Nurse (American TV series)

Last updated
Nurse
Nurse (1981 TV series).jpg
Created by Sue Grafton
Starring Michael Learned
Robert Reed
Hattie Winston
Bonnie Hellman
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes25 (including pilot)
Production
Producers Robert Halmi Jr.
Michael Rauch
Running time60 minutes
Production company Viacom Productions
Original release
Network CBS
ReleaseApril 2, 1981 (1981-04-02) 
May 21, 1982 (1982-05-21)

Nurse is an American medical drama television series that aired on CBS from April 2, 1981, to May 21, 1982. Series star Michael Learned won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1982 for her role on the show. [1] It was based on the bestselling book Nurse (1979) by Peggy Anderson.

Contents

Synopsis

The series follows Mary Benjamin, the supervising nurse at Grant Memorial Hospital in New York City who returned to work after the death of her physician husband.

Cast

Episode list

Pilot (1980)

EpTitleDirected byWritten byAirdate
00Nurse David Lowell Rich Sue Grafton April 9, 1980 (1980-04-09)
Mary Benjamin is a widowed nurse who, after her son leaves home for college, decides to resume her career as head nurse at Grant Memorial Hospital in New York City.
A two-hour television film pilot.

Season 1 (1981)

EpTitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"A Little Rain" James Sheldon Story by: Chris Abbott
Teleplay by: Chris Abbott & Max McClellan
April 2, 1981 (1981-04-02)
A friend of Mary's son may be supplying him with diet pills; hospital routines are interrupted by two disagreeable persons.
22"The Gifts" Virgil W. Vogel Story by: Tom Egan
Teleplay by: Tom Egan & Max McClellan
April 9, 1981 (1981-04-09)
An anonymous person upsets Mary with sexually suggestive gifts that are delivered to her apartment; an anorexic patient (Theresa Saldana) continues to starve herself.
33"Listen to Me"James SheldonStory by: Michael McGreevey
Teleplay by: Michael McGreevey & Max McClellan
April 16, 1981 (1981-04-16)
A deaf hospital employee (David Purdham) reacts in an unexpected manner to Mary's news that his hearing can be restored.
44"Life Begins at Dinner"Virgil W. VogelVirginia AldridgeApril 23, 1981 (1981-04-23)
Mary faces the trauma of turning 40 and complications by the romantic attentions of a younger man, Dr. Benson (Peter Coffield).
55"Long Day's Journey Into Morning"Virgil W. VogelTom EganApril 30, 1981 (1981-04-30)
A reporter doing a story on Grant Memorial Hospital shows up on the day Mary's department is in chaos.
66"Best Friends"James SheldonStory by: Noreen Stone
Teleplay by: William Parker & John Welden
May 7, 1981 (1981-05-07)
Mary's close friend (Joan Copeland) is admitted to the hospital after a suicide attempt and then insinuates she once had an affair with Mary's late husband.

Season 2 (1981–82)

EpTitleDirected byWritten byAirdate
71"Margin for Error" Gwen Arner Rena DownNovember 11, 1981 (1981-11-11)
Mary battles a conspiracy of silence when one of her nurses is accused of giving a patient the wrong medication.
82"My Life as a Woman"Gwen ArnerHindi BrooksNovember 18, 1981 (1981-11-18)
Mary is having symptoms and her long-time physician wants to schedule a hysterectomy which her colleagues feel may be unnecessary.
93"Rivals" Harry Harris Fred Freiberger December 2, 1981 (1981-12-02)
A new nurse (Diane Venora) joins Mary's staff and Mary, for reasons unknown to herself, takes an instant dislike to the girl.
104"Equal Opportunity" Seymour Robbie Ray BrennerDecember 17, 1981 (1981-12-17)
A male nurse (David Morse) is assigned to Mary's department and Dr. Rose tries to persuade an aging doctor to retire from surgery.
115"Going Home"Unknown Camille Marchetta December 24, 1981 (1981-12-24)
Mary quits both her job and New York City after an argument with Dr. Rose, and tries to return to her life as a suburban housewife.
126"A Question of Dignity" Philip Leacock Lionel E. SiegelDecember 31, 1981 (1981-12-31)
A woman, pregnant with her seventh child, accuses Mary of encouraging her to sign a sterilization consent form.
137"To Life"Philip LeacockRena DownJanuary 7, 1982 (1982-01-07)
Mary falls deeply in love with an art history instructor, then learns that he is terminally ill.
148"The Store"Seymour Robbie George Bellak January 14, 1982 (1982-01-14)
A prostitute with a heart-valve infection checks into the hospital, and she later disappears with her pimp.
159"A Place to Die"Philip Leacock Joel Steiger January 21, 1982 (1982-01-21)
An aging and terminally ill social activist (James Cromwell) insists on dying at home instead of in a hospital.
1610"A Matter of Privacy"UnknownBrad RadnitzJanuary 28, 1982 (1982-01-28)
Mary reconsiders her role in the cover-up shooting of a congressman involved in a love triangle.
1711"Hands of Gold"UnknownJoyce PerryFebruary 11, 1982 (1982-02-11)
Drugs are found to be missing from the medical room in Mary's department.
1812"Blackout"UnknownNorman KatkovFebruary 18, 1982 (1982-02-18)
During a city-wide blackout, Mary tries to calm patients, Calvo organizes a neighborhood patrol and Toni delivers a baby.
1913"Where's Mary?"UnknownPhilip RosenbergMarch 4, 1982 (1982-03-04)
Mary is taken hostage during a bank robbery and tries to persuade her captors to let a wounded guard be treated.
2014"On the Line"UnknownPhilip RosenbergMarch 11, 1982 (1982-03-11)
Mary is torn between the needs of her patients and the cause of her nurses when the nurses go on strike.
2115"Father"Alex MarchAllan LeichtApril 23, 1982 (1982-04-23)
Mary is worried when her perfectionist physician father (E.G. Marshall) comes for a visit and tries to repair their strained relationship.
2216"The Clown Prince is Indisposed" Tony Mordente UnknownApril 30, 1982 (1982-04-30)
A boisterous, self-centered talk show host (Steve Allen) and his entourage turn his hospital room into a private office – complete with piano.
2317"Fevers"Unknown Stuart Rosenberg May 7, 1982 (1982-05-07)
A new inexperienced nurse suffering from job burnout takes the law and the life of a patient into her own hands.
2418"A Necessary End" Bernard L. Kowalski UnknownMay 14, 1982 (1982-05-14)
The question of euthanasia is raised in the story of a dying woman suffering great pain.
2519"Impressions"Unknown Jerome Coopersmith May 21, 1982 (1982-05-21)
A surgeon (John Rothman), who has allowed his gambling debts and reckless investments get out of hand, finds his competence questioned following a post-operative death. This episode was delayed for a few hours in Boston, Massachusetts on the last day of broadcasting for WNAC-TV

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References

  1. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present . Ballantine Books. 2003. pp. 869, 1433. ISBN   0-345-45542-8.