Breaking Point

1963

Breaking Point

7.3 | NR | en | Drama

Breaking Point is an American medical drama that aired on ABC from September 16, 1963, to April 27, 1964, continuing in rebroadcasts until September 7. The series, which was a spinoff of Ben Casey, stars Paul Richards and Eduard Franz. The series was created by Meta Rosenberg.

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Seasons & Episodes

EP30 My Hands Are Clean

Apr. 27,1964

Loan shark develops stigmata on his hands.

EP29 I, the Dancer

Apr. 20,1964

Newlywed dancer's career is jeopardized by fits of hysteria, which are triggered by her choreographer husband's bizarre view of marriage.

EP28 Confounding Her Astronomers

Apr. 06,1964

Gifted orphan has behavioral problems which keep her from being adopted.

EP27 Never Trouble Trouble, 'Til Trouble Troubles You

Mar. 30,1964

Boxer is accused of throwing a fight.

EP26 Glass Flowers Never Drop Petals

Mar. 23,1964

We don't have an overview of this episode, please check back later.

EP25 Shadow of a Starless Night

Mar. 16,1964

Young doctor must learn to cope with sudden blindness.

EP24 The Summer House

Mar. 09,1964

Expectant mother withdraws into a schizophrenic state.

EP23 Tides of Darkness

Mar. 02,1964

Teenage girl becomes withdrawn after being assaulted.

EP22 A Child of the Center Ring

Feb. 24,1964

Trapeze artist is paralyzed by her father's death.

EP21 So Many Pretty Girls, So Little Time

Feb. 17,1964

Married publisher kisses the girls and makes his wife cry.

EP20 No Squares in My Family Circle

Feb. 10,1964

Criminal family ties cause a guilt-ridden man's headaches and endanger his girlfriend.

EP19 A Land More Cruel

Jan. 27,1964

Fashion designer drifts from man to man.

EP18 Better Than a Dead Lion

Jan. 20,1964

Famous author becomes self-destructive.

EP17 And If Thy Hand Offends Thee

Jan. 13,1964

Man's guilt paralyzes his hand.

EP16 A Little Anger is a Good Thing

Jan. 06,1964

Depressed senior citizen meets lonely widow and learns to enjoy life again.

EP15 Don't Cry Baby, Don't Cry

Dec. 30,1963

Women prison inmates care for special-needs children.

EP14 Heart of Marble, Body of Stone

Dec. 23,1963

Model is dominated by her father.

EP13 The Gnu, Now Almost Extinct

Dec. 16,1963

Elderly actress refuses to accept her husband's death.

EP12 Millions of Faces

Dec. 09,1963

Hospital attendant masquerades as a psychiatrist.

EP11 Who is Mimi, What is She?

Dec. 02,1963

Mousy woman is obsessed with flamboyant movie queen.

EP10 Whatsoever Things I Hear

Nov. 18,1963

When his patient is tried for assault, Dr. Thompson refuses to reveal the man's case history in court because it would violate the Hippocratic Oath.

EP9 And James Was a Very Small Snail

Nov. 11,1963

Autistic boy learns to relate to his family.

EP8 Pelican in the Wilderness

Nov. 04,1963

Rabbi loses faith in God.

EP7 Crack in an Image

Oct. 28,1963

Wife of U.S. Senate candidate can't distinguish if she's married to a husband or an image.

EP6 The Bull Roarer

Oct. 21,1963

Young man frets because he's not like his ultra-macho older brother.

EP5 There Are the Hip, and There Are the Square

Oct. 14,1963

Distraught beatnik tries to complete the suicide pact that killed her boyfriend.

EP4 Bird and Snake

Oct. 07,1963

Bully disrupts group therapy sessions.

EP3 Fire and Ice

Sep. 30,1963

Wife loves every man but her husband.

EP2 Last Summer We Didn't Go Away

Sep. 23,1963

High school teacher tries to hide the fact that he was once a mental patient.

EP1 Solo for B-Flat Clarinet

Sep. 16,1963

Dr. Mac treats a disturbed young man and an unhappy actress.

7.3 | NR | en | Drama | More Info

Released: 1963-09-16 | Released Producted By: , Country: United States of America Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:

Synopsis

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The tv show is currently not available onine

Cast

Eduard Franz , Paul Richards , Robert Redford

Director

George Lefferts

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Cast

Eduard Franz

The President's Analyst Breaking Point Hatari! The Fiercest Heart Francis of Assisi The Story of Ruth The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake The Last of the Fast Guns The Burning Hills

Paul Richards

I Escaped from Devil's Island Savage Beneath the Planet of the Apes The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again Breaking Point Four Fast Guns Blood Arrow Hot Summer Night The Houston Story

Robert Redford

as Roger Morton

Betty White: A Celebration Poumon Vert et Tapis Rouge Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia The Movies Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound The Old Man & the Gun Jane Fonda in Five Acts The Discovery

Reviews

Cheyenne-Bodie Bing Crosby Productions executive Meta Rosenberg (later executive producer of "The Rockford Files") first offered the role of Dr. Ben Casey to Cliff Robertson and Jack Lord before finally settling on Vince Edwards. Edwards gave one of the 60's great series performances as Ben Casey and the series made him a big star. "Ben Casey" was also very well produced with literate, provocative scripts, beautiful black and white photography, and fine guest stars. Meta Rosenberg had gotten Bing Crosby Productions off to a fine start. Next up was this series about a psychiatrist colleague of Dr. Casey. Meta Rosenberg offered the lead in "The Breaking Point" to Cliff Robertson, but he turned her down again. She then offered the role to Peter Falk, who wasn't interested either. Meta then found the perfect candidate: twenty-six year old Robert Redford. Redford might have made the same kind of dazzling impression that Vince Edwards had. But he wasn't interested.Paul Richards finally got the role of the hero psychiatrist, and he was superb. Richards gave one of that seasons most compelling new series performances, along with George C. Scott in "East Side, West Side" and David Janssen in "The Fugitive"."The Breaking Point" was almost as well done as "Ben Casey", and that is high praise.Cliff Robertson guest starred as a young executive compulsively making love to one beautiful woman after another in "So Many Pretty Girls, So Little Time". The script was by Robert Towne ("Chinatown"). Robert Redford was excellent in another episode as an arrogant member of a group therapy session. Marisa Pavan and Jack Weston were also in the group.Rip Torn played a man like "The Great Imposter" who goes from job to job fooling people into thinking he is an attorney or a minister or what have you. Torn tells Paul Richards his next impersonation may be as a psychiatrist. Rip Torn is another actor who could have been fascinating as the hero of "The Breaking Point". Lou Antonio played a sensitive young man whose masculinity is made fun of by his stereotypically hyper masculine brother (Ralph Meeker). Mariette Hartley is a lovely young woman who Antonio is tentatively drawn to. And Meeker may be overcompensating to hide doubts about his own sexuality. Written by Ernest Kinoy.Other fine guest stars included Robert Ryan, Eleanor Parker, John Cassavetes, Joey Heatherton, Bradford Dillman, Kathy Nolan, Anthony Franciosa, Gena Rowlands, and James Caan."The Breaking Point" was on during the 1963-64 season, the same year as "The Richard Boone Show" and "East Side, West Side". A fine year for TV series drama. TV Guide critic Cleveland Amory said the most letters he got that year complaining about fine shows being canceled was for "The Breaking Point".Meta Rosenberg also helped develop the marvelous "Slattery's People", where Richard Crenna gave a career changing dramatic performance as a hard nosed but idealistic politician. Bing Crosby Productions was one of the best, classiest production companies of its time. It produced three great drama series as well as "Hogan's Heroes".Meta Rosenberg led an extraordinary life. There is a delightful interview with her on YouTube.

SanFernandoCurt Psychiatry has always been an iffy sell on television. It's tough to build in the life-and-death drama of medical series - unless, of course, the patient is absolutely bananas, with violent tendencies. "Breaking Point," a spin-off of the hugely popular "Ben Casey," lasted only one season. It's on-the-couch contemporary, NBC's "The Eleventh Hour," didn't do much better, running from 1962-'64.But "Breaking Point" managed to combine good writing with topical subject matter to be a memorable series, however short-lived. Issues like race, the family unit and the modern malaise were nudged at in what was then a unique approach to television drama. And Paul Richards and Eduard Franz were first-rate, insightful actors. Topping it all off was some really quirky casting: In one episode, veteran bad-guy Henry Silva played a priest! Reading through the episode titles here at IMDb makes me wish I'd seen more of them. Have you ever read more clever, poetic TV titles?