For Your Life, and also having much success in the movies. For me, he was spellbinding and perfect in RFL, with his sad eyes and disillusioned smile, even though he once said it was very hard work, as he was almost in every scene during the 86 episode run.

 

[Richard Kaufman]

I'd buy The Name of the Game in a second.

 

[ScottRE]

The doctor explained, as seen at the start of every episode, that he would feel in perfect health until the last weeks. As for the time factor, that's irrelevant in a TV series. How do you measure time? A week for each episode? World War II in Europe lasted less than one year, and yet Combat went on for five seasons. Lastly, I realize its a question of taste, but Gazzara was recognized as a great actor, being nominated twice for best drama lead for Run For Your Life, and also having much success in the movies. For me, he was spellbinding and perfect in RFL, with his sad eyes and disillusioned smile, even though he once said it was very hard work, as he was almost in every scene during the 86 episode run.

I didn't mean to crap on one of your favorite shows. I hate it when people dismiss one of mine.

 

[Lecagr]

I would probably be in for a complete series DVD set of Run For Your Life if it was released. I actually prefer it over The Fugitive.

 

[shoeshineboy]

The doctor explained, as seen at the start of every episode, that he would feel in perfect health until the last weeks. As for the time factor, that's irrelevant in a TV series. How do you measure time? A week for each episode? World War II in Europe lasted less than one year, and yet Combat went on for five seasons. Lastly, I realize its a question of taste, but Gazzara was recognized as a great actor, being nominated twice for best deama lead for Run For Your Life, and also having much success in the movies. For me, he was spellbinding and perfect in RFL, with his sad eyes and disillusioned smile, even though he once said it was very hard work, as he was almost in every scene during the 86 episode run.

"World War II in Europe lasted less than one year, and yet Combat went on for five seasons."
Ummm, I don't know where you learn your history but I believe Germany invaded Poland in 1939; various nations denounced and because the Nazis continued to march, war was declared. It went on in Europe until 1945. Even American involvement stretched beyond a year...

 

[Flashgear]

Right you are Dan.

I'm guessing that Jperez meant to say that the end-phase in NW Europe, D-day invasion-Normandy campaign through to VE day lasted just less than a year of combat. (June 6 1944 to May 8 1945). Of course, the USA ground forces had been fighting in the Mediterranean theatre of war since operation Torch in November 1942, carrying through to fighting in Tunisia, Sicily and mainland Italy right up to the end of the war. UK and Commonwealth forces (like our illustrious Canadian Army) were fighting in all of the many theatres of WW2 right from the beginning in September 1939.

The criticism of Run for Your Life lasting 3 years when Paul Bryan supposedly had such a dire prognosis impelling him to abandon his law practice and throw himself into packing a lifetime of living into an (incongruous) single year is irrelevant to me as well. Chronological time is obviously not the same as us dipping into Bryan's fictional life on a week to week basis for an edited hour...as Jperez also stated, the voice-over narration by his doctor explained Bryan's ongoing vitality just up to when he finally met his (offscreen) natural end from his very strange disease (as imagined by Roy Huggins, ha, ha)...in watching Run For Your Life, it quickly becomes apparent why we never saw it released on a licensed or studio DVD release, regrettably...music from Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Shirley Bassey, Sergio Mendes and Brazil '66, Petula Clark, Jack Jones, etc., a hit parade of mid-'60s easy listening hits, basically everything that Roy Huggins loved at the time...and the show itself was damn good...I wish it had lasted longer than 3 seasons...

Here's some screen caps that I took from my home made DVD-Rs...

 

[jperez]

Of course, I meant the involvement of US forces in the European campaign, which is what's being shown on Combat!, starting with Normandie on the first episode.

 

[The 1960's]

Right you are Dan.

I'm guessing that Jperez meant to say that the end-phase in NW Europe, D-day invasion-Normandy campaign through to VE day lasted just less than a year of combat. (June 6 1944 to May 8 1945). Of course, the USA ground forces had been fighting in the Mediterranean theatre of war since operation Torch in November 1942, carrying through to fighting in Tunisia, Sicily and mainland Italy right up to the end of the war. UK and Commonwealth forces (like our illustrious Canadian Army) were fighting in all of the many theatres of WW2 right from the beginning in September 1939.

The criticism of Run for Your Life lasting 3 years when Paul Bryan supposedly had such a dire prognosis impelling him to abandon his law practice and throw himself into packing a lifetime of living into an (incongruous) single year is irrelevant to me as well. Chronological time is obviously not the same as us dipping into Bryan's fictional life on a week to week basis for an edited hour...as Jperez also stated, the voice-over narration by his doctor explained Bryan's ongoing vitality just up to when he finally met his (offscreen) natural end from his very strange disease (as imagined by Roy Huggins, ha, ha)...in watching Run For Your Life, it quickly becomes apparent why we never saw it released on a licensed or studio DVD release, regrettably...music from Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Shirley Bassey, Sergio Mendes and Brazil '66, Petula Clark, Jack Jones, etc., a hit parade of mid-'60s easy listening hits, basically everything that Roy Huggins loved at the time...and the show itself was damn good...I wish it had lasted longer than 3 seasons...

Here's some screen caps that I took from my home made DVD-Rs...
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Thank you Randall!!

For anyone who has never seen this classic series I posted four very watchable episodes here.

 

[Neil Brock]

A big reason is the dual ownership between Universal and Roncom.