The Man Who Never Was (TV series)

The Man Who Never Was
Dana Wynter and Robert Lansing.
Created by John Newland
Starring Robert Lansing
Dana Wynter
Composer(s) Frank Cordell
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 18
Production
Running time 30 minutes
Production company(s) 20th Century Fox Television
Release
Original network ABC
Original release September 7, 1966 – January 4, 1967

The Man Who Never Was is a 1966 ABC-TV 20th Century Fox Television television series starring Robert Lansing and Dana Wynter. It has no connection with the more well known earlier 20th Century Fox book and film of the same name, and ran for only one season of 18 episodes between September 7, 1966, and January 4, 1967. It was produced by 20th Century Fox Television, was filmed in Europe with the pilot episode being filmed in Berlin and Munich.[1] John Newland produced and directed most of the episodes.[2] The original television pilot starred Canadian actor Don Harron as Mark Wainwright but a change in sponsor led to the new sponsor requesting Robert Lansing in the role[3].

Plot

Lansing initially plays the dual role of Peter Murphy, an American spy, and Mark Wainwright, an influential playboy millionaire who is his exact double. One evening, as the spy is being chased through the streets, he sees Wainwright drunkenly stumbling out of a bar. Stunned at the physical resemblance, Murphy unwittingly allows enemy agents to kill Wainwright, after which he assumes his identity. Although Wainwright's wife, Eva, realises immediately that Murphy is not her husband, she allows him to continue the impersonation, partly because it is financially convenient, and partly because she is moved by his kind treatment of her, in comparison to her abusive husband. Murphy and Eva eventually fall in love. In the final episode, "I Take This Woman", which aired on January 4, 1967, Murphy is tired of his masquerade, defeats enemy spies and retires from the spy game. He proposes marriage to Eva, who accepts, bringing the series to the end. It was unusual for a series to have a concluding episode at the time. Two movies were later made by editing episodes together, "The Spy with the Perfect Cover" and "Danger Has Two Faces". Both have the final scene from the last episode, but one version of it was re-filmed with the same dialogue.

Cast

  • Robert Lansing as Peter Murphy/Mark Wainwright
  • Dana Wynter as Eva Wainwright
  • Murray Hamilton as Col. Jack Forbes
  • Alex Davion as Roger Barry
  • Paul Steward as Paul Grant

References

  1. ↑ p.31 Broadcast Vol 69 1965
  2. ↑ The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. 2003. p. 733. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
  3. ↑ pp.260-262 Harron, Don My Double Life: Sexty Yeers of Farquharson Around with Don Harn Dundurn, 17 Nov. 2012


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