Immortal, the
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Immortal, the
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| Episodes: | 16 |
| Year: | 1970 |
| Country: | United States |
| Seasons: | 1 |
| Seasons Breakdown: | (1) 16 (inc. Pilot) |
| Category: | Immortality |
| Colour: | Yes |
| Format: | Series |
| Company: | Paramount Television and ABC |
| Creator: | Robert Specht (Based on The Immortals by James Gunn) |
| Run Time (mins): | 50 |
| Language: | English |
| Type of Show: | Live Action |
| Status: | Ended |
| Broadcaster: | |
Summary
The Immortal was among the earliest television dramas to adapt the narrative structure of The Fugitive into a science‑fiction framework. The series follows Ben Richards, a professional race‑car driver who becomes the target of a relentless pursuit, not by law enforcement, but by agents working for Arthur Maitland, an ageing and immensely wealthy industrialist. Richards possesses an extraordinarily rare blood type that halts the ageing process and renders him immune to disease.
In the pilot film, billionaire Jordan Braddock, gravely ill and near death, receives a transfusion of Richards’s blood. The procedure restores his health and vitality, but the rejuvenation proves temporary. Braddock soon discovers that he requires ongoing transfusions from Richards to maintain his youth. Determined to secure this source of longevity, he has Richards imprisoned to prevent any accidental harm befalling him. Richards ultimately escapes, prompting Braddock to initiate a manhunt.
By the time the weekly series began, Braddock had been replaced by Maitland, another elderly magnate seeking the same benefits. Braddock, however, reappears in a later episode. Each instalment of the series follows Richards as he travels from place to place, becoming briefly involved in the lives of strangers and helping them resolve personal crises, all while staying ahead of Fletcher, the bounty hunter employed by Maitland to recapture him and exploit his blood for eternal youth.
Richards’s fiancée, Sylvia, appears in the pilot and the first episode. Echoing The Fugitive, the series also incorporates a personal quest: Richards searches for his long‑lost brother, who may share the same rare blood type and from whom he was separated as an infant.
Cast
Ben Richards CHRISTOPHER GEORGE, Syliva Cartwright CAROL LYNLEY, Fletcher DON KNIGHT, Arthur Maitland Arthur Maitland DAVID BRAIN, Jordan Braddock BARRY SULLIVAN, Janet Braddock JESSICA WALTER, Dr. Matthew Pearce RAPLH BELLAMY, Nico Minardos SIMON BRENT, Narrator PAUL FREES.
Tags: Immortality, United States, 1969, English
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