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Rafferty (TV series)

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Rafferty
GenreMedical drama
Created byJames Lee
StarringPatrick McGoohan
John Getz
Millie Slavin
Theme music composerLeonard Rosenman
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13 (3 unaired)
Production
Executive producerJerry Thorpe
ProducersNorman S. Powell
Robert van Scoyk
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time60 minutes
Production companyWarner Bros. Television
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseSeptember 5 (1977-09-05) –
November 28, 1977 (1977-11-28)

Rafferty is an American drama series starring Patrick McGoohan[1] that aired on CBS[2] from September 28 until November 28, 1977. McGoohan played a former army doctor named Sid Rafferty who has retired and moved into private practice. Also seen regularly were John Getz as Rafferty's junior partner, Dr. Daniel Gentry, and Millie Slavin as the medical office's nurse, Vera Wales. Episodes often dealt with the gruff, egotistical and driven Rafferty, a brilliant diagnostician with almost no social skills or bedside manner, working to identify his patients' unusual and life-threatening ailments. One reviewer considers this series a forerunner to House, M.D.[3]

It only lasted one season for 10 out of 13 episodes, and McGoohan was apparently very unhappy with the series, reportedly saying: "...a disaster ... the most miserable job I've ever done in my life ... a total frustration from start to finish.."[4]

Cast

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Episodes

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No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1"Pilot"Barry CraneJames LeeSeptember 5, 1977 (1977-09-05)
2"Brothers & Sons"Barry CraneS : Jerry De Bono
T : Arthur Heinemann & James Lee
September 12, 1977 (1977-09-12)
3"A Point of View"Alexander SingerJames LeeSeptember 19, 1977 (1977-09-19)
4"The Cutting Edge"Barry CraneJohn Meredyth LucasSeptember 26, 1977 (1977-09-26)
5"The Narrow Thread"Barry CraneUnknownOctober 3, 1977 (1977-10-03)
6"The Epidemic"Barry CraneDavid P. LewisOctober 17, 1977 (1977-10-17)
7"The Wild Child"Patrick McGoohanSue MilburnOctober 31, 1977 (1977-10-31)
8"The Will to Live"Edward H. FeldmanS : Arthur Joel Katz
S/T : Sue Milburn
November 7, 1977 (1977-11-07)
9"Walking Wounded"Arnold LavenJames LeeNovember 14, 1977 (1977-11-14)
10"Death Out of a Blue Sky"Barry CraneRobert Van ScoykNovember 28, 1977 (1977-11-28)
11"No Yesterday and No Tomorrow"Arnold LavenS : Rift Fournier
T : James Menzies
N/A
12"The Price of Pain"Arnold LavenS : Rift Fournier
T : James Menzies & John Meredyth Lucas
N/A
13"The Burning Man"Barry CraneSue MilburnN/A

Cultural impact

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The lyrics of the single "Sleeping Gas" by the post-punk band The Teardrop Explodes express displeasure at the series: "You can watch Rafferty turn into a serial / Just like a cartoon by AAP".[6]

References

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  1. ^ "An MD with a new form of fee-splitting". Newsday. September 5, 1977. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  2. ^ "An Old Format, The TV Doctor, Gets New Life With McGoohan". The Tampa Tribune. September 18, 1977. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  3. ^ TV.com: Rafferty
  4. ^ Patrick McGoohan biography page,IMDB
  5. ^ Witbeck, Charles (September 18, 1977). "McGoohan has Rafferty down pat". Sunday News. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  6. ^ https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/4474623/The+Teardrop+Explodes [bare URL]
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