Series synopsis
The Man and the Challenge is an American sci-fi & fantasy action & adventure television series that premiered on NBC on September 12, 1959. It ended on June 11, 1960. It was created by Ivan Tors. It stars Jack Ging, Joyce Meadows and George Nader.
The Man and the Challenge is a 36-segment half-hour television adventure/science fiction series which ran new episodes on NBC from September 12, 1959, to June 11, 1960. It starred George Nader as Dr. Glenn Barton, a research scientist for the Institute of Human Factors, an agency that conducted experiments designed to measure human endurance for the United States government. The series was produced by Ivan Tors.
Nader's costars included Jack Ging as Dan Wright, Michael Masters as Bill Locke, th ...
Premise
The Man and the Challenge is a 36-segment half-hour television adventure/science fiction series which ran new episodes on NBC from September 12, 1959, to June 11, 1960. It starred George Nader as Dr. Glenn Barton, a research scientist for the Institute of Human Factors, an agency that conducted experiments designed to measure human endurance for the United States government. The series was produced by Ivan Tors.
Nader's costars included Jack Ging as Dan Wright, Michael Masters as Bill Locke, the Canadian-born Joyce Meadows as Lynn Allen, and Michael Keith as Matt Adams. The episodes focused on various individuals setting world records of strength, endurance, and mastery of various difficult skills.
The program also featured appearances by Bethel Leslie as Eleanor Beck in "The Early Warning", Ted Knight, as Dr. Herter in the episode "Daredevils", and Raymond Bailey, in the role of Dr. Kramer on the series opener "The Sphere of No Return". Joining Knight in that segment was Paul Burke.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Jack Ging as Dan Wright
- Joyce Meadows as Lynn Allen
- George Nader as Dr. Glenn Barton
Guest cast
- Raymond Bailey
- James Best
- Darryl Hickman
- William Conrad
- Robert Conrad
- Jack Harris as Warden tanner
Episodes
This series spans 1 season with 36 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 36 | September 12, 1959 | June 11, 1960 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Sphere of No Return In order to test human stamina at high altitudes, Barton and two other men go up in a balloon. When one panics and fails the required standards he is replaced by a woman which draws a hostile response from the remaining pilot. |
September 12, 1959 |
| 2 |
Maximum Capacity Barton sends two men into the frozen north to test their endurance in extreme levels of cold and isolation. He wants to determine the best way to train men for high security jobs in the Arctic. |
September 19, 1959 |
| 3 | Odds Against Survival | September 26, 1959 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | NBC |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 12, 1959 |
| Last aired | June 11, 1960 |
| Runtime | 30 minutes |
| Status | ended |