ABC FRIDAY NIGHT MOVIE: THE TIME TRAVELERS (TV)
Summary
In this made-for-television movie, Doctor Clinton Earnshaw and ex-astronaut Jeff Adams go back in time to 1871 Chicago in an effort to find a cure for a modern-day epidemic. The story begins in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Clint Earnshaw is frustrated at his inability to cure a young girl with a deadly and contagious disease he has dubbed "X-B." Enter Jeff Adams, an ex-astronaut who has been sent by Washington to aid Earnshaw in his search for a cure. Jeff and Clint discuss the symptoms of the disease and its similarity to Wood's Fever, a disease that is believed to be extinct, noting that all records about Wood's Fever were destroyed during Chicago's great fire on October 9, 1871. Jeff takes Clint to see Dr. Amos Cummings, who has been working on a time-travel device, and after some coaxing Clint agrees to go back in time to consult with the doctor who first diagnosed Wood's Fever, Joshua Henderson. After walking through the time device, Jeff and Clint arrive in 1871 Chicago but discover that unfortunately they have only twenty-nine hours to find a cure for "X-B" before the fire breaks out and turns Dr. Henderson's records to ash. They go to the hospital and meet Henderson and his niece Jane, but when they press Henderson to give them the cure for the disease, Henderson exclaims, "I just plain don't know why my patients live!" Short on time and desperate for answers, Clint begins a series of tests and sends Jeff to retrieve a blood sample from a sailor who has been cured by Henderson. The sailor refuses to give his blood willingly, however, and Jeff ends up running from the law. Meanwhile, Clint develops symptoms of the disease, and the fire begins in Mrs. O'Leary's barn. Once the coast is clear, Jeff heads back to the hospital. Unfortunately, after checking the sailor's blood, Clint is no closer to an answer -- so Jeff decides that they should just grab Henderson's records and jump forward in time before the fire reaches them. While Jeff is busy stuffing the files into a pillowcase, however, Clint makes a breakthrough and discovers the secret of Henderson's unknown miracle cure. The two time travelers explain their knowledge of the future to Henderson. As the people of Chicago battle the raging inferno, Clint and Jeff take the cure for "X-B" and run through the flame-licked streets, anxious to reach their jump point before it is too late. Commercials deleted.
Cataloging of this Irwin Allen program was made possible through the generous support of Mrs. Sheila Allen.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: March 19, 1976 Friday 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:12:51
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:60147
- GENRE: Drama, fantasy/science fiction
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, fantasy/science fiction; Drama, mystery/suspense; Time travel; Epidemics
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 1976
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Irwin Allen … Producer
- Alexander Singer … Director
- Jackson Gillis … Writer
- Rod Serling … Writer
- Morton Stevens … Music by
- Sam Groom … Cast, Dr. Clinton Earnshaw
- Tom Hallick … Cast, Jeff Adams
- Francine York … Cast, Dr. Helen Sanders
- Booth Colman … Cast, Dr. Amos Cummings
- Richard Basehart … Cast, Dr. Joshua P. Henderson
- Trish Stewart … Cast, Jane Henderson
- Walter Brooke … Cast, Dr. Stafford
- Patrick Culliton … Cast, Jim Younger
- Dort Clark … Cast, Sharkey
- Jon Cedar … Cast, Pegleg
- Gil Lamb … Cast, the Hansom Cabby
- Ed Ness … Cast, the Hospital Attendant
- Kathleen Bracken … Cast, the Irish Girl
- Richard Webb … Cast, the Police Sergeant
- Victoria Meyerink … Cast, Betty
- Fred Borden … Cast, the Band Master
- Baynes Barron … Cast, the Fire Chief
- Albert Cole … Cast, the News Vendor
- Rita Lupino … Cast, the Prostitute