FUGITIVE, THE {ORIGINAL SERIES}: GIRL FROM LITTLE EGYPT (TV)
Summary
One in this series of dramas about Dr. Richard Kimble, an innocent man convicted of his wife's murder. Unable to prove his innocence, Kimble escapes en route to prison and searches for the one-armed man who he believes is the murderer.
Ruth Norton, a young flight attendant, discovers that her boyfriend, Paul Clements, is actually married. Paul claims he plans to divorce his wife, but she doesn't believe him and runs off. She drives along the highway erratically due to her sobbing, and ends up running over Dr. Kimble standing on the side of the road with a cigarette. Ruth stops and calls the paramedics to take him to the hospital, insisting that she accompany him to make sure he is all right. While lying on the gurney, Dr. Kimble recalls the night that his son was stillborn, and having to tell his wife Helen the grim news. In addition, because of complications during the procedure, Helen can no longer have children. This news greatly upsets her.
In the present, Dr. Kimble awakens in the hospital and devises the alias "George Browning" for a nearby police officer. Ruth is present as well. Dr. Kimble lies, saying that he absentmindedly stepped out into the road and that Ruth is not at fault, which convinces the officer not to arrest her. Dr. Kimble suffered several injuries due to the accident, but will recover. While lying in the hospital, Dr. Kimble recalls the night that the train taking him to death row was derailed, and an earlier memory involving Helen. While preparing to take her on a date, the subject of adoption comes up and Helen is vehemently opposed to it; she feels that adoption is a "lie" and is distraught over her inability to give birth. They get into an argument and Dr. Kimble goes out of the house for a drive, stopping at a lake for a time.
Later, Dr. Kimble returns home to see a one-armed man running out of his house. He goes inside and finds his wife dead on the floor. In the present Dr. Kimble awakens again to see Ruth. She reveals that in his semi-conscious state he revealed much of his story to her, and she knows his real name. She proposes that she check him out of the hospital to stay with her; she wishes to protect him, as she reasons that had it not been for him, her erratic driving would have gotten her killed. Dr. Kimble stays at her apartment while she's out, although Ruth grows nervous when she sees a police car go by. Dr. Kimble recalls his flight from the derailed train, stowing away in the back of a truck and using a blade pilfered from a gas station to cut himself free from his handcuffs.
Ruth returns and Paul arrives to speak to her again, but she wants him to go away. He tries to get close with Ruth against her will, but Dr. Kimble overhears their conversation and enters to break it up. He poses as Ruth's brother visiting from out of town, and Paul seems to believe him. Once Paul leaves, Dr. Kimble tries to warn Ruth to stay away from Paul. In the parking garage, Paul notices the damage to Ruth's car caused by the accident and becomes suspicious. The next morning, Ruth tells Dr. Kimble of how she met Paul on a flight and how their relationship progressed from there. She leaves for work but lends him her car so he can go to the hospital and get his leg examined.
Paul calls Jim Prestwick, a friend of his who works as a detective for the police department. He makes up an alibi as to how he discovered the damage on Ruth's car and asks him to look into the matter. Prestwick tells him about the incident and mentions Dr. Kimble's alias "George Browning," further fueling Paul's suspicions. The next day, Dr. Kimble picks Ruth up at the airport and tells her about his trial. Witnesses testify that the Kimbles argued with each other sometimes, although Dr. Kimble maintains that he never stopped loving his wife. Lt. Gerard testifies that his department interrogated dozens of one-armed men and claim that none of them could have been in the vicinity at the time of the murder. This leads to Dr. Kimble being sentenced to death.
While he tells her this story, Ruth receives a call from Paul asking her to tell Dr. Kimble to meet him at a nearby bar in fifteen minutes. She warns him not to, but Dr. Kimble wants to find out what Paul wants. At the bar, Paul offers to pay off Dr. Kimble if he'll leave Ruth's apartment. He believes that Dr. Kimble has blackmailed Ruth into letting him stay with her in exchange for not pressing charges due to the accident. However, Dr. Kimble discerns that Paul is merely trying to get rid of him so he can be with Ruth again. Dr. Kimble refuses Paul's offer, and discovers that Paul and his wife are throwing a party that Saturday. He returns to Ruth, who is surprised that Paul didn't issue any threats.
Paul's wife Doris discovers the money Paul tried to offer to Dr. Kimble, but Paul manages to come up with an excuse for its presence. He tries to offer an alibi to her so he can see Ruth again next week. However, Dr. Kimble takes Ruth to Paul's party under false pretenses and gets Paul to pretend that they are old friends of his. Doris takes in Ruth and excitedly shows her around their large house, and Ruth meets Paul's two sons for the first time. Paul, upset, goes to have a few drinks and avoid Dr. Kimble. Ruth meets Prestwick, who recognizes Ruth's name but does not act on it. As the night goes on, Dr. Kimble demonstrates to Ruth just how much Paul has in his life, and that he would never give it up just for her. Satisfied with this demonstration, Ruth wishes to leave.
Outside, Paul pulls Dr. Kimble aside and drunkenly claims he would have run Dr. Kimble over to death if he were driving Ruth's car. Ruth overhears this and prepares to leave with Dr. Kimble. Paul attempts to tackle Dr. Kimble from behind, but stumbles; Dr. Kimble leaves Prestwick to look after him. Dr. Kimble takes Ruth out to dinner and claims that someday she will be happy with a family of her own. He departs on a train to San Francisco, his final destination unknown. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: December 24, 1963 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:49:17
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: B:63296
- GENRE: Drama, mystery/suspense
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, mystery/suspense; Crime and criminals
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1963-1967
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Quinn Martin … Executive Producer
- Alan A. Armer … Producer
- Arthur Weiss … Associate Producer
- Vincent McEveety … Director
- Roy Huggins … Created by
- Stanford Whitmore … Writer
- Peter Rugolo … Music by
- David Janssen … Cast, Dr. Richard Kimble
- Ed Nelson … Cast, Paul Clements
- Diane Brewster … Cast, Helen Kimble
- Pamela Tiffin … Cast, Ruth Norton
- Barry Morse … Cast, Lt. Phillip Gerard
- June Dayton … Cast, Doris Clements
- Bernard Kates … Cast, Lester Rand
- Jerry Paris … Cast, Jim Prestwick
- Bing Russell … Cast, Officer Westphal
- William Newell … Cast, Judge
- Rudy Dolan … Cast, Officer