Channing (TV series)


Channing is an hour-long American drama series that aired at 10:00 p.m. on ABC from September 18, 1963 to April 8, 1964. The series depicted life at fictitious Channing College, with Jason Evers in the lead role of Professor Joseph Howe, and Henry Jones as Fred Baker, the dean of the institution.
Channing, a production of Revue Studios, aired during the same time frame as the first season of NBC's somewhat similar offering, Mr. Novak.

Synopsis

According to the story line, Professor Howe had served in the Korean War and was writing a novel in his spare time. In a 1964 episode entitled "The Trouble with Girls", Keir Dullea and Mark Goddard appear as roommates who clash over a girl, Lynn Walton, played by Joey Heatherton. Dullea's character has a nervous breakdown and leaves college.
Don Gordon played Mario Saccone, a 37-year-old soldier who returns from South Vietnam and enters Channing College. This is more than a year before the large United States troop commitment to Southeast Asia and the subsequent breakdown in campus order at many institutions. Gordon is interested in the younger wife of an older political science professor named Jonathan Kobitz, played by Jacqueline Scott and Wendell Corey, respectively. Robert Lansing appeared as an alcoholic professor wrapped in self-pity. Rip Torn appeared as a graduate student with multiple degrees who remains at Channing because of his social life.
Channing was broadcast at 10 p.m. Eastern on Wednesdays after Ben Casey. Its competition was The Eleventh Hour on NBC and The Danny Kaye Show, a variety show on CBS.

Cast

Production notes

Stanley Rubin was the executive producer; Jack Laird, the producer, and Bob Rafelson, the associate producer.