During the late 1960's the creative department of programming at the NBC television network were looking for different method/technique for viewers who enjoy television dramas. The series entitled THE BOLD ONES which aired on Sunday nights is an umbrella title for four professional areas of society. Each week a different area would be shown but never consecutively.In the field of Politics and the Washington scene (The Senators), Law Enforcement the area of District attorneys and detective work (The Protectors), The Courtroom with Judge and jury plus a smattering of litigation(The Lawyers) and this review featuring medicine (The NEW Doctors). I never cared for this series before, but this episode was promoted by Jerry Lewis on his Telethon.They showed a clip of a crippled boy named Davey with Muscular Dystophy and my interest was sparked. I watched the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon regularly for years on Labor day weekend. It was Jerry's quest to end this crippling terminal disease by raising funds for 20 plus hours on national television with entertainment, research, interviews, Jerry collecting checks from big corporations, little stories, vignettes about the disease,famous celebrities and Jerry being Jerry the hilarious entertainer. This particular episode of the New Doctors is directed by Jerry Lewis who does not appear in this show. It's his second TV direction being a Ben Casey Medical drama in 1964 which he played a Dr. and directed. Jerry pours his heart and soul into this episode which showcases the hopelessness of the dreaded disease. Crippled Davey (Jason Karpf)with his parents Arch Johnson and Joanne Linville try to come to grips with the his bad circumstances as the digression is eminent in the young boy. Meanwhile at the hospital under direction of Dr. David Craig (E.G. Marshall) and Dr. Paul Hunter (David Hartman)they give Davey tests which show that he is indeed afflicted with M.D.. Meanwhile a golf pro played by Lincoln Kilpatrick finds out that he can't play on the pro tour because of a muscle ailment preventing him from playing in the Masters. Hartman does a find job playing the compassionate Doctor telling Davey's blue collar Father that hospital care is best for Davey rather than staying at home which would be extremely difficult in the end. Our golf pro complains about his minor ailment mild by comparison to the incurable death card given to the children in the Musculor Dystophy ward next door. When I wrote this critique it was only a few days after Jerry's Passing at the age of 93. Whatever feeling you had about Jerry Lewis you have to admit for 50 plus years he hosted those all nighters from New York and Las Vegas getting the stars to come out and raise over two billion dollars for a cure. As of September 7 2017 there is still no cure for Muscular Dystophy... In heaven they run!
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