The Man Who Never Was (TV series)

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 better-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]

The Man Who Never Was
Dana Wynter and Robert Lansing.
Created byJohn Newland
StarringRobert Lansing
Dana Wynter
ComposerFrank Cordell
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes18
Production
Running time30 minutes
Production companyPalomino Productions in association with 20th Century Fox Television
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseSeptember 7, 1966 (1966-09-07) –
January 4, 1967 (1967-01-04)

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 decides to quit being a secret agent. He proposes marriage to Eva, who accepts, which ended the series, making this one of the few TV shows to have a definite ending. 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

Episode list
Nº Title Directed by Written by Original air date Prod.
code
1"One Plus One - Equals One"John NewlandStory by : Merwin Gerard
Teleplay by : Teddi Sherman & Judith Plowden		September 7, 1966 (1966-09-07)1201
2"The Last of Peter Murphy"John NewlandMerwin GerardSeptember 14, 1966 (1966-09-14)1202
3"Search for a Bent Twig"John NewlandJudith & Robert Guy BarrowsSeptember 21, 1966 (1966-09-21)1203
4"All That Lia Ever Wanted"John NewlandWilliam BastSeptember 28, 1966 (1966-09-28)1208
5"Escape"John NewlandRobert C. DennisOctober 5, 1966 (1966-10-05)1204
6"Death in Vienna"John NewlandFrank MossOctober 12, 1966 (1966-10-12)1205
7"A Little Ignorance"John NewlandMerwin GerardOctober 19, 1966 (1966-10-19)1209
8"Target: Eva"Walter DonigerStory by : Edmund Morris
Teleplay by : William Bast & Edmund Morris		October 26, 1966 (1966-10-26)1210
9"The Big Fish"John NewlandDonald JamesNovember 2, 1966 (1966-11-02)1206
10"Pay Now, Pray Later"John NewlandDick CarrNovember 9, 1966 (1966-11-09)1211
11"Games of Death"John NewlandStory by : Lewis Pine
Teleplay by : Robert C. Dennis		November 16, 1966 (1966-11-16)1212
12"If This Be Treason"John NewlandJudith & Robert Guy BarrowsNovember 23, 1966 (1966-11-23)1207
13"To Kill an Albatross"John NewlandStory by : Donald James
Teleplay by : Judith & Robert Guy Barrows		November 30, 1966 (1966-11-30)1213
14"Things Dead and Done"John NewlandFrank MossDecember 7, 1966 (1966-12-07)1214
15"The Perfect Crime"John NewlandCliff ToddDecember 14, 1966 (1966-12-14)1215
16"In Memory of Davos"John NewlandJudith & Robert Guy BarrowsDecember 21, 1966 (1966-12-21)1216
17"Drop by Drop"John NewlandStory by : William Bast
Teleplay by : Robert C. Dennis		December 28, 1966 (1966-12-28)1217
18"I Take This Woman"John NewlandPatricia Falken SmithJanuary 4, 1967 (1967-01-04)1218

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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