Richard Boone Day On The OTN.

Well, obviously I'm not going to talk about about "Have Gun, Will Travel"
That show has been rerun for an eternity.
It doesn't need the OTN's help.

What do these names have in common?

Richard Boone

Warren Stevens

Bethel Leslie

Harry Morgan

Ford Rainey

Guy Stockwell

Lloyd Bochner

Jeanette Nolan

Laura Devon

Robert Blake

June Harding

That's right.
All of them except one was never accused of murder.
But aside from that, they were all regulars on "The Richard Boone Show" in 1963.
And by regulars, I mean regulars.
This was a one-hour filmed anthology series, and these same actors appeared as different characters every week.
It was television's first, and I believe only attempt at Repertory Theater.
It was a fascinating concept.
They made thirty-five episodes, and every episode was fascinating.
I vividly remember an episode where Warren Stevens played an office worker who was a Korean War veteran who had gone off the deep end, and decided to relive the war by holding all of his co-workers hostage by machine-gun-point.
Richard Boone appeared in about half the episodes, and narrated all of them.
It was a really ambitious try, and should definitely be seen again.

The other show I'm placing in nomination that starred Richard Boone is "Medic"
I had never seen "Medic" when it first appeared.
I was seven years old, and it was on way past my bedtime.
Not that I would have had much interest in it then anyway.

But it has vanished.
I caught up with a few episodes of it on YouTube.
It was a first rate show.
The first really serious dramatic show about medicine.
And the only half-hour dramatic show about medicine that I know about.
Richard Boone employs a Jack Webb style of acting.
The show in general could be considered the "Dragnet" of medicine.
It's use of narration, music, and "Just the facts, ma'am" approach.
And I found myself learning interesting facts about medicine.
Interestingly enough, its creator was James E. Moser, who wrote for "Dragnet" on radio, and then went on to create "Ben Casey"
So "Medic" sort of bridged the gap between the two.
Let's find a place for it.

Until next time,

Mark Rothman, CEO of the OTN.

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My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel,"Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
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The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not
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I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one. If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

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