Corwin (TV series)

Corwin
Created bySandor Stern
Written bySandor Stern
Directed byPeter Carter
Daryl Duke
Ronald Weyman
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
Production
Executive producerRonald Weyman
Running time60 minutes
Original release
NetworkCBC Television
Release5 October 1969 (1969-10-05) –
3 January 1971 (1971-01-03)

Corwin was a Canadian drama television series which aired on CBC Television from 1969 to 1971.

Premise

Psychiatrist Greg Corwin (John Horton) established a general practice for the inner city. Other regular characters included Corwin's older assistant Doc James (Alan King), Mrs. Mackie or "Mac" (Ruth Springford) and Sergeant Bromley (Robert Warner).[1]

The debut episode, "Does Anybody Here Know Denny?", guest starred Margot Kidder.[2] Kidder was nominated for the Canadian Film Award for Best Actress in a Non Feature for her performance, and Springford won the Canadian Film Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Non-Feature for the same episode.

Scheduling

Hour-long episodes were broadcast Sundays at 9:00 p.m. (Eastern) from 5 October to 2 November 1969 in the first season, and 22 November 1970 to 3 January 1971 for the second and final season.

The second season's run of Corwin was complicated by its inclusion in the Sunday at Nine timeslot which became a mixture of drama, variety—such as The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour—and documentaries.[3][4][5]

Although Corwin received a significant budget, the series consistency was hampered by the departures of director René Bonnière and writer Sandor Stern.[1]

Series 1 (1969)

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Does Anybody Here Know Denny? (Part 1)"Peter CarterSandor Stern5 October 1969 (1969-10-05)
Dr. Greg Corwin falls for an heiress who seems to have mental health issues. With Margot Kidder.
22"Does Anybody Here Know Denny? (Part 2)"Peter CarterSandor Stern12 October 1969 (1969-10-12)
Now engaged to Denny, Corwin finds her problems run deeper than he imagined. With Margot Kidder.
33"Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver"Daryl DukeSandor Stern19 October 1969 (1969-10-19)
The husband of a critically-ill patient must choose between the death of his wife, and the death of his unborn child.
44"Boxful of Promises"Ronald WeymanSandor Stern26 October 1969 (1969-10-26)
A wealthy miser lives a hermetic life in a run-down rooming house -- until one of Corwin's patients steals his hidden stash of cash.
55"What Do You See When You Turn Out the Lights?"UnknownSandor Stern2 November 1969 (1969-11-02)
A patient is frantic when a spiritualist predicts she has six weeks to live.

Series 2 (1970/71)

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
61"Who Is The Fat Cat?"David PeddieSandor Stern22 November 1970 (1970-11-22)
A postman needs leg surgery to survive, but refuses the procedure. With Gordon Pinsent, and Ed Begley (who died several months before this episode was broadcast -- this was his last role).
72"You Gotta Be Close to It All"UnknownSandor Stern29 November 1970 (1970-11-29)
Corwin hospitalizes a woman with pneumonia, while his office staff looks after her 10-year-old son.
83"How'd You Like To Visit Niagara Falls?"UnknownUnknown6 December 1970 (1970-12-06)
A hypochondriac writer is convinced he has cancer.
94"You Can't Find Yesterday Tomorrow"UnknownUnknown13 December 1970 (1970-12-13)
Dr. Corwin is hospitalized in a hit-and-run incident.
105"'Why' Is A Good Question"UnknownUnknown20 December 1970 (1970-12-20)
A middle-aged man collapses on the street -- cause unknown -- and Corwin and his staff rush to save him.
116"Remember..."UnknownUnknown27 December 1970 (1970-12-27)
127TBAUnknownUnknown3 January 1971 (1971-01-03)

References

  1. ^ a b Miller, Mary Jane (1987). Turn Up the Contrast – CBC Television Drama Since 1952. Vancouver: UBC Press / CBC Enterprises. pp. 160–161. ISBN 0-7748-0278-2.
  2. ^ Corcelli, John (May 2005). "Corwin". Canadian Communications Foundation. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  3. ^ Miller, Mary Jane (1987). Turn Up the Contrast: CBC Television Drama Since 1952. University of British Columbia Press. p. 160. ISBN 0774802782. It was scheduled in the Sunday at Nine (1970–73) slot, where 'single dramas alternate with light entertainment and special documentaries' (CBC Times, 8-14/11/69).
  4. ^ "Hart & Lorne Terrific Hour, The Series (1970–1971)". TVarchive.ca. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  5. ^ Allan, Blaine. "Stage Door to Switzer: Sunday at Nine". CBC Television Series, 1952-1982. Department of Film and Media at Queen's University. Archived from the original on 6 December 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2013. Sunday at Nine was the umbrella title for dramatic and variety productions from the CBC and elsewhere. Throughout the years 1969 to 1973, the time slot included The Wayne And Shuster Hour (q.v.) and The Hart And Lorne Terrific Hour (1970-71), with Hart Pomerantz and Lorne Michaels, as well as the network's prestige drama series, Corwin (1970, q.v.), Quentin Durgens, M.P. (1971, q.v.), and The Manipulators (1971, q.v.). It also included such imports from the BBC as The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Elizabeth R.