The Classic TV Archive - US Medical Drama Series
Dennis Weaver series:
Gunsmoke (1955-64) - Kentucky Jones (1964-65) - Gentle Ben (1967-69)
McCloud (1970-77) - Stone (1979-80) - Buck James (1987-88)
Buck James (1987-88)
Episode Guide compiled by The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by: Rina Fox
references:
Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
UCLA Film and Television Archive
Robert E. Fuisz, William F. Storke production
in association with
Columbia Pictures Television,
a unit of Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc
APAU: Lone Star Company, Inc.,
for
ABC (Sundays 10:00 pm EST)
US Medical Drama series 1987-88 19 episodes x 60 min (release date 27Sep87)
Starring:
Dennis Weaver
as Dr. Buck James
Jon Maynard Pennell as Clint James
Elena Stiteler as Dinah James
Shannon Wilcox as Jenny James
Dehl Berti as Vittorio
Alberta Watson as Dr. Rebecca Meyer
John Cullum as Henry Carliner
Kirk Sisco as Kyle Grant
Premise:
The story of Frank "Buck" James, a crack no-nonsense surgeon and head of trauma section at Holloman Hospital in Texas.
"Buck James" theme. Bertus Publishing / music: Robby Weaver & Garry Schuman.
################# Buck James #################
############## season 1987-88 ###############
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ABC Sundays 10:00-11:00 pm EST
[01] Buck James: HEART OF TEXAS (pilot episode)
prod. no. 6029/ no. 101 / 27Sep1987 ABC Sun
Written by Paul F. Edwards
Directed by Rick Wallace
Guest cast:
Donald Moffat ... Les Grant
Blue Deckert .... Ellis Daley
Synopsis:
In the series pilot, Buck is faced with hospital politics and the return of his unmarried daughter, who's pregnant.
Synopsis 2:
Down-home wit and a no-nonsense attitude are what make crack trauma surgeon Buck James tick. In the opener,
Buck finds time to make some daring rescues when he's not faced with hospital politics and the return of his
daughter, who's pregnant. [RF]
[02] Buck James: SINS OF THE FATHER
prod. no. 7102 / 04Oct1987 ABC Sun
Writer David Abramowitz
Director Rick Wallace
Guest cast:
Steve Eastin ............. Robert Lee Connors
Sam Anderson ........... Elias Turner
Kathleen Lloyd
Lawrence Dobkin
Jonathan Brandis
Synopsis:
Buck tries to save the life of a youth whose parents won't allow treatment for religious reasons. Buck must also
come to terms with his ex-wife's dating.
Synopsis 2:
Buck fights for a court order to save a dying boy whose religion prohibits transfusions; Buck and Clint come to
terms with Jenny's new beau. [RF]
[03] Buck James: TOO CLOSE TO HOME
prod. no. 7103 / 11Oct1987 ABC Sun
Writer David Abramowitz
Director Rick Wallace
Guest cast:
Royce D. Applegate .. Billy Ray Humphries
Nan Martin ................ Helen Gallagher
Paddi Edwards .......... Bobbi Watkins
Harold Sylvester ........ Professor Workman
Andrew Masset
Diane Shalet
Synopsis:
Buck must perform life-threatening surgery on his former mother-in-law.
Synopsis 2:
Death looms near when Jenny's mom has a stroke, and an argument between ranchers and a banker escalates into a
hit-and-run. [RF]
[04] Buck James: ABSALOM, ABSALOM
prod. no. 7104 / 01Nov1987 ABC Sun
Writer Paul F. Edwards
Director Don Weis
Guest cast:
Donald Moffat .......... Les Grant
Terry Hoyos ............ Katie
Jon Stafford ............ Rainey
Synopsis:
Panic hits Kyle when he discovers that an old girlfriend has AIDS; Kyle's dad threatens to shut down the trauma unit.
Synopsis:
An intern askes to be suspended after tests reveal that he has contracted AIDS. Buck's dilemma is does he reveal the
test results to the man's father, a wealthy and demanding donor? [RF]
[05] Buck James: A QUESTION OF LOYALTY
prod. no. 7105 / 08Nov1987 ABC Sun
Writer Art Monterastelli
Director Win Phelps
Guest cast:
Andrew Prine ........... Harliss Taylor
Edward Edwards ..... Mark Travers
Marcia Rodd ........... Sara Taylor
Kathryn Kimler ........ Tammy
Anne Wyndham
Synopsis:
Personal problems may be affecting performance when Rebecca and an expert trauma surgeon's difference of opinion
leads to a hospital standoff. [RF]
[06] Buck James: AND KEEP THEM FROM HARM
prod. no. 7106 / 15Nov1987 ABC Sun
Writer Paul F. Edwards
Director Mimi Leder
Guest cast:
Alex Hyde-White ........ Plank
Tom Dahlgren ........... Thatcher
Reid Shelton ........... Kleinman
John Cullum ............ Henry
Synopsis:
Rebecca is criticized for performing an elective hysterectomy; and Torio faces racial discrimination.
Synopsis 2:
Rebecca is accused of performing an illegal abortion. Buck's alcoholic ranch foreman has disappeared. [RF]
[07] Buck James: SILENT PARTNERS
Prod. no. 7107 / 22Nov1987 ABC Sun
Writer Garner Simmons
Director Jan Eliasberg
Guest cast:
Deborah Henrikson ...... Melina Geocaris
Edward Edwards ......... Mark Travers
Kabir Bedi ................... Dr. Sanjay Resta
Synopsis:
Buck tries to persuade a patient to undergo a risky operation, but the man is afraid to leave his daughter, who has
Down syndrome.
Synopsis 2:
A man refuses to undergo major surgery because he's afraid to leave his daughter, who has Downs syndrome alone while
he recovers. [RF]
[08] Buck James: THE LAST RIDE
Prod. no. 7108 / 13Dec1987 ABC Sun
Writer Syrie Astrahan James
Director Don Weis
Guest Cast:
John Allen Nelson ....... Buddy Cronin
Bennet Guillory ........... Dr. Don Forsythe
Kerry Nakagawa ......... Dr. Michael Dinh
Linda Lutz ................... Gloria Wills
John Welsh ................. Jack Wills
Jonathan Sachar ......... Brian
Synopsis:
Tough decisions abound when a rodeo accident nearly kills Clint's best friend and Rebecca gets a job offer from a
New York hospital.
Synopsis 2:
Buck's son has to face unpleasant realities after a friend loses a leg in a rodeo accident. [RF]
[09] Buck James : LET NOTHING YOU DISMAY [Christmas Episode]
prod. no. 7109 / 20Dec87 ABC Sun
Writers Paul F. Edwards and Garner Simmons
Director Michael Fresco
Guest cast:
Jaclyn Bernstein ........ Melinda Brannigan
Wesley Pfenning ........ Joan Brannigan
Milt Tarver .................. Officer Clarence
Gary Werntz ............... Mr. Mayhew
Synopsis:
Dinah and Clint both come down with a case of the holiday blues, while at Holloman, a little girl brings Christmas
into everybody's heart.
Synopsis 2:
An overburdened Buck finds it difficult to enjoy the Christmas season until a holiday miracle occurs. [RF]
[10] Buck James : THE GOOD SAMARITAN
prod. no. 7110 / 03Jan88 ABC Sun
Writer Garner Simmons
Director Jerry Jameson
Guest cast:
Lance Edwards .......... David Voorhees
Jessie Nelson .......... Mary LaRue
Harold Sylvester ....... Joshua Workman
Synopsis:
Buck makes a cabin call for a woman in difficult labor; and Dinah's ex-boyfriend and father of her unborn child
tries to win her back.
Synopsis 2:
On a fishing trip, Buck and hospital administrator Henry Carliner encounter a pregnant woman who needs emergency surgery. [RF]
[11] Buck James : ALMOST PERFECT
prod. no. 7111 / 10Jan1988 ABC Sun
Writer David Abramovitz
Director Mimi Leder
Guest cast:
Theodore Bikel .......... Sol Meyer
Thelma Lee .............. Sophie Meyer
Edward Edwards .......... Mark Travers
Karen Landry ............ Mary Travers
Synopsis:
Dinah's unborn child has a deformity; and Rebecca's grandparents have difficulty accepting her lover---who is married
and isn't Jewish. [RF]
[12] Buck James : LIVES IN THE BALANCE
prod. no. 7112 / 10Mar1988 ABC Sun
Writer Garner Simmons
Director Sigmund Neufeld
Guest cast:
Bryan B. Anthony ....... Laudio Ortiz
Theresa Saldana ........ Marta Ortiz
Deborah May ............ Lori Fentriss
Synopsis:
Buck fights to save the life of a dying boy who'd be a perfect heart donor for a sick child; and Clint is called on
to fix an older woman's bedroom heater.
Synopsis 2:
Buck is faced with a charge of racial discrimination when he prescribes some experimental treatment. [RF]
[13] Buck James : THE BOTTOM LINE
prod. no. 7113 / 17Mar1988 ABC Sun
Writer David Abramovitz
Director Don Weis
Guest cast:
Tom O'Brien ......... Matthew Berney
Roger Hampton .... Havery Merrit
Elena Stiteler ....... Dinah
Synopsis:
Buck's latest quarrel with members of the medical establishment may result in his suspension from the hospital staff. [RF]
[14] Buck James : ACT OF AGGRESSION
prod. no. 7114 / 24Mar1988 ABC Sun
Written and directed by David Jackson
Guest cast:
Andy Wood .............. Ronnie Bolden
Linda Thorson .......... Laura Browne
J. Kenneth Campbell .... Morgan Woolwine
Dehl Berti ............. Torio
Synopsis:
Clint is thrown in jail for a practical joke; Buck is called on to save a wounded prisoner who's scheduled for execution.
Synopsis 2:
Buck treats an injured death-row inmate but a politician is eager for the man's release to keep his execution date. [RF]
[15] Buck James : QUALITY OF LIFE
prod. no. 7115 / 31Mar1988 ABC Sun
Writer Art Monterastelli
Director Michael Fresco
Guest cast:
John Ireland ........... Hank Rhymes
Robby Weaver ........... Jeff Holden
Jeremy Roberts ......... Payton
Synopsis:
Buck supports a friend who decides to forgo the technology that could keep him alive, while Rebecca experiences doubts
about her chief-residency post.
Synopsis 2:
Buck helps a dying friend through his final house. Rebecca is stunned by the sudden death of a fellow intern. [RF]
[16] Buck James : TOP SECRET
prod. no. 7116 / 07Apr1988 ABC Sun
Writer Josef Anderson
Director Joel Rosenzweig
Guest cast:
Stanley Kamel .......... Dennis Osterman
John Lehne ............. Max Hollins
John Rose .............. Col. Alexander Caraway
John Cullum ............ Henry
Synopsis:
A pilot bails out of a poorly designed plane, and evidence points to a cover-up by the manufacturer.
Synopsis 2:
Government officials ask Buck to withhold medical treatment from a test pilot seriously injured in the crash of a
top-secret plane. [RF]
[17] Buck James : TO EVERYTHING A SEASON
prod. no. 7117 / 14Apr1988 ABC Sun
Writer Paul F. Edwards
Director Mimi Leder
Guest cast:
Gary Werntz ........ Mr. Mayhew
Alberta Watson ... Dr. Rebecca Meyer
Synopsis:
Things sizzle between Buck and a burn specialist until his ex-wife extinguishes the fire; Clint is pressured to go
to college instead of taking a job at an oil field.
Synopsis 2:
Buck's romantic relationship with a young female doctor further complicates his life: victims of an oil field fire
are admitted to the hospital. [RF]
[18] Buck James : HEAL THYSELF
prod. no. 7118 / 28Apr1988 ABC Sun
Writer David Abramowitz
Director Don Weis
Guest cast:
Richard Beymer ......... Max
Patricia Wilson ........ Thelma
Garn Stephens .......... Amy Ferguson
Synopsis:
A mysterious illness interferes with Buck's performance; and an admirer demonstrates his willingness to perform for Jenny.
Synopsis 2:
Buck is stricken with a mysterious possibly life-threatening disease. Jenny is courted by a new suitor. [RF]
[19] Buck James : THE REQUIEM [final episode]
prod. no. 7119 / 05May1988 ABC Sun
Director Win Phelps
Guest cast:
Gwen Arner ................ Elinor Grant
Richard Beymer ......... Max
Daryl Wood ............... Maria
Synopsis:
Buck and Les Grant clash over the center's budget, but before an agreement is reached, Grant is shot and his son
is arrested for attempted murder.
Synopsis 2:
Buck's feud with Les Grant is temporarily forgotten when he discovers that his nemesis is seriously ill. [RF]