Breaking Point (1963 TV series)

Breaking Point is an American medical drama that aired on ABC from September 16, 1963, to April 27, 1964. The series, which was a spin-off of Ben Casey, stars Paul Richards and Eduard Franz. The series was created by Meta Rosenberg.

Breaking Point
Paul Richards as McKinley Thompson.
Genre	Medical drama
Created by	Meta Rosenberg
Directed by	Robert Ellis Miller
Starring	Paul Richards Eduard Franz
Theme music composer	David Raksin
Composers	John Carisi Walter Scharf Richard Markowitz John Williams Morton Stevens Jerry Goldsmith George Duning Gerald Fried Van Alexander
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	30
Production
Executive producers	John E. Pommer George Lefferts (1964)
Producers	George Lefferts Richard Collins Morton Fine David Friedkin
Cinematography	Robert Hauser
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	45–48 minutes
Production company	Bing Crosby Productions (produced at the studios of Desilu)
Distributor	ABC Films (1964-1973) Worldvision Enterprises (1973-1999) Paramount Television (1999-2006) CBS Television Distribution (current distributor)
Release
Original network	ABC
Picture format	Black-and-white
Audio format	Monaural
Original release	September 16, 1963 (1963-09-16) – April 27, 1964 (1964-04-27)
Chronology
Related	Ben Casey The Eleventh Hour

Synopsis

Richards stars as Dr. McKinley Thompson, the chief resident in psychiatry at York Hospital, a fictitious hospital in Los Angeles. Eduard Franz co-starred as Dr. Edward Raymer, the hospital's psychiatric clinical director. McKinley was called Dr. Mac by everyone on the staff, and the stories focused on the people who came to the psychiatric clinic for their help.^[1]

Cast

Main

• Paul Richards as Dr. McKinley Thompson
• Eduard Franz as Dr. William Raymer

Guest stars

• Bettye Ackerman
• Martin Balsam
• Shelley Berman
• James Callahan
• Michael Callan
• John Cassavetes
• Dabney Coleman
• Rosemary DeCamp
• James Daly
• Bradford Dillman
• Dianne Foster
• Anthony Franciosa
• Clint Howard
• Lillian Gish
• Virginia Gregg
• James Gregory
• Mariette Hartley
• Joey Heatherton
• Kim Hunter
• Russell Johnson
• Piper Laurie
• Carol Lawrence
• John Larkin
• Barry Livingston
• Robert Loggia
• Scott Marlowe
• Kevin McCarthy
• Ralph Meeker
• Burgess Meredith
• Alan Napier
• Kathleen Nolan
• Sheree North
• Edmond O'Brien
• Arthur O'Connell
• Jack Oakie
• Eleanor Parker
• Walter Pidgeon
• Gena Rowlands
• Hari Rhodes
• Mark Richman
• Cliff Robertson
• Ruth Roman
• Robert Ryan
• Telly Savalas
• Vito Scotti
• Jan Sterling
• Susan Strasberg
• Rip Torn
• Jack Warden

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
1	"Solo for B-Flat Clarinet"	Sydney Pollack	George Lefferts	September 16, 1963 (1963-09-16)
A musician (Scott Marlowe) is disturbed by the conflict between his cruelly authoritarian father (Oscar Homolka) and himself. A continuation of a two-part story that began on the Ben Casey episode "For This Relief, Much Thanks" (September 9, 1963), it guest-starred Vincent Edwards as Ben Casey, Russell Johnson, Dabney Coleman, Millie Perkins, and Sheree North.
2	"Last Summer We Didn't Go Away"	William A. Graham	Unknown	September 23, 1963 (1963-09-23)
A psychiatric patient (Anthony Franciosa) tries to keep his treatment secret when he returns to teaching. It also guest-starred Ed Asner and Brenda Scott.
3	"Fire and Ice"	Unknown	Mann Rubin	September 30, 1963 (1963-09-30)
An unhinged executive's wife (Janice Rule) seeks psychiatric help due to an avalanche of problems, including a disengaging husband and oppressive mother-in-law. It also guest-starred Kevin McCarthy and Irene Tedrow.
4	"Bird and Snake"	William A. Graham	James Yaffe	October 7, 1963 (1963-10-07)
A disruptive group-therapy patient preys on the group to vent his hostility toward others. It also guest-starred Robert Redford, Jack Weston, and Marisa Pavan.
5	"There Are the Hip and There Are the Square"	Don Siegel	Mark Rodgers	October 14, 1963 (1963-10-14)
A young couple (John Cassavetes and Carol Lawrence) express their rebellion through a suicide pact. It also guest-starred J. Pat O'Malley, Virginia Gregg, Woodrow Parfrey, and Gilbert Green.
6	"The Bull Roarer"	Ralph Senensky	Ernest Kinoy	October 21, 1963 (1963-10-21)
A shy, young construction worker (Lou Antonio) is troubled by his inability to engage in "manly" activities, and fears he may be a homosexual. It also guest-starred Ralph Meeker, Mariette Hartley, Cece Whitney, and Carmen Phillips.
7	"Crack in an Image"	Unknown	Unknown	October 28, 1963 (1963-10-28)
A senatorial candidate's (Mark Richman) chances for higher office are threatened by the emotional breakdown of his wife (Kim Hunter). It also guest-starred Paul Stewart and Holly McIntire.
8	"A Pelican in the Wilderness"	Elliot Silverstein	Michael Blankfort	November 4, 1963 (1963-11-04)
A rabbi (Martin Balsam) loses his faith following the accidental death of his only son. It also guest-starred Akim Tamiroff, Noam Pitlik, Barbara Turner, Virginia Capers, and Zolya Talma.
9	"And James Was a Very Small Snail"	Robert Ellis Miller	Allan Sloane	November 11, 1963 (1963-11-11)
An autistic child (Eddie Rossen) is aided by a therapist (Martine Bartlett), who seeks the key to communicating with him. It also guest-starred Harold J. Stone, Marsha Hunt, Michael Fox, Marcia Dealy, and Donald Losby.
10	"Whatsoever Things I Hear"	William A. Graham	Albert Sanders	November 18, 1963 (1963-11-18)
A frustrated salesman (Shelley Berman) is accused of attempted assault, and Dr. Thompson goes on trial for refusing to release his case history to the court. It also guest-starred Joe Maross, Malachi Throne, Sarah Marshall, Joanna Frank, Harry Bartell, Hari Rhodes, Suzy Carnell, and Doreen Lang.
11	"Who Is Mimi, What Is She?"	Unknown	Unknown	December 2, 1963 (1963-12-02)
A fan-club founder attempts to live vicariously through a fading film star (Ruth Roman). It also guest-starred Terry Becker, Sondra Blake, Hunt Powers, and Sylvia Lewis.
12	"Millions of Faces"	Unknown	Alvin Boretz	December 9, 1963 (1963-12-09)
A psychiatric ward attendant (Rip Torn), who is impersonating a doctor, seeks the help of Dr. Thompson after he makes an enemy of a veteran nurse (Jan Sterling).
13	"The Gnu, Now Almost Extinct"	William A. Graham	Unknown	December 16, 1963 (1963-12-16)
An aging actress (Lillian Gish) refuses to accept the death of her witty, nonconformist husband (Walter Pidgeon). It also guest-starred Vito Scotti and Clint Howard.
14	"Heart of Marble, Body of Stone"	Ida Lupino	Steven Gethers	December 23, 1963 (1963-12-23)
A narcissistic model (Gena Rowlands) sees her marriage collapse due to her possessive father (Burgess Meredith), who tries to manage both her career and life. It also guest-starred John Milford, Mary Gregory, Gloria Calomee, and Russ Bender.
15	"Don't Cry, Baby, Don't Cry"	Leo Penn	George Lefferts	December 30, 1963 (1963-12-30)
A prison inmate (Sheree North) participates as a substitute mother to a difficult child in one of Dr. Thompson's rehabilitation experiments. It also guest-starred Robert Ellenstein, Cece Whitney, Doris Dowling, and Maidie Norman.
16	"A Little Anger Is a Good Thing"	Arnold Laven	Raphael Hayes	January 6, 1964 (1964-01-06)
A retired barber (Arthur O'Connell) needs a reason to live, and a warm-hearted widow (Rosemary De Camp) gives him such a reason. It also guest-starred Dean Harens, Helen Kleeb, Richard Bull, and Ralph Manza.
17	"And If Thy Hand Offend Thee"	Paul Stanley	Story by : George Bellak Teleplay by : Morton Fine	January 13, 1964 (1964-01-13)
A World War II veteran (James Daly) involved in the bombing of Hiroshima, who married a Japanese woman from the city, is plagued by guilt over his past actions. It also guest-starred Irene Tsu, Nobu McCarthy, Richard Webb, and Yasuko.
18	"Better Than a Dead Lion"	William A. Graham	Story by : Shimon Bar-David Teleplay by : Shimon Bar-David and Morton Fine	January 20, 1964 (1964-01-20)
An author (Robert Ryan) with writer's block develops an imaginary physical paralysis, causing his wife (Bettye Ackerman) to fear he will attempt suicide. It also guest-starred John Larkin.
19	"A Land More Cruel"	Unknown	Unknown	January 27, 1964 (1964-01-27)
A fashion designer (Eleanor Parker) compulsively seeks out liaisons with strange men, then sets her sights on seducing Dr. Thompson. It also guest-starred Robert Brubaker and Barry Livingston.
20	"No Squares in My Family Circle"	Unknown	Unknown	February 10, 1964 (1964-02-10)
An Italian baker (Jack Warden) suffers guilt from his early days as an immigrant affiliated with gangsters. It also guest-starred Johnny Seven and Mariette Hartley.
21	"So Many Pretty Girls, So Little Time"	Elliot Silverstein	Story by : Roy Baldwin Teleplay by : Robert Towne	February 17, 1964 (1964-02-17)
A philandering publisher (Cliff Robertson) runs into trouble with his boss and attempts to reconnect with his long-suffering wife. It also guest-starred Alan Napier, Ilse Taurins, Mari Blanchard, Bobby Byles, and Barbara Wilkin.
22	"A Child of the Center Ring"	Unknown	Unknown	February 24, 1964 (1964-02-24)
A young trapeze artist (Susan Strasberg) is mysteriously unable to walk following her famous father's accidental plunge to his death. It also guest-starred Cesare Danova, Fabrizio Mioni, and James Callahan.
23	"The Tides of Darkness"	Paul Wendkos	Jean Holloway	March 2, 1964 (1964-03-02)
A widower's (Edmond O'Brien) only child (Lori Martin) goes into shock after being attacked by an intruder. It also guest-starred Regina Gleason, Herb Armstrong, Patricia Newby, Don Kennedy, Walter Brooke, and Edward Platt.
24	"The Summer House"	Unknown	Unknown	March 9, 1964 (1964-03-09)
A patient (Piper Laurie) becomes catatonic after a shattering experience brings all her childhood fears into focus. It also guest-starred Robert Loggia, Pamelyn Ferdin, and Phyllis Love.
25	"Shadow of a Starless Night"	Ralph Senensky	Jean Holloway	March 16, 1964 (1964-03-16)
A doctor (Bradford Dillman), who is blinded in an automobile accident, is determined to resume his career with the aid of a guide dog. It also guest-starred Dianne Foster, Charles Robinson, Don Hanmer, and Dan Tobin.
26	"Glass Flowers Never Drop Petals"	Unknown	Unknown	March 23, 1964 (1964-03-23)
A perfectionist (Jessica Tandy) attempts suicide due to midlife anxieties, which belie her seemingly ideal marriage. It also guest-starred James Gregory.
27	"Never Trouble Trouble, Till Trouble Troubles You"	Unknown	Unknown	March 30, 1964 (1964-03-30)
A boxer (Terry Carter) insists he was knocked out by a hard punch despite the evidence of the boxing commission that he threw the fight. It also guest-starred Frederick O'Neal, Paul Birch, Joel Fluellen, Diana Sands, Rex Ingram, and S. John Launer.
28	"Confounding Her Astronomers"	Unknown	Unknown	April 6, 1964 (1964-04-06)
An extremely bright, but unadoptable child (Jennifer Gillespie) shares secrets with an imaginary "Gypsy Man", which piques the interest of her co-therapist (Kathleen Nolan). It also guest-starred Peter Leeds, Richard Devon, Virginia Gregg, Dennis Rush, Alice Backes, and Grace Lenard.
29	"I, the Dancer"	Unknown	William D. Gordon	April 20, 1964 (1964-04-20)
A jazz ballet star (Joey Heatherton) and the head of a dance school David Winters find their marriage threatened by a false philosophy. It also guest-starred Michael Callan.
30	"My Hands Are Clean"	David Friedkin	Joel Hammil	April 27, 1964 (1964-04-27)
A loan shark (Telly Savalas) is suddenly marked by stigmata to the consternation of his priest. It also guest-starred Henry Silva, Arline Sax, and Marian Seldes.

Award nomination

Breaking Point writer Allan Sloane was nominated for an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama".

References

1. Alex McNeil, Total Television, New York: Penguin Books, 1996, 4th ed., p. 117

External links

• Breaking Point at IMDb