10/2/61 – 3/21/1966 ABC 60 minutes
Black & White/Color – 153 episodes
From Bing Crosy Productions
Ben Casey Cast
Vince Edwards as Dr. Ben Casey
Sam Jaffe as Dr. David Zorba (1961-1965)
Franchot Tone as Dr. Daniel Niles Freeland (1965-1966)
Bettye Ackerman as Dr. Maggie Graham
Harry Landers as Dr. Ted Hoffman
Jeanne Bates as Nurse Wills
Nick Dennis as Nick Kanavaras
Marlyn Mason as Sally Welden (1965-1966)
Jim McMullan as Dr. Terry McDaniel (1965-1966)
Ben Piazza as Dr. Mike Rogers (1965)
Stella Stevens as Jane Hancock (1965)
Ben Casey Theme Song
“Theme from Ben Casey” by David Raksin
Ben Casey Tidbits
“Man, woman, birth, death, infinity.” Introduction to Ben Casey.
Casey and Kildare. TV’s heartthrob doctors. If it is important for an author to disclose bias, I was a Dr. Kildare fan. Dr, Casey was too intense! Although Edwards virility appealed to many women.
Specifically Casey was a neurosurgeon at County General Hospital, although he knew a ton about all disciplines of medicene. His mentor was Dr. David Zorba (Sam Jaffe), who left at the beginning of the 1965-1966 season and was replaced by Chief of Surgery Dr. Daniel Freeland (Francot Tone).
Casey got a love interest that year. A woman (Stella Stevens) who had been in a coma for 13 years. Puhlease.
Passings
Francot Tone in 1968 of lung cancer, Sam Jaffe died in 1984 from cancer and Vince Edwards died in 1996 of pancreatic cancer.
Vince Edwards
Vince Edwards
Vince Edwards
Vince Edwards